School Holidays

Its the june school holidays for both Sheens and Nisha. I remember my earlier school holidays being running around in the kampong with all the kampong kids, my 3 other siblings - creating rucus and chasing chickens all around. Becoming filthy with dirt and sometimes "dungs", torn clothes at times, coming home and getting thrashing from mom for creating such a rucus. We were considered naughty kids.

Then we moved to a HDB flat and met new friends. Their idea of fun was exploring the "longkangs". We would form a team, go down the longkangs to catch the drain fishes, and compete who had the most fishes and whose fishes lived longer. And of course the badminton games, the catching game, the 5-stones game, basically in the playground from morning till dusk - where every kid from the neighbouring blocks will be present.

Now lets move to modern times ie today. My kids holidays have always been a family trip to somewhere - anywhere but somewhere out of Singapore. I used to take them to genting for the longest time until they outgrew them. We started going phuket, bangkok, even Krabi last year!

And this year - guess what we are doing???

NOWHERE - NOTHING - NADA - kids are studying for their exams. Sheens has got mid-year exam once school re-opens and nisha failed her maths, hence major revision going on. They having tuition and are busy studying - arghhh.

They not even keen to watch movies - I am eagerly waiting for the kungfu Panda releasing on 6th June, and they can't be bothered! "You go Mom" with that look in the face saying - please act your age mom and not your shoe size!

But I must say - Sheens is back for a month. Been taking half days off work, to sit at home and spend time with her. The house is livelier and merrier I must say. So what if we do not have an "international" holiday - but the family is together - and I guess thats more important... And yes, we are using our new dining table and spending time eating together as a family...

shalini

Zeenath's Wedding

The saying, every bride is beautiful on her wedding day, is so so true. We all attended Zee's wedding this last weekend and I must, she was glowing and looked so beautiful. There's just something about brides!

Its tuesday and I am still have the wedding feelings. I dont know how to word it but am just happy that she is happy and sincerely wish her all the best from the bottom of my heart. Watching her take her vows with Alex, surrounded by her family and her friends was very moving. The love and the magic surrounding the couple could be felt by every single one of us present at the wedding.

All the best Zee and may god bless you always...

shalini

Carefree Years!

You know wat - looking at the pictures below - i want to be their age again. No kaane peena ka tension, you just have to study, watch tv, chat online and your parents take you on holidays every year. I want to be a kid again!






Pictures taken from our Krabi holidays last year.


At Parul's wedding - where sheens was the flower girl and nisha the ring bearer.

shalini

Victor Cherian

Yesterday - I got a card from India and was told - bhabhi all you have to do is go to an ATM and withdraw the money. The pin is 9505. How difficult can it be? I tried 6 times - all accounts - savings, checking and credit card. The last try - the machine beep loudly. My 1st thought was - I am going to jail today. Where's Victor - is he in town? I walked out as fast as my legs could carry me!

Screamed at bhai over a 10 mins long distance call for nearly giving me a heart attack and threw the card in the bin! Its a card from India - how can it work in Sin? What were you thinking shalini?! Dufus!

Then sheens came to Suntec for a visit. We had chocolate frappucino at startbucks with a low fat mango cheesecake. I really doubt its low fat though! Rohini takes her back in the evening after work. See Rohini stays near cck and so she gets the honor of taking sheens home whether she likes it or not. But seriously - thank you Rohini. Both mother and daughter appreciate the gesture and bless you everytime you do it. I am always excited about sheens coming. I cant seems to stop touching her or smiling like an idiot everytime she comes. Its her birthday this friday and I have not got her a gift yet! She will be 17 - what would she like?

The day did not end there. Went home and guess who calls - Victor. Why he called i have no idea cause i said hello and said there's food (allu ghobi and dhal) and asked him to come over. I presumed he called for food. Did he or did he not? He says he got work and he passes. And I still didn't get why he called?

