Violin

I was at the admin counter digging into my bag for my wallet to make payment for the concert tickets when the staff gave me a piece of paper summarizing the day's programme.

"Err,, sorry, I don't seem to be able to find Teacher S' name here"- holding out the piece of paper.

"Let me see....." she was as perplexed as me and turned to her colleague.

"Maybe Teacher S' class didn't pass the audition" - I half-joked.

"Yes, the class didn't pass the audition"- a male voice affirmed.

"Oooookaay then...". I thought aloud.

The other parents were just as surprised but we all concluded that it is okay and moved on. 

We are now learning our first Classical piece - Minuet 1 (J.S Bach).

I have an appointment at the Slimming Centre tonight, and Netball tomorrow night. So there goes two nights without me first learning the new tune.... *stress* Hopefully on Wednesday, I will have the energy to learn. The other time I joined my sis for a night of Netball, I walked like an old lady the two following days. Well, still, the pain and leg cramps were worth the exuberance while on the court. After all, I was very glad to play the sport after a 20-year hiatus, I honestly miss the game. I miss fighting (for the team), I miss winning, I miss loosing, I miss laughing, I miss hating warm-ups. So, I was very glad to have a go at it before I die.
Anyway, the aftermath of netball was not as bad as wake boarding.Wake boarding gave me a lesson on the excruciating pain of the smallest muscles I never knew I had.

Kallang Netball Centre

I played netball for both my Primary & Secondary schools. During that era, height wasn't an unspoken prerequisite but of course tall goalies and keepers are great advantages. Everyone in between are of average height while speed, agility, strategy and jumping & intercepting skills make the bulk of the game. The teams that I was in were never natural champions because we were not highly competitive with the game, we trained when it was time for training and we didn't have enough players to practise with. But we had a good coach. She was strict with the rules. Then came secondary school. It was fun upgraded, we played netball on our own with or without the coach, we asked the water polo boys to play with us (they were merciless), we played so many days in a week, we played until the VP had to come to the field (umbrella in hand), wet and drenched, ordered us to stop the game in the rain. We played until a coach from a reputable girls school asked my coach for my friend and I to play for them on a recreational basis at the SRC at Padang for an opportunity to transfer to the school for studies. During those years, I have not heard of Ivy League schools and had no insights into opportunities like transferring to an elite school on sports merits. So that opportunity slipped by without us pursuing it. Clueless adolescent bunch I was.

Toys

A Funfilled Sunny Day

We went to this Pirate theme water playground at Sentosa known as "Port of Lost Wonder". Thanks to my sis for bringing us there, if not, I would hardly venture. Because sometimes the regular grind of daily tasks and duties wear my energy low and I need a booster from a third party to kick some highlights into my experimental parenthood journey. 

KiCo love the place, although the boy took much persuading before he finally took the slides with his Yiyi and laughed delightfully. He took I think 2 hours to warm up to the thrills. 

His sister, on the other hand, couldn't wait to take the slides over and over again. When I refused to take the slides because I was.... scared, she placed her hand over mine and patted it gently, looked me in the eye and proclaimed in a gentle and assuring tone: "Mama, it is not scary at all." 

After taking both the covered and open-top slides, she gave me two thumbs up and shouted: "Mama, this is SO AWESOME!" 

"Wow", I thought to myself, "I'd better let her learn swimming soon". She loves water and she loves thrill rides! 

After much self-coaxing, I used the slides and eventually gotten over my timidness.

 Colin doesn't like to be teased about his "tail", he gets offended if you laugh at him. LOL. But he's so adorable. I should go find the Mickey swim cap that came with the swimwear.

He was much attracted by the foam pool but I wasn't keen to let them use it.

This is so Slapstick Humour I tell you. It's pure Slapstick. But fun. 

(A tankful of water, don't know how many gallons man, comes crushing down suddenly. If you want the Best dunk, you will want to sit right in front of the tank. but you wouldn't be able to see if the tank is tilting. So it means there's no warning before the water crushes down like from an opened dam)

 The open-top slide (Blue) and the covered one (Green)

Entry information: S$15 per child, accompanying adults FOC. Note: all persons using the playground must put on swimwear so remember to bring it along.

 First time on the see-saw, all having much fun.

Mini Replicas of old Playgrounds.

LOOM Bandz

As with many crafts, I normally could manage only basic, simple designs. On Facebook, I saw many of my young nieces knitting these colourful rubber bands and I thought those are rather cheerful-looking. So when I came across them at Isetan, I bought a few packets of the rubber bands that comes with a U-shape catapult-looking device and a knitting hooked needle ($4).

I couldn't wait until I meet my sis for her to teach me, so that night I searched YouTube for some tutorials and taught myself the simple craft. It was frustrating in the beginning but eventually, it's exciting learning something new even though it's something so casual. After making my first Loom (as I call it), I can't wait to make more for everybody I know. I wished I could access all kinds of solid shades rubber bands.

