Spectacular NDP Preview

People say that Singaporeans are very patriotic. It is true. Especially when you've witnessed the National Day Parade first-hand.

Spectators were encouraged to wear red. So the entire National Stadium (the last time we'll see it before it will be torn done for a newer stadium) was a huge pool of red sea. The sights and sounds were spectacular. Even Nature was kind on us with wonderful weather.

We prayed for a ticket for Grace, as we orignally had two only. Miracle of miracles. Someone from the Community Centre calle dmy MIL at 11:50pm the night before, and Grace had the ticket. Much like Charlie and Choc Factory kind of feeling.

When we reached the entrance of the Stadium, we were given a fun pack. My, it was a heavy bag. So heavy, I couldn't even take my cam out to snap a pic. But two things amused me greatly:

Like all good old Singapore campaigns, everything comes with an incentive or fine. Every pack has a bag which encourages spectators to throw the rubbish in the bag. The catch is, you can win a lucky draw with cash prizes!

Cash for Trash

Of course, in Singapore, everything is well-prepared. So here comes the Axe Oil or "foong yau" to sniff should anyone faint.

Faith couldn't live without her battery-operated fan. Can't see much here, but it was a boon to her.

All Singaporeans are patriotic, as I've said, so these flags are heart-warming and received with great cheer!

Grace was intrigued with the parachutists. Faith said she wants to jump down from a parachute some day. She doesn't even dare to jump from the gym beam right now.

As in all parades, there must be a march-past.I remember I was in the Girls' Brigade contingent for three times in my 14 years of service in the Brigade. I recall the BB officer looking at me and saying, "This lady, sure peng-san one." I proved him wrong. Hehehe... But I was so dark after that.

Did I say earlier the weather was kind? Yes, kids and I were also blessed to sit in the shadow of this pillar of lights.

Finally, as most Singaporeans will know, the fireworks are always the highlight. My camera couldn't capture all, but Hubs said this is the best pic.

To FantasyFlier, FishyOct and EarthEmber - these pics are for you to reminiscent. The real thing has not happened yet, so imagine the fun on 9 August.

Dilemma: National Day Parade Preview

Today's post is a twit topic, but it poses the same challenging dilemmas for everyday motherhood.

Mother Superior is blessed to receive TWO tickets for the National Day Parade Preview this Saturday. Now, many Singaporeans would crave to have the tickets cos one has to sms or sign online for a chance to just get balloted for the tickets. And the experience is to die for, even if some think the parade is waste of time. Well, it is not, cos the displays are spectacular, and the fireworks are fabulous, even better than the 4th of July fireworks I witnessed in Chicago some years back at the Navy Pier.

OK, the dilemma is, which child should I bring for this Saturday's preview? Should I bring Grace or Faith? Papa S has counted himself out cos he would rather work out in a gym.

Now, Grace has her gymnastics class on Saturday but Papa S thinks that shouldn't be an excuse cos Grace will be doing gymnastics most of her student life, so why not that once in a lifetime chance to witness the parade? Faith, on the other hand, has a lot of piano work to catch up on, but Papa S thinks that shouldn't be an excuse too. The piano is always at home for her to catch up on. After all, there's still Sunday to cover up for loss time on practices.

So now, which child should I bring? Should I chuck them at the parade, give them my mobile, and when they are done, we'll pick them up?

Nah, they're far too young.

Should I:
1) bring Grace, who is ever keen on all things spectacular?
2) or Faith, who loves to write about all her experiences?
3) not go at all?

Now, you tell me what I should do.

Birthday Pics

I had quite a bit of eating last week. Mostly Italian food. It's not just the World Cup effect, but Italian food has caught on Singapore so much, it's become a choice cuisine for many.

Hubs brought me to Da Paolo on Cluny Road. For all lovers and couples, this is a MUST-GO place for a romantic dinner.

I really like the path to the restaurant. It almost feels like Bali!

The food was good although the pictures don't do it justice. Besides, all romantic dinners are so dark, I didn't think my cam-phone could shoot anything!

My girlfriends brought me to La Braciera at Greenleaf Road for lunch. This is another MUST-GO! The service was excellent and its lunch portions were just nice. Pity I forgot to take the food pics.

They bought me a Lava Cake.

