The Middle Lip

Gong Xi Fa Cai...Welcoming the Year of the Dragon!!

2012-01-14T10:34:00.011+08:00

Sat 140112

Yup, it's almost time to welcome the new Lunar Year of the Dragon 2012...

So Gong Xi Fa Cai to one & all!! May the New Year be a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous Year...

And yup, me just popped in mainly to make that wish...

Life @ Lot 10 OFH has been peaceful, quiet and happy...with no undue stress nor tension...
Me have been happily doing my favourite things...surfing the Net and, of course, meddling with my still considered "NEW(?)" (by me...) baby...my PS 1.3 FL Exec Auto!!

As an update, me had installed:

1. AMT Power Cushion Buffers to all springs of my ride;
Pic of AMT PCB on Front Spring :

Above : Pic of AMT PCB on Rear Spring

2. Stiff Rings to Front Subframe Bolts. Pls see pic of set below :

Both mods had contributed to a more solid, less vibrations felt ride at low cost.

Anyway, this CNY is gonna be kinda simple & quiet, with only 2 visits. Most of our elders are gone or beyond reach of this ole man. So we'll make the usual trip after BF on Day 1; stay the night @our fav niece's place and back to good ole Lot 10 the next day!

What can I say? For these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH, every day will be like CNY if happy & healthy! True?

So...once again it's time to take a break...and with best wishes & prayers for a better, healthier year ahead...

Goodbye 2011...

2011-12-27T08:46:00.003+08:00

Tue 271211

Hi Everyone!
Yup, 2011 would be gone in another 4 days!

Goodbye 2011! I'd be BS-ing if I say I'd miss it alot. Simply because I would NOT!

Why? Simply because it's so full of unpleasant events that I'd rather forget! However, to set records straight, 2011 did have its good days, too. The best being my being offered a means...an opportunity of a Once-in-a-Lifetime Offer to enable me to buy a NEW car!!
And yup, I thank God & our wonderful caring niece in Pg who made that no longer a dream! In April, 2011!

And as is, we have been enjoying our new ride...a Proton Saga 1.3 Exec Auto!!

Guess what had happened when I asked my 2 kids (in passing) on CNY eve early this year if they could stand as guarantors for a car loan in case I need to change my ole junk? Sorry, feel I'd better leave that to your imagination...

Then 2 other "bad" events occurred.

First my other half had to be admitted to PMC. Twice. And for a 3rd time when nothing was done to really treat her condition...I had to rush her to LGL Specialist Hosp in Penang to get a "stone" lodged in her ureter literally laser-blasted!!
A total loss of RM20 something K... :(

Thank God she's ok since the ops. Once again, our fav niece stepped in to help... Praise & Thank God for bringing her into the lives of these 2 ole folks @ Lot 10 OFH!! We really don't know how to nor can ever repay her in our present lifetime!!

Then came the worst blow in my Life!! My "prodigal son" who had shocked me in 2008, once more shocked, rocked and practically shattered my world beyond anyone's imagination!!

In front of our fav niece (finally a witness!) & at her place, this UNgrateful, UNloving & UNfilial "son" said to my face... "I will KILL YOU!!'
That finally struck that proverbial "Nail into my coffin"... I am DEAD!! To this son, anyway! And I have truly lost my son!!!
May God have mercy upon him...

Me? I have to accept my Life As Is...

Unfortunately, that was NOT to be the end of my troubles in 2011...no doubt, of course, that it was the WORST!

Early this month, I, too, had to be rushed to Penang and was warded in LGL Hosp for 3D2N! Thank God for a surprisingly great & helpful neighbour! Thank you, CS!!
And as always, our fav niece was always there! Thanks a meg, Amy!!

Well, 2012, I'm hoping & praying that upon your arrival, you'll bring happiness & good health to these 2 ole folks in Lot 10 OFH...

Dear God, please do bless us, keep us safe & healthy...in 2012...and in our years ahead...

Amen.

Sorry...

2011-10-22T17:15:00.003+08:00

Sat 221011

Yup, sorry...sincere apologies...

And yup, Life is UNpredictable. Life As Is is now so eventful...unfortunately of the wrong kind! Anyway, so sorry again cos it's kinda personal.

So me am in here just to re-assure all who visit my Blog that this ole man is still around...in spite of what's predicted to the right of this Blog!!

Yup, 19th October 2011 has passed and me am still around & kicking albeit a mite softer nowadays!

And yup, good advice there...don't believe all that you read on the Net!! Haha!

Will write more when my present life takes a turn for the better...hopefully soon!!

Wishing everyone all the very best, Happy Deepavali for all our Hindu friends and of course, Happy Holidays for everyone else!!

Be safe always...

It's been a long time...

2011-10-02T20:42:00.008+08:00

Sun 021011

Yup, it's been a long time...a long long time, to be exact...since me posted anything here.
Sincere apologies...I have been finding it harder & harder to sit down in front of my PC to post entries.

And yup, it's my Spondylosis(?) problem that has been a nagging issue since years ago when I had found it difficult to turn my head right, left, up & down! And it's now getting worse. The worst part is that I am allergic to that family of NSAIDs which I should take.

So it's back to the ole Panadol tabs that only lessens the pain when I need to. Sitting down in one position for too long aggravates the condition and I truly portray a "robot" when I do try to get up after a long sit!!

Anyway, there's nothing that I can do but to accept what I am today. Doc says it's kinda hereditary...wonder from whom did I inherit these genes? Haha!

Not matter, really...Life as is, must go one. True?

Anyway to update...I've managed to carry out a few mods to our still-considered new ride. Most were DIYed by "Yours Truly"! Haha!

Without going into details, these include an LED Stripe Boot Lamp, a front grille 9 LED Stripe, an OEM Auto Brake Lock, a Koso Digital Voltmeter and a set of Denso Iridium Power Spark Plugs ie not in any particular order. A pic to share of 1 of the DIY items :
Above : The Koso Digital Voltmeter.

Tomorrow, both inmates will be travelling to Penang for our usual "Value Time" with our fav. niece there. We will most probably be back in Lot 10 on 6th Oct.

After that comes what is expected to be a very hectic weekend!

NEVER grow old...haha! If only that were possible...

A great "Kay Pa"!!

2011-08-19T11:28:00.004+08:00

Fri 190811

Yup, Pensioners do hv great (though different...from time to time(?)) "Kay Pa"s...

And yup, "Kay Pa" here refers to our country's PM...haha!

Recently the present KP (short for "Kay Pa", ok?) announced a half month Bonus for all Govt civil servants and a RM500 Special Allowance (so he called it...) for Pensioners. One cannot give bonuses to Pensioners for doing no work, right? Special Allowances? Of course! Why not?

Well, on the evening of 17th Aug, that RM500 was credited into our respective bank accounts! And yesterday, our August pension was also in! Nice Merdeka (Independence) Day gifts!

What more can any Pensioner ask for? Maybe another such Special Allowance for the New Year? Soon...? Haha!

Anyway, come 23rd Aug, both Lot 10 inmates would be going to Penang again to spend time with our fav niece for a few days. CU soon, Amy!! As always...Godwilling...

And on that day, too, it's our son's Bday. Happy Birthday, EJ!! Sincerely hope this past year had contributed to making you a wiser & more loving person...and my special wish to have our "ole" EJ back! Yup, the EJ we had given birth to. Kinda not like the EJ we've seen these past few years...

After that, on 27th Aug, is, of course, my other half's own Bday! Thank God for still keeping her next to me for this past one year! And me sincerely hope & pray that God will bless this ole man enough to have her around till the last day of my life!

Happy Happy Bday, MDB!! Love you so...

That's it!

Until me back online after all the above, here's wishing one & all a Happy Happy August & a better September 2011!!

Me still around...

2011-08-14T17:03:00.003+08:00

Sun 140811

Yup, me still around...hehe...

Just a short post to prove so...

Frankly, nothing much has happened to both inmates of Lot 10 since my last post. Life As Is has been routine...day to day...namely, wake up, eat, watch Astro, eat, afternoon nap, watch Astro, eat, watch Astro, sleep...a cycle...

Re our still "new" Astro Byond, I feel there is a need for a myth(?) to be dispelled! Yup, there was this strange belief that the new larger Byond would overcome the perpetual "Rain Fade" issue that had been haunting all Astro subscribers. And yup, that simply is NOT true!! Believe me...

Why? The other day it rained quite heavily for about 10 mins. Transmission was interrupted and stayed with a blank screen c/w Byond's onscreen message that "it might be a temporary problem due to rain". Fair enough, I said to myself.

However, even when the rain lessened to just a drizzle, the screen was still the same! And that was half an hour later!! Then the SD channels came back to life and only about another 10 mins later, the HD channels were back again. See?

So wonder what's all that hype about the Byond unit being better...? Nothing significant...IMHO!

Further, I've found that the information/guides that came with the Byond PVR was minimalistic, to say the least! Thank God for the Internet & forummers in forums directly or indirectly related to Astro Byond!

Other that those (maybe minor?) issues, Astro Byond HD broadcasts are a great gift to ole ppl like these 2 inmates. Why? Less of a strain on our eyes because images are so much clearer and a source of enjoyment to the fullest! We could see details that we had never seen before in TV/Astro broadcasts...akin to Blu-ray discs!

Oh yes! I almost forgot! Our "Kay Pa" (if you know what or who I'm referring to) did NOT fail all Pensioners (including these 2 inmates!!) one more time! And yup, it's a Bonus Payment of RM500 each...presumably for the coming Raya celebrations! In about 5 days time? Hurray! Now...maybe then(?)..., we can breathe a bit easier...

Ok...ok...time to be a "couch potato" again!

Have a nice week ahead, ok?

From SD to Byond...simply HD...

2011-07-31T16:43:00.008+08:00

Sun 310711

Yup, Lot 10 has changed its Astro Satellite reception to that of Byond! Definitely a new dimension in watchng TV programmes!

And yup, on 21st July, the Astro Installers (2 guys) came with all the required parts and did their work...surprisingly very efficiently! They finished the changeover of Satellite Dishes (from the old light grey 60cm one to the new larger & darker grey(?)Byond 65cm one), new 2 lengths of co-axial cables from the new 2-output LNB of the Dish to the new Byond PVR module in our living room/hall and finally the setting up the whole system with everything running.

Pics show the new Satellite Dish and the Byond PVR module.

Lot 10 inmates were given a summary & quick run-through of how the PVR works, namely viewing as well as recording. Necessary documents were signed...RM150 flew into the Installer's hands...marking the start of a new Adventure! For these 2 Lot 10 inmates...haha!
Well, this upgrade has done lots to improve our viewing pleasure as well as no more worries about missing any programs or any part of any show which we might be watching at a certain time.

Yup, the PVR is really full of useful features! And, of course, the HD (High Definition) broadcasts really lessened our eye-strain a lot...and more importantly, they increased our "idiot box" enjoyment by a few notches!!

Well, all that did ACTUALLY come FREE! In Astro's current promotion. If not for our choice of a Byond PVR instead of the simple Byond box (w/o a built-in 500GB HDD), the changeover was truly completely FREE!

However, there was a RM150 installation fee for the PVR (previously costing RM300)...so a savings actually of RM150!

In addition, we had chosen to subscribe to a package now called "Super Pack 3"...@RM155/month excluding the 6% Govt Tax.

In view of the impending (confirmed actually) new charges for Astro subscriptions, it meant paying about RM50/month more but with all that was thrown into the package deal, it's really, really worth it! Believe me!!

Well, it's time to get back to our Byond and enjoy the HD broadcasts...simply beautiful!!

Join the Byond "Club" ?

Knock, Knock, Who's there?

2011-07-18T21:13:00.006+08:00

Mon 180711

Yup, It's none other than lil ole me! Just to let one & all know that me am still around...hehe...

However, these days me not feel up to it to sit & post. Various reasons. Sincere apologies...TQ!

A few short updates...

1. Made a one-day trip to Taiping recently (Sun 100711). First long distance maiden trip for our still "new" car as the farthest we've gone has only been to Penang. It was also a kinda "Go while me still can" trip! Haha! And, of course, the car was still "new"...3 months? And still is...!!

2. Our fav grandaughter, KL, has been enrolled in a Kindy recently...mainly to allow her to socialise & mix with other kids. A positive step forward.

3. Me finally managed to fit in a third party paper aircon filter, c/w the original mesh filter, for our still "new" ride. Air flow appears none the worse in spite of an additional finer filter layer.
Now ride occupants have really clean filtered air to breathe!!

4. An extra Engine Oil change was performed on our car @ about 3500Km ie midway between 2 Oil Changes in its service schedule. This has been my philosophy all the while for each of our new cars in the past. For better protection & improving longevity of the engine. It appeared to have positive results in the past. Moreover, I had a new 4L bottle of Castrol Magnatec 10W40 at hand. So...Tradition continues.

5. Accepted Astro's offer to upgrade to its new "Super Pack 3", namely Family+Dynasty+Emperor+Sports+Movies+3 Mini Packs(News, Learning & Variety) c/w PVR module with HDD & FOC recording services (normally RM10/mth), for only RM155/mth (excl 6% Govt Service Tax). For the PVR Module, a one-time installation charge of RM150 is payable. The main part is the package includes an upgrade to Beyond HD services & channels which normally would have cost an extra RM20/mth!

All that considered, there is a huge saving if one were to subscribe to those packages previously.

Well, installation was promised within 5 working days and activation of new services within 24 hrs. Now we wait...

Well, that's about it for now...

Until the next "Sit-in"....

At G-Hotel, Penang...

2011-07-05T08:39:00.004+08:00

Tue 050711

Yup, me now @G-Hotel in Penang...enjoying 3D2N stay, courtesy of our fav niece! A present to my other half on Mother's Day this year...

Nice room...plenty of accessories which one does not get in most hotels these days! Maybe me post some pics when back in Lot 10.

Also today is our fav niece's Birthday. Yup, hotel stay also to coincide with this special day so that we can visit & wish her personally.

Happy Birthday, Amy!! May you have Prosperity, Happiness & Good Health and all that you wish for!! We thank you for all that you have done for both these ole inmates of Lot 10! May God bless you & keep you safe always!!

That's it for now...a short post...till back in Lot 10, ok?

Have a great week!! Be safe alwaz!!

Here I am...once more...

2011-06-24T16:26:00.010+08:00

Fri 240611

Yup, Here I am...once more...pen-ing a few lines in my Blog! Feels like it's been a long long time since me was in here...sincere apologies...

And yup, me have been pretty busy these days with God knows what...

Trips to Penang, caring for our new "ride", maintenance for Lot 10, and like usually used...etc., etc., etc....

Yup, Trips were made to Penang for a variety of reasons. To make it brief, we went to Penang to visit relatives, to seek medical care & meet up with appointments.

Well, for our new ride, one of the new noticeable changes was the addition of a new BLM Club Sticker to the front windscreen. This one is a "glow" type of Sticker. RM20. Here it is...

Yup, looks nice, doesn't it? Felt the rear was kinda "heavy" as is with all those "mods" that I've done and the front was kinda "empty"...haha!

Next was this feeling that using Air Freshener liquid fragrances kinda just cover up the "smell" in the car cabin which is not a healthy means. Agreed?

So it was a decision to use a suitable Car Ioniser and with only a few branded & reliable choices in the market, we got ourselves a MedKlinn Asens Auto unit! Pls see above pic. Well, it's supposed to use negative ions to remove all contaminants in the cabin air of the car as well as "destroy" possible harmful bacteria/viruses, while making the cabin air smell like just "mountain fresh"?

Not cheap though...RM290 after discount!

One not so nice event was the worst flash flood ever for Lot 10! Heavy rains on 200611 caused water from the rain to flood our porch and almost entered our hall! There was just about half an inch separating the flood waters and the innards of Lot 10!! Luckily the rain slowed down & stopped in time...Phew!
Pic above shows flood waters reached up to the edge of the rim of rear wheels of our car in the porch!

Well, what can I say? Such flash floods are caused by poor development planning by local authorities resulting in poor drainage caused by existing drainage systems having to cope with larger volumes of water from developed areas, not forgetting, clogged drains aplenty!!

Ok la...that would have to do for now....

Thanks a meg for still dropping into my humble Blog from time to time...

Have a great weekend!

Pics of recently added accessories...

2011-05-31T10:57:00.008+08:00

Tues 310511

Yup, here are the pics of the 2 newly added accessories to our new ride..

Pic #1 is of the sensor unit (the black circular thing) on one side of the front bumper below the headlamp :
Pic #2 is of the replacement Twin Bosch Horns that was installed (behind the front grille) to improve upon the tiny "squeak" which the previous original single horn could output! Can you see them? In black so kinda hard to make out in spite of my "photoshop-ing" the image ie with fill flash & contrast adjustment!

Now the Twins "roar"!! Watch out, ppl! Haha!

Well, tomorrow is June 1st and it's our daughter's Bday...

Both inmates had planned to go to celebrate that day with her but it appeared she had other plans. She & family had planned & finally decided to go for a holiday up in Genting Highlands!

So, here's wishing her a very Happy Birthday! Have a great day with family...

As is always the case, it's a matter of "if our kid(s) are happy, both of us are happy, too!" True?

Yup, that's Life As Is ....

Until my next post, here's wishing one & all a great new week ahead!
TC always...

New accessories...

2011-05-30T20:05:00.005+08:00

Monday 300511

Yup, new accessories have been added to our PS 1.3FL Exec Auto!

And yup, both were kinda "forced" by need than want...

Acc #1 : Twin New Horns by Bosch @ RM75 including installation.

Yup, these sounded so much like horns as they should sound!! The original single horn was more like a mouse squeak...would not even frighten a mouse! As the car alarm works through the car horn, we now have an extremely ear-blasting car alarm should it sound!! And yup, me accidentally (tested?) triggered it earlier and it even shook me up!

Acc #2 : Reverse ( actually now acting as Front ) Sensors installed to the Front Bumper to act as Front Sensors activated by a manual switch.

Yup, me had previously dented my ole ride while attempting to park into a parking lot in a crowded Mall basement carpark.
Now with this new ride, me not wanna make the same mistake again. And so it was felt that the cost of installing front sensors on the front bumper would be a good idea.

Well, it was done today, too! Cost? RM150 for a 2-sensor system c/w an LED & colour bar display besides the normal buzzer warning system. What can I say? It works!!

However, the real test would be when I do really use it when parking. Soon...real soon...hehe...

Well, that was my "adventure" today. Busy...busy...busy...

ps. Will post pics in a future post as it's now too dark to snap any. Me was too busy doing some clearing up and water-proofing of the reverse sensor module since it would now be exposed to the elements esp water, being installed in the engine compartment instead of its normal place in the luggage boot.

Filling the Gap?

2011-05-27T14:56:00.032+08:00

Fri 270511

Yup, me just trying to fill the "Gap".... a gap of many days offline!

And yup, Life As Is is slowly but steadily getting back to like normal again...

So as not to be assumed as inactive totally, here are a couple of how me have been keeping myself busy...

Yup, our new "baby" (and yup, it's our new "ride"...barely 2 months old only) has been my latest and best distraction from the ups & downs of Life As Is. And yours truly felt the feeling of being in a 1-Malaysia kind of group...a 1-BLMer group! Me became a member of a BLM Club and this one even has its official stickers c/w Membership Registration No.! Me? #610...hehe...

A pic to share...of Member #610 :

Now I hear voices saying, "You are not alone..." Haha!

Beside that me was caught up in a new DIY venture after visiting another local car forum...concerning how one can improve the cabin air quality that one gets coming out through our car aircon vents!

Yup, the standard filter as fitted in our PS FL is nothing actually to shout about. In fact NOTHING at all to shout about because it practically allows almost all dirt/dust within the car cabin air to pass through! See pic of original filter below :

And there are aftermarket paper filters easily available which can do a much better job...of course at a nominal cost!

So me searched and found a couple of sellers. Of the two, one trader came out tops! And me had ordered a couple more such replacement filters for future use...they should be arriving tomorrow if everything goes fine.

Anyway, next pic shows where the replacement filter has to go in...the air-con filter box situated just behind the glovebox.

Simple, isn't it? Looks simple only!

Me had to cross a couple of "hurdles" before getting to this point of the DIY!

Yup, one unseemingly "huge" problem was to drop down the glovebox so that those aircon items were easily accessible.

What can I say? Eureka! I finally did it!

Well, this will have to do till the next post...having problems even creating this entry today!

Something is not working right...

Update (280511) : My 2 new replacement filters ordered have arrived! (Pic of one of them follows... ) Will be keeping them as spare replacement units when it's time to change the first one already installed...probably after 10 -15k km?

Btw I have tried to fit the new paper filter into the confines of the original filter but failed! Paper filter is too big in spite of it being kinda small when installed into the filter box in the car. Had thought it would make a better fitting installation than as is now.

Note : This entry has been subsequently edited & expanded on...

Juz 2say "Me still around la..."

2011-05-14T12:02:00.002+08:00

Sat 140511

Yup, juz a short entry here in case visitors to my Blog are wondering...the worst, maybe?

And yup, not the worst yet...but recent events have been kinda depressing though...

And yup, me need the break for a while...my "rollercoaster ride" is finally on its way up...slowly but steadily...

All the very best to one & all, ok? TC of health always!!

Yup, Good Health is truly Great WEALTH!!! No doubt about that! Simply proven already...Believe me! RM15k+ flew in just 2 weeks... :(

Extras for the new ride...

2011-04-13T20:31:00.008+08:00

Wed 130411

Yup, our new ride, the PS FL 1.3E Auto, got some simple extras added to make it more personal to these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH...kinda like its own identity...to set it apart from other PS FLs around...hehe...

For one, an "ABS+" Emblem was bought from AS Mall for RM7.90 only, followed by a unique "Static Antenna" for RM12.90. Yup, we would be able to identify & seek out our ride with these two items staring at us should they be in our field of vision!There you are...pics of the ABS Emblem on the left of its "butt" and of course, the special "tail" we'll be looking out for should we be searching for our ride in those sometimes crowded basement parking areas of Malls!

And the next pic shows a personal choice by my other half...yup, a pair of headrest covers for the front seats! To match the seat covers kindly "donated" by our daughter, EL, when she & fmly were here.

Well, what's left to be done to the new ride? Plenty really! But that would be more of "Wants" than "Needs", right? True...true...

We have as yet to decide if we should go for engravings of the car registration number on all the windows as was previously the practice. However, it is presently felt that such a measure would not necessarily deter car thieves. Agreed?

Moreover, the main windscreen & rear screen had been engraved (in the assembly plant) with the car chassis numbers which appears to be the current practice by Proton now. A better idea? Really dunno...

