"Don't Worry", Life Goes On

It seems like a really long time since I published anything. Actually there is a whole lot of backlog drafts which I never seems to get down to completing. They are getting stale, I must admit. Still there are some things which I want to share in them.
I finally see a specialist for my Gastro-reflux. All my worries over the past days of having a tube pushed down my throat comes to nothing. There isn't any endoscope or whatsoever-scope needed for the doctor to tell me there is no cure for it. That's it. No heal-it-all remedy. The only way for me to go is to take long term medication in the hope of suppressing my symtoms which had been getting worse from year to year. It was comforting that he tell me "don't worry" and patted me assurringly.
Different batches of work had been forthcoming in the past month. Continuously with very short breaks in between. It was good working on different templates for a change. We had just finished the last lot of data entry. I felt rested. Strange. Today, I seem to have all the extra energy needed to type. Where did all that energy come from? Normally, by this time, I would be tired out. And normally, I would be dead tired after a trip to the doctor by the Home ambulances.
We had to stop working temporary to pack up the computer room. A week from now, we are moving out of this room. Our computers will temporary be housed at the Residential therapy room. On the 28th, the contractors will start tearing down all the cupboards and hacking up the place. The Home is doing a major facelift for the computer room and the handicraft room next to it. They have in mind a new layout which we weren't too keen about. After all that we had to say, we could only keep our fingers crossed. It will be two months or so before we move back. Fortunately, the internet will be set up at the Therapy Room so that we can still have access and continue using the computers. Can you imagine life without computers and internet? I'm afraid I can't!

READING MARATHON - 144 Hours

For Read! Singapore 2009, one of the event is a reading marathon to set a 144 hours of reading aloud non-stop record in the Book Of Records. The week long event (3rd July 1 p.m. - 9th July 09 1 p.m.) is held at The Plaza @ the National Library, Victoria Street. We took part in the reading marathon today.

READING MARATHON 2009

Under the group name "Wheels of Knowledge and Friends", Nantha Kumar, Chong Choo and I each had to do a half hour of reading aloud. There were 3 other wheelchair-users in our group. The timer on the panel on stage was clocking the 47th hour of reading when we arrived. Serangoon Garden Secondary School was doing the reading. The girl must be dry in her throat from reading aloud. I could hear the rasp in her voice but she continued to read well. I began to worry if I could do the same. Afterall I've never read aloud for long stretches of time and I do get breathless if I'm tired. Initiately, Chong Choo was to read at 1, Nantha at 2 and I would be reading at 3 p.m. with someone else taking over in between. But on hearing that we hadn't taken lunch, the organisers kindly rearrange our time slot so that we could finish one after the other. We were called to go onstage for a group photo shoot after which they seated us accordingly with readied mics. After a very short introduction of our names to the audiences, we took over the reading at 1 p.m. At an average of 13 pages each, we finished 2 stories and a half in the book titled "Dreams and Choices". Just 15 minuites into my reading, the wicked witch of my imagination cast a spell over my throat. It was as dried up as a piece of patchment left too long in the sun. I strived on. Nearing the end, I gladly took a sip of water which my volunteer held out to me. Perhaps she noticed the raspiness in my voice. Ah! How soothing, and refreshing, and precious is the sip of water. I did my turn and joined Nantha and Chong Choo below. They had won something in a draw and would collect their prize at a later date. We had lunch at the Cafe where we order anything from sandwiches to set meal. Lunch at 2.30 p.m. might as well be tea. Sandwiches was a good choice for me. We stayed on for some time after our break and took our leave at 4 p.m. Andrew, our volunteer driver for the day, had us worrying when the Home van died on the way out of the underground carpark. God helped us. The engine got going again after serveral trials and we returned home without any mishap.

