The Tillies

The recent rains, especially the big ones that sprayed my entire balcony wet, have done some good to my airplants. 

The extra nitrogen seems to be have done them alot of good. They look happier and they are greener and they have had growth spurts as well. The 3 caput medusaes are suddenly much curlier than before. The druids are plumper and one of them seems to be blushing and spiking a little. I hope this fella flowers!

I managed to collect some rainwater as well and sprayed the airplants with this rainwater on days when there was no rain...:) 

Lasting Power of Attorney

Reading up. 

Yup.

见一个杀一个!!!

**RAWR!!**

Laoniang declared war on the spider mites a week plus ago. 

I first discovered them on the butterfly pea plant a couple of weeks back. So I hardened my heart and uprooted the whole plant and threw it away. It was a waste because it was the first plant that I'd successfully germinated from seeds! I have no idea where the mites came from. After I discarded the plant, I thought that was the end of the story. 

Apparently not. 

Nabeh. 

They infested my water jasmine bonsai. *Heartpain*

My poor bonsai. It's not been doing well for almost this entire year...first, the infestation of mealy bugs....then now these spider mites. 

I've been removing their webs every couple of days, and spraying neem oil on the plant twice a week for the last week plus or so. 

And I've also been trying to catch these creatures. Very challenging considering they are brown i.e. same colour as the branches. They are also smaller than ants but move as fast as ants. Laoniang's eyesight isn't exactly great also. BUT I still try my best to "fight" them ok. 

This morning I fought a valiant battle. For some reason, the stars aligned today and I could see many of them running away when I destroyed new webs that they had spun over the last 2-3 days. I think I squashed at least 10 or more of them today. I feel......accomplished lol. 

I hope I get rid of them by the end of the year....and I hope my water jasmine starts flowering again.
It has flower buds, but...somehow the buds are not blooming. :(

Trying

Really tough to clear urgent stuff in the evenings or on weekends when the kids are home. 

Every 5-10mins you get interrupted and your train of thought just fizzles up or gets fuzzy. 

It is frustrating. While I try to keep my cool on the outside when facing the kids, and try to get them to understand and not disturb me, inside I'm just screaming for some peace and quiet so I can concentrate on my work, settle what needs to be settled for that point in time and then be able to spend time with the kids thereafter. 

How ironical. They are keeping me from spending time with them in a better manner. 

Jiayou Mama....

I've had mum guilt before...I mean, most mums will experience it at least once, if not ever so often. 

Friday was tough for me. A challenging day that started with a call with my boss, then a board meeting, then a call with the Ministry, and then...it was just a frenzy after that with the day packed with Whatsapp calls, Whatsapp messages, back and forth emails, Microsoft Team calls, Skype messages, etc. Work continued on and off till night.

I was supposed to be on childcare leave in the afternoon as Nadya's school was closed that day. I had initially imagined some quiet time with her after bringing her for a Mac lunch and running errands at Popular. What happened was.....

I was so occupied that K, Nadya and myself left the house for lunch only at 1230/1240pm. And even then I had to make a call when I was putting on my shoes at the door and yet another call when I was in the car on the way to Mac. 

After we got home, I had to cancel my leave cos well...work. I couldn't spend time with Nadya. She was hovering around me asking for attention and floating around the house cos K was doing his work as well. All I could do was to tell her to find some things to do on her own. She ended up tearing at one point. I felt gutted. Torn between my kid and a work issue that was pressing and involved the top guy in a Ministry and another top 2 big guns at another agency. 

I could only hug her for 5-10mins and apologise profusely...She did up a poem and a card for me later on that had the following stuff written on it...word for word...including spelling errors...

You are a star
Shining in the wold
You shine in the darck, light and in my hart.
You are the best perent in the wold!

I love you
A shining star
Would you like a hug?

There's still another pending issue involving all the same big bosses. Trying to settle this one first before the second one...I hope my evenings and weekends are not burnt anymore.....

Jumeokbap

I'd been wanting to make jumeokbap aka Korean rice balls since a few months back. 