The other planned addition is a special sticker for the fuel tank filler cover. In that we have failed so far to find a suitable one. The "paint splatter" that was on our old ride could not be found at all...probably out-of-date now? No rush, right?

That's boring enough, right? Me just rambling about nothing else but our new ride! Haha! What do you expect from someone who just had a new car after 19+ years? Forgive this ole man, ok?

Thank you...

Introducing my really NEW "Ride"...

2011-04-12T21:20:00.024+08:00

Tues 120411

Yup, it's time to introduce our really brand NEW "RIDE"!!

And yup, me am truly a Proton fan... :) Frankly? Yup, it's the most affordable value-for-money car (to me, anyway) to these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH...

So our ole junk, which had served us so well, namely ze ole Proton Saga 1.5I Auto of 19+ years ie KAC4396, is, hopefully, in someone else's good hands & tender care...

And now....Introducing our new Proton Saga FL 1.3 Executive Automatic !! In PURE WHITE, too! First pic shows the new car soon after delivery in Penang @our fav niece's home, followed by a pic of the ride with the "No Fear" sticker attached that me bought @AS Mall for only RM4.90! A DIY job! Not bad, eh?

And now...just look at its "butt"...beautiful, isn't it? Especially after the additions? I know...minor tidbits but still made a difference, right? On the rear spoiler...on the left (AAM reflective sticker) and around the number plate.

And finally...me also managed to improve & enhance the Ride by adding an original Ultra Racing Front Strut Bar. Cost? RM120 w/o installation. Why? A long story...me will not bore you more than as is...hehe.... ;)

A pic (below) of the bar installed in the engine compartment. Real good fit! Yup, it feels real good & on top of the world ever since the new Ride materialised...truly a dream came true!! Thanks a meg to all who gave all encouragement! And especially so to our fav niece & her other half w/o whom all this would never have happened!!

Most sincere & heartfelt thanks to one & all!! Me & my other half will forever treasure your love, support & encouragement in so many ways AND God knows lots more...for the rest of our lives! TQ...TQ...TQ!

Not to forget, however, thanks also go to our daughter, EL, who had visited Lot 10 inmates during the weekend and also so graciously got a couple of nice gifts to enhance our new ride!

Yup, our PS FL Exec is now more safe & secure with a new Solex Brake Pedal Lock and more comfortable with a pair of Tesco Bear car front seat covers!

Yup, a truly turning point in the lives of these two Lot 10 OFH inmates...we are so blessed! We thank God for what we have received to this day! Amen.

Just dropped in to say...

2011-03-28T11:43:00.008+08:00

Mon 280311

Yup, me just dropped in to say that me will be away (and so, offline...hehe...) for about 2 weeks...

And yup, as previously mentioned in an earlier entry, one reason is because both inmates of Lot 10 would be celebrating my other half's sis-in-law's (mine, too, right?) birthday tomorrow in Penang. Besides that, my other half's sister from Melbourne, Australia, would be in Penang on 31/3 - 1/4 and she would love to meet up with her since her visits to Malaysia are kinda infrequent. So, we might be extending our stay then for a day or so...

The other factor, in the following days, would be to be with our fav niece, also in Penang, for about a week wef 4th April. A home away from home, so to say...

Sincerely really hope & pray that Lot 10 would still be safe & secure during our absence.

As is, nothing much had happened in the days after my last entry till now. Lot 10 had no visitors nor any event of interest. Quiet, peaceful days...except for intermittent noises / disturbances from an on-going renovation project of the new bungalow just opposite Lot 10!

Well, what more can these 2 inmates wish for, right? We count our blessings for each passing day...

That's it!

Have a good end-of-March...And, of course, a better April, 2011!!

Home again...

2011-03-17T20:59:00.013+08:00

Thur 170311

Yup, me back home again! Lot 10 is safe & secure...

And yup, it's been a pleasant 3D2N stay @our fav niece's place in Penang! Both inmates were made to feel truly at home although away from home...a great feeling indeed.

Btw we also received happy news that our fav grandaughter, KL, is now in much better health & her overall development is progressing steadily...good news really!

And here is the most recent pic of KL sent by her mom via MMS (150311) :

Yup, it's KL enjoying one of her fav foods...French Fries @ KFC!!

Wish we were there to share them with her, too! Would have been fun...

Well, a wish is still a wish...this ole man is getting older by the day though... haha! What's more so for my ole junk! Each long distance trip is cause for worry...

Who knows...maybe one fine day, things might change? Godwilling, right?

Anyway, back to our recent stay in Penang...

The 3D2N just went flying by and we just had to say goodbye this morning after breakfast. However, we left with "We'll be back!". And methinks me had heard something like that in one famous movie series...

Anyway, me came home with a pretty addition to my so-called "new toilets". Yup, it's something small & pretty...even an original branded item! It's a Sony music player, namely the NWZ-B152F in Gold! Not all in gold actually...hehe...but just gold-painted in certain parts. Two units, ie the model with 2Gig built-in memory, were purchased from the Sony Centre located on 3rd floor of Gurney Plaza @RM159 each. There were 4 colours as choices. Me chose the Golden one...and the other was a Red...

And yup...the purchase came with a free disc of original Sony "Love Songs" mp3 disc each!

Pics above show the unit c/w its own earphones and a close-up showing its special feature of red LEDs which would flash in tempo with the bass of any music played when set in its special "Bass" mode. A rare gift these days...esp one w/o any expectations!

Thanks a meg, Amy!

Well, it's back to routine once more in Lot 10...until some time in the future?

After a long interval...

2011-03-14T11:29:00.013+08:00

Mon 140311

Yup, it's been a long interval since my last entry...

And yup, cos nothing that can be considered exciting or interesting, has happened to Lot 10 inmates...which is kinda good, too. Agreed?

Of course, except for the disaster & tragedy that had happened in Japan due to the huge 8.9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that had resulted in the loss of more than 1500 lives with still thousands unaccounted for...

Our sincere condolences & sympathy go out to all those who had suffered such terrible losses in lives and property...

Indeed we, in Malaysia, should count our blessings!!

Well, to recap, after we came home to Lot 10 from our longest stay in Penang @ our fav niece's place, I tried to buy from our local auction site a "spare" AV Splitter for our Astro distribution system.

Fyi I had bought one 1 IN 4 OUT Splitter unit from the same seller last month to replace my original MASPRO unit which had become faulty ie one OUT port not working & picture quality in another was bad. The replacement unit has been working fine since then.

This time it had to be a 1 IN 8 OUT AV Splitter unit as I could not find the same 1 IN 4 OUT unit on sale in that website, even by other traders.

However, when this newly bought unit arrived, it was sheer disappointment! Even the power indicator LED would not light up!! On reporting to the seller, I was asked to send the unit back for a working replacement. I did. Then came the "waiting game"!

Like the saying goes.... "All's well that ends well.... " I finally got a good functioning replacement yesterday! Pics (taken much later) below show the new replacement AV Splitter...front & rear views respectively. Tested to be working fine. Phew...guess my activities in that local auction site would have to take a long breather now...just can't take all that unnecessary "stress"...

Another item of interest was that my past interest in Air Purifiers was re-kindled. As is, Lot 10 is experiencing another bout (with more to come...) of very dusty air! Yup, owners of the new bungalows in front of Lot 10 had started doing renovations cum reconstruction of their newly acquired houses!

Moreover, we have been experiencing uncomfortable episodes during our sleep periods...which, we suspect, might possibly be due to the presence of dust mites & their what-nots!

After having some experience of the Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifiers that our fav niece had installed in her home, I decided to investigate & find all relevant info about them. All findings came back mostly positive. Proven to destroy dust mites & neutralise their "by-products" as well as even the capability to destroy numerous bacteria & viruses such as the Avian Flu Virus & the H1N1 Virus!!

So it was that it was decided to get one such suitable unit and guess what? My other half was so supportive and even suggested that "if we want to get one, we might as well get the best possible affordable one"!!

Well, we did! Cost? RM1580. A free gift of a Thermos 1.9L jug was added by the sales person for our fast purchase!

The pics (above) show the unit now sited in its own little corner in our room...the front view followed by the top view. The blue light at the bottom on the front display panel indicates the Plasmacluster (patented) system is activated and Plasmacluster (both positive & negative) ions are being released!

This Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier KC850E-W is now purifying daily the air in our Master Bedroom! And yup, it's "fresh mountain air" always in our room...and of course, no more dust mites & related problem! Haha!

Another item is thus now struck off our list of "Do's" for Lot 10...many more to go though...

Anything else? Guess I should stop boring all of you at this point...

Lot 10 inmates might be making another Penang trip soon...maybe as early as tomorrow?

A definite trip is scheduled for 29th March to be there in person for my other half's sister-in-law's birthday. We had told her much earlier that we would share her 70th birthday.

A future trip would be in early April...for a stay...so sincere apologies are in order should this Blog be noticeably quiet? TQ...

CNY is over?

2011-02-21T12:23:00.008+08:00

Tue 210211

Yup, CNY is kinda over...at least the celebrations period, right?

And yup, Life As Is is kinda back to routine...for me & you...at least most of you, right again?

Well, the 15th day & night of this CNY kinda ended well. As the 15th Night of CNY, aka Chap Goh Meh, is the Chinese Culture's version of Valentine's Day, me had a surprise gift for my gf, my valentine for life!

Yup, the Chinese V-Day gift was bought through our local online auction site and was surprisingly well-timed & delivered on that very day ie 17th Feb aka 15th Night of CNY!!

The "Gift"? A replica of Calvin Klein ladies watch with genuine leather strap. Kinda unique design, too...

The great part of it was...my gf loved it...in spite of the kinda unique "Hi-tech" design! Haha! All the efforts were so worth it!! All RM63 (incl delivery charges via Poslaju) of it!! Pic on left is the "Gift"! Nice, huh?

The day's evening ended with a pleasant drive for two around A/Star city...as was our usual CGM do.

Surpise of all surprises...after my gift to her, my gf suggested that I should get a watch for myself, too! Since I'd not been wearing one for quite some time since my "Rolex" gave out on me some months back & the SS strap of my "John Masters" was giving me some skin allergy reactions...

So afer scouring that very local online auction site once more, me found one which appealed to both of us. An "Army Tech" watch. Even stated as "Original". Well...I entered my bid and voila! I got it that very same day! Total cost? RM70 incl Poslaju delivery charges.
Now awaiting despatch & delivery...hopefully by tomorrow. Well, wish me luck! TQ.

Pic of "Army Tech" watch above is captured from the auction site as I've as yet to receive the item.

That's the good part. Unfortunately, in Life, there's always a not-so-good part.

Our grandaughter, Jan, is now hospitalised after a bout of high fever since a week ago...probably due to a return of her Kawasaki Disease which she had caught very early in her childhood days. All signs & symptoms pointed in that direction but blood tests had come back negative to confirm. A heart scan was done this morning and we are all awaiting good news...

Stay strong, Jan, and both your grandparents are with you all the way to a very speedy recovery...soon!!

A piece of better news now.

Our other grandaughter, KL, would be under the care of a new babysitter wef next month as the former was probably the cause of her continuous repeats of bad health, namely fever, diarrhoea, sore throats & what have you! A professional also suspected that poor hygiene at bbs was a very probably cause, too, as KL was good & healthy when solely under the parents' care in-between those periods. As is, only time will tell...

Finally, both these inmates will be off to Penang once more for a stay at our fav niece's place for about a week beginning tomorrow ie 22nd Feb. We are indeed looking forward to sharing happy & value time with her & family. CU soon, Amy!

So until me am back in good ole Lot 10 OFH once more, this Blog would be kinda quiet...sincere apologies for the coming "long" leave of absence...

Wishing one & all a very happy year ahead!

First week of the new Rabbit Year...

2011-02-11T17:57:00.016+08:00

Fri 110211

Yup, the 1st week of this new Rabbit Year 2011 is over. And yup, it's the 9th day today.

And of course, last night was a night of noise...firecrackers & loud fireworks! All kinda sort of in protest of the Govt's ban of such items being fired, even on festive days when they are supposedly a "necessity" according to beliefs of the Chinese community! And yup, last night was the offering of prayers to the "Jade Emperor" of Heaven. At the stroke of midnight, the festivities started c/w the letting off of firecrackers & fireworks!

Not that it was any disturbance nor of any consequence to this ole guy though...he had earlier just popped in 1 tab of Xanax (remember the late MJ & his Xanax?) and was in so-called peaceful "La La Land" when all those "explosions" took place! Haha!

Well, a recap here...
Firstly, a pic of our fav grandaughter to share. Yup, it's our very own KL!

Can you see how happy she was @AS Mall enjoying one of the many rides there! KL & family came a day earlier than expected. And I'm pretty sure that KL went home after day #1 of this Rabbit Year with many happy & pleasant memories...leaving behind 2 ole & very tired grandparents! Haha!

We wish KL a very progressive & speedy development in 2011!! May God bless her with the gift of being a normal healthy kid soon!

CNY eve was the first re-union dinner of the Tan family after 3 years! Why? It's a long long story to relate here but if you dig deep enough into the archives of this Blog, you might get lucky....

And so it was, both our "kids" & their families were back in their childhood home and so it is sincerely hoped that they had recovered at least a wee bit of what being part of this Tan family was all about and the meaning of family in Life ie not just about one's own extended family but also one's own family & roots, namely one's own parents. As is, we have long accepted that such feelings cannot be forced upon anyone but have to come from within oneself. Agreed?

Above : Pic of Lot 10 inmates with 2 of our grandkids taken on CNY Day #1.

Anyway, Day 1 of CNY2011 saw the departure of everyone...including these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10! As had always been the practice for years...time to visit our relatives in Penang!

Visits? Not really. More of only just 2. As is, most of our elders are long gone, with 2 of them leaving this world as recent as last year. It is sad but that's part of Life...everyone has to go, true?

We spent most of that first day & night at our fav niece's place and had to leave (as was the usual practice) the next day, in spite of continuous kind offers to extend our stay by our truly great host. As always, we left with the words, "We'll be back again...soon!"

Life was back to routine once we were back in Lot 10. Home Sweet Home. And yup, we were relieved & happy to find Lot 10 all safe & secure. It's where our home & our hearts have been, are and will still be...

There were the regular "mid-week breaks" & "CODs" for my other half. And of course, the walk-walk sessions at the local Malls.

And guess what? At one such session, we were fortunate to be there @ AS Mall when a LIVE acrobatic performance by some artistes from China was on! Not bad! Especially for an FOC one! We truly enjoyed all the acts put up by those talented youngsters...

Pic on left : 1 of the balancing acts. A truly great pair, huh?
And in the following pic, another act...a uni-cyclist. Can you see him...kinda in the "distance"?

BTW, me managed to modify the Dettol auto handsoap dispenser unit so that it can be continually refilled with a suitable but differently branded handsoap. And guess what? So far it has worked!
Now me not have to worry about getting any new Dettol refill for RM16.90 each! The anti-bacterial handsoap that me can use now only costs RM4 at the most!

On 7th of Feb, it was decided to add a bit more security for Lot 10 since we have been away a few times and would also be away from Lot 10 from time to time in the near future. As is, we knew of a group of RELA personnel who have been making rounds & checks on houses in our housing area for an affordable monthly fee. Well, me contacted them & applied to be in their list of residences to be included in their nightly surveillance rounds.
The very next morning we awoke to find a red painted metal box (pls see pic above...), with a big letter "R" (short as for "RELA"), attached to our front wall railings! And in it was a small "555" notebook with its first entry of a visit by our friendly neighbourhood "RELA" friends on their very first stopcheck @ Lot 10!

And yup, since then, somehow, maybe psychologically... Lot 10 inmates slept much better...and hopefully, for many many more nights, weeks, months to come, too!

Sincerely hope you are sleeping well, too...

Gong Xi Gong Xi, Everyone!

2011-01-30T12:02:00.015+08:00

Sun 30th Jan 2011

Yup, it's really that close to saying "Gong Xi Gong Xi" to one & all! And yup, it's only just 3 days to Welcoming the Year of the Rabbit on Feb 3rd!!

So one update here of events of interest (at least to muah...hehe...) to post and before a long leave of absence cos of the festive holiday atmosphere!!

For one thing, the Pedilanthus plant so kindly donated by our #8 neighbour has grown steadily and very recently got an added stem...a cutting off its own self! Haha! Now me just waiting for this small bush to flower....hopefully lots of pinkish red "Hsiao Niao Hua" soon...

Pic on left shows its present status. Not bad eh? Do compare it with what it was on Jan 14th.

And yup....during our recent stay in Penang, both inmates were so well-treated...even to a sumptous lunch at the Miraku Japanese Restaurant in G-Hotel!
It was truly an honour & privilege to feel so very a part of the family. Thanks a meg, Amy!!

We will forever cherish such warm & pleasant memories....

On our return to A/Star ie on 27th Jan, our #8 neighbour was also generous and offered us a LIVE...mind you, a LIVE...Tilapia fish! He hooked 4 of these at a friend's pond.

Well, as it was the first time Lot 10 inmates had to deal with a real life LIVE fish, me tried "Googling" for how to kill a live fish! Thanks to Google me got a list of how to's and finally decided on the most humane way to do so...using ice & ice-cold water (since we do have enough ice at hand!)
One suggestion, including a video, even suggested slamming the fish onto a hard cement/concrete floor!! Phew!

Above...our very first "Tilapia" after cleaning & marinading...ready for the frying pan! Haha!

Well, what can I say? It was indeed a very fresh & tasty dish to set before this "King" & his "Queen" at dinner time! An enjoyable, nonetheless unforgettable, event!

Next, on 28th Jan, we saw an advert in The Star re a new product by "Dettol", namely an Auto Handsoap Dispenser! It was being intro by Tesco. Well, as you know, me always had an attraction for new tech-related gadgets & esp so for home improvement. Moreover, this one was definitely affordable @RM19:90...a complete set with dispenser, 250ml of hand soap & 4xAA batteries! Pic on left shows the installed gadget.

Nice? Worth it? For these 2 ole folks, it certainly was and is! No more pressing/pumping of hand soap dispensers! We just need to put our hand below the spout & out comes a measured quantity of hand soap. Just the right amount, too! Truly pampered...

And finally, this is what Lot 10 looks like now at night...externally, in preparation for the Year of the Rabbit...a small fairyland of lights & more lights...

As most of the light are so-called "twinkling" lights...the latest being of the LED kind..., not all the lights were, however, captured by my trusty ole iPhone.

Anyway, the mood is set for a Happy & Healthy CNY come 3rd Feb!

And for the first time in 3 years, Lot 10 inmates would have the whole family (Godwilling...) back home on CNY eve ie Feb 2nd.

Gong Xi Fa Cai, Everyone! Have a great Rabbit Year...

Second page of Year 2011...

2011-01-14T11:08:00.009+08:00

Fri 140111

Yup, this is gonna be the 2nd page for year 2011 in The Middle Lip!

And yup, how time flies...it's already mid-month for the 1st month of the New Year...

Well, Life in Lot 10 OFH has been kinda nice...most of the time anyway. As is, Life, as I've come to realise & accept, is never all nice. We thank God for His blessings for each & every day we see the sun rises in the morning and the pleasures ( & pains, too!) of another day of Life As Is...

For a start, my 2-doors away neighbour was kind enough to offer me a successfully cultivated cutting of what was last CNY's (Chinese New Year) popular plant, namely the Pedilanthus Bracteatus aka "The Tall Slipper" plant or locally nicknamed the "Xiao Niao Hua" aka "Little Bird Flower".
Well, this cutting has yet to bloom...but the flowers would look like little green birds then....beautifully-shaped flowers! I had further made 2 more cuttings which now appeared to have taken root. So, instead of a solitary plant, I now have THREE stems!!

Heard of this plant? Pots of them were selling like "hot cakes" for CNY 2010!!

Anyway, dunno if mine would bloom before this coming CNY...in abt 2+ weeks... ?

Anyway, like me said earlier, Life is never all nice....And yup, me had my fair share of misfortunes to start this New Year!

Somehow or other, me was careless enough to put my specs next to me while I was doing some re-wiring of our lounge area TV & sound system. And guess what? I stepped on the specs & got my first shock of 2011! The screw on the RHS part of the frame holding the lens broke...the frame was distorted & the lens dislodged! My heart practically dropped!

It was then a long, long night. Misfortune couldn't have knocked on the door @ Lot 10 at a more unfortunate time. Luckily, I finally found a way to put the specs back together, albeit only satisfactorily, with a bit of delicate re-adjustment, a string & some araldite glue! A temporary delay until finances are in better shape? Thank God for that!

Slept like a log that night...

As promised, these 2 ole inmates would be leaving for Penang on 17th Jan to be with our fav niece... to spend abt a week with her & family.

Frankly, there is a deep feeling of calm, peace & contentment to feel so honoured that one can still be of service to others...more so to be so much appreciated. For nothing much more than just our presence. And more so, to be able to share the same, coupled with close & happy feelings, at this point in our lives.

If only our very own "flesh & blood" could find it in their hearts to realise that they do have such ppl in their midst who have that much love in them but had to shower it somewhere else...simply because they do not see what they do have right in front of them. Unfortunately, they do not know how to appreciate what they have but would only realise & feel what they have lost when it's too late...too late to turn back time!

My comment to them had always been that they are " also a parent now... ". However, sad to say, that had been pitifully misinterpreted...

As is... I am, nowadays, always ready with this very simple piece of "advice"...to the young... :

"NEVER grow old... "

That's Life As Is....

Well, that about makes up the ending of this entry...

Me will be "off the air", so to say, till both inmates are back in good ole Lot 10.

Until then, do have a good first month in year 2011! Be happy...

First week of 2011...

2011-01-05T20:14:00.010+08:00

Wed 05012011

Yup, it's day #5 of the New Year 2011!

And yup, the days have been happy, peaceful & nice...what more can one ask for?

The main event in Lot 10 during the past few days had been a kinda re-location of our favourite pastime "tools". Yup, those "tools'" are, in fact, our quite new 32" LED TV & Blu-ray Player!

Why? It was felt that with them in our bedroom, we were indirectly being "imprisoned" in that room!! As is, being "couch potatoes" have been, without a doubt, our favourite pastime do's. And yup, that meant hours & hours within the walls of a 17ft by 10ft room! A bit claustrophobic, don't you agree?

And so it was that me decided (& my other half concurred...heheh...) to move the LED TV & the BD Player down to our so much larger Lounge area, with an open adjoining Dining area. A few other re-locations of a couple of other related items were inevitable to bring about a new ambience to the Lounge area and, of course, in the process enhance its capabilities.

