Awesome friends

Friends since 2002 when we were all posted to the States to live on an airbase .. Those were really good times .. Hanging out at each other's homes .. And being pregnant together at some point as well! Lol. There is nothing like suffering through pregnancy nausea to bring you closer together.

Where would we be ..

Without modern plumbing and the toilet ?? Where ?? Every time I watch a movie set in times BEFORE modern plumbing and toilets, in this case, that Russel Crowe flick, "Robin Hood" which is showing on cable right now, all I can think of is that I'd DIE if I had to live in those times. Man, they used chamber pots I think, or they did it in the forest. I dunno man. I don't want to think about it.

Ewwww.

Or an outhouse when i watch a Western flick. And I am prone to having stomachaches at all times of the day. I cannot imagine creeping out to an outhouse at 2am to take a dump. Die la. Plus not like you can flush everything away. It's basically a hole in the ground .. I'd be too busy throwing up even before I come within a mile of the outhouse.

So yes, I am eternally grateful for being born in these modern times. Where I can flick a switch and the light comes on. Where the toilet is actually inside my house AND modern plumbing means I can shower and pee/poo at any time of the day and night. And have my iPhone playing music to boot. And there is AIR CON. Where would we be without AIR CON? Air con at home, when I sleep .. In my car .. At the malls. Eh, Singapore is blardy hot without air conditioning, come on.

So, if a time machine is ever invented, you won't see me rushing to go back to the past. No way. See the dinosaurs? No, thank you - so not interested. Not if I have to take a pee in the bushes. With my luck, it'd be some poisonous plant .. Lol.

Yay!

My new maid arrived a few days back. And I'm happy to say she's awesome.

And that last one, the one that lasted 9 days in my home before I lost it and screamed at her and sent her packing .. The agent informed me that she was eventually sent back to Indonesia. Goodness! But not before she RAN AWAY from the agency TWICE. Straight to the police no less. Oh thank goodness I had returned her to the agency by then and she was no longer under my name. She was in another household for a few days after mine but was either sent back to the agency or she asked to leave that 2nd household (I didn't ask my agent). In any case, I really have no clue how he is going to repay the humongous loan she had to take to come here! Almost 3.5k !! That is money she HAS to return to the Indonesian recruiter she signed up with to come here. Good luck to her.

I'm just happy I finally have another decent helper :) my girls like her as well, and even Charlotte doesn't mind being carried by her most times.

Of course, she is a newbie with most household stuff but she is eager to learn and enthusiastic.

My Mount Everest of clean laundry is finally being ironed and folded and kept away. Yea!

Till we meet again ..

Missing my friend .. Our lunches, our teas .. Chatting and enjoying each other's company.

Can't wait for you to come back in 2 years' time .. Till then, enjoy your time in Perth! Let's hope I get a chance to visit u there soon.

I admit it

I cannot make it without a maid.

Yes, you laugh. I'm not. I am serious.

I just spent the last 2 hours of so cleaning up the kitchen and mopping and wiping wherever that needs wiping. And I STILL have a MOUNTAIN of clean laundry to iron and keep away. And mind you, I could only start at 11pm or so .. so there I was at midnight, washing dishes and wiping down the kitchen cabinets. I couldn't earlier cos with 4 small kids, someone is always either hungry or thirsty or needs a bath or a clean up .. and that's not including Charlotte who has been rather clingy lately. She frantically runs after me in the house if I walk away to do something ... screaming "mama! mama!" *SIGH*

I personally LOVE my house being neat and tidy and clean .. and while it currently DOESN'T LOOK neat and tidy .. cos I have been maid-less now for more than a week, it's frustrating for me. I can't wait for my new maid to arrive !! .. Should be before Chinese New Year !! ..

I have had pretty good and decent maids these last almost 6 years .. I had 2. And both were really wonderful helpers. A real asset. My girls loved them both dearly. So when it was time to get a new replacement cos my maid wanted to go back to her country to attend university ... we wished her all the best and sent her home just as 2011 ended.

Then my nightmare began. Ok, it wasn't THAT bad .. but there ended my lucky streak of good maids. I finally got a "bad" one.

Now before you think I'm some evil employer .. I'm not. I'm quite decent (lol) .. Anyway, I sent her packing back to the agency just after 9 harrowing days (yes, I'm being overly dramatic here) .. and have been winging it on my own ... The Hubby has been a BIG help (I love my man so) .. but of course, it's not enough .. I am out ferrying everyone around pretty much the whole morning till nearly 3pm .. so if I have no one at home cleaning up and getting food on the table ...we're pretty much screwed. No clean house and no lunch and dinner. Bummer. Then come evening time, we have a dusty messy house and no food and kids that need bathing and feeding and dogs too that need poo time and their meals as well.

*SIGH*

Yes, I can't make it without a reliable maid ... I admit!! I am a failure as a SAHM if I have to make it on my own with just the 4 small kids and only my darling hubby and Claudia to help (Claudia is a BIG help with babysitting AND dishwashing btw)