Until yesterday, I had not realised that Teachers’ Day in Singapore has become SO commercialised & the whole business of gift presentation has been instituted in schools of ALL levels.  

GOSH. 

From what I’ve seen, major shopping centres were selling a wide variety of gifts for teachers and business was brisk.  Does this actually reflect how much more teachers are valued today?  Or is this merely a case of retailers playing up the sentiments and capitalising on the occasion?  Just like Valentine’s Day or X’mas Day?  

As I looked at the youngsters and parents snapping up the presents, I couldn’t help but ponder about their true motivations.   Did they enjoy buying the gifts or was it just a necessity to pay homage?   And really, why was I also joining the herd in this mad rush despite snubbing about this deference to teachers? 

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, then join them.   HA.  Unbelievable for someone who is not used to conforming to social conventions.  But believe me, when you become a parent, and if you care enough, you’ll discard your principles for the sake of your child’s well-being.  Really one. 

Anyway, I was determined to get something below $5 including ready made cards.  El cheapo?  Look, I’m not going to blow a hole in my pocket for teachers’ sake!  It’s the thought that counts and realistically, students of Gavin’s age have NO money.

So in the end, after checking out the array of meaningless souvenirs, I bought three boxes of Lipton’s earl gray tea instead.  Practical and I think somewhat refine.  I didn’t think impressing was an important criteria in selecting for gifts but my husband thought otherwise.

“I think his teachers will be unimpressed with his gift,”  he started. 

“And then?  So what?”  I answered.

“What if they start to pinch boy?”  he suggested, matter-of-factly.

I looked at him incredulously and retorted:    

“THEN THEY’RE NOT FIT TO BE TEACHERS!”

I have said that I’m not fond of cooking but ironically, I love cookbooks and I’ll usually check them out at  bookstores.  I have quite a few of them at home but I never seem to optimise them in any sense.  Sometimes I pick up something interesting, I experiment and promptly forget about it all.  Other than Gavin flipping through occasionally, the books are, well, just lying in the drawers.

The thing is that I haven’t got much time or interest in the kitchen.  As such, daily cooking in our household is left to the maid.  Every morning, I’ll just pen down on a piece of paper what should be cooked for the day and she’ll take care of the rest.  With this arrangement, the problem is after a while, there is a serious lack of variety because she doesn’t know too many dishes to begin with. 

So yesterday, I dug out all my cookbooks to study for new dishes.  Instead of just reading them and forgetting, I wrote out some of the recipes I’ve picked out in one of my many notepads.   By writing it down, it’ll be a whole lot easier for me to remember what to buy at the supermarket or wet market when I bring my notepad along.  Moreover, most of these are simple dishes I already know and a matter of varying the methods or ingredients to cook with. 

And that’s how my shopping list this week has expanded to include pig’s tail, lily flower, lilybulbs, Chinese chives, Chinese mushrooms and satay sauce.   Okay, nothing exotic but something more exciting for the tummy.  *Ahem* I hope lah.

“You love daddy or mummy?”
“MUMMY!”
You love mummy or auntie?”
“MUMMY!”
“You love boy-boy or mummy?”
“MUMMY!”
“You love mummy or Bertie (the bus)?”
“MUMMY!”
“You love mummy or Thomas?”
“THOMAS!”

Since the opening of the new National Library, I had wanted so badly to visit it.  Yet, after months of waiting and only being able to find time to go today, I have nothing nice to say except that I am COMPLETELY disappointed.   

Oh, it’s big alright.  But it’s also cumbersome in terms of the different levels of security checks.  Plus the collections aren’t exactly exceptional from what I’ve seen.

Can you imagine that before I was allowed into the central library, I had to have my bag rummaged through before walking pass a frigging security gate to collect it?  Sounds familiar?  Because this is exactly what we are subjected to when we have to board an airplane.  Except that this is a public library.     

At one point, on another storey, I was told that my bag is too large and I should put it in a locker.  I just walked away really annoyed.  And I didn’t mentioned that the car was being checked before it could enter the carpark.  Well, they only looked at the boot and didn’t check that I had liquids on my seat.  A total waste of time cos they weren’t at all thorough.  They were just going through the motion following some mindless procedures. 

For someone who is usually very contented amongst books, I can only say my mood was COMPLETELY dampened today.  So much so that I didn’t feel like browsing through the bookshelves and of course left the place empty-handed just after 45 minutes.   

You think I want to go back there?  Hmpf.  Unless they make the place more people friendly.  Otherwise, over my dead body.

We’ve been spending many of our weekend mornings idling at Seletar Country Club recently.  It was the same this weekend, except that we decided to venture beyond the club to check out the famousfortheirbuffalowings Sunset Grill & Pub and also, hunt down some wild cactus.  Yesh, c-a-c-t-u-s.  Only because my silly boy is soOoo into these thorny succulent plants nowadays.     

So we drove a bit around the Seletar airbase and was pleasantly surprised by an interesting discovery. 

For those who don’t know, this part of Singapore is home to four flying schools and clubs, the Singapore Armed Forces’ School of Logistics and a military camp for combat engineers.  But it is also a tranquil sanctuary of green open fields, huge casaurina trees and some grey herons. 

And families actually live here, in modest looking colonial style bungalows with generous gardens and yards.  We often see children playing in their own little playgrounds or dogs being walked down the narrow streets.

Apart from the green haven of fields and trees we usually see, this time we found a new Orientus resort which is due to open in two weeks’ time in the middle of nowhere.  Well, more like a hostel and I suppose targetting at travellers or visitors who want a little of the countryside.  Neither upmarket nor modern, it’s got that rustic charm and reminded us of those we used to stay during our backpacking days.  But I seriously wonder who will come here, given the obvious lack of public transport.  Although this will no doubt change when the new Seletar Aerospace Park is developed here in nine years’ time.

THE sleepy surroundings of Seletar Airport will get a multi-million-dollar makeover as Singapore races to become the region’s hub for aerospace activities like aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul.

The new Seletar Aerospace Park will open in several phases and when complete in nine years, will cover 140ha or the size of more than 100 football fields.

By 2018, it is expected to create 10,000 new jobs and contribute $3.3 billion annually to the economy. The expansion will cost about $60 million, excluding the cost of upgrading the airport.

The spoils of capitalism.  What grieve.

So in the end, we didn’t find the Sunset Grill & Pub but we saw many cactus along the way. Plus, an oasis of green escapade and bohemia charm which I hope will not be completely gone in years to come.