Toto Tickets

 

2 winning Toto tickets

My mother gave me 2 winning Toto tickets -- 3 winning numbers only.  I went to claim the prize on 18 May 2021 as I was afraid of encountering crowds.  So I went to claim at Woodlands North Plaza on Tuesday morning.  There was no queue and I got my money very fast.   I just gave them the tickets and they gave me the money.  

2 winning tickets paid out of $43.60

I received a total of $43.60 from the two tickets.  $43.60 is considered a lot for me considering the fact that I cannot even earn this amount in 4 hours.  I worked as Foodpanda rider and for 4 hours, mostly I cannot even earn $32!  

Yesterday I went to Causeway Point Challenger to buy 2 MicroSD card for my mother.   As I am not a Challenger member, I need to pay $7.50 for each card.  Member price is $7.00.  So I paid a total of  $15 for two cards.  I would transfer some songs to her.  She loves listening to songs.  

Sometimes if I have inspiration, I would buy Toto or 4D, especially if there are special dreams.  However, I hardly win, or should say never win.  

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Terrapins' Home

 

Dora was so curious to see the terrapins' new home

The terrapins had moved home.  The children had decided to give the terrapins a bigger home, a bigger space for them to move.  I chose this box for the terrapins.  The children washed and transferred the pebbles from the small container to the big box.  Then they decided to put in larger rocks for the terrapins to climb.  

Oscar and Opal swimming in the pool

Now Oscar and Opal have bigger space to swim about.  We love watching the terrapins swimming so well in the water.  They can float so well.  Even Dora was so fascinated at it.  She kept watching and even use her paws to touch the water and terrapins.  That was so cute to watch.  

The terrapins new home in the process of decorating

It's more than one week since the children changed the home for the terrapins.  There is no need to change the water everyday.  For the old container, the children changed the water every month.  Now for this new home, I think it would be one month too.  

The terrapins came to our home on 2 March 2021.  It's coming to 4 months!

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SG Bean Sprouts

 

SG Bean Sprouts purchased from Giant

Purchased a packet of SG Bean Sprouts from Giant some time ago.  It was vacuum packed.  There was no date stated when it was packed.  So I have no idea whether it was fresh a not.  But it looked 'white' and there seemed to be no rotten ones from external view.  So I bought it.  

Back home, I opened it up, and was not very satisfied with it.  It was so wet, mushy and the bean sprouts were bruised.  I wanted to break the root but it was not crisp at all.  After plucking a few, I finally gave up.  I only managed to have like one third of it left to cook.

SG Bean Sprouts opened and laid on paper

I used the bean sprouts to cook Fried White Bee Hoon.  I added in frozen prawns, vegetables and bean sprouts.  I ate the Bee Hoon with Heng's Crispy Prawn Chilli.  Heng's Crispy Prawn Chilli is very nice and it goes well with the Fried Bee Hoon.  

Fried White Bee Hoon with prawns and vegetables

The best bean sprouts is still those that buy from the market.  But I saw Giant selling bean sprouts like those in market -- displayed in big baskets and you can pick your own.  This is the best.  

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Ritz Lemon Crackers

 

Ritz Lemon Flavoured Crackers in packet

I first try this Ritz Lemon Flavoured Crackers on 10 May 2021.  I chanced upon it during my visit to Giant at Woodlands North Plaza.  There were only a few packets left on the shelf.  I only bought a packet to try.  Back at home, I opened up the sandwich to try.  

Ritz Lemon Flavoured Crackers 

My first try of it was a good experience.  It was so good.  It was a good snack.  Better than peanut butter crackers from Julie.  It was sweet, tangy and salty.  The cream was just nice, not too much, not too little.  In a few days, I finished the whole packet of Ritz.  I wanted to buy more of it.  

I went online to look for it, but Redmart and Fairprice did not have it.  All no stock.  I went to Woodlands North Plaza to buy from Giant, and there was no stock also.  Every now and then I checked for stock availability, but to no avail.  Finally yesterday at Cold Storage (Causeway Point), I saw it and grabbed 4 packets of it -- 2 for me and 2 for my mother.  

Four Packets of Ritz Lemon Flavoured Crackers

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Second Dose Vaccination

 

Items received on Second Dose of Vaccination 

I went for my second dose of vaccination on 14 May 2021.  My mother asked me to drink more water and also to drink Ginseng before the jab.  The weather was fine on that day.  I booked my appointment at 4pm.  

I went to Woodlands Community Club on 14 May 2021.  There was no queue at 4pm.  As usual like first dose, when I entered the hall, I was given a bottle of mineral water.  Then I showed them my NRIC and proceed to the next counter.  At the registration counter, they checked my particulars and I answered a few questions and later on I proceed to the vaccination counter.  This time, I looked at the needle, to see where it was injected.  Upon injection, there was not much pain at all.  Surprisingly!

