Kitchen Makeover: Day 38

3 March 2010, Wednesday
Day 38

Oooo...lala... for the first time in weeks, I'm feeling rather upbeat as my kitchen makover is finally nearing completion.

The plumber came in to complete the piping work. To think all this while, the extremely slow water flow was because of the clogged pipes!! When the plumber showed me the residue that was residing in the taps, I just couldn't believe my eyes!!. I couldn't even put my finger inside the tap as it was blocked as soon as the finger went it.

Now, I'm extremely happy with the strong water pressure that's pouring out of my kitchen taps. The Indonesian workers came in to complete the cementing of my concrete cabinet plus putting the final touches to my arch. And they removed all the shutters from my kittos' room to replace with sliding glass windows.

Hopefully the electrician would come in later part of the afternoon to complete the electrical work.

Now what's left is for the carpenter to come in on Friday to install the kitchen cabinet. And we can start cleaning all the MESS in our house.

And work on my garden and compound makeover can begin, hopefully by this Saturday. I'm waiting for Ah Wai (the contractor) to show us the samples of the Shanghai tiles and pebblewash and also the wall tiles for our garden.

This makeover would not be such a major headache as work would be confined outside of my house.

Triple dread..and quadruple dread.. that's how dreadful I feel today

2 March 2010, Tuesday

I'm still nursing a bad throat and sniffing from flu. It's amazing that my body has withstood all the dust from the kitchen makeover the last 30 over days. I had expected to fall sick sooner as I'm highly susceptible to dust.

And to make matters worse, some of the work in my kitchen/house that was supposed to be completed yesterday are still not done. Anger couldn't begin to describe my feeling. If the workers are rag dolls, I would slam them against the walls. I feel like screaming and throttling them.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 37

2 March 2010, Tuesday
Day 37

Today is yet another day when I realised that my house is still in a HUGE MESS. I was hoping that everything would be completed yesterday, saved for the piping work and installation of my kitchen cabinet.

Alas, it's not meant to be. The door arch looks half done, the inside of the concrete cabinet is not cemented yet, and the door grille still shows a big gap which needs to be fixed. Honestly, I'm getting really exasperated.

The plumber came in today to redo the piping system. And hopefully by Thursday, the carpenter would come in to install the cabinet. I can't wait for everything to be over. I'm really going bonkers. I'm teetering on insanity!!!

Kitchen Makeover: Day 36

1 March 2010, Monday
Day 36

Today I'm supposed to follow my husband to Malacca. Alas, because of the delay in the construction work in my kitchen, I have to shelve the idea as I need to be around to supervise the final outstanding work, i.e. painting of the ceiling, roof, washroom, and electrical fittings.

I fervently hope everything will go as planned. Tomorrow, the plumber is supposed to come in to redo our piping system. And if everything goes as planned, the carpenter would come in on Thursday to install our kitchen cabinets. And that would wrap up my kitchen makeover which has taken almost 40 days to complete.

And what's most important, I want to savour once again home-cooked food. And I'm sure my kids and hubby are looking forward to my cooking again.

Kitchen Makeover, Day 29

22 February 2010, Monday
Day 29

Today we depart to KL, after being in Singapore the last 4 days. And today is Day 29 since I started my kitchen make-over in late January. I'm hoping that everything can be wrapped up by the first week of March, as it has been too long and I'm going bonkers!

Kitchen Makeover: Day 34

27 February 2010, Saturday
Day 34

Today, the plaster ceiling are finally fixed. What's left to be done next Monday would be all the painting and eletrical work plus final touches here and there. Pending the installation of kitchen cabinets, I have to put on hold cleaning up my brand new kitchen.

And because of all the delay in the outstanding work (I was hoping everything would be completed by Saturday), I have no choice but to shelve my plan of accompanying my husband to Malacca (he's there for a 3-day strategic planning meeting). Dread and double dread!!!

Kitchen Makeover: Day 33

26 February 2010, Friday
Day 33

I was hoping that today most of the outstanding work would be done, but again was disappointed as Jali said that the plaster ceiling could only can be done on Saturday.

