Moments

The Break

Today it is the beginning of another week of break. That's why I love Malaysia. The makeup of the country is such that we get time off for rest after days of hard work and when we are about to give up because of the intensity of work...oops the holidays are here again; well at least for teachers.

The only not so good part was when Grace came home for a few days of break in the middle of last week, I was too busy in school to look at her. After many months of the empty nest syndrome, it is indeed comforting to have a bird flying home for a rest. I also realized that the girls or at least Grace is really an adult and I no longer can 'tell' her what to do but rather I have to listen to what she thinks. Unlike when she was younger and takes instructions, she now shares that she no longer need to take in all that I say. She must have grown up and I definitely have grown more gracious...to listen and not to be too opinionated.

Though a grown up, she will always remain a child to me; the way I remember her and her habits. Mothers are always concerned about how children fare in their place of work, who they go out with and their latest outlook of life. Now she tells me...will you stop asking me about boyfriends? Do I need to have one? Can I stay happy the way I like it? If I feel like popping home, I am home. Can or not? Can... so the dear mother must not be too meddlesome and stay happy that she flies back to see her.



Hanging on one of the walls is this pic that shows the girls with their cousins in their very much younger days. The 3 female cousins and the 3 male cousins. All the girls are mine and all the boys are my sister's. Now the 2 men are married and the eldest one is already a father of 2. But they are cousins forever; like siblings more to it.



Even in their 20s they behave as though they have never grown up. When they meet occasionally, all that they really are will be in the open. They jump, kick, fight like never before when they see one another. So Grace challenged the cousin brother to a session of 'who can stay longer' stunts in the home.



I love to see them like that; maybe the house has been too quiet for a long while and it's therapeutic to have more sounds in the home. So they did aerobics for quite a while and finally the cousin said he wanted to have a copy so that he can jump up and down like that with his dear wife. So Pam, be prepared. Who needs to go to the gym was their final conclusion.



Look at the house help, Allie. She is most excited when the girls are around. The flower will always attract the bee. So Grace's long time school friend; a die hard friend will never fail to drop by and this time bake with her. Strange, when the girls are not around, no one comes by...

Using Sara's formula, there is action in the kitchen again...red velvet cakes.

Never the same without the topping... but it's a bit too sweet for old taste buds.

The generous Grace packed them up in boxes and flew them back to her work place the next day to give her friends a treat. Why is she so nice to her friends?

A lonely heart pouring out.