Broken?

Education in doldrums... An already broken education system given a really hard whack by Covid-19. 

I used to read about pandemics, that a big one should be coming soon. For years, I would teach about the 1918 Spanish Flu. There were a few close scares along the way, SARS, Nipah Virus closer to home but I think most of us felt that the big one won't come. After all, we have all the science... we know all the science.

Yet, it did hit. And its name is Covid-19. Going to be a year since the virus was announced to the world.

In January this year, I read about the Wuhan virus. It had no name yet but I started teaching about it to my students. I hashed up my own materials, scour the net for stuff which I could use. I told my students that what was happening in Wuhan was going to blow up. I felt it will not pass us by and for a couple of weeks starting from end of January, many of my lessons evolved around the pandemic which was raging in Wuhan. 

The virus reached our shores shortly. However, at school everything was running as usual. The Principal never seemed to pay much heed to the dangers. As a matter of fact, just a day before the MCO students were still gathered in closed rooms for programmes. I tried saying that it wasn't in the kids' best interest. It was just brushed off. This same callous response to the ongoing pandemic would be seen repeatedly throughout the year. We just seem to think and feel that it will not affect us. 

11 months on, one Movement Control Order and 2 CMCOs down the road, with an end seemingly in sight because vaccines are on the way. However, it has been a year of disruptions in schools. Out of the usual 40 plus weeks of school that we usually have, the physical school has been off for more than half that time. Going online has laid open our incredible shortcomings. Billions of dollars spent and still reports say about 40% of students do not have proper gadgets/access for online education.

How can we be ready for online learning? I think it is an uphill struggle. The reason? Many of our heads belong to that era where chalk and talk seems to be the only rule of the day. Soon after the MCO ended and school resumed, I asked permission for students to be allowed to bring their mobiles so that I could continue to work on the online platform that I had been working on during the MCO. The answer was no. In fact, the whole school went back to doing things the old way. As the weeks wore on, more 'normal' programs were cooked up. 

Extra classes made their returns. Never mind that a pandemic was still raging. I have never seen such silliness. Extra hours when we are supposed to mitigate the exposure. I have seen also how labelling of such classes kept evolving to escape the SOPs. It is as if the school too was playing a cat and mouse game. When Extra Classes were not allowed, they changed the name to Bengkel. When that too was disallowed, they changed it further to Kelas Lanjutan PdP. Yet they were all the same.... in the face of a pandemic, even the ones who supposed to be leading were scheming and plotting. Makes me wonder what we are teaching kids cos I don't think the kids don't see it. 

The extra classes above have peculiar purposes. Students were made to stay back for an hour after school. All the kids did was this...  they were to complete the work their subject teachers mete out, in other words, homework. They were instructed to complete those work under the watchful eyes of teachers who were assigned to watch them like hawks. It was the most unproductive sessions I have seen and yet, they continued it. What made it rather irrational was amidst it all, there was a raging pandemic. I often wondered what good would all the seemingly extra cramming do when all the kids did was just to do their homework when the same could be achieved at home. Such is the state of the minds of those who head our schools these days.

So, a year on... I have learned a lot also during this pandemic. I made my first teaching video for the first time in my life. As much as I hated to hear my own voice and see myself in a screen, I did it. I picked up more editing know-hows in the process too. Played a bit with emojis and bitmojis. Turns out the learning curve isn't so steep this round. However, with age catching on and up, sitting too long in one position can be kind of a torture these days too. 

I have also learned that online teaching is actually like a truth serum. Lessons on WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, Google Classroom.. the list is very long. And when the reports start rolling in, it seems like they are working fine. Yet around me, from the kids I know, online lessons feel like a sham at times. There are some really good 'reviews' but those are far and few... 

It is going to be one year of disruptions and it looks like it might spill over to 2021. But this seems to hold true... for a good online teaching/learning session, you need a really good teacher. But these days, they define good teachers as ones who 'borrow' videos from the net and send them as the lesson for the day for their students... Whatever happened to teaching....

