When Popo Not at Home

Despite the heightened phase, Popo's Dream Cruise remains in operations, though with heightened restrictions as well. For a while, she was hesitant and I encouraged her to go - fully vaccinated and she doesn't need to work or study. Why not? We need to live with the new norm. In a bad case, she just earned herself an extended 2 weeks "staycation" in one of the hotels. Didn't sound too bad. So on Friday afternoon, her bags were packed and zoomed off.

Nice! Hohoho. I can taste freedom!

We aren't that bad and survived very well without Popo. While I can't cook, food options are plentiful and we even "made" pizzas for Saturday bfast. Nobody went hungry. What we did instead is a lot of cleaning. 

On Friday and Saturday, I scrubbed down the kitchen. It is not that Popo hasn't been cleaning but with failing eyesight, stains are often overlooked. I scrubbed away the many patches of mould and wiped away the dirt and lizard shit on the wall corners. I hate lizard shit. Zzzzz. It is hard work and these if not cleared, becomes impossible to remove after months of accumulation, like what happened to Centris. 

The kids got their fair share too. There is no Popo to 伺候 them. They have to take their own water, wash whatever dishes that they used, helped wiped the table, etc. On Saturday evening, bcos it had been exceptionally windy, the whole balcony and living room were covered by dust and dirt from the nearby construction. I got the kids to vacuum and mop the floor and scrubbed the balcony. Yay, there were a lot of complaints. I is 听不到..

I cannot deny that it is hard work doing the household chores and working full time. Kudos to the working mummies. I doubt I can do this for long and I didn't even do any laundry or wash the toilets. 

Popo was back at Sunday noon and started her whole cleaning regime like we had turned the house upside down or play with mud in house while she is away. 看不到, 看不到.. I had a hard time trying to shut away her constantly telling the kids not to do that and this, that this and that is dirty. Haiz. 

Lil Shauna had to practice her "cooking" in prep of her FCE WA3 on coming Thursday. She had to make a fusion burger. While the result didn't turn out too bad and the burger was delicious, the kitchen was a mess. 

I can tell that the cooking talents and genes didn't skip generation and go to her. Hohoho. 

I was very glad that I didn't have to clean up the mess that she left behind though. Hohoho. 

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating 242: While We Still Can

Last Tuesday was a PH and Zaky was bugging me to bring him to the Trampoline Park. Luckily he did bcos we are now back on heightened phase. We even managed to jio C and T. With good companions, all outings are good outings.

On the same day, the news announced the tightened restrictions and I was half wondering if enrichment classes are going to back to online/ cancel. Lil Shauna's netball is back on zoom and her hopes of going back on court dashed. 

The new motto is to skate while we can - last Wednesday evening, SISA class continued.

I didn't quite know what was taught as I was busy on my laptop. I saw her do footwork with hand motions and still looking very much like a 木头人 and then the usual jumps and spins. 

One hour past very quickly and she came back complaining that she totally cannot feel her toes. Lol. I hope that means that she has worked hard. Skating fortunately continues and skate while we can. 

Mummy Lim

No Wheels and Small Wheels

The doctor has advised 7 days of no strenuous exercise after the Covid-19 jab. I walked around the poolside on Friday to clock my steps, like what I would usually do on rest days. On Saturday, Daddy Lim work schedule allowed him to join the WWF Saturday morning rides. When I cannot, he can. Zzzzzzz. 

Bcos I is young, possibly the under 30 group, I decided to take a good rest and not overstress my poor heart. Lol. So when Daddy Lim joined the WWF ride, I decided to go for a walk instead. I had contemplated asking the kids to join me but at 7am, I think they will probably roll eyes at me until their blacks cannot come back and decided to go alone. It wasn't too bad. I walked all the way to the end of Jurong Lake Garden and 2 more rounds around the pool to complete 8km. 

My heart feels normal but just a little bored on my walk back. 

On Sunday morning, Daddy Lim decided to bring Zaky to Kallang skate park. I have decided to give my super aged and plastic disintegrated rollerblades a try. We woke up at 6am and drove all the way to Kallang MacD. So far... Luckily I bought a meal for myself, nobody wanted to share theirs with me and were instead very happy when I couldn't finish mine. 

The plastic the seals the boots to the wheels structure is peeling off. Daddy Lim says that it is not safe and had been trying to jio me to buy a new pair. But the wheel structure is actually screwed to the boots and I don't think the disintegrating plastic would compromise the skates integrity. Anyway, never try, never know. 

