Sketches of Life|Life Lived in Simplicity

Last week, I bought a made in Taiwan tablet for RM235 only. It was a bit hit amongst my children. 5 of them taking turns to play it. On the 1st day, the screen got so many scratches. Thank God there’s a layer of protection on the screen; it can be replaced for about RM10.

On the 3rd day, while I was bathing, I heard my 2yo telling me that battery finished. I told her to get her sister to charge it but she did not budge from the bathroom door. The moment I opened the bathroom door, she dropped my tablet and the screen cracked. I tab on it to check whether it can still work, another crack line appeared then another.

I was furious. RM235 is a lot of money to me, it took me quite some time to finally decided to get a tablet for myself. I actually wanted to buy a bigger Android phone which will cost me around RM800 but after thinking that I only want it to surf the net (FB, Youtube, Candy Crush!) so I opt for a cheaper option, that is buying the tablet.

A friend told me that it is better to buy new ones coz the screen is very expensive. If I have to get a new tablet, that’s it for owning a tablet. Can’t afford to buy another tablet.

I gave a call to the shop that I bought the tablet from and she told me that the screen can be replaced and it will cost around RM80. What a relief! My eldest daughter beg me to use her CNY angpow money coz she felt it is her fault for not keeping close watch on her baby sister while she plays. I did remind her to keep an eye on her while she plays coz she often drop my phone.

Yesterday, I went to collect my tablet n it is brand new again. And I’m hiding it from my 2yo. Can’t afford to waste another RM80.

My 10yo n 8.5yo daughters goes for piano lesson. I am thinking of sending my 7yo for violin class but hubby disagree coz the sounds of the violin played by a beginner is not pleasing to the ear. Slowly lar right. Soon, the violin’s sounds can put you to sleep. What about trumpets? I found exciting trumpets for sale. Noisier than the violin I presume.

Two of my eldest girl are learning the piano. Which musical instrument should I let my 7yo son learn. So far, he has not shown any interest in any, unlike my 4yo son who loves the drum. My 7yo son has a very high pitch voice. I’m thinking, maybe I should let him try out the violin. Then he will realize how his high pitch voice hurts our ear drums at times. But then, violin lesson is expensive too. Ok lar, let start him with something smaller and less expensive. Let him learn playing best lanikai ukulele.

God has been very good to us. Again He is our Jehovah Jireh. As you all know that my girls are taking piano lesson and their teacher informed us that we need to get them a piano for them to practice at home. She can even help us to get one on installment. We can’t afford to pay the down payment for a used car, what more for a piano. We told our children, for the time being to be contented with just a battery operated keyboard and pray, in due time God will bless them with a real piano.

Just last month, my girls told us that they can no longer practice on their 54 keys keyboard. Not enough keys! I told hubby about it and knowing our financial situation, I agreed with hubby when he told his children to imagine the keys are there when they practice.

God saw and God bless! My eldest BIL recently moved to the city from living in an estate bungalow. He decided to give away his old acoustic piano because it is big and heavy. He offered it to us and we said “Yes!” immediately. We need only pay for the transportation cost. Isn’t God good! From spending RM5-7k, we need only come out less than RM500.

Next in our prayer list is an 8 seaters or more MPV. The mpk mini laptop keyboard, maybe later if my children decided to study music production. Anyone wanna give away their MPV?

By now, most families who can afford a flat screen TV have upgraded theirs to one. Not my family though. We hardly watch TV so we do not see the point of change our current one (which was bought by one of my BILs) to a flat screen. My parents have upgraded theirs. My youngest sister bought it for them and the rest of up chipped in some. With a flat screen TV, the panel stand must change too. So, my mom went to buy a flat panel stand with her own savings.

My 3 older children attended 2 VBS this year. This is their first year attending VBS and they enjoyed it so much that 5 days were not enough for them. Thank God through a friend’s friend, I managed to sign them up for another VBS 2 days after the first one ended. They enjoyed the 2nd one much more that the moment they came home they can’t wait to present to us the dance that they learned. They are anticipating for the next VBS this coming June.

I am glad that I managed to persuade hubby to let them join VBS. They are no longer shy to worship, praise and dance in a crowd. They learned their ABC – Admit, Believe and Confess. And they made new friends.

Even though it was a tiring week for me, chauffeuring them, working at hubby’s cc and chauffeuring a staff to the cc so that I don’t have to work there, it was worth the trouble seeing my kids changed for the better.

Finally today, I can steal sometime to read about roland spd-sx sampling pad at Musicians friend and play Farm Frenzy 2! hehe.

Once upon a time, I learned how to play the guitar. I went through the torture of getting all my left 5 fingers seasoned. I can play a few simple praise and worship songs. I even play in CG. Sadly, after the children come, I have no time to play the guitar. I don’t even know how to tune the guitar, let alone knowing what is mesa boogie 2×12 cabinet. It got something to do with guitar amplifier, I guess. However, I do plan to pick up guitar again. When will that be? Only God knows.

My first harmonica was a hohner marine band harmonica given to me by my dad’s asst. manager. Even though I do not know how to play it, I brought it every where I go. There was once I misplaced it, I cried the whole night until my mom found it in the laundry basket. It was so dear to me because it was a gift from someone. Those days, I hardly receive any gift from anybody. Once I get one, I treasure it a lot.

I have been waiting for Time Slip Dr Jin Episode 21 for a few hours already. I am sure Time Slip Dr Jin Episode 21 has been aired. How come today they upload Time Slip Dr Jin Episode 21 so slow one? All glued to the TV watching the Olympic games I guess. Faster lar upload Time Slip Dr Jin Episode 21 with Eng Sub coz I very kuncheong to know what happened next.

I noticed that most homeschoolers are gifted with artistic talent. Either they are good at music, singing, dancing, writing, photography, teaching or drawing/painting/design. Why is that so? It is because when homeschooling those children can have more time to discover their artistic gift/s? Does that mean that all of us are born with a Mozart or Picasso in us? I have yet to find out because we will be starting to homeschool our children soon. Must invest in a Vox Hand-Wired ac15hw1 15W 1×12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp Fawn so my children can play beautiful music and upload them on Youtube just like what one of the homeschoolers I know did.