On 20th March 2010
6.25pm:
Dad meets me at the Outram Park MRT bus stop leading up to Singapore General Hospital.
6.35pm:
We reach Granpa's ward in ICU. Before that the nurse had already called us while we were registering ourselves downstairs. Told us that he was almost going and told us to come down to the hospital now.
6.50pm:
Grandpa leaves this world, after Dad and I spoke to him. He was not able to open his eyes by then but can see and hear his breathing change as Dad and I spoke to him.
It was a long night after that. We waited at the mortuary for an hour at least. For the first time, I see a corpse being transported from hospital room to the mortuary and then into a vehicle.
There was another long wait at the police station where we had to get the real death certificate in order to get my Gramps cremated. It was such a joke (sorry policemen). Three men standing in front of one computer and receiving all sorts of calls and handling all sorts of cases except serving us, the ones sitting right in front of them. There was not even an acknowledgement of our presence. I do not need an apology. A "please hold on" would have been nice for someone (me) who had been up since 5am and working from 7am.
Anyway, by the time Dad, Mum and I reached home, it was already 12 midnight. Tomorrow will be another long day.
Rest in peace Gramps. I will miss you.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Second day of CNY
Hee...I know this is a little late but I really thought it funny and had to blog about it.
We had a date with my eldest aunt and my cousin to play mahjong at my place on the second day of CNY. We were halfway through one of our games when the rubbish truck came! Who would have known that they were so hardworking? Long time ago, they would probably not have come until like, the third day?
Anyway, people who did not want to pay parking fees thought likewise and happily parked their cars where the gabbage roller shutter gates were. Many long horns ensued and we could see that they gabbage collectors were very angry. There was a short 'pause' and we saw (after the game finished) that all but one car had either shifted or driven away. More horning from the gabbage collector.
We continued to play our game but were too inquisitive to continue. We peered through our window to see that the gabbage truck was parked in an akward position. We deduced that the car did not move.
True enough, we saw the gabbage man using his hand phone and taking pictures. I think he must be giving that person a summon for it was also a place that did not allow parking at all times. It was where the fire engine was to be parked should there be a fire.
After the truck left, my cousin and I had a really good laugh! You should be able to see why when you see this picture.
We had a date with my eldest aunt and my cousin to play mahjong at my place on the second day of CNY. We were halfway through one of our games when the rubbish truck came! Who would have known that they were so hardworking? Long time ago, they would probably not have come until like, the third day?
Anyway, people who did not want to pay parking fees thought likewise and happily parked their cars where the gabbage roller shutter gates were. Many long horns ensued and we could see that they gabbage collectors were very angry. There was a short 'pause' and we saw (after the game finished) that all but one car had either shifted or driven away. More horning from the gabbage collector.
We continued to play our game but were too inquisitive to continue. We peered through our window to see that the gabbage truck was parked in an akward position. We deduced that the car did not move.
True enough, we saw the gabbage man using his hand phone and taking pictures. I think he must be giving that person a summon for it was also a place that did not allow parking at all times. It was where the fire engine was to be parked should there be a fire.
After the truck left, my cousin and I had a really good laugh! You should be able to see why when you see this picture.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Reunion dinners
Finished our reunion dinner at about 8pm. The thing about eating out for reunion dinners is that there are many rounds and if you happen to be in the first round, you have to hurry up and eat.
Last night, we had our reunion dinner with my grandparents at Lingzhi as usual. Gramps does not like change much and we love the vegetarian food there and so here we were again. Food was good but by about 3am, I was hungry already.
Tonight, we had the dinner with my two aunts at Soup Restaurant. Food was fantastic but the service superficial. Plus we were the first round and there were two more rounds after us and so they were rather rushy with our food.
We went to the Soup outlet at City Square Mall and this place did not provide any dessert. Therefore, when we passed by Swenson's, we decided to go in to have some...ice cream! I was really delighted to see those old fashioned shell lamps being used, again. It brings back lots of memories when I was brought to the Swenson's at Plaza Singapura.
This year's CNY would be very different without a car. Already, I feel very tired thinking about all that walking and taking of public transport tomorrow.
Anyway, will not think so much now. I'll go watch the countdown variety shows and wrap red packets now!
Last night, we had our reunion dinner with my grandparents at Lingzhi as usual. Gramps does not like change much and we love the vegetarian food there and so here we were again. Food was good but by about 3am, I was hungry already.
Tonight, we had the dinner with my two aunts at Soup Restaurant. Food was fantastic but the service superficial. Plus we were the first round and there were two more rounds after us and so they were rather rushy with our food.
We went to the Soup outlet at City Square Mall and this place did not provide any dessert. Therefore, when we passed by Swenson's, we decided to go in to have some...ice cream! I was really delighted to see those old fashioned shell lamps being used, again. It brings back lots of memories when I was brought to the Swenson's at Plaza Singapura.
