Calm after the storm...

For the love of plants

I was inspired by the grand houses and immaculate gardens of Pondok Indah (where the rich people lives,I don't).Today, I finally visited Puncak (2 hrs. drive outside Jakarta) to check out garden plantations. I've been hearing plenty of good things about this place.It's where you can find the biggest safari in Indonesia called Taman Safari. There is the tea plantation and lots of plants shops that sells cheap garden plants. It's also home for the biggest botanical park, the Taman Bunga. I didn't know about the Bonzai garden until my driver recommended it. He may have gotten tired of me exploring every single area in the city of Jakarta just to find a cheaper Bonzai shop.

On our way to Puncak we passed by the tea plantation and this is how it looks like:

According to him it's always misty,foggy and the temperature is colder than in the city.The view is similar to some European mountains.
It's completely different from what you usually in the city of Jakarta. Miguel couldn't help but wonder where his mommy has brought him.
The road is quite steep and wet. Travel time from city to Puncak is about 2 and half hrs. without the traffic jam. But you will enjoy the ride because you'll be entertained by the view. And the sides  of the road are lined up with all sorts of plants shop.

The one that took my breathe away is...
the Bonzai garden. Which consists of thousands of this lovely tiny little trees. Upon entering the plantation, I develop a stiffed neck from looking to my left and right inside the car.My eyes popped out as soon as I got closer to them. I couldn't decide which direction to go. I must've asked a hundred times a bout the prices of each kinds.

There so much happiness I feel when I was walking around and admiring each one of them. I remember a dream I had long time ago, exactly like that. No, not the one where you're in the fields of flowers, arms extended and heading towards the man of your dreams,LOL! But the excitement is similar to that.

When I was about to leave Hong Kong, I placed an ad in the "Expat Trading Post', trying to find a person who likes plants. One that is particularly fond of Bonzai's. I've got several response and finally gave it (actually I sold it for half the price) to a guy who've just moved in. He said his family is coming to join him and as a gift to his wife, he is preparing a small garden in their patio. For me, the idea of him surprising his wife speaks for his/her love of plants. Which made me decide to choose him to adopt my beloved plant.

So there you go,don't ever think that only animals and kids  needed adoption, plants are living things too :)

One organ less...

 After 8 months in Jakarta, few kilos lost (I’m barely 57 kilos), strands of hair pulled by gravitational force (according to Justin’s scientific terms meaning falling hair), a decreasing waistline and one size down for my bra .......... I am also one organ less. 

Yes, it’s the age that's getting me these days. When science tried to explain about the stages of life (cycle), it did not explain further that as you grow old you lose parts of your body. Well maybe it did, I was just not listening closely when it happened J

One week ago, I went through a laparoscopy procedure to remove my appendix. I woke up one Saturday morning with a slight tummy pain. I went straight to my usual routine for the weekend – prepare breakfast, eat ‘em, take a little walk around the house to check my garden. After the 5 minutes stroll, the pain came back and this time it’s excruciating. It was so severe that I have to lay down in a cramped position to minimize the pain. After a few hours of roller coaster pain attack, hubby have had enough watching me suffer. He said it doesn’t look like common food indigestion.

He drives to Gobal Doctor, which took an hour and a half because of that damn traffic jam. In the car he brought a pillow and a blanket so that I can lay down at the back. I was in so much pain, sweating profusely but I felt chills with the car aircon. When we arrive at the clinic they immediately took me to the observation room, put an IV drip, took urine sample, blood test and gave me a double dose of antacid. We waited for a couple of hours until the blood and urine test result came out. It was positive that I have some kind of infection and that the pain concentration is at the lower right of my tummy which identifies the appendix. The doctor then arrange for me to get admitted at the hospital (said to be the best one in the country) for further test and treatment. Again, another 1 hour and 45 minutes wasted in traffic for what is supposed to be just 25 minutes drive.

In the hospital they declared acute appendecitis only after a few minutes I arrive. Hubby was so nervous about the history of medical services in this country so he tried to ask for emergency evacuation from our insurance company to fly to Singapore. I was in pain but somehow excited to hear about the plan of flying me out of this city. At least, I said to myself, I will have a chance to get a break from this God forsaken place. Unfortunately, after an hour of negotiation and confirmation from doctors on both side they decided to keep me here to avoid the risk of my appendix rupturing while I’m being transferred. My husband held my hand tightly and hugged me, praying that everything will be fine.

Two hours later, I woke up with two slaps in my face. It was the attending nurse at the operating room trying to get my consciousness back as soon as possible. ‘Twas back so soon that I felt the slapping on my cheeks. After that, I noticed that I was shivering so bad, practically jerking my limbs up and down with my teeth gritting. I was suffering from hypothermia,so bad that I began screaming “I’m cold!” as loud as I can. Which is not much because I ain’t got no energy after 20 hrs. of no food. The last one was breakfast and they cut me at 3 a.m. til 4 a.m.. I looked around while I’m in that state and all I see is everyone busy with their own stuff while I’m there exposed in the cold practically naked (just the hospital robe). After 5 minutes I felt a warm air inside my robe and then they covered me up with what looks like an extra large thick bath towel. At that time I was already in tears because of rage and helplessness. It was traumatic and when I came out of the room I saw my husband but I couldn’t speak anymore. He said I was crying for almost an hour until I fell asleep.

I woke up few hours later and after I narrated the story to him, he almost cried. Then,I demanded for the surgeon to see me but he went home after the surgery and will be back later that day. The whole afternoon, I refuse to relate to any medical staff that comes to my room. When I finally saw the doctor, I told him the experience with tears rolling down my face. I recounted to him the first 2 times that I have undergone C-section in Matilda Hospital in  Hong Kong.
I insisted that I have the same reaction to the surgery which is the sudden drop of body temperature BUT I was fully covered with woolen blanket from beginning to end. Damn, there was even some sort of warmer socks. That the result of that neglect have caused me more pain specially in my upper back because of cold air trapped inside. He wanted to give more painkiller but I declined. I said all I wanted is a hot water bottle to help ease the pain. But guess what, there is no such thing in the hospital, no, nada, it doesn’t exist. He said he can send someone to buy me one but stores are already close. Damn!

Anyway, I am now a lesser person (one organ less) hehahaha!
I’m back on my feet, 'though I can’t yet carry my 18 kilograms  son, but I’m back gardening. It’s business as usual, Justin is back bugging me about his aquarium and the computer room, Pixel with her vanity and the two little ones with their day to day schedule of activities.Todays activities - gymboree and pony ride around the compound.

 

 

 

 

 

Fools of April 1st ...

This morning I broke the news to my husband that his mother in law (my mother) is coming to visit us and stay with us for a while. I told him that we've been exchanging messages and all she needed is a date and she'll be with us in no time. Got him all worked up, he actually started planning on her accommodation. He even started imagining how much fun it would be seeing me and my mother arguing because of her meddling and me becoming an underdog. I warned him that it will be the other way around, that it will be him instead of me. That his and my teenagers happy days will come to a halt  as soon as she arrives. It gave him the chills..hahahaha! Walking him to the car I said "Cheer up! It's a gonna be a fun day." and before he starts the engine I quickly greeted him "Happy April Fools Day!" ...oohhhh the look on his face ...hahahaha!