Category: Amusing/Musing

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Celebrating Grandparents’ Day

This weekend is Grandparents’ Day – although some may argue that it’s a way commercial business make you buy more gifts and spend money – I think it is important to acknowledge Grandparents who played a very important part in your child’s life. After all, Grandparents are the next closest relative besides the parents right? and even though grandparents don’t look for gratitude – I think it’s important to show Grandparents how much we appreciate their help, love and gifts they pour onto your kids. While I had gotten my mom gifts at Shari’s Berries – for grandparents’ day – we are going to order some cheese and flowers. So for those who are not aware that Grandparents’ day is this weekend – you still have time to order your gifts now – it doesn’t need to be a whole bunch of gifts – just chocolates, cheese or flowers are very nice gestures to show you appreciate them.

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New School Year

The new school year starts tomorrow – and Chloe will be in Grade 2 this year – with the same teacher. I’m pretty happy with the arrangement for she did really well with this teacher. She is also looking forward to school tomorrow – and today is the long weekend of Labor day – so she is out playing with her friends on the trampoline. She should have been in Grade 3 had it not been the crazy french teacher she had for the first year. But oh well – she is doing well now – and that’s all that matter. This year she will have a new principal in her school and also a new Music teacher – she loves gym a lot – so she loves her gym teacher and talks about her all the time. In fact, she wants to be a gym teacher – sometime last year – hahah!! I can’t wait for school to start and see what she learns this year.

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Studying In Canada

So someone wrote to me the other day – about sending her kids to Canada to finish their studies – and wants my opinion about it. In which my reply was – that if they do send their kids here – they will fair a lot better than most Canadian kids because foreign kids are much more competitive than our Canadian students. The teachers in Canada loved exchange students and they in turn learned about other cultures and also the different weather – if they come from Malaysia, Singapore of even Indonesia. Here in this town, we see lots of foreign students but sad to say – they are not as exposed as they should be.

So before sending your kids here – make sure you get them to the right school – the right area – a lot of kids do not like to be in small town – and they have no choice – after coming here – because they have nothing to do once school is over. If you are seriously thinking of sending your kids here to finish their high school – check out both Halifax area – as well as Vancouver – I know you have to pay a little more – but I think your kids will be more accustomed to that area instead of places like a small town. If you can – try to make sure that you go and visit the place before sending your kids here with just a brochure – brochures are meant to lie.

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Getting Married In Canada

So you found a Canadian boyfriend and he gave you the ring – and proposed – so you want to get married in Canada? or should you get married in your home country and then do it all over again in Canada? Or is it legal to get married in your home country and not bother when you come back to Canada – since you are thinking of moving to Canada with him some time right? Well, of course, if he decided to move to your home country – now that would be a different story and of course you wouldn’t be reading this right?

Well, whatever you decide – you will have to think of what you are going to do first – for immigration purpose. Getting married in your hometown – doesn’t automatically make you a Canadian resident or a Canadian citizen as far as I know – in fact – getting married away from Canada – may post a little more complicated than you think when trying to migrate to Canada. From my experience – I strongly suggest – you come to Canada first as a tourist – apply for a marriage license here – get married here and then do your immigration from here – while you have a tourist status. Usually, Canadian immigration will grant you a 6 months visitor pass – and that is enough to get your application going. But my experience is only my own – my 2 cents – so don’t hold it against me – if yours work out differently. Good luck!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.