The Art of Art Auction = blow the budget

We’ve –I, my son and my daughter- been starring on this art for so long, since we brought it home about 2 hours ago. After long painful battle with Jakarta’s traffic – rainy Friday afternoon, what you can expect?-, drove back and for hours, shuttled between Kemang and Kebayoran Baru 4 times in 3hours, it’s all mine now. Not 100% though, I haven’t pay it yet, but I am so over the moon now.

It’s my son and his classmate’s art. Been display a whole week on the Assembly Room on his school, the Art week simply finished with an arts auction. The money not a simple amount, though. I blow my budget –way over my husband budget, three times over precisely- . I spent quite a lot of money. Now I have to think what I have to say to my husband about it. Have no idea. At least I got the Art I really want. He might be ok with it. Since we keep thinking to buy a painting for our place. Or he might not ok, consider we on the tight budget at the moment.

Oh God. At least this is not an impulse buying like shopping madness over sale season. This is my son art. I want to enjoy now, before he back home anytime soon.

When was the last time you sing your National Anthem?

When was the last time you sing your national anthem?

Before this morning, I can’t remember. I just did this morning, on my son school.

After almost half an hour nonstop praying over traffic from our place to his school, I made it with a note. My husband couldn’t find a parking space so he have to drop me off, drove my daughter to her daycare, and picked me back at Kemang. It's worth sacrifices.

I was 3 minutes late for my son Friday assembly, for witnessing his first time performing on Friday assembly that shouldn’t be missed by his mum. I tiptoe inside assembly room, all kids were sang very familiar Australia song I can’t remember the title, seeing big grin on my son face, grabbed a chair and sit down. Someone else chair. Silly me. It’s an embarrassing moment when I realize that the person politely waiting for me to move and I did not realize, until someone pointing at empty chair next to her. I wish the Earth swallowed me in one big lump!

After moving three-seat down and prepared my camera, I tried to focus on what happening on the stage. Performance started, kids act and sing “The Bear Hunt” song they rehearsal in the last few days. My son did great, he turn himself as a sign bearer, with big “Beware of oozymuds” written on a big manila carton he hold.

Couple of minutes dancing and acting and singing, Friday assembly was nearly finish. Before the children back to their room, we all standing up singing two national anthems. First was Advance Australia fair –of course, this is an Australia School- and then Indonesia Raya. And here comes the drama begin.

Singing Advance Australia Fair wasn’t kick me onto something, this morning just like the usual Monday morning when I dropped my son on his old school back in Sydney, and the had Monday assembly, with national anthem. Parents who stayed join the children and sang together. But when we started to sing Indonesia Raya, I didn’t realize I started to sing and my mind was somehow flown to my childhood memories of singing this national anthem every Monday morning, I was singing to loud. Very loud. Louder than others. And didn’t understand why everyone looked and starred at me annoyingly. I get so carried over, and tears were flowing on my cheeks, leaving a kind of mascara marks, and I foolishly still sang so loud and cried in the same time, until one lady next to me handed a tissue. Goodness Me!

When the song finished, and I still busy wept my eyes, my son walked towards me from the stage he been standing the whole morning. I hug him, whispered that I am so proud of him, and kissed his check. My son whispered something in reply: “Thanks for coming, mom. Glad you made it, but next time when you coming for assembly, please don’t sing and cry in the same time. Nobody’s mom do that, it’s embarrassing me”.

He waved me goodbye, I guess he will be famous from now on, the boy with a crying and loud singing mum.

Who ever think that National Anthem effect can be that marvelous?
I will raise my hand.

I'm craving for DONUTS!

Look at those donuts ...so tempting...

I felt for donuts for days. Everytime I picked-up my son and passed Krispy Kreme, my imagination of those soft filling with silky outer texture gone crazier than ever. When I mentioned it to my best friend, with devil whispered inside I wished she will get me one -her office just next to one big shopping mall housing at least two donuts outlets- she asked me different way: are you pregnant? it's might be the sign, craving for something so badly...

Oh My Godness ! Can't I just craving for donuts for no reason...?

