CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY - LESSON 2

In the process of re-learning everything I've been taught.

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 practise, practise, practise ...

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。