2020... they year teachers repost videos (not theirs)... great isn't it?

that teach for them.

Wrapping Up and Days To Come...

School term reopened for me today. I took an extra day off for family matters. It was a good trip. Kids got to play with their cousins. They got to play on the Wii. LOL! Met up with relatives not met before.

Didn't get much chance to shop but managed to grab a few things from IKEA, it was full of people as it was the last day of their Sale. We've never managed to go for any of their sales before as our trips would often fall outside their sale periods. Didn't go for our usual food adventure as the dinner the night before was heavy enough and we were in a rush to get home.

The ride home as wet.... from the time we entered the highway till we got home. Saw three accidents including the one where a bus crashed into a lorry and another lorry later crashed into it again. I saw huge rolls of papers on both sides of the road as I passed the accident site. It rained cats and dogs on the stretch after Ipoh and I had the misfortune of following behind a container lorry which insisted of hogging the fast lane in the heavy rain.... Repeated flashes from the headlight fell on blind eyes. In the end, we had to overtake him from the right. Crazy!!! Cos the terrain after Ipoh is also very windy and hilly. And this! A bus from the Education Department (with SMK Mutiara Impian painted on it) overtook me.... and I was going at 110kmph. It shot out of sight after a while! Even government buses don't honour the speed limit for heavy vehicles which is supposed to be capped at 90 kmph for highways! And I'm sure many notice too that police officers don't buckle up when they are driving. Somehow, the uniform gives them immunity!

Came back to school and changes were afoot! One welcomed and the other with mixed feelings. And the former has put halt to my train of thoughts about taking some time off from work - to be a lady of leisure. LOL! Been feeling tired lately; compounded by load at work.

Days ahead of some running around. I'm actually a little lazy to move around but getting out of school is oft a welcomed break from the 'madness' as well as routine. Too much routine and control can be stifling and can induce madness.... LOL! Anyway, interesting days ahead, not just where work is concerned.

Sarawak State election is coming! Cans of worms will be opened. There'll be plenty looking for worm to can and open later. Poor worms... they are most probably the real victims here, being labelled dirty and all that when they do a lot of good. Ha! Ha! There'll be dirty laundry to be washed... and dried. But seems to be money still buys a lot... using money for the battle of hearts for votes. That's how politics is all about actually. How do you explain people expected to vote in the CM despite his obscene amount of wealth???

Dropped by to see Baby Julia... but she slept the whole time we were there. Can't blame her. The weather was perfect for such a pleasure; it was raining! All babies look the same - they are all cute! Cute used to be defined as "ugly but adorable' in the dictionary of my day. These days, they are defined as pretty, dainty, sweet.... meanings change with the passage of time too! Newborn babes look almost the same, huh? Round bald heads....

Don't know what we'll do without the GPS. It seemed so yesterday that Other Half knew KL roads like the back of his palm. But they've changed too much for us to make sense of. Everywhere, roads are bigger, wider and every trip out is like opening the cash register non-stop. Toll here, parking there, toll beyond... the cash register never stops ringing! I'd pick Alor Setar over KL anytime. It's a world of mad rush over there. And the people!!! Everywhere you see 'em.... I enjoy my little space (which is also getting a bit more cramped) here any time. KL is maddening... everywhere, you see cars parked by the kerbs, empty spaces.... cars and more cars everywhere!!! And the air... let me not even start with that!

Chinese New Year...

Time flies... literally. School has been on almost a month. And CNY is just around the corner. Add that to the fact that it's been a rather crazy month at work, tiring partly because we've just come off a long break.

As of this point, my school is not taking a Cuti Peristiwa for the CNY eve. One won't question it if not for other schools taking it.... a neighbouring school with hardly any Chinese students is even taking that day off. It's at such times that I am thankful for our CRKs. I guess my boss is practising what she learned from our last LDP... tak payah jaga hati orang,....... (the second part being tetapi jangan sakiti hari orang... I thought they are intertwined.) But obviously it reflects the contents of their heart! LOL!

