Reflections of Year 2013

 Welcome to a New Year in 2014..!!!

What a year and here are some highlights in 2013.

Jason graduated with a Diploma in Human Resource with Psychology from Singapore Polytechnic in May.

The family celebrated his graduation by taking a trip to Japan and we thoroughly enjoyed it as we have no been having such an overseas holiday for a few years due to his studies.

Jason was enlisted and underwent his training in Pulau Tekong like any Singaporean sons and eventually graduated from his Basic Military Training (BMT) in October.

Jason was trained for his vocation as Aviation Materials Specials (AMS) , ie store man cum logistic personnel, and assigned to a F15 jet fighter squadron in Paya Lebar Air Base.

Lai Meng was awarded a Consolation Prize in the Open Category in the Chinese Calligraphy Chinese New Year 2013 competition in Feb.

 

I have been visiting my parents every quarter in Penang and will continue to do so in the New Year.

I over exerted myself re-turfing the garden lawn grass and aggravated it further when I started to paint the car porch and the front of the house early in the year and only realised that it was more than a sprained muscle in my lower back, sometime in Apr.

I have a recurrence of a mild slipped disc and have to undergo some physiotherapy besides taking some anti-inflammation medication. I was in pain for a few months, buttock, hamstring , calf and feet could go numb when the nerve was pinched.

I still can get some pain if I walk or stand for too long but this is much more tolerable than before and my Dr told me that it could take at least 1 year+ to get a full recovery so I need to be very cautious of my condition.

Jack, our Beagle dog, passed away in Aug after being sick from cancer of his spleen.

He was 15 years+ old and have lived longer than an average age of 12 years expected of a dog. We missed him a lot!

To round off the year 2013, I joined the Photography Society of Singapore and stared to attend their classes in Dec.

I completed the first module and here is one of the photos that I took during the class outing in Botanic Garden.

So what are my new year resolutions..?

Last year, I wanted to resume my swimming and do more exercises for better health but due to my mild slipped disc in Apr, I did not manage to achieve it as I ended up in a recovery mode instead and the exercise done was mainly to help my lower back.

My 2014 resolutions are :
- exercise more to stay healthy
- complete the 3 basic modules in Digital Photography, at least
- travel overseas twice besides my regular trips to visit my parents in Penang

So I look forward to another exciting year in 2014 and I hope you do too.....!

Be Happy and Healthy...... take care...!

Merry Christmas 2013

Wishing You a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year in the coming year, 2014.

 

 

We went to Orchard Road to take a few photos on the Xmas decorations at Orchard Ion.

 

 

 

Singapore Street Arts

The same artist, Ernest Zacharevic, best known for the whimsical street art that he created for the Georgetown Festival in Penang last year, painted these in Singapore recently.

He also painted the following in Johor but was not very well received by the Authority there. Someone painted a policeman behind the thief but the Authority still got it painted with white paint over it.

Apparently, someone made a set of sticker of the painting and pasted it back onto the wall......!!!

Jason's National Service(NS) Vocation

Since his graduation from Basic Military Training (BMT), Jas has been assigned to the Air Force and undergoing training for his Aviation Material Specialist (AMS) vocation.

As such, his uniform has been changed from green to lighter shade of blue.

This is what they called a No. 4 uniform.

 

 

Here is a photo of him in his No. 3 uniform, taken on day of his graduation ceremony after completing his AMS training.

 

 

Well, we are proud of his involvement in NS and his AMS vocation.



Penang Trip - Father's Birthday

We went back to Penang to celebrate my father's 86th birthday.

It was also a coincidence that my brother Charles was also visiting Penang too and I was able to catch up with him.

Jas was having his mandatory 1 week leave after his graduation from his BMT so he could join us too to see his grandparents.

Lunch at a Hainanese Restaurant.

 

Jas with grandma in PG home.

Family photo in Pg home.

 

Jas with Grandpa in Gurney Plaza, walking from car park to the shops.

 

Penang Street Art

 

Jason BMT Graduation

Jas was enlisted on 13 August 2013 and we sent him off at Pulau Tekong.
( http://pcwthoughts.blogspot.sg/2013/08/jason-enlistment-to-ns.html )

Two months later, we attended his BMT graduation or Passing Out Ceremony at Sembawang Camp on Thu 10 Oct 2013 evening.

