Trippin' down memory lane.

Don't have much to say, I got stuck on something & a month later, I still can't shake it off. *sigh*

Now I know how Mak felt when Monster said those horrible things to her. Back then, I thought Mak was being overly dramatic but now I know.

Anyway, school term has entered its 3rd week & we've finally gotten into the groove. Things go smoother in the morning but you can still expect Shahrin to make me 'see red' some days. Just goes with the territory, I guess. 

Work-wise, I do have some projects lined up but they are still tentative ones. The clients have yet to confirm whether they are going to hire me or not, so, I've been pretty relaxed this month (if you rule out going from doing 1 load of laundry to 2 loads per day due to the additional uniforms worn by both brothers & getting Shahrin ready 2 times a day; regular school in the morning & religious school in the evening).

Talking about uniforms, I got a bit nostalgic a few times already while dealing with Shahrin's school uniform. Plus, I even got crazy memory flashes while putting the 'kapur kasut' (literally translated as whitewash for shoes?) on Shahrin's shoes. While washing Shahrin's white shirts, I'd think back to my mother who would often tackle the boatload of dirty laundries during the weekends. Back then, we had a semi-automatic washer but she would always have some clothes that she washes by hand. She had a few huge basins; plastic ones and a metal one that she still has today. I do remember helping her rinse a few loads in those basins, with the water pouring out of the pipe and me holding & rinsing one item at a time. Then, we'd wring out the water in the spin part of the washer. I remember going out during the afternoon (after finishing each load) and hanging them on the lines outside the house I was born in.

I also remember Mak ironing MY school uniforms & the ones that struck me the most are during the 5 years I had to stay at a boarding school. I remember reluctantly washing my uniform that has been washed & ironed by Mak when I have to return to school after the once per month weekends at home. I didn't want it to lose the smell & the crisp ironed look from home, buhuhu. Hahaha..this feeling lasted the whole time (5 years!) I had to stay at that boarding school especially after long school holidays. Ironing Shahrin's uniforms just brought back those bitter sweet memories.

As for his school shoes, I don't really remember when I started washing my shoes myself but I do still remember Mak teaching me how to put on the 'whitewash' (not sure if this is the correct word) shoe white on my shoes. Back then, the whitewash shoe white bottles had separate wands with the sponges but the one I recently bought was cleverly designed as one piece with the sponge on top. 

Found this pic here. See how old school these are? Hahah
Now I know they are called 'shoe whites'.

The one I bought is similar to this one, clever, no? :D

       

I kind of love getting Shahrin's school items ready for him, although I do realize that I have to teach him and let him take the responsibility soon. It's this thought that made me think back to my primary school days when I was 12years and below heheh. What I do remember is waking up and trying to take a bath with my eyes close (the water was super cold though which would instantly wake me up heheh), putting on my uniforms alongside my sisters, eating our breakfast which is almost always nasi lemak. I remember cycling in front of my brother before he had to attend boarding school (he's 3 years older than I am) and riding on my Baba's motorcycle with my sisters. I wondered how Mak managed to manage all of us even when she's busy with her own work (she's a retired teacher as my Baba). I only have to manage 2 boys but I struggled during the first 2 weeks. What's with the washing (whites with whites, colors in a different load, thus increasing my daily laundry load from just 1 to 2 per day), the ironing (2 sets of uniform each day plus Nazrin's uniform which I have to wash everyday since he only has 1 pair) and off course, the part where I have to remind Shahrin every other minute to;

                  take a bath, Shahrin!, 

                  hurry up, Shahrin!, 

                  wear your uniform, Shahrin! 

                  put on your shoes, Shahrin!

                  

                  HURRY UP, SHAHRIN!!!!!! 

Alhamdulillah, Nazrin practically readies himself in the mornings which gives me sooooo much joy. :D