This year's CNY would be very different without a car. Already, I feel very tired thinking about all that walking and taking of public transport tomorrow.
Anyway, will not think so much now. I'll go watch the countdown variety shows and wrap red packets now!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Family day
Brought Dad and Mum to 313@Somerset and Ion@Orchard today. They were needed to go see these new places and I was getting mouldy from staying at home.
It was a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling, the three of us. It was like a treat for a small child as I have not gone out with both my parents together for a long time now. We ate at Food Republic, shopped at HMV and Dad even bought a t-shirt from Uniqlo!! He was so proud that it was his third shirt from Uniqlo. The first two were bought in Hong Kong quite some time back. I asked him what's the point of telling me all this and what is there to boast about. His reply was that it showed that he was still very young and trendy. Indeed!
Dad had a fun time at Ion too as there were so many different food stalls at the food hall. That is the only thing that really attracts him. Anything else would be too expensive; a luxury that he can do without. Just my Dad. :)
I also brought him to see Prologue, the up-market version of Popular Bookstore. He also received free red packets compliments of Dunkin' Donuts!
After a long afternoon, we decided to get take-away for dinner. I found a Vietnamese stall that sells my Vietnamese sandwich, but it is still not as nice as Baguette, which was at Raffles City but closed down.
It was yet another happy Sunday but then, it will soon be Monday and will be back to work day. Sigh...Why can't we have 3 days of weekend?
It was a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling, the three of us. It was like a treat for a small child as I have not gone out with both my parents together for a long time now. We ate at Food Republic, shopped at HMV and Dad even bought a t-shirt from Uniqlo!! He was so proud that it was his third shirt from Uniqlo. The first two were bought in Hong Kong quite some time back. I asked him what's the point of telling me all this and what is there to boast about. His reply was that it showed that he was still very young and trendy. Indeed!
Dad had a fun time at Ion too as there were so many different food stalls at the food hall. That is the only thing that really attracts him. Anything else would be too expensive; a luxury that he can do without. Just my Dad. :)
I also brought him to see Prologue, the up-market version of Popular Bookstore. He also received free red packets compliments of Dunkin' Donuts!
After a long afternoon, we decided to get take-away for dinner. I found a Vietnamese stall that sells my Vietnamese sandwich, but it is still not as nice as Baguette, which was at Raffles City but closed down.
It was yet another happy Sunday but then, it will soon be Monday and will be back to work day. Sigh...Why can't we have 3 days of weekend?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
My love life
Just got my life fortune told and it was not so good in terms of my love life. Haha! What is new? Apparently, I am not suited for marriage and if I do, there would be lots of quarrels and unhappiness. How true!
The sad part is that the person that I like is also not suited for marriage. Well, I guess the not-so-sad part would be that I can let go and not try to imagine him as my potential boyfriend.
Funny thing was that I dreamed of him as my boyfriend this afternoon while I had a nap!! We were so lovey-dovey and intimate and it was so real that I could not believe myself (in the dream of course).
Apparently, I will only get lucky after I turn 42 or so. What is the point, right? Anyway, I shall TRY to concentrate on other parts of my life that are OK and hope that life would not be so tough.
The sad part is that the person that I like is also not suited for marriage. Well, I guess the not-so-sad part would be that I can let go and not try to imagine him as my potential boyfriend.
Funny thing was that I dreamed of him as my boyfriend this afternoon while I had a nap!! We were so lovey-dovey and intimate and it was so real that I could not believe myself (in the dream of course).
Apparently, I will only get lucky after I turn 42 or so. What is the point, right? Anyway, I shall TRY to concentrate on other parts of my life that are OK and hope that life would not be so tough.
Proud of my dad, and some thoughts
I must say that I am proud of my Dad and envious of him too. He has done things that I would never dare dream of doing. He just finished a series of 2 talks with the National Library. One was at Woodlands Library and the other (that just happened yesterday) was at the Bukit Merah Library.
The first talk, which was on Chinese Oldies, saw a turnout of about 50 people. The second, 100 over. This was all thanks to his good network of friends, who themselves are also promoting Chinese Oldies, who helped him to promote his talk as well.
I think it is no mean feat to be standing in front of so many people to do a talk, but I guess it is a subject that he likes and is close to his heart and therefore, he does not have any difficulty in conducting the talk at all.
I find myself so inadequate next to him and it leads me to think back to my own same old question as to why should people be so competitive. Why should they want to outshine other people and step and trample on others while trying to prove their own self-worth? By belittling others, does that make that person a better person?
