Observe

I was taking a stroll down Streatham high street today
apparently voted the worst high street
in Britain a few years back

I love walking. Absolutely adore it.
Can wander for hours (in comfy shoes)

Because its not just a walk is it?
Its the study of a thousand faces
thousand facets
where even the flight of a paperbag blowing
in the breeze sets my imagination alight
(takes me back to American Beauty)

where you wonder what goes on in the mind
of the person that immediately averts their gaze
when you glance at them
or the one that stares directly back at you
the simplest everyday action can be so evocative.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today we go here for lunch
and tonight, we see Little Britain Live!

Marriage Schmarriage

Something someone mentioned in a recent email about
feeling the pressure cos everyone else is getting married
reminded me of a radio feature recently done here
on the rising number of women who don't believe in marriage.

Isn't that friggin scary?

But which is worse
not believing in marriage or a marriage of convenience?

So often nowadays we are surprised
and even congratulate a couple who's been married
over a decade (you realise that is a bad thing?)
we've been so numbed by divorce that
we forget the meaning of
'til death do us part'

I've seen my fair share of marriages falling apart
(namely my parent's)
Well, no, I wasnt there to see see it fall apart
I was a baby, but...
anyways I've seen enough relationships fall apart

and really if you have to ask yourself
whether you want to marry this person or not..
maybe I am naive, idealistic whatnot
but don't you just know?

And I don't mean being 13 and knowing
I mean being an adult, having gone through enough relationships
surely we should know this is the one?

But having said that, some people never know
and some always think they know

So its just a combination of things
guess you just gotta learn to play smart
sacrifice, work hard at it and know that being completely
in love now helps
but doesn't guarantee forever.

Having said that, some arranged marriages work out
just parfait (and I don't mean dessert)

What tangents.

obviously I could never be an agony aunt
Libran agony aunt at that
arguing both sides of the fence while straddling it

Point is: What is the world coming to when people
don't believe in marriage, when they get married because they think
their time is up or its the 'in' thing?

Having said that, I've been to two glorious
weddings this month,
one seemingly perfect, wise
another slightly dysfunctional fluctuating clashing
yet working
annd earlier this year, Butta's perfect, unexpected union.

Change

Hmmm, you've just had a close shave with death
a now life is infinitely more precious
what do you change?

A post that gets one thinking.

=(

I have just got to London
to a house where books line the walls
Its is amazing.

But the mood is sombre
father wrote me today telling me about the sad
passing of a young girl.

These kinds of things really drive home
the fragile nature of life
one minute so bright, the next omnious and despairing.

Oh BTW, to those who went, thanks for visiting my mom
she's still there if others are interested.

Perfectly nice to strangers too.

Happy Hallow'een!

10 hormonal teenage boys
a halloween party and costumes
popcorn and scary movies
amazing what a witch with neon pink hair can
make them do (;

It is 11pm and the last of the young men have taken leave
the living room is a mess
I start cleaning
"You know, we can leave it till tomorrow,"
says NMTP
"But I can't leave it til tomorrow."

Later I down the dregs of the red wine
do some drunken online purchasing
take off my pink hair
and snuggle into bed
All in a day's work.

Adopt A Patient Day!!!

Hello peeps.
Any of you chasing that
warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of your stomach today?

Go see my mother.
All alone in the big bad hospital!
She's in GH Penang Ward C5
look for the surname Rozells.

Go la, "Say hi aunty, mother-of-Aja" Take her a starbucks latte
or thai fish cakes (she likes them) since her wonderful
daughter isn't there to do that.

It would be nice. and it would make you feel good about
yourself, and it would make me feel like I am
actually somehow contributing.

(= Go lah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wake up to a text from my aunt
telling me mother has been admitted.
Blood pressure over 200
a walking time bomb.

I call my aunt first because I want to know all the details
she's on her way back to see my mom
this is the first time I have not been there
for something like this.

There are suspicions about her not being good, but it
doesn't fit the pattern.

