News

Got the news this afternoon. Came back from Ken's place when he told us to go there to pick up a birthday card that my other brother had sent for me. When we arrived, we ate and played some games on his computer. As part of the routine, Ken dialled the phone for me to speak with M, at times when I don't even want to. Our conversation this afternoon was one of those times I don't wish to be speaking with her, because basically there isn't much to talk about. My brother, not caring for my emotional need, didn't care about it. Nonetheless, my mum and I conversed for about twenty mintues or so. It was rather quick.

We talked about SH, who was staying with me and my sister before she left for OZ, who had got her wish came true. She said how SH had been doing these things rightly, something when I hear made me green with envy. She's got her life back, yet my life is still uncertain.

Another topic was M wanting me or K to call the people. She wanted our situation to be dealt with, so we could find out exactly where our situation truly lies. It sucks because she is right. I can't stand being here. My sister is in the same boat. But yet when you hear this from the very same person who put you here in the first place, had gotten to you sentimentally. It actually pissed me off even more. Why didn't she deal with it when we were younger?

So after the phone call, we got back and K received a message from the people. They apparently received information and called us to meet with them this coming Wednesday. My heart sank. When you hear that, something isn't right. You can just feel it in your bones. I hope I am wrong, but life is just unfair in this way. Time will only tell.

Return to School

Term 4 is starting today. Kids were excited to go back, and so was I. The holiday had been ok but there is nothing like solitary time to myself, and that with the children gone to school for six hours a day, I am able to get my mind around living again. At this time my sister is going to pick them from school. Maybe she is taking them to library.

Today is ok I guess. I had a haircut that I had been meaning to get ever the hair had gotten long. The holiday was not a good time because it would mean I had to go out with it, and I don't usually like the feeling of having my hair shortened. I know it sounds shallow of me, but it had been one of my worst pet peeves.

New Location

Our bathroom basin has suffered from an operation

They are moving to the new house in two months. That is according to Jude, their daughter and the girl who likes to listen on adults' conversations. The new house is number 7, so they simply relocated to the same number.

This house, which is under revonations of its own, will be rented off. They already paid the mortgage for this property and with the new property now under a new contract, the rent payments will go to cancel out it. This of course means that they are getting the new house for free (well, except for the down payments.)

The renovations are a nuisance and to them it will be worth it. They paid these people to come and rip off the basins in the two bathrooms. The builders would wait for two weeks to replace the basins, which I find it to be weird. Who would let their clients sinkless for two weeks- where would we brush our teeth? Anyway , it is not my property, therefore something like this I shouldn't voice my concern on. The builders are getting well paid by the way. According to my sister, they are receiving a big fat cheque at the end of it all which will last for two months. That is why the family will migrate to the new location after the renovation is done.

Random News

My brother is playing in this snooker tournament today and tomorrow. By tournament I mean an amateur one, just in case people start to think my brother is a professional player when he isn't.

Anyway, he invited me to go today to watch him play and of course, being a good brother that I am, I said yes. And being a good promise keeper that I am, I didn't go! I called him to cancel just before my decision to decline going which makes me looking worse off. My brother didn't care, and by the sounds over the telephone, he was enjoying himself. I don't know if I'll be attending tomorrow either.

So why is he competing in this amateur contest? His pool club is, and him being a member was invited to join. That is why he is playing. How far he goes in the tournament depends how good he is. Hearing from my brother, he isn't bad. So we'll see if he can win.

In a separate news, my sister is going gaga again all day today. She was acting abnormally (normal for her), feeling sad that she is spending her days in the confines of this house. I am sad too, but I don't act with as much disappointment as she is. Her actions really aggravate me sometimes. Today is one of them. I really wanted to shout at her, but my energy wasn't come to scratch to do so. So I instead wasted time just cleaning the house and watching TV. Sad and pathetic.

Days in Review

Events taking place in the last three days.

Tuesday: I took the children to go swimming at a public swimming pool. They were excited to go, especially as they got there. I was initially planning to swim but when I got there, there were already many people, so I ended up chickened out. Yeah, it's pathetic but it's over here, so... Anyway, the children were having so much fun. Jord was afraid to go at the beginning so he hung around me. I asked him to go and hang with Jude who was in the pool at the opposite end of where I was sitting. But then I walked toward her, and the boy came along after seeing my moving. I shifted to a nearer sit to Jude's position which prompted Jord to go in the pool around there. He and his sister played together there, while I kept an eye on them.

Jude makes friends easily. When she was at the pool, she had introduced herself to this other girl. They began to play together, leaving Jord to play on his own. Though to be fair, by then, the boy was not scared anymore. He was in fact daring to the point of swimming/walking to the middle of the pool where he had been not enduring to venture to. So in the end, the girl was making a friend and the boy was overcoming his initial fear, which was great to see.

Wednesday: K was getting her teeth checked. Seeing that he wanted her to see his dentist, my brother had asked her to come his house, where he would go with us to his dentist to have the check up. K acquiesced because, let's face it, she's malleable.

So the children had to be dropped off at Gran's place. My sister was seeing a doctor and didn't appreciate the children being there, I guess. When we got to Gran's place, she asked if we were eating at her house that night. K was not sure and eventually went on to say yes. So off we went to my brother's house.

My brother waited impatiently. He was angry by the time we arrived because we had been late for the appointment. Nonetheless, we drove to the dentist.

At the dentist, my sister got her check up in a painful fashion. When she came out, she informed me how the dentist was being very agressive, and she felt strong pain. She had not been in this much pain when she sees dentist. Ultimately, she felt the dentist was unprofessional in her method. I think we won't be going back anytime soon.

