Christmas Merry

It is just another day.  My boy is not working and the B3 went out to meet his friends.  For me, I am reading novels.  English translation of Heroes are Born.  It is an engaging story.  So many characters and so many menpai or Martial Arts School.  I like the accupoint where you can stop a person from moving by pressing on certain point on the body.  

Mix in there is love story.  The female characters are beautiful and good in martial arts.  I wonder how.  Wenwu which means scholar and fighter in one.  Several characters excel in both poetry, art of war as well as skills in martial arts.  It is a combination that everyone dream about.

Loads of whatapps videos on Christmas.  It is pretty Christmassy.  I like it in Canada where the houses are decorated with lights and Christmas trees.  We will have presents and it was so fun.

Baking Test

WSQ requires testing at the end of the course.  We were required to make apple crumble tartlets and shortbeard.  Since my partner is a super hardworking and conscientious person, I let her do the heavy lifting.  I am just running here and there.  There is a theory section and the assessor was very helpful.

The test is to check basic understanding of baking pastries.  Now I know how to bake tarts and tartlets.  Make the egg custard filling and make a proper apple tart.  It is a good enrichment class.

Overall, I had fun in the class.

Dim Sum and Tarts

My wife convinces me to get out of my lazy daily routine and take dim sum and tarts cooking class.  I am enjoying the process of learning to cook tarts and dim sum. The dim sum class was on Sunday and the class was not so enjoyable as the instructor or rather the assistant instructor was horrible.

Visiting a Neighbour

My wife sold a cluster house in a nearby estate.   They invited us over.  It was beautifully done up.  She has 3 different stationsfor coffee machine.  She also has a smoothie station.  They have plenty of cool gadgets and build so many Lego sets.

We enjoys the visit very much and reciprocate our visit.  Our place will be very messy compared to their as they are setting up the house new and it is very nice to make it like a showroom.

Wife Climb to Summit!

I was surprised wife want to join the climb.  Luckily, all my climbing khakis are not climbing this morning.  So we went and B1 went along as well.  She was complaining a lot that I took her to the most difficult way.  We actually do not have a choice as we went by a different way and have only 2 options: most difficult or challenging.

Along the way, we have to keeping asking fellow climbers how challenging and how long more.  The good thing is we managed to reach the summit. So we took the easy way down and had brunch in the hawker center.  The food there is pretty good.

NEA is Coming to Spray Potent Insecticides

My fishes in the pond are not surviving.  Just replenished with fresh batch of fishes and they all died in a couple of hours.  Tomorrow NEA is coming again to give double dose.  So I have to change my water again.  It is terrible.  I have a hard time maintaining my aquarium.  Now I have one lone goldfish.  If tomorrow, it cannot survive, I will change the water again.

Dengue!

My neighbourhood is a hot spot!!  So NEA came to inspect several times.  Then they decided to fog the estate.  The fog used much stronger pesticides and smell bad even after a few days.  Usually the regular white smoke is diesel insecticides mix smells will clear after a few hours.

What I noticed is there are still plenty of houseflies.  So I wonder if the insecticides are specific to mosquitoes only.

Braddell Road Towards Lornie Road

This stretch of road and Lornie Road/Highway is full of cameras.  I always make sure I do not speed wherever.  Some times just to overtake a slow vehicle, have slightly higher speed.  I just got it!  The speed exceeds from 1 - 20 KMPH!!  For this, it is $150 fine and 4 demerit points.  What the!!!

Jinxed?

Sometimes it is good to be superstitious!  I was just telling my friend that I no longer get up in the middle of the night.  I think I am getting less stress or recovering well from the spinal surgery.

Guess what?  This morning I am up at 4am.  I was enjoying good night's sleep for a couple of weeks and now insomnia hits.  Did I speak too soon?  Or is it because I mentioned it to someone and my subconscious wants to punish me? 

Life can be such that it is better not to reveal improvement in routines.  Otherwise, it may be reset to the old ways...

More and More are Hooked to Bukit Timah Climb

Coming Monday is Dewali or Deepavali holiday.  So more of my schoolmates will join the climb.  It will be more fun to gather for healthy pursuits.  I think we may do the more challenging climb again
So it will be good as I am looking forward to strengthen some of my lesser used muscles.

Climbing up the hill has an advantage.  The goal is clear and specific.  No stopping until reaching the summit.

Bukit Timah Summit

Last Sunday, I took up the invitation to climb Bukit Timah with chatgroup friend.  It was a tough climb as the slopes can be steep.  Rather the climb is not too bad but the return is the one taking lots of strength on hardly used muscles.  I was very sore on Monday and a couple days thereafter.  I can hardly go down my stairs as it hurts a lot.  Another friend taught my how to stretch and it helps to relief the pains while going down.

This morning, we did the climb again.  This time we have 2 more joining in.  I think they are less fit.  So we walk down the easy route instead of going back by the same way.  I feel less sore than the first time.  Firstly, I am more fit and mostly it is because the return is far easier.