When I finish with my aunt, she says
"When you speak to her, don't get angry,"
But I am angry, I am furious
but mother sounds alright, and I am holding it in
but as she tells me her story, I get pissed of and start lecturing
about getting priorities straight
about having 2 daughters

I mean how many times do you need to be told
your blood pressure is through the roof
and you could stroke anytime before
you actually go to the hospital?
she starts to cry.

Now I feel like shit, so I tell her
"Stop crying ah, or aunty Nat is going to scold me
cos she told me not to scold you
and she's going to be there any second."

Then I sms a doctor friend, call an ex boyfriend's father,
call my aunt back.

Later mother calls, I speak to her, then aunt then nana.

I tell mom tales about YM's acting
and how he does great accents
in the background he makes fun of how my
accent goes all malaysian when I am speaking
to people at home

I tell her about how we both constantly do accents
and about how I unknowingly do chinese accents around
chinese people and YM freaks with embarassment.

She laughs, and laughs somemore
and I guess that's the best I can do.

Polsky

Thanks to the Polish ex
I have a fascination with certain polish dishes
and absolutely love their garlicky, meaty sausages.

So yesterday, when we came across a Polish store
I dragged YM in, I got kielbasa, he got jelly.

Imagine this, chinese/eurasian-malaysian girl
in Wales, buying Polish food.

We get home, he starts making his jelly
then he turns
"Uh, Aja, do you read polish?"

Er, instructions in polish. How stupid of us.

Then I have a flashback about 2 years or more ago
I am attempting a polish dish
trying to decipher the ingredients
"Uh bubba? What is zimnej wody?" I ask

and these kinda flashbacks, man are they heavy
taking you to a sepia toned place so far back
that you're reeling from it, reeling from how things
have changed, how so much was unexpected.

FLASH

Then another pointless flashback from like
5 years ago.

We are sitting on a sofa in the library
I am reading Cosmo over his shoulder
when I am done, he says "Wow, you read pretty fast."
in a semi-impressed tone, "Most people can hardly keep up with me."

*rolls eyes*

Bomb

Its the end of a long long day and
emerging from a warm relaxing bath
I walk through the kitchen (that I cleaned 20 mins ago)
to find it in a complete and utter mess.

YM has been.

I stand there sputtering helplessly
my neck muscles tightening
I move to start cleaning
and check myself.

No goddamn way.

I march upstairs and find Dadman on the way
"Are you alright?" he enquires (most convos start with this question)
" Well, YM 's just been and the kitchen looks like its been bombed."

"Oh, well, don't worry I'll come down and do it."

"No, I think he can do it," I say
as I continue up to YM's room.

I knock, open, and he is snug as a bug in a rug.
"You left the kitchen in a complete mess," I say
He looks at me bleary eyed, "Oh, I'll clean it up in the morning"

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I go downstairs, get on the kitchen phone
and the mess starts to get to me until I can stand it no more
so I clean it up.

I wonder if he'll even notice or have forgotten about it tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning YM comes up to me
"Who cleaned the kitchen last night?"

"I did."

"I said I would do it, I was going to this morning."

"Just say thank you, make sure you do it next time,"

"Thank you."

And slowly but surely, we gain everyday
just the fact that things are noted, appreciated
is enough.

Here's A Good Idea

How about we all live today
like everything is going to fall apart tomorrow?
make the most of every second,minute,day

Hmm on second thoughts that's real hard to do
in real life but do your best to
appreciate then, tell people you love them.

Timing

So I guess now wouldn't be a good time to
say I am quitting and coming back to Malaysia
to join the ratrace huh?

Joking. Joking.

To the one that came out of hiding
thank you for the amazing 5 page long email
*runs screaming*

Whoa Mamma

What a response!

I hope you people know that I am hormonal
and that I know some of you truly care
and try and understand me and I appreciate it a whole lot
but you know, if you're having a day where
10 people come up and tell you the same negative thing
then you're bound to react right?

But thank you so much for the emails
I'll get to them one by one
Just not right now (=

Halloween shopping gotsta get done.

