Jurong Bird Park 50th Anniversary visit

At the beginning of the year, I read in the news that this year, Jurong Bird Park would be celebrating it's 50th year anniversary and the entrance fee would be set at $2.50, the entrance fee they charged 50 years ago. I managed to register and paid for tickets for myself and my 4 kids. 

On the date and time, despite the seasonal rain fall, we managed to make it on time to the bird park. 

Although they have to drag around their umbrellas for the entire duration of our visit, the kids have no complaints at all. 

I split them up into teams so the the elder kids who help me take care of the younger ones. 

Team 2☝🏼

Both teams 'workering' together the whole afternoon. 

Urban kids who make it seems like it's their first encounter with a rooster. 😅

Most of the time, I just hang around behind them and let the kids lead the way. 

.. And they led me to where I can get them snacks and refreshment😂

It was an enjoyable trip for the family despite the rain and our(or rather mine) only complaint was that within every segment of the park, we have to pay an additional $2.50 each when we go to each location. Anyway, happy 50th anniversary Jurong Bird Park! 👍🏼

Project Dignity just opened up an outlet near my home!

I was on my way home earlier this evening and passed by this building at a corner of Boon Keng Road. It is bright red in color with a very large '69' on it.. Very hard to miss it👌🏼

Previously, it was some kind of recycling business, but after some months of renovation inclusive of the Covid shut down period, a new business emerged. 

As I have never came in since it was previously closed for renovation, I decided to go in to explore this new set-up. 

On the staffs' T-shirts, it seems to indicate a HK-SG kind of set-up.. Wow.. Is there Hongkie food here? 😂

The interior was well lit up and enough space between the tables with a generous view of Boon Keng Road during the evening peak traffic👍🏼

They have a central ordering system where you make your order and pay. 

The queue number I got was actually on my receipt. 

My chicken rice set came with a soup which taste so so.. The chicken was super tender.. Too tender for my liking😅

Tea was quite ok👌🏼

Added on a claypot rice, which was reasonably nice, except that it didn't present the charred rice flavour that usually comes with such orders. Well, cannot blame them because I think they don't have open fire in the outlet. 

I only got to try out 2 or 3 stalls today and I am reasonably satisfied. I will definitely come back again for more👍🏼😁

Farewell Encik Guna

8th October 2017..

I was very busy at SA and managed to take a breather to check my phone later in the evening... Was informed that the plug was pulled off the life support system for Robert M Guna earlier that evening and he was gone.

Encik Guna was a well respected veteran in the small Commando community in Singapore. He was always very supportive and helpful in terms of the projects carried out from the time I was in FT all the way to the present day 'The Commando Alumni'.

I just visited Encik Guna earlier in the afternoon with a few bros from The Commando Alumni and #Red72 at TTSH ICU ward and we each managed to say our respective sentences to him without letting our emotions surface too much..really did not expect him to be gone so soon.

All over Facebook, many brothers of the Commando fraternity were sharing their saddness on the passing of Encik Robert M Guna. This is one example from Daymon Lim that I can totally relate to...

I have just gotten to try out making a video on the mobile phone and I have managed to put together this video clip using some of our old photos in memory of Encik Guna.

At the end of the evening, I had a few whisky in a beer glass in memory of Encik Guna. Goodbye Sir!

Our Drip History

One of the most effective way to replace lost fluid, especially in times of fever, is to administer intravenous infusion, commonly known as 'drip'. I only experienced my first drip when I was 19 years old serving my country as a young soldier in a military facility. It was a very common treatment given to soldiers during that time. I was barely conscious at that time when it was done on my arm.

Now, my youngest kid, barely 8 months old, hospitalized due to fever, got the same treatment. It was done to his foot instead of arms and he was crying and kicking and trying to pull it out. 

The question here is who do you think is in more pain? The kid or the father..?

My answer is: the father. The kid is already soundly asleep on the hospital bed. The father is still brooding  over it..The father decided to blog about it..心痛(heart pain).

The SG50 Limited Edition Wenger Commando Watch Project.

