I hardly slept the night before worrying about the house that was left in darkness and without electricity, but at the same time excited about today as today I will be starting on a bag or two, depending on how fast I can work on each bag.
The night before, after much discussion with my hubby, we finally decided that my hubby will take the first flight out of Penang the next morning so that he can get to an electrician as early as possible. We did think about driving back, all 3 of us, but, we figured, if we drive back, by the time we reach Kuala Lumpur, it might be too late to get an electrician to come over, it being a Saturday.
By going by this 4th option, I still get to go for the retreat *smile*, but my son might not yet be able to have his holiday (my hubby had planned on taking him hiking) but he gets to play his PSP and toys all day (I am sure he likes that! LOL!) while I sit in class.
Aiman is used to sitting and waiting, playing his PSP and toys, in between reading a book and doing his workbook, as we have trained him since he was 4 years old to sit and wait for us as we go for a reflexology, go online at Starbucks, or whenever I take him to my sewing classes as we have no maid, or, we don’t feel comfortable leaving him with the maid at home when we did have a maid some 3 years ago.
My hubby took the 7.15am flight back to Subang Jaya, and within a few hours, he managed to get the problem fixed.
It seems that the storm had hit our circuit breaker. My hubby said that it is the most expensive circuit breaker, when you add the flight tickets to and fro Penang and the 4 taxi rides to and fro Penang airport and the Subang Airport ! LOL!
Thanks, Dia, for making the flight back to Subang to resolve the problem so that I can stay for the retreat and Aiman can have his holiday! Muaaahhh!
My hubby took the 5.30pm flight back to Penang. More on that later.
Anyway, back to the retreat, after breakfast with just my son, we made our way to the 1st floor of the hotel for the 2nd day of the retreat. I had to explain to Corine and Niza that I have no choice but to have Aiman with me in class today as the other choice would be that I would have had to go back to Kuala Lumpur today.
Corine and Niza were very understanding, and were in fact, concerned that Aiman might not be comfortable and might get restless. But, Aiman came prepared with his workbook, a story book, his toys and PSP. I have mentally prepared him the night before and again over breakfast that he is not to complain of being bored while I work on my bags as the only other option is that he will have to go back to Kuala Lumpur with his Abah.
Aiman took a corner of the room where I set up my sewing machine and, I must say that I am very proud of him as he was really well behaved and he did not complain at all, but just played quietly with his toys and PSP. I was able to fully concentrate on my bag making class.
I think it was a dream come true for him to be able to play his PSP almost all day as at any other time, he is only allowed to play his PSP on weekends and for only 1 -2 hours a day. So, it was a day where we both got our wish – Aiman, to be able to play his PSP all day, and I was able to work on my bag.
I worked on the Four Face Bag guided by Sheet Lin, Corine’s right hand teaching assistant, if I may call her that.
As I had bought 4 bag kits to make, and Corine wanted to make sure that I am able to complete as many of the kits as possible during the reteat, she got her maid to come in and help to do the ironing for everyone. Now isn't that nice!
Sheet Lin also helped me to get started on the second bag while I worked on my first bag as she cut out all the fabrics to size for the second bag which is the ABC bag.
Seen here is Sheet Lin (by the window), Niza (in orange), Liyana (Zarina's daughter) and Chin Fong.
By the time it was lunch time, I was only half-way through my Four Face bag.
I won’t be able to continue working on it in the afternoon as I wanted to attend the trapunto class which starts at 1.30pm. I will have to continue after the trapunto class if I am done early.
We took a break at about 1.00pm to have lunch at the hotel restaurant (lunch was not part of the package retreat), but service at the hotel was really slow. We had ordered Kampung Fried Rice and Fried Kuay Teow, but, after half an hour, only then were we served but only the Fried Rice. The chef had burnt our order of Fried Kuay Teow!
The waiter apologized and asked us if he could order us another Fried Rice to replace the Fried Kuay Teow. But, as I was already late for my class, I told him that I will share the fried rice with my son.
We ate our lunch in a rush before I had to pack up my things at the bag making class to go to the next class across the foyer, which is the trapunto class.
As the class was tight with many participants, Aiman had to squeeze himself between the other participants’ craft bags and sewing baskets, but he quickly made himself comfortable. It was like he was playing house! LOL!
He in fact found a friend in one of the participant’s daughter and they hit it off almost immediately despite the girl being only 5 years old. So comfortable were they of each other that they started to run around the packed classroom that I had to `chase’ both of them out of the classroom to play at the foyer. LOL!
