Karaoke (Red Box) The Curve

Families of single mums together with their kids occassionally gather for fellowship and a bond had emerged between us. We empower each other to scale to greater heights.

Jillian, daughter of Deborah and Sue Anne, daughter of Doreen were great singers. They are not too far off to be the next Malaysian Idols. With the needed guided help and encouragement they should be there real soon.

Pulau Ketam

19 of us headed for Pulau Ketam "Crab Island" off Port Klang, Selangor on a beautiful Saturday.

Started from Subang Jaya commuter train station. Caught the train in the nick of time and it took about 45 mins. RM5.80 both ways.

Hopped on to an air cond ferry RM7.00 one way. About 45 mins. Missed the view outside. If not for the petrol smell, the trip could have been better. Just couldn't wait to get out! Oh! what a relief to be out of the ferry!

Smile you are on Pulau Ketam Jetty.

Bicycles for hire. RM5.00 each unlimited hours. Some were first timers and had a hard time balancing what a pity our leader, Deborah had the worst fall and broke her big toe nail.

The smell of fried oysters was hard to resist. A plate costs RM8.00. It was so good and that some packed for the love ones back home.

Someone from the island suddenly appeared in our midst and ushered us to the community hall and gave us a little history about the island.
It was told that a Hainanese from China first set foot on this remote island but now there are two other clans - Hock Chiew, Hokkien and some bumiputra government servants. The population from about 20,000 dwindled to 6,000 because of no job opportunities. After completing their secondary education, they either get into business or venture out for greener pastures.

They have one primary and two secondary schools, a market, kindergartens, plenty of shops, four private clinics and a commuity clinic. Any major medical treatment will be referred the Klang General Hospital. As claimed by him - security is not a problem because everybody seemed to know each other.

After the island tour, he brought us to his shop selling most of the local produce. Dried shrimps RM32.00 per kilo, some cute umbrellas that fitted nicely on the forehead - RM10.00 for three (made in China) and others. Good strategy and he was rewarded with good sales with so many shopping addicts.

Then proceeded to a sumptious lunch at Restaurant Kim Hoe. We had steamed fish, fish fillet, fried prawns, sweet and sour crabs, fish ball and fish string soup coupled with green vegetables, steamed lala, soya sauce lala, rice and chinese tea. RM22.00 per head. Reasonable for KL folks.

Ah, the coffee next door was so good that some even stayed back for more.

Ice kacang RM2.00 nothing special except that the ice was finely grounded and it blended well with the brown sugar syrup. We expected a mountain of ice but it was just a small heap.

Ice cream heavily coated with a batter and a very quick fry in very hot oil for RM2.00. Forget about the oil and enjoy it.

Left the island around 3.30pm to catch the commuter at Port Klang station back to Subang Jaya. A well spent Saturday. Thank you Deborah.

Something seems missing

LETTERS to the Editor - Herald, May 17, 2009

Reverence for God seems missing in the church

I attended mass at St. Joseph Church in Singapore recently and two young beautiful girls were selected for the offertory. I was startled, shocked and distracted to see them dressed in “mini”shorts walking down the aisle. I wonder, will they be allowed to have an audience with their President dressed like that!

Fr. Peter at the homily said there were three categories of people from an unknown author. The first, makes things happen, second, see things happen and third, do not know what is happening. However, Fr. Peter hoped that the congregation belonged to the first along with their valuable senses.

So, after mass, I discussed this matter with my son and he said, nowadays people want the faith to follow them rather than they following the faith. We are in this new era whereby we are so afraid to offend another fellow Catholic for fear that they might leave the church so they rather be silent than to be accused. If they do not wish to abide by the rules and regulations of the church, let them go, as in the case of the Prodigal Son. There was great rejoicing when he returned.

Fr. Peter also mentioned that he recently baptized an 84 year old man and he was drawn to the Catholic faith through his son, a neophyte. Faith cannot be forced, it can only be nurtured through actions and not by words only.

As a follower of Christ, I was very grieved.

Lost and Found

A few day ago I was helping a street lady to get into a proper home and I asked a friend of mine to drive my car back and I thought I only gave her my keys. So in the evening when I wanted to do some reading I discovered that I don't have them!

I called the person who drove us around and he said that did not have them either and that saddened me quite a bit. I told my son about my loss doing an outreach programme and here I am - lost my priceless books. He then said that whoever finds the books will be needing them more than I do. That was comforting but I could not get an immediate replacement!

Two days had passed but I still thought about the loss. In my sleep my sent me an sms and it read "Good News" but I didn't realize it because my handphone was switched off. So when he came home, he woke me up and showed me the bag of books. I was shocked and asked him where he found it. "In the boot", he said.

