On Saturday, R and I had not intended to celebrate R's birthday, but not knowing our intention, Mother proceeded to tell YP to get a cake anyway. YP got a Delifrance cake, which was quite light but flavourful. It's a pity we don't have a picture of it because we didn't have our camera with us then. It had M&Ms on it!
Then, on Sunday, we went to Suntec City to catch "Mr Bean's Holiday". On our way home, we saw some more Thomas & His Friends cakes and to WF's delight, we got this:
Yesterday, I went shopping with a colleague at Tg Pagar. From an obsucrely-located cake shop, I selected a plain-looking cheese cake. The friendly saleman asked if the cake was for a birthday celebration and said that if it were, he could dress it up for me.
So, he made the cake prettier and this was what we had with Father and Mother last night:
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After we enjoyed the cake last night, R and I decided that we would allow WF to finish watching his VCD before we went back home. WY could then also have some time to relax a little before I went through his homework with him. I took the opportunity to get some details from Mother for my postings on onlysonsmatter.
When it was time to go home, R was the first to walk up the stairs. As he reached the landing between 12th floor and 13th floor, R spotted OL waiting at the lift lobby! R instinctively retreated and we all decided to go back into Mother's house to wait for OL to be gone before we proceeded home.
As the boys went about taking off their shoes again, I peered into the peep-hole. After about half a minute, I saw OL walking down the stairs slowly. Through the peep-hole, she looked rather 'uncertain' as she looked at Mother's door, then paused to look at 胡先生's door, then she looked up again at the staircase leading up to 13th floor.... then, to my shock, she took 2 steps down the staircase leading down to 11th floor!
Then, she suddenly turned and looked at the direction where her own flat is, then she retracted her steps and then walked back towards her flat!
I told Mother what I had seen. Mother wondered aloud if OL was making her way to UpperPL. But I pointed out to Mother that OL was dressed in her home clothes and didn't carry any bag, so she didn't look like she was going out. Anyway, it was close to 10pm. Mother said that C1 had previously mentioned that OL had visited him at UpperPL on 3 occasions at 3am!
Just then, I checked to see if OL was gone.... as I peered into the peep-hole again, I saw OL walking back once again towards Mother's flat! She fiddled with something in her hand, then after pausing briefly, she walked up the stairs again. She really looked like she was so unsure where to go...
After about 10 minutes, R and I decided that we would proceed home anyway. To avoid finding ourselves in the same lift as OL, we decided that we would just walk up to our unit instead. Luckily, as we raced up the stairs, OL was nowhere in sight.
When we finally reached home, WY and were exhausted. R was also panting. Only WF was cool and relaxed - of course, lah! R had carried him up all the way, mah!
As we went about getting the laundry hung up, checking WY's homework and getting the boys ready for bed, R and I thought that both of us had been rather 'silly' in trying so hard to avoid OL - not worth getting ourselves so exhausted, leh!
But we rationalised: Yes, it is probably ok to see OL and to have her see us, but knowing her mental state and skin condition these days, it is best to avoid any 'direct' encounter with her. Afterall, it will not surprise us if OL were to start asking R or me (more likely, R) to help to open her door/mailbox etc and we would have been in such difficult position to say 'no'.
Both of us laughed when I said, half in jest, "Aiyah, there was mega drama on my birthday. Now, even on yours, there was this interlude. What a way to end the evening, hor?!"
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This morning, R and I decided that henceforth, if we were to meet OL, we will simply say hello from afar, then say we are on our way home/out and then quickly proceed on. The important thing to remember is not to 'linger around' long enough for OL to start asking us to help her open her door/mailbox etc. Or for her to start scratching herself in front of us - a habit which she seems to have gotten into these days when she speaks to Mother.
It is not that we want to be hard-hearted or unhelpful, but we all know that OL's problems are more than that. And there is not much that we can do.
4 comments:
7 April 2004, our son was born.
His first birthday was celebrated very "big", but the very next day, I was hit by a wave of inner-ear infection. I was lying in bed for 3 days.
In 2005, we again had a very nice birthday party, with many people coming over.
Joel also had a birthday cake, made by me, for his childcare party. The people were very happy to eat chocolate cake, peppered with colorful Smarties.
Last night, I said to Michelle, never forget to celebrate the birthdays of our children. It is a privilege and it is time-limited.
By the time he is older, lets say 12 years old, the time may have passed for him to appreciate the fancy presents and yummy cakes.
He will only have memories left of his past birthdays (or lack of them). "Angpaos" count very little to a child (as it was in my case).
Therefore, even if we do not hold a party, I intend to get him a nice big toy present (one that will make his big eyes bigger).
Frankly speaking, I do not remember a single birthday party or a birthday cake for myself from my parents or sisters. They were almost always too busy, because my birthdate is very near the new year, when everyone and everything are in a rush.
Sigh.
"When we finally reached home, WY and were exhausted. R was also panting. Only WF was cool and relaxed - of course, lah! R had carried him up all the way, mah!"
It looks like the 3 of you need to seriously consider doing some sports or regular exercises!
:D
BTW, no need to post your replies to comments, in another post.
Just reply to the comments here.
In that way, it is more organised.
:D
PS: Just a friendly advice.
When a person is not in another person's shoes, it is difficult to comment - especially when it comes to diet and exercise - this is from my personal experience. One of my company staff, female, commented openly that a female must always take special care to remain slim - when detected a little fats - must immediately do something so that situation will not get worst.
A few months later, I found that her face was completed covered with pimples (really ugly in my definition). At that time, I wonder if her hypothesis about remaining slim applies to keeping a "clean-looking" face!
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