♥하루 123 - A momentous event: SPM result day

SPM result day was one of the most anxious day of my life. It feels even more surreal than SPM exam month itself  "walaoeh I thought this day will never come". Hahaha. My heart was beating like a drum, like how a drum will sound if you put sukkie near it with a pair of drum sticks in her hands (trust me, the noise is incessant!! T_T) and my hands shaking cold. (Thank you for jess's hands - heat equilibrium pls ok I didn't get A for physics blergh)

Why you so drama one ish

The night before we had a 'WELCOME HOME AREECCA' yumcha session with the girls' at Papparich, which we coincidently met up with the ASSAM's. It feels nice to see them again after so long, their super wide smiles and super loud laughter wahaha. Anyway they helped us out with the banner surprise too "What banner surprise?" I have gotten help from the children at daycare to assist me in completing this mission under the disguise of ‘CREATIVITY CHALLENGE’ - to colour eleven huge alphabets with their limitless creative power. It is a challenge cause usually 8 year olds' are not capable of colouring such complex cut outs without tearing the corners or getting bored. 

They were rather enthusiastic about this!

basically cause "There's a mysterious present for the most creative child ngek"

 And turned out exceptionally good! I drew the pattern on the alphabets for them and they drew add-on's (some extra polka dot and complimentary happy faces for your meal, sir?)

Well I coloured most of the alphabets, (I love colouring!) but these kids are notably talented so I got them packs of spongebob milk chocolates as their reward. As for the surprise, we shamelessly shouted "WELCOME BACK AREECCA" in the middle of the cosy ambience at Papparich when she arrived (late, as usual) and had a wonderful time catching up with one another, hearing Areecca's fascinating stories from ns camp and Jess's college life, and Nicole's developing mushroom farmville. LOL. 

Fyi the banner is currently hanging contentedly at my house - I feel really invited every time I enter the door! Kekeke. *syok sendiri*

When I got home afterwards, I talked to my parents about how restless and jittery I felt about the next day. And I moaned about it constantly the next morning, while I waited for areecca to pick me up, despite "I WILL GO AS LATE AS POSSIBLE" My parents were very positive (and realistic) about the matter and told me that "Aiya, don't worry! You have already done your best, now leave the rest to God. Plus this is a fixed fact and it's already there and there's nothing you can do to change it now." in which I replied, "But mom, I didn't do my best, I was soo lazy T_T" so she was like, "你知道就好" gah!

Okay right now I do feel like the biggest noob in the world cause this is such a minuscule matter but it is significant cause once again that day reminded me of how blessed I am with a pair of level headed and wise parents, and a bunch of encouraging (and stinky) siblings. 

Ok let me continue my story.

I stepped into school with Jess after getting our gardenia buns for breakfast, strawberry for her (ew) and corn for me! and a very punk sue came running towards us hahaha! I tell you this girl super cool now one side of her hair is shaved off she will be the coolest optician you can ever find (plus there's no chance of hair getting into her sight) I just feel so thrilled to see everybody again, there's so many warm hugs (the weather is freaking hot) and screams and "GRACE WHAT HAPPEN TO YOUR HAIR" or "GRACE WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR" and I just never realized how much I missed everyone. 

A selfie with chuan phing, one of the niceeeest friend you can ever find! Fate brought us together from form 2, when I rescued her and the bunch from their terrible transfer class. Hahaha! I really miss the whole bunch when we're juniors and have no care for anything else except if is there food to eat during class. LOL. 

A picture of Pn Hiew, my former class teacher and the ultimate bio teacher, "Don't want take picture lah I look so sweaty now" hahaha she's my most favourite teacher! Jess, Areecca and Nic would roll their eyes to the moon and back if they see this. Pn Hiew is so cute and I love it when she calls everybody "My dear" and when she refers to all sorts of organelles/ bacteria/ virus/ body cells as "This fella". She's also the most dedicated teacher you can ever, ever find. The irony is that I slept and trash talked through her class my entire form 4 year. Ack. However. It's less conscience-stricken to know I didn't fail her expectations! wooohoooo

I always have this habit to write down quotes when I heard one, and here's Pn Hiews collection (those I still can find), 

PN. HIEW'S COLLECTION OF QUOTES

“Hard tough stuff”

“I think today must buy lottery already. It is the second time in the history of this class that everyone is present!”

