Volunteering @ My Elder Girl's School Carnival - 8 Aug 2012

Dear All

In conjunction with the National Day celebrations as well as raising funds for the school's St Mag' Fund, I decided to be a parent volunteer at my elder girl's secondary school.

Tiffany's classmates in friendly handball competition (below):

Normally Tiffy doesn't like me to be around in her school...I guess it's a teenager thing :) This time, I just signed up with her God-ma and told her after the fact. She didn't even bat an eye-lash. I guess it's because I came for my first volunteer event at her Fun Run for Fund (I think that's what it's called) previously, and she must have found it a pleasant experience. I found it fun too, as I've got to wave "Hi" to her friends and classmates from her primary school and toddler year's neighbourhood friends at her school :) Altogether a good experience to see familiar faces, and also being gratified that the girls didn't cringe on seeing me, but instead gave me a wide smile of surprise and welcome.

That day of the Carnival on 8 Aug 2012 as marks the Opening day of the Thrift Shop run by the parent volunteers. A great feat indeed, as quite a few of the volunteers are alumni, meaning, that their daughters have already graduated but they still come back to help. One of them, whom I had met, even volunteers on a weekly basis to teach those who were hearing impaired or slower learners, as the school tries to help them integrate with the mainstream girls. This environment also gives the girls the opportunity to be compassion and loving towards those who are less blessed than them. That's my idea and understanding of what a truly holistic education is all about.

Flower balloon decos put up by the parent volunteers the day-before the event (below):

We parent volunteers were in charge of the Thrift Shop and the food stalls. There were 8 food stalls namely selling fried Kuay Teow & Mee Goreng, finger foods (chicken nuggets, fishballs, chicken wings, potato hash balls & chicken siew mai), pop-corn (where we have to pop the corn ourselves!) and candy-floss (luckily, the vendor gave us 1 guy to twirl the candy floss), ice-sticks & cold drinks.

SACSS Launch of the Thrift Shop (below):

The girls had various events throughout the school at various locations.

I found the water-slide manned by the sec 3 girls "cool".

My stall - finger food...originally my duty was candy floss but the vendor came late (below):

The young student entrepreneurs relaxing before the crowd comes (below):

They had their own Thrift Shop and manned the music and ice-cream sundae stalls.

Tiffy went to the Haunted House which I didn't get to see as I had no idea where it was! But there was several announcements over the PA that the sec 1 girls are not allowed to patronise it!

As Feli's school ended earlier, Tiffy's God-ma drove over to bring her over to the sec school. Then Feli asked if she could go and try out the Haunted House, and of course I told her she's not allowed to by the school even though I might say "OK".

Now I understand what's it like to be a salesperson! I was on my feet from 8:15am - 12:30pm with no seat to rest my poor feet! But when the girls streamed in to buy the finger food (where I was manning), I didn't feel any tiredness. It only came when I finally got to sit down...that's when I realised how tired I was, and had some difficulty getting up!

Tiffy & her buddies (below):

Her little sister, Feli, with her buddies :) (below):

We finally had the parent-daughter bonding lunch session over the making of popiah. I was so afraid I'll get food poisoning as Tiff is such a avid believer of the hand sanitiser that she just rubbed her hands with the sanitiser and started rolling the popiah for me! I made one for her, and Feli made one for herself!

The popiah session was followed by a simple but sumptuous spread of mee siam and nasi lemak.

All in, it was a wonderful way to put us in the mood for National Day and to enjoy the London Olympics then.

Love
Theresa

Pearls of Wisdom - Time is Precious

Dear All

I've learnt some precious pearls of wisdom today. These are extracted from the book "First Thing Every Morning".

Here are six terrific truths about time:

First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.


Wow, if only I can put to practise truths 1 & 6, especially number 6, and I believe the rest would fall into place. And next thing is to do so consistently, everyday, as  everyone has the same amount of time each day.


With the 2 girls being so bogged down with homework and study, must share this with them. The challenge is how to prioritise our activities and still attend to the nitty gritty ones that take up our time but still must be done eventually, though it's not the top priority (i.e. truth number 2).


Something to think about.


Love Theresa

Poem - A Cranky Old Man..Is that what you see?

Dear All

Read this post and was touched by it. Remember our ME Weekend where were shared about Death? When reading this, I'm thinking of my dad. Makes me remember to see him as My Dad, and not to treat him like an aged dad.

Enjoy!

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne .. The oldman's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.


Cranky Old Man.....
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!


Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within ... . . .
we will all, one day, be there, too!

Parent Volunteer at St Joseph's Home

Dear All

Last Thursday, I was parent volunteer, accompanying Felicia & her classmates to St Joseph's Home as part of their CIP.

Her 2 form & co-form teachers were supposed to go at first together with their chinese language higher mother tongue teacher, but upon seeing that there were 4 adults to a class of 40+ girls, her co-form teacher decided not to go, as she was bogged down with admin work and meetings. All her teachers are also HODs so they are extremely busy.

Felicia actually signed me up for this visit some time back and then told me to mark it in my calendar. She is so eager to get me involved. I believe I last went with them last year or 2 years back to Singapore Discovery Centre.

Anyway, this is the first time I'm visiting an old folks home so I didn't know what to expect.

We started off from school at 10am and reached the Home around 11am. We were warmly welcomed and given a presentation lasting about 1.5h inclusive of a very thought provoking (at least in my opinion) role-play where some of the girls tried being blind or a wheel-chaired bound stroke victim for 10 minutes.

