I didn’t know what to call this post because I’ve been busy and has no time to blog and as a result a host of blog posts has accumulated in my head and I’m going to put them all together now in this one post. Maybe I should call it Rojak Post but I think I did that once. Haha.
So, what have I been up to this week? Well, I’ve been to the Income Tax Dept to enquire why I hadn’t received any forms this year (yeah I know its late to enquire but I simply did not have the time). When I called up earlier, I was informed that my address on the system shows my old address. Well, when I filed my returns last year, I had put in my new address but it did not show up. Sigh. Eventually when I turned up at the office, they said my address has been changed because they have received my last year’s returns but not my husbands. Hmmm…. We had gone to deliver it by hand last year dropping our individual forms into the box one after the other. Strange that they received one and not the other. So I got the address sorted out and they photocopied hubby’s last year’s return forms. *grumble grumble grumble*
Next, I went to collect my new chequebook (the new sized ones) BUT although they could find my name printed on their forms they said that the system had not caught my application which was done online. Some system! So I had to make another application and it’ll be hard to arrange for another day to collect. *grumble grumble grumble*Â
I saw my doctor for a follow up appointment. Told him I was still having headaches almost daily when waking up from sleep and naps. Since we had done the scans on my previous visit and found nothing, those headaches are just for the record. We had mostly small talk, chatted and laughed which is really a good thing. Another 6 months till another visit. Hopefully, I won’t have to see him before then. Now, though he is a very nice person, he is one man I hope not to see or meet up with too often. Haha. Well, hopefully, not in his clinic anyway.
We met up with at least 3 heads of schools in our ernest search for a good school for our kids since time is running out to make a decision. Its interesting to meet the heads. One of them was young and enthusiastic, another was older but still full of ideas for his school whereas a third (which we met last year) looked very much like the old school sort of head, serious, stern and erm not friendly and open like the other two. I think its important to meet the heads of the schools you are considering for your children because they are very important persons in the schools.
It is important to see the person who is running the school to see what are his missions and visions for the school. It is also a good idea to go to the school and look around during school hours to check out the facilities, the toilets, the traffic the recess time etc.
Every ship needs a good captain and every school needs a good head. Without one the school will sink unless they have a good system that is running and similarly a lousy school can turnaround with a good new head of school. “I hate the head of my son’s school!” my sister tells me pationately. “He won’t allow any parent in the school, not even when our kids are sick. He has other agenda and business and never takes on any suggestions for improvements during PTAs” she sighs.
And I mustn’t forget dad must I. Dad had a good day a few weeks ago. He was like his old self. He came over and chatted with the kids. He looked at my girl as if for the first time and said “Wow, she’s so grown already”. He went through her Chinese homework with her. He chatted with me about his unhappiness over his banking stuff, his watch that was being repaired and everything else. And then the next day he went back to his after stroke self, quiet and lost then yesterday I heard from sister that he had walked around her house garden in just his shirt without his underpants. He must have forgotten how to put it on. Sigh. Poor dad.
Oh then there are the kids whose all down with cough and cold and naturally I would have it too since they love to hug and kiss me. Haha. Well, anyway, when they are sick, I will cuddle them more because they need more tender loving care then so whats a little cough and cold to a mum right. Yeah sure…. *cough cough cough*
And the maid? How is she doing. So far so good. She is still hardworking and seem on the standby for work most of the time. My house is so much cleaner now and so far I’ve been able to give my family better food with her help to clean up after I cook. At the same time she also has a lot of free time because we don’t have that much of work for her. So she can nap in the afternoons when we nap and she can go to bed early. Thats not a problem to us but I have to think of how to keep her occupied (not with work) when she is free?
I’ve been giving her magazines to read in her free time. I’ve bought one or two Malay mags for her and the rest are my English ones. So I really need some sort of hobby to occupy her during her free time. Any suggestions anyone? TV is not so suitable for us since we hardly watch it ourselves.
At the moment she goes everywhere with us since she is still very new and we don’t know her enough to leave her at home with the keys. The only slight problem with that is our household expenses and cost of meals indoor and outside has shot up. Afterall we’re feeding another mouth now. Since she goes everywhere with us we also have to tune down eating out at very expensive places now which is actually a good thing for us. She eats whatever we eat so we have to be realistic and not splurge on meals for everyone.
And lastly, with rising costs, our chap fun (economy rice) and hawker food prices have gone up, cost of costume for my girl’s year end concert has gone up and the kids favourite doughnuts have risen in price from RM9.50 to RM11.50 for half a dozen. What has gone up in price for you personally?
OMG. I’ve written such a long post! Its a week long post in one. This is the result of not having time to blog. Blog constipation has been translated to Blog Diarhhea.
Happy Weekend.
welcome back! sorry to hear your kids also not well – alot of sick kids lately and yes, we parents will also get it from them.
i know wht u mean that ur expenses have shot up after the maid came. the first 2 weeks, we also brought ours very where and felt the pinch. now we leave her at home but without the house keys. but it’s only for a while, 2-3 hrs the most! maybe u also want to do this? actually, if my maid wants to run away, she can always do it from the balcony as we don’t stay too high up in our condo but i’m not risking leaving my housekeys behind yet and she’s not allowed to open our house doors so far.
i agree they have nothing much 2 do after the basic stuff is done which is why i’m lucky that my day care takes her in. left her at home for 2 days with my inlaws (who are in town) this week and found out she asked them to switch on the tv for her and that she had a nap in between, which is fine by me as my condo is not that big and she has already done the basic stuff.
maybe there’s a hobby u like which she can help out? like gardening? if u have a garden, maybe can grow some veggies and stuff?
