Quantum of Solace please

The daughter and I could have died yesterday --- we were involved in a 4-car freak accident on our way home and by a stroke of 'mee-pok' luck, we averted death. The daughter was feeling sick and hungry after her morning work shift and I had just picked her up from the MRT station. Thought I'll cheer her up with a packet of her favourite 'mee pok'. Just managed to stop the car to ease into a parking lot when a goods van veered out of control from the opposite lane, hit the gas delivery truck in front of us, spun 360 degrees and smashed head-on into our car. Like in a 007-movie, played out in slow motion, I told the daughter to sit tight, uttered an "Oh my God", and when the impact hit us and the van had come to a standstill, I shouted for the daughter to get out and run away from the scene fast and far away, as the huge gas cylinders from the truck in front were knocked onto the road! I did not want to be caught in any inferno arising from any leaked gas! I tell you ... thank goodness we were both still safely buckled up and fortunately, the gas truck got the first impact and we only got a reduced impact from the spun van! I dread to think how the daughter and I could have collided head-on with the van had we not stopped for the 'mee pok'! Thank God too that there were miraculously no serious casualties. A lady passsenger of the van had slight cuts and the driver and she were traumatised. The goods van was badly smashed in and my car was the next badly damaged vehicle. Anyway to cut the long story short, I summoned the police, ambulance and the husband. All involved exchanged particulars and later this morning, I would have to make an accident report and insurance claim.

Just to share with you the candid responses I received over the course of yesterday's accident:

1. Son No. 3 called me on my cell phone to ask if I was okay and thence proceeded to continue with his anaylsis of his 2009 school textbook bill and uniform procurement. The accident, notwithstanding, he was more concerned about continuing with our discussion earlier on before I left the house. It was surreal, but I answered him and continued with our discussion, in the midst of talking to the attending traffic cop and the other drivers.

2. The husband was a little exasperated with my unclear directions given to him of the accident location. SIGH! He said that his ex-girl friend would have done a better job. Darn!

3. As for my daughter, I told her that what's done is done and that she should continue to eat her 'mee pok' at the accident scene noodle shop while I attended to the aftermath. Told her to walk home after that while the hubby and I took care of the matter.

Haiz . . . you would think that the daughter and I would get some quantum of solace and fuss over this accident. No . . . essentially, we are quite stoic over matters involving non-consequential outcomes. I was even sent out later in the evening to get peppermint ice cream and early this morning, sons no. 1 and 3 asked if they could be taken for the promise swim session at the club! And right now, the very virulent virus has infected 2 more in the family; that leaves son no. 3, me and the hubby the remaining healthy ones. Vomit, sore-throat and fever central has played for about a week now, and if things do not improve, I must take all for a second trip to the docs.

Bugged!

Tis the season when some nasty virus got 3 down (so far)in the family with fever, bad headaches and body aches. The Southern Ridges, Water Barrage, beach picnics and cycling trips will have to wait until the sick ones recover. Meanwhile, ballet and Chinese Orchestra rehearsals are picking up steam and it's been confirmed that I shall help out with the ballet concert stage management this year. Gonna rope in son no. 1 to help out as well. Maybe daughter no. 2 too if she's alright with it. Haha... you can tell that we are hopelessly family-addicted!

I know, 2008 has not ended yet. But I'm making my new year resolutions already. Gotta lose 3 kgs so that I can run gracefully on the treadmill again, and that Advanced Medical Directive . . . must go check it out seriously. Yah yah .... the kids say that I should nag them less and look more on the bright side of things. Hmmm . . .

A Party To Remember!

Thanks for graduating this year and lending me the opportunity to party with you last evening! You all look gorgeous and handsome! And what's this? 4 Integrity seemed to have hogged the lucky draw prize winnings! Hahahaaaaa! I had a lot of fun at your Prom Party. The fake eye lashes were weighing down on my eyelids, the big flower was pinned a tad too tight to my hair for comfort, and I was fearful of a wardrobe malfunction, considering the rented outfit was clearly made for slimmer bods . . . Notwithstanding these, I die die made sure that I lapped up every moment of the night! You will be flying the secondary school coop soon and in many ways, I shall miss all of you . . . !!

Like the butterfly that I came as, I want you all to know that each one of us has what it takes to morph into something beautiful (within and without)! Believe in yourself, but of course, make the efforts to achieve your set goals.

Early this morning, the workaholic Significant Other reviewed the snapshots taken of the zany me by the kids and recoiled in horror. Very gah-gah hor, he teased. Well, . . . he's not too bad himself. He was gamed when I dressed him up as Santa one Christmas, put him up on high on the roof and made him make wishes come true for our kids and the neighbours' kids. He didn't mind when we nearly skewered him on the metal fences and gamely played out the kiddos' wish to see him ride away into the skies in his reindeer-drawn sleigh . . .

People, contrary to popular belief, you are not only young once; you can stay young as long as you like! You know what I mean.

Have a good hols!

You made it!

By the time you read this, all of you would have been done with the last of your 'O' level papers. Congrats, people! You made it! Now's the time to really live up life. Let's see . . . there's your Prom Party coming up, tons of shopping to catch up with, movies to watch, gossiping with gfs and bfs, travelling, sleeping . . . plentiful fun things to do to reward yourselves for all that mugging! Go have a good time!

I've a fair bit lined up this period of time too. Many days will be devoted to preparing two for an upcoming ballet concert, and I anticipate that I will be helping to sew some costume thingeys and involved with the rehearsals. Imagine --- over 12 years being a ballet mum! But the instructress is a wonderful person --- worth entrusting my kids to her over the years.

At this juncture, I take this opportunity to inform you all that I shall not be renewing my teaching contract for 2009 at HIHS afterall. Will instead be taking up an offer elsewhere. So, I invite you all to pen some posts at our class blog for keepsakes. I am going to take down this blog on 31 December 2008. It would be nice to take some of your penned notes with me . . .

What's there to whine about?

Caught this week's "Life Transformers" and Tuesday feature --- both Chinese TV programmes about courageous characters who are braving life's challenges. The first featured a mother who has been single-handedly caring for her mentally-challenged 33 year-old-son, and the second featured a cancer-stricken 41 year-old-mother-of-two who bravely faces her condition. Okay . . . I was like very moved by what were depicted. The indomitable spirit, selfless love, incredible determination and clear sense of purpose that were displayed by the two individuals in the face of pain, suffering, financial deprivation, and finite life span just overwhelm me.

I thought: what right have I to whine about my life, when many others out there have so much more on their plate and less resources to tap on as support?

Singapore parents

I brought brainiac for his first music theory exam this morning. If you didn't know better, you would have thought that some kind of Imperial Exam were being held. Anxious parents were sitting outside the venue benches and tables, going over last-minute revision notes and hovering anxiously over their charges' tables, as the candidates pasted their identification labels on the exam answer scripts, about 5 minutes to the start of the exams.

Brainiac was unflustered. I told him that he could leave the exam venue after the minimum stipulated 40 minutes if he felt that he had done all that he could for the paper. He came out 45 minutes later. The 5 minutes was just so to please me. Sweet thing!

A parent sitting next to me in the waiting area had other ideas for her daughter. She proudly proclaimed that her daughter was strictly told not to leave the exam venue till the entire duration of the paper is up! Never mind if she has checked, re-checked and are absolutely certain of her answers!

See . . . I don't blame you all. Us parents are sometimes such painful entities. We don't make a lot of sense, do we?