Mid Autumn Festival 2012 中秋节

It’s the time of the year when families gather to admire the bright, full moon, eat moon cakes, drink tea, carry lanterns and have fun with riddles. It’s the mid autumn festival, 中秋节.

This is the first year that 宝贝 is more aware of the various fun festivals and is not too “blur” to participate actively in. She has quite a few musical lanterns. Personally I find the music they emit pretty irritating and the least bit traditional. We bought her 3 paper lanterns from the supermarket, some candles and matchsticks.

In preparation for this happy occasion she set off to invite our neighbours’ boys on a lantern carrying escapade at the little park next to our house. The boys couldn’t really say no (although one of them is still in the midst of his psle), to an invitation from a girl.

Gathering at the meeting point…

The boys weren’t quite prepared for the occasion. Luckily we bought 2 extra lanterns.

The 3 of them, happily in the park after the “procession” from our house.

The boys had a go, at lighting the lanterns with matchsticks. Everything’s so automated now that they find using matches a novelty!! =.=” As usual, kids were excited to play with fire.

The highlight of the night was when Bryan’s lantern caught fire. They were squealing and stamping out the lantern on fire.

Check out the burnt lantern.

I still remember the activities that we had when we were kids. Modern kids are so deprived nowadays with over protective parents (me included).

There was a game that we used to play at mid autumn’s festival. Required quite a number of people though. We divided ourselves into two groups. Each person would find a flat piece of rock to stick our candles on. Each group had a base which was a lighted candle. Defenders were sent to guard the base, to make sure that the candle remained lighted throughout the game. The rest were attackers and were tasked to extinguish the candle of the enemies. At the same time we must take care of our own candles to make sure they were not extinguished by the enemies. Once extinguished they could only be lighted up with the base candle. Whoever extinguished the enemy’s base candle wins!!

I assure you it’s really exciting. After all it’s real fire!! And you are surrounded by people who kept attempting to blow your candle out!!

The good old days when kids were allowed to play with fire and real lanterns, instead of playing with toys, masquerading as lanterns which emit irritating music. I miss those beautiful cellophane lanterns of the zodiac signs. The biggest problem is they are especially vulnerable to fire. But they were really beautiful ones. I still remember this awesome dragon lantern that I had, resplendent in its colorful cellophane, paint and glittery, sparkling decoration.

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宝贝-The Discipline Mistress

Early in the morning…

宝贝: Has *Didi been kicking you?
Me: Erm no. I think he’s still sleeping.
宝贝 (nodding her head, patting The Tummy gently) : GOOD job!
Hmmm… The Tummy felt very pleased from her praise…

While I was reading to her,

Me: Owww!
宝贝: what happened??
Me: He kicked me.
宝贝 (with a very stern look at The Tummy, hands on her waist): YOU are NOT listening. BAD job!
The Tummy felt thoroughly chastised.

I felt like I was the 3rd party intruding in her conversation with The Tummy. =.=”

*Didi = Little Brother

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The Cat in the Hat

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat is in town! And it’s brought in by the SRT (Singapore Repertory Theatre) . I’ve always liked SRT’s productions. They are always very professional, even the ones for the little’ums. I’m coming back again for God of Carnage to watch Lea Salonga in action! Though, ironically it’s a play and not a musical (she earned her star status through her legendary voice in various musicals). It should be good though. I’ve yet to be disappointed by a SRT production.

宝贝’s school did a holiday programme on this book. So the mummies and I arranged to bring her and her friends for this.

Frankly I’m not a fan of Dr Seuss book, not even when I was a child. You either love or don’t like his books. Hate is too strong a word to be used here. The rhyming words are useful when they are read to a child but the content and stories never grew on me.

For a very short book with not much content (sorry to fans of Dr Seuss), the UK theatre company did a very commendable job in translating it to a play. The actors were fantastic, the costumes and props were very well adapted from the book. They even had fantastic theatrical antics that stretched the imagination of the audience. What can I say? It’s an A grade production!! The children had a good time, laughing at the jokes and all.

I sneaked a shot at the stage. :p. it’s useful to have an iPhone. (I love you Steve!!) A pretty good shot, considering the distance from which it was taken and the dim lighting. Yes.. We were not that near and that was despite us purchasing the tickets months back!! The little ones’ theatre audience is really active in Singapore!!!

