Horoscope

Saturday morning. In the kitchen - cooking for lunch since the gang was coming. Sheens starts convo by saying that a school friend for her, Zhi Yu, created her horoscope online. Site being www.cafeastrology.com. No big deal - I dont believe in astrology anyways - as a muslim, there is no such thing!

But guess what - sheens reads the horoscope and everything i believed in flew out of the window. Forget being a muslim, forget being a logical person with brains (at times!), forget being a rational person - just forget it.

According to Zhi Yu's newly discovered site - sheens will not marry. And if she does it will be at 34 and she will not be faithful! No children, she does not like doing housework, is lazy but though its politely defined as she knows how to separate leisure time with work time hence she appears lazy to others.

As HER mom, let me tell you - she is lazy. Period. No 2 ways about it - no matter how beautifully you phrase it. But if she's in the mood, she'll do everything - mopping, vacuming, clean the house to perfection. Otherwise the tea cup will sit on the table till it becomes moldy and smelly but she wont lift a finger at all to wash it. And she has the making of being a good cook - she has that magic in her hands.

Now back to sheens horoscope, she will have good job and money. She likes finer things in life and becomes materialistic.

Panicked - I started by saying:

Me: Listen sheens - marriage is sacred institution. its important to be faithful and committed in any relationship. And it is each individual human being duty to marry and reproduce.
Sheena: Where is it written mummy?
Me: In the Islam & Hindu religion (remember her dad is Hindu)
Sheena: Yeah rite
Me: In the society we live in!
Sheena: Yeah rite
Me: In my book Sheena!
Sheena: Sighs and give me that weird look

So I start again by saying marriage is sacred and how its a holy institution - yada yada yada. And she turns around and says - I am not getting married today Mom! So chill mom.

I did the next best thing - I called India. Spoke to mom and got dad to go to the pandit there and then. Relax Shalini - says dad. Apparently when sheens was born, her khundli was done. And it says she will marry at 32 and have 2 kids. Phew - relief.

Then bomb drops - timing on the khundli is wrong. Aiyo. Panic again and sent dad out to the pandit immediately. Now he goes to some physco pandit who says he wants sheens india time of birth and it will take him 3 days to do it. So am waiting.

Then told sheens to do nisha's horoscope. Bad bad bad choice. She becomes a drug addict! Aiyo! But she gets married and have lots of kids. In hindsight, yeah right! Nisha is the straightest and the sweetest kid around.

In walks Victor for lunch - seeing me frantic he says "kya hua shalini?" and gives me a big hug. Told him the issue. And you know what he does - "Hei Sheens - good job - you have a rocking life" and hi-fives sheens. Next parul, sunil and montu bhaiya walks in. They all are just too happy she has a great life ahead and agree with Victor. And I am left stunned!

Where have i gone wrong? What values have I thought my kids? To be a drug addict, not get married, have no kids, be unfaithful. Oh god - where did I go wrong! Was in a drugged state the whole weekend. And all nisha could do was - laugh and sheens was all smug!!!

Today is Tuesday and am in the office - reality is surfacing in me. Slowly I am coming out of the haze! My mind clearing. I did my level best with the kids, its not something i know, its a fact of life. I refuse to believe my children will turn out such in future. They are good kids with good values. They are my pride and joy and they will not disappoint me.

Besides - how can a website be right - right? And its a horoscope - i have better faith in my kids and my parvarish!!

And sheens you will avoid Zhi Yu whenever she is visiting funny websites! If I ever meet that child....

shalini

Eid Photos

I won!

How often do we win in lucky draws & toto? I guess after cribbing so much on the National Day toto draw, God decided to be merciful and award me a prize.

Recently I won a 32" Sharp LCD tv. Yippee Yeah. It was a customer appreciation lunch and they had lucky draw. First prize being the TV. I had gone there with Pramod, a colleague of mine. Immediately after the lunch, Pramod's mantra was - "lets go na.. we wont win. chal na - lets go"

But I stuck my guns out. And they announced the 1st prize winner - some lady from Singapore Tourism Board, Pramod gave me that "I told you so" look. I sighed - i offered to buy him chai for a week for making him sit thru this.

But no lady came forward - the lady was gone. She did not wait for the lucky draw. The next name drawn was mine. Oh the smiles, the laughter, the joy - the happiness. I won - oh god - i won!

The last time i won a pair of diamond rings were 10 years back at the CK Tang lucky draw. And now this!

First person i called is Victor and he was really sweet about it. Then Pramod says - dont you want to call your kids - oh yes - my kids - how can i forget. Called sheens then parul and put them on conference. Called nisha after that.

Last saturday - i went to redeem the tv. I upgraded it to 37" by paying $400 more. I think its totally worth it. And the new tv will be delivered this sat.

Now the problems this new tv has created for me in my life:

- Sheens is hopping mad. She says I get headache with a 29" tv (our current tv size) and now you got us a 37". I told you to just stick by the 32" rite? I am still trying to figure out - who is the mom here!

- The current tv was given to us by Jacqueline before she migrated to Melbourne. Its a nishani (momento) - how can you get a new tv. How can you just throw the nishani away?

- 37" is too big for our hall! We live in a hdb flat and not a condo!

Aiyo!

First of all kid (the mom is speaking here!):

- I always wanted an lcd tv. since parul got hers 2 months back, i have been craving for one. I would have gotten one sooner or later.

- I am not throwing the nishani away - I am giving it to my bro who needs a tv. So the tv will still be around and we can always go visit him whenever YOU miss Jacqueline auntie too much. I miss her too but i dont need to see the tv to miss her! Child - you got your logic of missing people - distorted and twisted!

- Wats the point of having a lcd flat tv if its only 32"? besides victor and rajiv said for $400 its worth it to get a 37". And once you place the tv against the wall, it will look fine in the hall. So please blame them too for my decision!

Anyways all said and done, am really happy. I won a tv.

shalini

So much happening

Have been really lazy and busy...

- My brain angio happened on Aug 26 and it went well. There must be someone up there who is really happy with me or either all my friends and families prayers came thru. I must say am really thankful and grateful to god, family and friends for always being there when i need them. From next year onwards - its only an MRI - no more angio - yippee yu!!

- Eid. Last week. Was awesome. The family and friends came. Sunil running up and down getting drinks and change for eidi, Parul in a beautiful saree looking gorgeous as always, playing taboo till 11.30pm. The star of the taboo game is Urpala - for an 8 year old - she rocked! All her statements started with either Appa this, Amma this or Akka this. Point to note: the life of this little girl revolves only around her family and it shows how much she is loved and secure in her childhood. Her dad, Raymond, was the exact opposite - boring! Too precise and no fun at all. Came sheena's turn and she says "Mummy when i grow up, I want to be this" And prompt came the reply from Sunil and Victor - "THIN". Sheena was just too shocked and rolled her eyes. The answer was a millionaire. Met the NUS team after 1 year and was just too happy to see them.

- Kids exam going on!

- Sheens falling sick all the time. Need to get some multi vitamin or home made remedy for her. Let me call mom!

- "When will I get a new job?" is a question thats asked to me by Rohini everyday without fail. Any ideas on the perfect reply? I always say - "When i get one babe - you will get one too.."

- JayJay was here for a visit over the weekend with his wife, Navaz. Too short a visit but it was great to see them. First time in 9 years did i see Nisha saying a proper goodbye and with a hug too. Wow - normally she's so cold. But then that is one special couple!

shalini