A minor spring clean was also inevitable! Phew! Didn't realise the amount of "uknowat" that had accumulated over the years...so unsuspectingly & so well hidden!

Pic on left shows the LED TV now occupying the prime position of our ole Philips 29" CRT TV in the Lounge area.

The following pic shows how slim this LED TV is... lots slimmer than LCD TVs! Phew! The wonders of technology never cease to amaze me...

Conclusion? It was a good move indeed! Both inmates now can enjoy modern amenities in a better environment...no longer so cooped up as it was pre-2011!

A great start to a great year ahead...I sincerely hope that the days & months ahead will continue to be so! May God bless this OFH & its 2 ole inmates...

Btw, the Year of the Rabbit isn't very far off...less than a month to go...Feb 3?

So, in the event, this ole man kinda forgets to make a special entry to make the wish, here's wishing one & all, especially all Chinese visitors to this Blog, a very Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year!!

"GONG XI FA CAI"... "KEONG HEE HUAT CHYE" in the Year of the Rabbit!!

Happy New Year 2011!!

2010-12-30T21:46:00.004+08:00

Thu 301210

Yup, just a short posting...probably the last entry for the year 2010!

And yup, this is mainly to wish every visitor to this humble Blog...a Very Happy & Prosperous New Year in 2011!!

It's just one more day before we call it a year...Time really flies!

So do keep all the good memories of the good times that you've had during the year and may you have another year of good happy memories to last a lifetime!

Just to share...

A few good suggestions or should we call it "advice"? A pick of a few...from the many that I came across. Not my own though...read it somewhere....in the Net! What do you think...?

1. Do not over-rate what you have achieved, nor envy others. He, who envies others, does not obtain peace of mind.
2. Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future; concentrate the mind on the present moment.
3. Health is the greatest gift; contentment the greatest wealth and faithfulness the best relationship.

And let us rise up and be thankful...for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learnt a little; and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick; and if we got sick, at least we didn't die! So let us all be thankful!!

That's it!

Finally, to end the year on a good note, my Blu-ray disc collection expanded by 2 more titles, namely "The Resident Evil - Afterlife" and "The Expendables".

So do have a great happy, peaceful & healthy New Year in 2011 soon....PEACE.

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year 2011!!

2010-12-24T11:14:00.022+08:00

Fri 24Dec2010

Yup, it's that time of year again...

Here's wishing all friends & visitors to this Blog a very Merry & Blessed Xmas & a very Happy New Year in 2011!!

My...oh my...time really has flown!! One whole year now...

Well, these 2 ole inmates had been pretty busy recently...to recap, here are a few of those happenings. However, the order might be kinda different from the actual sequence...

Well, for one, on Dec 9th, these 2 itchy hands started going into our local online auction URL & got this item...a set of Wireless A/V Transmitter & Receiver. This was a sort of experiment to find out if such devices do really work since we now had a spare 21" TV in our son's bedroom w/o Astro connections. To connect another cable would be a hassle...

Got the set on 121210. Total cost? RM193 including Poslaju charges. Here are pics of the set as installed ie the Transmitter unit at our Astro decoder and the Receiver unit at the TV... :
On left : The Transmitter unit on top of the Astro decoder.

Comments on the new gadget? It works!

Other impressions?

Watchable in a tolerable way...better than none, of course! However, the picture quality leaves a lot to be desired... Maybe the receiver unit was too far away & on the upper floor with the transmitter on the ground floor? If both were on the same floor...?
Maybe when I have the time & in the mood, I will "play around" with various options?

Btw on Thu 16th Dec, we also were given the honour & privilege of being invited to be part of the Wedding Anniversary dinner for our fav niece & her hubby. Happy Anniversary to both Amy & her other half...& of course, many many more to come!!!

Then there was this revival of interest in plants for Lot 10...kinda like need for a change, perhaps? Frankly it's more of additions...haha!

Yup, we got a couple! There was this plant with nice red inflorescence type of flowers...appears to be able to last with not much care...according to the "exhibitor/seller". And so we got a pot of it! RM18 only. Frankly, we are now kinda confused as to its real name. Maybe someone out there can help when you see a pic of it?

We were told the name is "Costus Spiralis" or "Spiral Ginger" but on Googling, I found the colour of the flowers (described as orange) does not match what we now have on the plant (red)! The species that match the flowers appears to be the "Costus Woodsonii" or the "Red Button Ginger".

So which is it?

The other plant that we got was the "Hydrocotyle Leucocephalia" (now in doubt if that's correct or not!) or what is locally known as "Daun Pegaga". Only RM3! That has been planted in our square plot outside in our porch area.

Last but not least, both inmates have been invited to a wedding eve dinner of our next door neighbour's son in his house compound on Christmas evening. Our warmest wishes & Heartiest Congrats to the happy couple!

Once again, hv a Merry Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year 2011!!

Gonna be away...

2010-12-11T11:03:00.004+08:00

Sat 111210

Yup, yours truly will be away from Lot 10 for a few days from tomorrow ie Sun 121210. And yup, as such this Blog would be out of my view during this absence from the virtual Net world!

Since my last entry, nothing spectacular has happened.

Me had tried to upgrade to Astro Byond but queries remained unanswered. Moreover, Astro appears to be facing problems in the activation of new Byond upgrades. This situation had been expressed in forums pertaining to it and many had been waiting for weeks for activation. Dunno if it's due to present court case against Astro over its alleged "unauthorised" use of technology for its new satellite dishes or system upgrade problems.

Anyway, to find a solution to my own Astro connection problems, I've decided to invest in a set of Wireless AV Transmitter & Receiver set. I've already made a purchase online and item is expected to arrive today. As it is the first time that I've made such an online purchase from this new source, I am sincerely hoping that I've not been conned/duped!!

I will keep you guys updated on this venture...in due course....

As is now, Life goes on...we thank God for his blessings...

Do have a great weekend & new week ahead!!

Last month of the year...

2010-12-03T14:07:00.006+08:00

Fri 031210

Yup, it's now the last month of the year, 2010! Fast, huh? And yup, time does fly...as the saying goes...

Well, last month ie November, was a truly hectic month for both inmates of Lot 10. So full of events...both good & not-so-good ones. As always, good memories are for cherishing and bad ones are best forgotten...

This month has started well and hopefully, it would end well, too.

For starters, our niece, KP, & her hubby were blessed with the arrival of their first baby...a boy!! On the morning of 1st Dec itself...weighing in at 3+kg! Congrats to both Michael & KP !!

Next came our Kay Pa's "gift" for the new year 2011! Yup, a special allowance of RM500 each for all civil servants including Retirees!! TQ! TQ! TQ!

November was a long, long month as the previous pension payment was made very early (9th Nov) and the next payment would be only on 17th Dec. So this special "gift" was kinda well-timed and very welcomed! Haha!

As is, me am toying with the idea of upgrading our Astro SD reception to an HD-capable one, namely what is now known as Astro B'yond. However, there are a few issues that need to be ironed out before that move can be made. The main one being how we can still enjoy the transmissions on every single TV that we have in Lot 10! A facility that we have been enjoying all these years...not an easy one to just "surrender" without a fight!

A better option, at the moment, is to "sacrifice" the very few HD channels which are now only available and to keep on enjoying the pleasures of enjoying all our popular channels/shows wherever we may be in Lot 10!

PEACE.

ps. BTW Blu-ray discs collection in Lot 10 has been steadily increasing since the day a Panasonic Blu-ray player was added to its "arsenal"! To date, there is a library of 14 titles, with the latest additions being Mission Impossible II & III.

Farewell to a good ole friend...

2010-11-29T11:38:00.009+08:00

Mon 291110

Yup, it was a very sad day yesterday...a former fellow colleague & good ole friend left us. And yup, it was my very good friend, Mr L (Mr Leong Cheong Phak) or more fondly known as "Pak Leong"... Pic above : The late "Pak Leong".

Pak Leong had been fighting a very long hard battle against Primary CNS Lymphoma since early this year. After numerous chemos & radiotherapy with periods when hopes were high that he was winning the fight, he finally succumbed to it on Sunday, 28th November, 2010 @6:50am at SJMC, PJ.

The wake & funeral service will be held at the following location :

Gui Yuan Funeral Parlour
Jalan 229, Section 51A,
45100 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.

Room 7

Wake : 28 & 29th Nov.
Funeral Service on 30th Nov @ 10:00am

NB> Pls chk out Map to location below. TQ.

** If you cannot see the map clearly, here's a link : http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.streetdirectory.com.my%2Fmalaysia%2Fkl%2Ftravel%2Ftravel_id_95099%2Ftravel_site_194179%2F&h=08eaf

To his family members, we sincerely offer our sincere heartfelt condolences on their great loss...

May he Rest in Peace in God's loving arms...

ps. To all those who know him including his former students in SMKH, A/Star and esp those in the Klang Valley...do try your best to drop in & say a final "Goodbye" to a good kind man & dedicated teacher...TQ.

More Blu-ray...

2010-11-17T08:56:00.008+08:00

Wed 171110

Yup, it's more Blu-ray Discs for Lot 10 Collection! And yup, they're also original ones but bought via our local online auction site...

It's the X-Men Quadrilogy set of 7 Blu-ray discs for the four X-Men movies! All for only RM206 including delivery charges. I saw one of them for sale at Tesco Pg for already RM99!! So an original set of all their movies for only RM200 is value for money!

Here are downloaded images of them (saves me time & effort to snap them, right?) :

Well, what can I say? Frankly, once one has watched a BD (short for Blu-ray Disc) movie, one would want more of the same! Yup, there is a great difference between the good ole DVD movies and BD movies. Kinda like not having 20-20 vision while watching DVD movies. Try it out & you will know what I mean, ok?

However, as a note of warning...we got kinda "cheated" by a shop @Midlands 1-Stop for what they called "copied BDs". In actual fact, those discs turned out to be nothing more than DVDs converted from BDs...for playing on DVD players but not on true BD players! They are, in reality, only clear DVDs...

I had a number of such discs bought in A/Star for only RM8 whereas those from Midlands cost RM10! That's why me felt kinda cheated...

Anyway, there's nothing like originals...Agreed?

Of course, until the day these "copycats" come out with true copies of the originals in its BD format...

BTW here's wishing all our Muslim friends out there a very happy Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha or Selamat Hari Raya Korban/Haji today!!

A new month...

2010-11-11T11:05:00.003+08:00

Thur 111110

Yup, a new month is here! And yup, almost half of it has passed, too...

This month is truly a very "full" & hectic month for both inmates of Lot 10. For starters, there was the recent floods in Perlis & Kedah...started in Alor Star around 3rd Nov? Luckily though, for Lot 10 & its surrounding areas, the flood waters did not reach them. We were spared! Thank God for His mercies...

However, owing to the floods, our water supply was cut for 2-3 days! Even our 400 gallon storage tank dried up! Phew! Imagine...lots of water everywhere, but not a drop to drink! Water is truly precious...

On 7th Nov, we had our 1st invitation to a close relative's son's wedding with dinner at Holiday Inn Resort in Batu Ferringhi. It was a happy & cosy buffet-styled dinner function. Congrats to the happy loving couple!!

This coming Sat (131110) will see my other half attending a rare meet cum dinner @Berjaya Georgetown Hotel, Penang, for ex-MGS students. For convenience sake, we will be staying for the night in the hotel itself. Sincerely hope she has an enjoyable evening then...All the very best, MDB!!

Next would be another wedding invitation. On the 18th. My other half's cousin's daughter ie her aunt's grandaughter. We'll be attending the wedding dinner on that evening with the Chinese Tea Ceremony on the next day. Our congrats to KGS!!

On 191110, the SMKH Retirees would be having their End-of-Year Dinner. And yup, a great chance to meet up with former colleagues & friends. It was planned for 121110 but was postponed because of the flood situation.

Finally (might not be the last...) ie for now, we'd received a personal invitation to attend a former colleague & good friend's son's (a former student, too) wedding dinner to be held @Evergreen Laurel Hotel in Penang on 27th Nov. Congrats to the happy & loving couple!!

Now that's a lot for these 2 ole inmates after all these years! Sincerely hope December would be a quiet peaceful month for us to re-energise...haha!

Have a great weekend soon...

A nice ending to a great month!

2010-10-30T17:57:00.005+08:00

Sat 301010

Yup, a very short post here to make it a great ending to a great month! My Birthday Month! October 2010.

And yup, it was a simple, yet very meaningful addition to all the purchases (gifts) this month from my other half...an original Blu-ray disc pack!

And it was decided that we should get the latest available here, namely Iron Man 2 Special Edition (2-disc pack).

Cost? A whopping RM149! Now we really have a genuine original set of discs to view to our ultimate entertainment pleasure...

Like me said before, a fitting & great ending to a great month!

Thank you all for all the good wishes...no wonder I got to be so happy this time around! TQ...TQ...TQ!

That's it for now. Have a great weekend!

A good match & companion...

2010-10-25T20:10:00.008+08:00

Mon 251010

Yup, a good match & companion...for our latest Samsung UA32C4000P LED TV!

And yup, it's a Panasonic Blue Ray Player, Model DMP-BD45GA-K! What can I say? It's simply that the HD Ready LED TV is kinda incomplete w/o a Blue Ray Player ie what's the point of having a HD Ready TV when one does not have any way to watch HD movies on it? True?

That particular BR player model was found to be on offer for RM499 ie down from its original price of RM999! As the offer was only till the end of this month, me had to make a fast decision then. It was a BIG "Yes!" And fully supported by my other half...Thanks a meg, MDB!!

Here are a couple of pics...the box in which the unit came so that you can see the item more clearly; and of course, the slim unit itself installed just below the LED TV (Check out the display on the TV!!) :
Don't they look so well-matched?

And of course, the unit by itself with its remote. ( This pic was courtesy of one of the reviews in the Net.)

Well...again...what's the point of having a Blue-Ray Player & a HD Ready TV when there are NO HD movies to watch?

And so it was that a special trip was made to Star Parade where I knew there were video shops selliing "fake real" BR discs! Just can't afford originals! The latest original BR discs of "Iron Man 2" is selling for RM149!!! Other old movies cost around RM70+ each!! Phew! Now where can I ever afford throwing such precious & hard-saved $$$ for just ONE movie? Could have even gone to the cinema to watch it on huge screens for at least 18 times & that even with $$ left over for snacks!!

To cut a long story short, I managed to select a couple of movie titles which we've not watched yet. And these cost me only RM25 each!

Well, that should last us at least a couple of weeks till we go hunting for new titles...hehe....

To end this post, Lot 10 had 3 visitors last weekend, namely KL & family. As always, such times spent with KL were hectic...especially for this ole inmate. Watch out for new pics that me took of KL recently in her slide show...sincere apologies for the delay...this ole man needs time to recover. Haha!

October this year has been a great month for Lot 10 inmates...if only it lasts & lasts so...

So here's me wishing you guys a great week ahead!

When I was 56...

2010-10-20T15:24:00.006+08:00

Wed 201010

Yup, when I was 56 only for yesterday...

And yup, it was yours truly's special day in the year! And yup, I turned 56 or was it the other way around? Frankly, if only it was the reverse...haha!

The day was just great!

However, so as not to bore you with all my probably so-called "exaggerations", here's a brief summary of that nice day...

1. On waking up, me found a nice angpow on my work table! From my other half! With great, sincere & loving wishes written all over it. A truly fat angpow. Tks a meg, MDB!!

2. A special trip to mark the day. "Pak Tor-ing" at SP. Toured Giant...had favourite Roasted Duck rice with Fried Kangkong with sambal prawan...then toured Tesco, SP.

3. Had a surprise call from our fmly doc...a new loaf of my fav "Stupid Bread"!! Reached A/S in time to collect it lo...Tks a meg, Doc!!

4. Went shopping...my other half had so happily & graciously consented to getting muah an item to add to our Master Bedroom...as a special Bday present! A huge one...fulfilling my latest "dream" to bring our common interest up2date...to an even higher level, namely a new LED TV! Not the usual run-of-the-mill LCD, ok?

Yup, we finally decided on a Samsung UA32C4000 unit. It was a close fight between it & a Philips 32PFL5605S/98. Specs wise, there was a huge difference.. eg the greatest diff was that the Philips was a Full HD set whereas the Samsung was only an HD Ready set (Resolution wise)! Price wise it was even RM50 cheaper for the Philips although it was a better specs model!

Decision was only made after about 2 hours examining both models & viewing changes in views at different settings...using Astro B'yond channels as the source of HD signals. Ultimately the Samsung won!!

Reasons why we chose the Samsung? It's ultra slim & modern design with its very friendly UI including its many other useable features which the Philips did not have. Besides those, we had a very satisfying & great year with our now "old" Samsung 22" LCD TV. And many many more plus points...

Well, here it is now sitting so cosily where our former Samsung 22" LCD TV was...

Nice? Yup, and big enough for our Master Bedroom, too! Really nice in real life!

Muah finally got every setting needed fully set up & going by 1:30am!! Phew! My Bday was a really long day...a day that me just refused to let it pass!

No way, right? Yup, it has passed...

Well, what can I say? A day that me will remember for years to come!

Happy Happy Bday to me!!

ps. And what would be my wish for my next Bday? ATM it would be a Full HD LED TV for our lounge area...hehe...wish me luck!!

The proverbial "Last Nail in the Coffin..."

2010-10-15T14:20:00.006+08:00

Fri 151010

Yup, the proverbial "Last Nail in the Coffin" has been hammered right in...today!

And yup, that literally meant that it's now 100% confirmed that none of our children nor their families would be visiting these 2 ole folks @ Lot 10 OFH to celebrate this ole man's special day of the year which would fall sometime soon...

And yup, as that special day falls on a working day, it had been ( and now, too ) wrongfully assumed that Lot 10 would be privileged to receive at least a visit from those "kids". But, alas, like all OFHs & their residents, such visits are never the norm but considered a rare "luxury" which their kids feel only possible at their whims & fancies...and yup, certainly not a matter of the heart nor feelings associated with their blood ties.

Sad? Pitiful? Unbelievable? Probably all those BUT true!!

If you've read the story that's been circulating in the Net for quite a while.... "The Boy & The Apple Tree"??....then you would be nodding your head in agreement.

And how true...Parents of such "kids" are taken for granted, used to satisfy their needs at every stage in their lives...until their parents have nothing left to give! At the extreme end, such parents are even "non-existent"! As if being parents, they have no needs, no problems and eternally healthy & will live forever! How we, as parents, really wish if only that were true...

Well, like it or not, that's Life As Is...

Ever since my realisation of this "Reality of Life As Is", I've always advised the young to "NEVER grow old..." As if that is humanly possible...if you get what I mean...haha!

Let them then look into the "Mirror of Life" at themselves when they do reach our age & situation...

And so I end this entry with the hope & prayer that your Life As Is has not been, is not & will not be even near to what is narrated above...

ps. On a more positive note, maybe it's God's way & His blessings to these 2 ole folks to have their lives back...to be as they were during those good ole "Pak Tor" (dating) days of yesteryears? Would be a happy thought to cherish, wouldn't it?

To those who had been following this Blog, it was the exact same situation during my other half's birthday in August. And with God's blessings, we both had a memorable day doing what we do best...spending time together...happily!

I will do my best to count my blessings...to remind myself that I am still of sound mind, independent and in reasonably good health...still mobile! And with a great "Kay Pa" to take care of our financial aspects.

Thank God for His kind blessings...Amen.

After 10.10.10...

2010-10-11T10:27:00.004+08:00

Mon 111010

Yup, it's after 10.10.10 today....it's 11.10.10 already...

And yup, it was a quiet & peaceful 10.10.10...my wish come true in my life these days! This ole heart isn't built for any more of those heartaches & stresses of younger days...

Anyway, the previous weekend was another wish coming true...my 2010 birthday wish!

What was that wish? To make my other half happy...

And it was doing for her what would make her happy, namely to spend time with our grandchildren...just like what me did for her many years back.

Well, first stop planned was in Taiping on Fri 8th Oct with an overnight stay to Sat 9th Oct. We arrrived in time for dinner with KL & family. And guess what? KL was all smiles & happy to see & have her grandmother around...and those smiles practically lasted our whole stay!! A very rare sight to behold on a child's face...all lit up throughout the evening & the next day! Not forgetting the shrieks of delight & happiness in the air...

It was really, really worth my efforts making that special trip!! I certainly wished that my body was not what it is today....because making that trip was no easy task!

My only regret for that weekend was that part 2 of what was planned for that weekend did NOT materialise!

Yup, it was supposed to be a visit (Sat 9th Oct - Sun 10th Oct) to our other grandchildren in Penang. To cut a long story short, it kinda fizzled out because it was supposedly NOT the "right" time to visit. A few reasons were given...easily rebuttable though. It's not like we have been visiting or staying in their place so often...it's like the FIRST time in about FOUR years!! And even so, I was the one "offering" to visit & stay...sad but true.

Well, what can I say? Normally, when one's kids grow up, marry & start their own families, their families, in reality, are extensions of the original family...growing larger. Alas, it is not so, unfortunately & sadly in my case which has seen not the gain of new families but losses!

Karma? Fate? Destiny? Call it whatever. Same difference. Life as is...one just has to accept and move on. I've learnt that in Life, especially when one grows old, one only gets hurt if one does not go with the "flow"....the ole "fighting cock" has to die or will be killed...literally!

Frankly, one cannot ever hope nor wish for what is not in the heart...and yup, the word "family" has different meanings to different ppl. Moreover, as ppl often quoted... "Times change...People change..."

Life as is...

ps. For a change & as part of my "giving" happiness theme, this Bday me gave my other half a special present...new specs c/w progressive lenses of the "modern tech" kind, namely Essilor Physio lenses! Total cost? RM1790...with a true full Titanium frame and a "cover-up" design Polaroid sunglasses! Her smile & happiness were like the whole world to me...if only I could do more for her...

I truly & sincerely thank God for opening my eyes...to Life As Is...

A month full of birthdays...

2010-10-01T11:46:00.004+08:00

Fri 011010

Yup, October is a month full of birthdays...of my friends & former colleagues!

First on the list is Ms Theresa...the first of the "OKT" gang to celebrate her birthday. So here's wishing her all the very best with special wishes on her special day (today, 1st Oct) in the year...Happy Happy Birthday, Theresa!!

Next would be our Mr L's birthday ie on 3rd Oct. As you all know (those who've been following this Blog...), Mr L is presently in hospital fighting the dreaded "C". To him, our wishes for a successful fight with God's blessings!! Our hopes & prayers that you'll recover well enough to enjoy your special day...Happy Happy Birthday, Mr L !!

