Cruelty to ants

Mark gleefully shared with me that one can actually confuse an ant by drawing a circle round it with a marker --- the ink scent actually will throw its navigation system completely haywire!! The other two boys volunteered to comb for an ant trail in and around the hourse in order to test out his theory. I told them that I was all for scientific inquiry and investigation, but they would have to clean out the circle markings of course! But, I put my foot down to them verifying feats featured in Ripley's Belive It Or Not!!

Not exactly roasting chestnuts and Winter wonderland

I surprised myself. I thought that for the first time in 16 years that I do not put up the Christmas tree and engage in the usual Yultide gift galore thing, the kids will hate me for it. But our last minute modest BBQ on Christmas eve and ice skating session on Christmas Day more than made up for everything. Amongst 1 Girl Guide, 1 Boy Scout, 1 Red Cross member, 1 St John Ambulance member and 4 other very helpful and enthusisiastic ones, we made a good fire, skewered colourful kebabs, BBQ-ed flavourful variety of meats and seafood, made a sumptious salad and roasted nice potatoes! We even managed to whip up mouth-watering hot soup too! I am biased of course . . . but this BBQ seemed more effortless, . . . I guess because the grown up kids chipped in more to do their part. We played Uno after dinner and the boys cheekily put up a raunchy Chippendale dance in their bath towels afterwards! The rest of us really had no choice but be held literally captive audience. Hahahaaaa!!

Ice skating at Kallang Leisuredome really brought highs for the children! Being the noobiest novice, Brainiac braved many falls and his jeans were all wet. The older ones embarassed me with their Christmas reindeer horns, bright red caps, green T-shirts and Christmas jingles as they skated. I tell you, you don't want to be near this family sometimes!! The Significant Other rushed back from his appointment to join us only towards the end of the session, but from the perpetual silly grin on his face, we can all tell that he is happy with what he saw at the ice rink.

Another Christmas, another wonderful time of family bonding and affirmation . . . The economy may not be wonderful, but I thank God, He is looking over my family!

All I want for Christmas is . . .

Christmas is here and some people just ask for the whimsiest thing that comes to their mind: The boys cheekily asked if I can produce a baby brother for them, that is, if my body is till capable of it!! I retorted that I would if their father could find me a younger mate; that way, they could maybe have a brother who would not look as retarded like them! Wuahahahaha . . . . people, I'm just joking of course; please do not take offence nor be shocked. Sacarsm runs in this family and by now, you probably would have guessed that sex is not a taboo topic under this roof here. Haha! My parents,his parents and most of our immediate family members and friends would be shocked at our openness with our kids; but hey, better get the correct information from us parents than from dubious sources, right?!

On this light note, I wish one and all reading this blog a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 15 January 2009 bring you good news of your "O" level results and may all your choicest dreams come true!!

Winter Solstice

It's Winter Solstice today, and we did the regular thing with the tang yuan. The Significant Other bought the glutinous rice flour, ground peanut, pandan leaves, rock sugar and the kids had fun kneading the dough into tiny balls and putting peanut fillings into some. We cooked everything in fragrant pandan rock sugar soup and lapped up every bit of our works! This year, the boys entertained with new magic tricks picked up and perfected --- thanks to the internet. Yes, I know, they are supposed to be banned from the internet, but well, I'll shut one eye . . . tis the season to hang loose, or so the kids tell me! But urgghh . . . the extra clearing up after that . . . I didn't quite relish --- not after having scrubbed and washed 6 pairs of dirty and heavy jeans this morning and doing 2 loads of laundry!! Plus the cleaning of the house . . .! I'm helper-less again at the moment. Long story . . .!!

Dance feast

Had two full rehearsal rounds of the ballet concert performance today. We all had fun -- daughter # 2, son # 1 and I helped managed the stage and dancers, while daughters # 1 and # 3 danced! The youngest 2 sons were thrown to the Significant Other to manage. I tell you, I want to be born a dancer in my next life! The grace, poise, lithe movements, music, choreography and beautiful costumes are just so oooOOOHH!! As we got the 6-year-olds ready at the stage wings for their acts, I was reminded of how I got initiated as a ballet Mum way back when daughter #1 was just 4 years old. Today, I could sense the excitement of all the ballet Mums and Dads as they tried to peer into the door windows of the rehearsal venue. And the little ones, all fired up over their bling bling tutus . . . I smiled at their exuberence and innocence! I smiled again as I bunned up their hair and helped them change into their costumes. And the Advanced dancers, . . . a couple of them have moved on to clinch dance scholarships, both locally and abroad. After watching them and the daughters grow over 12 years of dancing together, I feel proud for them.

The darn recession . . . I'm considering if perhaps the daughters should just stop their ballet lessons. You never know . . . better be financially prudent. But then again, they have come very far. Hmm . . . almost as if she just read my mind, the ballet teacher today offered teaching assistantship to the eldest daughter. Well . . . she may well be able to help supplement her own ballet dance fees then . . .