So, this CNY... even though the Principal refuses (despite requests from the other admin people) to take one extra day off.... it'd still not put a dampener on my celebration. What goes around will come around someday... cos sometimes I wonder whether it's anything to do with she being a racist. If it's just being mean or unreasonable, or perhaps she is just trying to proof something... I'd find quite easy to accept as her flaw. But usually we can tell from the way such people talk... it's rather clear....

Anyway, this will be the first CNY without F-I-L. And also the first CNY is a long, long time that my bros will be around with their families. In the last few years, Mom and Dad have celebrated CNY at bro's place. Unfortunately my sis would not be able to make it. Else it would have been really nice.

I realize too that as my parents grow older, CNY has become something that they forward to... they look forward to us children going back, to see their grandkids and all that. It gives them something to do too, the preparations, meaning.... I was just thinking the other day. There are 2 phases of our lives where CNY is an exciting event.... when you are very young and when you are old. The in-betweens like me find CNY stressful....

But celebrations are good. CNY is a good celebration to have. It gives reasons for families to get together; from far and near. It also gives friends an opportunity to meet up, since most of us go back to our hometowns to spend time with our parents. It allows our children to play with their cousins, meet up with their aunties and uncles, grandpas, grandmas.... For a kid to have all that is also a blessing and we should not deny them that blessing.

And one more thing... hometown boy and hometown girl... it makes things very easy during celebrations like CNY... you travel only one place even if you're uprooted. 8)

Happy Chinese New Year to all who drop by.

Christmas This Year

... been a busy hols, this year. And I thought term time was busy enough. Christmas came so suddenly this year. I had not much time to 'plan' my Christmas shopping. And the Christmas mood wasn't really felt till the eve after I went out for breakfast with the George, Linda, Lee Fun and Andy. And we ladies, joined by Deb went out for a short shopping trip in the afternoon.

As it has been for the last few years, we spent Christmas Eve at Ah Ho's. This year's highlight was Joseph's roast lamb. It was still over the fire when we arrived. We were early. I wanted to see it before it was carved up.

Dinner was nice, it always is at Ah Ho's place. And this year, her kids (D-I-L included) did all the cooking.

Then we waited for the carolers. It's been a tradition for many years that this is the last stop for the carolers. So we had a second round of people dropping by after 10 p.m.; parents of the kids who would pick their kids up after the caroling.

Church service on Chrismast was at 10.30 a.m. This year's attendance was very good. Almost 350 people, almost a 3-fold over our normal attendance. There was buffet lunch, kindly sponsored by an anonymous kind soul. God kept the rains away and the weather was just nice enough for an outdoor makan.

I saw a group of young people taking a group photo after the service. They are our earlier batch of church kids now grown up. Many of them were primary going when we first came here. And now some of them are already married. Adults they've become. How time flies!

This was followed by a wedding dinner reception at the Chans' place. We're getting a flurry of Chan weddings. This is the second wedding in the family in 2 months and a 3rd will follow suit within the next 4 months! An informal dinner at the house instead of the usual restaurant wedding dinner meant that we could move around and mingle in a relaxed atmosphere.

My gal had a nice time collecting presents this year! She asked me how come she received so many presents! We told her it's because people remember her. 8) For a kid at her age, presents make Christmas time a happy time. My boy was kept busy with his usual MYF year end activities. Reminds me of the years past when Other Half and I were at that age. Our year end hols would be filled getting ready for Christmas too! And it was good for us. Our time was well filled and working together with our friends helped to shape our characters.

Christmas this year is also enriched by the presence of the Thompsons in our midst. It's been many years since they left here and I think it's nice that we're able to see them rather regularly in the last couple of years too.

So, Christmas 2010! Yup! It's a blessed one for many of us.

And the two shall become one...

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." (Ephesians 5:31)

One more wedding of the grown up kids I know from church. In this past year or so, there've been 3 weddings of such 'kids' from our small church. And a little one is due in a while more... 8) As I looked around during the dinner reception, I noticed that the familiar faces have changed into young men and women. That's one sure sign that we're getting older... we're where our parents were; and it feels like not too long ago. Time flies.... circle of life moving.