So after the jab, I had to go next counter for observation.  I sat there for 30minutes.  At 30 minutes, my name was called.  I went to the counter, they gave me the vaccination certificate and a packet of mask.  After that I went home.  Fast and easy.  

                                            Reusable mask that was given 

That night, my left arm was a bit sore.  I also had a fever of 38.4 degree the next day.  After 2 days the soreness from the hand was gone and my fever was okay too.  For my first dose, I only had hand soreness, no fever.  But was tired.  

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7 days candle

 

Photograph of 7 days candle 

My mother bought so many of this candle after my father died.  2 of such candles were lit at my father's altar everyday, until 100 days.  So there were left overs and I took some home to use.  

My brother had gone to so many places to look for this candle.  At last they bought it at Carlo Catholic Services Ltd, 225B Queen street.  Each of this 7 days candle in white plastic container cost $7.90.  It can be lit for day and night continuously for 6 days and night, even though it says 7 days.  At the end of it, it will automatically be extinguished.  

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Happy Mothers' Day

 

D sent me this Happy Mothers' Day message on Saturday.  She still remembered me, so touched.  She is such a sincere friend.  This mother's day, I never buy anything for mum, but when I went to her house, I gave her a packet of boiled scallops and sotong youtiao.  I gave her a red packet, but she returned me, saying that I am also a mother.  

During my childhood days, my mother always said, "听话就好" during mother's day if we gave her presents.  The words mean be obedient.  I also hoped that my children will be obedient too.  

Photograph showing the bracelet that Clara gave me

Last night, Clara came to my room and gave me a small pouch containing the bracelet.  She had made another bracelet to give me some months ago.  The bracelet was elastic ones, and I told her that I was scared that the elastic string will break like my previous ones which I had bought.  So this time she made a non elastic ones.  Thank you so much Clara for always being so thoughtful.  

For dinner we ate Laksa.  I bought Laksa from PGFN.  We want to order from Tian Tian Chi Mian, but it was closed already.  I bought two bowls of Laksa.  I prefer Laksa from Tian Tian Chi Mian, but PGFN got more tao pok, which I like.  When I finished my Laksa, Clara came to show me hers.  Her Laksa was contaminated with a worm-like rusty wire.  She was disgusted.  

Photograph of the rusty worm-like wire from PGFN Laksa

I sent in a feedback message to Grab.  Later on they called me to verified the matter.  They said they will look into it before they can proceed with refund.  Later on, I received an email saying that I was refunded $4.60.   

I think NEA should look into matters like this.  This is not the only case in Singapore news.  Some other people had experienced similar issues in other food at other stalls.  

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AAA Pickled Mustard

 

Photograph of AAA pickled mustard with chilli

This is AAA pickled mustard with chilli.  It cost $1.80 last time, but now it costs $2.00.  Sometimes it is so hard to buy them.  So whenever I see that it is available I would buy a few to put at home.  It is very appetizing and it goes very well with porridge.  My children do not like it, only I like it.  

Photograph of porridge cooked to perfect consistency

Porridge with AAA pickled mustard cut into small pieces

A simple meal like this can be my lunch or dinner.  However I need to think of my children.  So mostly I still cook some other dishes and seldom eat like this.  For example, for today's lunch, the children ate chicken floss, fish floss, century egg and sardines.  I cooked the sardines with onions and it smelled so nice.  

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Bean Sprouts

 

Photograph showing market bean sprouts that was bought

Yesterday went to my mum house.  When I was going home, she walked with me to the shops to buy food for me and I saw bean sprouts at the shop -- Blk 413 Malay shop selling vegetables.  The shop had her bean sprouts displayed outside the shop.  It was rather nice.  So I decided to buy the bean sprouts for cooking Fried Kway Teow Mee for dinner later.  My mother helped me to choose the bean sprouts then she paid for me.  A lot of bean sprouts just for 40cents only. 

Photograph showing some plucked bean sprouts on my palm 

Photograph showing the finished plucked bean sprouts

Back home, I began plucking the bean sprouts.  You can compare the bean sprouts with the soybean sprouts that I had purchased from Redmart.  The soybean sprouts cost $1.53, and the seed leaves or cotyledons were very big and 'crunchy'.  As I was plucking the bean sprouts, I could smell the 'normal beansprouts smell'.  But when I was plucking the soybean sprouts, I did not smell anything.  

Photograph showing the bean sprouts cooked with scallops

Photograph showing my finished product, Fried Kway Teow Mee

I defrost some boiled scallops, and when it was dinner time, I cooked them with bean sprouts.  Next, I fried garlic and add the noodles into it.  Added light soy sauce and sweet sauce to it and then crack some eggs into it.  Lastly add the scallops and bean sprouts to it, optional chilli, and that's it.  I fried some hash browns to go along with it.  