I am glad that the retreat was held at Vistana Hotel where the foyer was not that big, and since Corine had taken up the whole foyer to set up her quilt exhibition and also her shop and Kelvin’s, that even though Aiman and Jasy, Aiman’s new found friend, were going in and out of the classroom and playing in the foyer, there were familiar people around to keep an eye on them. But, even then, I kept calling out to Aiman to make sure that he doesn’t wander too far away from me.
I almost did not want to take up the trapunto class that day when the day before in the Basic Machine Quilting Class, my quilting was like so hopeless and going no where.
Trapunto is supposed to be the next step, or the intermediate level of free motion quilting. So, how can I, someone who have yet to master the basics go into the intermediate, right? *grin*
But, I am glad that I finally decided to take the class anyway. I think I did much better in this class than I did the in the basic class yesterday. Don’t believe me, see my completed trapunto.
Not bad, huh? LOL! *wink* But, I still have a long way to go before I will get this perfected, but, it’s a good start.
BTW, while I was in the trapunto class who should drop by but Janet, all the way from Ipoh! She had come to pick up her daughter at USM and decided to drop by Vistana Hotel since she knew that I was going to be around and also she wanted to check out the craft retreat.
Janet, you should have stayed and taken a class or two. It would have been fun, I am sure. Maybe next time when we have one in Kuala Lumpur, OK? *wink*
Since I managed to complete the trapunto class at 4.00pm, I went back to the bag making class to try to complete my Four Face bag. I realized that there wasn’t much more that I needed to do to get the bag completed, and Sheet Lin showed me the rest that I needed to do which I could do at my own time.
I then took the opportunity to get Corine to tell me what I need to do to prepare for the ABC bag which I hope to do for the next day. Corine also briefed me on what I should do for the Friendship Girl, a sun bonnet sue appliqué piece, and also on what I should prepare for the Lacey Tote, another bag I hope to have time to do tomorrow.
Seen here, new on the second day, placed in the foyer, is this Sun Bonnet Sue piece which I have been wanting to do for the longest time. I had bought a starter kit, which Corine calls The Friendship Girl kit, to learn how to make one from Corine, but time was simply not on my side. I didn't even managed to get started on it despite taking back the kit to work on it in the hotel room. It's a huge piece but I hope to someday make a similar one.
I also bought another kit, a hexagon bag, but, I have a feeling I won’t have time for it, going by the speed I was making the Four Face bag today. I think I was being very ambitious when I bought the 4 kits! LOL! There is so much that I want to do……….
We got back into the hotel room at 5.30 pm when Aiman started getting restless when he knew that his Abah had boarded the 5.30 pm flight back to Penang.
As a reward for being such a well behave boy all day, I allowed him to do what he wanted to do, but only after he had done his workbook.
He said that he wanted to play bubble bath in the bath tub, since I don’t fancy going down and waiting for him by the pool since it looked like it was going to rain.
My hubby arrived at 7.00pm with a box of very rich donuts from The Big Apple Donut shop which he had bought at Subang Airport.
We dived into that while we waited to go out for dinner.
That night, we decided to take it easy and went to Pesta Pulau Pinang which had just started that day at 6.00pm. When we got there at about 8.00pm, the place was still not yet very crowded. In fact, it didn’t look anything like there was a `pesta’ going on.
Anyway, since everyone was hungry, the first place we headed to was to look for something to eat.
We sat at the first eating place that we found and ordered our food. My hubby ordered Nasi Ayam Golek, while I ordered the plain Nasi Ayam.
Aiman, as usual, ordered his favourite dish of Fried Kuay Teow.
After dinner, we made our way to the entertainment part of the `pesta’ which was the rides.
The first ride which my son and hubby took was this roller coaster ride.
My hubby said that he is starting to feel old taking all these rides but did it anyway for our son. *grin*
Next, all 3 of us took the Euro Wheel Ride.
I managed to take some pictures of Penang at night from the very top of the wheel.
After that, Aiman decided that he wanted to go on the bumper car ride.
I think he needed some practice on how to press on the gas pedal and on how to maneuver the car. Notice how he is being bumped by others? LOL! But, I think he had a good time.
VIDEO OF AIMAN PLAYING THE BUMPER CAR IS STILL BEING LOADED
After that, we just walked around the carnival grounds.
I took a photo of this wax monk who looked so real, I almost thought that he was going to move at any time! LOL!
We left the carnival grounds at around 10.00pm after buying some tit bits to bring home to my MIL and neighbour who has been kind to look after our house while we were away.
End of Day Two.