That night after we spent the afternoon with my brother, we headed to Gran's to have dinner. She had been preparing this dish that I had last time and didn't like. It was a toss salad with chicken cartilage. Yes, we saw it right, chicken cartilage. The thing is, my gran thought I was crazy to not like it. How can I like something that is very chewy and got no taste? Anyway, we had dinner while Gran herself and my littlest uncle were out to see this new house the douche and his wife are planning on buying. It was good dinner overall, despite the cartilage being present again.

Thursday,today: WE had great today. At first, there wasn't any plan at all. My sister wanted us to just remain at home and just chillax with a movie. But by noon, we got a call from my brother, asking us to come to his house. I wanted to do something than stay at home agreed. So off we went, to Manu.

Upon our arrival, we also got two pizzas that my sister had ordered. We ate at my brother's place and he also joined us of course. We played the computer game, with each of us having to take turns to play. After that, we took a stroll in the botanic garden nearby. It was a nice relaxing afternoon. My brother had already wanted to take us out tomorrow too to fishing. I am looking forward to it. The children seemed happy at hearing this.

So there you go, the holiday doesn't seem to be bad afterall. My initial fear was never realised.

Strawberries

This story takes place over a few months and it involves strawberry plants. Three strawberry plants, to be exact, and one funny commentary made by my little cousin Jord.

Earlier in the year, around in June, my sister decided that she's get herself a plant because her room was seen as liveless. To get the plant, she wanted to grow not flowers, but a strawberry plant at that. She went to get it and also bought a tiny pot to help grow the plant in. As she did this, the children began to take interest in it. Well to the point that they had my sister take them to the shop to get one for themselves.

I remember on the day we went to buy the plants, Jord had one particular plant on sight. He wanted to get the tallest and biggest one because he simply thought it'd have strawberries soon. Jude had opted for more modest sized plant. They then painted their pots. Jord just randomly painted any colour to the plants while Jude made sure the pot knows who the boss is by writing her name with the paint. Sure enough they had been watering them for most of the times. Some weeks they forget but I or K would step in to water them.

Some a few weeks previous, Jord noticed that his plant was beginning to grow two seeds. One was big while one more was still in its "infancy". He was so excited that I can't even describe his joy on that day. K was very happy too for him as he now knows the importance of growing your own things, such as this, and he understands the joys you'd get from the accomplishment. By now his plant is producing three strawberries, with one almost to ripe. Amid the long wait for the seedlings to germinate into strawaberries, the boys learns to take care of his things. He's definitely proud of it as he keeps telling people who would listen about the strawberries. It is his pride and joy afterall.

As for Jude, hers is still growing amid at a slower pace than the boy's one. She doesn't boast much of it, I gess, this is probably due to her being older and not as excitable as the boy. I wish sometimes she would just let loose and be a kid again. Her parents' influence has gotten into her.

So this morning as I was going to write about Jord's strawberry story, one more development came forth. A bird, apparently got hold of one riped strawberry and ate it! Jord, seeing this, immediately came to snatch the plant and from now on he keeps on the windowseel, inside the house. It is really adorable.

Brithday Treat

I had a blast today. It was a tiresome day, but definitely a great day. My brother came to visit by around 11.30am because he wanted to take us out. He knew about my birthday being last Friday and this is his way to say happy birthday, I guess. Despite his motive, the day was excellent so I am not complaining whatsoever.

So he came here and invited us to go with him to lunch. We got on the car and to the restaurant we headed. Jord, who was left behind by the douche and he took his other child to his shop, came along, even he had no choice in that decision! The restaurant was a Shanghainese one. My brother likes the place, despite their poor service. I mean the host lady was so rude that she sometimes just dump the food on your table without telling us what the foods were. She doesn't smile either. Three or four times we've been there, not once did I see her let one smile escape the stern face. And yet, we kept going back there.

After the restaurant, we went to the Chinatown, just opened nearby our neighbourhood. Not sure when they officially opened it but today as we were going to someplace else, we saw the signs about the Chinatown, that my brother decided to head in. Once we got in, some of the shops weren't even opened yet. Some empty premises were present, among the opened ones, selling whatever you can name. Really busy, I must add.

Done with the Chinatown tour, we eventually got to another shopping mall at Onehunga. There, we shopped for clothes. I got two pairs of jeans, my sister one pair, my brother two shirts, and even Jord had his pieces of clothings bought with us. It was fun, and we ended the shopping spree with Mac ice creams.

WE drove around for the ramaining time we got in the city. We stopped at this park near the oceanside, just chilaxing. The cool breeze and watching people flying their kite.

By dinner time, or at least our version of dinnertime (which is always earlier than most people), we went to this Sushi Train restaurant in the city. I enjoyed the meal but the prices were really off putting. One dish they charge you like crazy. I was scared to try some expensive ones as my brother would be paying and I didn't want him to pay that much. I had been there once before, but this time round, the variety of the available foods was quite limited. My brother had the same revelation. Nonetheless, what we got served was just as good.

My brother took the opportunity to tell me about his Friday going to the Snooker Tournament. His club entered it and he tagged along with his fellow clubbers who are competing. My brother didn't participate this time because he didn't have proper uniform to take part in. This coming Saturday, he will compete. I am going to see him because I think he needs encouragement, and plus we are family so we have to be there for each other, I suppose. It will be good to watch. Can't wait!

So today was really exciting for me. My brother, by taking me to go out for a nice afternoon, had made my day. Not knowing it, but I was forgetting my troubles for,the time being, which was a great change in itself. So thanks Ken, alot, for this afternoon.