Back to "Kemahiran Hidup" (Living Skills)

Even though my work life is getting a bit sucky now, I managed to get in a bit of fun during the weekends. Although, one day I had to help EV out. However, with EV, there's never a dull moment.

Friday night...
Me: So, what time you want me to come over?
EV: Huh?? What? What? When I wake up-la!
Me: Which is what time......
EV: When I buka my eyes-la! Eh, why are you coming over?
Me: Aiyooo... You forgot ar? You want me to help you with your side-table/drawer thing?
EV: Oh yea hor... Which one am I getting-ar?
Me: I donno!! You decide-la!

Saturday morning...
EV: Hello... Did you just wake up?
Me: Ohhhh Maiii GAWWDDD!!! It's 9:00am already???!!!
EV: Yes... You said you'll come early. People are hungry liao-le.
Me: Sorry.. Sorry!! I'll come now, okie?
EV: BTW, what are we eating?
Me:... Errr.. Food?? Decide later-la!

As some of you may know, there was a peaceful march from Dataran Merdeka to the Agong's palace for Operasi Bersih. I was caught in a bad jam when I got on the Sprint highway. Hmmm...

Anyway, I had a task to do which was to help EV select a proper side table from IKEA. From the very moment I parked my car @ IKEA, I was prepared to face the large crowd in the shopping centre. Oh yea.. Besides that, I had to deal with EV's indecisiveness.

EV: Which one should I get ar?
Me: ** HUFFING AND PUFFING ** OOIII!! Faster decide!! This box is not that light-woei!!!
EV: Put it down-la! Who asked you to carry?
Me: OII! YOU TRY TO CARRY 10KG ABOVE YOUR HEAD!!!!!!

After the long decision making process, she finally settled on one model and I had the joy and privilege to help build it.

On the way back to our car, I saw this at one of the new shops @ Ikano.

If you look carefully, its a Barbie doll stuck in a colourful jelly or jello (as known in the US). I've seen some decorative cakes before, but not one where the cost of the cake included the cost of the Barbie as well. Guess how much the cake was??
....

....

....
Give up?

It was RM69. Yep.. It is THAT expensive.

However, I got to tip my hat off to the "baker" for having the creativity to sell jelly "cakes".

After a whole day of walking, I was "treated" to a lovely evening of wood working. This certainly brings back memories of this subject back in school - Kemahiran Hidup or Living Skills. Basically, it was a general subject teaching you cooking, electrical, wood-working and sewing. I can't recall which module we had in school but I remembered it was really general.

So, taking the stuff out of the IKEA box, I proceeded to arrange the pieces as per the instructions in the manual. EV was busy with dinner (I managed to squeeze dinner out of her) but she eventually came over to have a look.

EV: Eh... You need my help or not?
Me: Yes, I need you to hold this piece... while I carry the.... what are you doing?
EV: I'm putting in the wooden peg-la. Why it cannot fit?
Me: Eh... Don't simply play play with it. Follow instruction.
EV: Cannot be-ma... Got this hole here, sure can plug this thing in mah.
Me: Oii!!! Don't play play! I don't want to disassemble everything when I find out I have one less screw or something.
EV: You sure or not? :-P
Me: I'm sure... DON'T DOUBT IKEA!! They're very precise one. If the thing needs 5 screws, 5 screws is all you get.
EV: Cehhh... You sure or not???
Me: I'm very sure... Want to bet?

As you can see, I had already got the main body of the sidetable done. All that was left was the drawers. We took some line to line up the drawers as EV didn't have too much of a 3D/depth visualization. That explains why she took Accounting while I took Computer Science back in Uni. (^ ^)

Here's the side picture of the completed sidetable - minus the drawers. Thank goodness this is a small sidetable. I can't imagine having to put up an entire chest of drawers or those large clothes cupboard.... (@___@)

We had reached this stage when finally EV said something under her breath...

EV: sh*t... Why like that one?
Me: o___O
EV: Alamak... Why this one cannot fit?
Me: What did I just tell you?... NEVER DOUBT IKEA!!! WHAT DID YOU DO??
EV: I didn't see this page! I thought we can skip it!
Me: I said... NEVER DOUBT IKEA. How now???
EV: Take it out-lo...

Lucky it was just the drawer. *phew*

At the end of it all.. This was the result...

I can't recall what time I started building this cupboard. But it was fun. It really brought back memories especially the part where I had to tack in the plywood back.

EV had a hand in it too. She's quite proud that she was able to do something.

The one thing I learned was that EV's dad's toolbox was one of the most complete toolbox ever. Different types of nails, screws and even rubber wall protectors were found in the box. I couldn't find a level but was amazed that the sidetable/drawer out quite stable. The only complaint I have about this model was the quality of the wood. It isn't as heavy as the other one which EV's dad bought some time back but it is good enough. This sidetable/drawer has a tendency to move whenever we slide open/close the drawer because it is very light. Which is why, IKEA had one additional step of anchoring this sidetable to a wall. Hmmmm.

Well.. It isn't too bad but you need patience and an ability to follow instructions carefully...