The night before, after much discussion with my hubby, we finally decided that my hubby will take the first flight out of Penang the next morning so that he can get to an electrician as early as possible. We did think about driving back, all 3 of us, but, we figured, if we drive back, by the time we reach Kuala Lumpur, it might be too late to get an electrician to come over, it being a Saturday.
By going by this 4th option, I still get to go for the retreat *smile*, but my son might not yet be able to have his holiday (my hubby had planned on taking him hiking) but he gets to play his PSP and toys all day (I am sure he likes that! LOL!) while I sit in class.
Aiman is used to sitting and waiting, playing his PSP and toys, in between reading a book and doing his workbook, as we have trained him since he was 4 years old to sit and wait for us as we go for a reflexology, go online at Starbucks, or whenever I take him to my sewing classes as we have no maid, or, we don’t feel comfortable leaving him with the maid at home when we did have a maid some 3 years ago.
My hubby took the 7.15am flight back to Subang Jaya, and within a few hours, he managed to get the problem fixed.
It seems that the storm had hit our circuit breaker. My hubby said that it is the most expensive circuit breaker, when you add the flight tickets to and fro Penang and the 4 taxi rides to and fro Penang airport and the Subang Airport ! LOL!
Thanks, Dia, for making the flight back to Subang to resolve the problem so that I can stay for the retreat and Aiman can have his holiday! Muaaahhh!
My hubby took the 5.30pm flight back to Penang. More on that later.
Anyway, back to the retreat, after breakfast with just my son, we made our way to the 1st floor of the hotel for the 2nd day of the retreat. I had to explain to Corine and Niza that I have no choice but to have Aiman with me in class today as the other choice would be that I would have had to go back to Kuala Lumpur today.
Corine and Niza were very understanding, and were in fact, concerned that Aiman might not be comfortable and might get restless. But, Aiman came prepared with his workbook, a story book, his toys and PSP. I have mentally prepared him the night before and again over breakfast that he is not to complain of being bored while I work on my bags as the only other option is that he will have to go back to Kuala Lumpur with his Abah.
Aiman took a corner of the room where I set up my sewing machine and, I must say that I am very proud of him as he was really well behaved and he did not complain at all, but just played quietly with his toys and PSP. I was able to fully concentrate on my bag making class.
I think it was a dream come true for him to be able to play his PSP almost all day as at any other time, he is only allowed to play his PSP on weekends and for only 1 -2 hours a day. So, it was a day where we both got our wish – Aiman, to be able to play his PSP all day, and I was able to work on my bag.
I worked on the Four Face Bag guided by Sheet Lin, Corine’s right hand teaching assistant, if I may call her that.
As I had bought 4 bag kits to make, and Corine wanted to make sure that I am able to complete as many of the kits as possible during the reteat, she got her maid to come in and help to do the ironing for everyone. Now isn't that nice!
Sheet Lin also helped me to get started on the second bag while I worked on my first bag as she cut out all the fabrics to size for the second bag which is the ABC bag.
Seen here is Sheet Lin (by the window), Niza (in orange), Liyana (Zarina's daughter) and Chin Fong.
By the time it was lunch time, I was only half-way through my Four Face bag.
I won’t be able to continue working on it in the afternoon as I wanted to attend the trapunto class which starts at 1.30pm. I will have to continue after the trapunto class if I am done early.
We took a break at about 1.00pm to have lunch at the hotel restaurant (lunch was not part of the package retreat), but service at the hotel was really slow. We had ordered Kampung Fried Rice and Fried Kuay Teow, but, after half an hour, only then were we served but only the Fried Rice. The chef had burnt our order of Fried Kuay Teow!
The waiter apologized and asked us if he could order us another Fried Rice to replace the Fried Kuay Teow. But, as I was already late for my class, I told him that I will share the fried rice with my son.
We ate our lunch in a rush before I had to pack up my things at the bag making class to go to the next class across the foyer, which is the trapunto class.
As the class was tight with many participants, Aiman had to squeeze himself between the other participants’ craft bags and sewing baskets, but he quickly made himself comfortable. It was like he was playing house! LOL!
He in fact found a friend in one of the participant’s daughter and they hit it off almost immediately despite the girl being only 5 years old. So comfortable were they of each other that they started to run around the packed classroom that I had to `chase’ both of them out of the classroom to play at the foyer. LOL!
I am glad that the retreat was held at Vistana Hotel where the foyer was not that big, and since Corine had taken up the whole foyer to set up her quilt exhibition and also her shop and Kelvin’s, that even though Aiman and Jasy, Aiman’s new found friend, were going in and out of the classroom and playing in the foyer, there were familiar people around to keep an eye on them. But, even then, I kept calling out to Aiman to make sure that he doesn’t wander too far away from me.
