Helen Plus Three

We took the dog to the vet this morning. Getting there we were lucky, didn't have to wait to long on the call  ah but getting back was the kicker....many cabs, none stopped, we waited , I called, waited,  called... . .. waited for an hour before a cabby came by and agreed to take us with the dog. God Bless him and his Silver Cab The other grievance with cabs, they don't take 5 persons. It is frustrating. If you want life without a car in Singapore, don't have 3 kids, have 2, don't have a pet and getting around will be much easier and smoother.

When I move, this will probably be one of the things I miss the most. Stepping out and walking in any direction, taking in the cool breeze, sitting in the park.. the quick 'hop, skip and a jump' to church.. It will not be the same in a HDB estate, especially when the high blocks seem to close one in. No I'm not taking a snobbish point of view, just speaking as plainly as possible, this is what it is. Sure there will be greenery and trees, but somehow it will still not be the same. I suppose for the major part of my life, I have lived in a more open space environment. But I will get used to it, adapt like everything else that has passed in my life. It will be a small price for peace and comfort. We'll carve out our space like we always can and accept it; and eventually to add to pleasant memories. We can still take our walks. Not so much to mourn about, positive changes, the ones who matter are with me. A loving family is all that matters. I'm sure there will b...

Why couldn't they time the movies to launch during the June holidays. After the Pirates of the Caribbean, X Men just barely made it, then followed after the hols by the Green Lantern, then the Transformers and now Harry Porter.... that's literally $50+ bugs per movie in a series of weeks.. do the math..... Well the kids are in movie heaven at the moment. What happens when the frenzy(cinema) dies down.... .withdrawal ??.. (enough already... .. back to the books with you) I thought X Men Classic was excellent in portrayal.  Then after I was asking the question, why do they create movies in a backward sequence these days.. jump into the middle like for Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman. I'm glad Lord of the Rings was shown in the right sequence. Is it perhaps true that we would not be as interested to see the origins until we have seen the middle of the story? Did I catch them in 3D , nah.. I think it's overrated if there aren't really that many special effects. Wh...

July 17 , 2010... (for non-locals reading this Chomp Chomp is the name of the very popular food centre [open / non-aircon] in Serangoon Gardens) We live here in this estate and yet for some reason I have not brought the kids to eat at Chomp Chomp.  Which is exactly what Alx asked me the other day while we were waiting for a table at a very crowded Chomp Chomp, amid noisy woks clanging and chatter.. with the added flavour of cooking 'fragrances' (oil)  filling the air and settling in my hair too. So last Saturday after watching ' Despicable Me',  I decided why not let them have the experience of Chomp Chomp and at the same time grab my favourite Hokkien Mee. We waited 3/4 hour for a table, and about an hour for the Hokkien Mee... some things just don't change.  That's how I remember it 20-30 years ago.  It was a favourite haunt for us 'youngsters' especially the ice kacang. .... the good ole days....

Sun day 20 Father's Day It's Father's Day, so of course I asked Father what he would like for dinner. Since my sister already 'ruined' my seafood idea (by taking him out the day before), steaks should be next .... So there are a couple steak restaurants in Serangoon Gardens, why not , he's ok with it. But nope - Mum says let's go out somewhere else, drive out further.. (meaning not close to home) go to the beach, maybe pizza ?? but I reminded her it's Father's day not kids' day. I think she was confusing taking the kids out for air with dinner for Father's day. So we (dad and me ) sigh, of course somehow we would have to go somewhere close to her 'imaginationings'. So we ended up at the Marina-Esplanade area by the bay, all in all it was quite close to her 'imaginings' - cool breeze, open space, scenery, lights.. and well we managed to find steaks, rootbeer float and some interesting combination of food (satay, onion rings, ...

1st week Dec 2009 - We drove up to Camneron Highlands with dad, mum decided to forgo the challenging drive up the winding roads....... Tha last time I was up there was like 25 years ago or something like that. We picked a 'practical' hotel in the heart of Brinchang, the town near the top. Just remember you don't always see everything on the internet. I think it was called Hua Gin, good rates, as basic as they go - beds, small cupboard space, space enough for 4 instead of 5, a couple of drawers and a little bathroom where the hot water shower actually worked.  BUT (of course there's a but) there's no such thing as a bell hop service. Of course,  we were given the 'big' room on the 3rd floor which had NO LIFT . The expanded wing they called it. I had a huge luggage bag as befitting someone who packs for kids which had to be air lifted by 'moir'. About the rest of the stay, I can't really complain, cos the kids did enough. They're so spo...