Sunday, March 29, 2009

Kwan's http://natureloveyou.sg

I would like to dedicate this blog entry to a nature lover, Kwan.

I was surfing for more info on plants. I found this excellent website http://natureloveyou.sg/

Kwan has a wide collection of various plants found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Sungei Buloh.

What I like about this website include:
(1) common and scientific names for each plant are provided, whenever is possible.
(2) there are several photos of the same plant, so that viewers can look and appreciate the same plant from different angles.

I benefitted a lot from this website and help from the owner.

I was learning the different types of ferns grown in Singapore. I took plenty of photos of ferns and ended up very confused because I did not know what they were. Luckily, Kwan, despite his hectic working schedule, provided guidance to help to identify them

Kwan,
Thanks very, very much for spending your precious time helping me.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A Nightmare in NUH A&E dept

SP returned home at 8pm to have his dinner. Suddenly, he felt tightening of his chest or heart again. He tried to calm down but did not help. We decided to make a trip to the A&E dept of National University of Hospital.

We reached the hospital around 9.30pm. The staff at the main entrance immediately took our temperatures. After a brief registration, SP was wheeled into the waiting area of A&E. We were asked to remain in the waiting area where the ambulances unload the sick people.

SP was not attended by any nurse or doctor. I must admit the A&E was very crowded with sick people and their family members. Only after about 4 hours later, a nurse fixed an ECG for SP. By then, SP was already feeling ok ie his chest/heart no longer that tight.

He finally saw the doctor and described his condition to her. She checked the ECG and then did a blood test. The result would only be available a few hours later.

We left for home at 3.30am while SP remained in the hospital under observation.

SP left NUH about 7.30am the next day ie 10 hours later. Doctors said nothing unusual was diagnosed.

Are we nuts?

Consider the time spent on waiting just to see a doctor was already utterly disappointed with the service from NUH.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Jade Goody dies after cancer battle

Jade Goody has died in her sleep following a public battle with cancer, her publicist Max Clifford said.

The reality TV star died with her mother Jackiey Budden at her side at her home in Upshire, Essex, at 3.14am on Mother's Day.

"My beautiful daughter is at peace," Ms Budden said.

Speaking outside her home, wearing pyjamas with a coat over the top, she added: "Family and friends would like privacy at last."

Referring to how her public battle with cancer has raised awareness of the disease, Mr Clifford said: "I think she's going to be remembered as a young girl who has, and who will, save an awful lot of lives.

"She was a very, very brave girl. And she faced her death in the way she faced her whole life - full on, with a lot of courage."

He said it was "ironic" that the 27-year-old - who had two young sons Bobby, five, and Freddie, four - had died on Mother's Day. Mr Clifford said he hoped Goody's family would now be left in peace to grieve.

Goody's friend Kevin Adams, who was also there when she died, left the house visibly upset and dressed all in black. He declined to comment to reporters outside the home.

Mourners started arriving at the house to pay tribute to Goody within minutes of the news breaking. They left floral tributes at the gates of her home. Later, two police officers arrived at the house.

Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "We are very sad to hear of Jade's death and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this devastating time. Her brave battle with an aggressive form of cervical cancer has received widespread public attention and encouraged thousands of women to seek advice on how to prevent the disease."

(source: uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090322/tuk-jade-goody-dies-after-cancer-battle-6323e80.html)

Giant Water Lily

The leaf of this Giant Water Lily is so huge that an adult can sit inside for a short while. The leaf is porous and so when it rains, the water can seeps through. There are thorns at the edge of the leaf, making it unpleasant for its predators.

Water Banana

Quite a lot of water bananas can be found in the Pond Section in Jacob Ballas Children Garden.

Staghorn's Fern

These ferns are found near the main entrance of Singapore Zoo.

Maidenhair Fern

These ferns are found in Singapore Zoo.

Pyrrosia Longifolia

These ferns are found at bus-stop (nearest to Jacob Ballas Children Garden) along Bukit Timah Road.

Rabbit's Foot Fern

What an unusual and interesting name! Look closer at the edge of each frond.

March 2009 School Holiday (part 2)

18 Mar : Isa and I stayed at home to sort out photos taken on plants recently. We collected many photos on many interesting plants. We were amazed by the amount of "data" we have collected just over a few days.

19 Mar : We took a nap in the afternoon. It is hardly a chance for us to do so during the term time since Isa will usually be in the school for supplementary or remedial lesson.

