flowering hope

Over the week, another orchid flower opened.

Elsewhere, a stray plant that came to stay, opened three flowers (albeit pale lavendar-coloured and frail-looking) - the first time ever I'd seen it bloom with three flowers. At other times, I saw only one.

All small things, hardly headline-grabbing, or even meriting any news spot. But still some (however small) uplifting of the spirits. :)

off to the Camp

Tis the week when many of the erstwhile JC2 boys are off to the army. To Pulau Tekong, a nice camp, say the old NSmen used to rougher housing conditions. A place where the new recruits have their basic training.

Off the boys go, to the barber. No more sophisticated hair salon, with hairstylist examining how best to cut and style the hair. Off with the locks, they say, and demand.

Off to the jogging track the boys go too - at least, some do. To train up and get ready for the road marches and training.

Off to the fitness park they go, for the chin-ups, the pull-ups etc. So as to pass the fitness tests.

For one has to be prepared.


Recruits, ATTENTION!

soothing sights

As one sat, waiting - waiting, waiting, waiting - one's eyes fell on a painting, a print, a picture. One that looked vaguely therapeutic, a bit like the one at the dentist's.

This was of a field of bright yellow flowers. With blue sky and white clouds above. A very cheery sight indeed.

But in the sea of yellow flowers, stood a lone house. A nice tranquil place for a vacation? Or a house isolated from everyone, but for the flowers, plants and sky above?

Perhaps the institutions hanged these up to soothe visitors' nerves? Or to keep them in good spirits?

when the Wind blows ...

When the afternoon breeze blows,

the house cools, and

temperatures too.

When the wind blows,

the curtains lift

to show the greenery outside,

the cheerful sunlight,

warming the land.

early signs of CNY

The decorations for Chinese New Year (the Year of the Rat), on 7 Feb, are sprouting up. At the market, a stall has already set up decorative blinking lights, beckoning customers to its raw fish/yu sheng offering.

new life, new swish

They came from various parts of the world - Thailand, Singapore, and even Japan, the last being the most elegant and brilliant in colours and patterns (and the most expensive). Yesterday, they swam around nervously in their new home ... and getting to know their fellow residents. While we watched nervously, hoping that they would live well. Today, they are more settled and swim in a more leisurely pace.

Blossoming Orchids

Another week, and more flowers have bloomed. It may be a modest number, and nothing compared to the beds of flowering orchids in nurseries, but a bird on hand is worth two on the bushes.

At least some brightness in the horizon.

along the Farmway

We ventured to Farmway in Pasir Ris in the rainy afternoon. Neat rows of trees lined the Farmway roads, dotted by pet/animal farms and fish farms along the way.

Nice tranquil place, a stone's throw from the nearby condos and malls, as well as Downtown East. Rectangular spartan buildings housed modest fish retailers. In one, koi and goldfish fronted the aquariums, while at the back, some hapless goldfish were seen floating in dismal waters. Under the shadows, the scenario looked somewhat surreal, bringing back memories of beautiful koi struggling in polluted waters.

Appearances (of the farm retai fronts) could be deceptive. One farm deep inside, with boring looking round tubs/ponds, housed some koi with beautiful patterns. One group was even called "peacock"! Another group, of smaller koi, looking quite run-of-the-mill to the unexperienced eye, turned out to be quite an energetic group, some koi jumping when caught in the net.

Our afternoon sojourn into the Farmways ...

Raffles and Raffles - together, yet separate

" The Raffles merger was proposed by the RJC and RI boards to implement a seamless six-year curriculum for the three schools, which are already closely intertwined.
Under their Raffles Programme, RI and RGS students go directly to RJC without sitting for the O levels.

RGS principal Julie Hoo told The Straits Times that her board, headed by Justice Judith Prakash, did not see how a merger would be advantageous in the long-term.
She said RGS had built up its identity as the premier girls' school here and risked losing a rich tradition of producing generations of women leaders.
She added that despite staying out, RGS will look at ways to collaborate more closely with the merged school. "
Extracted from ST, Sat 5 Jan 08, "Raffles JC, RI looking into merger".

** Daughters of a Better Age **

Day before Term Begins

Tis the day before the new school term begins, the day before most people will return to work after the year-end holidays.

Tis also the day after the countdown to 2008 - a relatively quiet, restful day. But as one savours the peaceful tranquility, one almost feels like one is on a beach, looking like relaxing, but actually watchful ... watchful for signs of waves, of dark clouds, that could break the peace.

The roads were thin of traffic. One could take photos of the Orchard Road lights quite easily - if one still wanted to. The shopping malls were quiet tonight. Most of those with kiddies and school-going children have gone home - to prepare for tomorrow. So it was quite blissful shopping for the rest of us. *gleeful snigger*