I thought it'd be something different and fun for the girls. I try to switch things up a little from time to time to break the monotony for them...rice at times, noodles at other times, wanton this time, beancurd skin "crackers" the next time, etc....

A few weeks back I'd gotten K to grab some roasted seaweed strips and finally on Sunday evening, I tried out my first rice balls. I didn't use shortgrain rice though. Just the regular mali hom rice we have at home. Kept it simple with just seaweed, salt and sesame oil. Turned out quite nice and Alyssa loved it. Nadya said it was somewhat plain and "not much taste". I was afraid the girls would be overwhelmed by the sesame oil and didn't dare put alot. 

Monday...the girls asked for ham rice balls. I made them and put more salt and sesame oil and voila, I got stamps of approval from both girls and also K haha....

Tuesday...the girls asked for cheese rice balls instead. I made them again but the cheese didn't bring as much taste to the rice balls as the ham did haha. The girls still loved it though. :)

Today's Wednesday...K is the one asking for the rice balls now haha...he wants them plain with just seaweed/sesame oil/salt and no other protein mixed in. I'd initially told the girls on Tuesday night that I'll be taking a break from making rice balls for dinner....but since K asked...I might as well make some for the girls as well...I'll see how this evening. :)

My heart is full seeing them enjoy the rice balls...haha...:D 

Ah jumeokbap...something so simple to prepare and yet brings so much joy...:) I should have made them earlier!

Sushi & gimbap next? hmm...more effort needed for these though and I'll need actual short grain rice too...

Yay!

I seldom have things going up to the CEO level. Used to be on the rare occasion with the previous CEO and barely any with the current one who only took over in June this year. 

Had a submission going up to him 2 days ago though. And he had clarifications, which were responded to....and this morning I woke up to his email that opened with this first line....

"Thanks Michelle, good update, well done"

Wah..happy siah! haha...:D

Jiayou

On and off for the past week, I had achy arms, a knotted stomach, achy calves and slight light-headedness on a few occasions. Also that lump in the throat that appears when I get too much stomach acid building up...

Been a long while since I felt these. May the anxiousness ease up. Need to manage it....

Jiayou Michelle

Jack of all trades, master of none

The older I get, the more distracted I am. Or is it due to lesser time...or?

Jack of all trades, master of none. Touch and go, touch and go. I have half-done or abandoned projects here and there. 

1. Acrylic painting
2. Chinese dragonfly knotting
3. Crocheting
4. Watercolouring
5. Pencil colouring
6. Scratch art
7. Doodling
8. Reading
9. Creating terrariums
10. Gardening
11. Bonsai
12. Brush letterin

I have things accumulated here and there...silk/satin threads, various beads, keychain rings and hooks, glass jars for terrariums, little decorative items and other tools for terrariums, flower pots and other gardening stuff, packets of different soils and special soil for bonsai, acrylic paint, small canvases in various sizes, art brushes, water colour paint, watercolour paper, markers, half-used notebooks, brush letter pens, yarn, crochet hooks, pom pom makers, wires for airplant holders, other craft wires, colour pencils, half-used colouring books, sketch books, number painting canvases, jewel sticker crafts, small piles of origami paper and other types of art paper, "how to draw" books,.................

And many many more......I also have an untouched leather wallet making kit which I managed to bid for within the company during the Circuit Breaker period...

I wish I had my own craft room. With a big cupboard with different shelves and drawers I could use to store all my craft stuff, my books and notebooks, and all my various projects in one single location. 

I think if I were to convert to part-time work or stop work, I'd have enough things to occupy me...

I guess, one upside to having all these is that for whatever projects the schools need the girls to do...I can always find a material to fashion something for them to submit lol.....

11.11 - Bugis Junction Field Trip

I took leave today because I have 3 meetings on Thursday. Coincidentally, it's also 11.11 today. Not sure if that's the reason why there seemed to be so many people at a mall on a weekday (no need to work or study meh?).