Just to be extra safe and give me a couple more seconds to crash fall safely, I duct tape the skates. Hohoho. Then, there wasn't enough duct tape left and I made do with whatever there was. 

The skates worked very well and are safe. The tracks at Kallang are clean and smooth and I had a very good time skating around the tracks while the boys crashed at the skate park. It was so therapeutic. All in all, I completed about 13ish km. Not bad. Kallang wave park was also crowded with different exercise groups in the morning, from HIIT to taiqi and sword playing to zumba. I was kept well-entertained while going round and round the tracks.

Midway, the left duct tape dropped off and I reinforced it with normal tape and ended up looking even weirder. Hoho. 

Daddy Lim's old pair of skates had the same problem and so he bought his new aggro skates. I feel cheated now. Want to buy new ones, then say lah. Zzzzzzz.

While I was going round the tracks, the boys really and literally crashed at the skate park. Daddy Lim said that he had a couple of really bad falls. Why like that? Why hurt oneself? He had blue-black on his palm from breaking the fall, he said that his back and butt hurt and he scratched his elbow. Zzzzz. 

My heart... I cannot take it. I better don't see. Haiz. Meanwhile, Zaky made friends. That was this little girl in aggro skates and with her aggro skates mummy. Good ah. They said that they would be in the skate park like every Saturday morning, which made Zaky very excited and kept bugging me to bring him back to the skate park next Saturday morning. I want to cycle lah. Hoho. Let's see how it goes. 

Mummy Lim

I Got My Shot ✌️

Whoever in our household can jab already jabbed le. The only one left is Zaky who has to wait 2 years or clinical tests to finally allow jabs for child. 

Popo was the 1st in the household to take the vaccine. There was initially loads of hesitations. She came over to the light when she realised that vaccination is likely to be the key to travel, including cruises. Nothing stops her from going on her cruises. 

Daddy Lim got his 2nd jab 2 weeks back, Lil Shauna had hers on Sunday and I closed the file y'day. Yay, 80% of the household is now 95% protected!

None of us came down with fever. The only complaint was sore arm. I thought my 2nd jab was less painful. Maybe I got a more skilled staff, who reminded me to breathe. Lol. While the injection was less painful, the arm sore seems to set in faster and more intense this time. I had problems trying to tie my hair last night. Hoho. 

Next step? No strenuous exercise for 1 week! I don't even remember when was the last time I went a week without exercising. It must have been years! Even on holidays, we went hiking and stuff. Speaking of which, the cycling friends who took the jabs much earlier were joking about how they worked out straight after their jabs then bcos of the lack of advisory. #Socheated

Mummy Lim

LP1 with Bestie

The last and 1st time that I cycled with Auntie S was way back in July 2020. It was a Round Island (RI) ride and she has gone on to complete so many RI and 200km rides on her own. So 厉害 and so proud of her. That particular RI, she traveled with a friend all the way down to JW to start the ride with us, then drive back to faraway Sengkang. #感动

Bcos we live so far apart, there are almost no chance to ride together. I toyed with the idea to do another RI together, either when she is halfway done when she is in the West or vice versa when I reached the East. Sadly, the timing never work out. 

I came to know that she comes all the way to LP1 fairly frequently. I think that is easily 100km for her. So when she mentioned that she is coming down again, I quickly ask her to jio me. The timing fits nicely given that it was an early Sunday morning ride for her and still early when she arrived at a decent in between meet-up point. It is always strange to me that JW and Sengkang feels darn far when driving but not so for cycling. Auntie S says "only" 28km.

Daddy Lim was on the 7th day after his 2nd vaccination jab and decided to join me. We were to meet Auntie S and her group at WCP Mac at 6am. While it sounded like crazily early, cyclists are no stranger to such timing, especially those who melt in the sun, like me. I was very excited the whole night and didn't sleep well. I was up at 4.50am even before the alarm rang and saw that they were in Mountbatten via live location. 

Slightly after 5am, they were already at Kallang, which means that they would be at the meetup point way earlier than 6am. I attempted to rush Daddy Lim but he has a very long morning routine before morning rides including coffee and the toilet. By the time we were out of the house, it was the original planned 5.30am and Auntie S messaged to say that they had reached. Zzzzz... 三条线. 

We arrived slightly before 6am and were glad that the party wasn't upset with the wait. With that, to LP1 we go! It was a good and comfortable pace and it is always a joy to ride with good companion. I totally heart the ride. 

Somewhere in Tuas, one of the guys got a flat tire and so, it was pictures time. Hoho. 