Unlucky Day with One Big Blessing

What luck we have today!
First my handphone got locked after just 2 error trials entering the security PIN code. (I thought they allow more, my old handphone allowed 4 errors).
Next, the internet went down (and stayed that way for a whole day) when I got energy and inpiration for blogging.
In the evening, Peng Mun's right side back tire tore and the inner tube ballooned.
Last, but not least, his handphone hung. No matter what he did, Peng Mun couldn't get the phone to respond. It wouldn't even be switched off.
I was to find out later that someone else in the Home labeled the day "black" too. She called it a
horrible, unlucky, black day. That same day, something horrible happened for her too.
To be fair, this day didnt start out all that horrid. It began with something good. Mr. Harry Tan came back to volunteering after recovering from an ailment which was life threatening for him. To see him back was a relief and a joy for all of us who had been worrying for him over this period of time. Mr. Tan has been volunteering for the Home for more than 3 years now. His loud hearty laughter was an advertisement of his presence and residents waste no time in asking him for help in all sorts of purchase. He was always running back an forth buying food and grocery for us and doing some odd job, always going an extra mile. Mr. Tan shares openly and it is a known fact that he has bad medical records relating to coronary artery disease.
"Anytime, I may just drop dead," he was always telling us. Yet he affirmed that he finds happiness in coming and volunteering. We thought he'd burnt himself out soon enough, but he kept going and proving us wrong. Many times he tired himself out and we kept reminding him to take it easy and learn to say 'no' sometime--something which he don't know how to do. He wasn't afraid of death but was only afraid that he would not outlive his mother. He didn't want a broken hearted mother crying over him.
"I pray hard, God will take my mother first."
Thursday, 23rd April, while he was still away in Genting, his mother met with a fatal accident and passed away on the spot. After that it so happened that Mr. Tan got ill and was hospitalised with a life threatening condition. We did not know what to make of it and was anxious. Praying for Mr. Tan was all that we can do. We were happy to see him again. That's one great blessing for the day.

Visit to Istana and Getting E51

"When my batteries ran out, you gotta push me," I told Dehong, my good brother/volunteer. We made an appointment to explore Istana on Labour Day. I'm going in my motorised chair.

We weren't the only late ones meeting Dehong at the park, Shet Fen outdid us by arriving after us. We needn't wait long to take a bus and the MRT to Plaza Singapura though. We had a lunch treat from Dehong using his Kopitiam cash-free card. Joined by Li Lian and her boyfriend Zhi Rong, we headed for the Istana.

At 1 p.m. the queue was long at the entrance with temperture check for H1N1 virus symptoms. Peng Mun had a slightly higher temperature and was told to rest in the shade for a while. After the temperature check, a security check cleared us and we were free to roam the grounds.
It was an uphill walk from the entrance partially shaded by trees. After that, there was no escape from the scorching heat. A school millitary band was performing and we stopped to watch it.

When we reached the Istana building, Shet Fen bought tickets for us all to enter the Istana showroom. We were led to enter via the ramp at the side of the building. On display were valuable gifts from dignities around the world: swords, daggers, miniture ship models, ornamental boxes. The volunteers at the Istana were told to look after us and we complied by putting our motorise chair in manual mode and being pushed from room to room. In the comfort of the air-conditioned interior, we took our time to view the state meeting room, the dining area and the sitting area. There were many beautiful art pieces which I took time admiring too.

Back in the hot sun, we squint our eyes looking at the camera while Dehong tried to take pictures of us at every prestigious angle. We sweated buckets and seeked relief in the shady plant shelter around the fountain garden. Dehong was glad that the walk out was downhill as he put my chair on manual to save my battery energy.

We returned to Plaza Singapura and I found what I had been looking for at Carrefour: non-slip bath-mats. (I'd exhausted all shops in AMK hunting for them.) After having cold desserts at Ice Monster, we parted ways and returned to AMK Hub with Dehong.

I wanted to renew my M1 contract and get a Nokia E51. The salesgirl at the AMK Hub M1 shop was rather unhelpful and indifferent towards us. Perhaps she thought we would be a waste of her time. I became really annoyed only when she continued treating me like a dummy after I proceed to make a purchase. Her attitute dampened my spirit and I regreted doing the purchase with her. Just some shops away is Planet Telecom dealing with Nokia products. There, a really nice and friendly salesman Roy paid attention to us and made very satisfied customers out of us. I was happy to get my bluetooth headset from his shop.

