♥ Silver Sister 银姐2010

Today (28 March 2008) the main contractor handed over the project and my father paid the final instalment.

I brought all the bathroom accessories to be fixed: toilet roll holders, soap dishes, towel hooks and hangers. The main contractor had affixed the wall clock and a bathroom mirror yesterday.

After that, my father bought the following items:

shoe rack @ $25-00 (from Toyogo)
pail for mopping @ $5-90 (from Toyogo)

We took feeder bus service 238 to Toa Payoh Central and then walked to my father's new place. Phew!

The next task would be to transport some plastic cabinets ... guess we have to call a cab the next time because the cabinets will be heavier.

We still need to buy a padlock, several hanger hooks, a pillow, a bolster and probably a bolster protector.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

3:02 AM

By today (26 March 2008), we have got the following accessories for my father's new house:

mirror @ $4-80 from Japan Home (paid by father)
2 pcs toilet roll holder @ $4-30 from Japan Home (Toa Payoh Central)
toothbrush holder @ $3-90 from Toa Payoh Central
2 pcs soap dishes @ $2-00 from Daiso (Plaza Singapura)
5 pkts assorted hooks @ $2-00 from Daiso
mattress protector @ $18-00 from John Little
set of 4 forks, tablespoons, knives and teaspoons @ $14-95 from Spotlight
2 pcs bedsheet @ $10-00 from Aussino

We still need to buy:

pillow
pillow protector
bolster
row of hooks
shoe rack

Through it all, I learnt that:

bathroom accessories can cost from $11 for a stainless steel toilet roll holder (wholesale price), $16 (retail price), or even hundreds or thousands of dollars
mattress protector can cost from $18 (sale price) to $39-90 (normal price)
mirror can cost from $4-80 (Toa Payoh Central shop), to $15-00 (NTUC), to hundreds of dollars, etc.

If you want to save money, you have to invest in time and effort in shopping so as to compare costs. There is no short cut. But it is worth it and deeply gratifying.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

5:20 AM

By today (21 March 2008, Friday), the kitchen cabinet has been completed. So has the shower room. It is transparent! My father has bought a $8 wall clock and asked the main contractor to fix it in the living room.

This morning we (i.e. my father, brother, daughter and me) met with two other sub-contractors.

One, a contractor came to measure and quote for the roller blinds. We decided to have roller blinds for the living room, master bedroom and my brother's bedroom. We chose beige for the pink bedrooms (yes, the men had their bedrooms painted pink!) and grey for the living room. The cost - a hefty $980 after a discount of $7! My father paid $100 deposit. The blinds will be fixed in 10 days' time i.e. 31 March 2008.

Two, another contractor came to measure and quote for racks in the storeroom. We decided to have two racks. One costs $110 and the other, $90. So that is a total of $200. It will be delivered next Tuesday.

By next Friday, the main contractor will hand over the project. We will have to pay the balance of the bill. So far, we have paid $4,000 and $3,000 per fortnight.

There are two pieces of new furniture to be delivered: a single bed and a wardrobe. These are supposed to be delivered in early April. My father has to pay the balance of $700. We discussed how these furniture are to be placed.

We planned to get the washing machine delivered on 18 April 2008 (Friday). This is because my father has decided to shift on 20 April 2008 (Sunday). He reached this decision after consulting some Buddhist neighbours who advised him to shift either on 1st or 15th of Lunar month. My father chose 15th because it is a Sunday.

After my brother and father has moved in and unpacked, they may return the carton boxes to get back their $20 deposit. The cost of hiring professional movers will be $280.

So the outstanding fixtures are:
- door bell to be fixed onto wall
- shower room door handle
- cooker to be placed in kitchen cabinet
- bathroom cabinet to be fixed

The outstanding task for my father and brother is to pack their belongings.

The outstanding knicknacks to buy are:
- toilet roll holders
- soap dishes
- hooks (for hanging bath towels)
- toothbrush/toothpaste holder
- pails
- shoerack
- plastic cabinets/drawers

I also need to ask the town council to dispose of another three of my father's bulky items, possibly on 17 April 2008 at the earliest, or after 20 April 2008. I would have to give them three days' notice i.e. call them on 14 April 2008. The three items may be: my brother's bedroom cabinet with mirror, my brother's bedroom wardrobe and the kitchen marble table. We may have to pay to ask them to remove the additional items, such as, my brother's bed and the washing machine.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

12:50 AM

Yesterday, I called the town council for help in disposing my father's old furniture:
- one two-seater sofa
- one dining table (given by neighbour)
- one 50-year-old dressing table

This service is provided free-of-charge! Isn't it wonderful!

We have to email our precise request e.g. what items to dispose, give our name, address, telephone numbers and email address. No field is to be left blank. How high tech!

We have to give three days' notice. So the removal will be on next Monday.

The next removal will be next month. By that time, we may have to pay for the extra items as we have more than three items to dispose.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

6:51 PM

By 7 March 2008 (Friday), the following works were done:
- flooring for living room and 3 bedrooms
- flooring for raised area for kitchen (for washing machine and fridge)
- cornices for living room
- painting (started in masters bedroom)

We were shown a draft of the kitchen cabinet layout. We chose just a glass panel to cover the dish-drying rack. My father chose the colour for the kitchen cabinet - a very light brown; I, the table top colour - a peach marble-like design.

Next Monday, it was planned that the lighting will be fixed.

We have already ordered a new washing machine. My father has ordered a new television set. We also bought some red plastic bags for packing.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

7:08 PM

This week is Secret Friend week.

Last Friday, when I was off, my secret friend gave me a lovely stationery set. My colleagues were envious of me.

That spurred me to do some shopping for another secret friend of mine.

This Friday, my secret friend gave me a CD with 16 tracks of lovely music e.g. soundtrack from the movie "Chicago", "Flashdance", "Tootsie", etc. I also got a receptacle to be used for aromatherapy. My neighbouring colleagues insist that I 'share' the music. I am listening to it as I type this.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

11:39 PM

This week is so much better than last week.

For once, I have enough sleep. I remember waking up at 2.45am one night, did not sleep after that, was at the office from 8am till 6pm. I was really pooped!

Also, last week I had to settle the housekeeping issues.

This week, I tackled another department's issues. (Yes, I belong to 2 departments!)

I am off work today. But duties call ... I have to see to the renovation works of my father's new flat.

silver sister 银姐2010 ~ ! <3

6:03 PM