It would then be Yours truly's turn ...soon after that...hehe...

Only time will tell what's gonna happen when that day comes...maybe another back to "Pak Tor" days "Blast from the Past" happening? Haha!

And finally on 30th Oct, it would be another fellow "OKT" member...Mr LBH's turn! So another round of good wishes to our LBH for a very happy day with family & loved ones! Happy Happy Birthday to you, too, Mr LBH!!

Well, that about covers that!

Btw the drain repair works appeared to have been completed. Now we just need one heavy downpour for at least 30 minutes to confirm that that was the true & permanent "cure-all"...of the periodic flash floods in our area.

Have a great weekend!!

Action...at last!

2010-09-28T12:06:00.007+08:00

Tue 280910

Yup, ACTION...at last!! And yup, it was just 2 days ago that concrete drain structures were seen being unloaded at the far end of Lorong Teratai Jingga. Why?

It was presumed then and now confirmed that the pieces of pre-cast concrete U-shaped structures for a big drain were for repairing the collapsed section of the drain (For more info, pls refer to 24th March 2010 entry...TQ.) leading out to the main Western By-pass main road. To cut a long story short, we had heard "rumours" of a pending repair with an allocation of RM50k quite some months back, to alleviate the flash flood problems of our area. However, nothing "concrete" came out of that...

Until 2 days ago, that is!

Now...today...I could see an excavator and a couple of workers putting the pieces of pre-cast concrete in place...to replace the collapsed section of the drain there.

Pic on left shows the activity from a distance...from Lot 10, actually! Can you see the excavator? NB. With 5X digital zoom on my iPhone...

Well, what can I say? Except that now, hopefully, with the path cleared for rain water to flow out from our area, it would sound the end to our flash flood woes each & every time it rains heavily...even for just 30 minutes! Only time will tell...

And this shot is a close-up when me picked up enough courage to "investigate" further...haha!It, being the rainy season now (raining almost every evening!!), we should see some improvement with the "repair" although only in progress. Last night, the waters rose but did not proceed further than the rear wheels of our car in the porch! Normally, the waters would have reached our main house door...

Also yesterday & last night, me got not-so-good news about our good friend & colleague, Mr L. It appeared that he's not showing any signs of improvement after an ops to put a shunt to drain fluid from his brain earlier this month. And last night, they had to give him another blood transfusion as his haemoglobin level was pretty low.

We sincerely wish & pray that Mr L would, with God's blessings, overcome all odds and make a turn for the better...Stay strong & have faith, Mr & Mrs L !!

And, before I forget, a belated Happy Birthday to our son-in-law on his Bday yesterday (270910)!! It was good to hear that you & family had a great & special dinner to celebrate the occasion. Sincere apologies for being unable to be there in person to join you all, though...you know la...old man, old car, old body & all the rest... :(

Well, that was a longer post than I'd planned to make! Somehow me got carried away...hehe...

So have a great week, everyone!!

Just a short note...

2010-09-17T13:19:00.006+08:00

Fri 170910

Yup, just a short note...just to let it be known that latest pics of KL are now up in the The 2010 KL slideshow just on the right of this Blog...

And yup, our KL got a new pair of boots on her recent trip! Kinda nice, huh? Princess-like, maybe?

Well, that's it! Short & sweet...Bye!!

In "Recovery Mode"...

2010-09-14T18:46:00.002+08:00

Tue 140910

Yup, me in "Recovery Mode" now...for this old aching body...me not believe anymore in the saying that "one is as young as one feels...". I feel young in my mind but my body keeps on reminding me that I am really & truly OLD!

And yup, me need to...hehe...after almost 3D2N of KL!! Haha!

And yup, KL is just as hyperactive a kid (if not more so...) as she was when we last spent time with her!

So me will write more & post recent pics of her in this Blog's slide show (which is dedicated to her) in my next entry...soon...give & take a couple of days!

Other than that, Life has been routine for these 2 inmates of Lot 10.

Our good friend & former colleague, Mr L, who has been battling primary CNS Lymphoma since early in the year, recently had a downward slide in his battle. A shunt was put in to relieve the pressure from fluid building up in his brain and, in spite of that & coupled with running a temperature due to a chest infection, he has succeeded in getting out of the ICU! This guy is a really a great "fighter" by any standards! Keep it up, Mr L! We will look forward to seeing you back in A/S again...soon...

Our country will be celebrating for the first time (?) "Malaysia Day" on 16th Sept. We have been celebrating "Merdeka Day" or "Independence Day" since 1957. For once, the whole country ie including Sabah & Sarawak in East Malaysia, we will be ONE on this special day which has been officially declared a public holiday!

So here's wishing all Malaysians a very happy "Malaysia Day"!!

Just updating...

2010-09-07T16:34:00.004+08:00

Tue 070910

Yup, just to keep all who pop in here updated nia...

For one, me still around lo...hehe...kinda silent cos nothing spectacular nor very interesting had happened...

However, there was one step forward in the achievement of family unity when our son & family came to Lot 10 for their first one night stay ever since the patch-up some time back. We sincerely appreciate & thank him for making the effort to cross that "bridge" towards being a family once more...

Like I've always emphasised to both my kids all this while...

"Lot 10 will always be their home as long as they feel it's their home in their hearts..."

With that over ( that was last weekend - 4th to 5th Sept), Lot 10 had a couple of visitors this morning! Yup, our niece in A/S came with her daughter, Jocelyn, for a visit as Jos would be leaving for further studies soon in UK. We sincerely wish Jos a very safe & pleasant flight on 230910 and a successful study period there!! Don't forget to keep in touch, Jos!

This weekend, the Raya weekend, would see our KL & family back for another visit/stay. Lot 10 inmates are looking forward to seeing how much our KL has progressed in various aspects of her development since undergoing some formal help to improve her capabilities as an ASD kid. From what we've heard, KL has been steadily improving since we last saw her. Keep it up, KL & mom!!

Well, dat's it for now.

To all our Muslim friends, we sincerely wish you "Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri!!"

To other friends, we do wish you "Happy Holidays!!" Be safe, ok?

Happy Happy Birthday, MDB....

2010-08-27T20:59:00.009+08:00

Fri 270810

Yup, today is MDB's Birthday! So here's wishing MDB a very very Happy Happy Birthday!! May all that you're wishing for would be fulfilled soon...with God's blessings!

And most importantly, may you have many more Happy, Healthy & Loving years ahead...

And to share, here's a pic of her Bday present...from yours truly....simple but full of uknowat...

Well, what can I say...today was like going back to the past...travelling back in time to those wonderful "pak tor" (courting) days of olde! Yup, we were back to those days when there were just the 2 of us, starting life together...like nothing else mattered but just the 2 of us in our own world!

And thus it was today...now, it's just like the same...just the 2 of us...just a couple once more! Ha ha!

Now we'll step a bit forward (???) in time...to Fri 20th Aug. That was when it was decided that Lot 10 needed to move forward. What exactly do I mean? Ok...pray do allow me to explain a bit...

Lot 10 had been finding it an increasingly, literally & figuratively, growing problem to find reliable sources of RO (Reverse Osmosis) purified water. Most of those RO water vending machines are NO longer "spitting" out such high quality RO water but in most places, the supposedly RO water was worse than our home filtered tap water! That is, the water which was supposed to have a TDS (Total Dissolved Solutes) value of less than 5ppm, had a TDS value of 60 ppm & above!! Just imagine having to pay for such poor quality of water...

Many, I feel, (maybe even you guys) had been duped into paying good money for water which you would have easily & conveniently got from your very own filtered tap water at home!! Actually, no one could blame you guys...because you do not have the means to test the water quality. And, of course, the water looked clean to you (and so it did to me at that time, too!). And so does your own home filtered water, right?

Anyway, our recent "best" source of good quality & true RO water was from Tesco. At RM2.89 per 5.5L bottle. However, the empty bottles have been piling up in our storeroom...practically reaching the ceiling & more!

Even the "recycling" or "Surat Khabar Lama" guys had started to refuse accepting those bottles for recycling!! Their excuse? The bottles occupied too much space in their vans...more newspapers could be collected in the same amount of space. We understood.

So it was that when we were given a very tempting offer & great repayment terms of a Coway RO Water Purification system unit, we grabbed it without any hesitation! And the unit was installed & has been working well since Tue 24th Aug.

Here it is, sitting nice & comfy on top of our kitchen cabinet...neatly & well-installed! Of course, the extra power point is courtesy of yours truly's DIY handiwork...haha!

Well, this unit supplies RO water (tested & confirmed to be such with the TDS testing meter that we had all these years) in 3 forms, namely "Room (room temp)", "Ice Cold" & "Hot (approx 98 deg C)" modes.

Now, isn't that just great & extremely convenient? No more trips to Tesco just to get stock of our RO water supply...thereby also providing savings re cost of petrol? And at times, the frustration & disappointment when we had to come home empty handed? Just because there was no stock of such bottled water @ Tesco?

Best of all is now both inmates of Lot 10 need not worry about more & more empty 5.5L plastic bottles stacking up towards the "sky"! Going "green" & thus contributing to saving the World...reducing Global Warming, etc., etc.?? Haha!

What's more? Our electric kettle & electric air-pot have been packed & kept. The Coway unit has replaced the functions of both these items! More savings?

Costwise? It amounts to less than our monthly cost of purchasing the RO water from Tesco...and we have our very own "water purification plant" in Lot 10! Ready to use...at room temperature, ice cold or hot at a press of a lever....at any time!! 24/7.

Ok...it's time to stop all that "blabbering" and to let you guys have a welcomed break! Haha!

Have another great weekend!

Now which can be true?

2010-08-17T21:17:00.004+08:00

Tue 170810

Yup, which can be true? "The Death Clock" or "The Life Clock"?

And yup, in my previous entry, I found the website for "The Death Clock" and Oh no! I was expected to die on 19 October 2011 ie with only one more year to go!!

And now, I've found another website for just the opposite ie "The Life Clock..."

Btw, I've also found another death-predicting site...quite a number of them, actually...

And these are the results :

1. At another so-called "Death Clock" website " http://www.medindia.net/ ", it tells me that .... "Your Probable year of Demise is... 2015"

2. At the website of a "Life Clock" ie " http://www.bellaonline.com/", I am told... "Given your current habits, you are likely to die on: 4/19/2026
That is in:16 Years188 Months5724 Days137367 Hours8242004 Minutes494520207 Seconds
You will be 81 Years Old."

Now...which can be true?

Am I gonna leave this world in 2011...2015...or 2026?

I really don't know...am just hoping that it's the last one though...me more interested in the life than the death part...haha!

May we all have a long, healthy & happy life! That would be ideal, right?

Anyway, as most believe, our lives are in the hands of He who is upstairs...

May God bless us all...Amen.

Can this be true?

2010-08-16T17:29:00.009+08:00

Mon 160810

Yup, can this be true? A site called "The Death Clock" gives one a very easy way to determine when one would die... http://www.death-clock.org/

I tried it out...just for fun...

And yup, I have only about ONE year to live!!! Pls check out the result on the right of this Blog...

Btw you can also click on my results to get to the website.

Well, only time will tell, right?

However, what I can say is the information that one has to supply is minimal...just one's date of birth, sex, body mass index, confirm if one is a smoker and in which country one lives! The worst part is my country, Malaysia is NOT listed as a choice. So I had to choose Thailand, the nearest. Moreover, the calculator for body mass index does not allow accurate info to be keyed it...so mine was another "nearest" value" thing!

Anyway, what I believe is that none of us knew when we were born (did you have any memory of your birth?) and we would not know when we would die!

All that is, if you believe, in the hands of He who is upstairs...agreed?

So, maybe I'll still see you all on 19th October 2011? Haha!

NB. There is a note at the bottom of the webpage which states :

" should be used for fun only, this calculator is unlikely to predict your actual date of death."

A new addition? Nope, a replacement!

2010-08-06T12:46:00.006+08:00

Fri 060810

Yup, it appears like a new addition to my list of so-called "toys" but it's not! And yup, it's actually a replacement...

It's a replacement for our very old JVC mini CD player cum tuner in our room. And yup, in early June, that ole unit appeared to have reached the end of its useful life! It kinda KO-ed ever so suddenly one fine day...no warnings whatsoever! Just died on us.

Now that was a really good set. It cost us RM1k plus then. It was even used in one of Tom Cruise's movies. Years ago. So it was felt any attempt to repair it would cost at least a couple of hundred if not more! Worst of all, we wondered if there were anyone around who could repair it nor find the parts available eg should it be some proprietory chip...?

So an unofficial "hunt" for a replacement started. And a simple, functional & affordable (to a poor ole pensioner) unit first caught my eyes at our local Giant hypermarket. Only for RM 299. And it was a more up2date unit c/w even a DVD player! Not just a CD player only like the old one.

As the timing (financially) was not right, we had to wait. However, when we went again, the price shot up to RM399! In just about a week. Phew!

Then on 17th July, 2 of the same units were on an offer shelf at Tesco! Without any hesitation, me grabbed one! Haha!

Here it is....the Haier MDV-809U, a DVD micro system supporting DVD, DivX, USB, Kodak Picture & Karaoke functions c/w AM/FMTuner!The second pic shows the bottom section that has a panel which opens up to reveal the USB port and the 2 Karaoke jack terminals.

Sitting on top of the unit is a "newcomer" to our room...a "sense & spray" air freshener unit by Glade. Sprays only if it senses any movements in the vicinity & only at a minimum 30 min in-between! Convenient & economical. Cost? More than the usual auto-air freshener units though. RM26.90. Refills are at RM12.90 each. We chose the "Lavender" fragrance.

Was it worth it? Yup, the usual "sour-sour" smell that one associates with an "inhabited" room has completely disappeared!! Now a fresh Lavender fragrance greets us each time we go into our room. Nice.

Well, life has been pleasant with entertainment completely back to like normal in our master bedroom once more...& especially so now with a freshly fragranted atmosphere...

Have a great weekend, everybody!

All's well...

2010-08-05T10:18:00.004+08:00

Thu 050810

Yup, all's well @Lot 10 & to my knowledge & @places of ppl I know & care for...

Our grandson, J, has been recovering well (from his recent appendicitis ops) @his home now. Happy for you, J!! Enjoy your long rest/holiday...

Re our good friend, Mr L, who had recently undergone 10 radiotherapy sessions for his CNS Lymphoma, no news is always good news!! Have faith & continue to be strong...the "fighter" we know you are!

The strange & worrying smell of burning plastic that we had smelled in our car for some time already, has finally been identified and, most importantly, has been eliminated! Thank God! It was traced to its air-con switch which could not bear the full electrical load at its age now.

A relay switch added in-line to the original main switch, solved the problem. Just cost me only RM25. TQ, Mr T!! Mind you, the air-con now even felt cooler than before...Phew!

Well, a new outlook on "Life As Is" is in the making. God has been opening my eyes since a number of years back. I now see & believe things differently from what I did then. Part of the credit also goes to my other half...my "sifu" of sorts...

In short, Life is not about wasting time in trying to understand what it is nor trying to find out why...

Life is about making the BEST of what we have AND living it to the fullest within our capability!! No more whining...No more self-pity...No more regrets...No more feelings of frustration or disappointment! No more nothing!

Dreams are purely just Dreams. Period.

A simple solution. Just LIVE LIFE! Life As Is. And, of course, count our blessings...Be Happy!! :)

Bz...bz...bz.....

2010-07-26T14:59:00.004+08:00

Mon 260710

Yup, it's been a busy, busy, busy past few days...end of the previous week and weekend, too!

And yup, both inmates were caught up in the "rollercoaster ride" of Life!

On last Thursday ie 22nd July, our good friend & former colleague made his first trip back to his home since he left for KL for treatment. Yup, it was Mr L. He had just finished his radiotherapy sessions and missed his home so much that his family decided to make a special trip home. And yup, it was just great to be able to meet up & just chat with him & family! A simple visit ended being a 2-hour + "marathon" chat session!!

However, Mr L & fmly are on the way back to KL at this time, if me not mistaken...sincerely wish Mr L & fmly a safe & pleasant trip...and may God bless you & family!

Late on Friday (230710) night, an unexpected call brought not-so-nice news...our grandson was diagnosed as having appendicitis!! Admitted to Island Hospital in Penang. As it was late & being reassured of his being in safe hands, we decided to leave for Penang the very next morning after breakfast.

When we were about to leave Lot 10, another call told us that the young boy had been prepared already for immediate surgery. And by the time we arrived at the hospital, he was already out from recovery and placed in the Children's ward. The operation to remove his infected appendix was successful and, fortunately, in time, too!

To cut a long story short, we left our grandson in a happy mood late on Sunday evening ie last night. He enjoyed a reasonably long session playing "Doodle Jump" on my iPhone. Although each smile/laugh brought him some pain, it was what we nicknamed "Happy Pain"!! Keep smiling, J...

Thanks, too, to our fav niece for allowing these 2 ole folks to inconvenience her & fmly in her beautiful home...again! All in all, it was a weekend that ended well. So kinda like the saying..."All's well that ends well..."

Well, as my other half was kinda deprived of her weekly COD due to our Penang trip, it was "declared" that today (although a Monday) would replace the missed COD last Saturday...

And so it was...a trip to our fav place...Tesco Mergong! Lunch was at its Food Court.

As is, it's "siesta" time now in Lot 10...

A quiet start...

2010-07-20T12:30:00.012+08:00

Tue 200710

Yup, it's a quiet start to a new week...

And yup, Peace & Happiness, not forgetting reasonably Good Health...all that one could ever wish for...at this time in our lives!

One good thing that has happened in the vicinity of Lot 10 was the sudden realization that a new street lamp was installed practically almost right in front of Lot 10! Something we sort of had been wishing for all the while since moving into Lot 10. And presto! There it was shining brightly one night when we looked out of our bedroom window!! Its installation had gone unnoticed...showed how "unexciting & mundane" our lives had been & thus our ignorance of changes to our surrounding...

Pics to share...

Left: the new lamp on the previously installed bare lamp-post. ...and a close-up of the new lamp! And of course, the lamp shining brightly at night!!

Like ppl say...Better late than never, agreed?

In the meantime, me have still been fiddling & enjoying my not-so-new "baby". Yup, my iPhone 3GS! Latest Apps addition is Meritum Paint, a free apps. This Apps allows one to create such beautiful abstract finger-printing pieces of "Art", which can then be used as the wallpaper for the phone.

Here is a sample of my creativity...

See? Not bad, huh? For a first time "finger-painter"!! Haha!

Finally, both inmates are gonna have a so far "rare" item for our lunch! And for many more days to come. Yup, it's our fav "Stupid Bread"! Haha!

Thanks to our fav doc...Thanks a meg, Doc, for remembering lil ole us...

Well, our "Kay Pa" is due to literally "enrich" us tomorrow but we just could not wait! And so we had to go "rob" our nearest Petronas ATM so as to fill up our pockets to continue with our lives. Like one popular quote..."No petrol how to move..." Haha again!

Well, a million thanks to our "Kay Pa" who is now so indispensable...and so much a part of our lives now! And yup, where would we be now if not for his kind, generous & never-failing on-the-dot support...month after month, year after year!

A surprising discovery?

2010-07-14T15:59:00.005+08:00

Wed 140710

Yup, surprising ( maybe even frightening? ) discovery? In our backyard garden.

And yup, my other half, in her not-so-regular maintenance of her potted plants in her very own "garden" in our backyard, unearthed 6 whitish eggs in one of her pots!! Each egg was about 2 cm long...

Feeling somehow that those eggs not look like normal kinda eggs, she called lil ole me to confirm. And true enough, those were NOT eggs of the normal kind! Too big for normal lizard eggs. Could they be snake eggs? Cause shells were of the soft type...reptiliean?

Only one way to find out, right? Yup, me cracked one of them OPEN!

And this was what met our eyes...

Does that look like a baby lizard? Yup, at a glance.

Now...look a bit closer. Magnify the image. Now, is that a lizard or....?

Yup, it's a baby iguana? Monitor lizard?

And, believe it or not, the young mother paid a visit the day after...phew!

Wish I had snapped a pic of the young mother...sorry but me was so surprised then that me could only watch till she plopped into our back drain and swam away...

No worries...me had already crushed all six eggs and thrown them into our rubbish bin. They have all now gone to the great "hunting grounds" of all monitor lizards....haha!

Before I take my leave in this entry, I would like to ask you all a simple question. Are KFC products eg their Hot & Spicy Chicken dishes, of the same quality sold in all outlets?

Well, my answer is a definite NO!! How did I know for sure? We went to take the Chicken Rice Combo & Snack Plate set at one outlet last Sunday and then because we were surprised at the items we had got, we then went to have the same items at another outlet today!

And guess what? We got products of such noticeable size, quality & contents!! Try it out & prove so yourselves, ok?

Have a great day!

Me still around...

2010-07-09T18:52:00.003+08:00

Fri 090710

Yup, me still around...haha!

And yup, still alive & kicking! But not so hard liao...age kinda catching up...

However, it's been a week of events but not of the exciting kind though...

The first week of July saw a few relatives celebrating their birthdays. Me did call them to wish them then but for the record...

Happy Birthday (030710) to my bro-in-law, KY!!

And also Happy Birthday (050710) to our fav niece, KI!!

Then on Wed 070710, it was time to fulfill my other half's 2nd wish ie a trip to Penang to visit a few families. And so we did. It was a happy day out. We even had time for a short look-around in Gurney Plaza! Moreover, we were treated to sumptuous meal (lunch) by our fav niece! TQ, KI!!

That day also marked our first visit to our son's flat since that dark day in 2008. Sincere thanks to him & family for the special effort made, the time spent & hospitality!

Well, what can I say? All's well that ends well!

And tomorrow is another COD...if you know what that means...

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Latest KL pics...

2010-06-30T19:09:00.007+08:00

Wed 300610

Yup, for KL fans, latest pics me took of her are now up in "The 2010 KL" slide show to the right of this entry. Those pics were taken during KL & family's belated visit for "Father's Day 2010".

And yup, those pics were picked from the numerous snapshots that me took of her...KL is still the same very active girl as before! Getting a good pic of her is akin to striking a 4-D prize!!

So do enjoy those few "ok" ones which me managed to snap...with my iPhone 3GS (now upgraded to iOS 4.0)...

That's it for now. Sincere apologies for sudden exit...me still kinda "sour" all over me ole body...

A happy but tiring weekend...

2010-06-28T10:56:00.003+08:00

Mon 280610

Yup, it was a happy but tiring weekend for both inmates of Lot 10!!

And yup, on Sat 26 June, we got a call from our daughter late in the afternoon ( almost evening in fact...) that she & family would be coming for a night-over visit then. And so, COD was put on hold...

