Shutters are down in Block 106

Walked past the neighbourhood shops as usual on my way to catch a cab to work this morning, and was so sad to see the doors pulled shut at our little market in Block 106. The shopkeepers in that block have opted to retire on the compensation that the government has offered if they don't want to continue. Business is not very good in the little enclave; I guess our few blocks in Sunset Way are not enough to sustain a living. But I'll miss them. Having lived here for more than five years now, I've become pretty familiar with the shopowners. I really liked nodding good morning to each and every one on my way to work in the mornings, even if I haven't had the time to patronise them much recently.

Funny to think how it doesn't seem at all long ago that this was our new home and we were getting to know the shops around us. Now we've lived here long enough that my memories of them are tinged with nostalgia. When the kids were little and we were at a loss for things to do, we would walk down to the animal clinics to check out the dogs and cats there, and then stop at the fish shop to admire the tanks and tanks of ornamental fish and frogs. Then we would stop at Balmoral Bakery to buy donuts covered with sugar sprinkles, or Grindelwald Supermarket for crackers or candy. The kids would always clamour for 20 cents to have a go on the kiddy ride outside G or the Food Lion. And before our spanking new food court came into being (wow, that was July 2004) all we had were a few hawker stalls where we could buy some wantan noodles for lunch (I still go to that stall, which has moved across the bridge to Ave 4) or prata for breakfast. Now they have all moved out to make way for the food court.

It's nothing fancy but I'm really fond of our sleepy neighbourhood. With the shops in Block 106 moving out by Dec 31, I wonder what will become of it? Would HDB rebuild it? Or will it stay empty and crumble to pieces?

Fever

Isabel's been running a temperature hovering around 40 deg C for two days now. Of course thoughts of dengue crossed our minds but I can hear the congestion in her voice. She is also coughing, so I figure it must be the flu or something like it. I would make her wear repellent but that we've been sponging her frequently. I just hope it's not dengue.

Mainly because I can't imagine how she'd put up with having her blood taken every day. She's already mortally afraid of swallowing medicine, which is odd considering how easy going she was as a baby. It was always Alexis who had to be held down and forcibly fed her medication (which would then come up again along with the contents of her stomach, leading to another round of syringing it into her mouth, followed by more throwing up and so on until the whole block could hear her wails). Isabel on the other hand would swallow whatever was given her good-naturedly. But it's now reversed, with Alexis making much less of a fuss now whereas Isabel is this overwrought hysterical wreck.

It took her half an hour tonight to drink a teaspoon of neurofen, mixed in with an inch of orange squash plus a squirt of orange juice. Thirty minutes to sip it by millimetres with a glass of water next to her that she could gulp after each sip. Furthermore she would take close her eyes and take a deep calming breath before putting her lips to it. That one should be an actress when she grows up.

Happy Slidin's

Two momentous things happened at Wild Wild Wet today. One, Isabel went with us on the Ular-Lah without hysterics -- at least, the second time around. I told her to laugh when she felt like screaming, and that's what she did, all the way down. Laughing loudly. I was so proud of her cos she was really really scared.

Then, Alexis nearly lost her front tooth. She knocked her mouth into her knee and there it was, dangling by a root. She would not let anyone near it though, so we'll have to wait for it to come out on its own. Meanwhile it protrudes from the gum at a crazy angle. Just one little tug and it'll come off...

Tonight we stayed home and watched two movies, Peter Pan, and Because of Winn Dixie, which was soppy but sweet enough. We had popcorn, and STILL the tooth stayed in...

Lazy Sunday

School break's over, and as a fitting end to the week, we did not a damn thing today. It was one of those fitful, somewhat unsatisfactory days, when you feel out of sorts and not inclined to be productive at all. So we weren't. It didn't help that J and I had too much to drink last night at dinner with Mo and the Loks, and also that our inner ears are still screwed, probably waterlogged from snorkelling. The world continues to bob up and down like a boat; it's a most unsettling sensation. I contemplated takin Dramamine in the hopes that it would reset my sense of balance but commonsense prevailed.

