Kembangan Kids

Excellent

2012-02-11T19:53:00.006+08:00

You will realise that I seldom criticize the education system. I know that nothing is perfect and that our education system has more virtues than flaws.

But I couldn't control the sinister chortle when I saw Ray's spelling book.

The teacher had written "Excellent" in his exercise book when she thought that he got a perfect score for spelling. But she must have then realized that he spelt "camouflage" incorrectly and that the actual score was 19 out of 20. And then she cancelled the remark, "Excellent".

Why?

Do we not to want to encourage? Isn't 19 out of 20 a pretty decent score. That translates into 95% which in my books ain't too bad.

Perhaps the teacher subscribes to the belief that for a simple assessment like spelling nothing short of perfection is acceptable.

Perhaps, too, I agree.

Given, however, that the remark "Excellent" was already penned, why not leave it rather than now leave a dent in the child's ego and morale?

Or then again, this could be death by over analysis since the child is nonchalant about it and doesn't really participate in this saga.

Or maybe I am just looking for an interesting story to blog. Alas, the truth surfaces.

Balls in the Air!

2012-02-09T07:46:00.005+08:00

You know how it is in the office when people say that they have to juggle too many balls in the air, and then fear that they drop one (or more!). Of course, that's management-speak for what we locals know as bao-ka-liao (everything also do).

It was therefore amusing when I got home from work and found a ball quite out of place.

Did you spot it? Ray's toy ball, not quite like the real thing at all. Rather soft and less harmful on furniture! The ball that father and son kick around the flat and use the balcony door frame as their goal post!

I don't know how it ended up (literally) perched on the curtain rail.

And until now, no one has given me an answer. I will just have to assume it was kicked way high.

So next time the boss says that we're juggling too many balls in the air, I'll have a totally different pictorial cue in my mind!

Wheel of Fortune

2012-02-06T19:20:00.002+08:00

Just when I thought that my kids were all grown up. Pre-teens.

And then I got home and saw this:

A whole wheel of soft toys hung up after a wash.

It made me smile.

Kids will still be kids.

Expiry Dates

2012-02-05T09:24:00.006+08:00

Here's a picture of Ray at the optician's. He was having his glasses fixed. They were slightly askew after a basketball game at recess, in school. I was prepared to fork out a hefty sum for a new pair as the current one seemed beyond repair.

Fortunately, the optician was more competent than I gave him credit for, and we saved quite a few bucks. All new and good.

Since we were there, we took the opportunity to get Tess a pair of reading glasses. Yes, my helper, who has been with us for more than a decade, is as old as we are, and as long-sighted as we are!

I emphasized to the optician that she needed a pair of glasses merely for reading, and not for looking at bus numbers. Tess does have quite perfect vision when it comes to looking afar. It's only newspapers, fine print, and labels on food items that she has problems figuring out. And of course, sewing can only be done during the day when lighting is good.

We go to Pavilion Optics at Parkway. The optician knows us by name and customer service is beyond excellent.

After all was said and done and Tess chose a purple frame, we left the shop.

That's when Ray turned to us and said, "OK, now, we will all not get stomach ache any more."

I didn't know where that came from and asked for an explanation.

He elaborated, "Because now Auntie Tess can see the expiry date and we won't eat expired food any more."

Sometimes I really don't know what to do with this guy!

Cedele

2012-02-05T09:21:00.002+08:00

Cedele opens at Parkway. Not just the bakery, but a full sit-in restaurant. With cooked meals. Yummy. I particularly like the sea bass served on grilled aubergines, with rocket salad on the side, dressed with tangy vinaigrette.

Ray was hesitant, especially as the restaurant takes over from what used to be Sakuraya Fish Market.

As we approach the restaurant, he remarks, "Er, I hope it doesn't still smell fishy."

I am quite puzzled and clueless.

"Huh?"

"Oh, because they used to sell fish there, right?" he asks innocently before breaking into a wide grin.

This son is really a corny one.

And nope, he didn't have the fish. Just safe pasta with mushrooms. That he declared was a lot better than Pasta Mania.

Medical Leave

2012-02-04T15:28:00.007+08:00

I have quite a clean bill of health, only insofar as taking medical leave from work is concerned.

In the eight years at my current organisation, I've been on medical leave for a grand total of TWO days.

When I came home with the medical certificate, EmC took a look at it and then she remarked, "It must be tough being a lawyer. You can't afford to fall sick."

I wondered what she meant by that, and how she came to that conclusion. So I queried.

"Because lawyers cannot use medical certificates and therefore cannot be sick," came her response.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because their medical certificates will say that they cannot use it in court. So they will have to work and appear in court nonetheless," she opined.

Haha. She is so literal!

When I explained that the medical certificate is not valid for absence from a court hearing, i.e. if one were so summoned, she relaxed and finally saw the light.

So now she's back on track to pursuing a career in law. This will be such a nice story to tell, one day, when she makes it to Partner.

In the meantime, though, perhaps I should not shy away so much from declaring an off day for myself each time there's a headache or a slight sore throat! Just so she gets used to the idea of medical certificates ;)

Same, same.

2012-02-02T10:50:00.003+08:00

Looked out of the balcony this morning.

And saw a neat row of cars. All in a boring shade of grey, white, silver.

2012-01-28T15:10:00.005+08:00

My daughter is slated for big things, and most possibly, with the ruling party.

Her frame of mind and analytical ability, her paradigms, her sense of justice, are all synchronous with the establishment.

She demonstrated this in the days leading up to Chinese New Year.

We were preparing the annual gifts to elders, comprising cookies and obligatory mandarins.

We figure that we should sample the mandarins before deciding on the actual type to get. We head for the premium range. $18.80 for 28-30 fruit. We shy away from the most modestly priced $5.50 for 20 oranges because we conclude, rightly or otherwise, that the oranges must be poor in quality given the price tag.

We are not disappointed. The Yong Chun Lukan oranges are good and worth their hefty price. They are succulent, sweet, and juicy.

One morning, E starts to pack the oranges into gift bags for our relatives.

"No! These are for us," EmC yells.

"But we can always buy some more," I reason.

"Why do you need to give them such good oranges. Just buy the cheapest ones for them," came EmC's argument.

"You certainly qualify to be Prime Minister of Singapore," came my immediate knee-jerk response.

"You pay yourself the big bucks and pay your citizens pittance," I add, in a vitriolic tone.

There is a momentary silence and then we all burst out laughing. All in the spirit of good fun.

To set a good example to our daughter, we stick to our guns and pack the best mandarins for our elders. I won't definitively say, though, that we subscribed to our own declared philosophies, but we had to be seen to be practicing what we preach!

Transition

2012-01-25T07:51:00.008+08:00

It has been just three weeks but the changes are noteworthy and apparent.

A photo of EmC on her first day in secondary school. She was expectant, excited.

The first three days was orientation led primarily by peer student leaders, i.e. upper secondary girls.

Each day she came home miserable and sad. There were tears for each of the three days. She reflected on it and figured that she had very high expectations and these were barely met. It didn't help that her primary 6 class was very united, cohesive, fun, and inclusive. She missed the camaraderie badly.

I tried my best to make her feel confident of herself, that she has the capacity to make good friends and develop fresh relationships. I suppose it didn't help that the only other two ex-IJ girls in her class were lucky enough to be selected by the form mistress to be seated together and for her to be the odd one out and partnered with a girl from another primary school in the west.

She was downright miserable and believed strongly that she had made an incorrect decision. We were meant to be the rational and calm parents but our hearts wrenched in pain as well. We asked her to let us know where she might want to seek a transfer to but we couldn't unanimously select an alternative.

Orientation ended with campfire night and parents were invited.

I looked at the girls in her class and was slightly consoled to see them looking as morose and glum as our daughter. The class put up a compulsory dance item to the tune of Katy Perry's Firework. Aside from the three lead dancers, the rest of the class swayed awkwardly in the background. Not surprisingly, they got the "most sporting" award.

Fast forward three weeks and I think she is now in a better place. Not yet perfection, but certainly a marked improvement from week one. She has a few friends and travel-home companions (folks on the east train line).

Work is challenging but she is enjoying the new subjects. There are regular weekly tests but these keep her on her toes.

She is even liking the new uniform which in itself is, to me, an achievement. I agree with her that the PE attire is the smartest.

She is already more independent, and I am heartened that she takes things into her own hands. She made her own decision with regard to her CCA, and bravely attempted the auditions. She even laughed when her entire group failed the auditions for Guides.

She has stepped forward to help the school with an upcoming conference and boldly sold carnival tickets to relatives over the Chinese New Year holidays. These might be normal for other children but for our shy and reserved daughter, these are major milestones!

We are proud of her for being brave and confronting her fears. She even walks tall and doesn't slouch now. It is quite a metamorphosis.

Just one gripe, if you will. The school does indeed keep up to its promise of making every girl dance. EmC is now seen dancing around the house and prancing more than walking when going from one room to another in the apartment. Well, we will have to allow at least one flaw.

This episode teaches me a lesson. That we do need to speak to our children before they are confronted with a life-changing experience. Secondary school was such a breeze for me and I didn't realise that it would be different and difficult for EmC. I now know better and will certainly have a few words with Ray before he starts secondary school. And please, no dancing around for him!

Bling

2012-01-24T11:29:00.003+08:00

Just out of the blue, Grandma decides to pass me a pair of ear-rings.

She isn't sure if they are for real, how much they cost, or where she got them.

She is curious, too, to find out if they are of value.

We get home from Grandma's, and of course, our first (and perhaps only) source of information is the internet.

We learn that there are several methods of determining if a rock is diamond.

The first, and most reliable, is the jeweler. Not available on the first day of the Chinese New Year, of course.

The next two are a bit dubious, but good home tests.

You cannot read through a diamond, i.e. it is opaque. We try this, but the stones are set in a manner that won't allow you to look through the stone, so we do not have conclusive evidence either way.

You fog up a diamond and it clears in less than two seconds. We try this, but the results are ambiguous. In the first instance it takes about 4 seconds. We wipe the diamond, blow at it again, and the fog clears up almost instantaneously. We shriek in delight. Repeated tests produce different results. We are as confused as we were in the first instance ;)

I am not sure if we will eventually bring it to the professionals. It is likely, but only because Grandma is also curious to find out if she passed me a valuable heirloom or the first versions of costume jewellery in her time!

Enter the water dragon

2012-01-24T11:07:00.006+08:00

We took it literally. This being the start of the water dragon year. I brought EmC into the swimming pool.

Her very first time entering the water.

We are lazy parents. Never brought her swimming nor for lessons. Plus E can't swim so the incentive is further diminished.

We borrowed a friend's pool and also her son's float.

I won't say that EmC took to the water like a duck, but she was indeed brave. Of course, the preamble of safety, relaxation, and enjoyment did help.

Additionally, the pool was just 4 feet deep throughout so she had about 40 cm to spare. I made sure that she stood in the pool and walked through to gain confidence.

Soon enough, she was on the float and kicking away. At one stage, while I was in the middle of my laps, she slipped off the float and became submerged. Her hands flailed and she panicked. I thought to let her find her way up but she only came up momentarily and only to find herself submerged shortly after. After three attempts I caved in and pulled her to her feet.

She was quite shaken and started to cough out water. Drama queen, I tell you.

A quick hug and some words of assurance and consolation, and she was back on the float and kicking again.

We spent an hour in the pool and she pleaded for more time. I am glad she likes it. And that she is better off than me. I learnt to swim only when I was 16! Perhaps it was then also the year of the water dragon?

Aren't we done yet?

2012-01-22T17:07:00.004+08:00

I thought we were done with the art and craft business for EmC, given how she's already done with primary school.

I vividly recall the beginning-of-year frenzy as we helped with non-academic homework.

Her art folios.

And then when we are at Parkway, she tells me that she needs to decorate her Language Arts folio. Not art pe se, language arts, i.e. literature.

An A4-ring file that she has to decorate, and wrap.

We stroll into Scrapilious with a blank mind, confused by the wide array of prints and ribbons, papers, and stickers. Ribbons and tapes. All very nice individually, but we didn't have a clue how it would all fit together.

Personally, I think that scrap-booking belies a very confused mind. I prefer clean lines and design. Less complication, more sophistication.

We settle for stripes and text-type font stickers.

I help her slice the paper using a penknife, destroying two plastic rulers in the process by my unsteady hand.

She adheres the stickers, and adds on flowers that she has from her collection.

We both gasp and gawk at the file. Proud of our work. Something put together without the help of her artistic father. That, now, is an achievement.

She tells me that she's meant to use the file for two years. Hurray! What a worthwhile investment.

Transparency

2012-01-22T13:36:00.006+08:00

We seem to get much less frequently as compared to our counterparts in the Marine Parade ward of our GRC.

A fresh coat of paint.

I seem to recall that the last time was possibly more than five years ago when painting was carried out and they retained the status quo - ivory, cream, and brown. Which suits us well actually. Nothing fancy, and also nothing outrageous or hideous.

The town council has advised through a letter in our mailbox and a newly installed noticeboard. The letter in the mailbox also serves as a voting form. We get to choose between two schemes of colours for the blocks in our estate.

Each household is allowed one vote.

EmC, the politician aspirant shows attributes worthy of a seasoned politician. She remarks, "Eh, we can make copies of the voting slip and cast as many votes as we like."

I wonder what happened to ethics and fair play!

The plot thickens. She tells Tess to rally her friends in the neighbourhood. To ask them to pick up the letter from their employers' mailbox and complete the forms on their behalf. One helper, one vote!

She and I walk to Blk 109 where there are samples and the polling box.

We are stunned.

The polling box is closed, but unlocked! Sacrilegious.

We cannot resist the temptation. An unlocked, unguarded box of votes.

What would you do?

We opened the box and scanned though the votes.

7 for Scheme B (our preference), 3 for Scheme A.

We are tempted to throw away the A votes.

But we are also good citizens. We cast our vote and leave.

Deadline for voting is 28th January.

I will write to the Town Council to advise them on limiting transparency and locking the box. If action isn't taken, we might pay the polling station a visit later in the week.

If only to rig the votes. ;)

Flowers - Part 2

2012-01-21T16:14:00.005+08:00

Since we have a 4-day weekend, I figured it would be pointless to leave the office furniture to appreciate the flowers.

And so I brought the two stalks home and put them into a flute vase.