But guess what - he came over! He only came for 3 reasons
- parkway parade was all closed hence no food
- cause Sunil was home for food
- and lastly i like to believe cause I sounded a bit off on the phone and he came to check on me?! He cares a little bit about me???

He uugathan-ed (christened) the dining table! He had dhal all over the tablecloth and the table. I had 12 people on Sat and the tablecloth was spotless. It takes one Victor to stain it. Aiyo! But he made up for it. He said - your kitchen really looks nice after the renovation. It was way better than his earlier comments when he came to check the kitchen after his HK trip and YES i still believe he was in a hungover stupor.

OR Maybe he stained the tablecloth as he's taking revenge for what we did to him during holi? hmmm - But Victor - we (me, kids, the gang) all love you and we can't imagine life without you. You the 1st person we all run to and your opinion and thoughts counts. May god bless you always with tons of happiness (which is relative in every individual's perspective anyways) but thats a sincere prayer from all of us.


shalini

I WON

Got a package from Zee Television from Bombay last week. Please note - courier via DHL. It had a mug, a small cricket bat, a key chain with a congratulations note. Apparently i won the "Incidental Love Contest". My name is displayed on the website - number 35 - shalini chauhan.. yoohooo!

http://www.zeetelevisionasia.com/winners.aspx?winnersid=48

The bat has been given to one of the 2 cricketers i know in my life - Sunil. The key chain - bhawna swiped. The mug is still mine!

Now the last time i won a prize was a set of diamond rings from CK Tang - 1st prize in a lucky draw. And now this. My standard has really dropped. And I really have no life. I am participating in zee television contests!!! Oh god...

shalini

Mother's Day

Now coming from a dysfunctional family, for me to understand and appreciate mother's day was non-existent in the beginning. But over the years, with sheens and nisha's love, i started to appreciate it. Motherhood is a thank-less job and but i really do look forward to that one day - where the kids buy me my favourite carrot cake, soya bean drink and a single rose. And dinner at a nice restaurant in the evening.

But alas - this mother's day was really disappointing. Sheens left on sat nite to stay with her dad - since he is having a crisis and needed her. Nisha was totally clueless and did nothing. It was just another normal sun with sheens calling me to wish me a happy mother's day on the phone. Nisha did not even bother!

I must say i am totally disappointed. You do so much and yet they can't just spend one day with me pampering me? But then the crisis with Tinku was genuine too. And nisha? Is she not my daughter? Arghh

The only consolation was - the sms from friends around the globe wishing me a happy mother's day, Sunil popping over to say hi and Gana offered this morning to take me out for dinner since the kids neglected me at my favourite chicken rice stall.

Plus i know the kids love me - their world starts and ends with ME. Right?

shalini

1st official lunch

I finally managed to drag sheens and we bought a dining table 2 weeks back. It was delivered on Tuesday and Sat we had our first family lunch. Of course, my family choose not to be around. Parul had to chose that time to go to frisco & victor to sydney... sigh. But never mind, Sunil, Montu bhaiya, Siow Leng, Jo and Praveen were there :)

Anyways - i learnt something. I dont know how to set a table nor do we (kids and me) know how to eat at a dining table.

The glaring mistakes:
- No plates were set on the table. I am so used to everyone getting their own plates and just helping themselves to the food! We just sat down and then realise the blunder.
- No spoons were set next to the plates - i just assume everyone ate with their fingers! Had to get up and get spoons for them.
- No glasses were set next to the plates. Had to get up half way to wash the glasses and put them on the table.
- We have no jug! I had to fill it up from the sink and bring it over.
- Finally, we need a dustbin. We have no bin in the kitchen.
- We need napkins - cloth!
- We need placemats!
- We need a nice see-thru table cloth to display the glass top.

Gayathri (and hopefully rakhee - if she picks up my calls) coming for lunch this sat. I have to make sure its perfect this time round. I learnt my lessons! This is wat i will do..



BTW - when are the rest of you coming over for lunch????? You know I strongly believe in feeding my friends. The friendship and the relationship lasts longer in my warped mind!!

shalini