I don't know how to change tubing, I only know how to help them 加油. My best job is to stand aside, don't block the way and let the able do the job. Somebody already helping to shine the torch light so we take pictures. Hoho. The 2nd picture so meitu, I is 晕倒. Lol.

It was a good ride. I had fun drafting Auntie S in her TT bike towards LP1. We were doing 35 to 39kmh and that was my max. Auntie S probably could have gone faster in her TT. Heng she never or I smell smoke only. 

On the way home, we stopped for bfast, much to Daddy Lim's delight. Auntie S and Daddy Lim had another 超美图 photo.  Who is that guy huh? Hohoho.

We parted ways back at WCP. They had another 28km to go and we clocked about 70km in all. It was a really nice ride and I hope to ride together again when Auntie S comes to the West. 

Mummy Lim

Rubik's Cube

Every kid needs to own a Rubik's cube some point in their childhood and that is a different thing from being able to solve it. In my times, there is no such thing as YouTube to teach one how to solve the Rubik's cube. I do remember trying to peel off the sticker and then to stick them right, mimicking a success attempt. Failed. Lol. 

My kids had their fair share of Rubik's cube too. I can't remember how many they messed up and got thrown away. After a while, they will see one in store and bugged to buy again. Zzzzzzz. I tried googling and learning so that I can teach my kids and saved some innocent Rubik's cube. I gave up shortly when I cannot make sense of what google is trying to tell me. Hoho.

One fine day many moons back, Zaky managed to solve one face of a Rubik's cube after learning from a YouTube clip. He was very proud and from time to time when he "found" his Rubik's cube, he would show me the "one-sided" success. He didn't go on to learn how to solve the cube entirely and I don't know why.

We were in JP on Friday and the story repeats. We saw a Rubik's cube and he asked to buy, which I disagreed. He then found the one lying somewhere at home. Heng I didn't buy lor. He was meddling it before Maths class y'day and I asked him to try to solve the 2nd side. He took up the challenge and was again learning from YouTube. I have totally no idea what he was doing but what he did looked very pro, just that he still didn't manage to solve it before Maths class. Lol. What I did learn is that Rubik's cube is solved layer by layer and not face by face and this 秘诀 of up, left, down, right. Hoho. 

Zaky was mega proud after maths class, showing me his accomplished 2nd layer. Hoho. What was he doing in maths class huh? He was then determined to solve the 3rd layer and was intently watching the YouTube and twisting the cube this and that way, over and over again to learn the secret. 

After a long time, he finally solved his very 1st Rubik's cube! 

I am so proud of him. I saw how he tried over and over again and not giving up. I imagine myself giving up a long time ago. 

Solving a Rubik's cube is addictive and I saw him trying repeatedly after that, trying to better his timing. Apparently, there are many different methods to solve a Rubik's cube. I don't mind having the Rubik's cube keeping him busy for a while.

Mummy Lim

So Many Wheels

Bcos the kids got their blades/ skates, Daddy Lim also took out his and dust off the cobweb. *Cough, cough, cough* Though very new, the plastic started disintegrating and falling out in pieces bcos of prolong non usage. He tried duct taping the skates but I know the inevitable will come. Haiz. 

Aggro skates somemore? I faint until.... not only my pocket is $350 poorer, my heart also get an extra hit. Double haiz. 

With the new skates, Daddy Lim should bring the kids to go to the park and skate more right? Bo leh. His skates finally 开张 yday, when we brought the kids to the Kallang skate park. I was the only one on a scoot bcos my poor skates have disintegrated as well but I don't think I want to add on to the many "wheels", big and small, that we already have at home. 

Zaky was very excited and found somebody his age to roll up and down the ramp. There were a number of falls but nothing the guards didn't protect him from. 

Lil Shauna generally stayed off the skate park; her skates are not meant for that. She was mostly on the open area beside the skate park doing her jumps. She can now manage axel jumps on her land skate.

Daddy Lim? I can see that he spent a lot of time coaching Zaky "verbally". Otherwise, he was standing right outside or edge of the skate park eyepowering Zaky. Looks very busy hor. Hohoho. 

He said that he fell when he 1st attempted the ramp bcos he forgot how to come down. Zzzzzzz.. then, there was one time, I saw him slide down the ramp sitting down like it was a slide. Lol. He tried the half pipe too but was simply rolling back and forth like an ah peh on a rocking chair. Can, can. Don't be too adventurous, my heart cannot take it. 

Before we left for dinner, I made them stand together for pictures. 

So many wheels!