So anyway, the first Loom I made was for Kiki. Rainbow colours. I had promised her that I would place it under her pillow and asked her to turn in as it was getting late (I was struggling with the first tutorial which took up much of my time). By the time I was done, I think it was past midnight.

Immediately the next day during lunchtime, I made one for Colin.
I pondered for inspiration. I wanted each Loom to signify a good thought I have for the bearer.
So I thought perhaps a Sporting Spirit will be good for Colin and us. Like Sportsmanship attitude etc. along that line. So I made one Olympic inspired Loom for him.

Then my friend "S" wanted one. I gathered her favourite colours and made her one.

Then I made one Brazil themed but it didn't look as nice as I had imagined, so I un-picked the weaves.

Then I made a Germany themed Loom for my sis who has a Germany Jersey for the World Cup season.
(I used to have a set of Brazil Jerseys) So anyway, I've inserted some pink and orange among red to soften the red, imagine a flag flowing will show some shading, right?

That day when we went Sentosa, my three favourite persons wore their Looms, they all looked so cheery to me. =)

Added some pearls & beads (Daiso $2) and made a Dainty Loom for Kiki.
To our delight, the translucent rubber bands emits a subtle glow when in the dark. 

Kiki proclaimed that she, too, could make Loom Bands. (I was busy making the dainty one while she busied herself with the materials). Then she showed me her piece of work. LOL. 

  When I could spare some time, I will try to teach her this new craft.

Lastly, today, I'm going for dinner with work friends and am wearing one of my favourite dresses. So I made an Alice-Cat Loom for myself (during lunch break).

Random Reads

I am not a football fan but I enjoy watching Biographies, so I try to read some too.

• The Manager must have irrefutable power and 100% authority to exercise it.
• Higher strength yield if a team is built organically (fine balance with imported players)
• If you are unable to further develop a player, let him pursue his growth elsewhere no matter how much it hurts
• Focus on your innate skill and do not trade it for anything including fame
• Fame is fleeting and Media will quote or mis-quote you to fit their context. Mis-quotes includes casual conversations with acquaintances.
• You may be lauded one day and be castigated the next. If your team is still behind you, you're darn lucky!
• Friends are important
• Family is important
• Having a hobby outside work helps take your mind off

Phuket - Night & Others

"Look! I've got a Million Dollar Photo."  I exclaimed after capturing this.

 

I said - "Say "Hi" to Yiyi.... " (to get them to pose). 

 Look at her sad face. She came up to me and whispered: "Mama, can you send the picture to Maricar? send it to her handphone,,,,,,,, I miss her." then she almost cried. (I told her ok but I didn't do it because Maricar doesn't have a smartphone, nor do I think it mattered much to her if my kids miss her.) Colin upon reaching home, at the showers, declared- "I love you" to Maricar who didn't hear him until he repeated. I am not jealous, because it is a good sign that my kids are affectionate beings. Just that I hope their feelings are being appreciated or reciprocated, how it may unravel; I could only hope they meet nice people.

So anyway, Patong is filled with Pubs. We didn't go for a drink because mainly there's no inclination.
But it was interesting walking down the street, watching all the neon lights and getting our heartbeats synced with the beats.

Short video clip of the street at night:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tKJoGlo5Mo

 They had this huge LED Billboard that flashes a live cam for about three minutes and then a set of advertisements for three minutes, alternating intervals. Can you spot us on the screen?

 I said row the boat and they pushed the boat.

 Beer Garden

 One of the night, there was a storm. And one stretch of Cables got short circuited. It happened to be on the side where our motel resides. At 5.30 in the morning, I ran three Seven-Eleven stores in an attempt to buy hot water for milk but all the stores were affected. There were three "Lady boys" who were very helpful, they explained to me that there was a "Boom!" and gestured to me dramatically that there is no power. (there was no air-conditioning, no hot water, no electricity, bathroom tap water was brown) Finally, I found an uncle selling hot coffee on his motorbike; I bought some coffee and he helped fill up the two milk bottles I had with me. Wa, we've really taken electricity, water & infrastructure for granted in Singapore. You don't know how it feels to have two whining kids wanting milk when the sun is still dozing. Well, it was not mayhem; mayhem, because if  worse comes to worst we could give them cool milk (from bottled water) but I don't think cool milk will give them comfort.

So anyway, after breakfast we went around the area to recce other hotels in case we have to move if power doesn't come back, and we walked into Novotel. Wow, it's like haven compared to our little huts. Haha. For five times the price, of course.

 A sign of Korean & Chinese tourists being main spenders. 

 Dunkin Donuts

 At the Airport waiting for our plane which was very punctual.

 They ate all the pastas

We were the last passengers to alight from the plane. One stewardess spotted Colin and exclaimed that he was "cute", and then Kiki overheard, so we've got two of these puzzles. ha.