Friday, April 21, 2006

A courtesy campaign was launched very recently -- and that made me wonder. Are we so discourteous that we need to have a campaign in our midst or are we just making sure that we continue on being courteous? All in all, in the limited capacity of my memory, I remembered that so far, we've had a 'smile campaign', 'be friendly to your neighbor' campaign and now this 'courtesy campaign'.

I am pondering on this issue of course, with relations to both Balqis and Adam. For the past one month, I have been reading to Adam two books - A Mother for Choco (written by Keiko Kasza, a Paper Star book) and also Don't Talk To Strangers (one of the 'My Very First Winnie the Pooh' series). Adam like most kids, lives in his innocent baby world where everything is rosy and fun - they always seem to think that everything centers or rather revolves around them. The two books are wake up calls for the future Prime Minister - he realizes that he could get lost if he does not listen to Mommy especially at public places and that not everyone is to be trusted. Of course, he took all this as the fun and rosy world he is in, with a dash of sugar and honey.

We live in a gated townhouse in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, where people are with careers, busy - we don't really know some of their names but we stop by to say the occasional hello-hi-how-are-you accompanied by small chats when we chanced upon each other. And of course, everybody knows and recognizes Balqis and Adam. They are popular simply because they greet everybody in their vicinity. But, they are perplexed by one very unfriendly family. Both the elderly husband & wife never ever acknowledged both Balqis' and Adam's hellos and good mornings. How do I explain this to both kids? I almost pity them. Until one day, quite a while back, Balqis, Adam & me were walking towards the car and the man was right ahead of us -- Balqis & Adam sing-song their wishes - good morning uncle… As always, like the rest of his family especially his wife, ignored the kids. They even have a permanent scowl edged on to their faces. Adam was upset. He kept on calling after that man ... 'Uncle, hello .. my name is Adam .. good morning .. ' At this point, my boiling rage reached the limit. I explained to Adam in a very clear, loud, crisp voice for all to hear dedicated to the one man right infront of us - 'Adam, stop it darling. Stop saying hello or good morning to some people who doesn't even deserve it. Some people are not very nice to begin with. We don't want to be friends with these kinds of people'. Ever since that day, both Balqis and Adam stopped ever trying to be friendly with that lot. They accepted that painful fact. But of course, being the happy-go-lucky children that they are, life just go on in their world of rainbows and blue skies.

And what do you know ... one morning, just recently when I was cleaning up the back room, I noticed the wife inching towards my small garden at the back of the house. She looked around, infront, tip-toed towards the garden. She did not see me because the windows were pretty high from the ground. She suddenly stooped over and plucked the curry leaves from one of my pots. Then she retrieved back, still looking around - eyes darting. I would have loved to put a note at the plant so that the next time she sneaked to steal my curry leaves she'll find this note - FREE of charge to all nice and friendly neighbors ONLY.

signing off..Hazelinesnow at 8:38 AM [ | ]

{Takes all sorts to make the world .. the world..}

Friday, April 14, 2006

I havent been updating this blog. Not because there are no activities at all in the household but too much has been going around.

Adam is finally settled down in school. I caught him not standing in the kids crowd at assembly the other day -- perhaps never on any other day -- he stood behind the teachers, mimicking the NEGARAKU, wriggling and looking around, dashing here and there! I was thinking when I saw him from far ... is that my kid? Sure was ...

He punched a year one kid in the van the other day causing the boy's gum to bleed a little. Everybody was stunned. Here was a little 3 year old boy -- still in diaper, I must add - with milk bottle in his school bag -- punching bigger boys ... I slow talked him into telling me why he did that. He told me ... oh last week, that boy jabbed his finger into my eye and it was so painfull.

Balqis, on the other hand, has been asking for MINES Wonderland. Adam does not know what that is but he agrees totally to the motion causing their daddy to scratch his head, while two pairs of hopefull eyes looked up to him.

It's interesting conversations now with the two kids. Adam's vocabulary is growing tremendously, causing his daddy' eyebrows to move up and down dramatically, astonished as he listened to his 3 year old kid speak. Balqis has decided that she doesnt want to get married. Boyfriends are nuisance. According to her, she'll just want to be with us (mommy and daddy). I told her there will be a time when I will remind her of what she said.

So, kids growing up means that we are now able to eat out, something that we couldnt do before with Adam not being able to stay put in one place, upsetting everybody especially his daddy.

It's the weekend now. Have to start thinking about outing. Busy day today but as it is, thank god it's friday!

signing off..Hazelinesnow at 9:17 AM [ | ]

{Takes all sorts to make the world .. the world..}