Sugar Daddies & Bollocks

Another rant.

Why can't a young girl have a friendship with
and older man?
Who deemed age a barrier to true friendship?
I choose my friends because they have similiar interests
get my brand of humour, and we can actually have conversations
over dinner.

I choose my friends because certain qualities they possess
I find extremely endearing
(like absolute adoration for their wife)

And just because you are shallow and narrow-minded
doesn't mean we are.

God when will you grow up?
Accept that things that aren't done your way doesn't
mean they're wrong?

People are different, unique
that's what makes us tick, makes this world such
a vibrant colourful place.

And normally I wouldn't give a rats arse about what people say
because they always say
but I think I am PMS-ing.

What Makes Me 'Me'

You know what, I am really sick and tired
of people discounting my job as something that's not real/proper.

It really fucking bugs me.

All the people who say they envy me for being
able to leave the country, travel
live the life that I live
'pick up and go'.

But hey, I worked to get here
and I am working here.
It required making choices between things,
giving things up
risking.

Nothing is without sacrifice.

How can you belittle the shaping of a young mind?
Could you even cope with the responsibility?
Knowing that every single thing
you do and say, your actions and reactions
will influence a child's life?
Do you even care?

Its the same thing housewives and
and stay at home fathers have to deal with
when people ask them what they do then give them
that pitying look when they find out.

Guiding a child in the right direction
equipped with the right skills, education
or knowing that everyday, you make a little impression
on someone's life
is probably one of the most fulfilling
things a person could do.

I can't describe the pride I feel when YM
changes the way he does something, because I guide him towards
it, or when his parents tell me that
his behaviour has improved so much
since I've arrived.

Or when you watch a child take his first few steps towards you.

Or when someone you made friends with in 2 months
tell you how much they would appreciate your company during
a hard time.

Or the pride when I cook and everyone has thirds even.

Its giving, its contributing positively to people's lives.

I may not be next to you, clamouring for the finishing line
in the rat race, but you know what?
Thats not where I want to be.

Maybe its my own childhood that makes me
want to work with kids
but its something I've been doing and
always wanted to do since I was 12
because it makes me feel motherfucking good inside.

And just because I don't tell you, or you
don't ask, or listen hard enough doesn't mean
I don't have a long term plan.

I'll tell you one thing though, I am going to be
happy. Fulfilled. Actually living my life.

All the skills I pick up from traveling, living within a different culture
languages, dealing with situations
(patience, acceptance, tolerance, the ability to think outside the box)
and always working with food and children
adds value to my life.

the people I choose to live with are always strategic
strong, successful, intelligent
people who can guide me, broaden my horizons, perspectives.

I am not gallivanting about doing jackshit
coping, adapting, accepting; all that isn't easy
and just because my stress levels aren't anywhere
near yours, doesnt devalue my contributions or work.

And you can all give me that look while
you say that you admire my courage to leave
but its that look that also says you look down on me for
not staying in one place.

But maybe, even if you had to the courage to leave,
live your life the way you want to,
it wouldn't be the same.

Because its not what I do, or where I go
its me. My whole outlook on life,
its the way I see things that makes my life
seem a whole lot brighter and carefree than yours.

Even if I was penniless, I would die happy
knowing that I positively touched the lives
of 100 people

Can't you understand that its not all about
power?position?material gain?

I have stress, I have problems (thats a lie actually, I don't)
but I always see the brighter-side and ten years down the road
I still want to be doing the same thing
albeit on a larger scale
start my own business, start my childrens shelter
and au pairing was part of the plan
because it allows me to save the money to start somewhere

Saving is something I couldn't do in Malaysia
and as far as research for the article I did
about stretching the riggit went
most Malaysians don't/can't save til they're close to 30 anyway
so I am already starting early.

John Mayer Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

This is one of my favourite songs from the new album.
Arrgh. I want to marry him. Wait, no, I can't. Damn.

