Author: mamabok

Posted on

She’s A City Gal Alright!

A few days ago – Chloe had a chance to go to Ellenwood Park with the summer camp. She was quite worried to be honest – but like any parents – we want to teach her independence, so we encouraged her to try it out. I have to mention here that this is the first time she is going somewhere without her family – so I have to give her credit for it. But her camp leaders are people that she had known for 2 summers now – so we are confident that they will take good care of them.

So how did it go? well, she came back with a sucker (leech) bite but she was ok. But her biggest complain was that the outhouses stink so bad – she cannot use the outhouse. You see here in Yarmouth, it’s nothing like back home – they don’t have toilets in the camping ground nor the beaches – there are outhouses – meaning no flushing system – eeeewwwwwkkk! right? yes very ewwwwwkkk!! so I really don’t blame her – for not wanting to go to Ellenwood park without us. My city gal!

Posted on

Children Using The Puffer

Chloe wasn’t a happy camper when she first had to use the puffer – in fact, she was so scared – she covered her mouth – her nose – and make us count 1 to 10 for like a few times and still she wouldn’t use the puffer. She was crying so bad – that her dad got so mad with her – he threw the puffer away. Yes ! such JOY! I wasn’t too impressed with PB of course – but I didn’t say anything – because Chloe was hyperventilating by that time. Well, she did finally use the puffer that night and got better every day. In fact, she got so good at it – she put the puffer and the aerochamber together now and use it herself – without any help.

She’s an expert now – yes! children can get scared of strange things – but they are but children right? so if your child needs the puffer – please have a little bit of patience – don’t be like PB please – *slap forehead* you should have seen how scared chloe was when PB got mad. Adults gotta know that when we get angry – our children get really scared – some may not act that way – but deep inside they are – every child wants their parents approval. Didn’t you want your parent’s approval too when you were kids?

Posted on

Fairly Fashionable

My nephew who will be attending University during this fall called to ask me about getting a new wardrobe for school. He thinks I’m fairly fashionable and would like me to go shopping with him and his mom – he was petrified that he would have to dress up the way his mom wants him to in University. I can completely understand his predicament – because my mom was the same way when I was a young adult – she wanted me to wear frilly stuff *slap forehead*. I found some armani exchange coupons for him and told him where he can go look at some of the more fashionable clothes and to show his mom what he liked before going shopping – that way she has an idea – what is suitable for him now. Like all moms – I can understand where his mom is coming from – but I’ve also been a young adult before and can sympathize with him. So here’s a win- win situation – for I really think that AX clothing are a great buy.

Posted on

No Expensive Presents Please!

So you all know that Chloe was sick for like 10 days right? when she got her needles last Monday – to draw blood out for her blood test – she was screaming her lungs out. I wasn’t there but PB and a dear friend who works for the lab department was there to witness it. But PB had promised Chloe a reward for being brave and letting them draw blood – so they had gone to Walmart and gotten her some go-gos but not just any go-gos – but a box of it – special edition – which cost PB closed to $23 !!!! *slap forehead*.

For those who are not aware of this – I don’t like to get Chloe expensive presents – because she really don’t need expensive toys. Giving her a dollar store reward is just as good – and when we do get her go-gos – they are the ones that are $3 for 3 pieces – not a bunch for $23 !! that’s too much money to be spent on a kid for one day. I don’t want Chloe to learn that it is alright to spend so much money on toys.

Many a times – when I asked Chloe’s grandparents for money for her watch or books isn’t because I don’t have the money to get them myself – but I am trying to show her that some of her things comes from her grandparents and uncle too. But when I tell Chloe to tell her uncle or grandfather that they owe me a few bucks for Chloe’s stuff – it’s to tell her that they are the ones who bought them for her and not us. We also want to show Chloe that they care for her too- and know what she likes since they normally don’t know what she likes and what to buy for her. But I never asked anyone to get anything expensive for Chloe – it’s just a gesture – to teach Chloe that she is being thought of – even by her extended family. Should I asked her grandparents or uncle to get something really expensive – I would return in kind – like the Rum that we had bought for her grampie – because I want to teach Chloe that she cannot take only and never give back. So no – no expensive toys from us – and when PB bought that go-gos for $23 – I wasn’t impressed. And for those who hear me telling Chloe’s grandparents or uncle – that they owe me money for Chloe’s stuff/toys – it’s not because I’m hard up for their money – but moreso – to show Chloe that her gifts comes from her grandparents and uncle too – because her Godma from Singapore and my friends/cousins from around the world buys her so many things – Chloe is no short of anything – be it clothing or toys.