It sits pretty atop our table by the doorway.

It brings a smile to my face. Simple pleasures.

Confirmed!

2012-01-21T15:37:00.003+08:00

Today, I decide to remove my p-plate. Belatedly. 2.5 years after I was due to remove it.

Perhaps a sheer reflection of my power of procrastination. Or fear. Or low self-esteem.

What is the real reason?

Simple.

We got a new car decal and it was getting crowded on the left hand side of the windscreen.

A $3 personalized car decal. From EmC's school.

Quite an ugly, awkward, and unfashionable decal. Imagine gold, green, and pink sitting alongside each other. Not quite a common combination.

But it is apparently mandatory for cars hoping to get into the school's compound. So we'll go along with it and hope that they pick a more aesthetically pleasing color scheme next year.

Flowers

2012-01-20T13:29:00.006+08:00

Presented to me by my new team members.

Such a nice, thoughtful gesture, especially as I've only been here for less than 15 days.

I must be doing some things right.

Or I must be the one with very bare shelves at the office!

PSLE 2011

2012-01-15T16:23:00.007+08:00

Yes, it is over and we should move on. EmC's form mistress was right. She said that nobody will remember your t-score in a few years but your character will always prevail.

That might just be her excuse for being a sub-par teacher but we will let it pass. We are grateful for all that we receive.

With bated breath we awaited the school's posting of the analysis of PSLE 2011 results. It finally appears on the website late last week.

EmC and I sit side by side in our study room. She has the 2011 results presented by the school in percentage frequency. I have the 2010 breakdown in number of candidates.

We are not detracted by the different presentations.

We grab the iPhone and punch in the numbers. Naturally Excel would be a better option given that we were, after all, on the Mac, but we were also driven by adrenalin and couldn't wait for the answers.

Soon we are both on the same page and can compare like with like, apples with apples. We work on percentages for both years' data.

She swells with pride as she discovers that her class was indeed exceptional, boosting A* percentages for the school, even doubling the rate for some subjects, as compared to the predecessors.

Indeed, there is much pride and satisfaction.

The girls have done a wonderful job. And that is also possibly why the all want to head back for a visit to their primary school this week. To reminisce, to thank.

The teacher did succeed after all, in instilling virtues for a lifetime.

What your whiteboard says about you!

2012-01-14T17:49:00.007+08:00

The children have been bugging us to get them whiteboards. We relented eventually. Here's a snapshot of their newest toy.

EmC's

A list of to-do things. Systematic, organized, and in control.

A clear demarcation on the whiteboard. Made from sticky tape with colorful horizontal lines drawn across. What a clever, unique, and creative idea.

Magnets of the few of her favourite things: sheep; sheep; and lots and lots of food.

Ray's

No words. No lists. Just happy magnets.

A dash of creativity as he positions the sheep jumping over a gate. Counting sheep. What a clever idea too!

And because he loves playing football, sheep must too. Here they are attacking one ball.

I think he gets the idea that the whiteboard is meant to serve a purpose, and not function merely as an easel and outlet for his creativity. He becomes serious and uses it to write up a to-do list. But not without some bursts of fun as well. He is a child, after all, and should be given all the opportunity to be happy.

I wonder why?

2012-01-14T14:28:00.006+08:00

A caveat before I proceed.

This is not a racially motivated post. Nor is it aimed at any religion in particular.

It's just a question that I haven't been able to answer.

We celebrated my father-in-law's birthday. As usual, the man's side of the family is very much into buffets. I'm not sure if it's because they enjoy a wide spread of food, or because they would otherwise feel uncomfortable sharing a table and having to be seated throughout a meal!

They selected Asian Food Market, Fairmont. I presume because it is renowned for a generous spread and variety. Plus it's centrally located so I could declare a long lunch on a work day and not worry about applying for leave from work.

It is a rare occasion when all in the extended family can come together. From China and the Middle East to the melting pot of nationalities and cultures, Singapore.

Being a birthday celebration, one would naturally expect a cake. We bought our own and my sister-in-law had a challenging time getting the waitress and manageress to agree to serving the cake in the restaurant. Of course, her legal training helped and a compromise was achieved.

We weren't allowed to, technically, consume the cake because it was not purchased from a Halal bakery. Being a restaurant that was Halal certified, they could not allow us to bring in a cake from a secular bakery.

The compromise was yes to cake, but no to restaurant cutlery. The cake was consumed using paper serviettes and plastic cutlery. We didn't gripe. National education is clearly successful.

And then suddenly it hit us. My brother-in-law ordered, and was served, a glass of cold, refreshing, beer! How was that allowed? We decided that laughter was the best medicine, and tolerance, a close second.

Asia is Rising ...

2012-01-08T09:55:00.006+08:00

Well, if you believe the pundits or some of the world's top thinkers.

This isn't going to be a philosophical or theoretical piece.

It's just that I thought of that catch phrase, "Asia is rising", when Ray tells me whom he'd like to his little birthday dinner party.

His two best pals.

Shreyas - India.

Squat (real name is Yan Jun) - China. I used to call him Squatter because he'd be squatting by the road side waiting for the school bus each morning. Later we abbreviated it to Squat. Today, when he calls up on the phone, he introduces himself as "Squat". So endearing!

Shreyas is a busy boy. He tells me that he had three tuition sessions (a total of six hours) throughout Saturday, and two parties to attend. Definitely the right type of training for an up and coming diplomat or CEO!

It was a great party nonetheless. There was no parental supervision so the kids helped themselves to all their favourites from the buffet, including starting off with chocolate fondue marshmallows!

My favourite type of birthday party. You won't believe it if I tell you that I get it all coordinated and arranged barely 24 hours before the event! Ah, the wonders of SMS and mobile phone technology.

How do I know?

2012-01-06T07:36:00.002+08:00

That my younger offspring is on the brink of adolescence.

He had dinner with me at the at Terminal 3 food court. Rice with curry drumstick and a sausage added for good measure. And may I add that it is a generous serving of rice? To me it seemed like at least two bowls.

He finishes all the rice and dishes and we leave T3 for the budget terminal to pick up Tess.

As we walk from the car park to the terminal, he tells me, "I am still hungry."

Perhaps it is the sight of good ol' Ronald.

I ignore the remark given that I saw him finish his dinner barely eight minutes ago.

When we get to the arrival hall, he repeats his plea, "I am still hungry."

He has a full serving of fish and chips. And a can of 100 Plus.

Wow. I am impressed. I don't even get my hands on a single chip!

I think he must be reading too much Archie.

He has a satisfied grin on his face after his second dinner and declares, "Wow. Two dinners. I feel like Jughead."

New Year's Eve Dinner

2012-01-02T13:51:00.005+08:00

With the helper away on home leave, we didn't host anyone one New Year's Eve.

Or at least we didn't plan to. I asked Ray for his choice of two dishes given that it was his turn to determine the menu.

Shepherd's pie and agilo olio. Ah, very doable. I even managed to get to the office in the morning to tie up loose ends for 2011 before heading to Cold Storage for ingredients.

Although it was meant to be a quiet dinner for just the four of us, Squat, Ray's friend, our neighbour, was hanging out at our place. So of course we invited him to dinner. How much more can a 11-year-old eat, right?

It was simple, but nice. We also threw in a pre-washed (3 times according to the label on the packaging), pre-mixed salad.

Lots of wine for E and I. To make up for having kids and therefore not being able to head out to drink ourselves silly on lychee martinis!

Dessert was ice-cream and sorbet. Flavours for everyone - raspberry, mango, and some exotic Ben and Jerry's.

We ended the night with slam! Boggle. And then bed time with no countdowns for us. ;) the new year will happen regardless so why bother.

Food in NZ

2012-01-01T17:19:00.011+08:00

Nothing much to shout about actually, especially meals arranged by the tour company. Worse still, Chinese meals in the tour package. Poor quality and shoddily produced dishes. Just lots of rice to fill you up and hopefully keep you quiet.

The meals we had on our own were an improvement over the those in the package. I suppose that when one exercises choice, the outcome is better. Or you learn to cope better with the outcome!

White bait. Highly recommended by the tour guide. I think she presumed that we all knew what white bait meant. Certainly, I didn't know and thought we'd be getting an entire steak of fish. Or at least a fillet.

Alas, white bait is bait. Small, tiny, minuscule. What we have at home served with lime and sliced chilies.

EmC was just thrilled to have found a whole bait in her sandwich.

Ferge's burger joint seemed to be very popular amongst the locals. The two times that we passed by the outlet, we saw crowds spilling out of the premises. We tried getting in but the queue was just quite insurmountable. We decided that it wasn't meant to be. So we took a picture and left.

We ended up in a pub. When all else fails, there's alcohol! Yes, even when there are kids around. Hopeless and irresponsible parents.

But we figured that the children would relish the experience. Plus it was still early and the crowd seemed decent, and congregated at the bar counter.

The food was good, usual pub grub.

It ended up being quite uneventful unless you consider the sirens that pealed as we neared the end of the dinner. Everyone was curious and stepped out of the pub.

Three fire engines. No smoke.

And we discovered that anywhere in the world, where there are fire engines, there will also be curious onlookers hoping to get a piece of the action.

The firemen were relaxed and moved languidly. One even had his child with him, who remained in the fire truck. I think the service is fielded by volunteers.

The firemen wore protective gear including masks. They strolled the area and entered neighbouring buildings. All this while, a fire alarm rang incessantly. Still no smoke, and no sign of any real action.

We figured that a smoke alarm must have gone off. The men were just there to get to the source, and turn off the alarm. Five minutes later, all was quiet and well again. What an anti-climax.

Well, I suppose the "adventure" was only to mark our children's rite of passage into the world of pubs!

The best meal in NZ was ironically, still Asian. Thai.

Some tour members recommended it and we decided to give it a try.

Moon's in Queenstown. If you're ever there, you must try it. Authentic, unpretentious, and delicious.

It's so yummy that even the kids were reminiscing the other day when trying to decide on dinner in Singapore.

2011

2011-12-31T20:47:00.003+08:00

A mandatory post, I suppose. We all sit back and reflect at the end of each year.

To prepare myself, I clicked back to last year's piece. It seems 2010 was mild and somewhat happy.

2011 was a storm on the work front. A new boss, more new bosses, difficult co-workers, and just a month before the year ends, a shock announcement that will see me in a different place and with totally different responsibilities in the new year. Not by choice, not by consultation, not by preference.

Alas, as my brother puts it sagely, the letter of appointment must state, " ... and any other duties."

Different team members, different office, different KPIs. And different skills set required.

It has been very challenging to come to terms with the mandatory move but I have told myself to stop whinging and whining. Perhaps the new year will bring fresh hope, fresh opportunities, and fresh wealth (always a good to have).

It hasn't all been bad. I am very grateful for the family. Each has done remarkably well and I have a lot to be thankful for. It is always the light at the end of the tunnel, a reminder of what matters most.

I don't have any resolutions. I only have hopes and silent wishes.

All the best to you and yours!

Almost Tailor-made

2011-12-31T19:10:00.006+08:00

As luck would have it, and actually, as we'd expected it, some things were not available on reporting day at the secondary school.

It wasn't the books, it wasn't the stationery.

It was something more apparent, the apparel!

Size 36 was not available, presumably the most popular size amongst the Secondary 1 girls.

The vendor was cantankerous and rude. He said, "If you want to, you can write down your name in the book and we will call you when we have stock."

And when I asked when stock might arrive, the response was, "I cannot guarantee anything, I don't know."

Of course the next question was whether stock would arrive prior to the start of the new year.

"I don't know. If you want to, write your name and phone number down."

Of course, with an attitude like that, and with an inappropriate use of language, my instinctive response was, "What do you mean if I want to? I don't have a choice, right?"

EmC got very upset as she didn't see the distinction between the vendor and the school. She thought they were one and the same and was disappointed by the poor service and rude mannerisms. I had to assure her repeatedly that it was a supplier and in no way a reflection of what the school stands for and its values.

In the end, I bought a size larger. It was a case of "a bird in hand is better than two in the bush." I am sure that it would be most awkward for EmC to turn up on the first day of school in something other than the uniform.

The next step involved searching for a tailor that would alter the uniform. At short notice, and at low cost. Fortunately, a friend recommended a shop in Marine Drive.

The auntie there was a sharp contrast to the uniform vendor. She was reassuring, calm, and kind. Just $10 for severe alteration.

The uniform fits quite well now. With room for growth. Sideways!

Simple Pleasures

2011-12-28T21:11:00.006+08:00

We were at Centrepoint. But it was before 9.30 a.m. and the shops were still not yet opened for the day.

I suggest to EmC to try out the original Killiney Kopi Tiam.

Yes, that's right. She's been to the outlets, but nothing quite like being in the "original" coffee shop.

She was fascinated by the set-up, and how it was crowded even on a rainy Saturday morning. Especially since there aren't that many car park lots nearby either!

Service was expeditious and simple.

Somehow, the ambience made the humble bread and kaya taste all that much better. She was clearly impressed and happy.

Mother and daughter are alike. We don't fancy the kaya toast at many of the newer brands/shops. Especially those that go for dark and thin, crispy bread. Bread is meant to be thick, luscious, and fragrant.

Well, at least we know what's our comfort food.

Christmas Eve Dinner

2011-12-26T16:21:00.005+08:00

As with the previous 15 years or so (I've lost count), Christmas Eve dinner was at our place.

We surprised the folks with Peranakan food. The nieces were expecting Western cuisine but we also had four senior citizens (in-laws, mum, grandma) on the invite list. I think they prefer good ol' rice and dishes.

Truth be told, I was initially hesitant about hosting, mainly because it has always been my responsibility, despite E and I both being the younger/youngest in our respective families. It is tiring, and it doesn't help when the other quarters in my life are presently in a bit of a mess.

But I braced myself for the obligation, and it helped that the kids were excited about the gathering. Somehow, they are house-proud folks who enjoy visitors (wait till I get them to help with the dishes!).

To get into the mood, I even went to a low-cost, Daiso-like shop to buy some "decorations".

We hanged the santa-bears at different spots in the flat and got the kids to find them. A modified version of hide-and-seek. I thought it a bit tacky, but the kids all enjoyed the game.

Most couldn't find this one clinging onto the lamp chain.

This one seemed too obvious because it was right behind the Christmas tree.

