Phoon Huat 10% discount until October 31st

My wife loved Phoon Huat as she can buy her toys and ingredients to cook and bake.  Yesterday, after dropping B3 off for his exams, we stopover in Phoon Huat Toa Payoh.  We purchase some items and found that there is 10% discount storewide.  So, we brought B3 to get some of the stuff he likes as he enjoys cooking and baking.  He bought his favorites - marshmallows and jelly powder.  He just loved sweets.  Last night, he cooked the jelly and this morning toast the marsh mellow. 

My wife makes tiramisu after lunch.  It is quite enjoyable treat.

Quiet Morning

I woke up early at 3am.  It is very quiet.  Instead of just doing brain dead activity like watching TV or Youtube, I do some programming.  As the night get chased away and the sky turned lighter, the birds start to sing.  I can hear the parakeets squawking and the chirping of the small song birds.  It is quite nice to hear nature waking up.  I am glad my home has more wildlife.

iPhone - A Nightmare!!!

My wife just helped her father to get a new iPhone 8Plus.  He has a frustrating 2 days.  The new phone cannot work while his old i7 is locked out.  The problem with Apple is you need an "Apple ID".  So when you lost your ID or forgets or it is set up by someone else e.g. your son or daughter, you are at your kid's mercy.  Everyone is pointing a finger at everyone else.  Lots of discussions that gets nowhere.  My father-in-law is so frustrated he wanted to throw the new iPhone 8 away.

My wife is a staunch Apple fan.  Last night, after spending more than an hour with Apple call center and calling her siblings trying to figure a way to solve the problem, she finally admits Samsung may be a better choice.  This morning after spending 3 hours setting up the phone as a new phone, she very quickly go back to her Apple again.  It is impossible to learn the lesson.

Apple's security is so good that for an oldies, it is an impossible phone to navigate.  Every little things you want to do, you need to key in Apple ID and password.  It is a sophisticated machine but no designed for easy and simple usage.  There is no option which allow you to select an option to keep it simple.  This is why I am so sold on Android Phone.  You can select the different level of complexity and security you want.  In Apple, you are tied to their system which forces you to do it the Apple Way or the highway.  I decided not to be held hostage and go the Android Way.

Wang's Cafe Plaza Singapura

I am passing time in the cafe at basement 2.  My Mrs like to shop at Spotlight.  She is inspired recent to learn moe about cloth, textile and the raw materials.  I on the other hand just enjoys sitting in a coffee hop and watch life go by.  Sometimes, I draw, sometimes, I read, many times I surf the net and occasionally, I write like right now.  Writing captures my current thoughts and observations.  Patrons come patrons go.  I m the only constant for the time I am there.  As I write, I fantasize I am a struggling writer who may become famous and the place will be visited by aspiring writers of future.  It is a nice fantasy...

Wonderful Day in Orchard

My wife has cooking class in Takashimaya.  Also Kino has 20% discount for members.  So we tried to spend some of the money B1 won for his book prize in IT Law.  We had a good time browsing the books and selecting some that we had intend to buy from Internet.  The books in internet are cheaper but at 20% discount the difference is not too great and we can choose a good copy and have our books immediately.  Nowadays, even at 20% Kinokuniya do not have a long queue anymore unlike before.  Most book lovers like me has gone to the internet to do our purchase.

We have a late dinner at about 8:30pm.  It is a good day for us.  When we are done, we buy yakitori with rice for B3 as he is studying at home for his "O" level. 

It is a good start for the weekend.

Fat Rabbit Fish

I caught a fat rabbit fish this morning and gave it to a fellow fisherman.  He is quite nice and will reel his line to let throw my net.  He says the fish is very "leng" in Cantonese or beautiful.  I am quite happy he likes it at the same time feel a tinge of regret thinking I should have brought it home to cook.  Anyway, we had a nice fish yesterday.  It was silver body with yellow fins.  I have no idea what kind of fish it was.  It was quite tasty.  If I continue to get big fishes, we can have fresh steamed fish everyday!

