Red Bean Plant

Ever since in Kindergarten days, GK has already experienced in planting of green bean seeds and red bean seeds using a plastic cup/container and cotton wool, and observing how plants grow.
On those earlier experiences, our findings were that the leaves between the green bean plant and red been plant are different in their shapes. However, the plants planted by GK never lasted long, probably within 2 weeks, they died.

In Febrary this year, for the Science subject, K was asked to grow either the green bean or red bean seeds again... and because we ran out of green bean seeds, we decided to grow using red bean seeds.

The red bean seeds have grown very well in the plastic container. And in March holiday, we decided that we should transfer the plants to the soil.

Over the days, the plants had grown well too in the soil, and just last week, we observed that there were even flowers budding on the red bean plants...

This was what we newly learnt also.... Red bean plants bear yellow flowers!

Too close-up, cannot see the petals of the flowers well...
Notice the heart-shaped leaves of the red bean plant? Green bean plant is of another shape... try growing the green bean plant and tell me the shape of its leaves... : )

多事的一个星期

过去的一个星期，心情的起伏相当的多变化；有着各种不同的滋味：


14 May
早上，老公捎来好消息。他的同事（阿冯）的老婆已经顺利产下了一个健康的男宝宝。阿冯夫妇俩结婚已很多年，如今如愿得子，真是替他们开心。 （乐）


中午，家婆通知我说她妹妹的家婆早上在医院过世了。这位老奶奶我也和她见过数次面，是为慈祥的老婆婆。她的丧礼只办三天，所以我得抽空在未来去吊唁。（哀）


下午时分，yahoo的主页登了我国元老，前副总理Dr Goh Keng Swee 逝世的消息。说实话，我其实对这位元老并不熟悉。印象中，一直只知道LKY是犹如我国的国父，因为他对国家的贡献是如此的大。之后从报章细读Dr Goh的一切文章，才知他也是为如此令我敬佩的长者。惭愧的是，我到目前才真正知道我已服务了多年的公司，原来是他提议创办的。。。 （哀，惋惜）


没多久，老公再次来电，提醒说隔天我们得参加一个他JB朋友的结婚晚宴。。。真是糟糕，我竟然把这件事给忘了，还本想约了老公和朋友去喝酒唱K, 只好另择吉日了。。。（失望）


15 May
孩子们要呆在家里，所以下午准备好了他们的晚餐, 就载家婆去老奶奶的丧处吊唁。之后我们就前往新山去。婚宴是在Danga Bay的港一海鲜酒楼举行。酒席的菜色相当不错，只是效率方面超慢；每一道菜上桌，需隔大约15至25 分钟的等候时间。。。结果等到11点钟时， 我们尝了炒饭后，就离开了， 不想再等酒楼上甜品了。随后，老公在附近的油站添了车油，我们赶紧前往关卡去。马国和我国的关卡车辆还挺多的，所以有稍微的阻塞。待我们抵达老奶奶的丧处时，已经是凌晨12.30 了。等到家婆的麻将牌局结束时，已经是2点钟了。（又累又困）

16 May
醒来时，已经是早上10点多钟了。 大家梳洗一番后，在12点钟时，跟大伯和小叔集合在龙凤大饭店，为家婆庆祝belated母亲节。这里的点心quality不错，大家都很喜欢。我们各自还另外打包了一些回家慢慢吃。（开心）

接着载家婆到老奶奶的丧处参与出殡仪式后。大约6点钟，我们就会到家里，在梳洗一番后，就在7.45 pm, 抵达了Coronation Plaza 的妙益素食馆，因为家婆要出席佛堂师父的六十岁的寿宴。等待家婆的当儿，我们和孩子就到Serene Centre的MacDonalds 吃快餐当晚餐。这间快餐店对我有着特别的意义。。。是我在12岁那年第一次吃麦当劳的所在地。印象即深刻因为是参加同学的生日会，才有机会第一次吃麦当劳和品尝鱼柳堡的滋味。。。结果，吃完后，在回家途中，在乘搭的巴士上，吐了满地都是。尴尬极了。。。