Well, I suppose such is life and sometimes (even as I sound pessimistic), I feel that I am not of this world; that I may never fit in and am always standing on the outside looking in. People have also never attempted to include me into this world. They have always seen me standing outside and left me there.
Such are my thoughts sometimes. It is a recurring thought and I suppose, I should jump away from this thought in order to shift my paradigm (Stephen Covey) and go for some change (Haha! Cliche!).
The first talk, which was on Chinese Oldies, saw a turnout of about 50 people. The second, 100 over. This was all thanks to his good network of friends, who themselves are also promoting Chinese Oldies, who helped him to promote his talk as well.
I think it is no mean feat to be standing in front of so many people to do a talk, but I guess it is a subject that he likes and is close to his heart and therefore, he does not have any difficulty in conducting the talk at all.
I find myself so inadequate next to him and it leads me to think back to my own same old question as to why should people be so competitive. Why should they want to outshine other people and step and trample on others while trying to prove their own self-worth? By belittling others, does that make that person a better person?
Well, I suppose such is life and sometimes (even as I sound pessimistic), I feel that I am not of this world; that I may never fit in and am always standing on the outside looking in. People have also never attempted to include me into this world. They have always seen me standing outside and left me there.
Such are my thoughts sometimes. It is a recurring thought and I suppose, I should jump away from this thought in order to shift my paradigm (Stephen Covey) and go for some change (Haha! Cliche!).
Home cooking
I had a lazy day today, but I would say, quite productive in the morning. I walked from home to Pek Kio Hawker Centre with my Dad to have breakfast. After that, I bought some very nice and fresh romaine lettuce and mushrooms to cook for lunch.
We then walked to City Square Mall (again!) to get some bacon and some stuff from Popular Bookstore before taking the free shuttle home. Technically speaking, we did not spend a cent on transportation.
The dish I cooked up was, in my opinion, was yummy! I just thought it off my head but I suppose, there was a little inspiration from watching "Jamie at home". He was cooking romaine lettuce the other day and I felt I had to get me some to cook too!
I fried the garlic first with olive oil and mixed it with Aminos (the equivalent of soy sauce in my household). Then I mixed all the linguini into the sauce. My inspiration came from those balsamic vinegar salad dressings that I so often see the chefs make on Discovery and Living Channel.
Next, I fried the bacon bits that I have chopped up earlier from the streaky bacon that I bought. Sweat it out a bit before finally putting in the romaine lettuce. Gave it a good stir and then put it on top of the linguini. Yum!
Last week, I cooked hairy gourd with dried scallops. Thought it was very good for a first-time experiment, except Dad did not like the fact that I did not have vermicelli. He said, that would have made more a Cantonese dish. I told him that this was an updated (and my own) version of the take on the "auntie marries off her daughter" (the name of the dish. We usually use dried shrimps and vermicelli to fry with the hairy gourd. Except that I did not particularly want to eat or cook vermicelli that day. Felt it was something that was not easy to handle/cook.
I find that as I get older, I am more prone to experimenting with food and this cooking thing is growing on me. I have not gotten the oven yet but when the time is right, when I am ready to do more baking, I think I would invest in one OK one. Then there are the mixers and such...the list goes on. Must focus on Amsterdam trip!
We then walked to City Square Mall (again!) to get some bacon and some stuff from Popular Bookstore before taking the free shuttle home. Technically speaking, we did not spend a cent on transportation.
The dish I cooked up was, in my opinion, was yummy! I just thought it off my head but I suppose, there was a little inspiration from watching "Jamie at home". He was cooking romaine lettuce the other day and I felt I had to get me some to cook too!
I fried the garlic first with olive oil and mixed it with Aminos (the equivalent of soy sauce in my household). Then I mixed all the linguini into the sauce. My inspiration came from those balsamic vinegar salad dressings that I so often see the chefs make on Discovery and Living Channel.
Next, I fried the bacon bits that I have chopped up earlier from the streaky bacon that I bought. Sweat it out a bit before finally putting in the romaine lettuce. Gave it a good stir and then put it on top of the linguini. Yum!
Last week, I cooked hairy gourd with dried scallops. Thought it was very good for a first-time experiment, except Dad did not like the fact that I did not have vermicelli. He said, that would have made more a Cantonese dish. I told him that this was an updated (and my own) version of the take on the "auntie marries off her daughter" (the name of the dish. We usually use dried shrimps and vermicelli to fry with the hairy gourd. Except that I did not particularly want to eat or cook vermicelli that day. Felt it was something that was not easy to handle/cook.
I find that as I get older, I am more prone to experimenting with food and this cooking thing is growing on me. I have not gotten the oven yet but when the time is right, when I am ready to do more baking, I think I would invest in one OK one. Then there are the mixers and such...the list goes on. Must focus on Amsterdam trip!
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