HALF-DAY OUT WITH MUM

Today I managed to coax my mother out of our apartment!  Our neighbours living three floors above us has some renovation work going and there has been tons of sawing and drilling.  The work started last Thursday, continuing on Friday.  Today, the racket started again and was louder than it was before.  Mum finally acknowledged that she needed to leave the comfort of her couch for a few hours.

So Nana and I placed her into her wheelchair and off we went.  We took the elevator downstairs and sat on a public bench, just chatting and enjoying the quiet breeze.  Then we moved to the outdoor gym for Mum to do some pedalling.  

Mum wanted ban mian for lunch but changed her mind when she saw someone at the next table eating lor mee. "I want laksa," she pointed.  

"That's lor mee, not laksa.  Do you want lor mee?"

"It's laksa," she said stubbornly.  

"It's lor mee," I corrected her.  "So do you want ban mian or lor mee?"  She chose lor mee.

Mum avoids going out because her legs are getting weak.  We bought a wheelchair but she doesn't want to be seen in it.  Today it is as if traditions are broken.  I think she secretly feels proud of herself.

"We go again tomorrow," she told Nana.  We shall see about that.

***

I still have about $200 worth of CDC vouchers which expires in two days.  Today, I spent half of it on bak kwa and pork floss. Nana gets her own small pack of chicken floss.  Mum loves bak kwa but we buy them only once a year.  Are you aware that traditional bak kwa has 32 grams of sugar per slice? (gulp!)

I bought both the original pork floss and crispy pork floss.  Mum once told me she doesn't like the crispy ones, claiming they are too dry.  Today, she tells me that the the crispy ones are the best.  If you think this is just her dementia talking, you haven't read my post about boiling potatoes.  

I'll be spending 5 nights in Taipei with a couple of friends at the end of January.  Today Mum tells me that it is going to RAIN on those days for sure. What she really wants to say is, "I wish you all the very worst." :D

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE

It's Christmas Eve but it's just a day like any other here at home.

I like it that the social calendar is empty and I could spend a good two hours on calligraphy.  I don't suppose I can call it calligraphy because I do it so badly (LOL).

This morning I told Nana (our domestic helper) that we'll be making a Shepherd's Pie for dinner.  She has never had sheperd's pie and her eyes lit up when I described it: you take a can of cream of chicken soup ... diced chicken ... top with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes ... bake until golden brown. "It's going to be really good!" she said enthusiastically.

I thought my mother would love Shepherd's Pie because it's moist and soft, making it easy to eat.  I even added the dried Italian herbs that she loves so much.  Nana and I tasted the gravy repeatedly to make sure it isn't overly salty.  Sadly, Mum wasn't a fan.

No matter, Nana and I both ate heartily.  She thinks it's the best meal and even took photos to share with her friends.  What I didn't explain to her was it isn't really a Shepherd's Pie because it hasn't got mutton in it.

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY - LESSON 2

In the process of re-learning how to write properly.

I feel as if I've gone back in time to when I was three years old and learning to write from my grandmother!

The only way to improve is to keep practising.  No shortcuts.

CHRISTMAS BAKING: ROCK BUNS AGAIN!

Rock Buns are my mother’s favourite cookies.  This year, due to dementia, Mum often looks at many things with new eyes. I was amused to see her face lit up when she saw the cookies today.  “How pretty they are, “she commented, “I don’t think I’ve had these before!”  

I usually make rock buns around Christmas time and have given them out as gifts.  People ask me for the recipe because these cookies are SO GOOD!  Let me share the link.

JOYEUX NOEL

Overnight rain.  I snuggled under the bed covers for an extra 30 minutes this morning.  

Starting the week with lunch at the cozy French restaurant called La Table D'emma.  This is my second visit, and Joanne's first.  We opted the 1-for-1 Festive Set Lunch.

When I first ate here, I fell in love with so many things about this restaurant - the ambience, its menu, the quality of food, even the restaurant logo - and I love everything still.