20 Mar : We set off our trip to Jacob Ballas Children Zoo around 9am. We spent about 2-3 hours there taking photos on various plants. We found Giant Sword ferns and many beautiful climbers/creepers. The section on aquatic plants was quite pathetic. Besides the water bananas, the aquatic plants there did not seem to be well-maintained. The park became crowded and the weather became very hot near noon. We took a simple lunch before rushing off to meet Doris. The kids did some homework first before going for bowling. We booked an alley for the kids to bowl though none of them knew exactly how to do it. After an hour of bowling, the kids continued to have a dip in the pool before having a dinner on tom yam soup prepared by Doris. She has became a great chef. Though the soup was slightly spicy, the adults and kids enjoyed the food very much.

21 Mar : We set off to the Zoo which has been planned for quite some time ago. Near the entrance, we finally found the staghorn ferns. These ferns look like an inverted Y shap and thus its name. We watched 2 animals' show; Rainforest show and Splash show. I must say that the latter was better because we saw the penguins, carribean manatee, pelicans and the sea-lion doing some tricks. We watched the feeding of the white tigers and the polar bears too. After a simple lunch at KFC, the weather became very hot and most of the animals were hiding under the shade. Before saying good-bye to the animals, Isa wanted a cup of Ben & Jerry ice-cream!

22 Mar : Most probably we will be staying at home to prepare for the school's reopening tomorrow.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Giant Sword Fern

I found such ferns in my neighbourhood. Just look at the brown "spore cases" underneath each frond. Unlike the Goniophlebium Percussum, these spore cases are located at the edge of the frond. More such ferns can be found in Jacob Ballas Children Garden.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

March 2009 School Holiday (part 1)

This year's March school holiday is from 16 to 22.

14 Mar : R gave us a treat for helping him to move house in late Feb. The meal was held in a small but packed restaurant in Hougang. There were 10 people including the 3 kids. Doris managed to budget the several course dinner at $100 max. Yes, the final bill came up to be $99.20. Doris is simply unbelievable in her calculations!

15 Mar : SP went to the IT show at Suntec. It was so crowded that he wished he did not go in the first place. Anyway, he bought a digi camera (Fujifilm) at $349 with a trade-in. Probably the trade-in digi camera is so old that the salesman asked SP to keep it but still offered him the discount price.

16 Mar : After the heavy rain, Isa and I went to Bukit Batok Nature Park to take photos on different ferns and plants. We got bties from insects but enjoyed ourselves appreciating the nature. There are so many different types of plants around us yet we are not aware fully of their presence.

17 Mar : Isa and I went to the library to borrow more books to read during the school holidays. To gather more info on plants, we borrowed some books on botany. I think without the Young Scientist Card (Botany), we will not have this extra push to learn more about plants.
http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/ibrowse.jsp?type=23&root=0&parent=0&cat=112

Stay tuned for the next update on my March school holiday.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Heliconia

Beautiful heliconia growing in clusters.

Bird Nest Fern

Another commonly seen fern in Singapore. The spores are found underneath the "leaves".

Dragon's Scale Ferns

Dragon's scale ferns are commonly found growing on thick trunks of the roadside trees.

Goniophlebium Percussum

What is the above? It is a type of fern. The little "pea" contains spores and they are located almost at the centre of each frond.

'Fading' Jade visited by her sons

Jade Goody's young sons have visited her at home with their cancer-stricken mother close to death.

The former Big Brother star's condition has deteriorated over the weekend and she spent much of the day sleeping and under sedation.

But she was briefly conscious of the boys, Bobby, five, and Freddy, four, and smiled when she saw them, her friend and publicist Max Clifford said.

Later, with their faces painted, they played in the garden of the home in Upshire, Essex, along with Goody's mother Jackiey Budden and husband Jack Tweed.

The family had been hoping for friends and loved ones to visit over the weekend, with an early Mother's Day celebration, but Mr Clifford said she had not been well enough.

"The boys went to see her and she was aware of them for a brief moment or two," he said. "She saw them and she smiled. She has put her house in order and faced up to everything in an incredibly brave way. Now we're waiting for the inevitable, it could be at any time, we just don't know."

A priest also visited Goody to say prayers and blessings.

Goody has told her sons, who are staying with their father, TV presenter Jeff Brazier, she will soon be in heaven.