The rest is now history. Owing to the short time, whatever activities that could be done, was all cramped into the so few hours before KL & her family had to go home. Believe it or not, but those ever-so-common visits to their fav places eg AS Mall & KL's very own fav place, Tesco, were all successfully carried out before it was time for the family to leave Lot 10!

Well, me would post pics of not-so-little KL captured on me ole though not-so-new iPhone 3GS as soon as this ole man has got over the stress & strains of that hectic episode...do pls wait, ok? TQ!

COD was re-instated on Sun evening with dinner out at Lot 7 where we savoured our monthly Sate meal taken with "Kuih Chap" & "Lor Mee". The evening ended with Cine Nite movie of "It's Complicated" starring Merryl Streep & Steve Martin. Good storyline but slow & kinda dragging though.

For me, the night ended after I caught the scene of the F1 crash with somersault by Mark Webber onto the back of Kovalainen in the delayed broadcast of the race over NTV7. F1 cars are so well-designed & built such that the driver could walk away from such a high speed crash with hardly any injuries!! If only my ole junk was so safe....

And so it was... Lot 10 has returned to its former quiet & peaceful atmosphere but with nice memories of our fav grandaughter still fresh in our ole minds...

Still bz...

2010-06-26T15:56:00.003+08:00

Sat 260610

Yup, this ole man is still bz with his not-so-new iPhone 3GS ever since Tues 220610! And yup, all because of the new iOS 4.0 that was released then...a totally new world out there! Or rather in the phone...hehe...

As announced before its launch & thus expected, there are many applications that I have that do not work completely or do not work as they should. Given time, it is hoped that those developers would make modifications to their codes so as to be fully compatible with the new OS. Or else it's "bye-bye" to their apps from iPhone users worldwide!

Anyway, to be on the safe side, me am not gonna download nor install any new free or paying apps for some time. That would save a lot of headaches & heartaches esp for the not-free ones!

Well, it's Saturday once more! And it's, of course, COD once again!

So far it's been the usual lunch out ( our fav KT Soup at "3 Hills" coffee shop) and followed by a walk-walk session at the local Tesco. Donated a bit to stock up our fresh milk & RO water supplies...

Dinner? Still a mystery...

As for our good friend & former colleague, Mr L, we are very sad to get the latest update of his condition. He'd his 7th chemo but from the update, it appears that the family is preparing for "Hospice" services upon discharge.

Well, at such a point in time...as long as there is life...one can but still hope for a miracle. Who knows? God almighty might find compassion for one of his creations...

Our hopes & prayers have been, are & will be with Mr L & his family. May God shower His blessings on this good family...Amen.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Another quiet, peaceful week...

2010-06-23T10:30:00.006+08:00

Wed 23 June 2010

Yup, another quiet, peaceful week had just passed...

And yup, here's a belated very "Happy Father's Day" (Sun June 20) to all fathers & fathers-to-be!!! Sincerely hope that you had a great time with your loved ones...and, of course, hopefully, your children remembered that they still had a father around...hehe....

Lot 10 did get a visit from our son & family but it was before June 20th. The visit finally materialised in spite of a looming "threat" of possible cancellation of the planned trip. As believed these days, "if something is gonna happen, it will happen!" Fate? YOU tell me...

Well, "going with the flow" should have been & now is the best philosophy in Life for inmates of Lot 10. More happiness to gain this way, agreed?

Anyway, on the same day ie Fri 180610, we attended a wedding reception on the occasion of the marriage of 1 of our ex-colleague's son @Star City Hotel. Congrats, CSM!! And of course, congrats to the happy & loving couple...Andrew & Bernice!!

A pic to share :
Thanks, guys, for a great evening!!

And yup, it was an evening full of memories...an opportunity to meet up with old friends & former colleagues.

Such occasions are always reasons to celebrate but at the same time, they are also simple reminders of how time has passed...like in the blink of an eye!!

Well, as often quoted, each & every day one gets to pass now is truly a bonus from God....

Oh...Father's Day 2010 was celebrated not with our kids but by these 2 ole inmates by themselves! We went to have our fav roasted duck rice @SP and rounding the day up with a "tour" each of Giant & Tesco nearby...a happy day indeed! Another of those "walking hand-in-hand happily together" outings. Lunch was savouring combo meals at the Chicken Rice Shop in Tesco.

The last item of interest was when me got up by myself at about 2am on early Tues 220610 morning! Why? That's when the new iOS 4.0 was released for my not-so-new now iPhone 3GS!!

Owing to the huge number of hits at the Apple servers, it took me 70+ mins to DL the new OS and a further few more mins to install it! However, it was worth the time & loss of sleep! The effort gave new life to my iPhone 3GS!!

As in all new things, there are and will always be pros & cons...one just have to accept the bad with the good, correct?

And yup, this time around our "Kay Pa" was very early with our "pocket money"...2 days earlier than officially gazetted! Probably to be in time for Father's Day, perhaps?

Have a great week ahead! Bye!

For the sake of continuity...

2010-06-14T15:56:00.004+08:00

Mon 140610

Yup, just for the sake of continuity...of this Blog...

And yup, to let one & sundry know that me am still around but leading a kinda quiet & peaceful life in Lot 10...

It's been an uneventful past week or so. Now isn't that normal for 2 ole pensioners? Anyway, most days had been routine day to day activities which included the following :

1. COD (Chef's OFF Day) on Saturdays has been modified & broken up into 2 parts. The first is the usual "meals out" section where both inmates have lunch & dinner out...simply cos of the meaning of COD. The usual Cine Nite session is now on Sunday evening.

The last movie watched during last Sunday was "Wolfman"...the run of the mill kind of werewolf storyline with a different twist! The father was the werewolf who in turned bit the son & thus turned his own son into a werewolf! And, as always, it was the man's sweetheart who released him from his curse...

2. It was time to replace my spectacles which had broken a short while back after a fall from the table, but which me kinda "repaired" (to be exact, super-glued!!) to be temporarily useable again. So, on Saturday, it was at the Optometrist's where me had my eyes examined for a new replacement pair.

As it turned out, the test for glaucoma turned out negative...a value of abt 20. However, the condition of my eyesight has changed! Surprisingly, my right eye's "power" had gone down a bit more! -3.75 instead of the old -4.50. But then, the astigmatism value of both eyes seemed to have increased albeit slightly. Total cost? RM330...after discount.

That was on last Saturday. And this morning, me got a call from the shop that my new "glasses" had been delivered & ready for collection! Great news!

3. Yesterday we got some not so good news that our little KL was down with fever! Above 38 deg C! Since it was a Sunday, her mom was not working & she was given the loving care a mother only could give!

And just before I started on this post, we learnt, via Skype chat, that our fav grandaughter's fever was under control, most probably due to a mild infection cos a sore throat condition was detected this morning by CA Hospital's child specialist as a probable cause. The last body temperature reading was 37.3 deg C only. On the way down. Sincerely hope that she'll be normal soon...

Well, those are just snippets to just fill up this entry....

Sincere apologies if I had bored you...Have a better week yourselves, ok?

A happy evening...

2010-06-06T11:52:00.007+08:00

Sun 060610

Yup, it's a happy evening...that was last night.

And yup, both inmates of Lot 10 attended the wedding reception of a former student of mine (taught her in Form 3 like eons ago...hehe...). And my! There were lots of balloons & confetti being shot now & then! Not forgetting the entertainment provided by the non-stop "karaoke" guests...

Congrats once again, TWA & LKY!!

A pic to share of the happy loving couple...

May their love & care for each other be ever overflowing...just as symbolised by the ceremony they were performing in the pic...

And guess what? It rained after the reception started and the rain stopped before the dinner ended! Just great, huh? Keeping one & all cool & cosy in the reception hall...

That was last night.

This morning was a different story. It's been raining heavily early in the morning but luckily the rain stopped for a while. However, it's raining once more as me am making this entry.

A minor flash flood had brought the rain-water into our porch but not as bad as the worst that had occcured previously. Both inmates were ready to put up our prepared "barrier" parts (pls see an earlier entry) but which we didn't have to....yet! Can you see my little "boat" sailing on the "lake" waters? Haha!

Sincerely hope we really don't have to....

Well, so far so good for this weekend. Owing to the wedding reception last night, Cine Nite for Sat evening of this weekend was postponed to tonight. Wonder what movie our "boss" gonna pick to watch....

Latest news re our good friend, Mr L, is encouraging. It appears that his mobility & speech has improved. Moreover I was informed that he does not feel so tired now as he was a few days back. We are praying hard for you, Mr L....you are not alone in your fight!

Let's all hope & pray that there'll be better & more happy news in the days, weeks & months to come...

Do have a good week ahead!

2010 - A year of "more" unfortunate incidents...

2010-06-03T12:02:00.018+08:00

Thur June 3rd, 2010

Yup, the month of May brought some more bad tidings & happenings...main reason for my absence...

And yup, the worst of them was on the night of June 25th which saw the passing away of my son-in-law's mother! A tragic case...an unexpected premature departure. It was a shock to family, relatives & friends, to say the least!

Above pic is of the late Mrs E (Taken from a newspaper cuttng). Our most sincere & heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives & friends...

Besides other minor unfavourable but tolerable events, in that month, we heard of one other piece of very sad news, at the end of May...a shock, in the very least!

Our very good friend & former colleague, Mr L, (pls refer to earlier posts) suffered a couple of "serious" infections after his 5th chemo session recently! He had to be warded for treatment.

The worst piece of news came last night when it was learnt that the results of an MRI scan taken yesterday of his brain showed a three-fold increase in the size of the tumour in his brain besides the appearance of other new lesions!! All that had affected his mobility & his general well-being.

Being faced with only 2 options, our brave friend chose to go for the final chemo today with a much higher dosage, with the hope of destroying or at the very least stop those cancer cells from growing!

We respect & honour your decision, Mr L,...that took great strength & courage to decide.

On behalf of all yr friends in A/S, we wish, hope & pray for every success in this brave attempt of yours to fight the odds!! May God bless you & keep you with us for many more years to come....Amen.

Not wanting to end this post on such a sad note, here is an update on the new housing development in front of Lot 10. Yup, it is no longer called "Taman Berjaya 2" as originally planned! It seems, according to what was passed from mouth to mouth, (or rather...mouth to ear?) that that name was not approved by MPAS.

Instead it is now known as "Taman Teratai Jingga Fasa III"...as shown in the plague (pls see pic) erected at its main entrance...

And now, here's a really happy piece of good news...

One of my former students, TWA, whom I taught in Form 3, would be getting married and the wedding reception planned for A/S ppl will be this Fri 5th of June. Well, WA, Godwilling, I'll be there!!

So, Heartiest congrats to the happy & loving bride & groom!!

New leather jacket...Viva World Cup!

2010-05-21T14:12:00.014+08:00

Fri 210510

Yup, with the World Cup 2010 drawing near, the fever is ON! Even for my now not-so-new iPhone...

And yup, it was advertised that Maxis was offering a series of leather protective holders, with microfibre material on the inside, for the iPhone 3GS, me was truly tempted to be with the times! To Quote : (For more info, pls refer to http://www.maxis.com.my/personal/iphone3gs/rewards.asp )

The Viva Flip Caso World Series 2010 encases your iphone3gs perfectly for a classy, secure fit. There are 10 amazing designs to choose from, each one inspired by your favourite 2010 FIFA World Cup™ football teams!

Vibrant Dual-Strip design with real stitching
Top quality microfiber inner lining protects against scratches
Screen cleaning function
Front cover folds back to act as a desk stand
Thermo-formed rigid front provides easy to use clip closure and guards the LCD screen

And so it was...a trip to the A/S branch of Maxis and walla! There they were, the whole series of World Cup teams colours up for the choosing... @ RM83 each (special price on offer - Normal price RM119)! At http://www.vivacases.com & stated in the video below, the price is USD29.90 each! Now, you convert that into RM. So, is Maxis giving us a good offer?

Both me & my other half simultaneously agreed the best was to pick the South Africa colours cos of its significance! Real colourful...see?

Have a look-see yourself below here...it's my iPhone in its new leather jacket, cheering for World Cup 2010!!The first pic shows the new Viva leather jacket with South Africa's colours alongside the old plain black vinyl one...the 2nd is the iPhone cosy inside its luxurious new leather "jacket"! The new holder makes the iPhone so much more slimmer...compared to the old.

Well, the price is more than double that of my old fake leatherette one but quality is something that comes with the pricing...don't you agree? Anyway, a good phone needs a good cover to complement it, right?

Watch this video from YouTube to see up close...a video review of these special covers!

By the way, that's all made possible cos today our very own "Kay Pa" was right on the dot! It's Pension Pay Day!! And yup, our pockets were no longer that empty...& that somehow made the fingers a little wee bit itchy...haha! And so a little "pampering" was in order! And my little ole iPhone baby was the truly lucky recipient! Me just happened to be its owner nia...haha!

So Viva World Cup 2010!!

Back in Action!

2010-05-18T12:08:00.009+08:00

Tue 180510

Yup, me back in action! After a couple of extra days of "recuperation", me am back to normal! Or so I feel...

Well, to recap, our recent outings were to Taiping & Penang.

The Taiping trip was good. As before, both stayed at the Flemington Hotel in the Taiping Lake Gardens area. Previously we were allocated Room No. 203 but this time around, we were 1 floor up, namely Room 304!

The medical appointment for my other half was brought forward to 13th May itself as there was an opening and so we grabbed it. Liver & Kidney function blood tests done came back great...no sign of any problems! Hurray!!

The change in appointment date to one day earlier, gave us one whole free day on 14/5 to ourselves. Most importantly, it gave us an opportunity to spend some value time with our fav grandaughter, KL, besides other enjoyable moments in Taiping. As it was, we took KL to her fav place...Tesco Taiping! Will post a few pics of her in her Slide Show on the right of this Blog...a bit later...pls give this ole man time...TQ! ( Edit: The pics are UP! Enjoy.... )

On 15th May, we left, after buffet breakfast at Flemington, for Penang. And oh yes! Before we left, we went hunting in Taiping town for a hair salon to enable her to have her hair done! And yup, that was because we would be attending a wedding dinner that night at the posh G Hotel in Penang! And guess what? We found one...a good one, too! Her hair was done up so nicely for a mere RM8 !!! Wasn't that extraordinary? Such a hair thing would have cost her at least RM15 in A/S!

Well, the Penang event was special & gave us a chance to update on fellow relatives & families. The Bride was radiant and beautiful. Congrats again, Michelle! And to you, too...James!!

Here are a couple of pics, snapped with my kinda still new iPhone, of the happy loving couple...

Well, we wish both of Michelle & James a very happy & loving future together down under!!

And yup, me almost forgot! At Flemington in Taiping during our previous stay, we were so attracted by the simplicity, robustness & design of their in-room electric jug kettle that we decided to find out if we could buy one this time around. Our enquiry bore fruit! The front office had new ones in stock! And so we now have the same jug kettle in Lot 10! A "Grelide Stainless Steel Electric Jug Kettle". Cost? RM100.

Here it is now, sitting comfortably where our old jug was :

What do you think? Nice & Neat, right?

Feel it should serve Lot 10 inmates very well since it could do so for the patrons of Flemington that well....

The best part of its design is that the inside is so clean-cut....nothing to obstruct cleaning nor collect dirt! No old-type heating element nor tubes of any kind! An inside view here...taken previously during our first stay:

Looks like we're gonna be boiling lots of water from now on...hehe...

Have a great week, everyone!

A thousand apologies (2) ...

2010-05-12T12:31:00.005+08:00

Wed 120510

Yup, a thousand apologies...once again...for the next few days or so...

And yup, me would be MIA from 13/5 to at least 16/5.

Both inmates of Lot 10 OFH will be leaving for Taiping tomorrow (13/5) after late breakfast to be able to keep an appointment (scheduled for 14/5 morning) with the Physician @ CA Hospital there for (hopefully) a "final" review as a follow-up since my other half's extraordinary bout with a mysterious fever in early April.

It's gonna be another 3D2N stay at the nice Flemington Hotel...a room with a view of Taiping Lake Gardens! However, this time it would be with a not-so-grave atmosphere compared to the last time. Hopefully, we'd get to enjoy more of the hotel, its facilities & its surrounding area.

And, of course, both would get a chance to spend some time with our fav grandaughter, KL, too! Maybe not much, though. As her mom's working and her dad is down with, of all things & at his age, chicken pox!! Hopefully a miracle would happen and her mom wouldn't be the next one down... (Fortunately, KL had been vaccinated against it!)

After breakfast & check-out from Flemington, it would be another drive down..., or rather, up to Penang. This would be to attend a wedding dinner that night @ G Hotel of 1 of our fav nieces. Her actual wedding was held earlier in Australia. Congrats, Michelle!!

Then it would back to good ole Lot 10 the next day, ie 16th May. And maybe a couple more days to re-energise (a nice way of saying "recover"...) before me back online once more...hehe...

Until then, here's wishing 1 & all a great weekend and a great new week ahead, too!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

2010-05-09T12:10:00.005+08:00

Sun 09 May 2010

Yup, it's that special day of the year once more...the day when we honour all mothers & mothers-to-be...Mother's Day!!

So, to all mothers & mothers-to-be out there...

Do give yourself a big pat on the back because you've earned it...& you deserved it!!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Have a great day, won't you?

And yup, it's most certainly a great day to mark the arrival of a miracle to the family of James, Jasmine & little Wes of Australia...a great bundle of joy & blessings in Atticus Percival L-WC!!

Congrats to the happy family!!

UPDATE :

Mother's Day 2010 was celebrated on a small scale with just only me & my other half @ Dee Dee Thai Restaurant. 3 dishes were ordered...a Thai Fried Chicken dish, a Seafood Tom Yam dish & a Fried Egg with vege dish. Well worth the RM53+ we paid for (incl. drinks) !!

Ellen's iPhone Commercial...

2010-05-07T16:28:00.005+08:00

Fri 07 May 2010

Hi...especially to iPhone fans & critics, too...

Just to share...

Yup, me somehow found this video relating to the iPhone...in one of Ellen Degeneres' shows?

It was seemingly just for a laugh but it also seemed that Apple kinda alledgedly took "offence" to it! Really dunno though. Why don't you have a look-see of the video & then form your own opinion, ok?

Here's the link to that video at her website :

Ellen's iPhone Commercial

Watched it? Had a good laugh?

Any comments...? TQ!

A second scare?

2010-05-02T14:30:00.003+08:00

Sun 020510

Yup, me had a second scare! And yup, late at night or rather early in the morning of 30th April! After midnight on 29th April ...

You see, my other half was found to have covered herself with her blanket then. In reply to my query, she told me she felt cold. But the room wasn't cold...to me, that is.

Out came our digital ear thermometer. And yup, she was running a temperature! 37.7 deg C.

Made a small drink of Milo for her and gave her 2 tabs Uphamol for fever control.

In spite of that her temperature went up steadily by the hour to 38.1 deg C ! Now that got me worried. Another attack? A repeat of that unforgettable incident that resulted in my "crazy" 1+am drive to PMC & her subsequent 5-day stay in PMC? Not forgetting though, the loss of almost RM4k...

A professional opinion was urgently needed. And so it was that I took her for a consultation with our fav family doc. And she was great! She literally gave me that little bit of confidence boost that I'd needed. That boost to bring back the "Chai Chai-ness" that I had lost in recent years. In short, she told us that it was just a simple case of a viral infection. And that it would go away in just a couple of days...by itself! Without any antibiotics. No fear! Simple. End of story.

And true enough, my other half's temperature went steadily downwards as the day passed although there were anxious moments when it seemed to spike up a bit! Improvement came just with tabs of Uphamol, a cough mixture and plenty of fluids esp water!

Thanks, doc! Especially for the confidence I'd sorely needed so much...

Yesterday, 1st May, was a full day of normality but with continuing tabs of Uphamol. Today, 2nd May, was completely free of any medication. And at the time of posting this, my other half is resting...a normal person once more...

Thank God for His blessings....

ATM my other half is taking Ensure + FOS, a special nutritious drink to aid in her recovery & to help her regain her strength & resistance. Not cheap though @RM56+ for a 900gm tin. (RM28+ for a 400gm tin) Most importantly, it appears to be working...

The other day only I was joking with my other half that I was literally "sacked" from my post as "Houseband" which I'd assumed since the start of her "fever episode". And this second scare had re-instated me in that "Houseband" post! Now me am waiting to be "sacked" one more time...haha! Frankly, I'd be very happy to be "sacked" and to return her as HOD (F&B) of Lot 10 OFH!!

Yup, that would mean that she's back to her normal self once more and we can continue to walk down our "Life's Road" together, hand in hand, happily and hopefully, healthily, once more...

Hope you all are having a great Sunday! We both are.

Upgrading of Lot 10?

2010-04-29T13:37:00.007+08:00

Thur 290410

Yup, of late there had been hardly any activity in Lot 10 OFH. That inactivity could have been due to many reasons. However, the most prominent being that of the application of the "Need & Want" philosophy...

And yup, the "want" for a better tool to seal fresh foods eg meat, fish, etc for proper storage in our fridge became a "need" after me took over the affairs of the kitchen while the other half was temporarily unable to perform her daily control of her prized domain. I had found it very inconvenient to seal such foods in assorted plastic bags, to be stored in our freezer & refrigerator sections of our fridge while using the sole kinda tiny battery-operated sealer unit previously bought by my other half from the nearby wet-market.

And so it was, during our first walk-walk session (after her full recovery) yesterday that we kept our eyes open for and finally bought an electrically-operated impulse sealer unit c/w adjustable heating control knob to accomodate varying thicknesses of plastic bags to be sealed. Fast & Easy! Cost? RM49.90. Here it is ...the box it came in & the device itself!Nice? And yup, it came with a spare heating element, too! And of course, like most things these days, it's a Made in China item....

The second "need" arose after we had a scare the other day after a close shave with the flash flood that had taken place then after a heavy prolonged downpour. The flood waters came up just less than 2 inches before it would have inundated our "living room" or hall area!! Our makeshift preventive measures then might or might not have worked...

All this while the best advice we've had was to use a 4"x2" solid wood bar put across our main door frame and sealed with plasticine. However that idea, although practical & proven to work by a former colleague, was kinda KIV-ed because there wasn't that "need"...as yet then!

But now, there IS!!

And so it was that both inmates felt that procrastination should not pre-dominate any more. We went out and bought 1 long wooden bar 4"x2" of 10ft length which was then sawed into 2 pcs of 56" each at the shop.