Mission: Personal challenge & Errands day & CNY clothes 
Venue: Bugis Junction

Went there alone and started my day at 10am. Was very slightly jittery but all went well. Cos well...me being me...I'd already planned out my routes, which shops to go to, at which level, and what to get or look out for. Need to maximise efficiency since I only have limited time haha...Planning ahead helps calm my nerves...

I spent $108 for my first purchase which was made in less than 5mins lol. I was probably that cosmetics counter girl's first sale for the day and I'm glad I helped her “破鸡蛋”. Spent the next 1.5hrs buying stuff and finally met up with K who had come from home to meet me for lunch. He helped me lug back the stuff that I bought.

After lunch, he went home and I continued again for another 1hr plus almost 2 hours. Thankful that K had brought back the stuff I'd bought earlier. Else I wouldn't be able to last so long. Things can get....heh-veeeeee. 

Did a round in Muji and as usual...Muji does not disappoint. 

The shop I wanted to go to for my CNY dresses was closed for renovation...zzz...why so zun?! Went over to my 2nd choice shop and ended up with a one-piece jumper. The first I've ever owned. The maroon jumper caught my eye first, but I chickened out at the last minute and bought the dark blue instead. Safer for work...and probably will last longer too haha. I don't have anything remotely maroon in my wardrobe haha, save for a bright pink T-shirt and a red T-shirt but those are for casual wear. 

Oh yes...I ended up being a member of BHG, SKII and also Muji...I think...我越来越 Auntie了....

Reached home at 3pm or so...and kinda crashed after that...lol. Thankful for the nap time...

All in all a fruitful day. 
Glad I went through with this challenge. Handled it pretty alright...

Just need to manage it...

Been a little more tense these few days. Felt bad about how rude I was to a close friend (unintentionally though...) plus was dealing with new staff joining the team. 

Kind of expected my stomach to go a little haywire because I'd been tensing up in the gut area. Could feel it. Past 2 nights were a little queasy and gassy. Today a little as well. 

Nevermind...jiayou!!!

Just need to manage it....Hwaiting!

成语s that Alyssa knows

I think she knows alot for her age haha...Thanks to Berries. From what I can recall....

美味可口
津津有味
鸟语花香
兴高采烈
愁眉苦脸
拍手叫好

Erm...actually 'm not sure how many of the above are actually considered idioms...but oh well...as long as she's learning something ;p

Conversations with a 7yr-old

To salvage or not to salvage?

Yesterday evening before dinner.

N: Mama do you know the song "Selfish Love"?

Me: ?? I think you meant "Savage Love"? *hums the song*

N: Yaya! This is the one. Oh, so it's called "Salvage Love"

Me: LOL...Savage Love lah!!

Work

Work volume has increased recently. One more new staff is coming in next Monday. She's pretty capable and should be able to help alleviate some of these duties after she settles in. 

Thankful that she's from the industry so her learning curve should be pretty short and gentle. :) 

Need to spend some time to look through all the process flows after she settles down...for both sides of the house I am looking after...

Rain Rain! Big Rain!

The huge heavy rains last afternoon and evening wreaked a mini havoc in my balcony. I've not checked on the larger living room balcony yet but I think that one should be ok as the pots of plants are bigger and more resilient. What I am sure of is that both balconies need to have a wipe down...and all plant trays need to be cleared of water. Gosh.

Spent 30mins clearing up my balcony earlier this morning. 

The chest of drawers was wet and some had seeped into the drawers themselves. Some soil and leaves and flowers were strewn about on the floor. And my poor poor ficus ginseng bonsai and small pot of butterfly pea plant were drowning in rainwater...I think I need not water them for the next 2-3 days at least. 

The big water jasmine bonsai was also drowning but less so as it was placed further in on the balcony. 

I think the only plants loving the rainbath yesterday must have been the airplants lol...No need to water them these 2 days too. They probably got enough misting and soaking yesterday. 

That said, I hope the rainwater brought some extra nice nutrition and minerals for all the plants! :)