A Walk Around Town

 

 

Truly Astounded

I was thinking bout cooking beef rendang for the family,
tomorrow's supper,
then I came across an article about 'curry laksa'
in The Telegraph's supplement
So then I thought 'that's it! I'll make curry mee'

But obviously, since I've never made it
and hadn't a clue how to, I needed to experiment
before serving the family

So today I came in, bunged this and that into the pot
and 15 mins later
steaming bowl in my face
I took a mouthful ..and I was like
"Wow"
I mean, I couldn't believe it, so I took another
"This is seriously good," I said to me

Ipoh curry mee.
Tastes exactly like my favorite Pepper Estate store
except without the smell and the
saturday morning hangover.

Damn good can die. And damn easy too.
This means I will nevver have to go back to
Malaysia again.

Half-Term

Half-term holidays for 2 weeks
for YM started yesterday.

This means that I will not have time alone
til like November 6th
but it also means next week I'll be in London
for the week with a wine-buying day-trip in France
This means halloween parties, dinner parties
me cooking supper, me cooking lunch
and me...

gotta run, the boys want me to go swimming.

Oogling.
Urgh.

Bloody Lamer

This is how lame I am,
I am spending all day in bed watching
John Mayer videos
as if this will somehow appease
my missing him live a-fucking-gain tomorrow
so close yet so far.

And yesterday I paid 80RM for his new CD
40 more and I could be watching him live
had I known earlier.

I am not even one of those
people who are 'fans' of celebrities'
you know what I mean?

Fark.

Gloomy Sunday

Gloomy Sunday
is a freaky song to have someone dedicate to you
(an ex)

But anyway, its not that I am feeling suicidal
it just is a gloomy Sunday

1.30pm and I am still in bed
I brought a tray and a sandwich to bed
Stealing wi-fi, its like a cruel game really
5 mins got, 5 mins none
me and this anonymous provider of wi-fi
have fun playing cat and mouse..

Still, a strange feeling that something is not quite right
niggling
So I went outside to NMTP
"Is there no ironing for me this weekend?"

"Oh there is, don't worry I'm putting in 4 loads today.."

"Oh thank goodness!I knew something was wrong!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am downloading Christmas songs already
and then I thought of gloomy sunday
so I had 'gloomy sunday' and 'chestnuts roasting' playing
simultaneously off different programs
and let me tell you, that is freaky
it's like a subtle death message under a mask of happiness
or something.

Snobs We Are

So last night, I expressed incredulousness
to Leyna over there not being anywhere proper
to get food at/past 10pm

Hello,in Malaysia, anytime also can get top-notch food okay?

So I grudgingly agreed to Burger King.

Then this morning, NMTP and Dadman
cooked me a proper english fry-up for brunch
and it was the second day I had it
(I craved yesterday)

Then I fel queasy and ill
NMTP said I looked pale
and I told her something was up with my belly

"Well what have you had to eat thats bad?"
(I'm thinking too many fry-ups too soon)

"Um, burger king last night.."

"Well of course that explains it then!" says NMTP, nose wrinkling

Oh So Social!

I must admit that since I left home
I've sorta revelled in not having friends
not having a jampacked social schedule

I quite enjoy weekends in with the family
but I do know that it sort of limits my Cardiff perspective

So yesterday, I went on a date
Yes a date, with Leyna
First impressions were great
also I didn't expect Cardiff to have proper
cool/posh bars as opposed to pubs
but there does seem to be many
which is brilliant.

Also Leyna seems to be (from what her friends say)
just about as fussy with me
so much so, that I wasn't sure whether it was
a compliment or not when she told me
"I'm so glad they've met you, now they know I am not
the only crazy one in the universe."
o:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am nervous as shit, about to go meet Leyna
(someone met by chance online)
my first time out alone at night even
my stomach feels like its been preserved in vinegar

Ten minutes into picking YM from school
I say "I am going out tonight"
"No, you're not, you're not allowed to!"