“So I heard pengetua came into your class today.” 

Ya, we told her bio is the toughest

“What la you!”

“You know! The presence of the nipples! The nipples!”

“The erythrocytes, it look like a donut. But in the test paper they ask 'what shape is the erythrocyte? you don't go and answer 'donut' ah. Then you only donut lah.”

“Don't blame the potato ah!”

“This girl.. I predicted you can get A. Show me!”

When some of the us grumbled about the crazy amount of things to memorize for Sejarah,

 “Minum, makan sejarah.. mati dengan sejarah. I hate this the most! What a stupid slogan! So ridiculous! This is a democratic country! Frankly speaking ah, I hate sejarah the most. I hate it when they test us how much we can remember. So during my time ah, I pick geography over sejarah.”

 “The minion must have occur this jaundice lah”

I cried like a moron after I revealed my results.. in private, ofcourse. I stood by the corner of the world (inside joke) Everybody was either too busy being happy or feeling disappointed at their own results. I sobbed like a freakkkk but it was so nice of Ee Ling to stay and pat me on the shoulders and comfort me whilst she could have went and celebrate or something. Ok la my results wasn't exactly horrible I know I should be thankful but I just feel upset cause I didn't accomplish my target. But I know God has given me this outcome and it's for the best! Yay! (plus SPM only ma cheh. roll eyes. LOL.)

Though I wasn't this optimistic that day. Heh. So I tried to sulk throughout the day but failed cause we headed for lunch and movie with Brian & friends, plus Jess, Areecca and me. We had ss15 chili pan mee! My cravings for weeks are finally satisfied but it left my stomach a burning pit after. Eeek. It's impossible to sulk around this bunch of people cause they're friends and friends make each other happy. Thank you guys! I'm also wholesomely proud of you guys for obtaining such glorious straight A's and I know you guys deserved it. ;) "Ok crossing the world now" (inside joke) #BFFOREVER

After watching Divergent (It's an awesome movie! I just finish reading the book ah so good) and had dinner at Kim Gary's (celebratory french toast with jess) I head home and find my sister eunice slaving over something in the kitchen while I cried (again) when I see momoke sigh why am I so pathetic T_T  gosh momoke was so happy when she sees the slip and keeps analysing each subject and telling me how great she thinks everything is. I love my mom.

What is the big sister eunice slaving over in the kitchen?

These monster slimes! HAHAHA. She's so sweet lah. She made some ultimate chewy sweet potato balls too! She knew I'm upset and tried to cheer me up using the most obvious solution LOL. Fooood ftw!

I think the monster slimes are supposed to look like this. Genetic misconduct, probably. Hehehe.

Then I showered and Joyce came home and showered and we sat around the dining table gnawing, grinding and working our molar tooth off with those sweet potato balls. HAHAHA.

There was this phone call I had with my mom earlier that day I can never forget, which here I quote her,

“无论成绩怎样都好，你还是我的女儿”

“我们一定要去庆祝，就算你没有拿到 A 我都打算要庆祝的。明天我们一起去吃晚餐，我请!”

There are many things which are impossible to put into words, those overwhelming emotions and fondness for these precious relationships and bonds that will never come apart, seperti air dicincang tidak akan putus. Heh. This is a  momentous day and here I'm going to remember it forever on my blog! 

By the way, thanks for not giving up on this mouldy blogger *sniff *

Goodnight!

xx

♥하루 119 - My Grandpa

My father called my name from downstairs as I readied myself to snug in with a book after my shower. Irritated, I trudged down with my pile of dirty clothes in one hand, a novel in the other, and my favourite purple towel over my shoulders.

"grandpa has passed away just now, inform your brothers and sisters there will be a funeral tonight."

Surprisingly, I didn't burst out in tears like I thought I'm sure I would two months ago, when grandpa fell sick again, and we sang softly by his bed in the HCU unit of the hospital, watching his every painful grasps of breath, the efforts made for every difficult rise of his chest, and the tubes sticking out from his nose and wrists, the heart rate monitor giving out random beep's, indicating his life in squiggles that we could not understand.

