The Joy of Grand Uncle

One of my nieces has given birth to a baby boy.  He is so cute and adorable.  The parents are first-timers, so is quite flustered when we drop in to visit.  It is interesting that they do not know how to feed the baby and looked very stressed.  The baby is so tiny and adorable.  I love babies!  I will have another niece due soon.  We will become bigger family in the new year gatherings.

Reunion with in-laws

We have reunion dinner with my wife's family.  It is vegetarian but this time we had it in Ang Mo Kio coffeeshop.  So we have a chance to eat the claypot rice as well.  The vegetarian zhichar is so busy.  We have to wait an hour before the food arrived.  The food is not bad.  Luckily for us, the claypot rice came earlier and we had some food to stem our hunger.

The food is above average and price is very reasonable.  For a total of 17 heads, the total is almost two hundred dollars.  So it is only $10 per head.  Good value!

Parents Teachers Meeting

Parent-Teacher's Meeting for B3.  It is actually just briefing.  The form teachers just talk to the class parents.  Nowadays, it is quite tough for students.  There is academic study, CCA and leadership positions in class and CCA.  Also there is Outbound School, Values and Optional "Fun Studies".  I remembers during my time, there are not so many different categories of assessment.  All I had was joined one Uniformed Group and any clubs which the activities you like.  If you don't, you don't.  You are not assessed to death!  It is not the end of the world for the 2 points deduction you get today.

Chinese Tea

A trip to Xiamen and now I am hooked.  The hotel room has a tea set with two bags of tea leaves.  I bought a set back and now I am drinking Chinese tea everyday.  Only problem is my weight stays the same.  I was hoping to reduce my weight since I am drinking low cal.  Also a fellow traveller told me his high blood pressure drops to a more manageable level when he drank Chinese tea.  So now this is favorite gift to his customers.

I also make enough to put in the fridge to drink while cycling.  So I am drinking more Chinese tea whereas before it was only teh halia, teh si or kopi.

Internet - Root Cause of Sleep Debt

The internet is causing B3 to have sleep debt.  He keep saying it is his break time and the break time quickly stretch to hours.  Then in the evening to catch up with his homework, he will stay up late.  He has to get up early in the morning to go to school.  It is a worrying habit.  He does not know nor want to understand the sleep debt can cause health issues as well as deterioration in psychological performance.

Loy Kee Chicken Rice

Loy Kee Chicken Rice is a famous chain.  We tried today at Balestier Road.  Half a chicken with gizzard and 3 plates of chicken rice costs only $14.50.  Pretty reasonable.  I used to think Loy Kee is quite expensive chicken as a student.  Today, as B1 puts it, chicken rice is the cheapest meal around.  The chicken is quite tender.  The rice is passable.  Better rice in Boon Tong Kee.  Boon Tong Kee is far more expensive and resturant like setting.

I like Balestier market but the good stalls usually have long queues like Hoover Rojak or Braised Duck. 

New Pattern of Rain

Seems like there is a new pattern of rain.  Today, we have thunder shower for maybe half an hour and then the sun is shining again.  After, another shower and the sun is out.  The rain stop sun cycle happens a few times.  B3 also notice the clouds are moving much faster.

This mean the clouds are much lower than before for us to sense higher speed.  It can also be stronger wind or both.  New weather means we will have to adapt.  Luckily, we have concrete houses which dampen the effects of weather changes.

Sunburned!

B3 went for competition and he is sunburned.  B1 cycled with me at about noon and he is sunburned as well.  I must be completely roasted since I am so dark nowadays.  Also I wear long sleeves so my arms are better protected.  But my legs is very dark where my shorts end.  Even my feet has the shape of my slippers with dark skin where the sun can see.

I wonder if our ozone is getting thinner as it seems easier to get sunburn nowadays.

Freezing in Shanghai

The weather was freezing.  Snow was forecast but only at night and there was indeed snowfall according to one colleague.  However, I was sleeping.  Snow is just snow.  A Malaysian colleague says another colleague who is on the way will be very excited to see snow.  Unfortunately, it because rain early morning and there are no snow on the floor, only rainwater. 

