Almost Ours

If you're wondering if we've moved into our new house already, we haven't. But after almost one year from the time we bought the land, we're into our final leg of the building journey. Like an expectant mother in her final trimester, there is a sense of anticipation and impatience, for the official completion of our latest production.


The PCI (Present to Customers Inspection?) happened last Tuesday where we went through the completed home and pointed out areas that we were not satisfied with, things that needed to be fixed, repaired, touched-up. We already hired an independent inspector go through the house two weeks ago and he had prepared a long list of items that were not up to standard and had to be rectified. There were a few things that they will have to rectify or replace but in general, they were not major issues and the builder has agreed to fix most of them. I only hope they won't take too long to do it.


At this stage, we have already started preparing for the taking over of the house. The blinds for the whole house have been ordered, after getting 3 vendors to measure and quote and today we just paid the deposit for the fences. Next on our agenda is the landscaping. How we want the front yard to look, what to do with the backyard - footpaths, lawn, storage area, garden beds, veggie patch, laundry lines - where to locate, what materials to use, who to do the job (DIY or professional landscapers)? From the sourcing of suitable vendors to getting quotes, comparing quotes and selecting what we want/like, there is a string of decisions to be made. It is both fun and tedious. 


Being first time home owners in Australia, there are many things that are new to us and we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory when dealing with Australian construction standards and materials. At the same time that we are making important decisions, we are also on a steep learning curve. Inevitably, we are discovering some mistakes already. Some things we have to blame on our own ignorance and inexperience. Like the concrete driveway to the garage. Ours is just plain concrete and I don't think it looks very nice. Now we realize that there are numerous options when it comes to the type of pavings for driveways. In the concrete category, you can choose the concrete to come in almost any colour or 'exposed aggregate' (we just learnt this name and it's the latest trend - concrete seeded with pebbles). In the interim, until we decide to knock it down and build a new driveway, I learnt that we can still paint the concrete and seal it, but it will fade after a while.


At this point, there are definitely some things that we wished we didn't choose or vice versa but is now too late to change. Like we wished we'd chosen to "upgrade" to brickwork above garage door instead of standard strapping and FC sheet infill. We didn't even know what they mean by "strapping and FC sheet infill" until we see the final product. Of course, it is always possible to change it as long as we're willing to spend the money. But that will be for another day. Right now, we have to focus on more urgent and basic furnishings of the house.


It is exciting and getting more so as we neared completion. There're so many things to do, not to mention the packing up. I really can't wait to move in and start decorating the house!

O Jacky

Jacky Cheung has aged. Afterall, the 'God of Song' is only human. The good news is, he's not using botox and not ashamed to admit the fact that age has caught up.

After 27 years in the singing industry, this man is an icon in the history of Canto/Mandarin pop. I gathered he is about 50 years old, that's why he named it the "Half Century Tour"? Though his face is showing signs of his age, magnified on the mega hi-def screen on the stage, his super slim body is that of a twenty year old. And last night, at the Hisense Arena, he managed to entertain thousands of us fans with 3 whole hours of sustained singing and dancing. How many 50-year olds can do that? There were no guest performers, just his band, 12 dancers and him. Some of the time, it was just him on stage. And it was him alone that was enough. 

All of us were hooked by Jacky's singing. His strong and powerful vocal chords melted whatever self-consciousness there was, causing us to sway and sing along unreservedly. There was really no need for fancy costumes or pyrotechnics, although that added sparks to the ambience. He jazzed things a little with some glittering costumes change but the style was still somewhat conservative - shirt, vest, tie, jacket, hat combo. Okay, at one stage he did put on something like a skirt. 

The digital backdrop changed frequently with MTV footages, including some from his younger years, recorded images and even a cartoon film based on his childhood. I find them entertaining but also distracting sometimes. In the beginning, he performed a mini-musical series of songs to the theme of a love story, accompanied by an MTV movie, starring himself and Shu Qi as his wife. The cinematography and acting was good but I can't help but find it so fake as we all know who his real wife was. I think he would have achieved a greater impact if he'd put up some personal photos of himself and his real family instead. Afterall, we are gathered all here to get to know him more intimately. I would like to hear him share more about himself but I have heard that he is very protective about the privacy of his family.




Still, it was a solid value for money concert. I'm pretty intrigued by the fact that I actually attended a Mandarin/Cantonese concert in Melbourne. The number of Chinese faces occupying the whole of Hisense arena was unbelievable. I'm so glad I get this opportunity to see Jacky Cheung live in Melbourne. Afterall, how many half centuries are there in a lifetime?

Move The Body

It's probably been about 2 months since I've joined a local gym. Good news is I've 2 other friends who goes to the classes with me and I've been attending regularly, at least two to three times a week. 