They're gonna scream at me for putting up their pictures. But I won't tell you who they are, just in case I will not have another lunch next year.

This is my hangout group, by the way. I travel with them and their kids for hols. Our husbands get on grandly, we meet every Sunday for lunches, and occasionally at the park. Hey, we even intend to retire graciously and go to Ghim Moh Market for coffee & tea every morning - in future.

That's what birthdays are for, I guess, you spend it with your closest friends, and have a joyous time.

Toughest Decision at 40

I've said to Robin my desire to post this on my birthday. It should have been yesterday, but here it is anyhow. Take flight now and read.


Eagles are the most long-lived birds in the world. For centuries, these seemingly larger-than-life birds have fascinated and inspired humans. We venerate them as living symbols of power, freedom, and transcendence. In some religions, high-soaring eagles are believed to touch the face of God.

But eagles have a side to them that few know about. Whey reach 40 years old, their claws start to age, losing their effectiveness and making it hard for them to catch their preys.

The lifespan of an eagle is up to 70 years old. But in order to live this long, the eagle must make the toughest decision when it's at 40. Their beaks begin to grow long and curvy to the point that it reached its chest. Its wings are extremely heavy due to thickened and long feathers making flying extremely difficult. The eagle is left with two choices: do nothing and await its death or go through a painful period of transformation and renewal.

Wintering Eagles

For 150 days, it trains itself to fly beyond the high mountains, build and live in its nest and cease all flying activities. It then begins to knock its beak against granite rocks till its old beak completely removed. When the new beak is grown, it would use it to remove all its old claws and await quietly for all new claws to be fully grown. When new claws are fully grown it would use these to remove all its feathers, one by one, till five months later, when feathers are fully grown, with renewed strength. It will then begin to soar in the sky yet once again and able to live for the next 30 years.

In life, as an individual or an organization, sometimes we have to learn to make difficult decisions so as to make room for changes. Changes bring about renewal. And the only way for us to soar again is to let go of old ways, old habits, old life. For as long as we are prepared to put aside our old baggage (past glory or shame, past success or failures), be willing to become zero, with an empty cup mentality, we will be able to discover our potentials and head towards a renewed perspective in any aspect of our lives.

They that wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings as eagles.
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint.

~ Isaiah 40;31

One Thing I Ask For

What does one get for oneself when they turn two scores?

Enough of clothes, I gather. The gathers are getting tight these days.

Enough of make-up, I don't truly need them. La naturel is the way, I feel, I am as a I am.

What about a spa treat or a milk bath, as Erika suggested a few days ago? Maybe, but the feel good factor lasts only as long as the milk is on your skin.

How about a thumb drive? Please, more taste in gadgets, please. You have two on your desk to bring work home.

OK, OK, an iPod Nano perhaps, as LB often craves. That's better, but, what if kids fight over it with me? Or Hubs uses it like it's his? Hmm... I want it all to myself at least.

How about a Mac like May's? Well, Mackie, you already have two PCs and a laptop at home. You mean you want yet another computer?

Now, now, don't be difficult, what do you want then?

Some hugs will do, and a quick recovery from flu. Some sanity time with my Maker, and some soul searching to take stalk of life.

All that, with a few flowers, of course. Orangey red roses, if possible.


One thing I have desired of the Lord
That will I seek;
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to inquire in His temple.

~ Psalm 27:4

Feeling Crappy

Germs in the Air
Last week, I was down week with fever & flu. Faith had stomach flu first and nearly had to be sent to the hospital. Grace was the strong one till end of the week, when she sniffed. But she was all right. Thank God.

Morning by Morning
Woke up at 5:30am to pack girls to school. School bus comes at an unearthly hour - 6:15am. Not good for nocturnal creature like me. This morning, Faith said she's an owl. She professes to be as nocturnal as I am. What's tiring is the spreading of SEVEN pieces of bread every morning since my maid left. One each for kids' break, two for Papa, two for MIL, and one for myself, if at all. Another two when kids are tired of cereals. And why do I have to do it all for them? Because they all leave house so early and MS just has to do it for them. Looks like I'm whining here... cos I don't like bread!

Grace's Bump
She walked into the wall yesterday and thought it was funny to have a bump on the head. No, she didn't watch Zidane's head-butt act.

