FSO: Stairs

September 30 - Stairs. Going up, coming down, from behind.



Click to enlarge.

I was at a dentist's window in Kluang in a small town in West Malaysia. I saw these buildings, or the back of these buildings. I couldn't believe my eyes. They looked like some of the buildings in my home town Sibu, in Borneo. I remember going to my friend's house along Ramin Way, and we used to go up and down in those narrow spiral stairs in the mid-1960s. We had to do this in secret because it was a three storeys building. They were considered very tall building at that time. My friend's mum said men at the bottom of the stairs could look up and see our knickers. These buildings must have been built at the same time, and never had a new white wash.



I visited a Chinese Temple in Paloh Johor in West Malaysia, and there was some sort of a well, It was fenced off with two stairs running on it's sides. There was no one in the temple I could ask, so I just snapped this photo.




My brother Joseph has a stairs from his jetty down to the lake. The kids swim in the lake or get to their kayak. He doesn't need the stairs when they go on his boat. I don't mean this little boat that my nephew Joshua calls a Tinny. His other 20 foot mustang is parked on the other side of the jetty, and you don't need the stairs.


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Human Powered Chariot

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Sorry all, I had not been able to access my internet, so I am combining these memes.

I have often seen this family of human powered vehicles. Mum or dad rides the adult bicycle which has a chariot attached to it. Rain or shine I see them. An older child rides his child size bicycle. This exemplifies what we can do for the environment and teaches the children too to love the world. Inside the chariot are two little ones, all bundled up during the wintery rainy days.

I tried often to photograph this family but was in vain when I was driving along the road. yesterday, I eyed them going into the community library and gave me this perfect opportunity.

mickey mouse bush, Dillenia/Wormia suffruticosa

Fellow blogger in the Philippines mentioned a plant they call Mickey Mouse. It is interesting that different regions call different plants by different names. In two much older posts, I posted with passion this Mickey Mouse plant.

Last week, I found my cousins on Facebook. The thing is I have never met them before. I left Borneo before they were born.

Here is a post I wrote when I thought of their Dad, the uncle I loved the most, and he stayed with us for many years before he was married.

Francis, my 6th Uncle used to buy motor bikes like my Grandpa saying, changing bikes like changing shoes.

I was seventeen. One day, out of the blue, Francis asked if I wanted to ride his bike. Boy! did I want to ride his bike. He showed me the ropes and I was off. Our road was a private cul-de-sac. On both sides were long lalang grass, and Mickey Mouse shrub.

I got on the bike with wind blowing in my face and zoomed. I wasn't very steady and before I knew it, I had crashed the bike to a Mickey Mouse bush. I fell and the bike landed on top of me.

Francis asked, if I was hurt.

I replied, No, just a few scratches from the sharp lalang grass. It was my ego which was bruised. I never rode a bike again.

Francis died prematurely at 55. I was in Singapore when the family rang me. When I see the mickey mouse shrubs, I cry a tear for him.

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/simpoh_air.htm



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Sunday stills: On the road

Sunday Stills, the next challenge: On the Road
Sunday Stills on September 11, 2011 by Ed

Pretty straightforward, any type of pics of roads, straight,curvey, bends, paved, gravel, dirt… If you can, get some interesting scenery in your road shots..:-)

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Last night during the Rugby world cup between New Zealand and Japan, there was a minute of silence. We both were affected by earthquakes. I remember when i visited Christchurch, I took lots of photos to document the effects of the earthquake.

These are some of the photos that makes my heart ache.

FSO: T for Tower

A disused old brick chinmey that was the incinerator of Auckland's rubbish.
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A church near to the University of Auckland at Symonds Street,






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These are some of the towers in central Auckland. The most famous is the Sky tower.

Sunday stills: Amethyst

Sunday Stills, the next challenge: Shiney Things
Posted in Sunday Stills, Sunday Stills Challenge of the Week with tags photo challenge, Sunday Stills on September 4, 2011 by Ed

So lets see what ya’ll can find thats bright and shiney. Sunlight is a must for this challenge or at least a good light source..:-)

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When I was little, our family was given a shiney Amethyst by our maternal grand dad. We were so happy thinking we were the proud owner of a diamond. Bling! bling! bling!

It was very big and fitted in the palm of our hand. One day, our uncle's family came to visit. Out came our diamond and boasting how our grand dad went prospecting in the mountains and found lots of diamonds.

Before we could realise it, this little cousin grabbed the diamond out of our hands and threw it to the bush at the back of our house. There was a creek swollen with flood water. Everyone including both sets of parents went to look for it. But Alasm was in vain.

We cried, the cousin got a scolding. Then came the bigger disappointment. Mum said it wasn't a a diamond. It was a false diamond. An Amethyst I know today. There are a lot of amethyst here in New Zealand, when I see them, I can still see the shot put arm movement of my cousin.

save the world: Teach the children to save.

Meet Marisiale Tunoka. He is the ASB Auckland savings bank Getwise presenter. He came to Pt Chevalier School to teach our students how to save money. I sat in one of his sessions with my students, and was highly educated and entertained. Now I need to find some money to save.

Bola Marisiale, which is Hello in Fiji where his ancestors come from.
When i asked him about his job, this is what he said," I teach kids to be good with their money. I help them find ways that are helpful, practical and fun. I have an awesome job!!!"

The kids loved it. He even entertained them with a song. You didn't think a money man is so interesting and funny.

Too much debt has been incurred and that is why the world is in financial trouble. After this, hopefully the kids will save their money and save the world. Perhaps they will go home and teach their parents not to spend beyond their means.


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FSO: Grand parents day

In 1986, I went with my older daughter to visit my parents on the Gold Coast in Australia.

My children's paternal grandma with my son.

My grandma, she is 101 years old. This photo was 20 years ago when she visited me in Singapore. She wears a traditional Chinese Sam Foo/suit pants.


These are my New Zealand parents, Ken and Lois Thornton. They didn't have children of their own, but they were marvelous to Asian students studying in Auckland. They also adopted two children from China.

My maternal grandma, in her traditional Chinese garb, Her style was different from my paternal grandma's. Her fisherman pants were black or navy blue. Just before this photo was taken, all her life, she wore her hair in a bun. Here, she had her hair permed.




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The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. When is Grandparents Day?
In 2011, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 11th

to read more about Grandparents Day click here........

My brilliant nephew: Jacob Chan

The cool and handsome one, he's my nephew.







My brother Joseph's son Jacob is going to compete in the State (Queensland, Australia) Championship in October.

He and his team beat all the top schools yesterday. He got two medals. One for winning and one for being the best player in the championship team.

Jacob you are awesome! if you were in New Zealand, your teacher will tell you to Paki Paki your back. (Paki Paki means clap.)

If you think this story is familiar , you are right. You read about him before.

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/11/jacob-chan-nature-verses-nurture.html