Posted on

Owner By Association

As owner by association to the spouse’s business – I still have to worry about what is going on in the store – and our financial situation and dealing with customers as well as suppliers. Although I tell people that it’s all about PB – it’s not true as we all know it – my ears and eyes are always open and when I am at the store – I play both the good guy and the bad – while PB plays the boss. If you’ve ever run a business – you will know that there is more than meet the eyes – those that think that we are sleeping on money – must be crazy. I wished we had a friend or a business lawyer – like the raleigh business lawyers who handles all aspect of dispute and negotiation for businesses. But in a small town like ours – PB don’t think that there is one that specializes in doing just that. And even though we are a small business – it is always good to have someone who knows all about dealing with irate customers – or what we can do at our store and not do. There are so many little things that I would like to ask our business lawyer if we had one – and since we don’t have one – we are always worrying if we can do certain things or if the cops came for somethings that were sold to us – that were reported stolen – what are our rights as store owners. So yes! being an owner by association – is not as easy as some of you might think – I still worry a lot about the ins and outs of the store.

Posted on

12 Yrs In Business

Definitely not an easy feat – but I have to say PB did a pretty good job – from the start – till when we had a tough time some 4 years ago – and now bringing the business back where it should be and even better than I had anticipated. Being in business for this long also means constantly upgrading – and the money that we made – always goes back into the store somehow. Besides the paying of bills – and stocking up inventory – and buying what is necessary to live on – we rarely splurge on ourselves. This year we are looking at getting a barcode scanner for the store – because it would be a lot easier if we were to hire on part-timers. We don’t have to specially train them how to punch in the codes and look out for the price difference – all they need to do is to scan the products and once scanned – the cash would balance and we won’t have to worry about missing money.

We are also constantly looking for ways to make things a lot easier on us – the initial part to put everything into the system using the scanner may be a bit tedious but in the long run – it would be a lot easier – we don’t need to hire a very skill person to man the counter for us – even a monkey can do it – like the sales person said. And yes – as we look forward to celebrating our 12 yrs in business at the end of the month – I hope this year PB would give out some free gifts like pens or memo pads – to our regular customers. What do you think? should we have cakes and coffee too? or get the local radio to come celebrate with us.

Posted on

Spending Money On My Kid

Chloe’s handmade hat from Vancouver got stolen just before school ended – and it was a pretty expensive one of a kind hat. She was devastated and I quickly got her another one – to replace the one that was stolen. Some people might think that I’m crazy to spend so much money on a hat for a kid – but when it comes to spending money on Chloe – I have no qualms at all. Call me anything you want – but if it had anything to do with Chloe – whether it is directly or indirectly – I won’t mind spending money on her. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I am going to go out there and buy her a iPad or a Iphone – you know what I mean right? I try to give her to best in terms of nutrition – and school stuff – things that is compulsory – and yes ! i do splurge on her like her hat – but I figured it’s a good hat and it will be used for a long time provided it’s not stolen by someone.

Posted on

Tattoos and Make-Ups

While some parents paint their kid’s nails and color their hair as young as 5 years old – I don’t even encourage chloe to put on fake tattoos like the ones she got from her summer day camp. Why? because some are hard to get off – and it might just cause a rash on her skin. Painting nails are not encouraged too – because I want Chloe to enjoy being a kid as long as possible. She can take her time – to grow up and enjoy all the things I never did – and be carefree – painting nails – putting on lipsticks are just too adult for my liking. I feel that if I let her do all that – she might start growing up before her time is up yet – and will be up to no good even before she turn into a teenager.

I try to teach Chloe it’s not the outside that’s important – it’s what inside that is more important than anything and a girl’s self worth is not by what she look – but by being selfless, honest and good hearted. Kids should not be taught to paint themselves up and look like a wayang actress to be admired. I want to teach Chloe to be sure and confident of herself – by being her.

Posted on

Sick From Summer Camp

Chloe came home sick from summer camp – she said she was feeling cold the entire day – I was surprised that the camp councilors didn’t call to inform us – nor told us about it when we had called to check on her in the afternoon. Poor kid! Maybe, we shouldn’t have let Chloe go to camp everyday – but spread it out instead to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. But I guess we just thought that she might enjoy being with other kids more – but I guess this is the price we have to pay – that she might catch something from another kid who is sick in camp. *sigh*. This is just the beginning of a long week for us – for when the kid is sick – she usually takes a week before she is alright.

Posted on

A-Frame Houses

The photo doesn’t do it justice because the A-Frame houses that is near the lake – looked really cute from far away. I don’t really know who lives in these A-Frame houses – or if they are for sale but i found on the internet that they are for rent at $500/month – doubt they have heats and lights included though. But it’s such a unique place – great for bachelors or single ladies – who works near the hospital – it has a great view that’s for sure. If I were single – i would definitely rent something like that – back home rental for a room alone is about $500 – if not more for just a HDB house. Rent is a lot cheaper here in Canada – but of course – the standard of living is also lower as compared to back home. So will you survived in Canada ? for sure – but make sure you have some money saved up and run your little business. Working for someone unless you are a professional yourself – can be harder.