And this one is Ray's favourite. A bungee jumping bear. ;)

Transition

2011-12-25T17:14:00.009+08:00

Six years. And here's a picture of EmC, the last time she'd wear the convent uniform.

A common bond for mother and daughter.

She relinquishes the blue-and-white as she heads to secondary school.

A tough decision for both mother and daughter.

A necessary one given that academic rigour and excellence are the order of the day. And values and religion will hopefully be reinforced and strengthened through the home and family. And with some luck, perhaps at her new school, too.

I know she reminisces, reflects, and regrets. It is a great joy to be studying in a convent.

But she consoles herself, "Once an IJ girl, always an IJ girl."

Thankfully, the Principal's briefing on "reporting" day was reassuring, and seemed grounded, balanced. I was heartened when she said, "Leave your daughters in our good hands. We will train them to be good mothers."

At home, though, the only debate that EmC and I had was whether one would wear shorts under her new uniform! As a convent girl, the thought never crossed my mind. In fact, it was a rule that we could not wear shorts under our pinafore. It seems, however, this rule doesn't exist in many schools across Singapore! Is that the discerning factor, distinguishing convent girls from the rest?

Let the new adventure begin!

He knows me so well ...

2011-12-25T09:19:00.003+08:00

A homemade Christmas card from the son.

It's a pity the other man in my life didn't follow-up with the real thing.

The iPhone Connection

2011-12-24T16:49:00.010+08:00

We brought the kids to watch, "The Muppets". EmC tells me that you should read her review at this link (I'll make tons from recommendation fees if I were to charge!).

Of course E and I enjoyed the movie, having spent a fair bit of our childhood watching Kermit, Ms Piggy, and the entourage.

And who can forget the evergreen, "The Rainbow Connection". When they sang it in the movie, I could swear that my eyes welled up with emotion and fond memories. I sang along, and the kids asked me to stop. I have become a parent my kids don't want to be near!

But when we got home, they all wanted to learn how to play the song.

We search the web, and get a free first page download. On the iPhone.

Of course, with the screen as small as the iPhone, we see the notes one stave at a time. It becomes a challenge to sight read, play the notes, and scroll (ah, perhaps that's why people buy an iPad?).

I eventually buy the entire score from www.musicnotes.com.

Now the kids fight over the piano to learn the piece. I pity the neighbours. By now they must be quite tired of the song!

But wait until I sing along ...

Jump!

2011-12-23T22:50:00.006+08:00

In keeping with tradition, Ray jumps.

At Fox Glacier, New Zealand.

Clearly, he has quite mastered the art of an impressive jump.

I can't quite say the same about his elder sibling, who has recently let go of her inhibitions in public, albeit marginally, and jumped!

A lot of room for improvement. But it brings a smile to my face!

Changing Times

2011-12-23T22:26:00.016+08:00

EmC was invited to shake our MP's hand. A different MP from last year. We had the general elections in May 2011, remember?

Other changes? Well, there was dinner provided. I was surprised. It was a simple spread but at least an effort was made to feed the students and parents. Last year we were offered a bun and a bottle of water.

It would have been great if they had informed us beforehand though? I'm sure many would have made plans for dinner or would have eaten before the event.

Still, kudos to the organisers for the thoughtfulness.

I can't say the same about the seating arrangement, though. I literally felt like a sardine in a can. Only that it didn't smell quite as bad as the air-conditioning was in tip top condition. Those folks who arrange chairs must realise that you need to leave a reasonable gap between chairs. After all, 1 in 11 Singaporeans is obese!

MP was on time (OK, a five-minute wait isn't unacceptable). He delivered a short speech that managed to cover quite a bit of ground, from congratulating students and families, spreading the word about the constituency's facebook page, to promoting volunteerism in the vicinity.

We quickly moved to the ceremony proper.

I actually didn't have to stay a sardine for long. MP preempted it. He stopped the prize giving ceremony halfway and made important announcements. The most important one being where and when to download official photographs! The crowd thinned rapidly and soon we almost had the entire hall to ourselves. People left as soon as they got their cheques and certificates.

I was appalled. It must be very sad to be giving handouts and then to see people leaving as soon as they can.

I suppose I cannot and should not judge. It is difficult to keep mum about this.

Maybe this episode will convince EmC to not be a politician in the future!

It's out!

2011-12-21T08:27:00.004+08:00

Funnily enough, we receive the SMS only an hour later than others.

Well, I suppose when there are more than 40,000 text messages that need to go out, some will just have to wait.

No major upheaval as the decision was made wisely (we'd like to think!) and the outcome is her first choice of secondary school.

And so we head out to the school tomorrow morning. A fresh start, and an expensive one, too! All the books, stationery, uniform, socks, etc. But I'm sure a happy adventure awaits.

Bella's

2011-12-18T15:25:00.004+08:00

Ray was struggling with this piece for about three weeks. I don't usually monitor their music progress, leaving it primarily to their piano tutor, who does a
brilliant job.

One day I happened to be in the study when Ray tinkered what sounded like a romantic, modern
piece. Slow, flowing, and almost sad.

I walk to the piano and see that he's attempting to play "Bella's
Lullaby". Immediately I associate it with Edward's Bella. From the Twilight saga. Not sure how I made that connection especially as I have not watched the movie(s) nor read the books!

I ask the kids if it might be THAT Bella. Suddenly it is like breaking dawn (pun intended) and they see the light!

We search YouTube and eureka! It is one and the same. It brings on a new inspiration as Ray approaches the piece with new vigor and enthusiasm.

He masters it in a few days and at the next piano lesson the teachers sits up in wonder and amazement. Three weeks of non-performance and struggling to get the notes right and suddenly the music flows like second nature.

Hollywood and its power I tell you!

EmC vows to learn the piece too. By herself. And I have to give her credit. She does a great job playing it. Hauntingly emotive and beyond words. It must be a woman's touch. ;)

She has now been tasked to play it for her cousins (Twilighters - is that what they call the fans?) at our upcoming Christmas party.

Media Hungry

2011-12-17T20:44:00.007+08:00

We were out at Orchard Road this morning. Our annual pilgrimage to Singapore's famous shopping belt. For Christmas presents.

We parked at Centrepoint, shopped there, and then made our way on foot along Orchard Road, all the way to Ion. We took the Orchard underpass because it was raining.

Suddenly EmC got very excited when we walked pass Orchard MRT station. She rushed towards to the station entrance.

I thought it must have been a celebrity that she spotted. Of course I was also curious and wondered what had caught her interest.

Alas, she was pointing, jumping, and screaming all at the same time.

Ah, another train service disruption. Too bad because E was supposed to come by train from his office to meet us at Orchard.

We walked into the train station, just for the fun of it. Somewhat like soaking up the atmosphere.

She looked around gleefully, then remarked, "Eh, no one from the newspapers here? Otherwise we can pretend to be in the crowd and have our photograph taken for the Straits Times."

She should have worked harder for the PSLE if she really wanted to be in the press! Better chance there of making the headlines ;)

NZ - Serendipity

2011-12-13T20:51:00.006+08:00

There were 30 people in our tour group.

Four families with school-going-age children. These families sat in the rear end of the bus.

Couples and senior citizens sat in the front.

It was a very fun group. Lots of jokes, Singaporean humour, and plenty of football conversations. One family bought a prepaid data plan upon arrival in NZ and they were responsible for providing the latest in football news. Of course, I switched off to all that.

And as usual, when you go on tour, in a group, questions will abound.

How old are your children?

Where do they go to school?

We expected this and we knew that the moment we say, "Primary 6", the next question would definitely be, "Oh, so you just got your PSLE results, right?"

Fortunately, the folks were civil and didn't press for an exact score.

Another common question would be, "So, where are you going to school next year?"

(As an aside, we found out from the exchange that three of us went to VJC in the same year!).

It was also quite a coincidence that there was a Secondary 1 pupil in the school that EmC hopes to attend next year! It was so unexpected, but quite serendipitous. I encouraged EmC to have a chat with Joey about the school, its culture, the girls, the teachers, CCAs, and even canteen food!

EmC was shy initially, but Joey was really a good ambassador and relayed as much as she could about the school. I was most impressed that Joey aims to be a social worker, and that her parents fully endorse her ambition.

All good vibes.

NZ - Favourite Souvenir

2011-12-12T21:30:00.009+08:00

EmC has accused me of being biased.

I get the same accusation hurled at me in the office.

It must therefore be true?

Well, she's complaining because I haven't actively promoted her blog and her NZ posts when I've inserted a link to Ray's.

My excuse? Well, I thought she preferred the anonymity and didn't want to draw any attention to herself.

I was wrong. And I suppose there will be many more of such mistakes as she gets ahead with the beast known as adolescence.

Here's the link to her blog.

She does have to realise, however, that I don't even get that many readers so it is quite futile. I tell her to let her friends know about her blog, but she won't. Just like me.

Anyways, this is a post about my favourite buy in New Zealand. It was from a trolley shop in a mall. There were many funny signs and I laughed aloud at quite a few of them, but bought this one:-

The sign that I really liked went like this, "Husband for sale. Remote included."

But he paid for the trip so I had to play my cards right!

NZ

2011-12-11T20:53:00.005+08:00

I would have blogged. I did want to blog.

But we only had one MacBook with us during the trip and it was monopolised by the two kids.

So, if you want to read about our trip to New Zealand, may I direct you to Ray's blog.

I'll have other interesting bite-size stories but will not provide a blow-by-blow account. Why reinvent the wheel, etc. He provides quite a good read. Raw, but sincere.

NZ Day 4

2011-12-06T17:12:00.007+08:00

It was to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Getting the kids into a helicopter for a ride up to the Fox Glacier.

They were initially hesitant, as was the husband.

But I assured them that I had just one helicopter ride in my childhood, and the memory has stayed with me for life. I know that it will be the same for them.

Fortunately, they weren't difficult to convince especially as Ray watches a lot of sport TV and their broadcasters are often up on the choppers reporting from above air. Ah, the wonders of TV!

Only eight of us from the tour group went on the optional tour, i.e. the helicopter ride. These asides are often optional, and expensive. Ironically, we paid a certain price and while we were on the bus to the helipad, the guide said that prices have increased and each passenger was expected to pay an additional $30.

And all along, I thought that NZ is on top of the list of the least corrupted countries. Oh, that's the government!

According to the tour company, it was the result of inflation. Right, overnight. I think we call that a rip-off, or stagflation?!

Anyways, the family enjoyed it. Some of our tour group members asked if there was the adrenalin rush. I replied, "No, there was more of the breakfast rush. We felt quite a lot of breakfast rushing up the digestive track!"

It was a good ride, and an experience.

We had to wait a while for the other members of the group who were headed to the glacier by bus. We actually had an hour to spare and tried to amuse ourselves with all sorts of antics, including shopping at the convenience store, paying $4 for a cup of coffee from the bistro, testing our vocabulary as per Reader's Digest, and yes, planking.

After all, nobody knows me here (not that anyone would recognise me in Singapore, either). The kids were highly amused. But they didn't want to imitate (I won't say emulate!).

DIY

2011-12-05T15:57:00.006+08:00

Even before getting to New Zealand, I concluded that I already like the country.

A lot.

Because they force everyone to complete his or her own immigration card. Saves me the trouble of being PA to all in the family!

It's double-sided, and there are numerous questions, including questions that you skip if you choose no, and others that you answer if you pick yes. Complex.

Ray and EmC are excited that they get to complete their own forms. The novelty wears thin after a few questions and in sets fear and apprehension as they think they might get extradited if they don't provide the "correct" answer.

There are questions about where you've been in the past 30 days. There are also standard questions put forward by agriculturally focussed countries, including soil, food produce, contact with animals.

The one question that tickles them pink, "Are you here for the Rugby World Cup?"

Fortunately, we get through immigration, but only after they sight our itinerary and e-ticket, plus some random questions like where we are visiting.

I suppose the sheep have it easier when getting in!

$10 Internet

2011-12-05T08:57:00.001+08:00

On tour.

In South Island.

Prepaid Internet.

I think that works out to about 10 cents per word.

:)

Clicked and Sealed

2011-11-30T10:01:00.006+08:00

15 years ago, on this date, I made a decision that changed my life forever.

I married my best friend.

15 years later, today, we make a decision that will possibly change our daughter's life forever. A commitment that she makes that will stay with her for the rest of her life.

We (including her), have collectively made a decision with regard to her secondary school. While it is only a four-year journey, she will carry this association with her for life.

We trust it to be the right decision, one that she'll find fulfilling, one that she'll enjoy, and most importantly, one that will make her a happy person.

It's so apt that we decide to click and seal the deal today, on our wedding anniversary. I'm sure we'll remember it for life, and she will, too.

(But honestly, we decided to get married on 30th November only because it was pay day back then!!)

Changes

2011-11-29T21:34:00.008+08:00

Ray receives a large envelope.

EmC receives a small envelope.

Both from MOE.

Ray doesn't qualify as our household income exceeds the ceiling imposed.

EmC qualifies as income ceiling is lifted for students in the upper primary. She gets to shake hands with the new MP. Just before Christmas.

She screams bloody murder because Ray doesn't qualify for a monetary award, but MOE decides to change things this year. He is issued a certificate. She met the academic criteria for the first four years of primary school but never got the award because of the income criterion. And they didn't use to issue certificates either.

So it was a loud and rowdy race around the dining table as the two kids played catch. Of course, Ray held on to his prize and didn't even let her steal a glance.

It is good that the establishment evolves and improves. My brother used to hang the bursary/scholarship letters in his bathroom!

I think it is quite a good scheme as it also spurs the kids on and motivates them to excel. Somehow, though, any money they receive is never channeled back to the parents! Perhaps the next change should be a recommendation within the letter to encourage recipients to contribute the grant to the folks that help them the most!

Open Season

2011-11-28T21:45:00.012+08:00

We were at Cedar's open house last Saturday.

It was our third visit, and we tried to keep our minds fully open.

And then the principal remarked, in her presentation, "If your daughter is one who likes to lie by the beach under the coconut tree, please do not come."

E and I almost got up and left the auditorium immediately! It was hilarious.

I admire the parents and daughters who are very sure about their choices in the selection of a secondary school. Some parents were already in the primary school's general office immediately after the release of results to lodge their application form.

