Thursday, November 20, 2008 ;
11:34 AM
Some pics of life in and around home.
This is the motorised tricycle that Dh bought to ferry his factory goods. And also to ferry the kids out in the morning to the school bus. I tried riding it once, as in being the driver. After that one try, I resigned myself to being the passenger always.
The trike is so unsteady, with the front part light, and the back heavy. The steering is very light, very sudden. If I make a right inclination, the whole behind of the trike leans heavily to the right, making me lose my balance in front.
The first time I used it to ferry the kids out, I banged into the narrow gates to my apartment block. Cos the front part cleared it, but the back could barely go through and I went through not straight but at an angle, so ds1's side crashed. Fortunately he was not hurt.
On the roads, the trike swayed dangerously from side to side, and as it went up the hump and then down, it went out of control and almost crashed into a car parked at the side of the road. Man! I was so terrified. I don't know how Dh controls it, maybe he is heavier. Ok ok, maybe I just can't handle it.

Anyway, the kids love it to death, and we had been wanting to wait for a nice clear blue day to take a family pic on it, and then use it as the photo to send Thanksgiving cards to our friends in Utah. However, before we got down to doing that fun project, the trike was stolen!
Yes! The kids were so sad. Dh was so upset.
It had been bought for 3 months already, and was fine, because Dh always parked it inside our block area, which is gated and patrolled. He locks it, and also brings in the battery pack.
That fateful day, he went to Home Depot to buy some fixtures for DIY projects and some spare bulbs. I also gave him a list of groceries to pick up from the Vanguard mart there. Things like bread and grape juice for the worship service held in our house the next day.
He couldn't find parking at the usual lots, which had more human traffic. So he parked a bit further off. He locked the trike, and went in to shop. After he got everything, which didn't take a long time, he came out and couldn't find his trike. At first, he thought he got the lot wrong and walked around the carpark but still no sign of the trike. Then he saw his broken lock on the ground! It was cut through.
So he took a cab home, dropped off the things, then went to the police station to make a report. We won't be able to find the trike back for sure but hopefully the police will be aware. They already knew, since it's a hotspot there, for thieves and pickpockets. Did I mention a French mom lost 2400 yuan, her cell phone, digicam, expensive handbagm credit cards and all at Carrefour?
After this happened to us, lots of people who heard about it started telling us how their stuff got stolen too.
We just have to be very very careful from now on. Like use 2 locks, park at more expensive places, with security guards... Always keep a tight watch on your belongings and kids.
Now Dh gets around on an electric scooter. This also does not require a licence, nor does the rider need a licence to ride. Now the kids go out on this. ds2 standing in front of Dh, and ds1 sitting behind Dh.
Dh currently chains it to our air con unit, and locks it further. He also removes the whole battery pack whenever he parks it. And then further covers it with an ugly old canvas sheet. Hopefully this stays safe.

ds1's class gets to bring home Mr Bear. Each child gets a day with Mr Bear. The child can do anything he wants with Mr Bear, but after the day ends, he has to draw and/ or write down in the class' Mr Bear Diary on what they did with Mr Bear. They can draw a clock to show the timings and what they did with Mr Bear at what time too.
That day was ds1's turn and he had dinner and played cards (Super Munchkin! Jennifer, can you spot that!) with Mr Bear. He made Mr Bear hold the cards too. So funny.

That's Mr Bear's Diary and I had a lot of laughs looking through what the other kids in his class drew and wrote too. Very interesting. Hope we get a copy of the diary at the end of the year!

Picture of Korea town near our place and the towels that the Korean Hairdresser hangs out to dry. I go to that hairdresser.

We had Korean food, again. We have it very frequently now, when we eat out. It's yummy and cheap. And very very filling. All these appetizers are free.

Some things I bought during another Korean fair.
Seaweed, Korean bread, sushi, Korean pancake, and a bricks set for the kids.
Angeling first told me about these bricks. They are real bricks and to build the whole castle, the kids have to mix water with mortar powder to make cement. They then apply cement to the bricks and construct the whole tower or farm or whatever.
After the project, if the child wants to construct something else, just soak or wet the tower, the cement dissolves in water and the bricks can be used again. The parents just need to buy replacement mortar packets.
I don't know how much it is sold in Spore. But it was very cheap at the fair, so I bought it. Cost S$5 for the whole set, with bricks, tools, 3 packets of powder, instructions. If it weren't so bulky and heavy (and dusty), I would buy more for the kids and those back in Spore too.
But it was super heavy, and I couldn't manage more than 1 box.

Another dish the ayi taught me, can't remember if I pictured it. Every week she teaches me one new dish. I have often forgotten to photograph it. Once I wanted to capture her in action. She was looking quite pretty but she insisted I shouldn't take her pic since her hair is messy.
Aiyoh, so vain, haha.
The dish on the left is the Korean curry. Our whole family likes it.

As the climate gets colder and colder, suddenly some kittens (up to 5 of them) have taken refuge in my front porch. They like to sleep in our shoes or on the window ledge (mine is ground floor). They looks very cute when asleep, so I went out to take a few pics. I tried hard to be quiet, but they still awoke. You can see my reflection in the window pane. haha.

rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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