Faith the Vegetarian
Nobody told her what a vegan is. She just spits out whatever food that has meat. She can even smell the meat from afar and just 'bleah' it out. When did she become so choosy? Where did she learn about becoming a vegan? I have no qualms about that, but the point is, she's not even eating the vegetables!!! So she's on a pure carbo diet, well, almost. Since her illness last week, she has been quite weak and often pants from lack of energy. The carbos didn't give her enough energy, frankly, cos she ate so little.

"What happened?" I asked her.
"I don't like the fats in the chicken, Mama."
Horrified look on MS.
"Then eat the fish," said MS.
"Can't manage the bones, Mama."
"OK, luncheon meat, sausage, tuna..."
"Preserved food, Mama. You said it's not good for the nose."
"All right, all right. What will eat then?"
"Beef, Mama, I will try spaghetti bolognaise and beef."

MS went out to buy beef chuck and boiled it with carrots and celery.

Faith showed me her bowl yesterday. It was clean.

She smiled. I smiled.

At last, she has found something that will build her energy up, and has made me less crappy.

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask "How are you?"
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done!
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Fight Clubs

It was Leonard who first alerted me to the fight clubs that occurred recently in an HDB staircase. Now, the infamous Kenny Sia has surfaced more of these in Miri, Malaysia.

What's wrong with teens these days? I understand they have puberty problems, desire for attention and recognition, and a total amnesia to all the world around them except themselves and their gangs, etc. But gosh, can't they get a hold of themselves?

I have refused to upload the fight video, but for those who have seen it, do you get the sense that the victim had actually accepted the fight 'voluntarily'? And the giggles that come from the gang's phone videographer sounded sardonic? Leonard said it's even far worse than the Tammy case that went world-wide. (Not the Tammy flu.)

Society blames it on problematic backgrounds, difficult childhood, divorced parents and bad company, etc., but the fact is, these hardships are extremely tough to overcome.

I once counselled an adolescent some years back, who'd been in and out of the girls' reformation homes. However much she hated being in that home, she didn't desire to go back to her own home cos her mum had married another man.

So she ran away and had numerous drug overdoses, only to bring her back to the girls' home. She had that one chance to finish her O levels, which she completed and did well enough to enter the polytechnic. I can tell you, her days in the poly were troubled too. In fact, I received a suicide call from her the eve before giving birth to Grace.

Youths these days are plagued by financial, esteem, peer and school work problems. It is not easy to go through them, I understand. But I can' t help but feel they need to rise above all these, with some help too. One needs to help oneself.

So why did the girls fight so bitterly and outrageously? Peer pressure, need for domination & compliance, desire to belong, innate violent streak possibly experienced from home, etc., etc.
Can these be sorted out if a parent were to be at home more often? Even this thought is hard for the lower income families which are dependent on two incomes.

What will the future hold for these teens? What will society be like in the future? I shudder to think but wish that they will recognise their violence deeds and seek help. God help them, please. And help the poor victims.

Of Creams and Brylcreem

The kids get $1 each day for school. This, coupled with a packed sandwich and crackers, is just nice for their recess time.

Grace said last Saturday that she wanted to save all her recess money so that she can give her best to her sister.

"Huh? What d'ya mean?"

"Didn't you say we must buy presents for Faith with my pocket money?"

"Yes, good on you, Grace."

"Actually, I want to buy a gift for everyone in the family," said the philanthropic daughter of mine. "What do you want Mama, for Christmas?"

"Hmm... I only want a day off on my own."

"A thing, Mama, it must be a thing."

"I don't need anything except some peace and space."

"Ok, I know, I know," Grace chuckled. " I think I'll buy you a bottle of Moisturiser."

I laughed till I teared. She earnestly understands what Mama needs every day - a cream that I use day and night, a cream which I can't live without or I'll crack with dryness.

"So what about Papa? What are you buying for him?" I asked, testing her realistic discretion.

"Why? Hair gel, of course."

Hey, new packing, new look!

I laughed again, cos Papa needs so much hair gel daily, you can bounce a ping pong ball on his hair.

Kids, aren't they absolutely real? Maybe we should be the same with friends and spouses too. Now, what should I get for Grace in return???