There is definitely a reason why mailing a letter is termed ‘snail mail’. It’s more than two weeks and the first letter to M1 has not even arrived! Since then I have mailed another one last week and plan to mail another this week.
By the time the letters arrived, it would be stale news already. Maybe I should write in past tense to coincide with its arrival…
Not too long ago I told M1 that her Grandpa diligently wrote me letters when I was in college every single week and she requested that I do the same for her. So I decided to write real letters and mail them weekly to her at university in the USA, just like Grandpa did. Sometimes some things ought to be done the old fashion way.
There was no such thing as emails back then. Technology was probably at its infancy and for me to even get close to a computer to send emails was unheard of. Moreover, mom and dad didn’t even own a computer! So snail mail was the way to go. I still have all those lovely letters from Dad.
Besides, making phone calls were also very expensive back then in the dinosaur era. Nowadays, we are very fortunate to be so connected with WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype.
But all in all said for the effort, I find it funny to be holding a pen and writing so much! All these while, with the advancement of technology, one just sits at the desk and type away on the keyboard to compose what they want to say in the email without holding a pen. Now I find myself struggling to pen decent looking sentences that hopefully, she can make out what I am writing!
Then again, I am pretty sure my handwriting will improve with time. For the sake of keeping up with what my Dad did, I will continue with weekly scrawny handwritten letters and snail mail them to her.
I finally conquered Level 867 of Candy Crush! It was just a matter of timing, patience and a bit of luck. Everyday I would spin the Daily Booster Wheel to accumulate my daily boosters then I guess timing and luck fell into place.
Last Sunday morning, I decided to go for it. Utilizing the extra moves given by fellow candy crushers, I also powered up with three boosters and finally did it! I am now at Level 872. Yay.
Brushing aside ideas suggested for the two of us for the weekend, we actually had a busy time. I played golf on Saturday morning with my friends while hubby had a meeting with the resident committee of the estate we live in. Later that day, we attended a friend’s baptism.
This friend of mine is indeed a special friend as our friendship goes back a long, long way. How long you may ask?
Pre-historic I would say.
I have a picture of her and me plus some other friends at my 7th birthday party to support this.
Over the years in school, we were in the same class and sometimes not but facing all sorts of challenges and adventures together. As time passed, we went our separate ways (for further education, career, marriage and family) but always kept in touch. Fast forward to the future.
We became more connected than ever especially with the boom of technology. Also with priorities evolving constantly and the children getting older, hence less time focused on them, we were able to build an even stronger friendship in our busy lives. Always catching up and updating each other via a phone call or text messages every now and then, coupled with efforts to meet for dinner, it’s a special bond and a beautiful friendship.
And like our friendship, the baptism was of a special bond and a beautiful thing.
Suddenly the house seems even bigger than ever! Today M2 goes off for a 3 day/2 night camp leaving us folks to fend for ourselves. In an unfamiliar situation, I have a feeling both of us are not quite sure what to do. I guess we have to face the fact that the children are not so little anymore.
Sigh…
Level 867 of Candy Crush has frustrated me to no end that I am contemplating, yet again, to give up on the game. I just cannot figure it out! But luckily the other two games, Candy Crush Soda and Farm Heroes has provided some solace.
Also I found another comfort – Codewords, a game that I hardly write about. I was at the bookstore not to long ago and found the magazine version of the game. It’s an app that I already have on my phone but now with a printed version, making it definitely easier on the eyes, this is another good game to keep the mind busy.
Life in university for M1 started on a good note as far as dorm life is concerned. She has a Japanese room-mate whom she met at the airport upon arrival. I am relieved that this little worry turned out okay unlike what I experienced.
As I had mentioned before, what are the chances of history repeating itself, let alone for two situations – the arrival and the room-mate? You can gather by now, my initial college years did not start off well but towards my junior and senior years, it was much better and overshadowed those trying moments.
During my time, I was supposed to live in the dorms. I got to Flagstaff a few days earlier before the dorms opened. Soon after my arrival episode, I checked out from the motel and reported to the International Students office; I was hosted by a Taiwanese girl, who lived off campus. Her room-mate was away, so she was able to put me up. This temporary arrangement worked out well until I had to move into the dorms.
This is where it all fell through…
I remember clearly as I lugged my luggages through the room door, my American room-mate was there in the room with a guy, presumably her boyfriend.
My presumption proved to be right because the first thing she said to me was,”Hi. My name is…. (Somehow I don’t recall) and this is Scott (This, how can I forget?) and he will be here on a long term basis.”
Oh. My. God.
What a statement. What a welcome. Stunned and speechless was what I was…
My tummy retched. As liberal as I was (and still am) I just couldn’t stomach this. Everything was a blur after that but it did not matter. That night, I went back to the Taiwanese girl and slept on the couch.
The next day, I went straight to see the Director of Housing and made my case to terminate my supposedly non-negotiable dorm contract. Citing moral issues and culture shock to top off this unsavory experience, I was able to convince him of this undesirable and unwelcoming situation. Thankfully he was very sympathetic. As I did not want a reassignment, fearing another similar episode, I was accorded a full refund. However, as a result of this decision made, I was left to my own devices to find accommodation and semester was starting soon!
Thank goodness, there’s always a good soul around who helped me on the accommodation problem. I ended up living off campus, sharing a two bedroom apartment with two American girls and a Singaporean girl.
So looking back now in comparison, I am so glad none of what I went through recurred for my child. She’s got a good start.
It’s been slightly more than a week since M1 left. We are adjusting. Suddenly the house seems too big and too quiet despite the fact we still have M2 around. Life goes on… starting with a no carbo regime for me to get back in shape.
Thank goodness for technology, we ‘whatsapp’ all the time, sometimes at the oddest of hours forgetting the different time zone and Skype twice a day, once in the morning and again at night, our time. Both hubby and I are very happy and pleased that she has settled down well in the dorms and enjoyed her one week of orientation.
Classes start today.
It was a Saturday morning and we decided to walk into the BMW showroom to visit our friend who works there. The minute he saw us, he came over eagerly, I think happy to see us more than hoping to make a sale. The sporty looking Z4 caught our eyes. We looked at each other and in our mind, thinking alike, why not?
So we asked if we could take it out for a spin. He obliged but on condition that he has to sit next to the driver for legal issues. What this means is that both of us cannot be in the same car for it is a two-seater.
We both took turns at the BMW Z4. Put it this way, I have never felt such an adrenalin rush driving a car before. And never had I worked up such a sweat before driving. Then again, I have never gotten behind a real sports car and never had I stepped on it until it reached 240km per hour!
Phew.
Last night I had my gym session with just my trainer and it felt strange. No hubby (he had a dinner meeting) and the girls around unlike the week before where it was the final gym session for M1 with my trainer. It was fun because M2 came along and we sweated together for the last time. I thought it was a necessary session (remember my weighing scale?) especially to rid all that guilt (and fat) from the constant eating during the last week before M1 flew off.
My trainer gave us a tough time and everyone gasped for breath. But that wasn’t all. While doing stretching on the floor, M2 commented that I looked like a manatee. The gall of her! Giving her mommy a tough time too.
My trainer perked up and asked politely, a what?
Unabashed, she reiterated the manatee mention and fueled it further with a fat mermaid description, and that I looked like both. Eeesh. But all in good fun, we had a great laugh, gasping for breath all over again. M2 was on a roll with her acid jokes.
Right after that, she also mentioned that a fat unicorn is actually a rhino in disguise. Geez… The things they learn from the internet.
Well, fat mermaid and fat rhino aside, I really have to sweat it out and was glad we had that session together last week. Another memory etching moment to cherish.
Remarks