Granted with the only grandfather since birth, he is definitely not the typical grandpa all my primary school classmates have, the kind who chase them around the house with a spoon and a bowl of porridge, either is he the kind who goes for tai chi with nearby friends the similar age 6 am every morning, or the kind who sits in a rocking chair and tells his grandchildren interesting war-time stories with animated expressions.

In fact, I have not properly known my grandfather at all half of my lifetime.

When I'm younger, he always seemed like a frowny old man my mom always make us call 'gong gong' whenever we went over to my eldest uncle's place to visit. I have never seen him smile or give us chocolates or tell us stories. I was closer to my grandma, who developed alzheimer's a few years back. I learned how to speak cantonese from her, and I remember her asking for her purse a million times a day, showering for 5 times a day, or I remember smuggling money from my piggy bank for her to take a bus home, which later a heavily loaded purse found in the recycle box my dad was going to clean out.

 but no, I have not properly known my grandpa at all.

Momoke, though, have many times told us stories about grandpa being mean to them throughout their childhood. Hitting them for faultless blames and have never shown an ounce of care towards his children.


However, these traumatic experiences momoke had, she always transformed them into funny stories and lessons for us to learn from.  

I always had a feeling that mom had a dysfunctional childhood (the Japanese Occupation does that and a lot more), but a few years ago I can feel that momoke had fully forgiven him. Since young, momoke had cultivated in us the lesson of filial duty, a display of family affection that can not be forgotten. (despite how much or less love they had sacrificed previously, parents are parents.) I've learned to respect and frequently visit my grandparents - I would undoubtedly keep that close in heart for my own family too.

My grandpa and grandma never had a loving relationship, whereby they get pissed off whenever we make them sit together for photographs during celebrations, and they'd face the opposite direction of each other angrily. When they're younger, my grandpa used to be the loud and hot-tempered one, whereas my grandma the more considerate and calm for their children's sake, but now the roles have changed. 

My grandma scolds vulgarities at him while grandpa sits and listen in amusement.

It has always been a good laugh when we watch in amusement, too and hurry to snap the photos and cut cake before my grandma gets sooo pissed off she'd decide it's time to leave. 

When I first encountered the news of grandpa leaving, I was astonishingly calm. In fact, I would have heave a sigh of relief. He has already lived life of a century, seen his great-grandchildren grow into beautiful, active kids and went through a compilation of life at its unpredictable forms. He was sick again and again, many times critical, but yet my grandpa had shown true, invincible strength. He was tough like how he was throughout his youth. 

Despite looking frail and alot more thinner, and despite the struggle to inhale every mouthful of breath, he held on. We thought we'd lose him there and then at the hospital bed that night, when his heartbeat rate was slowing down to a decrescendo. 

But he made it back home, surprising us with the remarkable vitality of a 101-year old. I thank God for gifting my grandpa a long and prosperous life, and I thank God for welcoming him in the Kingdom of Heaven, where he'd be transformed, looking handsome again in the love of God.

A photo with my cousin, and a rare smile on my grandpa's face ☺

When I asked momoke "Ma, do you feel sad for grandpa's leaving?"
She replied, “对他来说，这是一种解脱。”

My grandfather has rest in peace today, at the age of 101. 

See you again, gong gong,
have fun up there!

♥하루 113 - Counting my blessings

Hi everyone! As I promised, I will start updating! I'm here to talk about one of the most important, most special, most loved, most beautiful, most considerate and the smartest, person in my life. 

Along these few days in the last month of the year, I've been so overcome by thankfulness when I look back at everything I have, the people, my family, friends that stayed with me through challenges and share the happiest moments 12 months down the road and it doesn't end here.

25 unknown number!!! years ago on the 22nd of December, my eldest sister arrive in this world on a lily (that's how they say for babies are borned with their legs crossed and head after! ouch) ---

...

"RAAAAH"

o_o 

sorry wrong picture hahah

o_o!!

no, no let me show you something more decent

oh wells hahahah

come I present you,

...

大姐，Eunice Koh Yan Ci! 

(in conjunction to the 大, which means Big in chinese and 姐，sister - the fonts are LARGE!)

