Monthly Household Expenses

Today marks the end of my fourth month 'working' for the Wife and the Son.

Though I don't contribute to our coffer, I do keep track of it.

Let's categorize the expenses into 3 groups.

Group 1 : Unavoidable expenses

Rent : RM600 (No housing loan, yet) Telephony charges (Yeah, Maxis rocks) : RM117 Electricity and Water Bills: RM160 (My fault for watching Astro programmes since 7 a.m. till 1 a.m.)

Total damage : RM877

Group 2 : Trying-to-spend-the-least expenses

Car loan (Only one Myvi, I haven't own any car yet) : RM 700, Petrol (Wife's working place is 2-3 kilometres away. I stay in my working place) RM200, Average Car insurance and maintenance fees per month : RM 100

Damage : RM 1000

Group 3 : Stomach-filling expenses

Groceries (including vinegar, rock sugar and salted fish) RM 450, Eating out (for three of us) RM500, Son's milk and diapers RM250

Total : RM1200

Groups 4 : Miscellaneous

New clothes, toys, Purposely-damaged-by-Son spectacles, Shoes for Son's ever growing feet, the list go on : RM 500

Savings? What savings? Most commonly paid expenses by everyone are housing loan and car loans. And of course insurance(s). Buying a liveable house easily costs one RM350 000 these days. If I buy a house using government loan which is reserved for civil servants (the yearly interest is kept at four per cent), the interest alone sets me off by RM 1100 per month. Private sector employees who can't enjoy the benefit have to pay at least 6 per cent. New houses are unsold (in my hometown, at least) A simple check in mudah.com.my concludes that there are many unsold properties. With the current world economy, I hope I don't have to fork out that much in probably 7 years?

Insurance is not needed in Malaysia. Life insurance and medical insurance easily cost hundreds of ringgits per month. My neighbours buy insurance, my friends buy insurance, my former classmates buy insurance, my relatives buy insurance. Have I heard any of them ever claim insurance money? Simply no. Period. Medical fees in government hospitals are so dirt cheap. (Psstt.. Private hospitals employ the same doctors working in the government hospitals. So, why bother to pay more).

Cars are liabilities. Ask my Son. He has an advice.

Satok Market

With a friend

If you have been to Kuching and you are not aware of this market, then it's too bad. It's not as big as Sibu's Market (presumably the biggest in Malaysia) but it's well stocked with daily raw vegetables, fish and fruit.


The entrace with a weird-looking structure


Fresh local vegetables


Local delicacies - belacan (shrimp paste)


Do munch on this local snack!




Pineapple


Lime



Remember the bunch of grapes that my son was munching away happily? They are far more expensive than any local fruit around! So, better buy Made-in-Malaysia punya buah lah.

Happy Father's Day!

Dear Daddy,

I don't enjoy sleeping with you because I have to yell my lungs out every nights. You sleep like a log and I'm starving. I want my milk please! We have slept together for at least 12 months and you never learn the lesson.

I always want to have those toys. What they call... pens, colourful pills, keys. You always persuade me to play with Barney and Giraffe.

I accidentally peed in my pants and you always scream "Shee shee in the toilet. Not on the floor!" And my buttocks always fell pain kena rotan.

But you'll never fail to make my milk with the right temperature. The Ribena drink whenever I want it.

You make me laugh, chasing me around the table.

You carry me around the house, in your arms, when I ask you so. "Poh poh"

You bathe me and of course clean me when I pooed.

You feed me my favourite greens.

And all those wonderful things we do together!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

PS

Please don't get angry.



I spill the milk on the floor.



I like the sound of your letter's being torn.



I hope you enjoy my drawings on the wall in the sleeping room.



Err.. I peed on the dining table.

PPS



Happy GrandFather's Day, Kung Kung!



Happy GrandFather's Day, Gong Gong!



Happy Father's Day to all loving fathers in the world!

From Your Son (Who Else!)

Damai Puri Resort Kuching

It was Friday afternoon. We were driving towards our first holiday location for the year. Damai Puri Resort Kuching. The weather was cloudy and we could not wait to enjoy our great weekend.


A mountain view as we drove over a bridge. My son's ducky float could be seen on the car side window.

