Monday, November 29, 2010

No Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving:
turkey
family
dinner
words of appreciation
a toast to each other



The day (November 25th, 2010) came and went like any other day for me. Then I read about it in several blogs and wondered why we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Malaysia. So I looked up how it originated and then only it all started to come back... somethin' somethin' about pilgrims going somewhere somewhere and having it really rough for a long time. Then, harvesting their first crop and celebrating by being thankful. Oh. Now I remember. No wonder we don't celebrate it in Malaysia. heh heh.

Such a shame, though. We should all have a Thanksgiving Day. Ok, now I'm gonna have all those uppity people tellin' me how we should be thankful everyday and blah blah...

My point is that just as Valentine's Day is specially observed to remember loved ones, and birthdays to remember that special person, I think a Thanksgiving Day would be just great.

Well, I decided I'd have my own, personal thanksgiving. And the person I needed to be most thankful for was.....can you guess? oooooooo...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. wait...
.
.
.
.
.
. hold your heart...
.
.
.
.
.
.
my husband, Paul (told you to hold your heart).

Y
ou didn't have to say, "WHAT?!" that loud.



Yeah. Most of you will remember the many times I've complained about him. Nuff said.

I was determined to find reasons to be thankful for him. And lo and behold, I actually came up with these!! (and everybody say, WOO HOOOOOO!!!! ok, you didn't have to say it that loud either)

> my husband has been faithful to me for 26 years. There are husbands out there who are
unfaithful to their wives (oh, you already knew that?)
> he puts up with my pernicketiness (cos I like that word. and cos I have to throw in a
five-syllable word every now and then so that I sound more intelligent)
> he works hard. Some husbands have no qualms about their wives working two jobs while they
'hang around' waiting for the ideal job
> he nearly never falls ill (but when he does....never mind)

have you seen a happier patient?


> he is often cheerful (check out his brilliant smile)


> he has chosen to commute to work on a Hardly Davidson all our married life, rather than
choosing the comfort of a car. His reason? It beats the jam. Geez. I donno how he does that.
Especially on rainy days.
> he gets along well with just about anybody, inlaws, outlaws, coleslaws, SantaClaus - you get
the picture
> he values friendships, even with strange people (heh heh. love you, Tony-in-Kuching!)



> he is rather noisy. Quiet people make me nervous - like, still waters run deep, y'know?
> he cries at sad movies. And I break out in a guffaw when he does (cos I'm evil like that). Go on, invite him to watch "Hachiko" with you...
> he has actually sung in his sleep (ok....once. but considering that most days he snores, I'll take
once, man)
> he'll put on whatever I tell ask him to. And by that, I mean outfits to wear (whatEVER
were you thinking?)
> my husband thinks I'm creative, witty, multi-talented and intelligent
> he does not drink, does not smoke, does not do drugs

> he does the driving most of the time, even though I can
> he takes out the garbage every almost every day
> he loves to wash the dishes and clear the sink
> he makes sure we have bottled water to drink all the time

> he gives me a massage when I tell ask him to. Grumpily. Cheerfully.


> my husband still loves me even though I can be downright prickly and give him a hard time.




So, yah. I'm thankful for my husband.



And he's giving me the thumbs up.

Nuff? Ok, I'm done. Now you can mob him for autographs.


yah, that's the guy! go paparazzi!




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44 comments:

  1. Awwwww... aunty Val, that really was so touching! i have to agree with you that Uncle Paul is simply amazing! he was one of the first people to talk to me in church and made me feel really welcome! (are you sure he doesn't mind you telling everyone that he cries at sad movies? and you LAUGH at him???????)

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  2. Aaaawwwwwwwwwww... :)
    (I hope Uncle reads this! It will definitely make his year!)

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  3. Hey Uncle Paul .. so sexy in yr hospital gown ... :)
    I think both of you make a great couple ...having withstood so many years of trials and tribulations ...
    May you share many more wonderful years together
    Another beautiful piece Val.

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  4. that is such a delightful piece .. he (any husband would) be very proud of you. Oh and u forgot .. he also looks like a movie star (eddie murphy ?? ) in a grey suit .. ;))) see pix.
    " ... my husband still loves me even though I can be downright prickly and give him a hard time." .. worth a RM1 billion right there.
    andrew lim

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  5. YAY!! It is nice to know that I am in good company! I have sung in my sleep before as well :D Believe it or not it was WHAM's "Wake me up before you go-go"!! (don't ask...) :D

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  6. tony, that's hilarious! what I want to know is, how did you know you were singing in your sleep?

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  7. andrew, YAH! i did a celebrity lookalike thing a long time back, and they did say he looked like eddie murphy! was saving it for another post but you let the cat out of the bag. and i think he thinks he sings like lionel ritchie.

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  8. huda, did you hold your heart, did you hold your heart?

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  9. hersheys, i donno whether he read this yet but there was a strange 'air' around him the whole day today. like i could see a circle of grins going around him all day (talk about IMAGINATION!)

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  10. wyeyi, yes, i do laugh (I explained why in the brackets whaattt...hahaha!). Why would he mind that i tell people he cries at sad movies? That simply says he's not plastic, right?

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  11. from facebook, Nov30th

    JoAnne Chu so romantic

    Getsy Lydia That was so sweet. :)


    thanks, Joanne and Getsy!

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  12. from facebook:

    Sarah Joy Seb
    Aunty Valerene Matthews LOVE the new blog about Uncle Paul! You both are such legends!!! Love getting to do life with your family :) xx

    sarah, we have a lot of struggles too, sweetheart...legend is kinda too big a word. aiyoh. i scared wan.