This watch materialized after many rounds of meetings, consultations, voting and discussions with many parties. It was mean for an Anniversary Run that happened in the SG50 year of 2015.

I was very glad to be given the opportunity to spearhead this project, with the help of many parties of course! We declared upfront that all the profits made from this watch will be forwarded to help a group of brothers from the same faternity.

Just wish to let you guys know that the 'Father of SAF Commando Unit' also bought the time piece to show his support! For Honour & Glory!

Some brother also excerised his fashion sense to modify the straps, making the beautiful watch an envy among all his peers. This is a true fact; Money alone will not be able to earn you the rights to wear such a watch.

The last watch for delivery was finally delivered today to this Spartan SGX Certified Coach, Mr Stef Fung.

This bro bought a number of watches under the first phase of the project (Thank You!). However, he selfless gave his watch up to another brother without finding out if another watch is available for himself. I am very glad to report that he managed to get his watch in the end. There are less than 300 such watches in the world. Although it did not turn out to be as easy as I thought initially, I am happy to report that we have managed to pull it through. It is now completed. 

Cheers!

81mm High Trajectory Platoon 19th Reunion 2016

This is our tradition among this band of brothers who was assembled together since our national service days in the SAF. 

After we graduated from National Service, we will meet up for our Reunion Dinner annually. I really do not know what happened to my maths..how did it suddenly become our 19th reunion this year?

As usual, before the Reunion Dinner, we pay a visit to our fallen brother who was promoted to become the Big Commando in the Sky. We miss you!

This year, we pushed up his supply of gold, silver & currencies hoping that he will have a bigger budget to spend..

With a larger supply of incense paper, it also took us more time and effort to 'wire' the money across to him..

Next, we move on to the dinner this year..A must have for Reunion Dinner every year..Yu'Sheng!

The menu this year a bit different..

Lobster tails.

Our in-house Master Chef painstakingly preparing the dinner before the main force arrives.

Stingray and potatoes.

Just by the fact that the food was served on banana leaves already made them looked more delicious.

Big Headed River Prawns.

Beer Can Chicken.

Lobster tails.

Another shot of our Master Chef with my reflection in the wall mirror.

Final touches, flowers added!

So much work actually went into making every Lou Hei mission a success!

Some pictures you do not usually get to see..when one of your team mate is late and everyone waited for him..

I really meant that EVERYONE waited for that guy to arrive before we could start eating! How can that guy be later than Chia, our 'Late' King??

Jokes aside, it was a pretty long, busy and emo day. I am glad that we are still hanging around after 19 years. Fire Mission Platoon!

Home cooked meals - 家常便饭

A friend of mine saw my supper posting on my Facebook yesterday and invited me to join in for a home cooked lunch earlier today. Her younger brother, who was the top chef at his restaurant in Malaysia is here in Singapore to visit her and he will be the chef in charge.

I was slightly late due to the rain and road conditions, but I was just in time for lunch when I arrived at their home. First dish up, long beans with spicy chili..crunchy, spicy, cooked to the right degree and I enjoyed it!

Next up, sweet & sour meat cubes (咕噜肉), usually pork, but in this instance, it was substituted with chicken. I have always enjoyed eating sweet & sour dishes since I was a kid..this gives me a homely touch, although this was whipped up by a professional chef.. 

The soup of the day: Fish head soup made with fresh fish just purchased from this morning's market trip, the flavours were reinforced by sour plums and one sip of it immediately woke my taste buds up!

When I arrived, the host's chef was burning the claypot on the stove for this dish, some kind of braised pork ribs that melts in your mouth..awesome!

This photo below shows the fish head soup in my bowl..

To me, the star of any home cooked meals would require the staple food of Asians..Rice!

Rice is best when served piping hot, fluffy with sufficient moisture and soft..I had 2-3 bowls of rice and the food was for like for 4-5 pax..I almost finished everything and my friend was commenting that I was a big eater..My friend, if you are reading this, I don't usually eat this much for lunch! Thank you for hosting this awesome home-cooked meal!