The one about the SMS

Stephen is the wittiest guy alive in my life!  There isn't a day that passes when he doesn't invent something funny to say or do.

In a different lifetime, he could have easily become a world-renowned stand-up comic.  

I should document all the funny things and compile them into a book.   Perhaps I will start now.

~ ~ ~

This happened yesterday when we were fine-tuning details of our swimming date. 

I swim a bit but mostly I walk in the water to build up stamina.  Hence the walking icon that is supposed to represent me.  

I don't know if this will make others laugh but it stopped me in my track when I see how easily he comes up with stuff like these.

It was also a moment when I stopped to thank my lucky stars for his sense of humour.

On a whim, I went to swim....

Okay,this week it's already been three (for me and five for Stephen) consecutive days of going to the pool near our home.  It's only one kilometer away so it's near enough to go anytime we want.  

The bad news is that I like company when I go swimming.  The good news is that Stephen loves going at anytime.  

In fact, he was the one who got me started on this.  He said that walking in the pool is a much better exercise than walking around the block.

Since I have retired, I have been walking around the area.  It has been nice to see things from the street level, at my walking pace, rather than from a moving car or bus.  

The good thing about walking is being able to keep track of the distance via a pedometer.  Well, it's just a habit that I like because it is nice to have a history of the walks taken.  It is also a way to know if you are getting fitter from the times taken for each km walked.

Stephen has been walking to the pool and back but now that he has convinced me to go, we ride the bus there and it costs only S$0.73.  The entrance costs $1.00.  We intend to walk home after our 'fitness' time so the total cost of this date is just S$3.46.  :-D

I'm hoping to carry on doing this because it is fun.  I find that I can accomplish so much more in the pool and, on a hot sunny day, it is just about the best place to be.

Today is Day 4 and my friend says that if I do it for 28 days straight it will become a habit.  Maybe she's right because I see a lot of really old people, I think around the 70s, and they are there everyday.  

(pic swiped from one of the Pinterest Boards)

Sleep alone?

When I was young, we all slept together.  Four of us (three girls and one boy) slept side by side, and it was fun. I remember nights of giggles and whispers and Mom saying "1".  We knew it would go to "3" before we would get it.  Often when she said "2", we would say "2 1/4" and giggle some more.

Now that I'm older, okay, much older than those fun times, I like the fact that I can reach over and feel someone next to me. 

There is a comfort in sleeping with your husband in the same bed.  I know some don't.  I think Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward didn't and they are famous for that.  Some sleep apart because the snoring of one disturbs the other.  Some choose to sleep alone because the bed isn't big enough to accommodate two huge bodies.

I used to like sleeping alone on a queen size bed.  Not anymore though.  I like the comfort of knowing someone I love is by my side.

(pic from here)

The one about the kaya

In an email this morning, "kaya" was mentioned and I got to thinking about it.  

I mean there are people who make this at home. I've heard that often you have to make several attempts to get it to be in that perfect state that suits your taste buds.  Or not, I don't really know.  If you want to give it a go, here's a site!

Me?  I'd rather make several purchases to find the one that tastes best.   There are tons out there to choose from.  Each one is different so you will end up with the one that delights your palate.

(collage of pics taken from the internet)

I can eat kaya with toast but my favourite is with this kuih.  I love it with a generous serving of kaya.

(pic from here)

Luckily I live in Singapore where I can just go round the corner to buy it.  

The Family

I saw this on FB today.  It was so pretty and, of course, I clicked "like" and shared it.  Then I got to thinking about it a little more.

Who exactly are our family?  Parents?  Spouse/partner?  Siblings?  Yes, yes and yes.  More than all those, our family are really our children.

So many times I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a complete family.  Without my children, there would be an emptiness and void in my life.

I know there are people who say they don't want kids.  They are happy without them.  I'm not saying they are unhappy.  I'm just saying that they miss all the joy of having children.  Later when grandchildren come along, it is a luxury that money cannot buy.

Maybe I speak for myself only but I think Stephen feels the same way.  Our lives wouldn't be complete if we didn't have the children in it.  

Counting the days till my girls come for their holidays!  

Just Perfect

My cousin posted this on Facebook and when I saw it, I realised that this fits me.  

It also made me wonder about the couples who choose not to have kids.  They've missed out on having something in their life that is perfectly right.

I know of many who choose not to have children.  Some thought it would spoil their bodies if they carried a baby for nine months.  Others felt it would affect their own personal time.  It's true to some degree.  But once you have a child, you learn to put another person first.  You do it instinctively.  You learn to love someone else other than yourself.