A minor shaving off at each end of the 4x2" bars had to be carried out before they fitted snugly as in pic below...plasticine would be used to seal off the gaps between the floor & the sides of the door frame as & when the need arises.

Well, what do you think? Would it work? Sincerely hope so...

But at the same time, we are hoping that we really, really would not need to use it though...

Anyway, it's still only a stop-gap measure. The only permanent cure is for the collapsed drain to be cleared and be capable of directing all rain water out to the main drain channel along the Wester By-pass main road.

However, that, my friends, appears to be kinda "politically dependent"...at the moment...phew!

Frankly, I had a talk with a few residents in our area recently and all the problems we are having now are caused by a few non-civic minded residents involved and the so-called leaders of our Residents Association who had claimed to be only concerned with the welfare of the DEAD than that of the LIVING!! A bunch of inactive, non-proactive group of ppl sitting on their laurels basking in the glory of the titles & positions they hold as officials of the Residents Association! Can they be that blind to the plight of the residents they are supposed to represent & whom they are supposed to care for?

May we be saved from such ppl & so-called "leaders" in our society...

What a day!!

2010-04-27T14:17:00.018+08:00

Tue 270410

Yup, what a day it was! Mon 26th April....

And yup, it first poured & poured! Rained cats & dogs...idiomatically & literally. Then there was lightning & thunder. Like never heard nor seen before!

Out of fear & as a precautionary measure, me disconnected our satellite dish antenna input cable from its decoder module. Our old lightning isolator unit was faulty recently & had to be discarded. It has then cut signal strength down to only 55%. Upon its removal, the signal jumped up to 71%, a whopping 16% increase! So, if you're experiencing any inferior signal strength of your Astro services, that would be a good area to investigate.

Anyway, what happened next put paid to any hope of even watching any program on Astro!

Yup, the ensuing storm, probably a lightning strike, brought down a whole huge branch of a giant tree just behind our block! (See pic of tree & fractured branch)

That, in turn, brought down a couple of power cables! Total power failure for residents in our area! Total blackout! Just before 4pm.

Luckily it was kinda early with sufficient daylight...a bit gloomy though, as it was raining heavily!

And to add insult to injury, the long-time-no see flash flood occurred once more! Worse than before! It was just another 1 & half inches before waters entered our hall! Both ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH frantically made impromptu preparations to stop possible in-flow of flood waters! However, Thank God the rain kinda decreased in intensity and the waters began to recede. Lot 10 was saved!!

As it grew darker as time passed by, residents around were anxious as to when power supply would be resumed. Well, our anxiety was unfounded cos LLN ppl were soon on the scene to re-connect the broken cables! 2 of them had come down in an awesome display of "fireworks" witnessed by some residents near the area.

Well, the pics show those LLN workers hard at work making right once more those broken cables brought down by the fallen branch (in the background of the 1st pic)!

And very soon after, at almost 8:30pm, there was LIGHT! Literally! Phew! Yup, you don't miss what you have until you don't have it...

Today the rains came once more but not heavy nor long enough to create any such havoc as yesterday.

Frankly, it's no joke to be living under such uncertain conditions. Especially when the root cause of the flash floods can be eradicated with positive action by relevant authorities. Whilst sharing information with other more informed residents, it appears that a RM50k allocation has been set aside to clear & make good again the collapsed drain which is preventing the outflow of water from our ares.

Now, the so-called "million ringgit (dollar)" question is...when will work ever start, if at all?

Some say maybe before the next general elections?

Well, your guess is as good as anyone's...

UPDATE @4:30pm :

And yup, it did rain again...later today! After the above entry was submitted. Updated pic shows the other end of the road in front of Lot 10. A snapshot taken while me was standing outside Lot 10.

And yup, you saw correctly...it was & still is flooded! Even after a few minutes of not so heavy downpour. Our front drain was full to the brim! But luckily, it didn't overflow its "banks" this time around.

Now, when will all this end?

Once again, your guess is as good as anyone's...

A new beginning...a new chapter....

2010-04-26T11:45:00.004+08:00

Mon 26 April 2010

Yup, it's a new beginning and an opportunity to start a new chapter in our lives in Lot 10 OFH...

And yup, our "long lost son" finally found his way home...after more than 2 years!

Last Sat, ie 240410, he & fmly came on a "delayed" visit...delayed due to "unexpected" events which were inexplicable but acceptable. As many had advised, a parent has to exhibit & practise love without boundaries...

And so I did. To achieve happiness for both ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH.

As it was, the shortened visit was a success. We went for dinner, as a family once more, at Georgetown White Coffee in AS Mall, before they left for Penang. The heavens poured just before that departure. Maybe the heavens were kinda emotional, too? It was the first step taken by our son, who walked through the open door that we had provided during my other half's hospitalisation period. Thank God for that...

The future? Only time will & can tell...and so we put our trust & faith in God's hands...for He had answered our prayers & so it will be for Him to continue to shower his blessings upon this small family...

And, of course, my other half appears to have fully recovered from her recent ordeal...and hopefully, none the worse for it! She is scheduled for an appointment with the Taiping CA Hospital consulting physician on 14th May. And so, Flemington Hotel, here we come....from 13/5 to 15/5...and hopefully, a true clean bill of health for her!

The medical appointment was re-scheduled so that this ole man & his ole junk would not be overly stressed with too many trips within such a short period of time. Thanks, EL, for making the changes possible!

On 15/5, it's down to Penang from Taiping for a wedding reception by 1 of our nieces who would be holding a 2nd reception @G Hotel in Malaysia for her relatives & friends. Her actual marriage would have taken place in Australia at an earlier date. Congrats, M!!

We'd be staying the night at our fav niece's place in Penang before returning to AS the next morning.

Well, it looks like May is gonna be a busy month...busy with such happenings when most months are kinda quiet.

Have a great week, ok? Stay safe & healthy always!

All's well that ends well....

2010-04-19T13:27:00.010+08:00

Mon 19th Apr 2010

Yup, it's the good ole saying that

"All's well that ends well...."

And yup, my other half has been confirmed clear of whatever infections she had that caused all the problems and her admission to PMC that early morning on 3rd April...

This was so confirmed via a no. of blood & urine tests plus medical examination by the Consulting Physician @CA Hosp, Taiping as per recommendation by our daughter there. We went to Taiping on 140410. Stayed the night @Flemington Hotel in the Lake Gardens area. Appointment with the physician on 15th morning.

Well, what can I say? Good news will always be good news! The physician gave her the "All Clear" sign...and the rest was a short holiday in Taiping...enjoying the amenities of the newest hotel in Taiping! Here are a few pics of the room we stayed in, c/w Internet access & LCD tv...And, of course, the most important part of any room....the bed!! A King-sized bed was our first request...for good sleep...

And yup, what you can ony see is HALF of the bed!! Ha ha! So that you can see the side table with the cute little lamp! And phone....

Well, for RM148 nett per night, it was worth it. With a lakeside view from our full-sized window/outer wall...

As there were a few other values in her blood test results which needed further investigations, we were given an appointment for a review on 12th May. Well, Flemington...we'll see you again...soon!!

As is, my other half is slowly but steadily on the road to full recovery. We thank God for answering all my prayers each night she was warded!! May God continue to bless these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 & our warm little home...Amen.

Life is certainly a rollercoaster ride. And, as in any such ride, there will always be ups & downs. And in our recent unfortunate episode, there was also an up side to it. Our "long lost son" walked thru the door that was opened to him to find his way back to his family! A small step but it was a beginning. And, hopefully, he would get God's guidance & find it in his heart to fully become part of this family once more. Only time will tell...

An update : Our former colleague & good friend who had been diagnosed with lymphoma in his CNS had just finished his 4th chemo session. We are eagerly & anxiously awaiting positive results of his ongoing treatments in KL. In the meantime, we sincere hope & pray that God would also hear & answer the prayers of his family, his loved ones & all his friends...

I'm kinda tired these days...the emotions and all experiences, both physical & mental, had taken their toll on this ole body. I will make more entries when this ole body is re-energised by the complete recovery of my other half and the accompanying happiness that follows.

I sincerely thank, with all my heart, all who had expressed their concern & support to both of us during those troubled times.

Have a great week ahead!

A thousand apologies...

2010-04-09T12:01:00.007+08:00

Fri 090410

Yup, I know...I know....it's been a long time since there was a new entry. A thousand apologies....

Yup, I'm truly sorry that I was really unable to find the time nor the mood to write about anything. It's simply because my other half, my dearest wife, has been sick...so much so that she had to be admitted to our local private hospital, PMC, since 3rd April. An unknown fever that kept on coming back...

Every suspected probability was tested but confirmed negative! Truly a mysterious cause...

The good news is that she's now home but still an outpatient. Her doc consented to her discharge from the hospital (yesterday) but she had to return daily for 2 IV (intravenous jabs) of the prescribe antibiotic. This would be till Sunday morning when her doc would have a review of her case.

Do join me is wishing her a speedy complete recovery so that these 2 ole inmates can continue on their last lap through Life, hand in hand...healthily & happily...

One very good event happened during this unfortunate episode of bad health. Yup, you would never have guessed it...

With my other half's consent, a door of opportunity was opened for my "long lost son" to find his way back into the Tan Family! And yup, to cut a long story short & minus a few minor disappointments along the process, he finally did what he should have done eons ago and we were finally re-united! More than 2 years later...

The first & most important "hurdle" has been crossed. Now let's hope what follows would be just as encouraging & fruitful. And that the son whom we had known, cared for & loved all these years, would finally find his way home....

Thanks to He who is all-knowing & compassionate!! Amen.

ps. me will be temporarily off-line till my other half is completely out of the woods...sorry!

A sigh of relief...

2010-04-01T16:10:00.004+08:00

Thur 010410

Yup, both inmates of Lot 10 OFH heaved a great sigh of relief! And yup, there was the worrrying fact that my other half might have something serious brewing affecting her health because her fever had been very "stubborn" and had already persisted for 3 days...

There was even the possibility of having to have her admitted to hospital. I even toyed with the idea of taking her all the way to Taiping, with the hope of presumably better care & facilities available. The latter was shelved due to uninviting circumstances though.

And so it was that it was suggested & finally found wise & appropriate that she took relevant blood tests to eliminate all those possibilities. She did so this morning.

And when the results came in the afternoon, they confirmed that she was negative for Dengue fever and also that her blood counts & other values and indicators did not point to anything seriously infectious! No pneumonia even! Phew! No words could ever describe both our feelings! Thanks a meg, doc! And thanks more so for your personal interest, concern & good advice!

That's one "hurdle" in our lives crossed. Thank God for his blessings upon these 2 ole folks and for the bonus days ahead!

Well, it's raining now. Fear of a possible flash flood is back! Blockage to a section of the drain that contributed to the poor outflow of rainwater was partially cleared by a few good & civic-minded residents. However, the collapsed section of the drain needs to be rectified before there will ever be a permanent solution.

Until then, whenever there is heavy rain, there will always be a fear of overflowing of that drain & therefore, flash floods! Buck up, MPKS!

We do have a Residents Association but they hardly ever attend to residents' problems...none that we could see anyway...

BTW here's wishing one & all a very Happy & Special APRIL FOOL's Day today! However, from what I've observed in recent years, such a special day that was so enjoyable & de-stressing in my youth is no longer practised by this generation...

Secondary infection...

2010-03-31T13:05:00.005+08:00

Wed 310310

Yup, a secondary infection. That's what our family doc diagnosed what my other half had since yesterday. And yup, it's a new infection that took place after she'd just recovered from the earlier coughing session...due to our poorer resistance & recovery process caused by an ageing body! As once was heard repetitively....

"Never grow old...."

Well, if only that were possible...

A broad spectrum antibiotic was prescribed for her. Twice daily...together with Uphamol to control the fever. And yup, the fever somehow still persisted but never peaked as high as it did on that morning. Lower than 38.9 deg C. Went down to a lower 38.1. Which was good.

That was yesterday. She now appears to be on the road to recovery, with gradually reduced peaks. At time of posting this entry, the digital ear thermometer gave a reading of only 37.2. Normal. Kind of...

Me went & bought a pack of "Bye-Bye Fever" strips by Hisamitsu. 6pc pack. Cost? RM14:30 @ Watsons nearby. Helps...instead of sponging. Claimed to last 10 hours per application.

Well, what can I say? This month is not ending nice. But frankly, if that's all it is, then it's also not that bad. Agreed? Me was more afraid that the fever might turn out to be caused by something more severe eg Dengue or the dreaded AH1N1...Thank God it wasn't!!

Have to end here now. Just an update.

F1 @ Sepang, Malaysia, is on this weekend. Am hoping all would be well once more & both inmates can enjoy a great sporting weekend at Sepang! Virtually, of course...from the couch!! And yup, this F1 race would be telecast LIVE by NTV7...

Virus...Viruses everywhere!

2010-03-30T10:29:00.007+08:00

Tue 300310

Yup, viruses are everywhere! No escape! And yup, somehow viruses had invaded one of these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH...

Since last Tues, my other half had been down with God knows what...our family doc told us at that time that it was a viral infection. Coughing & coughing. More so & worse at night. However, there was no fever.

We had to postpone COD for last Sat to Sunday. Had meals out as usual because we had been taking porridge since Tuesday...but simpler dishes. Cine Nite was the movie "Twilight - New Moon", the sequel to "Twilight", a movie about love between a human & a vampire! This time around, it brought it werewolves. Slow moving but full of emotions...under extraordinary circumstances, too!

The shocker came early this morning! My other half already appeared so much better last night. Hardly any coughs. But...at about 5am this morning, she awoke shivering....felt cold! The air-con was already set at 28 deg C...no actual cooling! And yet she felt cold! A sign of fever!

Took her temperature with our digital ear thermometer. 38.9 deg C! Even the thermometer beeped & beeped! A confirmation that there was fever! Gave her some warm milk & 2 tabs of Uphamol...for the fever. A cup of water was taken hourly. Even "sponged" her...useful to lower one's body temperature.

The body temperature dropped ever so slowly....but steadily...from 38.9 to 38.8. Then it was 38.5. Looked encouraging. It was only by 9am that she was at normal body temperature again! 36.9. Finally. Phew! A long morning. Really, really long morning.

So far so good. At time of this post. Hopefully it's only a temporary scare. Keeping fingers crossed.

The "Culprit"...The Cause...

2010-03-24T17:30:00.008+08:00

Wed 240310

Yup, the "culprit"...the cause of it all! And yup, I mean the cause of the flash floods that our area had been having since almost 2 years ago!!

That part of the big drain (in front of Lot 10 OFH) that leads out to the main road (Lencongan Barat) is so badly blocked! Not only by rubbish BUT by a long collapsed section of the drain in front of the houses alongside the road leading out to the main road!

Here are a couple of pics me took with my iPhone cam...to show you how bad the situation has been and still is now... See? The first pic shows the start of the collapsed drain wall while the next pic shows the stretch of the collapsed (non-existent now) drain. There is now practically NO drain at all at that stretch of what was supposedly the drain leading all the water flow out to the main road! So after a downpour, where can all the rain water in the area flow out to? Nowhere, right?

Now, how did the condition deteriorate until to this extent? Only God knows...

We did ask the residents of the house where that section was located and their answer was that they did inform MPKS (our local town...now "city"...council) some time back...even handing over pics which they had taken of the problematic stretch! However, there was no action taken!

Owing to that mess, each time it rained heavily for about 30 mins or so, the area would be flooded with the flash flood waters entering our porches! A couple more inches and the waters would be in our living room! No joke! And the rainy season is now just round the corner, right?

Anyone of you out there has any suggestions as to what would help our area? A few of us felt that only publicising the problem in the media would be the only solution that would result in affirmative action. One resident in the area even told us that he had brought the head of MPKS (probably the officer-in-charge) a couple of times to see the problematic drain but nothing had come out of it!

So what can lil ole me do now but cry out for HELP, please....some kind soul?

Hi! Me still around! :)

2010-03-23T11:38:00.003+08:00

Tue 230310

Yup, me came in just to say " Hi! "... And yup, also as proof that lil ole me is still around...& kicking...hehe...

Not much to write about cos me had been "kwai kwai tuar chu" lately. Yup, that translated (from my half-past 6 Hokkien dialect) literally meant that me had been good staying at home...haha!

Both ole inmates of Lot 10 OFH had just finished watching a Korean documentary on the "Mysteries of the Human Body". The episode this morning was Part 2 of one shown last week about how fruits & vegetables in our daily diet can help prevent Cancer. Cases of cancer suferers were used to illustrate how those ppl overcame their conditions by following a "fruits & vege" diet after their surgery &/ chemo treatments. Those illustrated cases had no recurrence/ re-growth of their tumours even after 5 years!

Different coloured fruits & vege were said to be helpful in the prevention of different cancers...5 coloured groups were classified.

One point that I need to make clear here though...they did take meat but more of a supplement than a daily item... to balance their diet.

Well, what do you think? Worth a try? Wanna try? No harm, right?

Enjoy your fruits & vege...they could keep you away from a possible cancer...

A few steps backwards in time...

2010-03-18T19:17:00.014+08:00

Thur 18th Mar 2010

Yup, it's another one of those "travel-backwards-in-time" posts this time around. And yup, it's because I was kinda too tired to write about everything that had happened then.

So what really did happen? Let me see...

Yup, it was during the last weekend when the question "How far is Gunung Keriang from Alor Star?" came up. Well, it seemed that there was an article in the papers that mentioned about an "tourist" attraction there...a Science Museum. Frankly both ole inmates never knew such a place existed...in Gunung Keriang, of all places!

And so it was that on Sunday morning, after breakfast, these 2 ole inmates, with their guests, went on a long_time_no_go trip to Gunung Keriang...aka the "Elephant Hill". What can I say, the trip was worth it cos there certainly was quite a lot of science-related exhibits there... more than I had expected for such a "rural" place! And those were exhibits that one can really try your hands on!! Not just look-see only...

Here are a few pics taken there...

There was a special cut-out sectional view of a REAL Proton Wira on display in the main lobby as shown in the first pic, with the other pics showing views of the exhibition area as we entered it.

The best part of it all was the whole place was air-conditioned and admission was FREE!

And of course, our KL had a great time on the special "leaf" slide/chute inside there! It was up & down, then up & down again...like umpteen repeats!

On the way back, it was suggested that we dropped in at the Padi Museum nearby. Frankly me wasn't keen on such a museum...simply because it would be purely a museum of the look-see no-touch kind!

Well, I was in luck! It appeared that the exhibit on 1 floor was not functioning and one had to pay Rm3 per adult as entrance fees! Definitely not worth that...agreed? So we spent RM4 on 2 packets of "Muar Chee" instead...sold just outside the exit gate! Tasted great, too! And definitely worth the RM4! Instead of paying for the entrance fees! Got leftover change some more! Ha ha!

A couple of pics of the front of the Padi Museum...

See? We even had to climb that long flight of stairs to reach the main entrance...to be told on reaching the entrance that we had to pay to enter! Phew! Going inside might have even spoilt our day...

Btw the Acquatic Centre built there was closed...probably closed for some time now since cracks were detected and someone drowned there. Some kind of project appeared abandoned around that same vicinity, too. There also was some form of traditional village on show in the area but it did not appear to be accessible by car. A recreational park was there the last time we visited years ago but we were too tired to hunt for it as stomachs were already rumbling...

Well, that's history now.

The present is more welcoming...yup, something to look forward to. What else can bring joy to these 2 ole pensioners but the day our "Kay Pa" is giving us our monthly pocket money! To spend! It's Merdeka once more...tomorrow! Ha ha!

Happy times are here again....

Weekend with KL...

2010-03-15T10:55:00.007+08:00

Mon 150310

Yup, it's been a hectic & tiring weekend with KL!! And yup, KL & family came for a visit last weekend...arrived later than usual but nonetheless, time was full of KL & nothing much else...haha!

Well, what can I say? KL = KL! Same happy, lively, engergetic kid! So so difficult to keep up with for this ole man lo...hehe...but very full of enjoyable moments! Made me realise how old this body is now...

Me will post a few good pics of KL in her slide show soon...need to get over this tired feeling first!

Anyway, here's one little pic of her as a kinda "downpayment?" before that...

Taken with my "still new baby"....yup, a my iPhone cam pic. A close-up made possible with an Apple Store web application!

And yup, happy happy KL....

Btw, Lot 10 had been plagued with very poor reception of the CNN news channel for the past 3 days! The problem surfaced on Thursday and it was bad...really bad!

After 3 complaints to Astro Customer Service lines, a report was finally issued and a technician was directed to attend to our problem. It appeared that that was an effect of Astro's so called "upgrading" works? A change of transponders...whatever that was! It appeared to have affected a few channels only...or so the Astro customer service personnel said....

The good point was that this technician would be dealing with the problem FOC! Sincerely hope this guy could do so...

Well, the tech guy was supposed to call me around this time but at the time of keying in this entry, there is still NO sign of him nor any calls....

Ok...time for me to "take 5"....also just in case our tech guy comes...

Have a good new week!

What's new?

2010-03-09T20:12:00.006+08:00

Tue 090310

Yup, what's new? And yup, there's something new happening right in front of Lot 10 OFH!

And it's further progress in the "new" Taman Berjaya 2 ( from whispers going round...the name is no longer Taman Berjaya 2... ) housing area. Recently, TNB ppl came around and put up poles & cables for connection to the new houses in order to supply electricity to them should the owners make due payments upon occupation.

A few days ago, new almost 10-feet tall palm trees were planted in series at intervals in front of the houses.

Today, the widened road section of Jalan Teratai Jingga ( in front of block of houses where Lot 10 is situated) was tarred including the access roads to the respective new houses.

Here is a pic taken only this afternoon...with my still "new" iPhone cam :

Can you see the solitary palm "caught" in-between the 2 houses? Also the electrical pole with cable? And, of course the new tarred section of the road...

Guess it won't be long before total serenity, peace & quiet opposite Lot 10 would be gone for good! A new concrete jungle had replaced what used to be a green area with a scenic view of Gunung Jerai on clear days...

Well, that's the price everyone pays for development! A Hobson's Choice. Agreed?

Apart from that, it's been another HOT day here! Both inmates had routine quiet days since ADO. Maybe a "break" in mid-week? Tomorrow? Ha ha!

Ahmad's Day Out!

2010-03-08T13:09:00.014+08:00

Mon 080310

Yup, yesterday, Sun 070310, was "Ahmad's Day Out"...from now onwards to be referred to as ADO...in contrast to COD or "Chef's Off Day"!

And yup, it's actually the same difference...in the Tan Family terminology...haha!