Many ppl have told us to just leave the maid at home without the house keys but we are not comfortable with that. What if there is a fire or some other emergency. 2-3 hours is a long time IMO, don’t shoot me. Hehe. Your maid asked them to switch the TV for her? Thats quite bold. Hehe. So far mine haven’t asked because we’re not tv watchers but when hubby is away and I have movie night with the kids we invite her to watch the movie with us. We used to have movie nights in our room but now we watch it in the living room so she won’t be left out. BTW, I’ve heard of maids complaining about having to clean two houses when they are ferried to in-law’s houses just FYI.
Teach her some needlework, or knitting. May be she can knit some clothes for you & kids. Then you can save money buying clothes!! Hahaha…just joking!
Maybe can teach her to blog, then she can write paid blog and make more money for you… hahah joke again… sorry. dun “hit” me!
*Boink Boink Boink Boink* Pain or not? If not I hit again. Hahaha.
Aiks, i tot tax due in Apr…now only submit?
Last time I remisier mah. For business income its June so not so late loh. Besides I have no income now. Hehe.
me too was like you, nothing to give the maid to do b4 the arrival of my twins. however many has advised me not to let her have any free time during the day, especially nap. if this becomes a habit, then she will complain if there are days when u give her more work. try to keep her occupied with some tips from the comments on this post. (some can be damn funny one, haha)I even put her to my friend’s hse to work some afternoon / when we go out, get garlic, ikan bilis from my neighbours for her to work on if the work in my hse are done.
Chinee, some maids complain about having to clean two houses if you send them to another. Anyway, I just keep on reminding her that thats when we have free time, I don’t mind her napping but if there are things to be done, then I will expect her to do her work plus I remind her that we won’t be so free all the time especially next year when the elder goes to school and the younger to kindy. I think its the expectations that need to be handled so that she won’t expect this level of free time all the time. I think some of the comments that came from that post are scary like overloading the maid from dawn to dusk! Hehe.
hope your kids better by now.
price all go up. I also now ta pau bento for work. Use up all the leftovers from the night before, or cook extra the night before.
my previous maid also very free, cos no need to cook, no need to mind kids , no need to wash clothes. Only fold clothes once a week.
After she mop floor at 7 am, she is already free till dinnertime wash some dishes. So I decide to do without maids.
I have send her to FIL and MIL since 7 months ago for the rest of her contractual year. Been there at FIL for 7 months already. She was with me maybe 1 month.
MIL also say there nothing for her to do except mop floor so I guess we will be sending her back to Indonesia soon cos MIL and FIL everyday go out with friends no time to check on whether she forgot to lock the gate , swtich off gas etc or not and on top of it, they complain maid very biadap and they cannot take it.
I thought I was the only one whose maid are free and have nothing much to do. Like your maid, all my previous maids loves magazines too, they spend hours in the guest room flipping through magazines. ha ha.
Fortunately your maid is quite a good maid and is not rude. Very difficult to find a good maid nowadays. If she can clean the house that itself is a bonus already.
Your maid sounds a lot more free than mine. Haha. I cook and she cleans up. Cleaning up is quite time consumming. 😉
Wow, epic post 🙂 It is hard to find a balance I guess of keeping domestic workers occupied but not overburdening them. I can’t stand to see how some people treat their domestic helpers. URGH. and then the children would treat them the same way, unsurprisingly I guess.
I decided to do without a maid anyway, and stick to cleaners etc, thats pretty much all I need anyway. (hate housework haha).
the Js have received their letters saying they’ve been approved to go to the local govt school. I haven’t met the headmistress yet. Now that would be an interesting time LOL It’s a real headache huh thinking of schooling!
Haha. Epic post? Not quite. But very lengthy and long winded, yes. I’m still having a headache school hunting. I just can’t make up my mind!
MG,
next time you write, write one by one in each title, ok..haha…I confused to which I want to comment. You had succeed to make “Rujak or Rojak” comments at my head 🙂
first, about tax. Everywhere I think that department always make us headache..
second, to your maid. Give her a recipe book with lots of pictures so she can learn and practice for you sometimes. Or an easy handy craft book. Maybe she’s doing well in that field.
Third, about rising prices, it happened in here too. The positive way for us: we cut our budget to restaurant, substitute to healthy ‘makanan rumah’. Our 2 big kids go to school with public transport and I could see only in the first month they become more independent and wise to spent their money.
fourth, about your health and doctor. Yes it’s true. I never want to see my doc often. I had ever asked my hubby, he’s an ophtalmologist, did he like to see a lot of patients or more healthy people? He said he also love to see his patients get well soon and no need his helping anymore, but still he need another different sick people. haha…just kidding!
that’s all I could remember your writing (I won’t go back to your ROJAK post again…I did it four times!!) have a nice week end 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment and suggestions. They are all very useful. I’m sorry you had to read my post 4 times over to comment. Next time I’ll break them up into smaller posts like you suggest. Then I’ll have a small post a day instead of an epic post once a week. Hehe.
Hi MG,
I’m a very new mum who can’t believe I ended up at a blog about mommy-ism. I don’t mean to be rude, actually. I’m still learning about what it means to be a mum after many years of being a career woman.
Everything sounds fascinating and foreign.
Hi. I’m still learning too and in the process, I have 3 blogs, all mainly about mommy-ism. Actually, this blog that you have stumbled upon is about me. This one is about mommy-ism and this one is about parentism. Hahaha.
What a whole load of errands all done!!!
I hate it too when we make time to go to the bank and are then told we have to come back because blah blah blah! parking is always close to impossible at areas near banks!
Hope you have decided on the school! I have to research more on that when the time comes to meet HEADS! What do you ask/look out for?
And of course hope you are doing alriht health wise and pocket full of pennies wise!
Take care.
Thank you, Ann.
i hate tax. I hope someday it will be erased forever