We are barely 45 hours away from the 3 p.m. deadline on Wednesday. And we are still tossing ideas around, weighing pros and cons. Seeking advice from other parents with older kids. Speaking to lots of students, past and present, of the various options.

There are so many factors - stress, teachers' commitment, values the school subscribes to, CCA, distance, academic performance, international student mix, and yes, canteen food! It's a pity the open houses don't come with sampling opportunities at the canteens. Well, at least two schools offered cupcakes baked by the students.

There are three options that stick out at us this moment. Each has its own merit and strengths. Each also has its set of potential pitfalls and setbacks. I guess it's up to us to weigh the possible setbacks against the benefits. And to also assign a probability to each of the potential disadvantages.

Do I see an iPhone app in the making?

Graphic Therapy

2011-11-27T20:51:00.006+08:00

Ray loves to draw.

He draws when he is happy.

He draws when he is angry.

He draws when he is bored.

He always has a pencil, eraser, and sketch book in his rucksack.

He eats quickly and while we relish our meal, he puts away his plate and cutlery, and draws.

He usually doesn't allow me nor anyone else in the family to look into his sketch book. I know that he writes captions sometimes too, possibly inspired by all the Archie that he reads.

Typically, he draws boys in action. Usually at the football field.

Or he draws race circuits. Very complicated ones, with lots of twists and bends, and sharp turns.

Recently, he's turned to drawing Tin Tin. He's read most of the Tin Tin books, thanks to a co-worker who introduced it to Ray.

I must say that I'm impressed. I could never draw even to save my life. I thought he'd traced Tin Tin from the cover page. But no, he had taken about five minutes or less to draw each figurine.

E says that the drawings are only OK. According to his artistic eye, the proportion seems somewhat inaccurate.

EmC admires her brother for being able to copy the drawings. She, like me, would only be able to trace!

We've signed Ray up for a pencil sketching/cartoon drawing class in December, at the community centre. I hope he enjoys the sessions!

Give thanks

2011-11-26T16:55:00.004+08:00

The song rings repeatedly in my mind. I walk around and it pops into my conscience every now and then.

We truly have a lot to be thankful and grateful for. The truth is not quite sinking in yet.

We were full of anxiety and worry at results day. We can tell ourselves repeatedly that it is all cast in stone and nothing can change the grades.

But it is only normal and natural to fret, worry, and fear. We waited an hour in the hall while the affiliated secondary school's principal spoke about her school. We even had to watch a video and truthfully, we were only looking at the bar at the bottom of the screen to figure out just how much longer the clip would go on for.

Fortunately, she was very precise and considerate. Her section ended just a few seconds to noon and the primary school principal stepped onto stage.

The girls were seated on the floor, the parents were provided chairs at the rear of the hall. The principal teased. The students responded that they were in denial and not ready to receive their judgments.

The head joked that she didn't want them in the school for another year! After all, everyone passed. An achievement.

She went through her slides but I am not sure anyone was really interested in overall statistics. Except, of course, if you are featured.

Finally, the girls could receive their results from their form teachers. I think many parents were grateful that result slips were distributed in the hall. At least time wasn't wasted with having the girls make their way to the classrooms as is the case in many schools.

The tense environment soon made way for lots of cheering, screaming, and hugging. There were tears, of course. Mostly, fortunately, of joy.

One girl even collapsed and had to be helped onto a chair. In spite of everyone's excitement, at least some still stopped to help, including a doctor parent.

And so a chapter ends brightly and we are very thankful. For a great institution, amazing friends, and truly, holistic education.

One down, one more to go!

Ten-dollar Vincent

2011-11-23T20:17:00.005+08:00

We knew that we just had to catch the "Dreams and Reality" exhibition at the national museum.

How else can you get to see an original Van Gogh and Degas for a paltry sum of money.

Ray was initially hesitant and not quite keen to join us. We gave him the option of taking the train home with Tess after lunch in the city. He decided to give it a try anyway, and I think he did not regret his decision.

He was happy with the audio guide and made his way around the gallery on his own, smiling and enjoying the trip.

I didn't quite understand it, but this piece by Monet was his favourite. I didn't see very discerning lines nor demarcations, but perhaps he likes the fuzzy bits. Actually, the photograph looks better than the painting.

Here are some more pictures that we took, of our preferred paintings.

We didn't join the tour as we figured that it would be quite tiring to act knowledgeable and interested in ALL the paintings. After all, I am not at all trained in art.

But I did join the group when they were at Degas', my favourite. From the brief introduction by the guide, I learned about spontaneity, perspective, and focus. Interesting.

To be truthful, I like paintings of ballerinas. There's so much poise and grace, attributes I clearly lack in my life. Hence I turn to paintings to fill the void.

The star of the show? Van Gogh's Starry Night. There was always a group of people standing in front of this piece, admiring it. I realise that he squirted his stars. It seems almost like Pentel's poster colours. Lemon Yellow, too!

EmC stole the show when she passed this remark, "Wah, so cheap to see an original painting. I honestly don't think these are real. Maybe they are fakes!"

Nah, not in Singapore, I suppose!

A New Holiday!

2011-11-23T16:37:00.008+08:00

OK, so I'm all nervous and anxious about tomorrow.

And there's nothing much else that I can bring myself to write about.

Even work doesn't distract.

I wonder how many other parents are as anxious and worried.

I tell myself that it's all said and done, and that one should not worry because there's so much more down the road to worry about.

But just who am I kidding?

Open Season

2011-11-20T17:23:00.009+08:00

Except for Victoria School, I don't think there was another open house this weekend.

So, using some "thinking out of the box" skills, I figure that going to CHIJ Victoria Street, now known as CHIJMES, might be a noteworthy excursion.

After lunch at Skinny Pizza, Raffles City, we walk across to what was once CHIJ Victoria Street.

I must have been there just the once, when it was still the school.

I was in Primary 5, and my mother wanted to get me a transfer there. I was at the Opera Estate branch, then considered somewhat inferior to the urban version of the convent.

We had an appointment with the Principal. She knew my cousins who were studying at that school.

I was interviewed, and the Principal took a look at my report book.

She declined my application, dismissing me as being "rather weak in Chinese."

And that was that. I am not sure what it did to my ego. I don't remember my emotions that day. Perhaps I was too young and unsophisticated to let it hit me hard.

EmC enjoyed the walk around the premises. She thinks CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh does still have a bit of the architecture of the Victoria Street compound and buildings. Of course, she would very much prefer to study at the Victoria Street "school".

I asked if it was because of the overall "aura" and mystique of the place and surroundings.

She replies candidly, "No, because there're many shops around here. Everyday can drink Gong Cha."

You can't really argue with that, can you?

Deja vu

2011-11-18T21:07:00.006+08:00

The same three boys in slightly different order this year.

The first prize winner has returned to India for the holidays, leaving Ray and Douglas for the prize giving ceremony.

This time around, Raoul is first, and Douglas and Ray tied at second. It is quite amusing. Especially as the difference in score between first and second is a significant and meaningful margin of 0.3 marks.

I was all for rounding but they don't go by my rules. ;)

We truly appreciate what the school does for the kids. Not just academically, but in many other facets. Leadership, sports, character, among others.

The prize giving ceremony also included the returning PSLE 2010 top student, now an RI boy. Quite inspiring. Don't we all wish and dream for a kid like that?

But I know I have more than my share of blessings. A grateful heart. For all that has gone horribly wrong this year, this morning reminded me that there are still many slivers of hope and joy.

Institutions

2011-11-16T20:45:00.009+08:00

Gone.

All the buildings that mean quite a bit, to me.

Replaced by new versions. Or left derelict.

My primary school, up on a hill. Now unoccupied. Badly needs a new coat of paint.

My secondary school, demolished. Changed into a primary school. Then again demolished and rebuilt. Now EmC's primary school. It's a good thing that they kept one thing that has been there all this while - the well. I am not sure that the girls there now appreciate the significance of the well but at least there's one piece of history and tradition, still on the grounds.

The church I got married in. Demolished and rebuilt. Our wedding photos show of a place that no longer exists.

My kindergarten, for the first year. I don't think they called it K1 back then. Over at East Coast Road. At the ground floor of an HDB block of flats. I scant have memories of the place, except that it was there. No other memories.

And now it is also to be knocked down. To make way for progress, development, change.

I happened to be there last week when Ray went for a hair cut at a barber in the same estate. At least now I have a photo.

The amusing thing about the kindergarten is that at the grand old age of five, I asked for a transfer! I grumbled about having to attend public school. I wanted to go private.

Unbelievable that I was so discerning even back then. My mother struggled to make ends meet and hesitated, but ultimately obliged when I was in K2.

OK, so that's not the whole truth. I wasn't so smart to begin with (and am not much brighter now!). It was just that my elder brother was at a private kindergarten and I didn't want to be worse off.

I wasn't discerning. Just jealous, and quite the feminist!

A chapter

2011-11-15T07:27:00.008+08:00

Just three more days to the close of a chapter in EmC's life.

Three more days to the end of primary education for her.

It has been six good years, the last two being the most challenging.

It has been a good run. She was happy most times and even getting up at an unearthly 5.35 a.m. soon became quite the norm and complaints and whining became rare.

Waiting at the void deck for the school bus.

She's grown more than a foot since she entered primary 1. She's just a few inches to where I stand!

She's also grown emotionally. A shy, awkward girl who never had eye contact with anyone beyond the family, she's now polite, gentle, and considerate when speaking to others (except family - she's rude, boisterous, and even cantankerous at times!).

Intellectually, she's far superior to any one of us in the family, for Chinese. She loves the subject and reads stories and novels in Mandarin. Something I could never have done, and still cannot do. Of course she loves her English paperbacks, too.

She is a capable assistant. She helps with weekly grocery shopping, writes our cheques and envelopes, opens our bills and reminds us when they are overdue (which happens quite a bit - we're fans of the red inked "REMINDERS").

She is sensible, rational. The anti-thesis of her mother. She gripes when we order too much for dinner at the restaurant, chides us for including dessert, and tells me that things are too expensive. She also understands her limitations and makes informed decisions, like where to head off to next year, school-wise.

I believe a lot of it comes from her school and her friends. For all that Singaporeans complain about the education system, I think there are still a few gem institutions out there! Of course, this is all said contingent upon good results for the PSLE. 9 more days to go!

Boarding the school bus. Six years. Same bus. Same auntie, same driver.

Where are the stars?

2011-11-13T20:38:00.007+08:00

The weekend stay for our annual off-site strategy meeting was held at a five-star resort in Bintan.

It sounds all luxurious and plush, but it was hardly.

This would be the feedback that I would have dished out, if I had bothered to fill in the feedback form:

* Get an alarm clock (digital preferably) for each guest room

* Ensure that there is a power socket on the desk in the guest room. It may be a resort but some people do still have to work.

* Same for the power socket at the mini-bar. One has to look behind the TV screen to connect the socket for the kettle!

* Unbelievable - you mean there isn't internet in the guest rooms? Even when we're prepared to dish out some good money for access?

* Please improve the breakfast spread and the dinner buffet. Please also check your food warmers. They are doing a dismal job and food is served luke warm at best, cold mostly.

* Train your service staff. I asked for a cup of tea after lunch and the waitress took me literally. She came back with a cup of tea, sans the jug of milk. She returned with a jug of milk when I requested. She started to sigh and make a face when I then asked for sugar. Erm ... isn't it quite the norm? Serve your tea with milk and sugar?

* Check your individual air-conditioning unit in the guest rooms. They are noisy and the thermostat really needs calibration.

* Get good quality support pillows. Not thin, poorly stuffed masses of cotton.

Well, I didn't put all this down on the form. After all, I wasn't a "real" customer insofar as paying for the charges.

But if you want a five star ranking, you have to make sure that you're really good, and that the stars are truly aligned!

Away again...

2011-11-11T21:46:00.003+08:00

but this time it's for work.

Bintan.

Mouldy, humid, damp.

Certainly not my favourite destination.

But sometimes you just need to go with the flow.

One day's done.

Another two to go.

Can't wait!

I like.

2011-11-10T21:30:00.018+08:00

I like Kuching. Mainly because my step-grandmother, whom I was close to when I was a child, hails from Kuching.

I was curious to see where she came from and what she gave up to come to Singapore six decades ago.

E had three goals to achieve while in Kuching. Sight hornbills, eat kolo mee, and eat laksa Sarawak. Well at least only two aims are food related!

I really do like Kuching. It is simple, laid back, and most importantly, a lot less crowded than Singapore. I am not sure of it was because of the long weekend but there were hardly any cars on the roads.

The cost of living in Kuching is low. Except for taxis that are as expensive to hire as it is in Singapore. No wonder many get around in the domestically manufactured Protons.

The English influence is still predominant in Kuching. Many signs are in English. You notice a lot more use of English relative to other Malaysian states.

Sarawak Museum

They have great museums. We covered only two during our trip but certainly learnt plenty. Sadly, the museum was empty. I enjoyed stepping on the wooden floor boards to hear the creaks. And I was happily singing, loudly, Whitney's "I will always love you", to no one in particular while E took his time going through the exhibits.

The good thing about my husband is that he will let me get away with hell, including bad singing. I suppose as long as I allowed him to browse at leisure, he couldn't complain.

It was most embarrassing when we later got into another section and noticed that there was a security guard seated in the hall! Whoops. I hope he enjoyed the singing! Probably kept him awake.

I do adore the ancient buildings in Kuching. I seem to have a soft spot for forts and castles. Perhaps I am reincarnated from the medieval ages! We stared at the Fort Margherita from afar, went up close to the gaol and stood under the clock tower of the old court. I delighted in these little things.

Fort Margherita

Old Court Clock Tower

Old Gaol that was later used as a dance hall!

E likes Kuching as well, especially as he accomplished two of his three objectives. Feasting in local delights, laksa and kolo mee. He learned early in the trip - in fact, during the taxi ride from the airport - that there are no more hornbills in Kuching!

What a disappointment. The stuffed hornbills in the museum don't count!

Alas, we will need to plan our next getaway around a country that actually still has hornbills!

Pullman Hotel

2011-11-08T20:40:00.012+08:00

When E and I travel, without the children, we tend to be more thrifty, and also more adventurous.

We fly budget when we can, and stay at modest hotels.

This is difficult to do when travelling with the kids because they are fussy, particular, and almost paranoid. About safety, cleanliness, and comfort. We are raising monsters, citizens of the new generation!