The plumber came to install the taps. And once he tested the washing machine tap, we were told the grim news that the water pressure was too low for it to function effectively.

This is due to the old taps from days gone by which may have rusted and blocked the water flow. Hence, we have no choice but to change to new piping system. And obviously, there's additional cost involved.

And, as today is a public holiday and since my busy-as-a-bee soulmate is around, we went to IKEA and Ikano Power Centre (Harvey Norman and Home Presentation) looking for kitchen accessories and fittings.

And I came home a happy woman as I got what I wanted for my kitchen - a beautiful black adjustable table which can extend on both ends should the need arise. And to complement our kitchen theme, we bought 2 black and 2 white chairs. The set is really pretty. I also indulged in 4 black vases and a transparent vase.

And later we drove to Jaya Jusco at Maluri as we wanted to look for an electronic crockery dryer. Earlier, we had scouted for it at Harvey Norman but was disappointed as the one they have in stock looks more like a hamster cage. So, when we saw the one at JJ, we bought it without much hesitation.

Drying dishes and cutleries has always been a thorny and wet issue, and with this set, the problem of a messy and wet area would be a thing of the past.

All in all, despite the earlier disappointment (with the slow progress of my kitchen makeover and the grim news about our piping system), I am deliriously happy as I got what my heart desired. And I'm certainly looking forward to decorating my kitchen next week.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 32

25 February 2010, Thursday
Day 32

Today, the workers laid the floor tiles, and thank God all the tiling work is finally completed. What's left to be done is plumbing which would be done tomorrow.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 31

24 February 2010, Wednesday
Day 31

As my kitchen floor was rather uneven, the workers spent today cementing it, and finalising the tiling on the concrete cabinet.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 30

23 February 2010, Tuesday
Day 30

Today marks the 30th day since my kitchen underwent a makeover. And I'm fervently hoping that by next week, everything would have been completed.

I miss tinkering in my kitchen. I miss a clean and neat house. And most of all, I miss my own cooking. I miss whipping up a frenzy in my kitchen.

Basically, I miss home-cooked food as we have been tapauing or dining outside the last 30 days. And believe me, all of us are getting sick and tired of consuming outside food. Some days, it gets downright unbearable, thinking of just what to eat.

Sayonara Singapore and back to my Kitchen Makeover, Day 29

22 February 2010, Monday
Day 29

After 4 glorious days with my gorgeous and awesome friends in Singapore and with a heavy heart, I left Singapore.

I had an amazing time there. ... And I was really touched by the attention and care showered by my dear friends during my stay there. Both my husband and I were amused when Munah's brother-in-law, Peter, arranged for a car to pick us up from Holiday Inn.

We left in style in a MERCEDES (I felt like I was in a make-believe world). And upon arrival at Changi airport, we were met by Sabariah who bought us a heavenly brunch at a North Indian restaurant and got me a handsome discount when I purchased some perfumeries.

Earlier, she had ordered layered cake all the way from Medan with just a phone call to one of her SilkAir colleagues in Medan and refused to accept payment for it. How could I ever thank all my friends, especially Sabariah and hubby Shafii, Munah and hubby Nor, Safaruan and wife Sabariah, Isa and the rest?  In fact I had never felt more loved.

And once I reached home, it was back to reality, back to a messy house, from the dining, to the living to the family hall and right up to my bedroom, everywhere is a mess pending completion of my kitchen makeover. And to my friends in Singapore, I'm gonna miss u and love you guys and gals!!!

Down memory lane in Singapore and Kitchen Makeover, Day 27

20 February 2010, Saturday
It's awesome to catch up with my old friends in Singapore

I'm been in Singapore since yesterday, Friday (19 Feb) taking a much-needed break after slogging at the computer the last 3 months working on my Digital Marketing book. Miracles of miracles, I managed to complete the book on the eve of my departure to Singapore.

I was kind of worried as I had to leave the supervision of my kitchen make-over to my kids, but then again, I badly needed this break and I was so looking forward to catching up with my old friends in Singapore.