The gym instructor actually 'prescribed' some circuit exercises for me. Things like going on the treadmill, cross-trainer and weights. But I hated such boring routine and so far, I've not done it once! One time, I went to the gym for Body Balance class and found out that I'd got the time wrong. Well, since I was there, I could have just gone up and spend some time working the gleaming training machines they have, but no, I turned around, right in front of my gym instructor some more, and went home....Naughty girl!


I guess I just have to be led when it comes to exercising. When there's an instructor in front of you, telling you to move this way and go that way, and everyone else is doing the same thing, you just can't help but follow. Since joining, I've tried a few of the classes and narrowed down to four of my favourites:


Body Jam : This is bascially a funky dance class. It's got some really strange moves, totally idiotic sometimes, but it's fun and the music's nice. And we love to watch our gay instructor dance. Feels like we're in a disco! 


Body Combat : Don't play play with this one. We do Tae Kwon Do, Karate and other martial arts moves. It will get your heart thumping and skin sweating starting from warm-up. Good for training power and strength. Also good for venting out your frustrations physically, especially therapeutic if you've just been jilted or angry with someone. If all's well in life, just use your imagination that you are being attacked by bad guys and you're punching and kicking the lights out of them! I really like this class. So far, it's got the best workout and who knows, a little martial skills could come in handy.


Zumba : Sensuous latin dance workout. Have a little trouble getting into the mood sometimes. I wish I could rotate those hips like the sexy instructor. She seems to enjoy it so much and is smiling from start to beginning. Other than that, not much sweat.


Body Balance : A combination of Yogo, Pilates and Tai Chi moves accompanied by slow, calming music. In contrast to the other faster and more cardio classes, this one aims to tone your muscles and improve balance. Not as easy as it looks.


At the end of the day, my objective is to get my body moving and perspiring. Whether I lose weight or develop those abs is not that important, though it's a good to have result. With regular exercise, I think my energy level has improved and hopefully, my cholesterol level has gone south as well. Well, I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but I feel less guilty too when I indulge in desserts and sinful treats nowadays!


  

Un-Kang (Unhealthy) Preferences

I don't know why and I wonder if other kids are like KK when it comes to healthy dietary choices. His name means "Health" but KK has very unhealthy preferences and the only reason why he is not a fat, sickly child with no teeth is because we have been obstructing him and preventing him from doing what he wants. 


He loves salty stuff, the saltier the better. Many a times, he complained that my cooking was too bland and would request to add salt. He loves eating dumplings and sashimi because he could dip them in lots of soya sauce. Chips, nachos and all those unhealthy crispy fried stuff in a packet are his favourite snacks naturally.


KK also like to eat chocolates. We don't buy any candies so he can't have them at home but it looks like we have to stop buying chocolates (which Hubby and I sometimes enjoy) too. We don't buy fruit juices as well as he will drink them if they are around, instead of water. His teeth are not very strong and every trip to the dentist reveals some decay.


His school has been learning about healthy lifestyle this semester but I'm pretty sure it had little impact on him. He was to keep a "Healthy Living & Lifestyle" diary about how he lead a healthy lifestyle and here are some of his inputs:


Day 1 - Eat all my veggies. (What do I feel about this choice: I feel healthy.)
Day 2 - Went swimming (I feel bored.)
Day 3 - Went Taekwondo (I feel cool.)
Day 4 - Go to fitness club (I feel like I'm going to die.)
Day 5 - Eat chips (I feel healthy.) ~ he insisted he REALLY felt ok.
Day 6 - Eat all my fruits (I feel forced to eat it.)
Day 7 - Eat 500g of chocolate (I feel fat.)


Haiz...when will he learn?


That said, I'm glad he at least likes most vegetables like broccoli and lettuce. He's also very active and gets lots of exercise. Just go easy on the salt and sugar son!

Health Hopes

The days have begun to turn longer. No longer sunset at 5 o'clock. Yipee! I think the coldest is finally over though it's still not time to head to the beaches yet. Although we have been heading to the swimming pools quite often. Strangely, swimming pools are good places to go for a weekend outing in Winter. Thanks so much to the heated indoor pools that we have. Our favourite is at Melton, where there's a lap pool to exercise, wave pool for the kids (and adults) to have fun and a steamy bubbly jacuzzi to relax in. We go with some friends and food and it's a party! 


The other thing we've been busy doing recently is exercising. Even I have joined in the regime. Lazy me, who hates exercising and sweating and loves watching TV, have signed up for a health club membership for the first time in my life. I'm not turning into a health freak overnight, but I do hope not to turn into an unhealthy freak when I'm older. Hubby has been gently nudging me to keep fit ever since he's got into Tae Kwon Do. Now, he gets to exercise at least twice a week and he feels good about it. 