Her photos are sooo entertaining I swear, could not stop laughing when I browse through her albums. She has the same birthday as my grandpa, they're born on the winter solstice. (yes, you remember tang yuen, homemade ones with ginger soup is classic!) Well, her birthday is 4 days (and 8 years) apart from mine - altho her physique is so much younger than me omg -.- However, despite the age gap, I'm so glad we're like friends to each other (and also wardrobe share-rs ahem) Just so you know, I have two sisters, Eunice & Joyce,  and they're one two in a million T_T sniff sniff

She always tries her best to bring joy to everybody else around her, trust me, I know. 

"I feel like an idiot!"

It was my 17th birthday last tuesday, she and a bunch of my favourite people launched "Mission Under The Sun" ☀☀ with a tad bit leakage from mummy koh (hee hee hee) and that was the quote of the day!

She tried so hard to make sure I'm not suspicious of any plans (laughs) but fact is I kind of already guessed but the efforts made are definitely not wasted! I had the time of my life!!!! More about that next time!

On my 16th birthday last year,

 She and kang lim organized a surprise trip to genting for me! I must be the luckiest person on earth, really. These two places I have not been before, and they finally made me a true malaysian! "oi! that's not the definition of a true malaysian ok what talking you" Hahahah "well.. you probably would never find any malaysians who stays in KL their entire life not having been to genting or sunway lagoon before!"

She's always one to plan ahead down to every immaculate detail, like whether I would need a conditioner (the answer is yes) and to bring my favourite flavoured cup noodles (that's not too hard cause I love to eat everything of every flavour) and to marinate the meat before we could bbq them and to bring an ice box and to bring two swimsuits for me to choose from and to wake up early enough to cook up an awesome big breakfast of heart shaped sunny side up's and beef patties for everybody and to bring nail clippers and plasters of all sizes and all shapes just so if anyone has an injury to be treated (which is me) LOLOL. 

...

She has super powers too!

Batwoman with my other super power sister (or is it brother in this case), Captain Jack Sparrow and her boyfriend Power Ranger!

Otherwise, Neytiri from Avatar with a very beautiful Wonderwoman who happened to drop by for the toilet (inside joke)

See, I never bluff you one!

But speaking about super powers.. there's really much more of that stuff she has

yup, kung fu powers too, yup.

...

My sister is a very intelligent person, and this I've always told the entire world about how smart is she in add maths and how horrible am I T^T (and it's true!) I'm very proud of her for all her accomplishments and believe that God will always lead her through the her current journey for masters in psychology. 

Well there's just too many things we have went through together to even summarize in this limited space. It's not possible. Nevertheless, I thank God for blessing me with 

 someone to sit on. HAHAHAHAHA.

a very beautiful sister! (Joyce is super gorgeous too - anyway, have you heard that praising your sister is just like directly praising yourself hee hee) / (pardon my face, this is a very old picture)

 

Someone that shares my love for food 

I'm not kidding! the similarities of our photo is epic x_x (we didn't eat all of those by ourselves ok but we still love japanese food. alot.)

And someone to take unlimited selfies with: 

"brace yourselves!"

and more. I'm afraid I'd piss you off but we're so cute so I guess not? HAHAHAHAHA.

I'm always really, really happy that my sister Eunice found the love of her life, the One given and gifted from God, her soulmate and who is also equally super nice,

they always have moments like these, HAHAHAHAHA. ♥♥♥♥♥

Someone that hates onions and garlic and butter (my honour to help her finish her food!), someone that

would spend the night listening to me complain and provide me advices and someone that is willing to spend money, time and energy for everybody around her just so they're happy. 

I still have so much to thank you for, sister, for everything you've done for me. Happy Birthday, praise the Lord for all we have and went through hand in hand.  ☺

p/s In fact, I feel like the worst sister in the world cause I could only afford a blog post (and a present: which is on it's way, but it's not much considering my financial situation LOL) to her while she has spent and given so much to me just to make me feel special despite the circumstances. Thank you again, eunice koh! :'(

p/p/s Sorry for the super old throwback photos well at least it shows progress! HAHAHA.

p/p/p/s I don't know why are the photos so blurred too, I'll send a report to blogger regarding this :(