Whirlwind

Last 2 weeks was so hectic. Dunno who to take care first.

Firstly new job. First day, my little boss told me, "Sorry, but we need your help on a detailed report, deadline in a week, so u gotta stay back." Sucks! What have I gotten myself into, I asked myself.

Secondly, Kor-Kor got exam AGAIN! Mid second term exam. Why so many, I dun understand. That means they (Chinese schools) actually dish out 4 exam a year! Jialat! And the results from these 4 are averaged for streaming purpose. Streaming? My idea of streaming was when in Form 4, we have to decide whether we want to continue with Science stream or go to Arts stream! Nowadays, kids are actually 'ranked' according to their results & the results will actually determine which class they go (I actually thought the results are for choosing the creme for the top few classes only, how naive!). Thus, streaming wor...

So since I can't coach Kor-Kor in the morning already, I'll need to coach him at night. And weekends. But after making sure he has done his homework, checking his school work & other nitty gritty, there's only so little time for 'coaching'. Also have to split some attention for Di-Di le.

Thirdly, new maid also need attention. For my first 3 days at work, my mom helped out. So I didn't have to worry about a thing. But as soon as our new maid arrived, my mom quickly scurried back to my hometown (she can't stand the lifestyle here), after briefing the maid about cooking stuff for half day.

Poor maid too. On her 3rd day at our household, she have to 'manage' on her own already when I go to work. But Daddy did stay to 'look see, look see'.

So armed with verbal instructions with me, she cooked fried rice meant for lunch for breakfast; 'seong yin choy' (water crest vegi) for soup was fried and served for lunch, thus leaving the soup as 'chicken bone & hong zou' soup only; fish for dinner was cooked for lunch!

I asked Kor-Kor did he eat the vegi at lunch? He said yes, but it was very tough!

And Daddy said she kelam-kabut (unsure) about the boys' schedule.

Sigh!

So after that day, I had to come back, talk to boys for a while (both of them will be talking at the same time), quickly eat, bathe Di-Di (as he wants me to do it) and then:-
8.45 - 9.45: Go thru Kor-Kor's school work with him, especially his Bahasa Malaysia (big time weak). Also have to 'layang' (pay little attention) to Di-Di & force him to do some writing.

9.30-10.30 (with some over lap here & there, thus have to multi-task in giving advice & instruction to 3 people): Instruct & show maid on cooking next day's menu. First 'show & tell' with soup. Then asked her to write down (with Marker pen!) on which vegi/fish/chicken supposedly to be lunch/dinner for next day. Thank god most days my in-laws would ta-pau lunch over, so not so bad.

Lastly, go thru with her on the next day schedule. Not to ask her to clean things, mind you...but this:
7am: Make breakfast for Kor-Kor. (Di-Di don't like to eat anything, just drink milk, which I gave before I go work)
7.30: Wake boys up.
8.00: Di-Di must be ready for transport lady to pick him up.
8.20: Kor-Kor must be ready for his transport lady to pick him up.
10.30 or 11.20 (depending on which day of the week it is): Kor-Kor comes back.
11.30: Lunch for Kor-Kor. Then bath. Wear uniform. Pack water & bread for him for tea.
12.20: Be ready for afternoon school pick up.
And so forth. (In between, of course she needs to cook & clean up)

Besides that, she also need to know, the plate numbers & color of transport cars, remember the auntie faces, etc. Which bags to pack. Which uniform to wear to whom & when. My mom also said she almost pengsan the first day she took over! So thank god, our new maid has not gone berserk on us. YET!

After all that, my mind would go all blank & I had to stand in the shower for at least 15 minutes to clear my head. As well as to go thru everything again in case I missed out anything.

Then sleep. Then begin the whirlwind all over again the next day....