It was 9 p.m. when we sat down to dinner at AMK Block 453 market.

Casual Meeting on a Sunday Morning

Cousin Yu Zhu and Xiao Gu (Aunt)

Not feeling too good, I skipped going to church today and least expectedly bumped into my relatives who had absolutely no idea about where I exist on this vast island. They came in a big group from the Mahabodhi Monastery where they are volunteers. It was Mrs. Masie Ko, one of our Management Committee member, who brought them to the Home.

Xiao Gu (Mandarin term for addressing father's youngest sister) had just walked by my room when I came out of it to accept and thank the visitors for the Yakult they were giving out. Xiao Gu recognized my voice and turned around. As for me, my thoughts didn't go further than 'She's got a face that look like someone I've seen.

"Ain't you Mook Lin's daughter?" she asked. Anyone calling my father by name must be a relative. The 'match it' cells in my brain were slow but quick enough I recognized her. Beside her, however, stood a cousin whom I had not met. After being introduced, I tagged along with the group and naturally made of myself their tour guide. Mrs. Ko had known Xiao Gu and cousin Yu Zhu for quite a long time and was amazed to be told of our relationship. It is a small world after all and if not for my being home on this day, we would not have met. God could have planned the surprise all along.

Memory Lane at Changi Village

The food was good but lunch at the Changi Village hawker centre was hot and stuffy. I wasn't feeling too well and had a loss of appetite. The weather was hot as hot can be. We must be crazy to go to the beach in this weather. Yet, how refreshing it is to be by the sea.
Peng Mun and I strolled leisurely on the boardwalk while Dee wandered on the sandy beach a little distance away delighting in little finds: a little pearly shell became my keepsake, a tiny crab in perfect shape until we broke its dried and brittled pincers trying to move it, a small starfish on a stone step was dried and spiky to the feel.

Our 2 hours' stroll took us from Changi Point Ferry Terminal to the Changi Sailing Club. Along the stretch we passed the Civil Service Club where the Singapore Cheshire Home used to be from 1976 to 1984. I was admitted to the Home in 1983 and had a room with the front veranda looking out towards the cape, the Changi Beach Park. Many of our staff back then were the local Malays who had to take the bum boat from Pulau Ubin to come to work; a good thing the Ferry Terminal was so near.

Dark clouds gathered in the horizon when we looked back the way we came. Anyway, we could go no further. The boardwalk continued beyond the Sailing Club begining with a step up; accessibilty denied to wheelchairs users.:(

We made a U-turn and took the pavement by the road. This took us pass the old Changi Hospital and once again my memories was brought back to the old days when residents were sick and admitted to the hospital. Some residents needed special care and the hospital being so near to the Home, the caring attendants went the extra mile to bring them back for bath and toileting needs. Many residents had travelled this same path to the hawker centre to get kopi-o, roti john, fishball mee-hoon and the likes either for themselves or for their fellow residents.

The pavement here are lined with old angsana trees that are home to many parrots. We spotted green and red Eclectus (males and females) and white cockadoos and almost bumped into a hunging spider. It was a walk amid nature.
We didn't want to go back to the stuffy hawker centre, so we settled down at Milli's for dinner. The food didn't meet our expectation. I was running a fever then and Dee cooled me down with ice and a fan blowing directly on me. I didn't want to go home yet. I haven't seen fireflies flashing in the night all my life and the previous time when we went to Changi in the day, I saw many bugs that could possibly be fireflies. Transport would come at 8 and I held on to my hopes of seeing fireflies. We crossed the bridge to Changi Beach Park.

The sun had set and a gentle breeze was blowing in from the sea refreshing everyone. Strangers exchanged friendly smiles. Relaxed, everyone was feeling happy. The transport came puncturely at 8 p.m. I didn't see a single firefly but happy, relaxed and feeling much better, I sang with Dee on our way home. We would go there again, I promised.