I hope the chilly weather holds for the next few days!

FIRST CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY LESSON

Just an awesome day in the life of a crab!

This morning, I attended my first Chinese Calligraphy lesson with Singapore Century Calligraphy.  I suck  at writing with a brush but at my age I have no wish to be competitive. 

You know what the best part is?  It was FREE because I used my $100 SG Culture Credits.  

The class was supposed to last only 1.5 hours but it was already 12:30 by the time it ended.  I was SO hungry.  I ate pork basil rice at a little Thai kitchen in Sunshine Plaza.  I rate it "meh".

It rained very hard this evening - - for about 30 minutes.  

7:18PM sky:

DEMENTIA DRAMAS

My mum's dementia seems to be worsening.  

Last Tuesday, I went to collect meds for Mum at the clinic.  Mum was taking a shower when I arrived home and Nana was inside the bathroom with her.  As soon as Nana opened the bathroom door I had cried out "Hey!" to let them know I've come home.

"Hey!" Nana responded.

My mum (who was still inside the bathroom and couldn't see me) asked Nana in a scared voice, "Who were you talking to?"

***

She had fallen asleep on the couch after breakfast.  When Nana woke my mum up to give her her meds (something that Nana does every morning), my mum asked in Mandarin, "Where is she?"

Naturally, Nana was confused.  "Where did who go?" 

"Her!" Mum got so agitated she started sprouting English. "Where she went?!"

I had overheard the conversation so I went into the living room and asked Mum as gently as I could.  "Just take a minute to be calm and gather your thoughts, " I told her.  There are only three of us here.  Did you want me?  Or did you want Nana?"  

"Nana!" she said.

"Nana is right here," I pointed out.

At this point, mum confessed in a small voice, "I was confused.  I thought she wasn't Nana."

***

For dinner tonight, Mum and I shared glutinous rice parcel.  I made sure she got most of the chicken filling.  When we were almost done, I wanted to pull her leg by lamenting, "I had only one piece of chicken in mine!" (sad face).  Her response?  "At least you had one big piece.  I had NONE."

:(

GOING SPANISH

Caught up with Winnie and Lilian over lunch.  Got treated to Spanish food @Pura Brasa.  I haven't eaten so much pork in a long time.  Gift exchange.  Had a fab lunchtime.

Winnie and Lilian had jobs to go back to so I called upon Eunice, whose workplace is a stone's throw from the restaurant.  She doesn't need to be in the office every day so today is my lucky day!  We had a spot of tea together.  

Eunice and I hang out once a week.  She's my work buddy-turned-bestie.

Spotted a white chicken.  I'm not wild about having wild chickens roaming our neighbourhoods and, the CBD though I have to say that Singaporean chickens are smart!  I've bumped into one or two crossing the roads at traffic lights.

Tonight, I'll be gift-tagging a few cutsie items that I bought from Melbourne.  Just a couple of Australian brands that are small and easy on the luggage.  I love "all kinds".  Walking into the store made me think of strawberries and bubblegum.

PLEASE SIMPLIFY

To re-train myself to write better Chinese characters, I've been copying poetry and verses written by poets of the Tang and Song dynasty.  Some traditional Chinese characters, I find, are tough to write.

Can someone please create simplified characters for these? 

攥 (zuan), 虞 (yu), 檀 (tan), 鬓 (bin), 孽 (nie), 袅 (niao), 簟 (dian), 颦 (pin)

I can promise you that should I ever write Chinese poetry, I will not include such perplexing characters.

人性

今天总觉得笔画是很不顺 还是勉强抄了几个字。

***

当一碗水端不平的时候 只有牺牲那个最善良的人才能风平浪静。一旦那个善良的不愿意再牺牲了 就会被扣上一个破坏和谐的帽子。 人性的丑陋之处就在于明明自己揣着私心 却苛求别人大度。 

善良的人总是在反省自己 质疑自己 用道德约束自己。自私的人从不觉得哪里错了 因为他们心里只装着自己。