A guy-kind of shopping

Son # 1 and I did a very guy-kind of shopping today. We planned beforehand the kinds of apparel we wanted to buy, parked the car, and tore out the one-and-a-half hours worth of coupons that should nicely see us through our mission. Headed into the very crowded, super-noisy and stuffy Bugis Street bazaar and tried to find stuff that would fit Mr Super-skinny. I tell you, it was tough navigating the stalls and sussing out what we fancy, with the two of us being non-shopping-types! I wish I had my shopoholic sister with me on the trip! Anyway, today, I kind of put myself in the circuit where guy fashion is concerned. It's one of those Mum-things I need do, I guess. But no thanks, amongst the daughters and the sons, I think that the next time round, I shall supply the dough and leave them to do the shopping.

Say, . . . I'm touched

Minghui, thanks for the save-our-blog post! Maybe some more of the rest of you might be encouraged by him to come forward with your postings. You know, I'm officially no more your English Language teacher; maybe this might make you feel more relaxed about contributing to the blog?! Yes?! Okay, I shall not take down the blog. But please feel free to update it and keep it alive so that all will be encouraged to visit it. Yes, . . . it would be nice to keep in touch.

Just yesterday, I met 3 ex-NJC students I taught, at my cousin's wedding. They squealed, " Ms Quan!!", and almost instantaneously, we were yakking away like we never left college. Good grief, over 24 years of not meeting, and we just cliqued like old times . . . I tell you, the teaching profession does yield very rewarding moments . . . I'm totally biased.

And to share with you a light moment: Brainiac wanted me to smuggle him into my gym. He said that I should just put a slice of bread beside each of his ears, and then take him in. That way, when I'm questioned, I should just say, "Look, what I put in my sandwich is my business." Very funny . . . I know it's got to do with the kind of books he's reading these days.

Then, the daughter received her vacation job pay last week. She's graciously giving me $100 and her old man $100 too. Bless her! I'm touched.

Reasons why the blog should not be taken down.

The following blog post shall state the numerous reasons why my classmates and I feel that this class blog should not be taken down. It should be safe to assume that most, if not all of my classmates are for the notion of leaving this blog alive. (Anyone who doesn't agree please come find me. =P)

Firstly, the blog would be a great way for us to organize class gatherings and such. Although today's technological advances evidenced by social networking sites and instant messaging programs make it relatively easy for us to do so, it would be much easier and more efficient if future class gatherings and meet-ups were organised through this blog as everyone would have access to it. We would therefore not be required to disseminate information to each and every one of our classmates, and information about our class gatherings (if any) would be accurate and up-to-date if posted on this blog. As such, I feel that this blog should not be taken down.

Secondly, the blog would help us to keep in contact. (For those not wearing contacts also) A blog can be a short snapshot of one's life, and as long as my classmates regularly update this blog, it would be a quick and easy way to catch up with the random stupid things theywe are doing lately. For example, instead of having to repeat to everybody which JC or Poly you have gone to, it would be easier to just post it here, and we wouldn't have to repeat ourselves so many times and waste our energy. =) Furthermore, it would get harder and harder for us to keep in contact as we would all be going to different Tertiary institutions next year or retaining. This blog would therefore be a simple efficient network for us, and would also be convenient as many of us already have Blogger accounts. Therefore I feel that this blog should not be taken down.

Of course you may say that this blog might require constant maintenance from time to time. However, this does not have to be the case as the running of the blog can be handed to us students. Therefore Ms Quan would be freed from needing to manage this blog and at the same time can keep up to date with us as a class. =) At this point I'm actually really lazy to think of some more reasons and just wrote this sentence so that the post will seem longer and hopefully no one will see this because they'll just skim through the post. Hahaha. Hence I feel that this blog should not be taken down.

In conclusion, this blog should not be taken down as long as my classmates are willing to maintain it and keep it updated. The blog would not only help us to organize class gatherings, but would also help us to stay in contact and the running of the blog can be handed over to us students. Therefore I feel that the blog should not be taken down.


There, I posted. =)
Done by: Zheng Minghui, Sec 4 Integrity.

Chalet2008

Hi guys, this is the group photos yesterday.




I~VaN™

BBQ paradise

1.01am . . . just finished clearing up after a most sumptuous supper of grilled stingrays and sotongs courtesy of you 4 Integrity people! My 6 very satisfied kids want to say a big THANK YOU to you all for so graciously sharing your BBQ fare! View Meng heard their thanks over his handphone earlier on. I had to cut short their zeal to continue to yak with him. They'd probably have yelped: "Mum, what are you doing wandering around the house naked again!!!" or something like that just to embarass me! Hai yo, you don't know them . . .

They were really keen to join you all at your Costa Sands chalet, really. You see, they have been put on a no computer lifestyle this hols, and have to learn to make do with an alternative lifestyle to prove that life can be equally meaningful. Haha.... so far, so good. We have gone back to reading together as a family, swimming, skateboarding, practising on our pianos and drums, skipping, car drives, grocery trips together and learning to cook from new recipes. Yah, we can all attest that weaning ourselves from the computer does free a lot of time for us to try doing other stuff that we wouldn't dream of. Maybe, you all want to give it a shot someday.

It's nice to see you all again at a most lovely setting by the pool, under the moonlight, carrassed by a cool breeze and palate ticked with a wonderful spread of thoughfully BBQ-ed food. I was telling the 6 that I felt pampered . . . by you all. Thanks, people!

I shall miss you all!