Earth Day and Growing Old

I feel old when I'm tired out and weak. I mean really really old. I'd imagine myself to be a 90 year old lady and tried to feel less frustrated at my weakness. Then also I could empathise with old people and offer up my feelings to God for them and for my old Grandma at home. Grandma is close to 90 now. Thank God she's still able to walk, though a little unsteadily.

Today the thought of getting older had not crossed my mind. Today I turned forty one and felt good, young and energetic. Yet eminently today I stumbled upon passages and verses that set me to think and remind me not to think that age is a bothering factor. Ha ha ha! First the Our Daily Bread reading for today "Too Old?" stared me in my face. The Bible passage reading come from Genesis 17:15-22. God was telling Abraham to expect a son by Sarah, his lawful wife. Abraham was then a hundred years old and Sarah was 90. Yet God proved that nothing was too hard for Him. God fulfils every promise He made in His time. When all seem without hope, there is always hope in God and faith in Him will carry us through.

Dee surprised me with a bouquet delivery and a message that goes:

Lizzie!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY FRIEND!!!!!

and remember.............."age does not make us childish, as some say; it finds us true children."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

All my love, Dee OOOXXX

I'm not that old, am I!!???

Thank you God for friends that worry and fret lest I think I'm getting too old.

With GE to the Flyer

We'd been on the Singapore Flyer!

General Electric organised and took us to the Singapore Flyer today. Initially I was reluctant to go because I simply hated having to switch from my motorised wheelchair into my manual one for the Home outing. But everything went smooth and easy for me today. I got up as early as 5.30 in the morning and had plenty of time left for breakfast after the morning staff showered me. (Normally I'm the last to be bathed and come out as late as 10 o'clock.) Besides, one major reason that I hated being pushed on the manual is I get easily jolted out of my sitting position and becomes really uncomfortable and significantly weak with no one to put me back in the right position. But today, there were serveral staff following us and one of them, Kumari, knows how to position me well. Immediately on reaching our destination, her help proved invaluable to me and was the cause for my enjoyment of the trip.

Gathered in a room at the venue, Melissa, our programme co-ordinator had us play some ice-breaking games with the GE volunteers. We were assigned to our specific volunteers and headed in groups of four to our capsules. Osland, John, Peng Mun and me were in the first group with our volunteers, Eugene, Sonia, Evelyn and Sandra and Paul, our Home staff.

We were led off seperately to the boarding area. The staff of the Flyer actually stopped the ferry to let us board safely. Because of this, we were told, we will be in flight for a few minutes longer than a usual flight time. The cabin door closed and we took off in slow motion. Thought it wasn't only me who secretly hope that something would go wrong and get us stucked up there for awhile, nothing went wrong. We didn't feel the ferry wheel stopping for the groups of residents behind us. But it stopped once only for a little while when we were at the submit. All too soon, the flight ended and we were ushered out of our cabin and into the lunch reception room where we initiately gathered. We had the whole room to ourselves as we chatted and view the pictures Eugene had taken while we waited for the other groups and for lunch. Lunch was Japanese bento which didn't taste too bad for many hungry stomachs. Despite myself, I enjoyed the trip.

2 down, Work goes on...

It had been just Yu Leong and me working this time. Chong Choo was taken ill and admitted to hospital at the onstart of the work and Peng Mun was next in having the flu. I must remain healthy to work on and so kept my distance.
Work was managable. We took what we can and returned Bizlink the rest. Meanwhile the heat and the flu bug worked together to test our immunity. Being healthy was a tight rope we were walking. More people were succumbing to the flu. The bug was finally passed to me when a staff sneezed while attending to my needs. Fortunately, I was doing my last hundred pieces of data entry and could afford a break when panadols and antibiotics put weights on my eyelids. When I returned to working, I found myself short of 3 pieces of work. Yu Leong had taken them to round up his work to a hundred. It threw me in a panic before I found out the truth.
With work done and April nearing, I began thinking about how I should tabulate the residents' electrical payment. Peng Mun and I got well enough and going out together was a treat to get away from thinking too much.