Then he proceeds to delay me
"Will you dye my hair, will you wait and
see the results?"
(We made a pact to dye our hair at half-term
and I let him choose a colour for me auburn)

Dadman, before I walk out the front door says
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?
text if anything, or if you're staying out all night
are you sure you don't need supper before you go?"

So sweet.

And so, she now has friends! Whoopee!

Tonight's Antipasti

 

cardiff!

 

 

This Is Where I Live

 

John Mayer in London

For some reason today, some very weird reason
I decided to google him
just to see if he was playing anywhere near me

Turns out he's playing in London Monday
I'd go there, for the night just for him
move heaven and earth if I could
I mean, he's on my 'must see before I die' list.

Completely sold out.
Completely gutted.
I found tickets eventually
for nearly 5 times the face value.
God.
Gutted.

This is agony, I can't even speak.

Wet (not me, the rain)

I just realised that for someone who lives here
its not a good thing to not know where
the umbrellas are kept

I opened the front door
and the rain was light
'Waterproof' thought I and ran downstairs to get it
thats all I did.
Then I opened the front door again
and phwooooarrrrrrrr! Suddenly like tropical rainstorm

Sure, I have a waterproof but that
sure as hell ain't going to keep out this rain

One of those days, uh huh
where its wet and grey
typical really

And all you want to do is stay in
who cares if you have chores outdoors?
stay in
eat for warmth
have a warm bath, then another, eat soup in bath
more chunky soup, chocolate, mugs of hot tea

Yes, tea.

Britain is slowly converting me
Like yesterday I had 5 mugs of tea, no coffee at all
and yes, we all know tea is caffienated too

In the cupboard downstairs we have no less than
5 types of tea, which isn't much at all

Okay, third attempt to brave the weather
this package has got to be sent.

It Has Come To This

Either I blog, or I send email
I don't have the juice to do both originally
so here are email excerpts:

"Look at my passport lady,
does it look like I stay anywhere for longer than I can help?
What makes you think I would want to come and
live illegally in your country anyway? There's a whole world to see."
Cow.

Bugger.

Was interrogated til 1am. Then let through. Stupid bitch.
She called London and they said
'"Well if she's educated and there is evidence that she is a writer
(I had written notes over every available surface)
and she has travelled so much, whats the problem?"

Then spent week wondering
if I should take that flight back to Malaysia

But we decided fuck that,
I'll be in and out of Britain visiting/travelling til next June
But next time I will have all documentation.
And my course has now been postphoned to January
which gives me 6 months when I come back from Prague.

Hopefully life may be better then because
maybe by then some sex would have come my way.
Proper documentation at customs may result in me being led
through customs on red carpet or may confuse them so
much that I will be thrown into jail osama-style.
Whoopee! Cant wait to find out.

And now things have calmed down.
NMTP being home means I have no reason to wake up early
(except when girlfriends from M'sia text at 6.45am)
and send YM to school as she likes to play mom

All I have to do is clean the house twice a week,
which when I timed myself,
takes approximately 2 hours and 22 minutes each on Monday and Friday.

The rest of the time I lie in my room and read book after book.

Or like Tuesday night I cooked Yellow Seafood Curry and Thai Fishcakes
and they fell on it like a pack of wolves and told me
"You're never going home!"

Then I told them that Zach told me that
not a single day goes by
as he cooks in someone else's restaurant,
when he doesn't think of his restaurant.
The wall colour, the ambience, the type of food.
And that he wants me on his team.
And then I wrote back and said
"What about my restaurant? I want you on my team".
Then the family here said, "What about our restaurant?"

Sometimes I feel fat and go for a long walk.
Yesterday I took a TWO HOUR WALK along the clifftops.
It was a deserted trail.

On the left was rows and rows of vegetable fields,
on the right a sheer 5 storey drop down the cliff.

I realised if a mentally demented character
would leap out of the berry brambles and assault/rape/push me of the cliffs,
no one would hear my screams and that would
be then end of me.

So I hurriedly whipped out my phone and text someone far far away
and told him where I was and what to do if he didn't hear from me
I was so scared I turned my IPOD off.