Shanghai is still the same.  I no longer stayed in downtown, so it is not a happening place anymore.  I love staying in downtown Shanghai where I can browse pirated books.  Yeah, no more dvds as the shows are online.  So the enterprising entrepreur switch to books.  Unfortunately, where I stayed no bookseller.  So no fun for me.  It is only work.  I love walking around the hotel but nowaday I can only see branded shops which I have totally zero interest.

Shanghai Shanghai

Weather is cold in Shanghai.  I will go to the big city tomorrow.  So no more blogging for the next 3 days.  I have not travelled for sometime now.  It is good to travel once in a while.  I love Shanghai as it is quite international and full of energy.  Although the air is polluted, it is not as bad as Beijing.  The food there is not bad as well.  I do not eat much in China after many bad experience. 

I did not get the chance to fish today as the bad weather did not permit me to cycle out.

Fish Trap

We met a Malay couple yesterday, the man says his abang will come today about 1pm.  We cycle to Punggol Point at about half past 12.  Unfortunately, it started to rain and we took shelter.  Then rain slows down allowing us to continue but a few mins later it rains hard.  It hurts the eyes and even though we wanted to ride through the rain, we have to take shelter.  By the time we get to Punggol Point, the Malay men are done and ready to go home.  They were reluctant to show up the fish.  Seems like they think we wanted some fishes.  We told them we just wanted to see.  Finally, the key fisherman showed us his fishes and the large crab they caught.  It is pretty interesting that they put the trap among the stones and they empty the trap every weekend for fishes. 

They get free fishes.  Pretty good hobby indeed.

Goby

This morning I showed B3 the 5 mudskippers.  He immediately noticed they are not mudskippers but goby fish.  He is quite amazing.  I noticed the eyes are smaller and not prominently on top of the head.  But still thought they are mudskipper as they are large.  However, the goby stayed at the bottom of the tank all the time unlike the mudskippers.  I always catch the small goby fishes at low tide.  They dart about very fast.  Now the big ones seems like a slow coach indeed.

Waterpoint Mall

The Waterpoint Mall will be opening on 18th, two days away.  B1 wants to check it out before we go fishing.  It is bustling with activities as the workmen are rushing to complete the jobs.  There are plenty of people exploring the place too.  So we went in to check it out.  Many resturants mostly brand names and some unfamilar names which may be new resturants or new concept.  Both Toastbox and Ah Kun are there as well as NTUC Finest.

Waterpoint Mall is just beside Punggol MRT Station.  So it will be busy on Monday.  There is a burger joint that is already opened and serving food.  It is nice to cycle and then go to the mall for some shopping.

5 Large Mudskippers

The man who has 3 wives caught 5 large mudskippers, kept them alive until I arrived and gave them to me.  I am so happy as the mudskippers are still alive when I reach home.  These mudskippers seems different as they stayed at the bottom of the tank.  Hopefully, they live long time.  The mudskippers have florescent spots.  So they looked nice when I shine a torchlight on them.  I have pictures using my phone but they did not come up clear.  So I am not posting them up.

Roti Prata

I had no canned soup anymore in my larder.  Fairprice no longer have Campbell soup that contains beef or chicken.  It is just vegetable and pasta or clam chowder, so sad!  I have no idea where to get chicken soup with real chicken or beef soup with real beef anymore.

Luckily, I have frozen roti prata.  It is easy to cook but take time.  I cook one kosong and one plaster for both B3 and B2.  B2 has day shift and leaves for his station just after 6am.

Today, mummy make soup.  So it will be easy tomorrow as all I have to do is to scoop the rice and add soup.  Done!

Figuring Out Tomorrow's Recess

My youngest boy was very shy when he started school.  So he did not like queuing in the canteen to buy food and prefer we pack for him everyday.  Today, he is in Sec 3 and it is now a habit for me to pack food for his recess every morning.  Tomorrow he has training for track and field.  I am now cracking my head on what to pack for him tomorrow or maybe have him buy food himself. 