As the elderly are not so mobile, they are given opportunities where-ever possible to be empowered. One of the ways was the Drum Circle where they are given the power to conduct the band of drummers, and also be a drummer themselves. I've learned that it's important to give the elderly choices as much as possible, like what food to eat, what clothes to wear and even what choice of shampoo or bath lotion to use for the day. I've never thought about that. As a young and able-bodied person, I take my freedom to decide for granted. When our faculties are gone, it's so hard to be dependant on others, as they do not really know what we want. Being able to make little choices and decisions would help boost one's self-esteem. It's a lovely philosophy of the Home.

Although the briefing could not fully prepare us for what we encounter. The various rooms were like the hospital B2 wards with hospital-like beds. Fortunately, most were empty as the residents are eagerly waiting for us to perform with them the Drum Circle. Some came on hospital beds but most were on wheel-chairs, and some were accompanied by their visiting relatives and loved ones.

All in, it was a pleasant visit. It's good to know that the residents here are quite well taken care of, but personally, it's nothing like your own home, being surrounded by your loved ones.

Enjoy the pixs!

Love Theresa

Role-playing as stroke victims on right side of body (below):

Laughing & getting a better view of their friends (below):

Using their other 4 senses when one is blind. Here, they are smelling a cut orange which almost everyone got it right (below):

Dominic showing us how to play a simple rhythm for the Drum Circle (below):

Helping to bring down the various drums from the store (below):

Beautiful corridors lined with paintings of St Magdalene of Canossa (below):

The beautifully landscaped and huge grounds of the home run by the Canossian Sisters (below):

Life-size and smaller sized statues dot the place (below):

One of the wings (below):

Felicia with her best friends getting ready for the Drum Circle (below):

An inspiring sayings on the wall (below):

Dominic getting the residents & the girls ready (below):

As many people as possible are given a chance to lead. An elderly resident leads by hitting the bell with a rhythm, then the Drum Circle follows the rhythm (below):

Our Lady statue at the back of the hall (below):

Felicia's Form Teacher's turn to lead the drum roll (below):

Felicia was randomly selected next to lead the drum roll (below):

Dominic giving the final instructions. Phew, I managed to escape being chosen to lead, heh heh (below):

Happily helping to put back all the drums and percussion instruments (below):

Felicia & HMT teacher and classmates helping to keep the chairs after the performance (below):

Another beautiful saying I found at the Home (below):

A sea-water aquarium donated & maintained by a benefactor (below):

Felicia's 12 Birthday - A Simple Affair

Dear All

Yeaterday was Felicia's 12th birthday. As she's busy & bogged down with numerous homework, she wasn't interested in having any "big" (i.e. inviting friends) celebration. So we gave her her favourite treat...sushi and bought her what she really wanted...a ukelele :)

Felicia with her birthday present from us (below):

Close-up view of the front of her ukele (below):

The words at the back of the ukele (below):

She never had an ice-cream cake for her birthday before though she has eaten several at friends' birthday parties. So we've decided to get a Swensen's ice-cream cake off the shelf. It was a bit ex but extremely delicious...with 3 flavours of vanilla, strawberry (with bits or real strawberries) and chocolate layered ice-cream sandwiched between two layers of cake. Plus, it was a design we (at least she & I) liked...my favourite Eeyore & Pooh Bear.

The ice-cream cake was packed with dry-ice at the sides which last about 45min to 1 h without re-refrideration (below):

Bert placed some dry-ice with water for the smoky-effect..the girls were so fascinated (below):

The birthday girl happy with her beautiful cake (below):

Memento pix with maternal grandparents and my bro (below):

The girls at a candid moment with Kong Kong. See how Kong Kong is smiling! (below):

 We had dinner at Sakae Sushi and tried some special order premium plates like the cheese with salmon sushi and the scallop with mango sushi. The cheese with salmon was overpriced for the taste factor. We could hardly taste the cheese plus it looks a bit scary, like an cyclops plankton in Sponge Bob Square Pants show!


The scallop with mango looks so much better and prettily presented. The scallop was tasteless but really very fresh and tender. Perhaps that's the way the Japanese like it, bland :)

The cheese with salmon sushi. Looks weird and tastes more like salmon than cheese (below):

The Scallop sushi with mango presentation looks lovely (below):

My little girl, all grown-up :)

Love

Theresa

Celebrating Our 19th Wedding Anniversary

Dear All

This is the first time we celebrated our wedding anniversary without our kids.

We usually like to do something we have not tried before to commemorate our anniversary. So this year, we visited the Changi Museum & Chapel.

It was a short bus ride away from our home, and we were pleasantly surprised with the many personal artifacts on display at the museum. However, the chapel and the 5 walls of the St Luke chapel were a little disappointing, as they are only replicas. Also, the part of the original wall of the WWII prison was not there but located somewhere else as part of the current Changi Prison.

As photography was not allowed in the museum, we could also photograph these below that were on the outside grounds of the museum.

Replica of the WWII chapel (below):

One of the many poster writeups (below):

Legend of Changi (below):

1000 origami cranes wishing for peace (below):

Outdoor service is held at special occasions (below):

Outside the gates leading to entrance of museum (below):

After our little excursion, we continued our celebration with a simple lunch at Sakae Teppanyaki. The amount of food was just right and we had personalised service just for the 2 of us :)

The chef cooking our garlic fried rice (below):

Our premium seafood meal (below):

Our yummy chicken (below):

This was our spread all cooked in front of us (below):

After shopping, stopped for fruit juice (below):

For dinner, we had take-away sushi, special order, from Edo-Sushi for us & the girls who were waiting for us at home :)

To top it off, my darling girls surprised us with a Precious Moments Wedding Anniversary card.

 

Love
Theresa