17 May
G说科学科目考到63分，我很满意。可是，数学只考到30分. K只知道数学科目的分数， 32分。。哎哟，真是糟糕了！

18 May
K通知说科学考到57分，还好是及格的，因为我不看好他会在这项科目及格。

19 May
G 发烧和咳嗽了，mc 三天。K一早就到电话，很内疚的告诉我他在PE 跳绳时，忘了把眼镜给摘下，结果眼镜掉在地上，镜片都给摔碎了。。。我好心疼哦，因为K已在不到一年内已经换了3副眼镜了。。。好粗心的一个孩子。。。

20 May
我的妈呀。。。K报道说华文试卷，他考了8/50. G比较好一点，15/50。。。哇，真的要加把劲了。。。不过，英文试卷，K考了42/60，在我认为是相当好了！
晚上8点多钟时，哥哥捎来电话，通知说妈妈咳嗽，身子看起来很弱。我只好在10.45pm,跟老公把她载到AH看紧急部门。当时妈妈也正在发烧，看了令人担忧。医生建议入院观察，已看是否有肺部感染或是TB的迹象。带我在医院等到2am时，妈妈才去到了病房。值勤医生通知说X-ray 结果已废除TB的可能性，目前看来是有点肺部感染，所以会发烧。当我和老公回到家里时，已经是3am了。。。倒头就睡着了。。zzz

21 May
6点钟就起身了，好困哦！ 没办法，还是得准备带K上学。出门前，照了镜子，黑眼圈好深哦！
下班后，去AH看妈妈，她还在发烧。。。希望她快点好起来。。。

只是一个星期里，还真是有那么多的事情发生。。。

Exam Fever!

好不容易，就等明天最后的一张年中考卷，然后孩子们的暑假一开始，我也可以轻松一个月了。。。。

已经半年没为孩子安排上补习班，就想看看他们到底有多少‘实力’来为自己的学业努力。。。结果天天老是对着电脑和游戏机，一点都不担心会荒废学业。


等着看下个星期的考卷成绩吧。。。

我真的不报着太大的希望他们能有突飞猛进或优异的成绩，只希望每个科目能及格，我就已经可以笑到见牙不见脸了。。。

祖先和菩萨们，请多多保佑。。。阿弥陀佛。。。

Batam Trip

Yesterday finally realised the trip which I've planned long ago.

The previous trip to Batam was in Nov 2008 together with my family and relatives, and I had a good impression and memory of this Batam island. I enjoyed the seafood, the roadstreet bbq foodstuff in the night, and shopping spree with good deals.....cheap mannn...

It was only on 30 April, then I confirmed this trip with Steph and her family. And on 1 May, about 9 am plus, we arrived at the Harbourfront Cruise Centre to book our ferry tickets to Batam...and to our astonishment, the only earliest ferry tickets available will be only 2.20 pm... oh my gosh! I thought only M'sia is Singaporean's favourite places to travel to during long weekends/holidays.... never did I knew that Batam island is so overwhelmily visited by Singaporeans! Now, learnt a lesson... next time must do a advance booking via telephone-booking with the ferry agency...

Hence,from 10 am... loitered around Vivocity, had breakfast and lunch and window-shopping until it was time for checking in at about 1.20 pm...

It was only about 2.30 pm then we got to board the ferry. It took us about an hour to reach Batam Centre. Our 2nd uncle (he worked in Batam for 12 years liao), together with a driver (whom uncle has helped us to engage) was already there to receive us. As this trip was of a short notice for 2nd uncle, hence, he was unable to keep us company for the day due to his prior dinner engagement. So, we had the driver to take charge of chauffeurring us throughout our shopping trips.

Our shopping trip started at about 3 pm (Batam time), at the Nagoya Hill shopping centre. All of us had a great buy of the Polo T-shirts which cost about between S$20 - S$40 plus (in average) at the Mahatari departmental store. I also bought some t-shirts for MIL (for her to wear to downstairs for her daily exercise). Each t-shirts cost only about S$3. Thereafter, we had a light dinner at the A&W restaurant at about 6 pm.

At about 6.30 pm, we went to BCS, another shopping centre which also had a great number of shops. In here, I found and bought my sons' Pokemon cartridges (which cost about S$15 each). Informed them over the phone, and they were so happy about it...

At about 7.30 pm, our driver dropped off us at our final destination - Mega Mall @ the Batam Centre. As we have already finished buying most of the stuff that we wanted, hence, we only window-shopped at here.

At about 8.30 pm, we were already at the ferry terminal, checking-in to board the last ferry at 9.00 pm. By this time, everyone of us was already tired.

We reached Harbourfront at about 11.15 pm (Singapore time).

I am delighted to have proceeded with this trip, and it was really 满载而归! More happy to have Jacie to accompany us in this trip as she had been cooperative, cheerful and really liven up and entertained my day! At the end of the day, she must have been very tired that she felt asleep in the ferry and all the way through reaching home...so cute!

As 2nd uncle had mentioned, he suggested that we could have come here with more friends, and to stay over for a night, so that he could play host and we could have more fun to enjoy the nightlife of Batam in eating local seafood and specialties, and to go for massage or spa...

Looking forward to the next trip where I can have more friends to join me along...