going, going...
This morning, I tried to squeeze facial wash onto my toothbrush.
Yesterday, I downloaded pictures from my camera onto the PC and did not switch off the camera. Camera battery finally died of exhaustion.
On Sunday, I left the computer running and went downstairs to see to one of the children. I never came back. Went out and left it on all day. KH found out only at night when we finally came home.
Two weeks ago I left a library book in the toilet of the Dhoby Ghaut MRT. By the time I remembered and went back for it, the book was gone. Asked the cleaner on duty, the MRT staff, all said they had not seen the book. Someone must have taken it. Now I owe NLB one copy of Lonely Planet Japan!! Called KH and practically cried over the phone, angry with myself.
What is happening to me?
My grandad had dementia and when he died, he was like a lost child. He had forgotten everyone around him. So I am conscious that this runs in the family.
I have been very forgetful lately. Something which is very vexing for me because I used to have such a sharp memory. KH jokes that it all went to the kids - I think so. So now I have bought a cheap $2.95 notebook/diary and will jot down all my thoughts and what I have to do. I am getting old... and sometimes feel I am losing track of my life.
The days pass in such a brisk blur. Take yesterday evening for a typical example - come home, before I can even change or take a shower, Trin hugs my knees and squeals: she wants me to pick her up and nurse her. So I do. Before she finishes, Owain is pestering me with a very annoying whine: I want nen-nen, I want nen-nen... I WANT NEN-NEN!!! So when Trin finally finishes and twists herself off my lap, Owain climbs on eagerly. We nurse. The children finish their dinner and KH has started. Then when Owain finishes, I finally get to eat. Midway, Gillian comes to me: mum, my teacher wants this to be done nicely - shows me a torn and tattered covered exercise book. I agree. Make mental note to re-wrap book after dinner. Check with Isaac on notes from school, do the homework checklist routine. Check Gillian's homework list. Wrap the book. Write note for Isaac's teacher. Stop Trin from playing with the sharpener and falling backwards off the table. Owain pesters me for nen-nen yet again. KH gets the drift of the wind and hastily scoops him off for a walk around the neighbourhood. Homework checks and corrections done. Mark English homework for Gillian. Cait says quietly amid the whirl: I need a family picture mum. Otherwise I cannot do the photo frame at school. All my friends have done it except me. With a pang I realise that this request was made sometime ago but I had forgotten. She gets a photo album. We choose an old picture taken when she was a baby - a trip to Cameron Highlands. I flip the album - Isaac looks like Owain. Cait is spitting image of Trin. Or is it the other way around. The kids have grown. The pictures are proof. Finally get a chance to shower and change. Shoo everyone into the room. Lie down and my eyes drift shut. Owain pesters me for nen-nen. I tandem nurse Trin and Owain. Cait comes over with a book: The Canary Prince. Please read it, she says. I am tired and sleepy but, ok. Wah... long story with many words. I cheat a bit - summarise and paraphrase. No one notices.
Today, pick Cait up from school, bring Owain to NSC for his hair check-up. Make mental note to give Lolita her salary, call the aircon man to doublecheck that he is coming and try to recall which day the kids are staying back in school - today I think its Gillian. Oh and the gas ran out.
Things move so fast. So many things happening. Small things. Daily things. I am getting old. And I didn't even notice it.
My Thomson washer finally died too. It served us so well - from our first home in Pasir Ris where it was just KH and I, to the early diaper washes of Gillian, then Isaac... it came with us when we moved to Jalan Riang and has seen its load gradually increase. I'm sad to see it die. We bought a new washer from Panasonic. It will come on Wed. It has all the bells and whistles. But I don't know how long it will last. Not likely for 12 years. Like the sales guy said: these things today are heng-suay. Heng if it lasts and does not give trouble. Sway if otherwise.
My washer got old without me realising it. I am getting old without noticing it. After this post, I guess I will go back to not realising it too. Back to the daily grind.
And now, wan ton mee calls from below. Gotta go.
3 comments:
Eh Pat, your whirlwind of a day sounds like a lot like mine :-))
Have to squeeze time among the pandemonium to do my work related stuff. Sometimes, I'm so zonked out after the kids sleep, that I either sleep with them or surf the net instead of tending to my backlog of work.
Nothing reminds you of how much older you're getting than flipping through an old album, eh ;-) ?
Rita
At times like this, I fleetingly wonder if the naysayers had it right after all - those who say that people with big families have no life and have no time for the kids, are shortchanging the kids in time and attention.
Sometimes life feels very stretched and we are stretched really really thin.
Overall though, I am glad we have the noise and the cacophony of sounds and demands. Life would be less colourful if we had only 1 or 2 kids. Although I have to say, my hair would be less grey too lah.
I get very stressed out by the noise of them just playing by themselves (in MY room!!!). aw..
Yup, I have that feeling too of being stretched too often. I have a schedule printed out, updated as and when needed so that everyone can refer if need be (including the kids!). And often I can't think when I'm looking at the forms & letters the kids leave at my desk. And 3 of them would need me at the same time (and it's something the Dad can't help with. GRR).
And we only have 3!!!
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