For a simple task I have to crack my head as it is morning, it is just a mad rush to get things ready and we have to leave by quarter past 6.  So it is like clockwork or it will be royal stress in the morning.

I have no bread, so sandwich is out.  No leftover as we ate out tonight.  I am thinking I may need to see if there are canned soup and I can heat up for him tomorrow.  If not, then I have to figure out something else.

It is not easy to be a good father!

3 Wives

At Punggol Jetty, there are a few regular fishermen.  This evening, I had a chat with one of them and he revealed to me he has three wives and each living in a different house.  I am so impressed.  I can't even handle one and he has 3!!!  I can only translate directly from Hokkien as it may not make sense.  He says when he was young he did not how to think properly.  I have no idea how many kids each wife produce for him.  That will be for me to find out and update all of you in future.

Lack of Sleep

Every morning, I have to wake up early either 5:45 or 6.  I still go to bed late usually about 7 hours of sleep or less.  I feel sleep deprived.  Sometime wake up with a headache because of insufficient restful sleep.  The signs are easy... headaches or tiredness.  So I need to go to bed earlier.  B3 is the most pampered as I have to get up earlier to prepare his recess even though he is Sec 3 now. 

Since he started school, he did not like to buy food from the canteen.  If he does, he will be buying expensive drinks like Ribena rather than food.  

I am busy at work nowadays.  It is good to have issues to deal with but they can be a drag too.

Complete Family

We are complete family again with all 3 boys at home now.  This morning we went to Queen's Street temple to offer our prayers.  We went fairly early that is 10am and the place was crowded with worshippers.  I just checked on the internet...today is Chu Yi or First Day of lunar month.  We prayed to Goddess of Mercy and Tai Sui, Duke of Jupiter and offer candy and oil for light.  I always feel good to visit the temple and do my donation.

After our prayers, we ate Indian Rojak at Waterloo Street coffeeshop.  Usually, I ate at the branch in the hawker center.  I find the quality and taste is far better in the original stall.  The roast chicken from the chicken rice is also quite good.  Our brunch is cheap and good. The coffee shop is quite warm and humid.  Our total bill comes to about $37 including one drink each.  $8/head is economical and reasonable for eating out.

Greenlip Abalone

The large can Greenlip Abalone from Hock Hua is back this year.  We bought a few cans to try.  Tonight, we decide to try it out with our porridge for dinner.  It is quite good.  I like the taste of Greenlip Abalone.  The tall cans Greenlip are no good.  It is the big fat and round can that is good.  It is easy to cook too.  Just add the liquid into the porridge and cut up the abalone into any shape you prefer.  Just the abalone before serving and yummy!

Good Catch Friday

I am glad the fishes are back.  It is so fun to be able to scoop up fishes easily rather than to sneak up on them or wait for a school to swim by which always depends more on luck than skills.  This morning, I manage to catch enough for my arowana and gold fishes to have a good meal.  In the evening before sundown.  There were no fishes.  At first, I only managed to catch two lone fishes.  Then I go lucky to chance on a small school.  The school was running away.. I mean swimming away from me and I quicken my steps and spring into action and brought my net down in one explosive motion!  I managed to catch probably the whole school! 

So my arowana has a wonderful live seafood dinner.

B1 is back home today.  It is so nice to have him home.  After 4 months, we have full strength at the dining table tonight.  We had roast duck from AMK Ave 6 Hong Kong Roast.  One bird is $36 and superior in taste.  I also bbq roast pork.  Both B1 and B2 thought dinner was sumptuous.  It is so easy when we know where to get good birds!

Stock Market Crash

Just when I thought the stock market will be stabilised, it crashed.  I have no idea where the money go to and what the fund managers do.  With my exposure, it is scary.  I just want to hang in there, this reminds me of the Clob shares when Mahathir decided to just stop.  I lost most of my money in Malaysia.  Now, this is Singapore shares.  It is suppose to be better.  The key word is "suppose".

I am looking at the bright side of things.  I have good health and family is good.  We have food on the table.  From the future looking back, maybe I shouldn't worry.  Right now looking forward, it is dark.