(pics from FB and Pinterest)

Being Happy

When I was 29 going on 30, I found this and read it.  I was a teacher then and I remember lending it to a student.  I never got it back and I'd like to think that it went on to help others along the way.  My only regret is that it was autographed by Andrew Matthews and it would have been a nice keepsake.

I recommended this to many others and always had good feedback from them.  If you haven't already seen it. Go buy it!

Anyway, so many things happened to me since I first had this book and I think I forgot many of the tips and tricks that I found so helpful.  What I didn't know is that those ideas were already planted in my head!  Recently, I think they bore fruit.

I was home alone, getting ready to watch TV and suddenly I felt such a strong sense of happiness.  More than that, I felt so contented.  

There was no thunder or lightning or fireworks to herald this euphoria I felt.  The truth is that I didn't need anyone to share the moment.  It was enough for me to relish it, in the quiet of my home, and know that "it" came to sit softly on my shoulder.

(pics from WWW and FB)

Breakfast of champions ?

What can't you eat for breakfast?  I can eat just about anything.  Sometimes I just want buttered toast bread or just some cream crackers.  More often than not, I prefer something local but savoury. 

I can't think of anything that I wouldn't eat for breakfast.  My husband, on the other hand, cannot eat curry laksa as the first meal of the day. 

I'm not a breakfast kind of person and usually I prefer to delay having it until it's almost lunch time and then I can kill two birds with one stone by having brunch.

So what can't you eat for breakfast?  Tell me!

(pic from photobucket and edited by me)

Who am I?

This picture has appeared on my FB feeds numerous times.  It only goes to show how many people have shared it.  I've seen it so many times that often I don't think about what it really means.

Today I thought about the first time this notion hit me.  I was in my mid-twenties and there was this one lady who seemed really arrogant and boastful.  As we all shared the same room, everyone could hear her going on about her huge house, her clever kids, her rich husband and even her trendy mother-in-law. I remember telling myself that I didn't want to be like her lest others would feel the same way about me as I felt about her.

She wasn't a difficult person in my life but she was a pain to have around. Everything was about her and she had to be the best.  I didn't see anyone competing with her so she must have been competing with herself.

Strange how we remember things from the past so easily when they leave a mark on us.

Who I am is not only who I want to be but also all the people that I don't want to be!

(pic from FB)

Then and Now...

THEN

When I was younger, I used to feel bad and sad if everyone didn't get along.  I always wanted peace and harmony in everything and everyone.  I didn't understand when people fought.  I worried about it.

I believed especially that family should always love each other.  It was a difficult lesson to master and in the end, I realised that it was an impossible one.

NOW

I know that not everyone I love will love me back.  But I also know that it is never a mistake to want the best but I have to be willing to accept that what I want is not always what I get.  So I've learnt to love the ones who are always there for me no matter what.  This  has made my life easier.

It has really been the only way to be happy.  Forget those that don't matter and love those that do.  As simple as that...

(pic from FB)

So many things I love

And another one about Facebook....

With so many FB family and friends sharing pictures, I've come to the conclusion that I love so many things...

Rainbows

Waterfalls

Sunrises

Sunsets

Lighthouses

Flowers

Clouds

Rain

and 

so

many

other

beautiful

places

and

spaces

A good mother

I found this on Facebook.  I had to read it twice because it made sense to me and touched my soul.  

I don't know about other mothers and I am sure that not all are good.  I know.  It's taboo to say so but it's true.  

There are mothers and there are mothers.  I know many people who don't feel a strong love for their mothers.  I also know some who worship their mothers.

I can't know what my mother feels.  I can only know what I feel.  I love my children deeply.

I hope that they know this.  I want them to know this.  I need for them to remember this.

Six months already

I've been jobless, retired, resting, shaking legs, having fun and doing whatever else people who don't work do!

I can't believe that six months have gone by and it seems that I didn't even realise it.

Of course, I haven't been idle.  I've been making good use of my time by being happy.

It's just amazing that I've taken to this new lifestyle like a fish to water.  Many people told me that I wouldn't be able to do nothing.  

Doing nothing is also fun.  In my world, at least, doing nothing is doing something.

I thank my husband for making it possible.  He's a wonderful 'boss' and always reminding me to 'take it easy'.

Let's see what the next six months is going to be like.  I've a feeling it's going to be better because Christmas is around the corner.

So it's six months and counting and I'm still not bored.  Not yet!