Safaruan (my ex-school mate) picked me up from Holiday Inn City Centre at Orchard Road at 9:00 a.m. and he was joined by his hospitable wife, Sabariah, another ex-school mate, Sabariah (too) and her husband Shaffii.

We headed to Hajjah Maimunah, a popular joint at Geylang for breakfast. I savoured every morsel of my lontong, which was really, ohhhh so goood. We had a jolly good time catching up on old times and were later joined by Maimunah (not the owner of the shop, rather my ex-classmate) and Haida (another ex-schoolmate).

Before these two friends arrived, the discussion was quite subdued except for regales of stories from Sabariah and laughters from the rest.

But the minute those two arrived, they sent sparks flying and the whole group erupted into laughter. We were there till almost noon. As Munah and Haida weren't free to join us, Safaruan dropped Sabariah, Shaffii and I at Parkway Parade.

We adjourned for coffee at Starbucks. It was interesting to note how Shafii reacted to Sabariah, I guess most married couples would potray similar traits, me and hubby included.....

As we had a rather late breakfast, we decided to defer lunch to almost 2:30 p.m at Kartini Restoran at Parkway Parade. The food was really great, in particular the Tahu Telor... Oh my..... that was really yummy.

And later in the evening, despite being rather tired, and as I had already made prior arrangement, I met Zaleha Arip (a new friend I made through Facebook). We had a simple dinner at the nearby restaurant. We chitchatted for about an hour or two.

Zaleha, I'd always remember two things about you. 1/How you told me about being conned by taxi drivers in Malaysia despite looking very much like a Malaysian (although you were not happy when someone commented that you look just like a Malaysian as you were very proud of your Singaporean look????), and 2/Your comment "I smell Malaysia", which I thought was in rather poor taste.

All in all, despite my brush with a little Singapore snobbery, I had a wonderful and great time with my ex-school mates. And I'm looking forward to meeting them again and some others tomorrow for BBQ at Munah's house. And this time my husband would be joining me.

Later in the evening, I spoke to my son to find out the progress of my kitchen make-over. At long last, they have laid tiles on my table top. I reckoned that by the time we arrived back home on Monday afternoon, work on the floor tiles would have started. 

Kitchen Makeover: Day 26

19 February 2010, Friday
Day 26

Today, both my husband and I are bound for Singapore. It'll be the first time, we're flying SilkAir.

And we're leaving the workers to resume work on my kitchen make-over. I hope everything will turn out okay with both of us being away.

Occasionally checked with the kids and was told that the wall tiles had been completed. Phew!!! Thank God there's progress.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 25

18 February 2010, Thursday
Day 25

Today, the workers were supposed to resume work, but when I checked with Jali, the site contractor, he told me that they would only come in tomorrow. Alas, I lost another precious day to the completion of my kitchen make-over.

I'm like Pinatubo volcanoe, wating to explode....

Kitchen Makeover: Day 21 to Day 24

14 February 2010 
Day 21 to Day 24

Today till 17 February, the workers (both Indonesians and Chinese) take a break. And they are supposed to resume work on 18 February (Thursday). Hopefully they do.

To all my Chinese friends, Gong Hee Fatt Choy!!! I reckoned the Chinese are welcoming an extremely HOT tiger. For the last one and half weeks, the heat has been unbearable and sweltering. Turning the air-condition on doesn't reduce the heat very much. At this point of time, I wish I'm holidaying in a cooler country.

Kitchen Makeover: Day 20

13 February 2010
Day 20

Yesterday Jali told me that his workers would come in this morning to cover the upper portion of the kitchen door with bricks, now that they have fixed the door, and the workers who's supposed to fix the mistake in the grille size was supposed to come too.

In the end, only work on my door, and fixing of the gutters were completed. My windows are still not fixed yet as the workers failed to turn up. Angry couldn't begin to describe my current feeling.

In any case, last evening, I received a call from my ex-student saying that Omer, my ex ESOL students is in town and wished to meet up. As I have veen supervisng dilligently and patiently my kitchen makeover the last 3 weeks, without any break, I agreed to meet up as I deserved a much-needed break. It has been quite a stressful 3 weeks, to say the least.