Horrible Sandflies

The biggest bane of Punggol Beach is sandflies.  They attacked relentlessly.  After each bites, the itch is incessant and persistent.  Then there will be angry botches and the bite mark become raw and when finally my skin recovers there is a permanent scar.  I wish some scientists will study the sandflies and find a way to eradicate them permanently.

Remote TV Service

It is unusual.  The signal for TV antenna just went out.  At first, I thought it was the Samsung TV.  I called Service Center.  Nowadays, it is very high tech.  The call center can do remote diagnostics.  There is an option on the TV to allow remote control.  Then a pin is given and from the call center, they take over the TV.  It is like science fiction shows where the TV can be use to spy on the occupants.

Beautiful Day

It is a beautiful day this morning.  Blue Sky and White Cloud.  Early start in the morning as B3 has morning training.  So we leave at quarter past six.  It is such a nice drive as the traffic is light.  Makes me feel like sending him to school at this time every morning. 

The sky is clear and weather is cool, how I wish it is like this every day.  Remind me of San Diego.  No need to think about what kind of clothing to wear.  Also gorgeous are everywhere to oogle at as well.

B1 and B3 like Toronto and think they can live there.  This is fantastic!  I can live there in future since now two out of three are sold on this.  Only problem is they do not know the high taxation.  But the social safety net is very good there.  With the four seasons I love it is a good place for me to go back to.

So Hard to Catch

Today, I went to the same place where I caught the mudskipper and by a stroke of luck another mudskipper is there and about the same size.  I tried very hard and chase it around in the water.  The rocks have a lot of barnacles and very sharp.  I got cuts but unfortunately for me or rather fortunately for the mudskipper, it manages to elude me.  I gave up trying to bring it home. 

First Day of School

It is always crazy on the first day of school.  We go to school earlier than usual to beat the traffic.  Guess what?!  All other parents have the same idea.  The traffic is bad.  Some aggressive parents are trying to jump queue as well.  I suspect they are usually fathers.  B3 is excited about going back to school.

My regular teh halia market is re-open after 6 weeks of renovations.  The changes at ground level are minimal.  The roof and exhausted are repainted and looked so much cleaner.  Two planters are gone, so the open terrace is clean cut and also much more spacious.  There are several new stalls and one of the stall owner change from selling prawn noodle to selling drinks.  I am not sure why as there are at least 4 drinks stalls existing and one with super long queue.

The Ship

The Ship Resturant is back in Shaw Center.  It had to move out for the renovations and I did not know it moved back.  The Ship is now in Nex.  So there are two branches now.  The resturant has improve service this time.  I remember the original Ship in Shaw Center service was quite poor.  Now the resturant is also brighter.  The set lunch is reasonable in price and for 3 persons, we spent under $70. 

There is a noodle shop beside The Ship and seems like wanton mee is about $12 a bowl.

This morning I was very sad that I could not find the mudskipper in the tank.  It has escaped during the night when it was raining.

New Year Day

Today is just like any other day.  Seems like a Saturday even though it is actually Friday.  I spent the morning in Takashimaya drinking Ah Kun's teh and reading Japanese Manga, Oishinbo, a la carte.  Izakaya pub food.  The stories are simple and easy to read.  I like Japanese food but ready do not understand the finese of Japanese dining.  I was treated to a meal that specialise in one specific fish before.  There is fish soup, sashimi and different parts of the fish cooked in different ways.  The taste is too delicate for me to appreciate.  As I am not a fish lover it seems like a waste of my host's hospitality.  Still it is a pretty good read.  This book is from Bishan library.

I had lunch at about 3pm.  Rahim Mee Rebus is in AMK central coffee shop beside Djitsun Mall.  Mee rebus is very popular but I had beehoon soto instead.  I like the soup.  Rahim Mee Rebus used to be much better when the gravy had mutton.  Nowadays, I do not see any mutton in the gravy.  The stall is still very popular and waiting time is long as the service is slow but it is definitely worth the wait.  Rahim is in my approved list of good food.