Letting go...

The past 20 days have been very busy...My almost 13 yr old nephew, came a-visiting from Bangalore. All alone. He was treated like a prince (his words) by the Singapore Airlines staff who also upgraded him to a first class - you can imagine what his face book messages would have been like the next day!

So the boys had fun with their cousin, I've lost some hair and the neighbours are confused as to how many children I actually have!

We must have overdosed on the fun bit, because my 11 yr old caught a nasty throat infection and fever a day before the week-end began.

He got well soon and was understandably irritated at the enforced rest. I wondered aloud whether to give him an extra day of rest on Monday!

Me: "You need not go to school if you are feeling weak"

Him: "Okay' and a shrug

two seconds later,

Him: 'but I'm going to miss a lot, you know, I already missed school on Friday!"

Me: "It's just two days, I'll help you make up"

Him: "Okay!" and a shrug. (psst...can you tell that he LOVES talking?!!!!)

a minute later,

Him: "the teachers don't give us notes you know, you are supposed to listen to them in class"

I looked at him and smiled

Me: " And of course your friends would miss you too"

He smiled back, knowing that i had caught him out.

This morning he was fast asleep, and i thought I'll let him sleep in...I woke up the 6 yr old and pottered (love the mental image conjured here) around the kitchen...I turned to see my 11 yr old standing near me waiting for breakfast and i rushed to see which side the sun is rising from, because this boy never gets up on his own unless there is a cricket match/soccer match that day!

A sad Me: 'You want to go'

An emphatic Him: "Yes!" (absolutely takes after his father in the monosyllabic department)

And so I let him go, even though I wanted him to stay!

The 6 yr old gets his temperature taken, just as a precaution...(since the swine flu scare, the government had made it compulsory for every kid to carry a digital thermometer everyday)

Him: ' how much, amma?'

Me: '98'

Him: 'Celsius or fah..fabr...?

Me; '98 Fahrenheit'

Him: 'That means I need 2 more for hundred?!"

Me (deep sigh): "Yes! But since you are well enough, can you look after Anna and make sure that he does not go for his PE class?"

He happily confirms: 'Only PE?' and bounds off!

And I let him go too, even though he wanted to stay!

Can you tell, that I'm not ready for this letting go business?

cutting the rat's tail...

Got you with that title... didn't I?

You know it's time to take some serious action when you find yourself unconsciously plaiting your hair because it's getting too long...bringing to mind a gawky school goer with two plaits in an identity crisis - aiming to be rat tails or pig tails?


So the impulsive me, entered a salon and surrendered my hair to the whims of a scissor happy, non English speaking stylist, who has now successfully converted the pig tail into a mop head.

To add fuel to my ire, the hubby looks at me, after a whole day, and says "Yikes what have you done to your hair?"

I still haven't decided what has upset me more - his noticing after a day, or his comment...!

Mega sized BAWL!!!!

Now please be nice and make me feel better?

Terimah kasi! (that's thank you in malay!)

added as an afterthought: the rat's tail is now in its new avatar - the mini pony tail...

The urban giraffe

Heard in the playarea, an exclamation ; "Look, giraffes!!!!"

The kids present there, came rushing to see...Giraffes in the condo?

Soon came the loud protests from the kid brigade : "Those are not giraffes, those are cranes!"

She insisted, "But they look like giraffes, see that's the long neck and that's the face...."

Five minutes later she continued her walk, leaving a few excited kids admiring the 'giraffes' with the colored faces!

Whatever happened to imagination?