RI gets new Principal

In my cohort chatgroup, the hot topic is on the new RI Principal who is not an Old Boy.  This is my first reaction when I read the news.  In MOE, it is just skills and capabilities.  The school spirit is not important or considered as they do not know how.  So Principals are rotated every few years to give the Principal exposure to different school and broad management experience.

The school is just a place for assignments for the people they wished to develop.  My wife's Primary School was run by a Principal who was not a graduate for many years.  He is the one to make the school very coveted and popular as it produces lots of top students.  I feel Pei Chun Primary is no longer like before when Principal Tan was running it.  It has lost the spirit.  My boys all had a few years in Pei Chun.  B1 in P1 and we relocated to Canada but back when he was in P4.  B2 was in Pei Chun from P1 to P3 and B3 from P4 to P6.

During B1's P1 time, for the morning flag raising there will be a student reciting the poems for 15mins to gather the student to the Parade Square.  By the time when B2 is there, Principal Tan was retired.  Since then every few years, there is a new Principal.  The traditions and spirit is gone.

I remember Principal Tan told us the parents in one of the school event not to worry about our cars parked along the road outside the school.  He has spoken to the Police to let them know there is a school event and not to fine us.

Immediately after Principal Tan's retirement, the new Principal get the Police to ensure we do not wait along the road when we need to pick up our kids after school.  I was so upset by the new Principal.  The police advise us to park very far away.  The new Principal thinks he is taking care of the students which is the opposite. 

Anyway, back to RI.  I still think a Rafflesian will be lead in the school as he will be able to understand and upheld the Rafflesian Spirit.  Green black white, green black white, Raffles Raffles fight fight fight!  White black green, white black green, Raffles Raffles win win win!

Graduation Day for Sec 4s

Today is the last day of school for B3.  He is doing his "O" level exams in two weeks.  The school held a "graduation" exercise and gave them some gifts and invited the parents to join.  In the old days, there is no such thing.  We just finished the exams, go back to get our results and if you wish to go to another Pre-U or JC, you apply.  Otherwise, you are garanteed a place in Pre-U.  At the time, JCs were still quite new.  RI is the only 2 years Pre-U.  All other Pre-U is 3 years and JCs are 2 years.

We went to support our boys and we also met the mother of his good friend.  After that, we had some light refreshments and B1 comes to J8 to meet us.  We have our lunch in Din Tai Fung.  B1 was updating us on his interview.  He is actively looking for jobs and evaluating the options as he will join the workforce in 6 months.

Progress!

Finally, I made some progress with learning computer programming.  I decided to give up Vagrant and stick to Python.  I now can work with Geany and Scite editor and type the commands as spelled out in the books and the programs behave as they should i.e. I can get output.  Right, I am still at print lists e.g. Hello World and manipulating list such as deleting words in the list.  I feel so much better!

Down with Sore Throat

I am feeling weak and bones are aching at the joints.  I am also feeling feverish.  So I take it easy today and no fishing.  I just drink Berocca and taking Panadol.  It is great to just rest and relax.  To past time, we went to Toastbox and sit there for almost an hour waiting for B3 to finish school.  I wonder if I fall sick because I was caught in the rain and then continue to fish for almost 3 hours.  I am no longer like before.  I should not try to be tough it out like my younger days.

