Simple but Fresh and Delicious

On Mother’s Day we drove to Sekinchang, a little village half an hour from Kuala Selangor.  Our destination was a small home restaurant which served sea food. Although we arrived early, all the tables ( ten ) were occupied. As is the practice, we stood beside the table where the diners were finishing their last drop of Chinese tea. As soon as they vacated their seats, we promptly sat down and waited for the table to be cleared. Failing to do this could mean that someone else would sit and claim the table.

My brother ordered a steamed fish Teochew style,

 porridge cooked with shark meat,

  small clams ( lala ) steamed with ginger,

 shrimps cooked in chili and curry leaves

 and a dish of stir-fried sweet potato leaves which were very crunchy.

 The food came out steaming hot and the sea food was very fresh, the likes of which are not available in the big cities.

It was a lovely Mother’s Day lunch and satiated, we made our way to Kuala Selangor where we purchased pastries fresh from the oven, seafood snacks dried cuttle fish and special prawn crackers.
That done we made our way home. There were still some lush padi (rice) fields

  and fruit stalls by the road side. We stopped to buy some mangoes.

  Then it was a smooth ride home in good time for us to catch the musical at the Istana Budaya.

 The musical was called Chow Kit Road, Chow Kit Road, which is actually the name of a street in Kuala Lumpur. The story is based on the life of people in Chow Kit Road.

 The songs are those sung by the famous late singer Sudirman and the cast put on a superb show, with strong vocals and well-choreographed dances. It was a local production so the musical was in Malay, our national language.

It was a day well-spent and I had a good time with my family.

Go Green, Live Healthy

Pretty cows were seen all over green areas together with red hearts on trees declaring that happy hearts love green. This is part of a campaign “Happy Cows, Happy Hearts”.

This year is the 50th anniversary of greening Singapore, with the tag line “our city in a garden”.

Thus the colorful happy cows dotting the green lungs in Singapore and the red hearts hanging on the trees. They serve to remind people to care for the environment so that future generations will be able to enjoy what they have today, green grass, lots of trees and plants, fresh air and clear skies.

This is also a gentle reminder that in the midst of our busy lives, chasing after our dreams, we should stop to appreciate the simple things in life such as the flowers that brighten up our lives, the green smell of freshly mown grass, the birds chirping in the trees and the rustling of leaves in the breezes that caress our faces on a hot balmy day.

Doing this will bring us health benefits as these simple things give us a break in our frenetic routines, relax and reduce stress. It will also motivate us to go green in our lifestyles, to adopt better eating habits and to look after our hearts.

Being a Grandma is a Blessing

Being a grandma is like being given a second chance to enjoy the experiences of watching babies grow and playing with them, those precious moments which most working mums missed out on when their own children were young as they were too busy with work and other matters that needed their attention.

Some grandparents would beg to differ as they feel that they've done their part bringing up their children and to look after grandchildren would take more than they can give, of their energy and their time. They rightly feel that it is time for themselves to do the things they have been looking forward to. This is true but one has to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision to either become actively involved or  keep their distance. Sometimes there is no choice as the distance can be geographical as in my case.


Thus the days that I have with my baby grandson are very precious.  His waking hours are a real joy as he can now interact more.  His smiles and gurgles are sweet music to my ears. Giving him his feed, burping him and rocking him to sleep brings me pleasure.


 Anyone who has cuddled and rocked a baby will know this special feeling.


I have been playing with him and telling him stories. There is a particular book which he likes and he gets excited when he sees a particular picture.  It is a brown squirrel with a bushy tail.  He gets very excited when we come to the page of the squirrel holding a big nut.

I'm back home, having left with a heavy heart. My heart grew heavier and heavier with every mile that the plane put between us. News that he is unwell sends me into the dumps as I worry about him and his discomfort as he struggles through coughs and a blocked nose. Even when he doesn't poo gets me worried.  I fret over when he will get recover even as I pray to the Lord for his quick recovery.

Since he arrived in my twilight years, I dare say that I will not see him grow into manhood or even a teenager, like my other two grandchildren who are now teenagers, bless them. They have also left home to study in another country.


So I'm going to begin a project which will record the stages of my grandson's growth. I will include the photographs and videos and of course I will speak to him and tell him of things which he probably won't remember. I'm not sure if it will be a digital album as I'm a tech dummy.  I have yet to learn how to create a video incorporating photos and a voice over. Help!!!


 This is what I plan to do and God willing, I hope there will be enough time to do it. I need to do this as I want him to know his grandmother who loves him.  I want him to know how much he has enriched my life. When he is old enough to read and understand, I hope he will find this project an interesting glimpse into his infant years and know that he had a grandma who once held him in her arms.

Until my next visit, I have to be content with the photographs and videos that his father sends me.  Thank goodness for smart phones!

Being a Grandma is a Blessing

Being a grandma is like being given a second chance to enjoy the experiences of watching babies grow and playing with them, those precious moments which most working mums missed out on when their own children were young as they were busy working.

Some grandparents would beg to differ as they feel that they've done their part bringing up their children and to look after grandchildren would take more than they can give, of their energy and their time. This is true but one has to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision to either become actively involved or  keep their distance. Sometimes there is no choice as the distance can be geographical as in my case.

Thus the days that I have with my baby grandson are very precious.  His waking hours are a real joy as he can now interact more and the gurgles he makes are sweet music to my ears. Giving him his feed, burping him and rocking him to sleep brings me pleasure.

Anyone who has cuddled and rocked a baby will know this special feeling.

I have been playing with him and telling him stories. There is a particular book which he likes and he gets excited when he sees a particular picture.  It is a brown squirrel with a bushy tail.

I'm back home, having left with a heavy heart. News that he is unwell sends me into the dumps as I worry about him and imagine his discomfort as he struggles through coughs and a blocked nose. Even when he doesn't poo gets me worried.

Since he arrived in my twilight years, I dare say that I will not see him grow into manhood or even into a teenager, like my other two grandchildren who are now teenagers, bless them. They have also left home to study in another country.

So I'm planning a project which will record the stages of my grandson's growth. I will include the photographs and videos and of course I will speak to him. I'm not sure if it will be a digital album as I'm a tech dummy.  I have yet to learn how to create a video incorporating photos and a voice over. Help!!

This is what I plan to do and God willing, I hope there will be enough time to do it. I would like him to know his grandmother when he is old enough to read and understand.  I want him to know how much he has enriched my life.