around this time, it never fails to occur that my mom starts pressuring my dad to do some sort of home improvement. 4 years back it was the tiling in the main hallway and main floor washroom; last year it was to re-set the interlocking between the driveway to our front porch; the rest of the years it was something or another; while this year it's hardwood flooring in the living room and family/t.v. room of my crib. in most or all cases, me and/or my brother help out - which we don't really mind as long as we're asked for our assistance at least 24 hrs in advance.

i don't wanna side with either of my parents on this matter because really, it's both of their fault. my dad keeps on putting these duties off until the end of the year while my mom tends to nag request my dad's home improvement services to the extreme until he gets sick of hearing it and loses his 'mood' to - only to never do it. finally, it comes down to the last month of the year when we have our sets of family parties and when my mom feels that all work should be completed before the new year -- a sort of superstition of some kind.

that's rough. home improvements and renovations are my dad's life - but there's a major difference between meeting a deadline to get paid and meeting a deadline because you really have no choice to.

in closing, a toast to my dad for all his efforts all these years and to my mom a toast to her persistence and tough skin.

ah, the good ol' holiday spirit.

now..back to studying; and later, moving furniture and eventually - laying down some hardwood flooring.

love, peace and chicken grease