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  13. I almost turned blue holding my breath Val .. am sure Paul will be red in the face when he reads it ... oops ... and that wide cheshire cat grin ...

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  14. Doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, takes out the trash and sings in his sleep... i am envious of you..lol
    He's a keeper Val and a rare breed in these times. Congrats my friend.

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  15. oli, i forgot. doesn't gamble. except that one time he married me. hahahahahah!

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  16. for real we should have that you know...im glad i adopted you to be my mum! yea yea yea!
    Oh mamamiyaaaa...im so touched ma adopted mum is so thankful of ma adopted dad...hahaha!
    NOW THIS IS WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT :) :)

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  17. bizokmats, as long as you remember YOU adopted ME. hahahahaha!! Happy Malaysian Thanksgiving.

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  18. Aw, sniffles :)

    Woo hoo Uncle Paul! Thank you for redeeming the menfolk! Usually women tell tales of woe about their men, guess we need to put this one out on a blimp :)

    I told Nya about the little chats we have on Facebook and had to agree with her that you're quite hilarious (don't want to use "crazy" cos it could come across wrong, lol)and she replied "Uncle Paul's worse" :)He's quite right about you being witty and creative, cos the write up humour, the pics and how they connected seamlessly is just beautiful, love the way you write, wanna be like you when I grow up lol.

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  19. hahaha, Gbenge, why are you "anonymous" when you mention Nya all over the place? It's not like I know anyone else in Nigeria, you know..
    thanks. Grow up soon cos I'm still waiting to wear my bridesmaid gown.

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  20. from facebook:

    Chin Yoon Poh December 1 at 9:00am

    Read your blog..woohoo..put me to shame...we take things for granted...and a good reminder that we should be thankful for everything that crossed our path....Give thanks to God for another year to come...and now everyday is a bonus from the Lord....thank you for being my faithful friend..esp those years we have been together when we are much younger leh....keep up the good work..now I must learn to appreciate...ya....

    thanks, Yoon Poh. I didn't know you actually read my blog. hee.

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  21. from facebook:

    Cheryl Kho December 1 at 9:43am
    Read your blog val... thanks for being a faithful friend to me all these years... love ya...


    Love ya, too Cheryl! Keep in touch and Happy Malaysian Thanksgiving! :)

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  22. Had to choose a profile to post a comment and "anonymous" seemed the easiest since i'm not recognized as a follower. The Nya thing was deliberate cos then you'd know it's me. hee hee

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  23. Thumbs Up, Val! Lucky hubby (AND lucky YOU!)... I loved the photos too ...especially the sexy one... in pjs...lol! It takes two to TANGO ... and BINGO! ...You're too cute a couple! Can't imagine what you'd be like when you're in your 90s... Wish there were MORE like you!

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  24. If there was a love button on this, I'd love it.

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  25. tammy,

    can put hearts or spell love love love? hee.

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  26. pattieboo,

    ok, will tell hubby you liked his sexy look. and will think about writing a blog post imagining us at 90...help.

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  27. gbenga - love you Nigerians..confusing, but fascinating! :D

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  28. i thought I did drop a comment. hehe. but i think i dint click "post comment"

    I "like" "like" "like" this post :)

    masterpiece aunty val :)

    very beautiful.

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  29. I also didnt know where Thanks Giving Originated and i dont think we do celebrate it in Botswana and i dont know the date which is celebrated, how embarrassing
    anyways u lucky to have Unkle Pual with u, he is Indeed a very good man people will kill to have him
    hahaha his signature smiles always Kills me, he does it in most of his pictures

    anywys great post <3

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  30. roxsta pam, hee hee. i like like like you! can can...no need love button all.

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  31. you softie! Pretend to to all not the romantic type, but you've crumbled!
    What a lovely write-up.
    You go, Paul! (wherever you want to!)
    Aiyah, can't post comment, so going as 'anonymous' - it's Pam Hendroff BTW! :-)
    def. over 50!

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  32. pam hendroff..yes, i have crumpled oops crumbled, haven't i? rescue me?

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  33. Mr Orsen! of course when you post pictures you pick the nicest ones, right? and yes, imma tellin' you it's that 'killer' smile.

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  34. walau so many comments!

    anyway i love this an. val. honouring your hubby! did he get to read this? =)

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  35. Hello Aunty Val!

    Seeee..i'm finally commenting on your blog! HAHA! This is such a lovely heartfelt post! I was actually kinda tearing when i reached the end of the post! NO JOKE! It's so loving of you to be thankful for uncle paul..cos i know he's very thankful for you! LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH! *big hug*

    p/s: I shall try to comment as often as i can ok..OH YA! I want yummy cheese baked rice for this comment! MUAHAHAHAHA :D

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  36. He's perfect. Does he have a twin?

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  37. shirley yap, he does have an older brother who is still single...call me :)

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  38. yvonne

    you've been reading my blog??

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  39. sarah lim, i donno whether he read it but i notice there's a strange circle of grins spinning clockwise round his head the past few days..

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  40. A great post, how lucky is Paul! We always take our loved ones for granted so this is a reminder for us all. Btw Val, this is the second comment,I posted my 1st comments the day you published but its disappeared :(

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  41. I miss that guy! So wish I could come eat durian with him!

    Miss you guys and the laughs we shared.

    When you see him ask him what is in his hand!

    Hope you are well. Keep writing.

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  42. daniel ross - "that guy" JUST had durian chendol last night....miss you, too.

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  43. This story encapsulates a big bubble of LOVE..very sweet of u aunty Val..and indeed, uncle Paul is an awesome man/husband/father too im sure..god bless :)

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