Comings&Goings

Every so often we meet up with family members breezing in for overnight stay with us. Not for a quick get away but to seek medical consultation/opinion here. MIL & Dad spent 1 month with us when they had their surgery done. FIL travels over every so often to see the nephrologist while Mum&Dad would spent a week when he is here to see the nephrologist & Orthopedic surgeon. Aunts & uncles/family friends occasionally, for a second medical opnion. Of late, SIL has been shuttling in and out of spore for her pilate course & workout to ease her back spasm. It's a pleasure to have families over but would be even better if it was under different circumstances.

Hoya

First spotted this plant while on a trip to Bentong, Pahang 3 years ago. Heart shape succulent leaves. Later searching through the www, found that Hoya, are native plants of the tropical countries esp in Msia and Thailand. Need little care, minimal watering and shaded lightings. Given the proper patience of tender loving care it'll bloom. Little balls of sometimes fragrant flowers known as umbels. Fascinating. Finally found this at the local nursery. Wonder how long will mine take to bloom.

ThePreview

Tickets to preview the Opening performance this evening. For her hard work in assisting the 400 primary school children in preparing the opening performance for the Asian Youth Games come this monday.

OldTreasure

She proudly showed this to all. Her sec3 composition book. Dated 1955. I couldn't resist. Just had to read through. Curious to know what-was it like during her days/ language used/her thoughts and her maturity. Amazing she had kept this book for the last 50 years. Her aspiration to be an independant career woman was shattered when she had to Quit school after sec5 to care for her sickly mother. Married at the age of 21 to start a family. She never stepped into the kitchen. Instead she gave tuition from home. Today at 72 she still believe that a woman should earn her own keeps.















*Click on the picture to read the composition.

LettingGo

When one is left in the dark on the going ons and happenings, wild imagination takes over the mind, fearing the worst. Comforted to know that he knew the appropriate action to take when confronted by an unexpected situation.

Two For One

Lunch time offer, 2 for the price of 1. Swenson restaurant has a queue forming even before the doors open for lunctime at 11am. A good reason to have lunch and ice cream with the children. As son is at a two day camp, it was lunch date with the girls. Breaded chicken for youngest & FortyNiner burger for eldest. When in Swenson, meals are never complete without an ice-cream dessert so it was a CookieSummit to share of course.

WeightingIssue

Save Gaia? Recycle,Reuse,Reduce. Save the Economy? Replace, Replenish,Reward. Which has greater influence/marketing/advertisment?

Saturday@BirdPark

First stop when visiting the BirdPark has to be the LoryLoft. A huge 9 storey walk in aviary where lories of every colour, shape and seize fly round and around looking for a nectar drink. Youngest never fails to tempt them to come closer to her, with the nectar cup. The next must see are the owls. Snowy owls, barn owls never fail to facinate. A quick breeze pass the flamingo, ostrich, casawary to visit the toucans, hornbills and the much sung song kokobarras. The visit is never complete without paying dues to the majestic huge sea eagles/american bald eagles. Funfair/carnival@ the Birdpark organised by the BloodBank.

Mum's Food

Talking about food, will ultimately lead to reminising mum's cooking. No matter how simple/plain or yucky the dish may be. Our generation that is, still have this privilege to savour. When asked, hubby remembered his mum's steamed yam cake. Yuckiest dish he had to swallow, cooked cockles. On doctor's order. To increase iron intake. I remember how on busy afternoons, mum would crack an egg in the just cooked steaming hot rice. Add soya sauce & oil then give it a quick mix. Top it with spring onions. Best eaten steaming hot. Strange but it was delicious. A dish that is not safe to cook up these days. Which of your mum's dish do you remember best?

BlackOut

Vasovagal. A new word learnt on gaining consciousness. Fainting due to sudden stress/shock/hunger/tiredness. A morning of cooking/washing and baking. A quick bite of lunch. All culminate to tiredness and low glucose level. Late saturday morning, during the process of blood drawing, I passed out. Upon waking, found the nurse wiping the sweat and checking my pulse. Doc on site assured me, it was normal. After an hour and throwing up, I was able to stand up. It's going to be a while before I next volunteer.

OrientalTeaCake

While browsing around delicious writes, I discovered this recipe from another SAHM. Green Tea with red bean and yogurt cake? Project started at 8 a.m. patiencely waited for it to cool before offering youngest a slice. Apprehensively she savoured. Quietly she finished and later declared that I can make this cake again. Moist and fluffy a good oriental tea cake.