Then the path turned downhill and I scrambled down a muddy trail
that took me to the beach which wasn't a beach at all
because it was all pebbles
(or rocks depending on the scope of your vision)
Beaches are supposed to be SAND in my world.

I reasoned that this was less scary
than falling/being pushed off the cliff
and walked ONE hour along the shore to get back to the pier.

Then I came home
and had leeks wrapped in ham with a bechamel sauce for supper.

I suspect this is as adventurous as life will get this week.
Then I had a steaming hot bath and did my blackheads
with that long hooked metal thing that I still don't know the name of.

This is long and rambling and for this I apologise.

On The Tin Can

6.45am and a text from a ‘babe’ in Penang
Has me exclaiming 'WTF?'
Then shooting out of bed, into a pair of pants
And straight to the phone, where I spend the next hour or so
calling 5 different Penang numbers

We express incredulousness, confusion and ‘beh-tahanness’
Technology is amazing, so far yet so near
So near that in the middle of our seriousness
I say "Oh my god babes, I dreamt was shaving my legs last night
and now...they're not shaven"
then I think she tells me I am cacat
but we've established that.

You know what? Despite our worries and moaning,
In the end its relationships, different facets again
We may not know what goes on behind closed doors
And what doesn’t work for some, may be magic for others
We all have different needs after all

I go back to bed and loll with my book
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
I did like it. I’m glad Christopher made up with his Daddy

Then, another Penang call
It’s my mom, I tell her off for calling (‘spensive)
Then hang up and call her back

Mother has made me sad because she pointed out
(A point that is painfully true)
That in my two weeks home I
Spent more time with her than I had spent in years

And am so guilty of that
Because I lived on my own, and because of our ‘past’
I hardly saw my mom, nor made a point to when I lived in Penang

But this trip, I somehow spent all those
little bits in between meetings with her,
I showed up unexpected at her door, sought her
when I needed someone to help me with things

I sought her because I knew she would help me without question,
she would let me behave like a spoiled brat
Molly-coddling me while providing sisterly banter

And she said that because of this, when I left last week
She felt like she was losing her baby
that she misses me
Then mother got too emotional and I felt uncomfortable.

And I never found the time to tell her
That I am proud of her, that she’s been so good the past few months
That I am grateful.

Bantum aptly called me

‘A daughter to your father, a sister to your mother and
a mother to your sister’

Why don’t you all go give your mothers a hug huh? Since I can’t.
Maybe even your aunties (;

Growing Pains

I am so aware of what a delicate stage in life I am at with YM
On one hand he is at the cusp of teenage-dom
Still a sweet boy, unafraid of declaring his feelings
“I love you mom” “I missed you Aja”
We cling tenaciously on to that pure, unsullied bit.

On the other hand, he is already there,
the normal teenage boy discovering women, sexuality

Every male friend I meet who finds out
YM is 13 going on 14 starts with that snigger and winking
telling me he's probably going to school telling his mates
to check out his aupair

I really don't want to know
And sometimes, I wish I could disappear


Like when a raunchy scene comes on TV and he teases me and says
“Aja, what is that man doing to that lady?”

Or like today, when we left the house, just as a posse of female
Plumber, electrician and architect came in to do my bathroom

“A bunch of lezzers weren’t they?” says YM
“I just don’t understand it...” he says
circling forefinger and thumb on each hand together
and rubbing them together.
“I mean, what iiiiiiiiis that? A man and woman I can understand, but that?”

That’s when, even though driving,
I throw my hands over my ears and scream a long, drawn out one.

“Are you quite done then?”

