Weekend away

Oh my it's been a new year for some time, I better post up this one already!  I have been so busy both at the home front as my helper has gone back for vacation, as well as the work front.  

Hubby caught Covid after our Melaka trip.  I had to work so was with the kids in our apartment when he tested positive.  That weekend, I decided to drive back home for the kids' art class.  Had to drop by the house for their art stuff and it felt surreal to be a little scared in our own home and having to stay far away from hubby.

Went to 1u after their class.

 

Merry Christmas!

Lots of fishies

So it was a cosy weekend, just the 3 of us, at our apartment.  Hauled them out to go swimming...

Can we go yet?

Checked out a new Korean food outlet as JE wanted to eat kimchi.  Nah, pricey and not that good.

So-so kimchi noodles and seafood pancake

And what was JE carrying in the box around 1u?  

Donuts!

Redeemed FOC donuts from Shopee.  These were nicer than I remembered, soft and fresh.  

Knife Gallery

Jaya Mata knife gallery was right on Jonker Street.  We got free entrance by registering on their site.  It was a fun visit which (to me) wouldn't have been worth the entrance fee.

We are going up to this knife place

JE was in a silly mood which was fine for pictures...

La

And lala

And voila!

Can we bring this home?

The place was small so we took our time to touch ad look at things.  The guide didn't come with us.  She went with a later group and were doing explanations in Mandarin.  That's probably why she didn't follow us as we were speaking English amongst ourselves and she was possibly only comfortable using Mandarin.  The merchandise (knives, nail-clippers, some kitchen equipment, etc) wasn't expensive and we picked up some souvenirs.  Yes the durian knife is one of their best-sellers.

'Inspected' the bathroom and then off we went.

Good bathroom this 

Melaka trip 2022

For the year-end school holidays, we went to Melaka. Just like our previous PD trip, it felt nostalgic as our previous visit 2.5 years ago happened RIGHT when MCO was announced.  When I look back at my previous post, the kids looked so much younger (and cute!).  

This time I didn't bother looking for a place with a swimming pool as they would rather be online instead.  Booked Swiss Heritage as it was available and had parking.  SE complained at first until I had to tell her any more complaints next time she doesn't get to come along!  The place was ok to me - of course not a 5-star, but I am never one to pay a lot for accommodation.  Beds were comfortable and it was a stone's throw away from Jonker Street. 

We are at Jonker Street. Where we are staying :)

We went there on a Sunday.  Made a stop at Baba Charlie first (I found the nyonya laksa so-so only while the onde-onde was nice) then timing was just nice to check in.  I didn't expect there to be a pasar malam but there was. :)  Which was good.  It got REALLY crowded though.  We managed to find a seat to eat our fried radish cake, rojak and various items.  JE got cornered into ordering something by a staff while hubby and me were out procuring other items.  Luckily it was some lobak thing which tasted good.  

Finally found a table

The lobak which JE ordered

SE later totally warmed up to the room.  Here they are playing with the steam on the bathroom door.  Definitely something fishy happening inside haha.

Hehehe

Haircut

Before our helper went home on holiday, one of her tasks was to give the kids a haircut. Well they chose kakak cut instead of going to the hairdresser since apparently the latter would cut too much off.  SE took a before pic...

This is my before

Right after the haircut... wails and tears!  JE's turned out all right so no drama there, but SE.... her fringe is really rather short!  And this girl went on and on and on about it.

1. My hair is SO SHORT!

2. This kakak.  Had to leave me A LEETTLE GIFT before going home.

3. Jojo's is ok but mine is SO UGLY!!

 

Hehe poor girl.  Can't blame amateurs - I'm sure it would have turned out worse if I had been the one cutting!

After oh, a week?, the wailing has stopped.

As you can see, the fringe still needs to grow out.  This pic was at our very first poke bowl lunch which we enjoyed.

Poke bowls are nice!

(nobody mention her hair to her please)

Batgirl

SE went as Batgirl for the school's recent Children's Day (theme being 'Super Heroes').  We have the cape and mask lying around and she paired those with black clothes. No good photos of her in the costume though.

 

This is the back of Batgirl

Put on my watch, kakak

The watch was bought from our Petaling Street excursion.  SE lost it not long after, sigh.

On another note, kakak has gone back to Philippines for her long-delayed holiday.  We will be maid-less for 2 months.  Hoping she comes back as planned!

Petaling Street jaunt

I used to work near Petaling Street, but that was many years ago and I haven't gone back since.  Then the past election weekend, a friend texted that she was in the city centre and the roads were so empty.  Well what to wait for right, some more tolls were free for the day!  Make it an educational trip of sorts for the kids too.

Indeed traffic was smooth and parking was easy to find. 

Here I am at Petaling Street with my blue hippo friend

 

A must-visit was the famous 'mata kuching' drink stall.  Hmm they have replaced the iconic steel bowls  with plastic PET bottles.  Definitely not as fun and the ingredients mostly stayed in the bottle while you drink the liquid.  Only bought one bottle as nobody wanted more.

Taste is ok. No need to get more

The roads are tiled now and there is a roof overhead.  Other than that, guess no big changes.  The stalls are mostly selling T-shirts and other pirated things not so interesting to the kids.  I picked up some foodstuff I used to buy then looked around for Fung Wong bakery (which I know of through Shopee hehe).  Didn't realise it was so hidden. Overall not bad - nice setting, coffee was good, top marks for the egg sponge and kaya rolls, other pastries were ok-ok.

Us at Fung Wong

Still at Fung Wong

On our way back to the parked car, spotted a quaint side road with murals and walked in.  Ah quite a lot of picture opportunities.

Big olden-days scene

Lanterns overhead quite nice

Blue and yellow

Japanese-style

Cute pig alert!

I wonder if there are more of these picturesque streets.  Anyway had to quickly finish up as hubby didn't want to walk in and had gotten grumpy waiting for us.  

Reading?

The kiddos spend a lot of time watching a screen.  I'd rather they intersperse that with reading or other activities.  So weekends I enforce some reading time.

Reading...

SE is the one with a shorter attention span (for reading that is.  No problem staring at a screen for hours).  After a few minutes....

Look a flying dog

Gets shoo-ed back by me to her book and after a few more minutes....

Streetttcchhh

Repeat and after another few more minutes....

  

Fiddling with something

And this is if I'm sitting there in the living room.  If I'm not, there wouldn't be much reading going on.  Oh well, something is better than nothing!