We let 宝贝and her little friends run around the Robertson Walk area. Nice and safe. That’s another reason why I like to go for SRT’s productions. Nice big safe area for the little ones to roam. Ample car park lots. The Alliance Francais venue is a nightmare. You have to walk a great distance (hauling a toddler) cross the busy roads and pass by various construction sites.

At the fountain. Negotiation in progress.

Aidan with a wide grin. -> mission accomplished.

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Best Joke I’ve Read in a Loooong While

Hahaha. This must be the best joke I’ve read in a really loooong while that I MUST share it with everyone.

Best Joke of the Decade!

The author of the article is obviously trying to make up his mind whether he’s trying to compliment or discredit Singapore. I dare say that he’s probably still 2 minds about it while he’s writing it.

It’s an honor to know that our little “Pacific Isle” warranted such attention. I hope he isn’t mixing us up with one of the Pacific Islands. He should have brushed up on his geography. This brings me back to people I’ve come across during my backpacking trips. Many Americans and Europeans I’ve met thought Singapore was either 1. Part of China 2. Part of Malaysia. They were speaking with a knowing, patronizing air. Well, Singapore is an island in the Pacific Ocean. Let’s just give him the benefit of the doubt. After all he’s a tabloid writer and not a geography teacher!!

But critics say the sparkling lights and glass facades mask a reality of government control and social suppression

Gosh! You’ve no idea how suppressed I’m feeling, writing this blog. Pssst… I’m writing this under my blanket on my bed! Don’t tell anyone!! So are the rest of the contributors to “The Temasek Review”, “the online citizen” and the whathaveyous.. Oh wait! They may be writing in the privacies of their toilet cubicles!!

Male homosexuality is illegal, a gathering of five or more people requires an official permit and outstaying a visa can result in three strokes of the cane

Hmmm… I wonder how the pink dot movement became so open when male homosexuality is illegal?? I wonder if the author has any concrete number on the number of male homosexuals who have been found guilty and punished in Singapore?! Ahhh his maths must be hovering around the same standard as his geography.

Every time we hold a karaoke session with more than 5 people we had to apply for a permit from the government. :). Just kidding. No wonder our favourite pastime is playing mahjong!!

And does the UK welcome people with open arms when they overstay their visas? Maybe they do, giving them 3 kisses instead of 3 strokes of caning. I need to read up on the uk immigration law. Thank goodness I’m not a professional journalist!!

Pornography and littering both carry hefty fines while the unauthorised use of a wifi internet connection is considered hacking and can end in jail

And what’s wrong with fining these people? You litter you pay or you jolly well eat up your rubbish?? Besides how are we going to pay for the cleaners?? Sigh. I guess if he doesn’t quote the most serious term of any crime the news is not sensational enough. Of course go to jail lah!!! Most serious one Mah!!!! Aiyo don’t they send people to jail in other parts of the world for ANYTHING?!

I, for one, welcome the chewing gum ban. I’ve remembered countless times when chewing gums had ruined my favourite dresses or shoes. And seriously does anyone die from not being able to chew gum?! Duh! Get a life!! And I can’t understand why everyone is so fixated on this ban?! Do they own shares in Wrigley’s??

But I kind of like the photos. Good enough for the Singapore Tourism Board. Nice photography there!! And of course check out the comments. There are so many comments contradicting the views of the writer that they have to close the thread. Sigh. Talk about the “freedom of speech and expression”. Double standard rule here.

If you are feeling bored on a Sunday afternoon and are dying for a joke, it makes a good read.

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A Surprise A Day…

A very pleasant surprise was in store for me this very morning. My barren plant blossomed!! I’ve had it for a year. When I bought it from the nursery, it was flowering (as usual). The salesperson assured me that it would bloom all round the year in Singapore. Ya right… So I bought 3 little pots.

After their initial blooms, it was literally greenery all the way. Zzz. I did as I was instructed. I trimmed them after the flowers wilted and added fertilizer. And nothing happened.

I faithfully followed the ritual once every few weeks and still nothing happened. Gardening doesn’t seem like my cup of tea.

Finally it’s just down to the bare minimum of watering them to keep them alive…

One year later, with just water as their staple, one of them flowered!!

Some people must be thinking… Waaa so *Bo liao… One little flower also blog. Well it’s one of the little things we don’t take note of in life. Smell the flowers that grow at the side of the roads, marvel at the beautiful blue sky (after days of haze), appreciate the little things in life.

It’s a beautiful day, a wonderful life. 🙂

*bo Liao = nothing better to do

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