The total climb and return is about 1 and half hour if you do not rest too long.

Clear Blue Sky

It is a beautiful morning. Cerulean blue sky.  Fluffy white clouds floating lazily.  Cool air temperature.  Rain is wonderful especially when it rained over a long period.  The air smells fresh and wonderful.

I was up at 3:30am and now sleep is catching me.  May take a nap to relieve my sleepiness.

Wonderful Rain

It is more than 2 weeks of haze. Last night, lightning strikes and this morning, rain rain rain.  So I managed to collect rainwater for plants.  Now the air smells fresh.  The air is cool.  It is nice to get a break in the weather.

Some of the trees in PCN leaves are totally brown and the grass were brown this morning when I cycled.  It is good that the trees are getting their lifegiving water.

Best of all my rainwater collection has replenished. 

Eunoia

At the Sengkang Community exercise area, a girl came to do sit-ups beside me.  I was also doing my sit-ups and planking exercises in order to strengthen my core muscles.  I notices she is wearing Eunoia T-Shirt.  So I ask if she is in the school.  Yes!  She is in J2.  So she is same age as B3.  It is school holiday now and she is exercising.

I chat with her a bit as B3 will be in the same school if he was in IP program.  She is in Arts stream and studies Geography and Chinese  Her CCA is Chinese orchestra.  She was from St Nicholas.  The school is quite far in Ghim Moh.  There is a shuttle bus from Sengkang.  So it is not to bad.

Her Maths is not good.  So I recommended B3's tuition teacher.  Do not know if she will take up.  Also the tuition teacher's Maths is quite weak.  So hopefully she does well in her A levels.

B2 is Back for Year 3

B2 started his academic year in U of T. This is his 3rd year.  Two more years to go.  Hopefully, he come back with good results and will be able to get a job.  He seems to want to go to do clinical psychology but his 2 cousins in SMU psychology work in bank or ecommence.

I just hope he can earn enough to support himself and his family.

Hot and Humid

It is hot and humid.  I find it difficult to focus.  Also I did not have proper lunch and cooking myself different snacks to eat.  I am also drinking a ton.  Beer, pineapple juice and tea.

Wish I live in a country with cooler climate.

Reading Again

I am enjoying reading random stuff.  Usually things that interest me.  I also like to look at pictures of planets and the moon.  While most of the stuff I am reading is easily available on the internet.  It is  better in a book as it is organised with a central theme.  Also the subjects are treated with more depth.  I also enjoys reading stories again.  Some are old stories.  I like smaller books as it is faster to finish.  Love Story, the old movie bring a lot of nostalgia.  It is only about 50 pages long.  So an easy and relaxing read.  I was surprised to find there is a sequel!!  It is called Oliver.  Oliver is quite exciting and then takes a turn which disappoints me.  He is going so well with this girl who can match him in wealth.  But a Hong Kong trip kills the relationship and she went on to marry another lawyer.  What a bummer!!

BBQ for Classmates

Last evening my schoolmates came over for dinner.  I spent the day cooking starting from 3:45 am.  I did not wake up early on purpose to cook.  Just got up to empty my bladder and could not go back to sleep.  So just go to the kitchen and started cooking.

I slow roast the beef brisket, pork collar as well as chicken thighs and wings.  I cooked a big pot of barbeque ranch beans and make cucumber salad.  We had good conversation and plenty of beer to go around.  So nice of my friends to visit and we had a wonderful party.

Quiet Sunday Morning

I am enjoying the peace and quiet.  No noise no distraction.  Just me.

I had my morning coffee and breakfast was toasted bun with butter and caramel.  The caramel was leftover from Auntie Annie's pretzels.  While waiting for the sun to rise, I fired up the computer to see what is going on.

The rumour mill is hot on the election news!  It will be next month when Parliament will be dissolved and election be called.  We will have some excitement again.

Durian Treats

My schoolmate, TC decided to give a durian treat.  He does this regularly when he is in the mood.  TC is a thrifty man.  He is very stingy on himself but very generous with others.  He is also the owner of a chain of retail stores.  Pretty successful and still very humble.  He is a risk taker and always thinking of business.

Let's focus more on the durians.  We go to his favorite durian store in Geyland.  Oh, yes! I forgot to tell you TC is an owl.  He roams about at night for food.  We had 3 types of durians.

The "old tree" is the most expensive at $28 per kg.  Tastes wise is pretty good.  The meat is soft and creamy.  Flavor quite mild.

Mao Shan Wan or Cat Mountain is the cheapest at $15 per kg.  Taste is bittersweet.  I feel is the best of the 3 types we had.

Black Gold or Hey Jin is at $18 per kg.  I did not like the metallic taste.  The flesh is quite soft and a little wet. 

We had 2 other schoolmates who came and we had a great durian feast.