This corner of the earth...

This corner of the earth is like me in many ways

I can sit for hours here and watch the emerald feathers play

On the face of it Im blessed

When the sunlight comes for freeI know this corner of the earth it smiles at me

So inspired of that theres nothing left to do or say

Think Ill dream, til the stars shine

(miss this corner so much)

Igglepiggle goes to Changi

Yes- my name is Igglepiggle .....

The not-so-blue-and-clean-anymore officially joined our family since Mid September, 2008. He is a character from 'In The Night Garden' - children programme from BBC-UK.

I don't know why my daughter loves him so much, since I found another character -Upsy Daisy- is more appealing.

His frequent flyer miles just about the same with my daughter, as he travelled beside her everywhere, and accompany my daughter -hail and shine- no matter happen.

Underpass. Low-service. Not impress.

Those words are mirroring my impression about Singapore. If you Singaporean, don’t take this as an insult, this merely based on my experienced, as a result of lack of service I expected from people behind service desk, or people occupied the place that often proudly cited as one of the best travel –and shopping- destination in the world.

My first encounter with Singaporean was on the Changi airport. Once we landed, the kids were so happy seeing signs allowing people to drink tap water. We walk passed immigration, saw a bowl of refreshment candy on their desk –can’t passed it without grabbing at least one- and through custom, out to arrival front foyer. We met a nice Lady with full of smile on Tourism-Information desk, plenty tips for survival with the kids, and I felt welcome, thinking this is Singapore, friendly place.

After travelled for about 1.5 hour from Airport to our hotel –we opt for Airport shuttle rather cab, so we can have a bit sightseeing and get the idea about this place beforehand- we checked-in to York Hotel, next door to famous shopping strip Orchard road. I was tired, hungry, my children start to cranky, reception staff was so slow, made couple of mistake, couldn’t find my booking, and without smile yet apologizing. I became cranky too. All good pictures taken while I met the friendly staff at Tourism Information had vanished into thin air. I went ballistic when for the third time on 2nd day I had to get my room card re-program. Everyone on reception or Guest relation seems to had their own rule, told different way how to fix the problem, and for the same problem they gave me different direction, I got confused all the time. The worst? None of staffs smiled!

Before you get guessing about the underpass, I better tell you. We just want to get lunch, so we out for walk. As I read on my Lonely Planet, plenty of restaurants around and Ngee Ang City shopping mall host some of the best restaurant with local cuisine. As we stayed on the other side of that building, we had to crossing Orchard road to get there. When we got to Orchard, I couldn’t figure out how to cross the street since no signs display clearly. I don’t want to decide to go either left or right to find the pedestrian crossing without having to know location of the crossing. So many people walked and chattered busily; some of them laugh with their mobile phone stick to their ears, as the walked inside their own cubicle and bump into my daughter pram couple of time. And no sorry word came out. Prove me that most Singaporean never cares about mum who walk with pram and holding her child hand on the same time.
The person told me where the underpass is the 7th person I asked. He told me, the only way to cross the street is gone under through underpass tunnel. Good information, wrong execution. I went under for about 4 steps, tried to get balance of juggling pram off the steps. 40 down walked about 20metres, view of steps up make me mental. I need help. It’s came from my son.
Went up and up and up, one by one, another circus show, juggling stroller for balance, my son kept cursing the steps. I made no comment. He had the right to say that. Soon-to-be 6 years old little man put his best effort to made our journey for lunch smoother.
Oh, anyway, so many people walked toward or bypassed us, none of them offering for help. I know when I take my children for –let say- a walk, I have to prepare for everything, include a long painful process of pushing pram through uneven sidewalk or steps without helping from others. I did prepare. Still shocked me though. It never happened in Sydney before.

So, if I have to make a positive comment about my Singapore’s travel experience, it’s hard to put this puzzle together.
I might have to stay longer and go around more to get deeper feeling and experience. To figure out, is it really Singapore that people talked about, with their hospitality, their excellent service, or only me that got push & kicked by two middle-age men while queue for the lift?

Let see what happen when I have to visit for the 2nd time.