It so happened that there were some promotions going on and I started by signing up free trial memberships at 2 health clubs with some girl friends who wanted to keep healthy as well. The health clubs are located nearby and we get access to all their facilities and classes. So far. I've tried Body Balance, Pilates, Boxing and Zumba classes in the evenings. And guess what, I'm even doing time on the threadmill! I've never liked threadmills, I find them so boring. You stare at the same scenery all the time when running. I have a small gym at the condo where I lived in Singapore but I seldom use them even though they face the swimming pool. But at the gyms here, they face a row of television screens or have built-in personal TV touchscreens. How wonderful can that be for a couch potato like me? You bring your own headphones, plug it in and hey, you're entertained while keeping fit! I usually go on the threadmill while waiting for KK in his "kids fitz" class (free for kids of members). I don't watch television programs at home cos the TV is always hogged by the kids so ironically at the gym, I get to catch up on a bit of news and advertisements. Then for the sake of watching more TV, I also do some cycling while waiting for KK to shower. I find this a good arrangement.


Knowing myself, I'm a bag of lazy bones. When it's dark and cold outside, I find it hard to put on my track shoes and leave the comforts of home. But if I have a friend going together, I'll have no excuse. And actually, it's nice to leave the kids' bedtime routine to Hubby and have an hour or two of time on my own. 


At the end of the day, I think no matter what exercise I do, as long as it gets my heart thumping harder and my muscles working, I'm taking a step closer to health. So with my full membership for the next year and hopefully with my friends' company, I will keep up this exercising routine at least twice a week. 

Three Scarves & A Beanie

Guess I've just found another new hobby. With Winter being rather chilly these days, knitting warm clothing seemed like a fine idea. It has been a good 15 years since I last picked up the knitting needles to knit something. Back then, it was a grey wool scarf for my then-boyfriend, now husband. I still remember it cost me more than $80 in yarn alone. And it got stolen in China after I lent it to my mom when she went on a tour. That was the first and last thing I've ever knitted.


With so little experience and the long time gap, I had totally forgotten how to knit. Luckily, I have a friend who knew and she helped me to get started again. My first project was a black ribbed scarf for Hubby after he mentioned that it was very chilly in the city when he walked from one office to another. Unfortunately, it was such a simple, repetitive yet slow process that I soon got bored. At the moment, it's only about half completed. 

 Left to right in order of completion

In the meantime, I experimented with knitting different yarns (there're so many types!) and worked on a few projects concurrently. So far I've made 3 scarves and a beanie over the last month. I'm now having fun learning how to knit more difficult patterns and playing around with mixing colours. I try to learn on my own by reading knitting books and trying to understand the knitting instructions. Since I started knitting, I've also been paying attention to the knitwear that people wear and appreciating the details and patterns that previously I've taken for granted. 



There's a big market for knitting in Australia as knitted stuff are really useful in our cold climate. Knitting for babies and children is especially popular. But despite the huge variety and relative inexpensive material, hand knitting is still pretty much a hobby, reserved for people with time, patience and love. It's really the self-satisfaction of a handmade product and seeing someone you love use your creation that keep knitters going. Economics wise, it doesn't make much sense to spent so much effort and time (months sometimes) to make a knitted cardigan, when you can get a beautiful, made-in-China, machine-knitted one for $25 in Target. A beanie like mine cost only $4 at The Reject Shop while mine cost approx $3 (after discount) in yarn alone. That's why small projects for kids are quicker and gives more satisfaction.    

Bunny & Stickman

Making craft dolls is not my forte nor interest but when push comes to shove, I just have to deliver. 


It all began in March when me and my big mouth promised to make XX a bunny rabbit during Easter. However I didn't have the polyester fill then and I told XX I can't make it until I bought the fill from Spotlight. Weeks passed without me making the trip and I thought XX had forgotten all about it. Then one day in May, I needed to go to Spotlight to get a roll of thread. As soon as XX heard I was going to Spotlight, he reminded me to buy fluff to make his bunny. Opps, so you didn't forget. No excuse, I can't break a promise and a child's heart.


Once I got the fluff, I was reminded and pestered everyday to start work on the bunny. One thing about XX, he can be quite persistent and naggy, in his quiet and not-aggressive fashion. He will keep asking until you give him what he wants. So with my elementary sewing skills, I converted one of his old baby jumper suit into a bunny. It really wasn't good looking but my son loves it. It reminded me of a similar bunny soft toy I had when I was a teenager. A friend had given it to me and I loved to hug it until it got so torn and tattered beyond repair. I even brought it to hostel in university and Hubby could remember it till now. 


Anyway, seeing XX get a bunny soft toy, KK requested to have one as well. In order not to appear bias, I agreed to make one for him. And he requested for a Stickman. A stickman? Not a bear or dog? How huggable is a stickman? But then again, my son is weird. KK's favourite cartoon drawing and favourite computer animation is stickman. Sometimes, he'll create some comic strip of 2 stickmen fighting. So I cracked my head again and used another of XX's old baby t-shirt pyjamas to make a doll with skinny legs, arms and body with no eyes.

So here we have it, the latest addition to the family: Stickman and Bunny.


Actually, these two dolls pretty much embodies the characteristics of my 2 sons. One is bony and kooky, the other cuddly and cute.