The car journey took us around 25 minutes. The whole place was very clean, quiet (we hardly saw any guest around the resort) and secluded. After checking in, we looked at the vast South China Sea in front of us.



We felt awkward as we walked towards our room. The hotel seemed empty on a weekday afternoon.


No one to be seen


An infinity pool



Our room was facing an infinity pool. Too bad we didn't go in because the depth of the pool was not suitable for our boy.



The room was beautiful. The quoted price on the hotel's pamphlet was around RM600 but if one was to reserve online, the price would be RM336.40 including breakfast for two.



No, I didn't shave my leg

It's a relaxing afternoon. We did swim in the kiddie pool and make sandcastle.



DAD, A SAND CASTLE?!

The Forgotten Garden

The kangkung which I had abandoned for the past few weeks

Kangkung is indeed a type of weed! It grows fast and almost needs no care.



It took me many minutes to clear the whole lot. There are only three of us. It's just too much to eat and the leaves are humongously big! I should have harvested the whole plant when it's still young (5 weeks after planted).

Taking care of my increasingly active boy, leaves me with almost no time to do gardening these days. My father-in-law who dropped by for a short holiday helped to clear the backyard lawn.


Before


After



He helped to make two vegetable beds as well.

I'm planting kangkung again. This time I'll remember to pull out the whole plant at 5 weeks old.

21 grapes, 4 ounces of milk and Ribena

My son’s enthusiastic shouts started my day. It was 7.04 a.m.

8.01 a.m. After morning bath, he was sucking milk while lying down on the couch. That’s 4 ounces of goodness into his stomach

8.10 a.m. He had gulped down, literally, 4 grapes

8.25 a.m. Another 4 grapes

8.45 a.m. As part of his potty training, he had to use his potty seat

It's a cheap Made-in-China potty seat

8.52 a.m. Persistent uh-huh won him another 4 grapes

9.05 a.m. Another 4 grapes

9.09 a.m. Shee-shee time

9.10 a.m. He asked for a pencil by pointing repeatedly at one. I gave him a piece of paper as well.

His Masterpiece

9.26 a.m. I tried hard to get him to say 'donkey'. "Don.. Don" he said. No luck to get him to say it whole today.



His current vocabulary?

Dog, Bear, Bird, Duck, Meow, Ball, Mummy, Dada, Ah Ma, Apple, Nen nen (Milk), Po po (Pick me up), Papaya



9.34 a.m. Another 3 grapes

9.40 a.m. "Ah Bea Yee Dao" he screamed. A lot of babbling that even the toddlers next door understood none of them. We played Peek-a-boo. His laughs were infectious.

9.46 a.m. We watched BabyTV on AStro's Channel 618. He ate another 2 grapes.

9.50 a.m. Ride on his tricycle.



9.54 a.m. He tried to stack up his toy blocks.


Maybe Lego is not his cup of tea

9.56 a.m. The song on the TV channe caught his attention. He was dancing along.

9.58 a.m. He asked to be carried around in my arms.

10.00 a.m. "Baby! Baby!" He enjoyed seeing another baby's face on TV.

10.05 a.m. Finished 4 ounces of Ribena drink.

10.08 a.m. Tried to get him to pee into the potty but he refused.

10.09 a.m. The boy was given 2 strokes of rattan for peeing in his pants.



10.19 a.m. My son took his morning nap.

A memorable evening in Kuching

We went to Kuching Waterfront with a few friends recently. Our guests were suggesting us to take a small boat across the river. And there I was, enjoying the great sunset view. It was around 6pm.


Our boatman was propelling his sampan.


Dad, I'm riding a naga.

If you were walking along the esplanade till this spot with a mystical creature, you'll have to fork out RM5 per couple for the boat ride.


Views from the other side of the river.

The atmosphere was serene and quite romantic.

A nice dinner would complement a beautiful evening in Kuching. I suggest Side Walk, a Western restaurant near Green Heights Mall.


The entree


The chef recommended main course


A delicious meal

Main course with meat (beef or mutton), mostly, costs around RM40 (plus taxes) which is reasonably priced. The ambience is relaxing with nice background music.