BloodMobile

Donated only once. Had meant to be a regular but somehow, everytime when the donation unit comes to my area, I'm not able to make it. Last week, a postcard arrived. An invitation for two to spend saturday at the BirdPark in celebration of the World Blood Donor Day this 13th June. Youngest is delighted. Me, guilty. This saturday, the bloodmobile will be at my CC again.

Battle@21

In an isolation room in Sgh lies a 21 year old. Though ravage with lupus since young, this determine youngster, seen the world, Enjoyed life to the fullest. Into her 3rd year as a medical student, she encounter her 2nd challenge. Malignant brain tumour. Her strong fighting spirit is keeping her mum going and her siblings close by her. Of late, another blow. During the 3rd chemotherapy, she suffered a fit and running a temperature. Again she is undaunted. With nothing to lose, she consented. The doctors are using stem cell therapy as the last resort. If she has to go, then it'll have to be a fierce battle all the way.

TreeOfThousandUses

Sweltering hot days again. Nothing like a cold coconut drink. Of late, I've taken a liking to drinking coconut water. For S$1.20 it's open-it-yourself. Easiest& most convenient method is to feel for the eye of the coconut then stick the straw in. That is if you are not interested in the fleshy bits. Found, on checking the web, coconut water is both an energy and isotonic drink with healing and health benefit. It's organic. According to this source Have we been looking to far and wide, when this fruit of life, is just under our nose?

SuddenAttack

Aspirin 300mg and Nitroglycerin these two medicine should be administered immediately then to the hospital's A&E.

Advise by a doctor friend, should one suspect to be suffering from chest pain, radiation to the left arm, shortness of breath, palpitations, sweating and fatigue. It could be a heartAttack. Time is of the essence here.

G/friend disclosed that her hubby had a heart attack early yesterday morning. He is only 51. It's so sudden and unexpected. Disturbed by the news

Mum'sDay

Wednesday: Things to do:

8.10am *Meeting with youngest's teacher a

9.00am *Weekly stretching classa
11.30am*Pick up lunch@ the hawker centrea
12.00am*Prepare stew for dinner a

12.30am*Pick up youngest from schoola

1.00pm *To son's poly with hubby to sign documentsa

4.20pm* Drop youngest at tutor's housea
7.00pm*Pick youngesta

All in a Day's work

A Day@45

A visit to Dr Lam, for the regular dental checkup and it's off for a lunch/movie date with my roomate of twenty years. Can't remember if we have ever watched a movie on a WeekDay afternoon. Thoroughly enthralled by the heartstopping, nailbiting pace movie, Angels & Demons. A must watch for all those who enjoy suspense/thriller & DanBrown's books. For dessert, it's Homemade, pineapple UpsideDown Cake.

MidWay

One more week and it's MidYear. Youngest will be having a MidTerm break and Singapore, it's MidYear Sales. For me, it's MidLife juncture. With eldest going into tertiary education, son in Poly and youngest in secondary next year, it's time, this StayAtHomeMum looks for a second career. With the current economy, it's going to be tough. There is volunteering. Alternatively, to take up a course. Seriously pondering before my brain synapses stop transmission.

MinglingNight

Last night was one of those rare ocassion of canapes and cocktails evening. Meeting new people and listening to interesting happenings. Most colourful character of the night, William Xavier. Canapes, a dieter's answer to small eat portion. Eating a variety in spoonful seize. Most interesting has to be the laksa in sylish shot glass.

LearningFun

At 3 half, Her morning starts with playing, mingling and laughing, exchanging words in chinese with teachers and playmates. Then mid morning, a quick change of attire, it's more fun again. Playing, mingling and laughing, exchanging words in english with teachers and playmates. As the weekend arrives, it's more fun again. Waddling and splashing together with other little darlings learning to swim. Clutching the miniature case all ready for fun, plucking and twanging at the violin class. A little haversack and a water bottle it's off for a game of playing with chinese characters. Fun begins with Learning.

At 4 He spents the morning with all the other playmates playing, mingling and laughing speaking in a melting pot of english, chinese, malay & dialects. Then mid morning, it's more fun learning how to. How to eat & clear the table/bath/dress/comb his hair/get along with others/observe the teachers going about their chore. Come weekend it's fun again. Watching & helping mummy with the house cleaning/ folding the laundary/supermarketing/ cooking. Fun begins with everyday living.
I wonder who has more fun.