Lunch Time Fishing

High tide was lunch time.  I managed to catch 2 fairly big rabbit fishes.  The smaller one, I release.  I give both fishes to my fellow fisherman who is a regular.  He caught one too.  But both mine are larger than the one he caught by line.  I feel so proud.  He eats the fishes he caught.  I was totally sunburned!  This morning after sending B3 to school, I went to the hawker center and there I met a good friend.  She is having breakfast with her son before sending him to school.  The boy is same age as B3 and is doing his "O" level as well.  She noticed I am very dark.  She thought I have been golfing.  I told her it is fishing and cycling.    Too much sun can make a person tired and lethargic.  I have less sleep as well since I have get up early to go to school:)

YaYoi Resturant and Tuna Cutting in Liang Court

B3 has been working hard on school work in preparation for "O" level.  So we asked him what he like to eat for lunch.  He chose Liang Court for Japanese meal.  We reached there past noon and the carpark is full.  So we have to wait for someone to leave before getting a carpark space.  He surveyed all the different resturants and foodcourt stalls and decided on a new resturant just opposite Meida Supermarket, Yayoi.  The food is good and reasonable in price.  We order 3 sets and upgrade a soup to clam soup from the miso.  B3 says it is the best karaage he has tasted.  The tonkatsu was crispy outside and tender inside.  The gravy of the mixed set with egg is delicious!  The meal for 3 comes to $60.

So my good friend and fellow Rafflesian, Boh Tong, this is one resturant I highly recommend.  You should try it.

After our very pleasant meal, we pass time in Meida Supermarket.  We plan to buy grocery for steamboat.  While browsing, there is a huge Tuna on display.  The Tuna is 68kg which B3 gets a kick that it is even heavier than him.  The announcement on the PA mentioned that there will be a tuna cutting at 2pm.  So we delay our purchase for the show.  It is the first time for my wife and boy.  I had seen it in Tokyo when my Japanese colleague caught a huge tuna in his fishing trip and gave it to the resturant.  In return, the whole office have a sashimi dinner and I happened to be there on a working trip.  The cutting took a long time.  In Liang Court it took less than 15 mins.  The difference is in the resturant, the chef cuts the whole fish by himself.  In Liang Court, the cutting is removing the head, slicing the collar and cutting the main body into 4 pieces.  Then an army of cutters take over to slice the fish into smaller portion for sale.

We had a very pleasant afternoon!

Fishing with B1

B1 do not have any classes today.  So he goes fishing with me.  There were many fishes and caught a lot of mullets.  However, even though I had a few chance for rainbow rabbit fishes, I was unable to net them.  I did not throw far enough or it is too rocky and they managed to escape.  We release the bigger mullets and brought the rest home for the tank.  Our arowana has a big feast.  I am happy with a big mudskipper I caught yesterday.  It is quite active.

It is nice to get something and feel good about the catch.  Best to release some back as well.

Curry Hor Fun

I accompanied my wife to Suntec as she has an errand to run.  So while waiting for her, I went around the mall to check the resturants and food courts.  Plenty choices.  I was hoping to go to my favorite Tony Romas.  The only problem is last order is 2:30pm and my wife is done at about 3:15pm.  So I settle for Kopitiam's Ipoh Hor Fun.  It offers something different, curry hor fun.  The food is fine.  I will not go for it again.  The pork chop looks fresh and appetitizing.  However, the oil use to deep fry it is stale.  So it is not good.

While I was killing time, I met an ex-colleague.  We had a short conversation.  She is not so nice to talk as she only want information from me but is very secretive about herself or her son.  So it is hi and goodbye encounter.

Retail is not doing well in Suntec.  Many shops are gone.  Mostly resturants or food outlets are in business.  We no longer need to buy new stuff from shops.  Internet shopping is much more convenient and prices are way better.  Also we can buy used stuff from other people through Carousell.

Punggol Sea

The strange chemical smell in Punggol pervades the beaches for a week now.  The water bottle which I used to bring the fishes I caught home smell of kerosene.  The news in Malaysia reported fire at a chemical plant.  I suspect it may be a aviation fuel discharge to the sea during the fire.  The pollution in Punggol is high.  The water turned black on a regular basis and when the water is black, there will be no fishes.  If there is heavy rain up North, the water and beaches will be strewn with plastic containers of all kinds - pails, bottles, etc.  Together will tree branches, planks and drum will make a huge flotsam.  I have see mattresses and armchairs as well.

I love the sea and it is quite depressing to see the poor conditions it becomes.