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Roti Prata

 

Photograph showing Roti Prata cut into pieces with raw sugar aside

The above showed what I just ate for lunch.  It was done in less than 15 minutes.  I just took out a packet of Spring Home Paratha and I can cook it instantly.  Don't need to defrost, don't need to add oil.  Just take a pan and on low heat.  Place the prata onto the pan and heat it until golden brown.  

Photograph showing Parantha from Spring Home

Photograph showing the cooking pan with prata on it.

There are altogether 5 pieces of prata inside the Spring Home Parantha.  In the photograph above you can see the opened Parantha on the left of the packaging.  Each piece of Parantha is sandwiched with 2 plastic sheets.  You just have to remove the plastic sheets and place the prata onto the cooking pan (flat based), and wait for it to turn golden brown on one side and then flip over to the other side and wait for it to turn golden brown again.  

Photograph of cooked Roti Prata from Spring Home Parantha

Last month I discovered that the Indian stall at Woodlands North Plaza had closed down.  It was the only Indian stall that sold Roti Prata there.  Whenever we felt like eating Roti Prata, we would visit the stall to takeaway Roti Prata or Putu Mayam also.  Many people said that their Roti Prata was nice.  On Sundays, there would be long queue.  Surprisingly, it closed down now.  So now we have no Roti Prata at Woodlands North Plaza.  Having Spring Home Parantha is not bad, just that there is no curry.  I wonder if they can sell in package of six instead of 5, and probably it would be better if there is a packet of curry gravy inside for us to warm up to eat.  Otherwise I have to eat with sugar.  But not everybody likes to eat with sugar.  

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Sleeping Box

Photograph taken at Bukit Batok void deck opposite the bridal shop

 Walked past these cardboxes and it reminded me of Dora.  These were taken at one of the block of  Bukit Batok flat, the void deck that is opposite of a bridal shop.  The cat was not there.  After I walked out of the void deck, I saw the cat as shown below.  

Photograph of the stray cat

Dora loves to sleep in boxes too.  Unlike dogs, cats do not like to sleep with people.  I am not sure about other cats, but that applies to Dora.  Dogs can sleep with you on your bed for long hours, whereas cats will not even stay long on your bed.  

Photograph of Dora sleeping soundly in the Redmart Box

Close up photograph of Dora sleeping soundly in the Redmart Box

Dora just like to sleep in boxes so much.  Whenever there are any box lying around, she would go in to sleep.  If the boxes were put at a place long enough, she will chew and tear the boxes too.  

Photograph of Cat Castle with Dora lying inside

There is no need to buy expensive cat house for the cat.  I bought the cat castle when Dora was one year old.  She hardly sleep in it.  She would choose to sleep in boxes instead.  

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Fried Kway Teow Mee

Photograph of  SG Soybean Sprouts (Bean Farm)

Recently I bought bean sprout from the wet market.  Came home, opened up the plastic bag and saw that the bean sprouts were not fresh at all.  So this time, I ordered bean sprout from Redmart.  I planned to cook Fried Kway Teow Mee and so I ordered all the ingredients that I need -- yellow noodles, kway teow, fish cakes, bean sprout and Xiao Bai Cai.  

Photograph of soybean sprouts

So I opened the soybean sprouts.  Looking at it from outside the plastic bag, I already can see that this soybean sprouts are so huge.  They were so thick and big as compared to normal beansprouts from the market.  So I picked one by one to pluck away all the root and to select the good ones, throwing away rotten ones.  

Photograph of my Fried Kway Teow Mee

The final product of my Fried Kway Teow Mee is shown above.  I cannot wait to try the soybean sprout.  I tried the Fried Kway Teow Mee.  It was nice, with the bean sprout giving it crunch.  However, I think it is not so aromatic as the normal bean sprouts.  Also the seed leaves, the cotyledons seems too big.  I think I will buy it again, this time, I would try cooking it with chives.  

One thing which is lacking in my fried kway teow is cockles.  If there are cockles, it would be perfect. Nowadays, a lot of Fried Kway Teow stalls do not add cockles also.  Some have very small cockles also, very hard to find a kway teow stall with nice kway teow and cockles.  

 

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100 Days

 

Photograph taken at Church of St Mary of the Angels (5th Sunday of Easter)

Today is 100 days since father died.  We had prayer session for him on the 1 May 2021 at his niche and another mass dedication (mass for the soul) to him on 2 May 2021.  

On 29 April 2021, which was last Thursday, I dreamt of my father.  It was the first time I dreamed of him ever since his death.  The cross with the white and yellow drape reminds me of the dream.  My father was dressed in white shirt, sitting down with some other people in the dream.  First time I dreamed of him dressing in white.  He had talked to me in my dream, an advice, but I cannot remember what it was now.  In the dream, I said I would remember it, but when I woke up, I had forgotten everything.  

  Photograph of my father when he was younger.  

My father loved to eat and one night he came to my brother's dream saying that he wanted to eat chicken drumstick without rice.  My brother went to buy Toto and he won money after that.  I dreamed of him, went to buy 4D, but never win anything.

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