Well, both inmates of Lot 10 OFH had the day out as in the familiar CODs. Breakfast was in, though. Other meals, namely lunch & dinner, were out.

Walk-walk sessions were at both the local Giant & Tesco...Giant after lunch and Tesco before dinner. Stocking up of our RO water & fresh milk supply was done, with a few other items thrown in.

However, a few items for lil ole me were kinda "tossed" in, partly due to the "need" factor! One such item was a new Black ink cartridge for my Canon printer...managed to find one shop still selling it at the ole price...couldn't find even any at Tesco, Giant nor another shop in City Plaza.

And best of all, after leaving that shop @PSK area, one Maxis shop (in the same block) caught my eye! I decided to make an attempt to get an In-Car Charger unit for my reasonably new "baby". Me had almost bought a USB car cigarette lighter converter at Giant & would use it in conjunction with the orig USB data cable, but had then been "advised", by my other half, to try to get a complete set instead, before doing so.

Just imagine how happy me am now because me had taken her advice...

Yup, this Maxis shop had 2 units of an Apple officially recommended set that came with both the cigarette lighter USB converter c/w 2 USB ports and one data cable! Price? RM70 after discount.
Looks kinda classy & good, right? Worth the investment?

Me thought so...and so did my other half!

The black-coloured cigarette lighter converter unit @ Giant, would have cost me about RM13 and a separate data cable (white) for about RM45...a total of RM58. So for abt RM12 more, me got a great looking all-white Apple-approved matching quality set!

Yup, definitely worth it! After all, how many such sets would one ever buy, right?

Now, me not need to worry about running out of juice for my iPhone anywhere..wherever I may go...in my ole junk, of course!

Today is just another day. But still a bonus day!

And we do sincerely thank God for all the bonus days that we had received so far...and with God's blessings, many more to come...

The sweet, sweet smell of Success!

2010-03-05T10:34:00.012+08:00

Fri 050310

Yup, success it was...at last! And yup, me finally found out how to put in ringtones into my new "baby" aka iPhone 3GS w/o affecting other areas of storage...after 8 long & gruelling days of headaches & heartaches, loss of sleep, etc., etc...

And yup, the sweet, sweet smell of success...really, really nice!

Also me found a website dedicated to only iPhone items, namely http://www.ringtonefeeder.com/ where one can get "no problem-type" ringtones. One either can subscribe for USD23.76 for an annual membership c/w access to their archives...Or for a small monthly subscription of only USD1.98.

Poor ole me opted for the latter so as me would have the option to quit at any time...and also cos of the larger investment involved should I commit to the annual membership! In this way, me felt that it's a worthwhile investment...affordable, too! I don't really need that many ringtones, do I? Or don't you agree so?

Ok..me also feel it's about time to drop this new "baby" topic...no more a 7-day wonder, right? To me, it might end up being even a 30-day "luxury cruise"!! And of course, before I well & truly bore everyone to death...haha! But, frankly though, me am still learning & improving on my iPhone usage. It's truly one BIG world in the iPhone Universe....hehe....

Today is Friday. Another weekend is here! Since I've been meddling with my new "baby" (Oops, sorry...a slip of the tongue...is no fault of the mind, right?) , both inmates had been kinda stuck in Lot 10. So, we are breaking free...a bit only though. Gonna be out for our long-missed walk-walk sessions in the Malls! And yup, lunch will be OUT today!

And tomorrow will be another COD (Chef's Off Day). And with another DVD movie for Cine Nite on the same evening. Our list of unwatched DVD movies has been increasing...

Other than that, it's the same ole, same ole routines at Lot 10 OFH...

Sincerely hope that your life is more interesting...

6 days on...

2010-03-03T08:29:00.004+08:00

Wed 030310

Yup, it's now the 6th day after me got me new "baby". And yup, that new "baby" was & still is my new iPhone 3GS.

Well, what I like most about this hp is the UI or User Interface, namely the touch-screen. It's truly a wonderful means of using a mobile phone! Try it out & you'll know what I mean...

Besides that, it's a great music-playing device, too! And yup, that's because it kinda originated from none other than the iPod...which was such a great music-playing device. For those in the know...

Support is great from Apple with its own Apple Store. One can just shop right from the hp! I've since added 16 web applications to my iPhone! Even the Papago GPS maps program specially for the iPhone! Of course that one had to be bought! However, most of them were FREE apps. And the best part was...they WORKed immediately after installation!

As for the iPhone version of the Papago Navigation program, the unfortunate part was that the hp could not detect the satellite signal from inside our car! And on further investigations, it was caused by our windscreen heat shield film!! That film prevented the satellite signal from passing through to reach the phone. Like often said...the good & the bad...

BTW, if you had not noticed from the pic of the iPhone posted in the earlier entry, a protective film was added to the hp to prevent scratches and an iPhone holder was bought to put the phone in...also for protection! Ha ha! Total cost? RM45. A similar set from Maxis costs RM99!! Maybe of better quality?

I've also added 140+ tunes to the music library in the iPod section of the hp. So that was not a problem.

The built-in camera was not a problem cos it's of the same resolution as my trusty ole N73. Picture quality had yet to be determined via printing. Onscreen, the images looked good. I've downloaded a couple of free apps to improve on various aspects of the camera.

The main problem was & still is...adding new ringtones to the hp! Still under research lo...
Any suggestions? Besides the correct & official way, of course!

And before I forget, battery life, with normal usage, should be roughly a day or more...depending on light or heavy use. Using the hp the way I did during these past few days, the battery could only last slightly more than half a day...

Ok...enough about the new "baby". Frankly, that's the only happening around these parts! Ha ha!

So looks like that would have to do for today's post...Bye!

My newest "baby"...

2010-02-28T09:38:00.017+08:00

Sun 280210

Yup, me recently (25th Feb) got a new "baby"!! Reason for my kinda long absence from Blog lo...

And yup, it's most probably my LAST of that kind of "baby", too! So me kinda chose something different...kinda special!
Here it is...
Know what that is?

Yup, it's an iPhone 3GS! Cost? RM1999.

Now why an iPhone?

Because as its adverts go...

" It's more than just a phone! It combines 3 devices in 1: a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod & a breakthrough Internet device! "

However, I had to subscribe to 1 of Maxis' iValue plans...a pre-condition for the "offer" price!

How is it? On the whole, good! You can get info re most of its features via Google. The good ones.
However, as with eccentric manufacturers such as Apple, this hp comes with a few proprietory quirks...eg :

1. Although it's a 3G phone, there is no support 3G video calls;
2. Although it has Bluetooth, it does not support non-compatible Apple accessories...not even our PC/laptop;
3. Without BT, all file transfers (images, music, etc) have to be done via Apple's own phone manager program namely iTunes... and by means of a connecting cable ;

And last but not least, it does not support mp3 tunes for use as ringtones....only uses AAC files!

As with all quirks, there will always be ways to get around them, right? Yup, me still searching...and searching...and searching...

Well, me got lots to learn and had been busy the past few days learning....hehe...

And finally, yesterday was another COD. It ended with Cine Nite movie entitled "Case 39". . . a mystery-horror story line. Predictable. We also tried a new outlet selling "Yu Chia Koay" around the PSK area where we had our dinner. Not recommended though!

Before I end this entry, here's wishing all Chinese visitors a very Happy & Special "15 Meh" tonight!! Do have a great time with all you love...

Flashbacks...a compilation?

2010-02-24T12:31:00.011+08:00

Wed 240110

Yup, a thousand apologies but me had not accomplished nor done much to write about them till now. And yup, me had accumulated & thus can now write about a few things recently which me had done.

Here goes...

For one thing, during a recent trip to Taiping, me spotted a new gadget, @Taiping Sentral, that me thought would be useful in times of "Need". It's an in-car electronic voltage converter. It converts our car voltage of 12V to the usual household 220V & an output of max 150W, with even a USB socket with USB output power for use by USB devices. More than enough to power a laptop. Cost? RM79. On the left is the V2TEC 1500 P-150W Power Inverter with USB port as installed in the console of my ole junk...

Another item was the "salvaging" of an earlier bought DVD player, a Dzon model. Bought from Tesco Mergong some time back for its mpeg playability and, of course, when it was on offer! It was installed in our master bedroom but ultimately replaced by an LG & more recently by one with USB support! Now this Dzon is serving us well in our dining area...haha! See?

One final thing me had to do was to renew our car insurance & road tax which is expiring in the first week of March. I didn't get any renewal notice this time around! Even though it's only slightly more than 2 weeks before expiry. I would normally get a renewal letter from the insurance company more than 1 month ahead of expiry!

So I made a couple of calls but the lady on the other end told me she would call back after she had checked the status of my policy renewal. However, she failed to keep to her promise! Such staff definitely is a big minus point for any company!

Anyway, as the lady boss would be back after her CNY leave the following week, I waited and made a final attempt. Yup, that call paid off. Everthing went smoothly & the insurance was renewed as a Third Party policy @only RM88.40 in spite of 115% loading but after my eligible 55% NCB, thereby saving me more than a hundred bucks! And the road tax for 2010 was renewed through a provided service...the very same day! Thanks a meg, Ms L!!

A pic to share...the new renewed road tax disc installed!

Well, Life As Is goes on...not plain sailing but we must never give up whenever faced with seemingly impossible uphill tasks. As a well known proverb goes...

"Perseverence is the Key to Success!"

True? To me, it was.

Have a great week ahead, ok?

Eureka! Finally...

2010-02-21T12:41:00.010+08:00

Sun 210210

Yup, Eureka! I got it! And yup, it's about my other half's still quite new Motorola VE538. Finally me "tar seh mor" ( "gall bladder grow hair" in Hokkien) liao...or in other words, me finally got the courage after a very close scrutiny of the camera lens area...

I was almost 100% sure then that there was an extra plastic sticker over the actual lens cover of the hp cam. So me took the risk...imagine my heart rate at that time la! Phew!

The sad part of this scenario was that there was no mention of such necessary action in its manual/websites/forums of the existence of such a sticker nor did the salesperson inform me about it nor removed it for me at sales time!

When me did the actual removal of what me had decided was an extra unnecessary sticker, it was so revealed that that was the cause of the kinda less sharp & kinda whitish snapshots we've been getting with the hp cam.

This is pic of the removed "extra" plastic sticker....stuck onto the back cover of the hp for me to snap a pic of it...

And following that pic... is a pic of the camera lens c/w its own integrated lens cover after above removal...so sorry but me forgot to take the "Before" pic ie before the removal of the sticker...

Now pics are noticeably much sharper...pls see the "Before" & "After" results of snapshots taken...
Can you see the difference? Maybe if you select & view each pic separately in its original resolution?

So sorry but just could not accept that pics taken with a 2mp hp cam could be so bad & with a branded hp some more! Haha!

Ok...to end off, yesterday being a Sat was another COD but with a bit of difference. We paid a CNY visit to our "youngest" Auntie in A/S. Yup, she was in this time around...

And we also got a visit from my other half's niece & her 2 kids in the evening. It was a fun & enjoyable evening with them! Thanks a meg for visiting Lot 10 OFH, guys! Deeply appreciated...

COD ended with Cine Nite & the DVD movie "Storm Warriors II". Good action with plenty of special effects! However, there appeared to be no ending...perhaps another sequel?

Congrats, ET!

2010-02-19T12:15:00.008+08:00

Fri 190210

Yup, me popped in to congratulate our very own ET...nope, not that ET of "ET come home..." fame but our fav grandnephew, ET, on his double success in a recent swimming competition...

And yup, here he is proudly displaying his medals...Congrats, ET!! With more to come, do keep up the good work...in Mandarin...Jia1 You2!!

Today me was due for my routine monthly medical visit to our family doc. Well, it was me the confirmed "drug addict"....haha! What can I say? All those "drugs" are so essential to keep ole me going...and going...and going....hehe....a need, not a want!

After that was supposedly a planned visit to our "youngest" auntie in AS. However, an advanced call was made and luckily we did because she was not home! In Penang. So visit is now re-scheduled to tomorrow.

An alternative visit was opted for, namely to a niece on my other half's side. That again did not work out! Calls made to both her hp & residence were unanswered...

And so, it was Home Sweet Home... Best place to be!

And, of course, me preparing this entry...haha! Have a good weekend, everyone!

For a new atmosphere within...

2010-02-18T20:51:00.012+08:00

Thur 180210

Yup, after 2 depressive days, it was felt that Lot 10 needed a change...internally...for a new atmosphere. A better brighter ambience. A happier setting...

And yup, as always... a nice bouquet of pleasant flowers should suffice!

So, out we went to nearby Tesco and got, not just any plain bouquet of flowers, but literally a "bucket" of well-arranged blooms! Even got some of them replaced by the florist for a brighter-coloured set...

Looks great, don't they? For only RM40. Worth it?

For an improved relationship? Of course, it was!!

And yup, the mood in Lot 10 had definitely improved...both inmates had reached a higher level of understanding. Sincerely hope it would be like forever...at least there is now hope...

And the pot of "Peace Lily" which was there before?

Yup, it was moved to be with its "partner"...together in the same location. Now they would never be alone...hehe...

And on the left is a not-so-well-taken snapshot of the 2 & half storeyed bungalows almost nearing occupancy status, in front of Lot 10...

And yup, it was taken using the built-in 2mp cam of the Motorola VE538 HP. Looks kinda whitish, right?

Me kinda got a feeling that a sticker over the cam lens kinda needed to be removed? At the moment, me dared not do so...for fear of removing an intended protection for the lens.

Can anyone pls confirm...or otherwise? TQ in advance.

Well, me gtg now...need the rest after the stressful 2 days both inmates had endured. Thank God it's over...

The missing piece?

2010-02-17T11:43:00.010+08:00

Wed 170110

Yup, there is a missing piece...without it, the beginnings of all of the UNhappiness on Day #2 of this CNY would be incomplete...

And yup, it all started well & happy enough. Good Intentions. It was the day after Valentine's Day. We had detoured for a stop at SP on our way home after CNY celebrations in Penang. In high spirits. Happy days. Happy memories.

So a stopover at Tesco South in SP was envisioned as a good do on the trip home. At Tesco, I went over to the electrical & electronics section while my other half went for her own interest sections.

It was there at the the handphone section that the Motorola VE538 unit (pic on left) on promotion attracted my attention. I'd read about the promotional price in Tesco adverts even before CNY. @298.88. With a Tesco discount voucher for purchases above RM150, I could get it for only RM286.88.

Consequently, I'd thought this would be a good Valentine's Day present for my other half as I had not got her anything this time around. Small enough & appears suitable for a lady. Her existing hp was my ole N3200 bought in 2004 and passed over to her in Jan 2007...when she literally flushed hers down the toilet at a Mall!

As events unfolded, somehow, one thing followed another...smoothly... after I started my enquiries about the offer unit. Answers confirmed that that model suppported both 3G (with 2 cameras) & Bluetooth. Other specs were checked, etc. And finally, the unit was even tested by inserting my SIM card. Very satisfactory results were obtained.

As always, good flow of things point to a good ending...a good purchase. Or else something would have deterred or obstructed the flow of events.

And so it was that me agreed to buy a unit. A new boxed unit was brought to me and I was checking the contents when "disaster" struck!

My other half came into the scene...

And when told that I'd bought the VE538 for her, there was total rebuttal! Full & open objection! I even told her...pls, be happy...I've already agreed to buy it! But no...whatever I said made no difference. I was told I was wrong to get it for her...that I was wasting good money on the present! That she did not want it...

All that in spite of my telling her that the phone is my Valentine's Day present for her! Her answer? There is no such need...not need to buy such an expensive item. I told her that the phone was on offer. I had planned to even buy it before but I had no opportunity to enquire about it nor test it till that day. I even assured her that we could afford the purchase with no bad effects. But no...she just would not accept nor be happy about my decision to buy it for her!

Of all her reasons for objections, one stood out, namely I had recently not allowed her to buy shirts (and a watch) for me. Likewise now, she would not allow me to buy anything for her without her consent! A tit for tat thingy? At our ages isn't that kind of reasoning kinda ridiculous? Phew!

Personally, me feel that there is more to it than meets the eye. It is felt that there is some other underlying reason/factor that caused her to grab at the opportunity to hit out at me...

Ok...back to the story.

Now, I had already bought it. Throw it away? Give it to someone who needs it or appreciates it?

And so it was...all the way home from SP to AS...a very bad & sad ending to what would have been a great CNY outing...

That was on 15th Feb. And the situation just got worse when we reached home. Pls read the entry yesterday for what had happened then.

Thank God the situation has improved a bit more since then. Lot 10 has survived another upheaval. The atmosphere in Lot 10 is cooler now.

But when will another "eruption" take place? There is an active "volcanic source" in Lot 10....simmering since March 2008...with tremors & eruptions when emotions were triggered & spilled over. Just waiting to fully erupt one day.

Unfortunately, it's another wait & see situation. Only God knows when....

My prayer? Once again, it is simply this....

Dear God, pls help my other half to see the damage all these events caused by that "S" has been breaking up the bond that we both had after 41+ years of marriage...pls don't let it come between us. Amen.

The "Ravaging" Tiger came in...

2010-02-16T17:28:00.008+08:00

Tue 16 Feb 2010

Yup, the Year of the Tiger came just 2 days ago...on 14th Feb...And yup, it started well & happy enough...

The unfortunate part was that...on the afternoon of 15th Feb, the next day... it brought with it one that figuratively "ravaged" both inmates of Lot 10!! Me was thoroughly devastated by incidents that literally drowned all the happy sounds of this new lunar year! 2 days now...

Without going into details, the "wall" that we thought we had managed to successfuly demolish recently thus bringing some kind of "closure"( Pls refer to earlier entries for more background info...starting from March 2008. TQ.) to the long saga, suddenly reared its ugly separating massive impenetratable structure...

Whatever good relationship that was rebuilt recently came crashing down as if it was struck by "Megatron" of the "Transformers"! There was no more "we"... only that stupid "S" or nothing! We were both back to "Square One". Period.

That only went to prove how fragile our relationship, of 41+ years, had degraded to through these 2 seemingly long & trying years...2 parents caught between that unfilial disrespectful "S"!

Oh God...pls help these 2 ole inmates to find true happiness in their final years together....

And pls help my other half to see what & how that stupid "S" had been breaking both of us up..bit by bit, from that day in March 2008 till today... my prayer...Amen. TQ.

ps. It is sincerely hoped that my other half will realise in time that it is NOT worth sacrificing the one yu had loved, married & stayed together...someone who had loved you, cared for & protected you & family for over 41 years... for an "S" who not know what love nor how a son should respect his own natural father who had stood by him all the years...helping him up each time he fell, providing him with a shoulder to cry on, etc., etc., till he could stand on his own 2 feet & became somebody!

As the saying goes......

"The higher they go, the harder they fall..."

Wishing ALL Chinese visitors...

2010-02-05T14:55:00.005+08:00

Fri 05 February 2010

Yup, it's getting very near to that one day in a year in the Chinese calendar, namely the 1st Day of the 1st Moon of the Chinese New Year!

And this year that day falls on Sunday, 14th February 2010!

So here's wishing everyone a Very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous Chinese New Year 2010!!
To those of you not celebrating this auspicious day & its accompanying holidays, do have a great time with all you love...and probably re-charge for another great year ahead...

ps. Me, of course, will be tentatively & temporarily offline...hehe...

Alarm nuisance!

2010-02-02T12:08:00.008+08:00

Tue 020210

Yup, a house alarm installation appears to be kinda a necessity these days...considering the number of house break-ins reported. However, it can also be a great irritating nuisance!

And yup, I'm saying so because my neighbour's alarm has been sounding for the past 2 days! It started to go off some time before 12 noon and would stop around 4pm. The alarm would be sounding like continuously after shorter & shorter periods of silence.

Today it has already started...also at about the same time period. The second period of irritation is just over at this time of my keying in this sentence! And the frequency of its sounding is increasing...

Now, don't you think there should be some way neighbours could be protected from this kind of disturbance? This kind of inconsiderate houseowners? Just imagine having to go through more than 4 hours of such noise pollution (I would call it "torture"...) practically daily now? Have you ever experienced the loud bursts from a house alarm siren at close range?

How would it be if the alarm had kept on going off during the night? It had happened before...although not with such frequency. The worst part is that house is practically unoccupied most of the time!

So, is there any avenue for redress or even protection from such inconsiderate houseowners? Can we report such incidents to the police? Or even to the local authorities? Frankly, it is felt that houseowners should be held responsible for their properties...and whatever they installed in their premises. Agreed?

Btw, fyi Lot 10 also has a house alarm system installed...since Sept 2001. A very reliable branded system commonly installed in banks. And I can confidently say here that we had never disturbed our neighbourhood with such episodes! Of course, there were a few times when we ourselves had inadvertently triggered the alarm...but it was silenced almost immediately.

I sincerely hope that none of you have to undergo what me & the other "neighbouring" neighbours of this particular neighbour had to tolerate for these past 2 days (& now today) and probably more to come...

UPDATE #1 @3:25pm :

Peace & tranquility returned to Lot 10...finally! Yup, that neighbour's daughter came to reset their house alarm system. If only they had been a little bit more responsible, we would not have to suffer for so long...

UPDATE #2 @7:50pm :

Here's a view of the front porch of Lot 10 as darkness falls...

Lot 10 with new red lanterns & glimmering, running "rice" lights in preparation for CNY 2010...

Last day of 1st month...

2010-01-31T09:49:00.005+08:00

Sun 31 Jan 2010

Yup, it's the last day of this first month of this new year, 1020! Fast flying month, huh? To me, looking back, time really flew...64 years flew! Just like in the blink of an eye! So what is one more month?

Me...a pessimist? Many have called me that. However, I've been trying & learning to look more onto the positive aspect of things in Life. Slowly but steadily...that day will come...

And yup, 1 day that me am looking forward to is Feb 5th. Why? That's the day our "Kay Pa" will be giving us our "angpow" for this CNY! Yup, our pension payment for Feb will be in advance. Many many days in advance! Good? Right. But for the pessimist in me, it means a long, long month before the next payment in March...the 19th. The optimist in me would say that that is still 2 days earlier than the usual date! And yup, pensions are normally paid on the 21st of the month! See? It's a matter of perspective. Ha ha!

Anyway, a more positive view would be the fact that the time that has passed would be bringing us closer to Feb 14th...CNY! Which also means that we would be meeting friends & relatives that we had not seen for at least a year...maybe even more! Lots to share then. Happy times.

An update here on my good friend & former colleague, Mr L...if me not wrong, he should have been discharged from hospital after completing the first course of the chemo prescribed by his haematologist. He would be having 3 weeks of rest before the next course. We sincerely wish him all the very best, good rest & a speedy recovery!