We wish Onnie and Jun God's best.

Kids grow up; move into another phase of their lives and it signifies our moving too. Seems like yesterday they were still, well... kids. Seems like yesterday too that we were still young... And now most of us sport more gray hair (though some of us hide it under artificial colouring..LOL!) and have more lines on our faces... Conversation materials have witnessed a focus from play in kiddy talk, to school work, to college studies and now their jobs. For a few it has gone into about their kids (and soon to have kids)....

Weddings... they provide a reason to get together for families and friends, far and near, to celebrate and welcome the new addition into the family. They give us a goal to work together, put our heads and hands together for the joyous occasion, creating the opportunity to bond. And they also remind us of our loved ones gone cos that's what it did to me and I'm sure many of us there too.

It made us miss Eow Sim. She'd have been beaming with joy this weekend! This, in loving memory of her.

Royal Kedah Inaugral Hot Air Balloon Festival 2010

We went back to Taman Jubli Emas for a second day! It was not quite planned and I guess that's where half the fun is. We did talk about it but I half expected Daughter to sleep through. Son had wanted to go to see the sunrise from City Point with his friends... He's been the sort who has difficulty waking up. So, when I heard his alarm clock go off at 5.30 a.m. I decided to make sure he got up.... Daughter soon got up as well and asked whether we were going. How to say no to a kid like her????

So we got all our stuff (read that as cameras) and went. Got there at 6.35 a.m. but already there were people. The guard was kind enough to let us drive right in... and guess what? At that unearthly hour (it's a Saturday morn) there were already people waiting. So, the Ma joined the line.... what wouldn't parents do for their kids, huh?

There were already 7 people in front of me. So we waited and waited... for almost an hour before I could purchase the tickets. We were under the impression that they would start selling the tickets at 6.30 a.m. We were wrong! The line was real long and a lot of people were disappointed cos there were only 120 tickets available. And selling them didn't take very long. Each person was allowed a max of 4 tickets.... 30 people were all that was needed!

In the meantime, Other Half wondered around the main field where they were setting up the balloons.

These trucks are mighty useful... they carry the balloons and their paraphernalias, act as weights so that the balloons don't fly off on their own, pick up the balloons from their drop zones.... real workhorse.

This is the fan they use to inflate the balloon before heating it up. What they'd do would be use these super strong fans and inflate the balloons. Once the balloons are filled up, they'd fire up the heat. The rest is physics!

They were very kind to these photographers wannabes. An announcement was made that all those with 'real' cameras were allowed to wonder into the field where the balloons were being prepped to lift off. People like us who carry p&s cameras had no such privilege.

After we got the tickets, we had to wait for the skies to be cleared of air traffic (as in real planes) and for them to get ready. That took another hour. Punctuality is not their forte, that's for all to see.

Then another hour before Other Half and Daughter lifted off.... for 3 minutes of a tethered balloon ride which took them up about 20 feet! 3 hours of waiting for 3 minutes of thrill. But our gal was a very happy girl. But at least they had erected a tent with chairs for the people waiting. People had to stand around to wait the day before.

Then we went again at night for the 'night glow' display.... that despite the fact that the place was jammed with cars and we had to park more than a kilometer away from the park. Son and his friends joined us later. Again our little girl walked the distance with us. But the 'night glow' show was a disappointment. First the MC kept telling us the show would begin at 9 p.m. Well, the time came and went but there was nothing new... I mean, the balloons had been 'glowing' on and off the whole time we were there at the park! The musical fountain had a good sound system, though!

Second, he would have done better if he had used the opportunity to give some information about hot air balloons. There seemed to be this intention to make the public stay back since Tunku Putri Intan Shafinaz was supposed to show up just before 9 p.m. She was slightly late. And they wanted the people to hang around to see her go up in the hot air balloon......

But on the whole it was still a positive experience for the people here who are starved for interesting events and activities. But sad to note that the rubbish mentality is very prevalent here. All over the park, people simply threw their rubbish on the ground.... we're not that civic still.