P.S. to all our friends: Don't worry, Chong Choo is fine. He got out of hospital in a week.

New Rates for our Electricity Usage

In Cheshire Home we pay a minimal amount for the use of electricity for our own electrical appliances. It is the Residents' Chairman duty to collect the money for the office every month. This duty had been passed on to my sister, Mary as the existing Chairman had difficulty doing so. It was a task nobody like.
As oil prices went over the months, some have speculated that the Home would up our electricity usage rate. But no concrete evidence was forthcoming and the oil price had started to drop when, out of the blue, the new rates were pinned up on the notice board for all to see. The new rates would take effect in April. As I am the one helping my sister to do the paper work, it means I have quite a bit to do editing the records. Some residents had paid up for the whole year and there are adjustments to be made. Sis, Mary is not going to have an easy job collecting bills in April.

Once upon a time, I was dust.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. From dust we come, to dust we'll return. Ash Wednesday is the day that we are reminded of our mortality. It is also a reminder that we will return to meet our God; the one who made us and the one who loves us, to whom we truly belong.
In the begining, on the sixth day after God created Heaven and Earth and all that is in it, God formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathe into him the breath of life. Therefore, with each breath we take, we should be thankful to God for the gift of life.
Today God gave me a new perspective that increased my awareness of His love for me.
After God created man, God put the man into a deep sleep and took a rib bone out of the man to
form a woman to give the man a perfect companion. God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply."
So, we are all descendents of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Now, back to the first thought: ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Surely, I'll return to dust. Everyday, I die a little and contribute to the amount of dust in my room with my old skin cells. Now the second thought: from my mother's womb, I come; flesh of her flesh, blood of her blood, nothing that resembles a handful of dust. To affirm that I was made of dust is to say and believe that I have come a long, long way. I am possibly more than 6000 years old since the first man Adam is believed to come into existance in 4001 B.C.
Wow! God waited a long time to see me. He took His time to form me. He saw me when I was dust. He knew and loved me back then (and still do:)) and He took care of me and brought me to existance.

Know more about:
Ash Wednesday
The Story of Creation

Foxtail Palms added

The central courtyard has a new look with eight saplings of Foxtail Palm, Wodyetia bifurcata, being added to it. We were a bunch of happy onlookers this morning watching the men planting the trees.
Some week ago, our friend, Danny, brought his friend with a knowledge of landscaping to the Home. They had talked about doing something to the garden. Together they donated the money to purchase and plant the trees.
Having the trees made quite a bit of difference to the feel of the place. The trees were choosen for its foxtail-like feather shape leaves which, not only look decorative, but help break up the direct and intensed heating of the courtyard while not blocking out the sunlight. The planted palms lend a softer feel to their surrounding and added some sense of happiness and well being. I said it because I feel it. Thanks, Danny and Jin Hong:)

Leopard Lacewing eclosed

After lunch I went back and find that my Leopard Lacewing had eclosed. Out came the camera and everything. This time I endeavoured to do a real good direct shot of my butterfly. I had tape the vine firmly to the box beforehand. I tipped the box slowly on its side taking care not to alarm the butterfly in the slightest way. And, yes, I succeeded! I tipped the box upright again. No alarm caused. I left it. It wasn't ready to fly.
Four hours later, it sure didn't look ready to me. It hadn't stirred from the same perch. Kumari went near to take a look. The alarmed butterfly flapped its wings and dropped from its perch. A spot of red appeared. One wing got glued to the wet meconium it had passed out. I let it grab a pen and put it back on the vine. Half an hour later it was still hanging on, but after my dinner and six hours after eclosure, it fell on its back again. This time it couldn't get up:-(

A Different Kind of Lunch

To celebrate the CNY, lunch was a catered buffet.
For the residents, the meal was a plateful of mee-goreng (fried noodles) and some curry chicken. For dessert, there was sweet yam paste. We all shared a tray of "lo hei". There were barely enough for all and we could only get a spoonful of the new year delicacy. Right after we have had our lunch, the staff started their lunch with more trays of "lo hei" and come away with little platefuls of the sweet died fruit from the tray. Many of the foriegn staff hadn't acquire the taste buds for savouring it and after a mouthful, some of them dump the plateful of the dish into the dustbin while we watch with doleful eyes.
For the staff, lunch was a plate piled high with food that look deliciously mouth-watering. There were prawns with their shells on, mushrooms with broccoli, braised duck meat, fried chicken wings on top of the other simple food. Some residents returned from their medical checkup and were given their share of mee-goreng, but one resident discovered that her lunch was not kept and was angry and refused to eat.