Anyway, we had dinner with my parents and brother's family -- Teochew porridge at Cheong Chin Nam Road -- so the day was not a total bust. Isabel brought along for grandma the 60 cents she had earned yesterday selling baby notebooks that she'd made. She explained to me that she was giving grandma the money to help -- grandma had told her that she couldn't get a job because no one wanted to hire such an old lady. The kindness is typical of Isabel. Grandma was touched but she wouldn't take the money, so Isabel still has 60 cents to put to good use.

Back to Singapore -- and body parts

Flew back to Singapore this morning. Drove around Seletar Airbase looking for Sunset Grill but wound up at the Kingfisher Pub instead. It turned out to be quite a find. Good and cheap food and a pool for use for $2, in a green and quiet location. Too bad it's all the way up north.

Speaking of up north, Redang was pretty good. We had some great snorkelling which the kids surprisingly got into. A far cry from Phi Phi three years ago, when they wouldn't even get off the boat. This time they got right into the water with bread for the fish, though Alexis gave up on feeding them when she got nibbled on the fingers. The Marine Park was simply teeming with fish (and snorkellers. There must have been 60 people in an area just 200 sq m). You hold out a slice of bread and they're swarming all around you to take bites out of it.

On another trip, we saw a magnificent sea turtle resting on the seabed in Keling Bay. It must have been close to five feet in length and was probably older than me, which might explain why it was extremely calm and didn't freak out even with half a dozen snorkellers gathered around it to ogle.

Getting into such beautiful waters with its abundant sea life after so many years, J decided he wouldn't sell his dive gear after all. As for me, I'm toying with the idea of doing a refresher. Still a coward about being in deep water but that marine life was irresistible.

We said goodbye to it on Friday morning and got back on board our 48-seat Dash. I also had the pleasure of going back to work in the afternoon. Around the same time that I got in the office, a cleaner in Orchard Park discovered a gym bag with a woman's head, arms, and legs in it. A few hours later, a jogger stumbled upon a trolley bag containing the torso in MacRitchie Reservoir. It was the story of the day, pushing dengue fever into the background.

Off to Redang

Flew to Redang this morning from sleepy Seletar Airport, which is rather charming now because of its age. It's also where rich people park their private jets, we were reminded, by the burgundy Rolls Royce ahead of us. As it pulled to a stop at the front doors, four customs officials (or airport workers, but they were wearing uniforms) ran to lift the Louis Vitton suitcases from the boot. No one got out of the car.

So that's how the other half live. Our half sat outside the front door while we waited to check in to our Berjaya Air flight. Among our fellow passengers was a group of three families travelling together. They had packets of chicken rice, which they scarfed while I looked on enviously. Is there any food which is more redolent of a day out than packed chicken rice?? The women and children ate while the men smoked.

Then we were called to check in. A minor holdup because J's diving knife did not please the bag checker, who insisted it go with the crew. Fine. And then we were off to wait for our plane, a 48-seater turboprop Dash or thingabob. It didn't look anything like the lean mean sleek machine which we waited for to land before we took off. Bet it was carrying LV bags. Ours spewed water vapour from the aircon vents but hey, it sure beats a 10-hour drive to Terengganu.

Flight left 11.50am. Beautiful views over Terengganu, particularly Lake Kenyir (at least, we figure it had to be Lake Kenyir). Finally at 1.30, we came in to land over Redang. Appealing views of the beaches and resorts as we came in for the landing.
The resort was five mins away by bus. We sat in the front like good kiasu Singaporeans, but of course the rush was unnecessary since our room was not ready. Resolved not to let the minor hitches get to us and just to enjoy the place.

And what a place. The hotel is nothing to write home about: room is spacious but cleanliness is suspect, particularly the smelly pillows; staff are friendly but not always clued in, but the beach. My god. Talcum powder sand, clean clear water. You walk out from the hotel and there is instantly fish everywhere. Tiny baby reef tips nuzzling at the sand, schools of spotted snapper (I am guessing); at least half a dozen kinds of fish and we are still on the hotel beach.

We blew up our dinghy and rowed out, though not before J and I had a beer each while the children paddled in the water. They are thrilled by the fish, though Isabel feels safer out of the dinghy than in.

We had dinner at the hotel's only restaurant, Palms, which we are to know well in the next few days, since there is nearly nowhere else to eat that the children don't object to!

In bed early. Feels good to be on vacation.

Jitters

Ok done. Now what?