My friend who drove my car home placed it in the boot for fear of theft but forget to inform me. Seldom does my son clean my car but I felt that it was not just a coincidence but shown the way. Praise the Lord.

Mouth Ulcers

Recently, I went on a trip by bus which took about 6 hours to my destination each way and toilet facilities with one pit stop each way. So to avoid any inconvenience, I went on water rationing exercise. With the current dry weather, it should be avoided.

I now have three ulcers in my mouth and I have decided to go on a fruit therapy hoping that the vitamin C will boost my recovery. In the course of my work, I am required to talk substantially and it had been very testing. At times, I just feel like shouting which I can't so I had to endure the pain with great patience and puffing air into my mouth to ease the pain.

Penny wise pound foolish. Maybe I should have flown with the current low fares offered by the low cost carriers. It may be a bit more expensive, believe me, it is worth it!



Oh my lips, have pity on me!

Street Wanderer

A lady in her fifties had been hanging around the church compound for sometime. She would be carrying some worn out plastic bags (her belongings) dirty and shabbly dressed. Then one day, I decided to talk to her to know her better. Through the conversation, she hoped that she could be accepted by a particular home with a very large compound and was willing to help out in the kitchen because she was still healthy. Then I got in touch with a social worker from the church and he was quick to respond we went to the home of her choice quite immediately.

I too was very impressed by the lush green compound spread over three acres of land because I love nature too. It was ladies home that housed a little more than 20 and I was very stunned when we were told that it was only meant for a particular race. I was very sad and she will definitely not pass the "race test". Not to waste anymore time, we left for another home farther away but she was terrified by the man interviewer and refused to co-operate and insisted to leave the place. Since she was not comfortable with the environment, we had to leave otherwise it will be a wasted effort if we forced her.

Her parents were dead and she had brothers and sisters whom she didn't want to trouble.

Unable to find a suitable home for her, she is back to the street again.

Stylish Shoes

I am a bit short but because of my slightly broader shoulders it camouflaged my height a little. To step out in style I used to put on these shoes daily and with great effort to balance myself. At times the shoes bit so badly that I just wondered whether other people were also in the "same shoe".

After many years of balancing myself on some rough roads, I finally encountered pain on my foot and knee. I went to my doctor and he gave me some useful tips and one of them was to wear comfortable flat shoes. I was still unwilling to give up the stylish shoes but when I spoke to a friend (a doctor's wife) about my problem and she immediately told me that I must at all costs get rid of my cosmetic shoes.

To eliminate further damage to my foot, this is how I look.

Repentance

I suddenly bumped into one of my student's parent yesterday after work who happens to be my friend's brother. This brother of hers has a very bad habit of borrowing money and not returning but he didn't know that I knew of it. While I was queing to buy my dinner he came up to me and asked whether I could spare him some time.

I withdrew from the queue and moved closer to him. Then his story started and said that one of his daughters was entering university and needed about 2k. I looked at him with a slightly tilted head and he probably sensed my disapproval and deceided to lower it to 300 and when I frowned at him he then asked for 200. Knowing his bad habit I immediately looked straight into his eyes and said a firm NO then he scoot off.

In his fifties he is still stuck this rut and repentance the "word" I bequeath him.

Highrise Living

I lived in an estate environment during my younger days and when I came to the city, I bunked in with my aunt in a two room terraced house. Subsequently, I moved into a condominium after many years of savings. Infact, I was quite pleased living in a condominium until the formation of our Management Council (MC).

With the current government's serious efforts to get developers to handover to the (MC) once the quota was achieved our (MC) came into power a few months ago and when they into power, they immediately raised the Service Charge by about 50% and more depending on the square area despite protests from the owners. Owners were forced to abide to the new increase otherwise there will be disconnection of water and late payment interest charge. The (MC) even threatened to resign enbloc should we insist to lower the Service Charge. Take it or leave it, NON NEGOTIABLE ok.

With the arbitrary increase, the (MC) stands to reap a whopping profit but they fail to realise that the (MC) is not a profit making organization!

Meantime, owners who were dissatisfied with the increase continued to pay the old rate the remaining unpaid amount was charged interest and had further angered the owners.

A group of concerned owners came together and managed to arrange an owners meeting with the help of Dr Jai and Sunny to compel the (MC) to meet the residents to iron out the arbitrary increase.

Many letters were flying here and there between the (MC), our developer and the Commissioner of Buildings (COB). Alas we finally got the (MC) to meet the residents on 17 May with the help of (COB).

We should not give up easily for a good cause. When residents are united and co-operative better living conditions and standards is a reality.

Lackluster attitude by residents leads to deterioration of the property value. Happy to note that our condominium is still greatly in demand.