When selecting the hotel in Kuching, I decided to try budget booking website, Agoda.

I figured that even if the booking didn't go through, we could end up in Kuching, and find somewhere, somehow to lay our heads down for the night.

Agoda lists the hotels available in Kuching, and we booked by looks and stars. Pricing was also a consideration, as was location. Or at least, the marketing spiels about location.

We decided on Pullman Hotel, opened in 2010 and supposedly located right in the centre of the city, close to major tourist sites and shopping malls.

As we arrived at Kuching International Airport, one of the first things we noticed was an advertisement for Pullman. Right at the luggage carousel. We took that as a good sign. At least we were assured that the hotel existed!

The hotel is barely 20 minutes away from the airport. One thing about Agoda is that you can only book the hotel room. You cannot expect that any special requests will be entertained, although they do have a "special request" link on their site. I tried twice, to arrange for airport transfer. Each time, there wasn't a reply.

So we got on board a taxi and paid 26 MYR for the ride.

The hotel rooms are large. Really large. The bathroom is huge, almost the size of my HDB master bedroom! It was also clean, new and quite zen. Simple matching classic furnishings. I was a happy camper.

Internet access was free for the first hour. Beyond which, it was 50 MYR per 24-hour block. Expensive, by Malaysian standards but I'm an internet addict. A small price to pay for my drug!

The built-in wardrobe was big. And I was surprised to find two dumb bells and a yoga mat. Certainly not one of my special requests, given how little I exercise!

We used plenty of the hotel's services - poolside drinks, drinks at the lounge (yes, we're closet alcoholics), spa, restaurant, and cafe. All top notch, especially the lychee martini. * Burp *

Frankly, the hotel's name seemed strange to us, at first glance and enunciation. If it's a chain of hotels, we certainly had not heard of it previously.

I suppose the hotel must feel the same way about its identity. We saw this sculpture at the lobby, just next to the breakfast buffet. To explain the hotel's name. Yes, corny as it might be. Pull Man.

If you're thinking of heading to Kuching and are looking for a place to stay, consider Pullman. At $140 per night, you will get your money's worth, and more!

Sarawak River Cruise

2011-11-07T11:14:00.010+08:00

Another one that comes highly recommended by netizens.

This one you can believe, but with a caveat.

It is really contingent upon the crowd that you get.

We were rather unfortunate. It was a rowdy crowd of middle-aged Chinese (Penang) couples who were bent on taking as many photographs as they could in all sorts of different poses and configurations.

I remarked to E, "I hate having my photograph taken. I can't imagine that these people are obsessed with their own image!"

Of course, I made many snide and rude remarks under my breath especially as they were also hung up on getting to the edge of the boat and ensuring that any view I had was blocked by their massive frames.

To make things worse, a few from their party also wanted to share our table.

I had on a large hat. With that, I hoped to block them out but still, they managed to get on my nerves.

At one point, I asked E, "Do you think I'm a snob?"

He laughed. And that was the only reply that I got.

I was also worried about the number of people on board. There didn't seem to be enough seats for everyone, a signal that we were probably over-loaded.

It was a 90-minute cruise, but I couldn't wait for it to end. It didn't help that it was raining and we couldn't get onto the open-air end of the upper deck, and to get away from the tour group that was, alarmingly, singing karaoke!

I wouldn't have minded if that was their private boat. But when you're travelling with other people, you cannot impose your poor taste of music and behaviour on others!

That's what happens when already rude and inconsiderate folks are intoxicated. What a potent combination.

So the cruise was ruined and this morning, to make up for it, we decided to walk along the river bank and take in the same sights as last evening, albeit in quieter and more sober surroundings.

We returned the following morning to get a photograph.

The Internet doesn't lie!

2011-11-06T16:23:00.006+08:00

Or well, at least not some sites that highly recommended Sarawak laksa, and in particular, the bowl of amazing goodness from Chong Choon.

it was on our list of things to do in Kuching.

We hailed a cab from our hotel and told the cabby that we wanted to go to Jalan Abell. We laughed as the driver arrived at the destination in barely three minutes! It was a good thing that he didn't chide us for wasting his time!

When we arrived at the stretch of road known as Jalan Abell, the cabby turned to us and asked where exactly we were heading. We mentioned laksa and he stopped us right in front of Chong Choon Cafe, 121, Jalan Abell. It must be quite famous amongst tourists.

The laksa stall is the first in the cafe (OK, coffee shop). As was alighted from the taxi, we saw the stall holder wiping some trays. She seemed to be packing up. We were thoroughly disappointed. It was only ten minutes to noon, far too early to be closing for the day, right?

Nonetheless, we asked if she was still selling. Fortunately, she replied in the affirmative. And we were so thrilled.

Two bowls. And those were the last two bowls of the day. The hawker had to tilt his large cauldron to scoop up the last bits of gravy for our order.

I consider myself an expert in all things epicurious but I couldn't quite place the taste. It is a perfect blend of herbs, spices, and ingredients. All attaining equal representation in the gravy, coming together in a culmination of tastes without standing out as an individual.

It was only after about an hour that I finally figured out one of the ingredients, other than black pepper, cumin! Or so I think. I presume that there must also be some type of nut - candlenut or peanut or both.

It was an excellent treat. We are quite tempted to make a repeat visit during this trip. Yes, it is that good.

Cat City

2011-11-05T16:47:00.005+08:00

Yes, we're here, just the spouse and I, in Kuching.

We travelled by Air Asia, first time ever, and are now in the heart of the cat city.

It's part of Malaysia, and yet significantly different. English is widely spoken, and the city is clean. Well, much cleaner than many other cities.

The hotel is lovely, and the room is large. The bathroom is huge!

We had our first taste of kolo mee. It was a bit of an anti-climax, I'll be the first to admit. It wasn't served piping hot, and there seemed to be something amiss. The noodles were tasty and of excellent texture, but E and I were hoping for a bit more gravy, and spiciness. Give me good ol' wanton noodles anytime! I hope the Sarawak Laksa that we should try soon doesn't disappoint.

We're here in Kuching, with our camera, but not with the USB cable. I suppose rushing to wrap up the work week and head out for a short break is not highly recommended if you want to ensure that packing is tip-top. Well, I can only hope that there's enough memory in the camera's card to store all the pictures.

More to come this evening as we venture out to try a seafood restaurant highly recommended by the hotel staff (I wonder if they get a commission!).

You can do it, too.

2011-11-04T21:54:00.008+08:00

Nope it isn't a Halloween costume.

EmC was supposed to go on an excursion earlier this week. Sorry, the term "excursion" is rather out of date. They are now termed as "learning journeys". Well, to me, call a spade, a spade.

It was to be a ride on a bum boat down Singapore River, plus a visit of sites at the civic district, including the Supreme Court and the Parliament. EmC was naturally very excited about it all, except for the boat ride.

The night before the learning journey, she tells me that she is required to bring a poncho. Simply because one is prohibited from bringing umbrellas into the Supreme Court. I'm not quite sure if the school is pulling a fast one. But we comply nonetheless.

We head out to the provision shop downstairs in search of a poncho. Of course, as expected, they do not sell ponchos in the provision shop. We do find raincoats, though. But they are meant for young children. Besides, they cost $8.50 per piece. Certainly not viable considering that she might never use it - either because it will not rain, or because it won't even fit!

I try my luck at home and a brainwave hits me. The National Day parade goodie bag! We dig into one of the few that we have. The poncho is neatly packed and tucked into an obscure corner of the bag.

EmC removes the poncho from the packaging and we spend some time trying to figure out how it'll work.

She decides that it is not a fashion item. She refuses to put it on because it is shapeless and awkward.

I try to advise that it will probably not rain or she should try bringing an umbrella nonetheless.

Even at 12, she whines. She complains. She grumbles.

I succeed in persuading her only when I say, "Hey, even the former MM wore the poncho once, at the National Day Parade a few years ago. Why can't you?"

Yes, that strikes fear in many Singaporeans, my dear daughter included!

Obediently, she folds the poncho and puts it into her bag. I win.

David Foster and Friends

2011-11-03T19:08:00.005+08:00

E was meant to be my date but backed out because of a work commitment.

Next in line, EmC, who unfortunately developed a high fever and was in no condition to attend.

I asked Ray half expecting that he would decline. Surprisingly he was game and said yes!! I clapped and danced.

We struggle to find the theater within MBS. For all the glory that is attributed to this project, the least they could do would be to invest in proper signs. And signs that are lit!

Anyways, there is a cocktail reception and I think we spot Woffles Wu! Exciting. Ray confirms my suspicion that it is Woffles, only on the basis of his picture in the weekly 8 Days.

The crowd is like a leaf out of Tatler magazine. Men in suits and ladies in lovely cocktail dresses and your latest Chanel. With champagne flutes and macaroons. Courtesy of UBS. We aren't sure we could even get water from the waiters and don't take the risk of embarrassing ourselves.

A sign at the door apologizes for two missing acts. I am just relieved that it isn't Michael Bolton!

The concert gets underway shortly after the scheduled start time of 7.30. I am impressed.

David Foster is a genius. His music is such a wonder to enjoy. I wait patiently for all the acts to run their course. The best is saved for the last. Michael. Bolton. He sings his greatest hits.

And I am just amazed by the middle aged man seated next to me, with his LV-totting wife.

He sings along to Michael Bolton!! As loudly and passionately as I do. His wife stares blankly into space (perhaps she's too embarrassed). Now, where does one find a man like this! I laugh heartily to myself. Amusing.

When at first you don't succeed ...

2011-10-31T20:24:00.009+08:00

you should try, and try again.

Or so all the sayings go.

Our first attempt at the pandan chiffon cake was a few months ago.

It was easy enough a recipe that we got off the web.

Somehow, it didn't go quite right and we ended up with a pandan cake that was a sponge cake at the top, and a salat like cake at the bottom. The kids were thrilled. At one sitting, the two of them finished off the cake. It was a complete failure, in my books, and a huge success in theirs.

Fast forward a few months and here I am trying another recipe, another one from the web.

My philosophy in searching for web-based recipes is straightforward.

It must be simple.

It must have clear instructions.

And it must list common ingredients in day-to-day parlance. No fancy terms and exotic ingredients, please.

We found one and it seemed easy enough.

I rush home from work and after a quick dinner, I head to the supermarket to buy some eggs, cake flour, pandan leaves, and coconut milk.

EmC works off the recipe that she copied from the web.

I work off the iPhone notes.

We have the same end in mind.

Alas, ours gives us plenty of room for raucous laughter. And lots of room for improvement!

I figure that we need to flatten the batter with a spatula before we put it in the oven.

We need to whisk the egg whites a lot more. Stiff peaks that are creamy and much like a meringue.

We must run a knife around the edges before emptying the baking tin onto the wire rack.

EmC, not to be defeated, claims, "I like it. It's the best pandan cake I've ever eaten."

Give me a few more months to get over the defeat. And I'll be back ... for the third time.

When hopefully we'll get the cake to look (and taste!) like the one at Bengawan Solo!

Open Season

2011-10-29T20:42:00.003+08:00

We enter with as little bias and preconceptions as possible.

We are also early just to make sure that we don't miss the principal's opening lecture.

Alas, we are roughly the first ones there. A, EmC and I. A is my daughter's classmate.

The pupils don't seem very ready but they don't seem to mind that theirs is not polished glib speeches either. Which is good.

We discover that there isn't going to be a talk by the principal. I am surprised. I suppose they would rather that parents and daughters freely roam the premises and speak to anyone and everyone.

It is a delightful visit. The pupils are happy, run around freely, and are very self-assured, confident. It is a happy place.

I get to speak to teachers and pupils and they don't speak from a script. They speak from the heart.

And true to the IJ style of doing things, the open house comes with an opportunity to shop. How can you go wrong. IJ souvenirs to raise funds for the IJ Heritage Gallery.

A and EmC each get a little IJ bear. And I get the grown-up toy, an IJ car decal. Three happy IJ girls leave the open house!

We also try out the route to the MRT station. It is a seven minute stroll under some HDB blocks.

It is all very attractive. We don't have any qualms nor reservations.

I do admit that there is, no matter how hard you try, an inherent preference and bias. But why fight it when you know that it works for you.

Just a few more weeks to go. Exciting times ahead.

I WANT COOKIE (Part 2)

2011-10-26T17:48:00.004+08:00

We have moved away from cupcakes, at least for the time being.

To ... chocolate chip cookies.

Just for the fun of it.

EmC and Ray were enthralled by the video at Joy of Baking.

We got our supplies although we were rather short of chocolate chips. 100g instead of the recommended 270g of chips. Perhaps ours is the modest, prudent, conservative version. Or the guilt-free chocolate chip cookies.

But they are huge. Really American size cookies.

My better half always has the last say in these things.

He remarks, upon seeing the cookies, "Now, these are the real cookie monsters!"

Open Season

2011-10-25T07:18:00.008+08:00

It is open house season.

One last Saturday, and another, this coming Saturday.

Plus plenty more, I'd imagine, after the PSLE results are released in late November.

We went to last week's with A and her mom. We go in one car in case there are issues with parking. We arrive at 10 a.m. thinking that it's a flexible programme. Alas, we're the last ones to arrive and the principal has just ended her spiel.

How did the rest know that you're supposed to be there at 9 sharp? Whoops.

Fortunately, the girls are handed a file and therein we find the powerpoint slides of the Principal's presentation. I am impressed that the first 75% of her slides do not mention a single A1 or academic matter. It's all about character, fun, leadership, activities beyond the classroom. Score!

We are then treated to a choir performance and a science exhibition. The choir is pretty good. I must say that it is an achievement if a choir smiles, sings, and enunciates!

We get to speak to the science teacher. She's so young and for a moment, A's mom and I think that we're looking at a student rather than teacher. She studied at MGS, and helps us understand the difference between MGS, a mission all girls' school, and the current one. She only has good things to say, and she says it honestly.

The girls are realistic, driven, and the environment is nurturing. And then she lets slip that no one is certain what might happen, moving forward.

There is to be a change in leadership. That is always a huge question mark.
A new principal from a leading junior college.

And then another variable in the equation, albeit less threatening. Possible upgrading.

We also bump into the Principal along the corridor and "interrogate" (as our daughters put it!) her about the upgrading plans. She is confident that it won't happen in the next two years but hesitates to provide assurance beyond that.