Catching the Floats

We expected a quiet and simple dinner at Elaine's place yesterday. It turned out quite differently. Neighbours got invited and unexpected friends popped up. It was Mrs. Gwee's birthday and for the fun of it, Elaine bought 2 small pieces of cake to be cut up into 16 little cubes for each of us! We had a good dinner and stayed on to chit-chat after the neighbours left. Elaine made the suggestion of catching the Chingay floats in Ang Mo Kio.

A check through the internet provided the details. The Chingay floats would made their way through Teck Ghee, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, block 409 to Street 51 and 52. Thereafter it will go on towards Serangoon North through AMK Ave 3. There are two places where we can see the floats; Teck Ghee block 409 and the Chong Boon Park across the underpass.

Elaine arrived with her sisters and brothers-in-law and we hurried over to the 409 market reaching there before 7.50pm. We needn't have worried. There was a variety show going on and goody bags were being distributed. It was a long wait before the floats came coursing down the road. We sat by the road and had a good view of all the floats. After the last float went by, we ran the way back home an cut to the furthest end of Chong Boon park just in time to catch a bird's eye view of the parade passing by again. We were elated to have catch the floats twice.

Privileged

Dehong visited me last evening with a bag full of gifts. I only opened it this morning. I got an emoticon freshly baked bun - a stress reliever......am I so stressed? O.K. I admit, yes, easily so too, an Illusion Science kit......interesting, and a box of bird's nest..... I am touched. This is one brother who thinks I need bird's nest and goes ahead to pamper me with it. I feel old and privileged.
Privileges were given to us when we signed up for NLB Project Deliver Me - a programme whereby NLB volunteers would deliver library materials to those who have difficulty visiting the library themselves. I was one of those privileged under MDAS to take part in its pilot. Project Deliver Me kicked off this year. NLB volunteers delivered our library books this morning and took away the dued items. I didn't managed to finish reading the book, "Winter World" by Bernd Heinrich. I put it down in the list of books to borrow the next round.
Gan's rather surprise visit gave me another reason to feel privileged and keep smiling. He popped in at 2 plus with a tank containing Leopard Lacewing caterpillars. Leopard Lacewing is a bright colourful butterfly that is becoming more common in Singapore. The larva feeds on the passionfruit plant. Gan gave me one of the three caterpillars in the box. He put some of its foodplant into my box too. We had two passionfruit plants growing on the fence behind the boys' rooms. However when I take Gan to the plants, I realised the plants were no longer there. They had been uprooted by the contractors recently to make way for the new fencing. The old Community Club next door had been brought over by the Anglicans and is now undergoing construction to turn it into a family service centre. While I worry and fret over the caterpillar's food, Gan, in his experience, assured me that there is nothing much to worry about. The caterpillar was near pupaton.