Finally, yesterday was another COD (Chef's Off Day) and so as not to bore you, it was the usual meals out kinda thing. Except that this time for dinner, our "boss" suggested a new location. A new coffee shop. Well, food was reasonably good. Tasty. However, most of the ppl serving in the shop were not of the friendly kind. Pity.

Cine Nite was the movie "The Treasure Hunter". Lots of special effects. Not so good colour. Ok kind of entertainment. We had to have a few intermissions, though. Kind of breaking the monotony at times during the show.

Well, Sunday today would be another day...another bonus day! Life for these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 has been peaceful & tranquil. And we have God to thank for that...

UPDATE @2:45pm :

A very noisy start to our Sunday...supposedly a day of rest?

Our RHS neighbour's house alarm has been sounding practically non-stop since our (late) breakfast time! Less than 1 min break between abt 10 mins alarm siren! 11 times at last count. 12 now!!! Phew!

There should be a way to complain to local authorities about such matters (eg disturbing the peace? ) cos house alarms are so commonly installed these days. Moreover, there are so many "chapalang" makes in the market...many unreliable ones!

Finally...

2010-01-27T20:20:00.005+08:00

Wed 27 Jan 2010

Yup, finally....we got to eat our fav braised duck with porridge....c/w a few other selected pre-cooked dishes!

And yup, we've tried at least 3 times to do so but each time we were thoroughly disappointed as the shop where the stall was situated, was in total darkness! However, this evening was a different story altogether...that place...somewhere along the ole Sg Korok Road...was brightly lit up and there were cars, cars & cars parked even by the kerb!

Luckily for us, some kind soul left just as we were about to enter the special parking space next to the shop. RM16.60. Yup, that's what that meal amounted to...with extra duck meat...definitely worth every sen of it! Besides the braised duck, we had fried eggs with large onions, braised squids & some vege.

Now stomachs are full and heads are kinda drowsy...hehe....

But felt that this successful evening should go down recorded in my Blog...for posterity? Yup, such evenings don't come by every day...Agreed? Just picture 2 very satisfied & happy inmates of Lot 10! Yup, happiness in our lives these days is no stranger to these 2 ole inmates and we thank God for His blessings & the happiness that we have come to receive...

And... believe it or not, me also got so many "tit-bits" to keep me busy!

There are, among others...

1. prawn crackers from Kamunting, Taiping (which even Taiping ppl not know about! Ha ha!) which me bought for RM3.50 a pkt;
2. "Ngaku" (Arrowhead) chips personally prepared & deep-fried by my other half yesterday (she spent 1 whole hour frying them! Phew!);
3. packets of groundnuts that my daughter had bought for us for CNY;
4. and even the Semi-Sweet Van Houten Almond chocs which came in small packets (which me had bought earlier) and more similar ones in a box (also one of the items my daughter bought for CNY...my personal choice when she asked what me would like to have. Biscuits? No! Me want chocs! My...was she surprised! Haha!) TQ, EL!

Well, certainly hope me won't put on too much weight with all those goodies to munch...must stagger my munching schedule. As is, me already taking enough medication...

Now which should I munch munch first? Join me?

As promised...

2010-01-26T09:40:00.008+08:00

Tue 26 Jan 2010

Yup, as promised...a new slideshow of KL in 2010 is up & running (entitled "The 2010 KL") on the right side of this Blog! More pics will be added in time as KL continues to travel down the road in her "Journey of Life". Enjoy...

Well, those pics were taken during our special visit to KL & family to celebrate her 4th birthday. Our bday girl was all smiles & happy happy throughout her special day & even the day after! She enjoyed all the kiddy rides & even the repeated escalator trips @ Taiping Sentral! And, of course, her fav shopping mall...Tesco!

And yup, last Sat's COD was replaced on Sun 240110 and ended with Cine Nite...the DVD movie, "Surrogates". Not a dull moment, though. Sincerely hope the world would not have to go through such an episode & ppl would remain ppl...humans.

I'm taking this opportunity also to wish my good friend & former colleague, Mr L, the very best in his first Chemotherapy session today at a private hospital in KL! There would be a total of 6 courses in the treatment for his problem. Being the strong & optimistic guy that he has been & still is, we feel that he would get through this as well as anyone else can.

Our sincere apologies for being unable to be there personally to give our support but we are, nonetheless, spiritually there for him & he will always be in our thoughts for a speedy successful recovery.

It's quality & value time for both inmates now back @ Lot 10...enjoying what we enjoy doing...

Yup, we may not be able to enjoy what we can enjoy today tomorrow...that's Life As Is...

Sincerely hope it's the same for all of you...have a great week ahead!

UPDATE (Wed 270110 @ 10:30am.) :

A thousand apologies...my friend & former colleague, Mr L, was only admitted to the private hospital yesterday ie Tue 26 Jan & not having his 1st chemo on Tue 26th as I had written above. My bad.

If all preparations go smoothly & well, he should be having his 1st chemo today (Wed 27th Jan.).

Once again, we wish him all the very best in following this course of treatment! Be strong, Mr L!! We're all with you all the way...Stay strong!

KL is 4 yrs old!

2010-01-22T16:09:00.004+08:00

Fri 220110

Hi...just a short entry...

Our fav grandaughter, KL, is exactly 4 years old today!!

And both Lot 10 grandparents are in Taiping now to be with KL and her parents... to share her special day! Presents were bought soon after arrival, given to KL & a specially-ordered Bday (by KL's own loving mum) cake was brought out and 4 small candles were blown out by the birthday girl. Her bday wish? Sorry but only KL herself knows...haha! Pic of KL's Bday cake sitting pretty with 4 little candles...

More pics would be posted in a new slideshow for 2010... to be set up when me am back in Lot 10. Sincerely hope yu guys who do drop by this Blog, can wait patiently for this ole man to get down to it then...hehe....

Until then, this would have to do...Have a great weekend, ok?

The so-called "Stupid Bread"...

2010-01-19T20:33:00.003+08:00

Tue 190110

Yup, to some cynical (maybe even arrogant) ppl, a specially baked, unique, wholesome & nutritious kind of bread can be nicknamed as the "Stupid Bread"! Believe me, that is not a made-up nickname but one I would never ever forget...

And yup, I was told that once upon a time when that "S" was still part & parcel of this family. I was told (to be fair it was not by that "S"...) that was what they called this kind of bread...the 3-seeded bread loaf by Adventist Bakery in Penang. And me was telling them how I loved that kind of bread...its texture, its taste & its goodliness. Some ppl can be a true "spoilsport" or did I use that term wrongly?

Thank God that view was only by that person & that person alone! And definitely not by most ppl, if not all, that I've mentioned that bread to. And it made me especially happy & proud that our family doctor shared my views, besides enjoying the same bread!

I had once even requested that "S" to buy a loaf of that bread for me since he was at the bakery branch in Farlim and he was going to come to A/Star. But alas, he could not even do that for his own father. His response to my request at that time? "I don't know which kind of bread you're talking about..." And when I stated that it was the "3-seeded" type with a red-coloured wrapper, he further complained, " There are so many types there. I don't know which one is that."

Phew! Can you ever believe those were responses from a son to his own father's request for help to get him a loaf of the bread that his father loved & enjoyed taking? And it wasn't a repetitive request from me...not like I asked for it each & every time! Just a simple affordable & do-able request. Only God knows why...

Fyi I got another loaf this morning. One of many that I've been so lucky & blessed to receive before this day. Thanks a meg, doc!

Frankly, doc, you are, at any time, zillion times better than my so-called "S"!! I do sincerely appreciate your thoughts of me each time you see the availability of that bread. I thank you from the bottom of my heart...your kind gesture had been so often that I've lost count of the number of times you've bought & brought the bread all the way back from Penang...for lil ole me! ( NB. ...which my own "S" could not do even once...for his own father! Sad but true... )

As you can feel (in this entry), Lot 10 inmates had ridden over the "ripples" that passed through Lot 10 last Sunday. The clouds have cleared & Lot 10 is once again basking in the glorious sunshine & its warmth. Once more the love between 2 ppl was tested & it was a grand graduation with flying colours! 41+ years of relationship just could not and would not crumble under, what I call now, the "Divide & Rule" strategy. We will be stronger because of the failed attempts. Maybe me should even say "TQ"?

Finally, it's just a day more to go before the monthly allowance from our "Kay Pa" reaches us. Feathers are sprouting and pretty soon wings would have grown. Ha ha! And yup, it's true that "No petrol how to move..."

And with CNY this year coming on 14th Feb, pensioners would be getting their dues next month on Feb 5th! However, the following month is gonna be a long long month...of waiting...

Sincerely hope your week started well & would end just as well, too!

Ripples...

2010-01-18T17:00:00.007+08:00

Mon 180110

Yup, last night a few ripples followed in the wake of the "aftershock" of Sat 160110. Thank God it didn't last for long & the waters were calm once again very early that same night or, to be exact, early the following morning...

It is my sincere hope that, as time passes, those ripples would never form and Life As Is in Lot 10 and for its 2 ole inmates would be peaceful & tranquil, with attached happiness along the way. There now appears to be a glimmer of light at the end of this long, long dark tunnel...hopefully we would reach it soon.

And yup, it's a better day today because me had received word that our friend & former colleague, Mr L, was already discharged from Sunway Medical Centre in KL. However, he would have to return there for a follow-up & change of dressing this coming Thursday. We sincerely wish him & family all the very best and more good tidings...

To add a bit re yesterday, it was also lucky for Lot 10 inmates that the ripples formed only after the postponed but rescheduled Cine Nite, normally held on Saturdays which were CODs (Chef Off Days). And yup, we did manage to enjoy the DVD movie, Monsters and Aliens, to its ending. A nice movie.

Well, it's 2 more days before our "Kay Pa" gives us our monthly "pocket money". And the day after would be our fav grandaughter's 4th birthday. Nice timing this month, right? Or else it would have been a "No petrol how to move..." scenario! Ha ha! Furthermore, me am hoping that Lot 10 inmates would have completely recovered from those ripples to be able to go to Taiping & enjoy some value time with KL. Wish us luck...

Oh! Before I forget, me just got a call from one of my former students (Year 1985?) that they would be having a reunion/getogether on the 2nd day of CNY and lil ole me was invited. Unfortunately, me had to turn down the kind gesture as me would be in Penang doing our rounds at our relatives' homes as usually had been our practice each CNY. Tks a meg for the invite and especially so for remembering lil ole me!! Gong Xi Fa Cai to all of you!!

That's it for this entry. Have a good new week!

An "aftershock"...

2010-01-16T20:38:00.003+08:00

Sat 160110

Yup, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti just a few days ago. Somehow, an "aftershock" ripped through Lot 10 after lunch today!

And yup, the cause was...you guessed it! That "S"'s situation again!

Lot 10 & it's inmates had been enjoying peace & tranquility for some time already. However, it was too good to be true. Too good to last. Now feels like an illusion. Maybe a dream? Me was hoping it would last & that my other half had a better grasp of the issues at hand. Especially after that day of "Closure". ( Pls check out earlier entries re "Closure". TQ.)

As is, the issue about the preparation & distribution of angpows for the coming "Tiger" year came up and once again, that "S"'s family was brought into the limelight.

I had thought that, with the seemingly improved relationship of past weeks, my other half would be receptive of a mutually agreeable handling of the problem at hand. It appeared like just a simple question of "Since that "S" had not, did not & still does not respect nor accept me as his natural father, it simply boils down to a simple fact that I no longer qualify to be the grandfather of his kids"! No father...no grandfather...Doesn't that go hand-in-hand? Simple conclusion. Correct?

And in this family, since Day #1 of our lives together, both me & my other half do not have any "in-betweens" of things we do. Whatever is done, is done by both. A very simple philosophy that had worked well all these 41 years!

But today, she insisted that she wanted to continue with the practice of giving out the angpows...not personally as we no longer have any physical meeting with that "S"'s family but through a 3rd party. Last year there was the same insistence but then it was already just a few days away from CNY. And me didn't want to create any scene, thereby spoiling the CNY & thus agreed (under protest, though) to her intention.

But now, it was brought up a month before CNY...and guess what was her response? A straight query...

" Can he come back? "

That did it! It was back to "Square One"...so to say. I had to explain all over again that "that "S" had 360 days to come back...but did he?" And so the "merry-go-round" continued. Same ole "lack" of understanding of the seriousness of the issues. Or should I say "denial" & "refusal" to face the reality of the situation.

(NB. For those who have not been following this Blog, pls refer to past entries starting from March 2008. Too long a story to repeat here. TQ.)

Well, I'm so tired of having to repeat & repeat.

To me, nothing matters more now than how my other half sees me. Who am I to her? And of course, what's in her heart.

I always ended up being the guy who had done wrong...that I should close my eyes to the way how this "S" had disrespected me, not forgetting the accusations that "S" had hurled at me! And even that I was the one who had stopped him from coming back....blah, blah, blah...

I am so tired....I've used all ways that I knew to make it clear that that "S" could have come back on any of the 360 days in a year (only 5 days are excluded...for the simple reason that I wish for peace & my sanity on those 5 days. And I've repeated that umteen times.)

It's been almost 2 years now. I have asked her time & time again, a simple question... "Can you give me one good reason why he had not made that extra effort to come back...." NO answer.

So why must you ask, "Can he come back?" NO answer.

A follow-up question... "Am I the one stopping him from coming back?" NO answer.

YOU be the judge. TQ.

ps. Sincerely hope this "aftershock" is truly the very last one. But me am not keeping my hopes high, though. Each & every time me hoped, my hopes had been dashed to smithereens...sad but true.

Day of sadness...

2010-01-14T08:50:00.015+08:00

Thur 140110

Yup, Wed 130110 was to be remembered with sadness. Remember my entries earlier about my friend & ex-colleague, Mr L?

And yup, for a few days, there was a general feeling of hope with the fast flow of procedures to investigate the possibility, location & seriousness of the unwelcomed "growth" in his brain. All his friends & former collleagues contributed in providing whatever moral support & encouragement for a good prognosis.

Mr L went for consultation with a neurosurgeon on Tues 120110 and decision to operate the very next morning to remove the "growth" was made. To everyone, that was good progress as the neurosurgeon was confident of what he could do.

The removal of the "growth" was successful. However, simultaneous investigation of the "growth" confirmed that it was malignant and a localised chemo was applied.

That was the sad news that nobody wished for...nor even wanted to think about...although there was that inescapable possibility, namely the 50-50 possibility that any growth might be malignant.

On behalf of all his friends & former colleagues, I sincerely wish him a speedy recovery from the open brain surgery (he's in ICU now) and that all future treatments, as prescribed, would be effective in eradicating the malignant cells that might be left behind or at least in controlling their growth & spread.

And I could not agree more with what his daughter had written in an email to me...

"whatever the prognosis, I am determined to help my father have the best quality of life in whatever time he has with us. I trust you agree too and will not be too focussed on the length but on the quality, which is a lot more meaningful."

Yup, CW, that really touched my heart...where it really matters...

And yup, I do believe strongly in that view & especially more so now. Honestly I've even told my other half that I would not want to spend all the unnecessary time in hospitals should I become such a patient. I would prefer to spend whatever time I might have left with her, doing the things I enjoy most, etc., etc., with her by my side. Simply put...quality & value time...happy time! Not to end my life worrying about the inevitable...true?

As one of my friends & former colleague wrote me in an sms.... "That is Life..."

And, believe it or not, that is the answer to a question that I've repeatedly asked my other half from time to time... "What is Life?"

Anyway, pls do not let the sombre thoughts & words above spoil your day...just an ole man's rantings...

If you're young, feel young...be young! If you're old, enjoy the moment...there is only ONE life!

Have a good weekend, everyone! Life is short...Oops, sorry about that...haha!

UPDATE ... 18 Jan pic :

Here's pic of staples at location of surgery carried out on our friend...taken just b4 discharge from hospital :

Very well done, huh?

Our hopes & prayers go out to Mr L & family for his speedy recovery!

Bits & more bits...

2010-01-10T10:07:00.005+08:00

Sun 100110

Yup, it's a weekend full of bits & more bits... So here goes...

Bit #1 : COD (Chef's Off Day) passed smoothly & with nice feelings. Meals were out as usual. The evening ended with Cine Nite. Movie was GI Joe. What can I say...non-stop action with not a dull moment! Unbelievable weaponry & futuristic action...

Bit #2 : Yesterday morning, both inmates re-visited our friend & ex-colleague, Mr L, at his residence. Our friend was in high spirits & with a great positive attitude towards his condition. (Pls refer to earlier posts re his condition. TQ.)

Mr L would be going to KL tomorrow to consult neurologists as to the next step to take. We wish him all the very best! We will certainly keep in touch with his progress.

Have a safe pleasant trip to KL tomorrow, Mr L & family!!

Bit #3 : So far 3 of our 5 emergency lamps in Lot 10 have had their rechargeable batteries replaced. The replacements had become a "need" rather than a "want" now because we've had 3 power failures this new year itself! Each battery cost only RM18. Sold as "Sunkyo". The usual branded (Yokohama) ones were no longer available and getting this substitute was the only way out.

I tried to get a replacement for the smaller battery for the E-lamp in our dining area but none were available. So me had to improvise to use the standard-sized 6V one. The important part was that it worked! Might even last longer running on the larger-sized battery, too! Just that one can see the extra 2 wires running from the lamp to the external battery. Ha ha! (Pls see pic.)

Now we just need to replace one more battery...for the E-lamp in our Master Bedroom. Not urgent at the moment because the battery appeared to be working fine on testing...

Bit #4 : Our niece, YL, would be going for a follow-up X-ray/Scan today. (Pls see earlier posts for the background of her condition. TQ) We wish her all the very best & sincerely hope that results would be positive and thus negate the need for further ops. Chin up, YL!!

Well, that's it for now. Nothing much really. What can I say...that's the Life As Is of these 2 ole pensioners. Too much excitement would not be good for their ole hearts, right?

We thank God for another bonus week...

Hope your weekend was good, too. TC always...

Good news!

2010-01-08T09:31:00.002+08:00

Fri 080110

Yup, Good News! For a change!

And yup, it's about my friend & former colleague, Mr L. For one, he was discharged yesterday evening. And more as good news because the battery of investigations eg X-rays, scans & scopes done to try to detect any other locations of possible tumours came out negative!

As such, the "growth" in his brain is most probably a primary tumour which can then be treated accordingly. As is, the family would be taking him to Kuala Lumpur to be in the capable hands of an experienced neurologist.

On behalf of all his friends & former colleagues, I sincerely wish Mr L all the very best in his bid to rid himself of this unwelcomed "growth". We will be hoping & praying for success in all efforts all the way.

Well, weekend is here in Kedah. And tomorrow is another Saturday. Another COD, too!

We once again thank God for another bonus week for these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10!

Have a great weekend yourselves, ok?

What Life can be...

2010-01-06T10:54:00.004+08:00

Wed 060110

Yup, what Life can be...

And yup, Life can be happy, enjoyable, rewarding & lots of other good things. However, Life can be also the opposite...sadness, sorrow, pain, suffering & lots of other unpleasantries...

And frankly, this new year hasn't started with much good news...at least for me...

Just recently, I've mentioned re 1 of our nieces who had to go for an exploratory ops. The good part is that she came out of it fine. The biopsy results came back negative...which was great news! The not-so-good part is that she would be going in for further examination, scheduled for 10th Jan, for the outcome of the effects of the "growths" around her ureter & kidney.

We are all hoping & praying for her that what she fears most would not happen and that she would be able to continue life as is. Best wishes & best of luck in your forthcoming scan, YL! Pls do keep us informed, ok? Thanks!

Another unwelcomed piece of news was that of my friend & former colleague who apparently appeared to have suffered a minor stroke. However, on carrying out a further MRI scan, it was confirmed that the "stroke" was a symptom caused by a sizeable "growth" in his brain. It was a devastatingly worrying outcome to be borne by both him & his other half! And of course, their kids. We feel for them. What had happened came as a surprise & a shock to all of us.

As is, we can only be there for them should they need any form of assistance. I have offered mine. In the meantime, we can only hope & pray that all efforts to investigate & treat the "growth" would be encouraging & positively rewarding. All the very best, L! Be strong, Mrs L! All your friends are & will be with you...never fear!

Well, Life, as some had put it, is borrowed time on this Earth. We all have to leave it sooner or later. Only the manner in which we leave is unknown till the time comes. We can only hope it would be a peaceful one then. With God's blessings...

Now a bit of good news...to brighten up the start of this new year.

Our fav grandaughter, KL, would be 4 years old on Jan 22nd...soon. How time flies! And if all goes well, we should be seeing her & spending some time with her then. Happy times.

With that, it is hoped that this Blog would have more good things to share soon...

41 years on...

2010-01-03T15:30:00.011+08:00

Sun 030110

Yup, it's been 41 years...plus a day, to be exact! And yup, me & my other half have been married for 41 years. No minor feat huh?

To be honest, I wouldn't say it has been a bed of roses throughout all those years. Do tell me whose marriage IS a bed of roses. That couple must either be robots or ppl with no feelings nor emotions whatsoever. Agreed?

What is most important is the understanding, the relationship & the bond that has been tested through time...again & again. And in spite of everything, the couple IS still a couple...still together!

And especially for these 2 ole inmates of Lot 10 now, there is nothing more important than to spend the years that we would be bestowed with, our bonus years, as happy & as peacefully as we possibly can.

Like my other half told me the other day ( and even before that... ) :

"We do not know when we came into this world and we would not know when we leave it..."

How true. Me am now her confirmed disciple. Many of her "teachings" have worked wonders in shaping my outlook of Life As Is. You should have come across a number of such quotes as you followed this Blog.

So how did we spend this 41st wedding anniversary? Simple. Yup, it fell on the same Saturday as our usual COD. And yup, what is most important is not where or what, but how we feel on such a day. No fancy dinners. No fancy restaurants. Just being together & spending time together. Happily together. True?

And we both felt so much closer & happier than in the past 22+ months. Yup, when the road ahead is clear to both, then the journey for both is much much more pleasant & enjoyable.

Thanks a meg from the bottom of my heart, my dearest B...mostly for sticking with this ole, kinda intolerable & sometimes frustratingly non-understandable man you call your partner! Sometimes I just could not help but wonder if any other girl would have stuck with me (like you have done) through all that we'd gone through together all these years. No simple easy task lo...

And yup, like one line I've often heard (a reference here : http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/405750.html )...

"What God has joined together, let no man put asunder!"

Finally, we sincerely & humbly thank God ever so much for His generosity & blessings...