I almost did not want to take up the trapunto class that day when the day before in the Basic Machine Quilting Class, my quilting was like so hopeless and going no where.
Trapunto is supposed to be the next step, or the intermediate level of free motion quilting. So, how can I, someone who have yet to master the basics go into the intermediate, right? *grin*
But, I am glad that I finally decided to take the class anyway. I think I did much better in this class than I did the in the basic class yesterday. Don’t believe me, see my completed trapunto.
Not bad, huh? LOL! *wink* But, I still have a long way to go before I will get this perfected, but, it’s a good start.
BTW, while I was in the trapunto class who should drop by but Janet, all the way from Ipoh! She had come to pick up her daughter at USM and decided to drop by Vistana Hotel since she knew that I was going to be around and also she wanted to check out the craft retreat.
Janet, you should have stayed and taken a class or two. It would have been fun, I am sure. Maybe next time when we have one in Kuala Lumpur, OK? *wink*
Since I managed to complete the trapunto class at 4.00pm, I went back to the bag making class to try to complete my Four Face bag. I realized that there wasn’t much more that I needed to do to get the bag completed, and Sheet Lin showed me the rest that I needed to do which I could do at my own time.
I then took the opportunity to get Corine to tell me what I need to do to prepare for the ABC bag which I hope to do for the next day. Corine also briefed me on what I should do for the Friendship Girl, a sun bonnet sue appliqué piece, and also on what I should prepare for the Lacey Tote, another bag I hope to have time to do tomorrow.
Seen here, new on the second day, placed in the foyer, is this Sun Bonnet Sue piece which I have been wanting to do for the longest time. I had bought a starter kit, which Corine calls The Friendship Girl kit, to learn how to make one from Corine, but time was simply not on my side. I didn't even managed to get started on it despite taking back the kit to work on it in the hotel room. It's a huge piece but I hope to someday make a similar one.
I also bought another kit, a hexagon bag, but, I have a feeling I won’t have time for it, going by the speed I was making the Four Face bag today. I think I was being very ambitious when I bought the 4 kits! LOL! There is so much that I want to do……….
We got back into the hotel room at 5.30 pm when Aiman started getting restless when he knew that his Abah had boarded the 5.30 pm flight back to Penang.
As a reward for being such a well behave boy all day, I allowed him to do what he wanted to do, but only after he had done his workbook.
He said that he wanted to play bubble bath in the bath tub, since I don’t fancy going down and waiting for him by the pool since it looked like it was going to rain.
My hubby arrived at 7.00pm with a box of very rich donuts from The Big Apple Donut shop which he had bought at Subang Airport.
We dived into that while we waited to go out for dinner.
That night, we decided to take it easy and went to Pesta Pulau Pinang which had just started that day at 6.00pm. When we got there at about 8.00pm, the place was still not yet very crowded. In fact, it didn’t look anything like there was a `pesta’ going on.
Anyway, since everyone was hungry, the first place we headed to was to look for something to eat.
We sat at the first eating place that we found and ordered our food. My hubby ordered Nasi Ayam Golek, while I ordered the plain Nasi Ayam.
Aiman, as usual, ordered his favourite dish of Fried Kuay Teow.
After dinner, we made our way to the entertainment part of the `pesta’ which was the rides.
The first ride which my son and hubby took was this roller coaster ride.
My hubby said that he is starting to feel old taking all these rides but did it anyway for our son. *grin*
Next, all 3 of us took the Euro Wheel Ride.
I managed to take some pictures of Penang at night from the very top of the wheel.
After that, Aiman decided that he wanted to go on the bumper car ride.
I think he needed some practice on how to press on the gas pedal and on how to maneuver the car. Notice how he is being bumped by others? LOL! But, I think he had a good time.
VIDEO OF AIMAN PLAYING THE BUMPER CAR IS STILL BEING LOADED
After that, we just walked around the carnival grounds.
I took a photo of this wax monk who looked so real, I almost thought that he was going to move at any time! LOL!
We left the carnival grounds at around 10.00pm after buying some tit bits to bring home to my MIL and neighbour who has been kind to look after our house while we were away.
End of Day Two.
1 comment:
Gosh! You even took the family to Pesta Pulau. To tell you the truth, I've never been to the Pesta myself despite having been in Penang all my life. Maybe we should go one of these days!
You should have told me about your husband having to return to KL to sort out the electricity problem. My husband would have been more than happy to help send him to the airport. Anyway, hope everything is back to normal at the homefront.
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