The girls seem to like the school. EmC says she'll be OK with it. Not ecstatic, but OK.

Personally, the school is considered a rival of my alma mater. But I know I need to rid myself of the animosities and move with the times. After all, from way back, we always acknowledged it to be a superior institution.

I did not make the cut for it. Perhaps EmC might. We'll see.

It's IJ Toa Payoh's open house this Saturday. I am looking forward to it. This one should be closer ... to my heart.

NOQ

2011-10-24T11:46:00.001+08:00

I confess that I first thought it was called the NOQ store, as in “Noc” spelt as NOQ, when I came across the advertisement in the Sunday Times.

Given the demise of Borders, our favourite and closest bookshop, we had to search for a substitute.

It appears that there are no real or physical bookshops left in the East, save for Sans and Reading Place, both second hand bookshops.

I thought to give NOQ a try. After looking at the name for some time, I finally figured that it meant, No Q, as in, “No queue”. This is intelligence wasted on a layman like me!

The prices are much lower than in the physical bookshops. You can even get brand new books at prices below those at second hand book stores. Which is really quite a bonus.

The catch? You’ll need to sign up as a member and pay a membership fee of $20. Plus, you’ll need to order a few books so that the $5 fixed transportation cost is spread across resulting in a lower per unit transportation charge.

And yes, there is another caveat.

You have to be patient. Certainly, you don’t have to queue to get your books. Speed is contingent upon your internet access.

But you’ll have to wait at least 10 working days for the books to arrive. Which means that you need to plan your purchases. Kinokuniya is more efficient as you’ll get the online orders delivered within 2 to 3 working days. And they will waive transportation charges if you spend more than $50.

NOQ’s prices, however, more than offset the inconveniences. EmC’s Jacqueline Wilson books are a good 40% cheaper at NOQ than Kinokuniya. And I can get mass market popular fiction at $10 per book rather than $16 - $18 at major bookstores.

I hope NOQ sticks around for a while!

I WANT COOKIE!

2011-10-22T20:42:00.004+08:00

Best thing to do on a Saturday afternoon.

Bake.

And decorate.

This time we went for Cookie Monster.

E says that EmC is early for Halloween. Maybe the blue dye will stick around until the end of the month!

10 Flags

2011-10-19T20:35:00.004+08:00

It is the booklet that I'd been looking forward to receiving for the longest time.

And I think EmC, too.

We are both keen on data, simple figures, and descriptive statistics.

Yes, just a more diplomatic way of saying "nosey pokers"!

Of course there is serious vested interest in this exercise. Probably with a lifelong impact.

The next four years of my daughter's life with impressions to shape and mould her, way into adulthood.

I know that my secondary school days are my fondest and also my most impressionable. A lot of who I am is a result of the four adolescent years.

We lounge on the sofa after dinner and read the MOE Admission to Secondary One in 2012 booklet with much fervour and interest. The regulations, first, the banding of schools next, and finally, the individual school write-ups.

We ambitiously flag nine schools that we think might make it to our list of six. I say "ambitiously" because we are literally counting our chickens before they are hatched. It is a good forty sleeps to results day after all!

For good measure, I tell EmC that we should flag 10 because it is a round number, and it symbolizes perfection. And so the last school featured in the booklet, Zhonghua, gets a flag. We laugh heartily as we complete the exercise. And I ponder silently whether we would be laughing when we actually make the selection, for real!

It is interesting to read how schools market themselves. There are only so many ways and so many adjectives you can use to describe excellence in education. Holistic, leadership, character, values, women of substance, academic excellence, value-add, all make their requisite appearances.

As it turns out, a few days after our mother-and-daughter dialogue, I see some of the flags disappear. She asserts her independence. She removes two flags and the list dwindles to eight.

OK, not perfection but eight is an auspicious number. We'll let it be.

(Yes, she removed the Zhonghua flag).

Blending in with the crowd

2011-10-19T20:17:00.004+08:00

We must look like Hong Kong folks. Take that either as a compliment or insult. Or perhaps I do have a very "concierge" aura.

We are at the Central MTR station minding our own business and buying single fare passes to get to Mong Kok.

A middle-aged lady and her elderly mother ask for help. They speak to me in Mandarin and say they are heading for 九龙(Kowloon).

Fortunately my proficient-in-Mandarin daughter interprets and we are able to get them a concessionary pass and an adult's ticket. They even hand me their coins to slot into the ticket machine. But they stopped short of inviting me to keep the change!

Still, we help them further by pointing them in the right direction to the correct platform.

They didn't ask but I wanted to tell them that we come from farther away than them, Singapore.

On another occasion, EmC and I are taking a stroll after breakfast, hoping, foolishly perhaps, to burn off the pancake calories. I point out another mother-and-daughter pair, this time European. I even whisper to EmC that the lady has a very nice dress. Pretty floral prints.

The lady smiles at me and in a Mediterranean accent asks, "Do you know how to get to the Star Ferry Terminal?"

Coincidentally, EmC and I were there a day earlier and having studied the map of our hotel's vicinity, we could provide directions like professionals.

Both pairs were mother-and-daughter tourists. I remark to EmC that perhaps in the future that would be us. Going on holiday together. With EmC paying, of course.

I couldn't resist asking her, "Eh, next time you will bring Mummy on holiday, right?"

Without hesitating, her answer comes, fast and furious, "Sure, if I have money."

And then after a pause, she adds, "Maybe Universal Studios Sentosa."

Oh well, I can make that my virgin ride on the Battlestar Galactica roller coaster!

Disney 5

2011-10-17T21:58:00.012+08:00

Disneyland is five.

In Hong Kong.

And today we made our second-ever visit to Disneyland. The last time we were here, it was 2007.

And since Disney HK is five, perhaps I should make five points about our day out there.

1) Candy floss is much better to devour in Hong Kong than Singapore. Simply because the weather is not humid and the candy floss stays as floss and not turn into damp, sticky, syrupy candy! EmC took her time with the floss and it was good right to the end. She could even mould and shape the floss and her fingers remained clean and dry. What a pleasant surprise! But I won't ever give Singapore's weather up ... the moisture in the air is a boon for our aging skin!

2) My daughter is a closet feminist. She likes Minnie Mouse. When I asked her why, her answer was straightforward and simple.

"Because Minnie is the female version."

OK, I can't argue with that.

We queued up for 30 minutes to get the three seconds of fame with fellow female Minnie. There was even a change of Minnies while we were in line. EmC and I were waging if the Minnies were the same. I was adamant that they were different. I had a good look at the legs. Second Minnie had slimmer legs. ;)

Minnie - the skinny legs version

3) We can be Minnie too.

Or at least our shadows might qualify? Especially, and only, actually, with respect to the long legs! Of course, with the help of the evening light. We were so glad when evening came, because it brought respite from the heat. It is not fun visiting Disneyland in the heat. I cannot imagine how Universal Studios in Singapore survives. I'd hesitate to go because the heat there is a great put-off.

4) You don't always have to be first to get the best seats (or standing room) in the house. We were late to the parade and ended up at the section of the park where the floats first make their appearance. It is much like waiting in the wings of the stage. We saw everything first hand. It was a thrill.

We could go quite up close to one of EmC's favourite characters, Woody.

5) You can go to Disneyland and get your PSLE score prediction.

We enjoyed the game, Astro Blasters (from Toy Story) best. We went a total of NINE times! A real catharsis, I can tell you that. Shooting the aliens with the blasters. I was somehow very good at it, reaching Level 3 within a few attempts.

EmC was quite sore about losing and invested her time in spinning the space rider instead, hoping to throw me off the sharp shooting!

Here's a snapshot of her highest score (mine was more than 500,000!).

I told her that it could jolly well be a prediction of her PSLE T-score. She wasn't impressed!

"Huh, like that ah. If really like that then must go to KC already."

Let's see. If it truly turns out as per our Astro Blaster score, we might have a useful predictor to market to 40,000 parents next year and the next, and the next, ..., or as Buzz would say, "To infinity and beyond!"

Hong Kong-Day 2

2011-10-16T20:40:00.008+08:00

We certainly did a lot today!!

1) Buffet Breakfast
It was a spread of both Western and Asian cuisines. It was delicious, especially the pancakes. They were made freshly on the spot. You simply had to press a button (yes, and wait 60 seconds) and you have a hot, nice pancake to enjoy...

2) Ferry Ride
After breakfast, we made our way to the ferry pier, which was a 5-minute walk from our hotel. Our intention was to take the ferry for fun as I had never taken one before. The pier was packed with both tourists and office staff making their way from Kowloon to Wan Chai. Surprisingly, though, the ferry was spacious and there was sufficent space for everyone. Personally, I did not really enjoy the ride as I could not stand the constant rocking of the ferry. However, the view of the waves and the skyline was amazing.

3) Johnston Road
Our original plan was to go to the Pedder Building to shop, as we had found out on the internet that affordable branded goods were being sold there. It was stated (or at least that's what we thought) that the building was on Johnston Road. Unfortunately, after walking the whole length of the extremely long Johnston Road, we could not find the building. The walk was not all wasted though. We purchased a pair of affordable Adidas sports shoes for myself along the way.

4) Jade Garden Restaurant
This was actually the only reason we took a 4-hour-long flight to Hong Kong. During our previous visit some 4 years ago, we patronised this restaurant and the food was irresistible. Since we were in the vicinity of Lockhart Road, we decided to have lunch at that branch of the restaurant. I had originally assumed that Lockhart Road was a narrow alley, but it turned out, to my dismay, to be an extremely long road, not unlike Johnston Road! Still, once we finally reached the destination and feasted on the long-anticipated cuisine, we felt that the long walk was worth it. Here are pictures of the food we ordered:

Har Kau

Chee Cheong Fun

Siew Mai

And of course, the tau huay.

5) The Pedder Building
After going back to the hotel and checking the useful internet, we found out that we had wrongly read the location of the Pedder Building and that it was located at Pedder Street, not Johnston Road. We decided to make our way there, but disappointingly, the goods sold there were of little variety and prices were certainly not low. We left empty-handed.

6) Tung Choi Street Ladies' Market
From there, we made our way to Mong Kok to shop at the Ladies' Market. There was a wide array of items and we purchased many small but cute souvenirs and items. The downside was that it was packed like sardines and there was an unpleasant smell of cigarette smoke in the air.

7) Dinner
By the time we finished shopping, it was already dark and we were feeling hungry,so we made our way to a nearby restaurant. Initially, we could not understand the menu as all the dishes were in traditional Chinese, but thankfully they also had an English menu for tourists like us. We ordered an egg dish, Chinese beef steak and some vegetables. The food was good and after eating, we left for the hotel.

We will be heading for Disneyland tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates!

Guest blogger (again): EmC

Why am I here?

2011-10-16T20:01:00.008+08:00

No, this isn't a philosophical question.

It is a simple question, with a simple answer.

I am in Hong Kong only because of the tau huay. And I have to learn to call it as per the residents, dou fu fa.

We walked all of Lockhart Road this morning before getting to Causeway Bay Plaza 2. To Jade Garden, one of the restaurants of the Maxim's group.

We ordered the usual dim sum and also asked about the tau huay. Initially, I was rather upset that I couldn't find it on the menu. But since we'd already travelled all this distance, I didn't see any harm in asking.

The waiter could understand me (that I consider an achievement!) but explained that the serving was large. He was afraid that we might not be able to finish. I didn't give up and we insisted on ordering the dessert.

When it arrived, we finally understood what he meant. I think the restaurant must have learnt from our last visit four years ago when our family of four had six bowls of tau huay.

Instead of separate servings, the tau huay was brought to the table, in a barrel!

We had repeated servings but no regrets. We just had to spend the afternoon walking it off along Hennessy Road.

Hong Kong-Day 1

2011-10-15T20:56:00.004+08:00

As mentioned in the previous post, we only reached the hotel at 4.20pm. To begin with, we could not find the socket for the internet cable. So we had to wait an additional 5 minutes before the housekeeper came to our assistance.

Finally, all was settled and we could start our proper holiday in Hong Kong. We wandered around Tsimshatsui, which is the area around the hotel we are staying at. Many of the stores selling luxury items were packed and many even had queues outside the shop to control the crowd. We decided on H&M, since there was no queue, and there is only 1 outlet in Singapore which, being newly opened, is usually crowded. A wide variety of clothes was on display and there was an ongoing sale, which explained the extremely low prices. In the end, we left the store with some affordable items.

Along the way, we spotted this. Looks familiar? It certainly brought back memories of the elections.

We were feeling rather hungry, since the last time we ate was in the plane en route to Hong Kong, so we decided to make our way to the Jade Garden restaurant to feast on some dimsum, but to our sheer disappointment, the restaurant had just stopped serving it. Deciding to come back the next day, we began looking for an alternative restaurant.

As we were walking, we came across a Gong Cha stall, which we patronise in Singapore every weekend without fail. Of course, we were delighted as we did not expect it to be in Hong Kong.

We eventually chose a small restaurant serving all kinds of local food such as congee, noodles and a selection of dimsum. We ordered beef congee with egg and a serving of har kau (prawn dumplings). The congee was a little bland, but with the help of a dash of pepper, the problem was solved and the meal was delicious. The har kau was exceptionally good - succulent and tasty.

Our original plan was to buy Gong Cha after dinner, but seeing the long queue which snaked outside the shop, we decided against it and made our way back to the hotel to plan our next day! Stay tuned to this blog for updates on Day 2.

Guest blogger: EmC

Er, it there a sale?

2011-10-15T19:47:00.006+08:00

Is it a queue for free Hello Kittys with your McDonald's meal?

Or a queue for Phase 3 of Primary 1 registration?

Could it be a new property launch promising state-of-the-art facilities?

None of the above.

It's the regular Saturday crowd in Kowloon.

Folks joining the queue to stack up on luxury brand goods.

And mind you, there truly wasn't a sale going on.

I was quite amused. And of course we didn't join the queue.

We ended up at the mass market H & M instead. Only because it was truly having a sale.

Oh, and also because we have a better chance of getting in here than in Singapore!

Hello Hongkong

2011-10-15T19:33:00.004+08:00

Yes, we're here! After a very long journey, I'll have to say.

First it was a half-hour delay at Changi as our A380 had to await its turn to use the runway. As the captain put it, it was rush hour at Changi.

