Nice to Catch Bigger Fish

I caught a bigger fish today and brought it home.  It did well and after a while recover and start eating in the tank.  It seems to eat the algae and is a bottom feeder.  At first the smaller fishes were quite alarmed.  They keep jumping out of the water every time the big fish move.  After a while, they realised the big fish is not going to eat them, they calm down.

I am happy that this fish survived the trip home and adjusted to it new environment.  I do not know how long it will live as there may not be enough food in the tank.

Missed by 1 Gram!

When I first weighs the fish I caught last Friday, it read 633 grams.  Then my wife put in a tray and the weighing scale reads 634.  The first 2 barramundi I caught, I bought the both weights and the stable 2nd weight came up 2nd prize albeit not in sequence with 2 in front instead of 0 that I bought.

So this time, I buy the stable weight and added 1 in front for 1 fish and also 3 in front for 3rd barramundi I caught.  The 4D result in first prize below:

Lucky Friday!

This morning, I caught a Seabass again!  I did not have a good start actually.  My first throw of my cast net, it caught on a clothes hanger and a thick wire half buried in the mud.  So the net was tear as I try to pull it out.  I threw the clothes hanger and wire to the garbage area.  Then I throw again and no fishes.  I noticed the fishes were escaping once they found the holes.

So I decided to go to Punggol Point to check out.  There, I saw a big fish right beside the 2nd pillar in the water.  The water is quite clear.  I quietly took out the cast net again and set it while squatting in order not to alarm the fish.  Since it is right beside the pillar, it will not be easy as the net can get caught by the barnacles on the side.

I aim my throw and cast my net.  The fish tried to swim away but luckily it swam right into the net.  I am so lucky this morning.

The fish is bigger than the first two I caught!  This one weighs 634 grams.  It looked fatter as well.

My Pet Mudskippers

Fishing is more Thrilling now

I now look forward to getting big fish even though the chance is low.  It is quite fun to go back to the same place to cast my net.  There is a hole I have to patch as some of the fishes I caught escaped.

Today, I caught a mudskipper.  So I have 2 mudskippers in my tank.  The first mudskipper survive more than a week.  I am now hoping I can keep them as pets.  They are quite hard to keep alive.  I have a floating platform which B3 bought for his terrapins.  The mudskipper survives much longer with it as it can now rest out of the water.

2nd Prize Saturday 4D

I was feeling lucky to catch the 2 big fishes on Friday morning.  Since the weight is 968grams,  I decided to try my luck with 4D.  I bought 0968 as the weight is only 3 digits.  I also bought iBet.

The 2nd prize on Saturday is 2986.  If I have guess 2 fishes weighing 968 i.e. 2968, I would have strike 2nd prize in iBet!  Only $43 but still very shiok.  Alas, I now can hope the number 968 will pop up this evening.

Barramundi, I Caught:)

Barramundi aka Asian Seabass

I have been casting net in Punggol for a year now.  The reason to use cast net is many times there are no small fishes along the beach and I go home empty handed.  I bought a 7 feet cast net and it helps me have higher chance of catching fishes that are bigger.  Sometimes, too many fishes and I have to spend much time to disentangle them.  I throw most of them back to the sea as my arowana cannot eat so much at one go and the fishes will die and cause bad smells.  Sometimes, I caught fairly large mullets about 4 to 6 ins long.  I release them as the arowana is not able to swallow this size.

Yesterday morning at about 8am, I cast the net at a place which usually has small size mullets.  I caught two Barramundi together they weigh 968grams.  The fishes are also known as Asian Seabass or kim bak law in Hokkien.  It is such an exhilarating experience.  This is the first time I can bring the fishes I caught home as food.  I had baby shrimps before.

So many times, the fishermen at Punggol asked me what I do with the small fishes I caught.  They know it is impossible to eat them.  I always have the same response - live seafood for my arowana.

My wife clean up the fishes this evening.  Maybe tomorrow we can steam them up for dinner.

Sky Clearer but no luck with Shooting Stars

The sky is pretty clear tonight.  Some high clouds but stars are visible.  I look out for shooting stars for about 15 mins but no luck.  I remember seeing shooting stars once.  I just search my blog and that was in Aug 2012.  I can still remember the incident vividly.  I woke up early and then open the level 3 door and then saw the shooting star.  It is only a couple of seconds.  So I was very lucky indeed!

Cloudy Sky

It  is 4:30am, I woke up to check if the sky is clear so that I might be able to see the shooting stars.  Unfortunately, the sky is cloudy and the moon is up at 3/4.   Disappointed as the condition is not good, I decided to blog about it.

The weather is quite cool and nice with slight drizzle.  B2 is up and is off to medic duty for a run.  He just went off as the run starts at 6am.

Blazing Heat in the Afternoon

The thermometer rising in the afternoon.  There was good respite from the thunder shower yesterday.  Now my plants need watering 3 to 4 times a day.  My next door next finally has a new tenant after 8 months.  Not so bad.  But another neighbour house has been empty for more than 2 years.

