Come December

Hi everyone

It is that time again. The last month of the year. It is in reality just another month.There is really nothing special in store for me but as usual I am drawn into sharing the buzz of December.

There is the year end festive sales and spending. The frenzy catch on to most people, no matter their economy status. The shopping mall that I went to was super crowded.

As for me my time for getting excited over sales is over. My appetite for shopping is no more there. No more buying on impulse. But I do need to carefully spend on things like sport shoes and I would  wait to take advantage of the lower price at the year end sales. So I too make up the crowd.

Shoes for walking

I also ordered and have paid for a new pair of specs.  A necessity because I can't see the traffic lights clearly with the present specs.  I thought I could get a good offer at this time of the year. Yes they have discount and vouchers but the price is still high and the vouchers need to be redeemed in the same shop. So we end up buying another pair. The bills make you sigh . .

In my younger days I would not bat an eyelid at the bills. Not that I was loaded but then when you are young you tend to follow your heart. You would buy whatever you fancy as long as there was money in the pocket, you don't even wait for December to come.

During the second week, the girls, my four grands were here. With them around you can't expect the house to be in the quiet as usual. There was a change in my daily routine as I had to attend to their needs. Instead of having a morning dip at the pool all by myself I had them tagged along to the beach. It was quite a job keeping my eyes on them when all four were in the water, to make sure they were close to the shore or within my reach.

In between the outings I also cooked and prepare their meals myself. The three older girls, in their early teens, have quite good appetites but different liking. The youngest was so manja and wanted to be spoon fed as if she was still a baby. It is a different kind of situation from my past experience when I had only two kids to layan.

There are many weddings come December. If you have a few invitations and intend to go then there must be  some spares in the pocket. Not only now is a material world but from before it is in our culture that we  don't attend invitations with empty hands. In the old kampung days people bring rice, sugar and the like to give to the host. Nowadays we usually put money in an envelope, simpler than wrapping a gift.

There was one wedding which took place in the same week when the girls and their parents were here. How could I go but to take the whole gang with me . . .though  the invitation says suami isteri dan keluarga dijemput I felt I was like taking  advantage. I apologize to the hostess, my good friend in fact, that I have brought along a rombongan hehe. But good manners should prevail. I gave her a bigger envelope.

The girls were here for only one week so I can say it was fun to see to their whims to indulge and to please them. I don't know how I would take it had they stayed on for longer.

I wish they stay longer. I miss them.

Never mind, we were to meet again soon in this same month of December.

On the third weekend there was another wedding kenduri by a relative which we all attended. Very early in the morning me and hubby started out south to be joined by the girls and parents coming from further north and we were to meet on the way at one of the RnR.

There the December crowd again! No parking space, all full. We had breakfast in the car. When the girls arrived and two jump ship for want of more space in our car we continued our journey without stopping again. No point stopping because of the crowd.

You know what, we arrived at the wedding hall earlier than the caterer ha hah. But ok, we helped to make the bunga manggar .

Lucky the DJ was already there so we approached him and made him sing karaoke our favorite song. I sang along with him to the girls surprise. Hey didn't they hear me singing before? That song twinkle twinkle and all the lullaby s. Or they may not have heard how high my voice can rise during play in the tennis court.

December see less people playing tennis here. My regular gang has gone to join their family to holiday and to celebrate. When they were back I and some others would be away. So we see empty courts most of December.

In this final weekend  here I am sitting alone in the house. My other half has just left to go look after the third and the fourth girls. Their parents are going to send the two older girls back to the hostel tomorrow as school will start on Tuesday.

Me here tunggu rumah. My girl is involved in organizing a tennis tournament in the nearby town. She has been commuting from home the past two days. There will be another day. So I am here at home to accompany her. I hope the tournament will be a success.

That my friend is December for me . How's yours.

Bye . . .