Scratchy Records

I am so amazed by the effect music has on me
The opening bars of one song can transport you to
Places you never thought you’d be again, but for that one song

Today I woke cold, depressed
YM was phlegmy (love the word) and asthmatic, resulting in him going in late
And when I had gotten home from sending him,
It seemed a good plan to hole myself in my room, ironing
The steam iron gave welcome heat
And certain music gave appropriate depth to depression

Then I decided; enough.
A change of music to scratchy jazz
The CD set for Bantum that I had been
Itching to try out before gave him
Ella, Dinah, Billie, Sarah, Davis and Armstrong

Music takes you places
The way Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue will always remind me
Of Mayleen and JoycetheFairy
And Jamelia’s Superstar will always remind me of Kan
And Stephane Grappelli will always remind me of him

And so he did, an unmistakable sound
That took me back to us, years ago
That memory moving on to a week ago
When at a dinner, someone mentioned something to me
So very blasé about something so wrenching to me,
Something that no one had ever mentioned to me in my face before,
and it shocked me, so much that I burst into tears, right then, right there

And oh how I wanted to talk to you then
But time didn’t allow for it
And today Grappelli came on; I remembered the email you sent from down under
Saying, “See, I remembered your birthday!” And “this song always reminds me of you,”
And me, I made a promise to call you

So picked up the phone today
Dialled you and got your answering machine
Listening to the message I could so see you
Just waking on a cold morning or after a chilly evening nap
And recording that message

And I can see a montage of things past
Of how we’ve grown apart, our lives gone ways we never imagined
And then I wonder if the people who love us now
Will love us for our past?

Maggi Mee

And then YM comes home from school
And we bid silence and peace goodbye
He comes into my room, hears my jazz
And twirls me this way and that

We go to the Chinese shop and buy 30 packets of instant noodles
(The whole family has been converted!)

The lady at the till tells me
“No twentee, fhirthy,” when we take 20 packets up
“Sorry?” says I

She repeats and I say “Forty?Fifty?”
“Jesus!” Exclaims YM, grabbing my arm and propelling me back to aisle
“She said thirty! How is it you’re the Chinese one, but I understand her?”

Then we come home, sit down to supper
After, we make raspberry soufflé
YM and I.

And I remember last week, Bantum asked me about soufflés
Why are they so difficult; but they’re not, really (=
It’s about having absolutely clean utensils, not wasting time
And being gentle.

Wow

Well look at that, apparently I am
worth quoting

Today Is My Birthday

Yes, again.
Thanks to a bad birthday on the actual date
YM, NMTP and Dadman have declared an unbirthday
So today, is my birthday (=

I woke up early and followed the olds up the mountain
took a walk and watched autumn come in
serenaded by Nerina Pallot
and playing with Jakob
the newest edition to Aja's Happy Family of Things

after the mountain
we headed to the farm shop to buy
stuff for my birthday supper
I requested a proper roast chicken with parsnips and
bread sauce and stuffing and..the works!

Also, a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
(=
and on top of all that I requested a good ol fry-up
for brunch

We then went to see Guys and Dolls
which I thoroughly enjoyed

And now, I wait for supper and champagne
Its a happy birthday indeed.

Belated can be good.
Hear that Petes? I am sorry.
I'll make it up to you.

Birthday Grub

Dadman, NMTP and I are sitting down
to rare quiet at the dining table

The whirlwind that was YM has
raged in this room then swept upstairs
and out the front door.

My theory is that YM is at this age
where any other male presence in the house
disturbs him, and thus verbally attacks Dadman

He's not rebellious in any sense outside
but tends to get frustrated over petty things
with his parents at home
I don't think I ever had the chance to go through
this kind of teenage phase with my background
so I do what I can to neutralise.

We all know that there is no point
arguing so we weather the storm
wait for it to pass
and carry on with our conversation like
nothing happened.

The brass knocker drops
NMTP tells Dadman to go and let YM in
He hesitates then they turn to me and tell me
"On second thought, you'd better get it,"

I bound upstairs, throw open the door
and there stands YM looking chastised
"Who shut the door on me?"

"No one, it shut itsself," I say
Then I open my arms and say
"Come here you silly cow. Enough shouting.
ANd be nice its my birthday. If something irks you
just count to 10 and ignore it."

We hang around in the sitting room for a bit
then I take him downstairs
where he apologises to the parents
and we sit down to my birthday supper.