As for the organization of the event, I feel it's not well publicized. Even for those of us who went, we were in the dark as to what programme will be carried out. There are some posters in town but simply just not enough. The quality of emceeing leaves much to be desired too.

And hot air rises....

Balloon rides.... first in Alor Setar, I think. This is the Inaugral Royal Kedah International Hot Air Balloon Fest. It starts today... at Tmn Jubli Emas Kedah, Suka Menanti.

Dropped by after breakfast this morning but the place was already packed with people. The rides for this morn seemed sold out. For RM10, you get a 10 minute vertical ride up. Will update with photos later.

Chinese New Year...

I join yet another exodus that has been a yearly ritual for the last 19 years, except for one year. Home is still CTA1.

I do get get stressed up a bit... there'll be the travelling, stuff to get and also my parents' house to clean. But I guess I should be thankful that I don't have to clutter my head with what to cook and all that. But what I miss is my side of family gathering.... my parents are at my sis' this year. My bro and his family hopefully will make it. Other than that, hopefully we'll be able to meet up with old school friends.

Anyway, CNY this year... will still be a reunion of sorts in a way, cos our boy will meeting up with us after a month of SUSOM. It's a coming home for him in a way. He's spent the last few days in KL with his uncle and aunty; sort of an exposure of sorts about colleges and the working world.

Yasmin Ahmad Passes On...

A sad day... cos she's one of those directors I really admire and look up to. I think her vision of Malaysia is as Malaysian as anyone can get. She has this way of looking at things and putting them together that it strikes a chord in our hearts. She tells the truth the way she sees it, plain and simple. Prod us to think about it. This piece that she did for the Singapore government is most poignant. She will be missed!

Truly a sad day for us.... May she rests in peace.

Wedding Reception @ Rebung...

A recent wedding dinner....

at Rebung... in Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, KL.

This joint is owned by Chef Ismail and our Angkasawan. The Star did a write-up of the place during the height of interest on the latter. A photo of these 2 celebrities greet you as you enter the restaurant.

Decor was okay but things were still being put up when we got there. Other Half was supposed to be one of the photographers. Charming place..... theme was Balinese; water, wood, lamps, carvings, plants.... Balinese are steeped in Hindu culture also, so you see its influence in the Balinese deco. Dress code was smart casual.

Places of honour... awaiting the bride and groom and also the rest of the guests of honour, with the background sound of Balinese traditional music of gong chimes and sounds of water cascading down the wall.

Food was okay... fushion of the east and west. Rendang, curry, roast lamb with mint sauce, Chinese stir fried veg with mushrooms.... buffet style. But the place was quite warm as it wasn't air-con.

Bride and groom having a light moment...

Gathering of family... cheers to the new couple. Here's a toast to them the best of everything life has to offer to them.

Jazzing the night...

...together with the kids at a Jazz Concert; Tay Cher Siang's WVC's Trio +1. There are very few culture stuff up here in Alor Setar. So, when Son told me that there was going to be a jazz concert, I decided to take all of them (TH, Jov, TH, Son and Daughter) out for an cultural exposure even though it was a 'lesson night'. Ticket was priced at RM20, which I thought was a great encourager for people to attend.

These guys either studied or are still studying jazz at various universities in the States. I was never much into jazz fan until more recently. But because so many of my friends were into music, the MYF, church and I was also in the school band most of secondary school life, music was something which I enjoyed even though I had no formal lessons.

Jazz... that's jazzing up the music with your own interpretation, an expression of your soul through music. Originated from New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century, it was dominated by the African Americans... one famous fler was Louis Armstrong. There's a complete history here.

And despite the individuality in the expression of each music on each instrument, the supposedly cacophony of noise when put together becomes a beautiful piece of music in its own right. Unlike the classical music, where the ensemble come together in harmony to produce music, jazz is almost on the other end of the spectrum. That's how I view jazz. Very much like abstract art, only more comprehensible... at least to me! 8)

Concert was followed by supper at Old Town. Tim and TH ordered the roti toast with curry. The real stuff was a let down. LOL!

