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Showing posts from 2015

Laminate flooring is impractical for long term use..

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It's only been 3 years or so, since I did laminate flooring for my apartment and guess what advice I get for maintenance issues. ..  'got to to redo whole floor'. I guess it was just getting into the market at that time when I searched for information and there was none to warn me that it's not the perfect solution. Of course the contractor told me it's tough, it's hardy, and resilient etc etc and easy to install. Well today because of furniture movement I presume, the laminate flooring  has tiny gaps here and there and uneven edges in many places, while some can actually get kicked back into place, the rest can't. I have talked to a few 'experts'  and their suggestion is redo, nothing else can be done. So I hope this is helpful information for those deciding between easy and fast vs long term home maintenance issues. I suppose nothing beats the cement option. For now perhaps I'll just cover the soar spots with a rug . If any one

Celebrating the first of the next generation

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My niece gave birth to a lovely baby girl. She is the first of the 3rd generation for my family tree. Precious life, new precious moments and new memories to add. and of course a new baby card to make.

Immobility: broken ankle

Since the 20 of Feb, I have been laid up. Had an accident, a Trimalleolar fracture - which means I broke my ankle bones (one ankle) on my right foot. I seriously can sympathize with those who are in this type of immobile situation alot more permanently. It wasn't easy the first week after getting home. It was adjustment all round and I am lucky cos I already had a helper at home for the kids. The break from work, well that's another kind of worry factor. I just kept thinking how long ! Most people hear of breaks but they heal after 2 months or so, but this is not a matter of a sprain, or a hairline fracture.  I absolutely could not put the foot down for about 8 weeks. Crutches are tiring, I had to use a set a walking frames cos of steps between the bathroom and room, those were easier to navigate when you had to hop over a step or stand at the basin after you use the toilet. Crutches well, they are a little harder on the balancing act. I was remotely hooked up to the of

Happy Mother's Day

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MY CHILD Be my child, be happy. Be at peace, be spontaneous. Be bold, try it, speak, take a chance. See with eyes, hear with ears ever clear. Be open to wonders around us. Open minds, trusting hearts, always dear. Believe in you. Say yes I can! Be merry. Always mine. - HA (2009)

To be who I am?

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I just completed Jojo Moyes 'The Peacock Emporium" and there are many points in the story and thought lines that got me agreeing, There 's this one passage when Suzanne attempts to explain herself to Ale (about feeling cloistered in a small town) that gets me agreeing heartily. It's about being who one is, all the time, in different places - can we be constant, can we be who we are or want to be.? 'And , you see, because they know the  things that have happened to you - some of them, at least - it  means that people think they know you. They think they know who you are. There's no room for you to be someone else. Around here I'm the same person I was at twelve, thirteen, sixteen. Set in Aspic. That's who they have me down as. And the funny thing is, I know I'm someone else entirely."

Inky experiment and the fun of birthdays in a greeting card

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Call this an arty card experiment. Not sure if you can make out the Hero Arts(eiffel tower,) 'Take Time ' splashed with Tim Holtz distress and Tattered Angels inks. The lighting may not be that clear. I kind of like vintage and aged look on accessories and visuals. Then there's my latest pop up box card using my latest embossing plates and dies from Sizzix and Elizabeth Craft. Cupcakes, candles and presents all the happy things that birthdays are made of.  Those roses are dies from Wild Rose studio.  

The Unexpected and change !

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From feasting to mourning, celebration to grief. Chinese New Year , the time for enjoyment, celebration, holidaying. Something nobody would have ever expected happened. I broke my ankle bones and have been laid up since the second day of Chinese New Year. After the op, I would not be able to put my foot down for 6-8 weeks it seems and then too,not before removing one screw out of the many so that I can begin the exercise of walking again. Plenty more time to think and read and not sure if I can do much. Between the twinges of pain and groans in my ankle it's been hard to 'enjoy' the time so to speak. I am in touch with the office and that keeps me occupied some,but it's tough cos I can't ignore my healing ankle. We were supposed to be elsewhere not at Pasir Ris, but plans changed and a rental bike changed my fate. Anyway beware of balding tyres on your rental bike. I always believe that all things happen for a reason. I'm not sure what this time is for

Home during CNY holidays but not tossing raw fish.

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Pink Episcia, sweet blooms from my balcony garden Plans never always turn out the way you expect them. So instead of driving across the causeway tomorrow I'm spending the long break at home in Singapore. It will mean I'll be getting 6 hours more rest than I would have plus plus, of course add on the traffic jam time crawling across the causeway back and forth. There's a always a silver lining somewhere when you think about it. It probably also means I'll be doing more sleeping than I had planned. Is that good? I don't think so. Quiet time, time to read the books, fiddle with the plants, time to do some more scrapbook card experiments and may be more time to do some walking trails and therefore exercise. We do have a lot of parks, just check check out the N Parks website. Amazing actually, there's so many. I'm thinking let's check out the Labrador with a friend. Will Lo Hei (toss raw fish) after the weekend. There were no eggs at

Funny in a quiet way

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Some books require time to read and just savour or reflect on the thoughts they provoke, whether it's the characters or the thoughts coming out of them. One of them is The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Jay Fowler. It's interesting but you need a little more concentration. Sylvia's daughter is just out of the hospital(no serious injury) and Sylvia tells herself that she is happy. But the next day reality sinks in with life's usual problems. That's exactly what happens, why is it harder to hold on longer to happy thoughts or resolutions than let the unhappy prevail .. " Already I have to remind myself to be happy. And you know , if it were the other way, if something had happened to Allegra, I wouldn't have to remind myself to be unhappy. I'd be unhappy the rest of my life. Why should unhappiness be so much more powerful than happiness? One difficult member spoils a whole group.... One disppointment ruins a whole day...... It takes weeks to ge