Story of the Ramps

Last night, for the first time, we actually enter their house. James and Elaine were delighted. I am glad the wooden ramps finally found its use.
Mary and I spent money constructing the ramps several years ago. The constructor made it with good heavy wood. It was too heavy and impracticle to cart around and was a white elephant from day one. Until now.
James was overjoyed to adopt the two planes of wood for their house. For a long time, James and Elaine had wanted to invite us into their house. Peng Mun and I have surprised them a couple of times by appearing in front of their gate. But we had never been in their house because there's two steps leading up to their front porch from inside the gate.
James and Elaine resolved to get us into the house in the coming CNY. James collected some material and began work hammering away last week, much to the curiosty of his neighbours. "What is James up to?" they asked Elaine.
"I don't know, you go and ask him" was Elaine's reply. She and her son, Justine were...erm... rather horrified. They were greatly relieved when the acquiring of our wooden ramps spelled an end for James's construction. I had no idea why so. "It's crude," said Elaine. But still I hadn't the slightest idea of what James was constructing. Last night, we see for ourselves.
James was putting up a rather complex structure of wooden blocks and planks that require nothing short of a manual to put it together. He was so very funny, trying to remember how the pieces of wood fit together, I couldn't help laughing. But here's truly a friend I can appreciate. He put in all his effort. God bless him. But no, no, I wouldn't even dare try out his construction.
However, James was pleased, proud and comforted when we did made use of three pieces of board from his trove to lessen the gradient of the ramps. And for the first time, we could go inside and admire their dwelling place. The ramps have found the right home.

The cold North wind slackened

My room has always been the stuffiest room. Its windows face east and its door faces west. The winds seldom blow in these two direction. A shelter built for the horticulture behind the room kept out the rain but at the same time blocked off any light breeze that might come in through the windows. But for now, the strong north winds blows steadily and sends its coldness throughout the building.
"Don't know where to sit. Go to the hall also cold, sit in the room also cold, lie down with blanket on the bed also cold!" said Emily, one of the residents. Exactly so. In the night, it is so cold, my toes felt like ice under the coverings.
Today, however, the sun shone harder and the velocity of the wind had slackened a little. It felt good to be out in the sun with the wind blowing. The same feeling I get being outdoor in the summer of 1997 in England. I took the route through the courtyard each time I went to and fro my room.
My roommate said it is a day to laze. As it turned out, I couldn't do much work on the computer. I spent the morning spring-cleaning my room with help from a student volunteer. In the afternoon I was not seated properly and tired out quickly trying to use both hands to type. I spent the evening writing out my CNY greeting cards with Lan Mui helping me and confiding in me. I prayed with her before she turn to bed. After that, Elaine called to say she is coming over with James to pick up two pieces of wooden ramps.

Hitch, hike, help and home is Home

Having confirmed that my room-mate Lan Mui can walk far and not tire easily, we went out together yesterday and spent a whole day at Ang Mo Kio Hub. I thought of taking the bus to the Hub in the morning to save energy, time and battery power. (Peng Mun's motorised chair battery was starting to wear out after two years.) I would rather we hit the pavement in the evening as the buses coming back from the MRT Station are, needless to say, fully packed. We arrived at the bus stop and checked the panel. It was a long wait for the next WAB (Wheelchair Accessible Bus). We hit the road on pavement.
Before the morning gone by, Lan Mui was complaining about a pain in her leg. We rested and walked some more. Along the way, as we shopped and lunched, we stopped and rested in between. I was getting concerned if Lan Mui can make it back, for her complaints came in shorter interrvals. Eventually I asked her to specify where the pain was. It was in her left foot. I suggested she took off her track shoes to relax it for a while. Guess what? The moment she loosen her shoelaces, she felt a tremedous relief. I can't believe she tied her shoes up so tied, it hurts! Well, I was relieved too; she could walk happily after that. It was Peng Mun who didn't have enough power to move in the evening. We had no choice but to join the evening crowd in boarding a bus. Bus 268 with two wheelchair seatings came quickly. We gestured to the driver with three extended fingers. He nodded. We were all aware of the crowd jostling for places. The driver did what he had to do. He opened the front door to let the able-bodied passengers board the bus. They swarmed in. The bus was nearly full when the driver tried to close the door. The people further away got the message and stopped rushing while the last few people were let into the bus. It was a crowd in the bus but we managed to board it. Three stops later, the bus was empty except for us. We dropped at the fourth bus-stop near the industrial park, thanked the kind driver and walked the distance home through Tavistok with Lan Mui helping Peng Mun along. Neared Saint Peter's Church, Peng Mun summoned Attendant Julie out with a phonecall for help. We raced the short distance home.
Today, visitors donated to the Home cartons of Milo, Anleen Milk powder, Maggie Mee, instance coffee packets, et cetera, while the Home cleared out and gave away cartons of Quacker products and packs of unpolished rice. There were simply too much, we couldn't finish them in time. Thanks to our many kind-hearted donors.