...compared to the pic on the menu. Instead of the pieces of chicken that look so tantalizing on the pic, what they got were shreds of chicken meat lookalike. Of course the establishment also did put it in fine prints that pictures on the menu were for illustration only. Yeah! If I may add... people usually forget to read those fine prints and get sucked by the glossy pics....

And guess who we spotted there too... at the far end corner of Old Town. We seem to be bumping into this couple a lot... Love is in the air..... *skipping away* LOL!

Mother's Day

Last week we did this... at LF's place. Wrapped up the presents to be given to all the mothers in church..

These porcelain jars with covers are quite useful for soups. I'm putting mine at work. It's great for making my half boiled egg. Yummy!

And very aptly, we had this for tea...

Wife Cake... direct translation. LOL! All the way from Ipoh! Biscuit was really thin but quite nice, though. It has this sweet filling. There're a few stories as to why...

In ancient China, there was a poor couple. They adored and loved each other, staying in a small village. When a mysterious disease spread, the husband's father became very sick. Although they tried really hard to raise money to provide treatment for him, it wasn't enough. Sadly, the wife decided to sell herself as a slave, exchanging herself for her father-in-law's medicine.

Once the husband learned about what his wife did, he made a cake filled with winter melon and with a crispy crust. A cake for his wife. However, his cake became so popular that he was able to earn enough money to buy his wife back.

There's another one in which the husband got himself into debts and sold his wife into slavery. Guilt laden, he made the biscuit in her memory... Can Google it...

Anyway, this is the end product. Many hands make light work. The youths distributed one to each lady over 21 in church. Mother's Day is also MW night. Speaker for the night was May Chin from FGC... one of the rare lady speakers to grace the pulpit at WMC so far.

No fanfare for me this Mother's Day. In fact I cooked dinner some more. When I came back, my gal had 2 cards for me. Very typical of her... thoughtful! One she made on her own, the other her teachers asked the students to make. When I was schooling, there was no such thing... Mother's Day was just not something we 'celebrated'. I guess times have changed, at least on the outside. But on the inside, I'm not sure. Mothers.... the pillars to who we are. Just that very often many of us take them for granted.

Another visit to Precious Home...

This is like my third visit to this orphanage.

Last visit was about 6 months ago... saw one or two familiar faces. But could not remember the rest. Some are temporarily abandoned while their parents undergo rehab. Hopefully, these families get a chance to be reunited again.

There were around 19 of us, including some youths. Hopefully the youths will feature more in our social outreach.

Decided to do a movie instead of putting up pictures. Flavour of the day now is iMovie. Been trying it out these last couple of weeks and it's thumbs up, so far. Problem in putting in music since there're copyright issues to deal with. So just hentam with one that doesn't have-lah.

We brought lunch to share with them, also some clothes and toys. The kids were quite excited with the toys, mostly Lil Gal's. She was quite apprehensive to part with some of them but we told her the kids there do more justice to them.

Kids like mine... they are fortunate, as in those who went. I hope they realise it. Without the family support, their paths would be so much more difficult. Who knows, some of them might actually be out there working for their own living now.

Hari Bomba Sedunia 2009

To market, to market and I got these fire trucks instead... 8) This was yesterday morning. Was on my way to the market when Other Half called to say that they were having this parade. So patah balik to get my camera.

l've never seen so many fire trucks on one road in Alor Setar. They came in all shapes and sizes. The trucks, motorcycles, 4-wheel drives, boats, water scooters, etc made a big circle from Stadium Darul Aman into Lebuhraya Sultan Abdul Halim and Jln Stadium before ending up at the stadium again.

Hari Anggota Bomba Sedunia 2009 or World Firefighters Day; can see this poster around town but this one is right outside the Fire Station along Jln Tun Razak. Firefighters drew a lot of attention for their sacrifice and bravery during the World Trade Centre tragedy back in 2001. Many firefighters lost their lives there.