And then we were seated in the main deck, right at the rear of the plane. Together with a bunch of 31 rich, affluent, eloquent students from an international school in Singapore. Suffice to say that it's the international school in Singapore with two branches and the longest waiting list.

It was extremely noisy in the aircraft. Throughout the four hours. They only stopped talking when they had to use their mouth for something else - EAT!

When we were at immigration, we queued behind one of the 31 students and I found out the purpose of their trip - trekking, in Hongkong. I was quite tempted to ask if he meant "talking" instead! When it was my turn, the immigration officer asked if I were the teacher! It would have been a hardship posting, I'll tell you that.

And then when we got to the airport shuttle counter where we were supposed to be picked up and ferried to the hotel, the personnel there said they didn't have our records. Right. What luck. He made a few phone calls, punched a few keys on his keyboard and eventually allowed us to follow the crowd to the bus bay.

Where we were told to leave the terminal and approach the bus. And where the bus driver said he wasn't going to our hotel even though the travel agency staff was quite sure we were getting onto the right bus. In true HK hospitality, we were told to "take the next bus".

The drama didn't end there. We arrive at the hotel, queue to check-in, and are told by the front counter staff, "Oh, your booking has been cancelled by the travel agency."

Now, how does one respond to that. I was quite tempted to say, OK, and walk across to the Peninsula, the premium hotel in HK. How about that!

We were asked to take a seat while she sorted it out. It was a 20-minute wait!

Eventually, she explained that our Singapore travel agency (the Windy one, you go figure out!) had cancelled our booking and then made a repeat booking through another middleman.

By the time we got to the room, it was already 4.20 p.m. That's a total of nine hours to get from home to HK! It's almost like having taken a slow boat to China!

OK, I'm supposed to be on holiday and happy. Let the fun (and indulging!) begin!

Best?

2011-10-12T07:28:00.007+08:00

It is hailed as the best mee siam in Singapore by the press and online. It is actually near where we live but we never got around to going there because, well, there are numerous food options available. That, and the fact that we are quite creatures of habit.

But I happened to be in between errands and was a bit peckish. So I decided to pop in. The decision was also an easy one because the parallel parking lot was spacious.

The Royals cafe is quaint, clean, and cool. You also get a nice view of Upper East Coast Road if the popular magazines on the racks don't interest you. I was there at tea time so the crowd was thin and service was prompt.

Their signature "nonya" mee siam was served with a side saucer of sambal and lime.

The chilli heroine in me scooped all the sambal into the dish, and I squeezed the lime to get as much juice as possible.

I tucked in.

It was only OK. I was quite disappointed. It is palatable but to be crowned the best in Singapore is really stretching it way too far.

The gravy is lemak but my definition of mee siam is a gravy of tau cheo, assam, and large onions, amidst fragrant sambal. Without santan. I therefore found it too rich for my liking.

The finer touches were also missing. Tau pok rather than tau kwa, frozen rather than fresh prawns (there were only 2), and a sprinkling of ku chye rather than a generous serve.

I could only conclude that good mee siam is only available at home. A lot of hard work and tedious steps. But only then can you get it just right.

Nothing like home-made mee siam!

Picture taken off www.soshiok.com. Actual dish doesn't quite look like this, except for the side saucer of lime and sambal!

Prata

2011-10-11T07:25:00.005+08:00

To satisfy a craving for something to kick start the day.

Many would turn to exercise, the cup of coffee, the morning papers.

But I prefer good old prata. Served with two choices of curry gravy.

Accompanied by a cup of frothy tea.

Ah, the slightly good life.

Indian Curry House

2011-10-10T19:04:00.002+08:00

It was Ray's turn to pick eateries last weekend.

I mentioned the Indian restaurant that I spotted while walking along Upper East Coast Road on an earlier occasion. Surprisingly, he was happy to go along with my suggestion. I was ecstatic to break away from the usual grub that kids pick, i.e. fast food!

We were there before the dinner crowd. There were already two tables occupied. We took that as a promising sign of good food.

We were not disappointed. The food was good, the service fine, but the wait for the food was rather protracted. It didn't help that we were all famished.

The wait was made slightly easier by papadams served with mango and mint chutney. The papadams were conical shape. Quite aesthetically pleasing. It helped, too, that they were freshly made.

We ordered the usual north Indian spread suitable for the Chinese palate - butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and aloo gobi.

All served daintily in Indian cutlery - petite metal bowls that betrayed their potential. The servings when dug deep were plentiful!

The highlight for our children was the sheesh kebab. Fragrantly skewered and served with a fresh onion salad.

The kids also enjoyed the naans - butter and garlic.

And my simple husband loved the most basic, rice. He did declare that it was basmati rice, though. Probably this man really knows his grains!

Indian Curry House
27 Upper East Coast Road

La la la la ...

2011-10-09T17:43:00.012+08:00

it's Elmo's world!

After two baking sessions with Tess, EmC was ready to progress to more challenging recipes.

She asked to bake and decorate Elmo cupcakes.

Of course, our first source of information - the internet.

EmC will make a typical Nonya matriarch. She already qualifies by being the first born female Peranakan in our household. And she's going to live up to that, I am assured. She looks at the batter in the mixer (of course, in the days of old, she'd be holding a whisk and beating the batter!), takes a whiff and confidently comments, "This is not right. The colour is not right. Something is missing."

Of course I dismissed her notion feeling certain that we followed the recipe. But just to amuse her, I read the ingredients out loud again, and she was actually right. We'd forgotten to add the sugar.

Trust me, this girl knows her stuff. She was also able to recite the recipe by heart, despite having only baked cupcakes twice - 150g butter, 150 sugar, 175g self-raising flour, 3 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence. A modern Nonya because in the old days, it would be like a kati of this or that, and some of this, and a pinch of that. Measurements are now more scientific and precise!

She's also very hands-on. She doesn't fret about getting her hands dirty and greasy with the batter. She tells me that she likes the smell of butter. Patiently, she divides the mixture into the twelve moulds.

We proceed to create Elmo's mouth by halving Oreo cookies. Ray pitches in by spreading away the filling.

It is also wonderful to see them cooperate at weighing the icing sugar. Ray isn't very familiar with the scale yet and reads incorrectly. His elder sister (again the matriarch) corrects him.

We make the butter cream frosting and realise that it takes really quite a lot to get the frosting to an Elmo-red. Even a few spoonfuls of Wilton Christmas Red gel colouring are not sufficient. We give up after a while when the frosting turns reasonably red. Ray consoles, "Never mind, imagine it is a faded Elmo!"

EmC learns to use the piping bag. She is thrilled when she manages pretty flowers (and a lot of red on her sleeves and arms!).

The kids jostle and fight over the easiest step. Putting the orange M & M on the cupcakes. Incidentally, if you're going to try this recipe, you'll need to buy two packets of M & Ms because orange M & Ms are rare - just six per packet!

We are all quite proud of our handiwork. We laugh when Ray remarks, "Yes, they look like Elmo. But you do need a lot of imagination."

Oh well, it was fun anyways.

Cookie monster's next.

Today's bake

2011-10-05T19:49:00.005+08:00

EmC was baking away again, with Tess.

Lots and lots of icing sugar!

We got new colours. Pastels.

I think the colour is very sweet and infant, kind of reminds me of local attap chee ice cream.

I like her designs.

Although I cannot say the same about her cupcakes!

The cupcake looks quite scary, but is probably one of the best I've eaten. Light, fluffy, tasty.

If looks didn't count, we could go into business!

Brain Food Recipe

2011-10-05T19:27:00.014+08:00

Since Katiemom asked and being the one of my blog's grand total of three readers (myself included!), I cannot but oblige. And happy to do so.

The recipe for steamed fish.

Ingredients
Garoupa fillet
Ginger slices
2 garlic cloves
1 chilli padi, sliced
Coriander
Tai Hua Seafood soy sauce
2 tablespoons of water
Juice from 2 Thai limes

1. Place garoupa fillet (standard FairPrice slice, about $7) on plate. Place ginger slices on fish. Use as much or as little ginger as you like.

2. Steam fillet for about 6 minutes.

3. While steaming fillet, prepare sauce by combining seafood sauce, water, chilli slices, chopped garlic in a saucepan/little pot. Bring to boil.

4. Remove fillet from steamer. Drain water from the plate (that helps to remove the "fishiness").

5. Add lime juice to the sauce from (3). Pour sauce over the fish.

6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

It's Over!

2011-10-05T07:35:00.004+08:00

She tells me repeatedly, "Mummy, I am so happy."

When I ask her why, she responds by saying that it is the first time in a very long time that she doesn't have any homework and doesn't have to study.

She is quite at a loss as this is all very new to her.

She surfs the web, goes on Facebook, plays a computer game or two but she is not engaged. She is still bored.

Tess bakes a butter cake and the two of them roll out some fondant and decorate the cake. EmC is also handed the icing piping and decorates the cake further.

She is thrilled and has a good time. It looks like they will try some variations tomorrow. I silently wonder who's going to eat all that cake!

I tease if she would like to buy Secondary 1 textbooks. She actually accepts the offer! And so, as the most kiasu family in Singapore, we head to Popular and purchase the secondary one English text. After going through the other subjects' texts. I personally don't believe I am doing this and won't blame you for admonishing us as crazy! I fully agree.

Three months of sheer unadulterated bliss.

Surviving the PSLE

2011-10-05T07:29:00.001+08:00

Here are tips for surviving the national exams. As a parent!

1) Network - speak to other parents. We have a neighbour going through the ordeal for the third time. She has the experience and the war scars. She still frets over it. Each child is different and each child brings his/her idiosyncratic woes.

2) Work with another parent. I am fortunate that my co-worker's daughter, a grand three days older than EmC, is in the same boat. We trade notes, essays, questions, and horror stories.

3) Read - And I don't even mean textbooks, assessment papers, and guidebooks. While EmC worked on her papers, I sat close by to provide moral support. And whiled away the time reading Sophie Kinsella's. I finished three in the Shopaholic series during the intense revision. Light reading and lots of laugh-out-loud moments. Quite a life saver and stress alleviator.

4) Browse the internet - a parent-tutor's best friend. I used it primarily for science. Images of various plants and animals. Especially when your child has issues differentiating between dragonfly and grasshopper, duck and platypus, primate and human (skeleton).

Now that it is over, I heave a humongous sigh of relief. At least until results day draws close and the nerves go into over-drive again.

What's worse is that henceforth, for the next eight years, there will be a major national exam for us every alternate year!

2013 - Ray's PSLE

2015 - EmC's "O" levels

2017 - Ray's "O" levels and EmC's "A" levels

2019 - Ray's "A" levels

Help!

De-tour

2011-10-02T19:27:00.005+08:00

There must be a blacklist out there.

And we're on it.

That we are horrible travel companions.

Despite Europe being the top destination at the recent NATAS fair and sales at the fair being higher than last year, the tour agency we picked doesn't have enough folks to operate the package we bought. There are a miserly eight passengers and the minimum required is 15.

We are offered other packages to Europe but either the dates aren't suitable or the destinations aren't on our wish list.

I make a trip to Chinatown, to the tour company, to sort this out.

I try for an Insight tour. Paris and Rome. Great dates but a thin itinerary signalling huge out-of-pocket expenses for additional tours. Plus our national airline doesn't fly out of Rome daily which means extension and additional expenses to the bottom line.

I switch to London and Paris. Better flight timings. But it adds up to $17K and I literally get a shock. We aren't exactly swimming in cash nor assets!

Ultimately, we settle for a tour package that already has sufficient numbers. It also fits our travel window period nicely.

And it is to where we wanted to go to last year but plans then were thwarted because flights were full.

To the land of the Lord of the Rings. No one in our family has watched the movie but EmC is keen on seeing a real sheep. That's good enough justification!

So, to those who have signed up for the NZ tour, beware. We promise to be on time but we cannot promise that the snores on the coach rides will be muted!

50-50

2011-09-30T17:26:00.003+08:00

We are almost there.

The feeling of freedom is quite palpable.

Yet, the half-empty, half-full feeling is so difficult to manage.

We are happy that two papers are done with (regardless of outcome), and yet we are frustrated that there are two more to go.

She's tired, sluggish, and plain exhausted. There's only so much cramming that one can do.

It's so full that she hesitates to shake her head lest some nugget of knowledge slips out!

So she's online now and we're going out for dinner tonight. A sort of mini-celebration!

We're such party animals.

One down ...

2011-09-29T17:46:00.005+08:00

and normally, the happy one would say, three more to go.

But she's actually down.

She thought the picture composition was rather questionable and we hope that her ideas are accepted by the examiner. It was rather hard to tell if the elephant sprayed the water because it was provoked or if there might be other possibilities?

She thought pain was "substantial" when it should have been "pronounced".

She felt that the comprehension passage was difficult and the answers weren't straightforward.

I know she's trying to keep her spirits up to get through the remaining papers but it is indeed a mental challenge.

Math is notorious for being the killer paper. That doesn't help. Really.

Brain Food

2011-09-28T19:14:00.005+08:00

I know now, how advertising works.

When you see the advertisements at bus stops.

Perfect IB scores.

Top PSLE scores.

All because the kids have consumed Chicken Essence.

Not sure about the brands because both produce top pupils.

I used to mock at these endorsements, believing them to be taken with a pinch of salt.

These couple of weeks, though, I've been tempted, and almost succumbed to the clever (excuse the pun!) marketing.

Perhaps a bottle or two might boost her score.

The only reason I didn't act on the whim?

Because I am not sure that a) she'll drink it as the taste is an unknown quantity; and b) it will have an adverse effect (think allergy, heatiness, stomach upset).

So I resisted.

But since it's the eve of the examinations, and she requested fish, I drove to FairPrice to get the freshest slice of greasy red garoupa.

Steamed with sliced ginger.

Dressed with soya sauce, chilli padi, minced garlic, coriander and Thai lime juice.

And like the spoilt child, she had the entire fillet to herself. I was allowed a tiny morsel.

My mum says that fish is good protein for math skills.

Maybe we'll see the picture above at bus stops next year around this time.

Yah, right.

48 hours ...

2011-09-27T19:36:00.006+08:00

and I'm wondering whether I'm more stressed than she is.

The study is in a huge mess.

I spend the entire afternoon going through sums with her. Sums that she did previously, but has long forgotten how to answer them.