"They want the boys to be as happy as possible," Mr Clifford said. "They are trying to get the message across."

After coming home from hospital on Thursday Goody told her sons: "Mummy's going to heaven soon. I'm going to be a star up in the sky so when you are looking up you will be able to see me and know I'm there, always looking over you. Mummy's going to be up there looking over you. Close your eyes and you can talk to me."

(source: uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090316/tuk-fading-jade-visited-by-her-sons-6323e80_1.html )

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Weeping Ru (Gymnostoma rumphianum)

Instead of leaves which consist of a leaf blade, what Weeping Ru has is thin spines.

Yellow Aralia (Osmoxylon lineare)

Another common shrub on the roadside.

Boungainvilla

This is a common plant or shrub. The unique part is its flower which consists of 3 petals.

Giant Dumb Cane

The sap and leaves of this plant are poisonous. But it is quite a common household plant.

Ixora


Friday, March 13, 2009

Dogs

Any dog-lovers here?

I like dogs but not to the extend to keep a dog as a pet because I don't have the patience, time and that much love for this 4 legged-creature.

Each morning when I leave for work, my 13th floor neighbour would bring his Wuchai (a female shih tze) to the playground for a walk. According to the owner, Wuchai is very tamed and does not bark at all. She is very friendly and recognised people. When I meet them in the lift, Wuchai will be so excited that she jumps up and down; already have a good exercise before she heads for the playground.

Along my journey to work, I will pass the winding road along Little Guilin. I will hardly missed seeing a maid going for a walk with 3 big dogs. These 3 dogs are not muzzled and so probably they are really tamed enough. But seeing a small sized lady holding onto the leash of 3 dogs, I don't think anybody would want to try to be funny.

Dogs are men's best friends. For friends who keep dogs at home, do give them a big hug.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Cancer-hit Jade 'losing her sight'

Terminally-ill Jade Goody is losing her sight as her cancer takes hold, it was reported.

The 27-year-old reality television star can now only see out of one eye as her condition worsens, The Sun reported.

Goody, who has been told she has only weeks to live, was diagnosed with cervical cancer last August.

She is currently being cared for at the Royal Marsden Hospital, in west London.

One of her friends told the newspaper that the star hoped to return home to Upshire, Essex.

"She wants to go home and be surrounded by family and friends - not in a hospital bed," the friend said. "Everyone's concentrating on getting the nurses prepared so that she can face the pain at home."

On Monday it emerged that pop star Michael Jackson had sent his "love" to Jade Goody and asked if he could visit her in hospital.

Her publicist Max Clifford said: "Michael Jackson phoned her over the weekend but couldn't get through. He wanted to pop in and see her but instead sent her his love and said he was thinking about her."

Goody's husband Jack Tweed spent the majority of Monday at her bedside, Mr Clifford said.

Earlier, the star had woken to find a woman leaning over her clutching a hammer at the hospital. Police were called and arrested the 41-year-old suspect, but she was eventually released from custody with no further action.

(source: uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090310/tuk-cancer-hit-jade-losing-her-sight-6323e80_1.html )

My Comments:
I feel so sad because cancer is taking control now. There were reports that she slept most of the time which was another sign, my mother-in-law had faced during her final journey.

Things always don't go as Planned

Hi Friends,
Do you have the above "problem" or experience? You have planned and looked forward to a particular day or event. On that day or time, something happened and it did not go the way you have planned or preferred.

I am quite a rigid and inflexible person. I feel more comfortable with some planning in advance. But often, the day goes better without any plan.

I have planned for a particular day to meet Doris for a chit-chat since we have yet to meet for a long time. Just before that day, her kitchen pipes gave way and her appointment was with the plumber instead of me.

I planned to arrive the school early so that Isa could have a hot piping lunch. On my way, the heavy showers delayed the bus journey. My feet were soaked. I arrived late and Isa took her lunch in the canteen.

I planned to do something relaxing on my rest day. Just the night before, my boss called me to cover somebody's medical leave. Can I say no in this situation when the jobless rate is all time high?

I was hungry and waited eagerly for my lunch to arrive in the office. (Yes, my office provides a simple lunch). The lunch came and was piping hot but hokkian mee which I disliked. In the end, I ate biscuits and drank hot milo for my lunch. Yes, I can only blame myself as I strongly prefer rice and dislike the thick yellow noodles.