There weren't many people around as it was raining. But I had the opportunity to see one of the bands warming up during the brief respite from rain. This was Keat Hwa I School band, one of the best bands in the state. But notice that the conductor was a little listless. I could think of the Conductor for the Choral Speaking competition who was more lively and interesting to watch. Many parents and teachers feel that joining the band is a waste of time. I think it's a good activity. I was a school band member for 7 years... performed in many places. Waste time? The time would have been wasted anyway.

This is the Sultan Abdul Hamid College school band. Kinda cute with their cowboy hats. 8) Suits them. I can imagine them swaggering and not taking things seriously... making a joke out of everything. Boys! The Sultanah Asma Band came as I was leaving the Stadium grounds.

Little firefighters wannabes. The kids looked really cute, marching in a group.

This must be really old. It's nice the Fire Department is still maintaining some of the old vehicles.... All in all, it was actually quite interesting to see this in such sleepy old Alor Setar. 8) Glad I caught it on camera.

Valentine's Day....

It's over-hyped.... and I don't understand why in Saudi Arabia, they go to such lengths to ban it. It seemed the Authority for Enjoining Good and Preventing Evil ordered retail outlets to rid themselves of Valentine's Day paraphernalia. Wow! They have a department for that!... just to prevent evil. But how do you bust evil?? What is evil? Buying a flower for someone you love is evil???

In India, the Hindu Shiv Sena party even went to the extent of violent protests to make their point that Valentine's Day is bad for the society. So, you aren't supposed to show love to the person you love, at least not in the Valentine's Day way... whatever that is. Hmmmm..

People fall in love, regardless of age. So with or without V-day, people will still celebrate it. I know Valentine's Day had its origins in the Christian saint, St Valentine who went to jail because he disagreed with the emperor that conscripted young men should not marry. But, the Valentine's Day of today is only remotely related to St Valentine.... St Valentine didn't give any flower to any gal... I think. Priests and celibacy thingy..

Anyway, V-day was a packed day for me. There was school to start with... which was total waste of time cos nothing much got done except that we replaced a day.

Then it was followed by another hike up the 888 Hill in Pokok Sena. We had 'new' old people with us; there were 10 of us. My lil one went again.

And even though this tiny hill has been ravaged for its soil, I still look so tiny. The initial aim was to climb up to the top but I gave up as the soil was kinda loose.This shot is to remind me how puny and small I am as compared to nature.

And I competed with Aaron at sit ups... I did a total of 65, he had 28, I think. *grinning* I'll gloat over this while I still can cos I know in no time, he'll outdo me.. that's for sure. For now, my ab muscles are still 'fitter' than his. I wonder whether he'll be reminded of this each time he laughs for the next coupla days. Ha! Ha! But he's got youth on his side... I don't. That's him grimacing as he tried to come up from the bench.. at number 27, I think. LOL!

Hike was followed by a 'birthday' dinner. We did a rushed one.... but company and food were good. Then it was off to a wake service... this is the second one in a month. But the difference is, when one has lived a full life, there is also sadness but we tend to look at it as a celebration of life; rightly so too:

2 Timothy 4: 7-8
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

We'll miss her here but she'll be in Heaven waiting for us.

So, there, my Valentine weekend..... packed to the brim but for that I am thankful cos it's nice to be alive and be able to spend time with the people who matter in our lives.

LoVE iS in tHE AiR....

Had this conversation with a 6-year-old two days back... and it really made my day cos he's in love with me. *grinning from ear to ear* ... and tis the season when love is in the air. And somebody is in love with me... Awesome!

And nah!! I don't need those expensive flowers or chocolates... this beats them. Most definitely! Cos it is straight from the heart!

This is usually how we'd have our conversations... kids and adults... I enjoy these 'Skype sessions' with them. What we do?? Well, emoticon 'conversations', and lately, maths... *grins*. Wonders of technology....

I've blotted out his name in red just in case, years from now he feels 'paiseh'. But this has got to be one which I'll cherish. Classic! Told Other Half that someone is in love with me.... Ooo la la la....

HaPPy vALenTinE's DAy folks!!!!!