These are of course the challenging questions that take me time to figure out.

It's really rather worse than work. I can feel the mental drain.

Three decades since I did my PSLE and so much has changed.

I can't wait for this to be over, and then a two-year break before the next one!

Incriminating Evidence

2011-09-26T19:49:00.001+08:00

It was the regular once-a-week treat for the kids.

For their fix of MSG.

In the form of instant noodles. Try as we may, the kids can't do without it and going for more than a week without could result in
serious withdrawal symptoms!

As a dutiful but not necessarily responsible mother, I offered to help cook the noodles as Tess was out marketing.

We keep our noodles in the storeroom, amidst of stash of canned food, and other supplies. Plus our junk, suitcases, and possibly all rejected and long-forgotten Christmas presents.

It is dark, dingy, and cramped in the store. We know for a fact that in addition to our barang-barang, there must be other unknowns thriving in there. But just as I am inclined to sweep a lot of things under the carpet, I also close my eyes to the creatures that definitely lie in there. I can only
imagine them coming around and having a party each night (and perhaps even day!).

Nonetheless I still felt the goosebumps when I examined the packet of instant bee hoon. A gaping hole in the packaging. Very rough edges around the hole.

Yikes.

Someone or something got to the instant bee hoon before us.

And it definitely prefers noodles to bee hoon, judging by the size of the entry point!

Clearly the cockroaches and our children belong to the same generation. The instant noodles generation!!

Water Works

2011-09-25T13:15:00.008+08:00

It is all so cliched.

Make hay while the sun shines.

A bad workman blames his tools.

The kitchen tap was misbehaving. I lifted the lever and was blessed by a generous splash of water on my face and body.

Certainly enough to wake me up!

The problem was caused by the water filter system that didn't fit well with the tap. A case of slightly distorted grooves on the faucet and a misfit with the filtration system. Give it some pressure and the water squirts freely everywhere except into the sink.

I resolve to nip the problem in the butt.

Yes, less than a week before the PSLE when time is of the essence and time would be better spent on helping EmC.

But leaking taps are a pressing issue too, right?

I proceed to Hoe Kee with the faulty tap and good filtration system in hand.

They seem to have experienced the problem before and the salesgirl isn't impressed by my water antics. She is rather lackadaisical as she tells me I have a choice of three taps.

I pick the simplest.

We head home and begin an afternoon's adventure. We struggle to disassemble the existing system. It proves insurmountable.

We also make the mistake of not turning off the mains. And again we treat ourselves to a water wonderland. No fun.

As luck would have it, there are renovations going on at the neighbour's. We don't have a wrench of the correct size and are greatly hampered. The bolt would not give. I persuade Tess to go next door to ask the contractors for a larger wrench.

The workers happily oblige.

Alas the larger wrench does little to unbolt the old faucet.

E pops over and helps himself to a pair of pliers from the workers' toolbox.

Still no luck. It is worse than a dead knot.

E tells me, mostly out of desperation, "Er, I think there is an uncle next door fixing the plumbing. Maybe he can help."

I ask, "Malaysian uncle is it?"

He gives me a puzzled and mostly exasperated look that says, "So what and who cares!"

I urge E to go over. As with any other man, E hesitates to ask for assistance.

He gives an excuse that the plumber might not speak English (E is bilingual, but in English and Malay).

Right, like my Mandarin is going to get us very far. But I relent because we are not getting anywhere on our own.

The plumber uncle asks a few questions. Like if we already have a new tap. Like where we are staying.

He comes over after five minutes with a few tools.

He looks at our system and the work-in-progress and smiles.

He tells us that the plastic bolt is inferior. That our connecting pipe is twisted.

He goes back and gets a few odds and ends.

He positions himself, fiddles with his tools. He doesn't even look as he nudges the bolts and pipes. He asks if the angle of the faucet is suitable.

It takes all of five minutes.

Done.

E and I laugh heartily, probably more in relief than anything else. We'd seized the day.

After we pay the uncle a token sum, E says that the uncle is an expert only insofar as he is equipped with the proper tools.

Right, blame it all on the tools.

Now the tap is such a joy to turn on. Ah, time to get back to the real work. PSLE!

Dilemma

2011-09-23T10:07:00.002+08:00

She cannot decide if she should go to school or stay home.

I teach her to weigh the costs and benefits.

She lists the benefits of staying home - revision, and maximization of time.

She lists the costs of staying home - missing out on more worksheets.

She is also challenged by the ethics of it. She who has not illegitimately skipped school in her entire academic career. Quite a feat, I'd say.

As a mother, I ought to counsel her and teach her the right and moral thing to do. The straight and narrow path of righteousness and principles.

As a mother, I also see the stress and its toll on my offspring. I do my own mental cost and benefit calculations. And I stand firm in my rationalization.

Now, if only I could also skip work and cite stress as the ailment!

Sigh

2011-09-22T18:49:00.003+08:00

It is so sad that I am almost resorting to TPL's catch phrase: "I don't know what to say."

It is absolutely outrageous that I realize today that my core values are not congruent with the core mission of my job!

I am deluded. I am shocked. I am shaken.

It is tragic that I cannot express my views in any other forum as the opinions will not be appreciated.

Nasty.

A bug that will not dissipate.

Mull over it, sleep over it, ponder deeply.

Quit, quit, quit.

Alas, I cannot.

Fostering Friends

2011-09-21T07:57:00.003+08:00

OK, so I know a little bit about David Foster and the songs he writes.

But not so much as to pay a bit to watch him in Singapore.

It's his "friends" whom he fosters that I am interested in. In particular, one friend.

Michael Bolton.

Yes! Again.

How can I resist.

David Foster will be having two concerts in November. With friends.

I am anxious because I want to make sure that Foster's friends are the same for both nights.

The last time Dick Lee had a concert with his friends, I bought tickets because I thought I could catch Jonathan Leong, Dick's friend. Alas, it was his other Singapore Idol friend for the night that I had tickets.

I found out only at the last minute and of course I was upset. I made a nasty phone call and got my money back.

Once bitten, twice shy.

I call Sistic and ask them, several times, if Michael Bolton will sing on either or both nights. The operator says, "That is a good question."

He puts me on hold and comes back and assures me that David has the same friends, both nights.

I don't detect much confidence in his tone. I question, "Who did you check with?"

He tells me it is the manager who assures. A nameless, incognito manager.

I ask if I can have it in writing.

Anal.

He tells me I can try to write in.

Yah, right.

I buy the tickets nonetheless.

Perhaps I should really get it in black and white!

By the way, I also have tickets to Elton John's. No questions asked.

Flying Solo (2)

2011-09-19T09:49:00.003+08:00

And so the piano exam came and went.

It was rather uneventful, in retrospect. But of course, the stress on exam day was palpable, both for Ray and me! Although I can't understand why the adult in me doesn't surface and come to grips with such situations.

Especially when I tell myself that I don't even remember what the children got last year. That should signify that these things are not the most important in life. Then again, ..., just who am I kidding.

Ray says that he liked the way he played his pieces. His sight reading was OK, aural wasn't as difficult, but he really messed up his scales. Quite a few of them. I think he was very nervous.

To add salt to the wound, the piano teacher tells him that all her other students did very well.

I suppose she needs someone at the tail end of the curve (I mean, lower end!) to balance things out and provide a normal distribution.

What I found most amusing about the piano exam was the car park at The Adelphi. Do you know that it goes all the way down to Basement 5! How apt that Ray was taking his Grade 5 exam.

I was thinking aloud, "Wow, we're going so far down. We're probably already touching the MRT tracks!"

Two more weeks to results. Two more weeks to the end of PSLE! I don't know which one I cannot wait for!

Science Lesson

2011-09-12T04:40:00.001+08:00

E hardly sends me text messages. We are quiet like that.

So it must have been important enough for him to send me the following on the way to work one morning:

We couldn't figure out why the town council would chop down the trees lining the edge of the block. The trees served to provide much needed shade and shelter.

One evening, as the kids and I returned from the supermarket, we met Mr G, a neighbour who lives on the 17th floor.

He is the unofficial estate gardener. A former seaman, he is probably making up for years spent away from land. He ploughs the small plot of land near our block. It is a pleasant gathering place for the retirees.

Since we consider him the resident expert on all things green, I decided to ask him about the brutal massacre of trees lining the car park. After all, E had been speculating the reasons so I had to put it to rest. I have never seen my significant other so perturbed about what is to me a non-event.

Mr. G informed during our 15-second lift ride up to our apartment that the town council uprooted the row of trees. The trees were planted on a hump next to a drain. Each time there was a heavy downpour soil would be washed into the drain. The drain would be choked by the grains of earth. They found mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant drain water. Horrors.

To make matters worse, the trees also had heavy fruit. One car's windscreen was shattered by a falling fruit.

They were reasons enough to uproot the trees, flatten the humps, and then to plant suitable trees. We'll see.

After the science lesson I seized the opportunity to highlight the concepts the kids could glean from a practical situation.

EmC was thrilled that she got to hear about a real-life soil erosion case. She also learned about man and his environment in the case of the heavy fruit shattering windscreen.

Ray clearly also wanted a share of the learning points.

He asked, "Mummy, so the blocked drains downstairs must have caused the floods in Orchard Road, right?"

Yes, son. The whole world revolves around us and our drains in Kembangan! Statistically, extrapolation is useful but this certainly stretches it a bit too far, in all ways!

All files are equal ...

2011-09-11T08:50:00.004+08:00

but some files are more equal than others.

We bought the 2011 prelim exam papers from the usual shop at Marine Parade. It is amazing that they can put together the questions and answers within weeks of the exams. $40 for the full set of four subjects. Quite a steal.

The complementary goods that we bought included two lever arch files and some file dividers EmC doesn't have strong administrative skills. She does papers and they are subsequently discarded haphazardly in her bedroom or our study.

Marking schemes are likewise tucked into corners, folders, or files unpredictably.

So I thought she should at least try to manage a filing system that makes for easier referencing and revising, closer to the exams.

I help to sort the question papers from the solutions. I staple and punch. I file. I am proud of my handiwork. It seems like such a success.

EmC says she wants to work on one of the papers. She puts the lever arch file on her lap.

Suddenly I hear a loud snap.

She successfully and forcefully rips the rings apart. Lever be gone!

With the strength exuded, she breaks the lever and forces the rubber washer at the end of lever to fly out of its comfort zone onto the floor.

The file was barely in our possession for two grand hours. It was quite destroyed.

She claims that all her files work on the same mechanism. Pull apart the rings. Access granted.

She learns today about the lever concept. She discovers that not all files are equal.

Fortunately I manage to fix the lever although the mechanism doesn't restore to factory condition. The rings are no longer precisely aligned. But it will have to do.

To look at it positively perhaps I should say that she is destined for greater things.

Hopefully she will command a position in her career that guarantees that someone (or better yet, an entire team!) will assist her in filing!

I do have the knack of looking at things positively (or imaginatively!)

The Seven Wonders

2011-09-09T18:03:00.001+08:00

This is probably going to sound very extravagant but it is probably also one of the few things that is keeping me sane during this stressful period of exams and more exams.

And they aren't even my exams. Actually, if they were mine, at least I would have more control over them.

What's keeping me going that has blown the bank account to tiny fragments?

Trips to seven countries in the last quarter of 2011.

I feel that I deserve it. Because the year has been dreadful and challenging - office politics, leadership regime change, generational gap, vehicular issues, to list a few.

So it will be Hong Kong with EmC because we all know that she is the most industrious 12-year-old in Singapore who needs a holiday.

Kuching with E for 1.5 decades of being hitched to me.

Indonesia for work where I know for a fact that I'll stare the notebook screen silly writing tomes of proceedings.

And a compressed European tour of Holland, Belgium, France, and London with the folks.

I am counting down!

Flying Solo

2011-09-07T19:19:00.004+08:00

Ray has two music exams in these two months. Practical next week, and theory next month.

He tells me that he is more nervous than usual.

Because he doesn't have his usual partner-in-crime, his sister, with him. EmC is not taking any music exam this year. The PSLE more than meets any exam quota you can imagine.

The exam studio is at a different location from past venues. It seems like the Board doesn't allow repeats?

We are now scheduled to take the exam in the city. That is quite a distance to travel.

We were there on Sunday for the trial. The room is small, about 8 sqm. The examiner's table is a foldable table, not unlike those you see at make-shift durian stalls along Geylang.

The piano is a Yamaha and doesn't seem to me like an examination model only because it is short. Or perhaps I am wrong since I'll be the first to admit that I know scarce about these technicalities.

Ray is afraid that the piano is very shrill and loud. To my untrained ear, it sounds quite musical and bell-like.

Well, he is certainly incentivized to do well, if only to be at the same grade as his sister next year. Catch-up time.

Doubling Up

2011-09-04T20:40:00.005+08:00

Four weeks before the PSLE.

EmC turns to me and grumbles, "I am least prepared for English. And my comprehension is bad."

As proven by Preliminary Exam marks for English.

So what does a concerned parent do?

Ask about assessment books!

She has a grand total of THREE!

Compared to the stash that she has for other subjects, three is more than meagre.

She wants me to buy more supplementary books. I grouse about the money, jokingly.

She is flummoxed.

"Other parents would willingly buy more books. You are so unsupportive."

Of course, mostly in jest.

So off to Popular to look for miracle aids.

And the single trip resulted in doubling her stock of English assessment/guide books from three to six!

Impressive. Now if only the marks would also double.

McDonald's Siglap

2011-09-03T14:32:00.005+08:00

We keep a roster of weekend meal choices.

Each member gets a choice and we rotate week after week.

Whenever it's EmC's turn, it's McD's.

So it was four weeks between visits to McD's at Siglap.

Our recent trip there brought a surprise. In the form of a newly renovated McD's restaurant.

It is very pleasing to the eye. But I am not so sure about function over form.

70% of the seats are now bar stool counter types.

Which leaves 30% of seats as standard tables and chairs.

Older folks will definitely not want to climb the bar stools and risk pulling a muscle or worse, losing their balance.

Families with little ones that require baby chairs won't be able to use the high bar stool counter tops.

I wonder what the interior designer had in mind.

Granted, not many older folks dine at McD's by choice. If they go, it's only because of their grandkids.

But young families must be McD's target clientele?

I suspect that they will need to re-look and renovate again, soon.