Life is often not a bed of roses.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Mdm Goh LL will be on long Medical Leave

Isa's form teacher, Mdm Goh LL who teaches English, Maths and Science, will be on a long medical leave to undergo a treatment. Another teacher, Mdm Soo SE will take over her duties.

I have mixed feelings over this issue.

Mdm Goh LL is a unique teacher. She started a "reward" system in the class. Each completed worksheet or good behaviour will earn a sticker. Each student has been given a chart where the stickers earned can be pasted. This created some competition among the students. They continue to strive harder.

She bought many well-chosen assessment books for all the students and did not collect the money.

She hardly scolds or raises her voice in the class, which is very different from the rest of the teachers.

Now that she is leaving and all students will have to spend time getting used to a new teacher.

I hope the transition will be smooth.

Mdm Goh,
I wish you a speedy recovery.

Weather came at the Wrong Time.

Around 11am, the sky was so dark that it looked like it was already evening.

Soon lightning flashes and claps of thunder predominated the sky.

I was on my way to Isa's school. The sudden and heavy downpour caused some parts of the road to flood. My precious shoes were soaked in the water. I was very angry with the wet weather coming at the wrong time.

This is the time where the students in afternoon session going to the school. Parents, usually the mothers were busy holding their kids and the big school bags. The students wore slippers and changed into their dry socks and white school shoes. The waiting area in the school entrance was packed!

The rain did not ease until late afternoon. I think the rest of the evening would be cooling and nice.

Old Piano has Found a New Owner (part 2)

Today is the day when my old piano is leaving for her new owner Ms A.

Before 9am, the movers arrived promptly. Two strong men loaded the piano onto a trolley. The piano was moved out with ease.

I felt moody to see her departure. It has been sitting in the living room for many years and now it is gone.

Ms A,
Please treat her well and thanks a lot.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Hep B Vaccination (part 3)

Today, I reached Bukit Batok Polyclinic before 9am. I helped myself at the self ticketing machine, got a queue number and waited about 15 minutes at the registration counter.

After stating my purpose, I was told to proceed to the Treatment Room. My queue number was called in about 10 minutes.

I would be getting 3 doses of Hep B Vaccination. The total cost is $56, payable by cash or credit card.

First dose (5 Mar 2009), second dose (a month later) and the last dose (5 months later).

The injection was given to my left arm.

In less than an hour, I was walking out of the polyclinic; happy that I got my first dose of the vaccination, sad because I am $56 poorer, not including the $20.40 screening fee.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Hep B Vaccination (part 2)

On 24 Feb 2009, I went to Bukit Batok Polyclinic to do a Hep B screening.

Yesterday (3rd Mar 2009), I received a letter from the polyclinic to inform me that I am not immune against Hep B. An Immunisation thus is needed.

This mail came surprisingly soon as I was expecting the results to be known at least 2 weeks later.

I intend to go to the polyclinic again this week to get the first dose of the Hep B Vaccination.

Please stay tune.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Wet Weather

Dear Friends,
Did you notice that it has been rather wet during the past few days?

We are now in March and the usual weather pattern should be drier and windy.

However, heavy thunderstorms occured in the afternoon for the past few days and today, wet weather came in the late morning.

Now is cloudy with some light rain.

I hate cloudy with light rain because if I don't carry an umbrella, I would get wet. If I carry an umbrella, it is just light rain.

Yes, I am a weather sensitive person. The weather can affect my mood. If the weather is hot and sunny, I feel cheerful. If the sky is gloomy, it makes me feel dull and sleepy.

Does weather have any effect on your mood?

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Our Iconic Merlion struck by Lightning on 27 Feb 2009

Did you notice that the thunderstorms in the past few afternoons have been very severe?

Lightning flashes and claps of thunder occurred almost every afternoon. The heavy thunderstorms started to ease in the early evening.

In the late afternoon of 27 Feb 2009, our iconic Merlion was struck by lightning. Luckily it was just a relatively small "chip" gone and nobody was hurt in the news report.

My One-Week Leave is Over

How time flies and one week of leave is already over.

I must say that I enjoyed myself very much during the week. I managed to do Hep B screening and now waiting for the result. I helped R to move house which was quite a fun experience. I managed to spend some time with Isa. I had breakfast almost daily with SP which was not possible since our work schedule does not coincide at all.

I look forward to my next leave which will be around late April.

Hurray! Back to office tomorrow!