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating 240: Fall Compilation

It had been a long while since Lil Shauna took a Sunday class. I had thought that SISA full hour lesson on full ice is more helpful than the weekends' 30 mins lesson on 1/3 ice. There is so little space and she has to share the little space with so many other skaters including the beginner figure skaters. I switched her after realising that she wasted so much time trying to avoid the amateur skaters on ice. Come to think of it, she, R and J are the only advance skaters left taking lessons on Sunday afternoons. 

Lil Shauna's lesson was right before R & J. She has barely half an hour to warm up before class. Last Sunday's lesson was all about spinning. Coach was making Lil Shauna do different kinds of spins and also spin combinations. I always think that she is more of a jumper than a spinner. The result - she was falling left, right and center. 

She had one particular bad fall when she was switching to a jump sit spin after a camel spin. She seemed to have lost her CG, slipped and flop backwards. For a moment, I had thought that she had knocked her head on the ice. Fortunately, she landed back first. While she didn't whack her head on the ice, the fall impact made her jerked her head. Ouch, her neck must be sore.

Falling on ice is so common for the skaters. While falling on ice sounds ok, like falling on fluffy snow, the ice is actually cold and hard, like the concrete floor. It is no joke and freaking painful to fall on ice. Falling while spinning is a lot less impactful than during a jump. The skater is afterall likely to be nearer to ice level. I have seen how Lil Shauna falls while trying to master her Axel and double salchow jumps. Those falls really are painful, they are even painful to look at and I sometimes have to ask her to stop jumping, after multiple falls, like rag dolls being thrown around. I had been worried that she may one day break a bone. Fortunately, the Lord had been watching over her and keeping her safe. 

Lil Shauna picked herself up after the dramatic fall. Momentarily, she was lying on the ice a "大" 字形. Even she found herself comical. Her ability to pick herself up quickly also indicated that it wasn't a bad fall. I have seen her immobilized on ice trying to bear with the pian after a bad jump fall, impact made worse by the velocity and force of the jump. 

The half an hour lesson was done in a wink. Lil Shauna actually missed attending Sunday lesson and asked if I can book her on more. Sunday lesson is made so much more enjoyable with R & J's company. She felt that she had a good lesson too, falling done quite  a few good spins. She is also so much better avoiding the other skaters now. 

I havent posted a video for a long time but this fall compilation, edited by Lil Shauna, combining the falls from the lesson and after lesson self-practice is too classic. Enjoy! Hoho. 

Mummy Lim

School for a Week

On Sunday, we had to rush to Popular to replace Zaky's Chinese e-dictionary and buy color pencil for Lil Shauna. Zaky has crushed the screen of his not cheap and new e-dictionary. Roooaarrr... 

Lil Shauna needed to complete an art homework with 5 shades of blue. Instead of doing shading and color mixing, she insisted for a pack of 48 color pencils instead that already carries 5 shades of blue. Faint. Obviously the artistic and musically genes are missing from our family. She already had one of those 48 ones but cannot find them. face-palm.

The kids each bought a story book as well. Lil Shauna used to read so much and can chomp a few books in a week. She now barely reads and complains that she has no time. I am glad that she has re-found her love for reading.

Zaky chose the 1st Harry Potter book. I still remembered how addictive those were and I devoured the entire series in no time. He likes it as well and had finished the book in a week. I thought it was an incredible feat for somebody who can bring the same library book to school and find ways not to read a single page. 

Zaky spent the last of Sunday evening packing his bag and exclaimed that his pencil box was missing. Zzzzz. Another one. Haiz. Did we eventually find his pencil box? Cookie must have ate it. 

Zaky was back in school and student care since Monday. He adapted well. There was no complaint about going to student care. I had Lil Shauna until Wednesday. She was on HBL and returned excitedly to school on Thursday. She followed Zaky's footstep and was busying packing and lugging what she had bought home before the holiday back to school. A mini pile was left on her bedroom floor. It was stacked so high a month ago.

We re-start the morning routine, starting with the hair braiding in my half-awake state. Not bad, I still remember her to braid her hair. While I grumble about it, I know that doing so for her would only be for these 4 years. Like many other things that she has learnt to do on her own and no longer needed our help, this would go away too. At that, I am silently and secretly appreciating the times that she still need my help. 

We survived the week. The mornings without the kids were so quiet and I was yearning for their return from school. I will take a while to get used to their absence. 

Zaky appeared to cope better with the 1st school week. By end of Friday, Lil Shauna was walking dead. I think she is hitting the pillow too late but she has to manage on her own. Just when school has started, I was informed that coming Monday is Youth day, holiday again ah! #goodlife

Mummy Lim