Since today is a school holiday, the pool has some kids playing.  It is fun for them but they will get sunburned.

Cutting the Grass in Roof Garden

This morning, I am motivated to cut the grass and clear up the wild plants growing in my roof garden.  The job took 2 hours.  I am sweating profusely and my right hand shakes when I am holding my drinking bottle to drink.  It is quite satisfying to get physical work done.

Braces Out!

Finally, B2's braces will be taken out this morning.  He is going to Canada to study soon.  So the final bit has to be rushed and he bit his lips and cheeks a number of times in the beginning of the year as the orthodontic tighten more than usual.  This changes his bite causing the accidents and ulcers.

Now it will be uncomfortable at night where he has to wear his retainers.  We will not be able to monitor him as he will be living out.

Heatwave in Vancouver

I am listening the CBC Vancouver this morning.  CBC is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  There is going to be a heatwave and there will be temporary shelter for homeless to get away from the heat.  There may be a forest fire as well.  Vancouver City is getting hazy from smoke.  I wonder why the city can shelter homeless for a few hours but will not shelter them in a more permanent basis.

Vancouver is a beautiful city right beside the Pacific Ocean.  The weather is quite mild relative to Toronto.  It rains a lot and loads of rich Chinese are living there driving up the property prices.  I enjoys my visit there.

No Maid = Unhealthy Eating

We are eating out for dinner almost every evening.  When we have a maid, we usually eat dinner at home.  Now all 3 meals are out and our food whether it is hawker or resturant has high salt and sodium content from sauces and MSG.  Also high calories due to high sugar content.

With a domestic help, our homecooked food are quite simple with low sodium and no sugar or MSG.  In long term, it is not good.  We don't get salad or high veg in hawker centers.

In the news, the food is cheap and tasty gets our attention and high share of stomach.  In the Straits Times, this has been highlighted.  Preparing healthy meal at home cost more in dollars and in time.  It is so much easier to eat chicken rice or minced meat noodles than to find chicken salad.  Also chicken rice is $3 and a set with vegetables cost $5.  Whereas chicken salad will set you back by $10 and usually available in selected Malls.

Pool

For a long time, I have not used the pool.  The weather is very hot and I love to be at the poolside.  I can read books and newspaper and take a nap in the breeze.  The only problem is the sun will creep onto you and it become hot and so bright that it burns right through my closed lids.  I also find myself sunburned which makes me think the poolside umbrella offers on shade from the visible light and not the ultraviolet light.

When I first look for a home, swimming pool is a must.  I enjoyed the pool for a few years and then stopped using it.  Sometimes, I wished we bought a terrace or semi-d.  Then we would have capital gain.  Price of my house did not go up much when property market heated up.

Fish Head Curry@Ci Yuan

Ci Yuan economic rice or chap chye png stall has a value fish head curry dish at $14.80.  I am not a fish person meaning I don't eat fish.  But I am fine with fishhead curry.  I like to order fishhead curry as it is freshly cooked and there are lots of vegetables.  When I order this morning, I request for fresh fish as the previous time, it taste "fishy" meaning the fish has deteriorated.

Today, the fish head is pretty good.  So B1 reminds me to tell the boss that the fishhead is good.  And I did.  So he is happy and we are happy.

Mother and Son Buskers AMK Hub

The mother and son buskers was in the courtyard of AMK Hub.  They attracted a large crowd crooning Chinese numbers.  I do not appreciate those songs but B1 and Mummy love them and listem to the duo while I pass time in Fairprice.  You can even ask them to sing specific songs which a number of people in the audience did.  So it is quite a good way to pass time on a Friday evening and the buskers earn a good income.  Win win!

Rediscovering My Love for Reading

The newly purchased books from Page One and books borrowed from library has inspires me to read again.  It is like travelling back in time when I was in my younger days.  I am reading a few books at a time and each has a book mark.  The library has an advantage as I need to return them.  So I will skim through them before returning.  Those I owned tends to have bookmarks somewhere in the middle and may be forgotten.

I love reading multiple books.  I am interested in many subjects.  The most recent acquisitions are mainly on Angels.  From the library, I was looking toward Future and Innovation.  So it is more business oriented.  Whatever it is, books are great resource for learning.  My brain enjoys absorbing new information and refreshing old ideas I read.

Books Deal in PageOne!

I wanted to get the Robin Cook novels for 50 cents.  Unfortunately, the PageOne temp store in Cathay building has no more stock of these novels.  PageOne is having Sale on the 50 cent price.  Now it is 2 for 50cents!!  So the books are at a quarter or 25 cents each!!  I love it and bought a bunch of them.  22 in total costing $5.50.  However, my car park cost $5.35 and I had to wait for more than one and half hours as I reach there at noon and the store opens at 1:30pm.  While waiting, I bought Americano coffee for $2.  Still it is a steal!  I am satisfied with the books I bought although I would have bought them if they cost $1 each.