Jas has to march and stand in the rain during the ceremony but we were seated in the tent.

As expected, all the parents were excited and proud of their sons during the ceremony.

We were invited to enter the parade square and help our sons to put on their beret as a sign of graduation from recruit to Private.

 

We are indeed proud of his participation in the National Service (NS) and contribution to our country.

 

 

Jason has been assigned to the Singapore Air Force and will be undergoing another 2 weeks of his vocation training as an Aviation Materials Specialist (AMS); a store man and logistic staff in SAF.

 

 

Congratulations to Jason and all his mates on their graduation...!!!

Calligraphy School Exhibition

Lai Meng has participated in her calligraphy school exhibition for the 4th consecutive year since she started calligraphy 4 years ago.

Congratulations...!!!

 

She with her scroll in the exhibition over the last weekend.

( She also won a consolation prize in a calligraphy competition early this year.
http://pcwthoughts.blogspot.sg/2013_02_01_archive.html )

Keep it up..... we are so proud of your achievements...!!!

Things to do in Penang

I have taken 2 groups of friends to Penang this year, in Jan and Sep.

Here are a few photos of places we went during the Sep trip.

Kek Lok Si temple with the recently built Goddess of Mercy huge statue at the top of the temple hill side.

We ate the mouth watering peanut pancake and I introduced them to my favourite pancake with corn and egg inside it.

We also ate at a coffee shop located in Pulau Tikus where the nearby market is called the 'Rich Man Market' as there are a lot of private housing estates nearby and the residents comes in their Mercedes.....

My father used to take us to this coffee shop during the weekends as his best friend live opposite this shop. The local food like Chee Cheong Fun, Char Koay Teow, etc are still as good as ever.

We must not forget the lovely Penang Road chendol .....!!!

This Hainanese restaurant offers good food and I have been there 3 times this year and my recent group of friends like it so much that they wanted to return the following day for another meal. Their favourite dishes are Curry Chicken, Inche Kabin Chicken, Spring Roll, Lobak. However, it may be a bit pricey for some of us but the food is worth it.

Of course, they could not go home without buying food stuff like our famous Penang tambun biscuits, salted fish, belachan etc.....

Well, I can go on and on...... So maybe it is time for you to visit Penang soon especially if you have not been there before.

Drop me a note if you need any help from me for your coming visit to Penang.

Visit to Penang - Sept 2013

We visited my parents again in Penang and some friends came along this time.

As usual, I always take my Dad out for lunch and he decided to have it at Pizza Hut in Prangin Mall.

When I was home, I saw this man riding on his motor-bike selling bread in our housing estate and I asked him permission to take a photo of his moving bread stall. We buy bread from him too occasionally.

Photos taken of us with my parent.... their health wise is more or less the same.

This photo is taken inside the Changi Airport with this nice flower decoration piece.

I am also wearing this travelling vest for the first time, it serves its purpose as expected; ie to keep all my stuff together and easily taken off to pass the scanning device at the departure lounge.

Next trip to Penang may be in Oct if Jason is allowed to leave the country by his Air Force during his coming blocked leave, before being assigned to his vocation for the rest of his NS.

An Uninvited Guest

Last Monday afternoon when we arrived home, we saw a bird standing on our gardening hose and it did not move at all when we walked past it...... a bit unusual....!

Eventually, it made its way to one of our potted plants and perched on a branch throughout the night even when it was raining heavily. We though it would fly into the car porch for some cover but it did not.

We were getting a bit worried for the bird and hopefully, it is resting and fit to fly off the following day but it did not. It was still perched at the same place under the heavily rain in the morning.

As we were leaving for Penang on Wed, we were starting to think that the bird could be actually injured as I saw a few feathers being ruffled, maybe got into a fight with other bigger birds or attacked by some birds...?

Luckily, I remember hearing of Acres Wildlife Rescue and found their emergency mobile no. and sms them with a photo for help.

I am impressed by their prompt reply and follow-up as they came to our house in about 30 minutes to have a look and rescue the bird.

The man gently removed the bird from the branch and placed it in a box and would take it to the vet.

The bird is a type of dove and it seem that its feathers have been clipped or injured. This could have explained why it did not fly away or move when we walked passed it.

We were glad that it has been rescued and in good hands now.