The trouble with the Balloons

Volunteer Christina organized and got many of her friends (and her sister Daisy as well) to sing us a delightful medley of songs yesterday in celebration of the Lunar new year. There were lucky draw of prizes and ang baos and colourful balloon sculpture, all to bring on a festive mood. After the celebration, the playful staff let go some of the balloons. I found one strayed balloon sculpture in the carpark before I went to bed. Lugging it back, I met Jason, my brother-in-law, half-way and got him to pluck out the blue, foiled, star-shaped, helium-filled balloon. Night staff Kumari came to put me to bed. I handed her the balloon and a problem: what to do with a floating balloon without a string? We looked around and eventually jammed the balloon in the gap between the window blinds and the wall cupboard. That was brilliant idea, we thought.
At 12.30a.m., I woke up to a series of 'bangs'. Someone was opening fire. That’s my first thought. Haha, look what reading too much mystery thrillers had done to me. The balloon was free and was banging into the rotating ceiling fan. I triggered the call bell for help. Kumari caught the balloon, feign annoyance and brought the balloon out of my room. I laughed. Kumari is one of the kind, gentle, soft-hearted girl around here. I woke up in the morning, and there, tied to an empty wheelchair is two star-shaped foiled balloons green and orange in colour.

The Palm King eclosed

Amathusia phidippus phidippus (Palm King)

=) My first time looking at this in real life. And wow, it's a big butterfly compare to the many medium and small butterflies I've ever kept. This one, with its wings folded, could just about cover the surface area of my palm. (Hmm? That puts a new meaning to its name.) It had climbed higher above the exuvia (the empty chrysalis case) to allow itself wing expansion space. So much for my worrying through the night whether I should have prop the thing higher. I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleeping excited to see the eclosure in process. But all I could do was lie and wonder about it on the bed until the morning shift staff came to put me out of bed at 6.45 a.m. The Palm King was out before I was up. Its bands of chocolate milo, creamy white and coffee milk colours conjured a delicious image of tiramisu cake in my mind. Once again, I give thanks to our Creator for delighting us with the creation of these beautiful insects. He created a myriad of creatures and took great care to put in the finest detail, down to every scale, down to every cell.

How many are your works, O LORD!

In wisdom you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures. --Psalm 104:24

A Palm King 'ripens' and brought back at last

Here's a picture of us.
That's me with Peng Mun beside me and his brother, Joseph Loke, who had came to visit. Joseph had brought along his camera and is keen to get some shots taken. Here's my opportunity to get a Palm King pupa shot in its natural surrounding. I led him outside the Home where the underpass is.

A big green caterpillar had pupated on the ceiling of the underpass near our Home. When I found out that it was a pupa of a big Palm King butterfly, I was determined to get it. In my enthusiasm, I had failed to take into account that the chrysalis is filmly attached to the cement ceiling by the caterpillar's strong silk. In the process of collecting, I regretfully caused the demise of the to-be-butterfly. What followed was a half hour spent mournfully in Chong Boon Park with Peng Mun trying his best to console me to no avail. Enroute home, I looked around and, to my consolation, found another chrysalis on the palm tree near the underpass. This time, I left it where it was but returned everyday to check on it. This morning, when I go to check on it, I took note of the colour change. The part of it where its compact folded wings are is begining to show up with a distinct colour from the rest of the body, a clear sign that the butterfly is ready to eclose the next day. If I don't bring the chrysalis home with me, I'd never be able to catch the butterfly itself. Up till today I have only seen pictures of this butterfly and have yet to see one in real life.

After some pictures are taken, Joseph readily returned with a container and a pair of scissors. The object of my attention was snipped from the tree and brought to my room. Now then, begins my eager wait for the morning.