A year on and standing 2

[ToSmile]

Happy New Year Everyone,

Hope you had a good time with those that meant and matters. I been organizing family gatherings for the kids and with friends which they enjoyed much. W had been around for some of the times and when she is around, as usual she played the hospitable host before leaving halfway through. I just let her be. As like my friend mentioned, she's just trying to be the nice person.

Yesterday was the first day kids got back to school and the arrangement. My helper would normally pick them up after school but yesterday, the teacher called me half an hour past release time and no one went for my kids. I called home and Helper mentioned that W told her she will be picking up the kids. And when I called W, she mentioned that she thought helper will be doing it.

In this instance, I tend to side with the helper. Because in terms of responsibility, concern and care giving for the kids, the helper surpasses her in every area. W has the tenancy to forget about such matters. W mentioned she will be picking up the kids so I just let her go and perform her role than picking them up.

This morning, she brought up the matter of the house. Asking me what is my decision? If I would like to sell the share of the house to her, or dispose it in the open market? I told her definitely I am going for the open market choice. Because in that instance, I can free up the cash to offset the renovation and furnishing of my new place. If I sell my share to her, I will be walking away with zero profit unless she is going to compensate me for my opportunity cost.

She then told me that well, some of the furnishing in current home can be split between us. Which I mentioned how are we going to split the HVAC, the fridge, the cupboards etc? Then she told me that sure we can dispose of the house in the market. I can go and find out the value and update her (Do the ground works for her???). I told her nah. There would not be need for any research. Just engage a property agent and they will be keen to do the selling for you. I suggest to her that she can ask her friend whom she has been consulting with to do it for us or I can ask my relative to do it. She was a bit taken back and mentioned my relative? Then I said yeah. I have relatives in the line. We can see who can get a better rate for the sale.

After that, she brought up the care giving arrangement of the kids again. She asks if my parents can take care of the kids during weekdays? I told her nope. You can't expect my parents to do that. They may be able to help out once in a while when they are free but not assuming the care taking role. Then she start to suggest that she has the family car and maybe during week days she will manage the kids and we extend the engagement of our domestic helper whom had been with us for several years already to look after the kids.

I told her I am fine with the arrangement, provided the helper wishes to extend because she mentioned she may like to return to her country for a break before deciding to carry on working or not. And if not, we just let her go and get another one. Alternatively, we can place the kids in day care. But the Elder one would be too old for Day Care so he got to learn to be on his own.

Then she asked me about my Job if I am still going to be sticking around with my current company for long as I previously did mention about making a switch and tendering. I just mention well I still intend to move but currently I am just staying put for a while more because of some projects and allowing the dust in my life to settle down about.

Then she started smiling and said that she knows the company would surely counter offer me and I would not leave. I corrected her saying nope, I did not receive or accept any counter offer but in return, my load was reduced thus why I am able to be back earlier these days to be with the kids. But I will still move on. I told her don't get it wrong that I am being comfortable in my existing company. I am still here because it offers me the flexibility to take urgent time off to handle family matters and the kids. Through this years, I am the primary person who is taking all the leaves in terms of emergencies or when the kids are not feeling unwell she was not able to. She mentioned she understand.

I left for work after that. I'll just leave the ground work to her and provide my cooperation for the proceedings. But I think it's still gonna take a while. I think from time to time, she will try to get a reaction from me by bringing up the topic when she sees me getting by. But the impact and sting for me is getting lesser and lesser over time and I can feel the numbness of it. Just look ahead and move forth, making best of what I can in the future for the kids and myself.