Bye Bye Birdie

 

Final view of birdie in the nest on 30 April 2022, 9.43am

The previous day, I thought that the birdie had flew off already as I saw an empty nest.  Then at night when I was about to water the plants, I saw the birdie on the floor!  I quickly picked up the poor thing. I hold it in my hands and took video of it -- to remember it.  Next, I put it back in the nest.  The nest was very out of shape and not in very good condition, that's why it had fallen down.  (Just like last year, the egg had dropped out from the nest.)

Yesterday the parents were chirping and flying about at my corridor, trying to tell me something.  At first it was both parents chirping and flying outside the corridor.  But when I was about to take video of it, one of the bird flew off.  So only 1 sunbird left in the corridor which I had recorded the loud chirp.  I did not understand what they wanted.  They were chirping loudly at the papaya plant, and then flew towards me, chirping loudly.  I did not know what they want.  Before that, birdie dropped on the ground again.  I picked it up and put back at the out of shape, spoilt nest.  I used my hand to pull the nest a bit, mending the nest for the birds.  Then I went back in to the house.  

The yellow sunbird perching at the papaya tree on 30 April 2022, 16.42pm

Today I walked in the garden, the birdie was gone.  Later in the late morning like 11am, a surprise door bell rang.  I opened the door and it was Richard!  He gave us a surprise visit!  

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My Testimony

 

My Chinese Name formed from three chinese characters

That is my chinese name, Lin BaoZhu, it means a precious pearl in the forest.  My Christian name is Theresa.  Theresa is my name given during Baptism.  I chose to be named Theresa again during my confirmation although I can change.  I thought it would not be so messy with so many different names.  The name Theresa means harvester and it may means a mystic also.  There are various forms of 

Theresa.  Some Teresa and Teresia, without the h.

My parents went to church, and this led me to ask what was my religion.  I was told by my aunt that I am a Roman Catholic.  Though I went to church, I had no idea who is God.  I went to church, but I don't understand what was the significant of it.  As we grew up, our parents don't really go church anymore.  

In 1996, Richard and I had RCIA at Church of St Mary of the Angels.  I was the sponsor for Yvonne and Richard had his sponser as well.  We were asked the questions of how or why we wanted to join RCIA.  Most of the people said it was their calling.  I have no idea what was that.  I think at that time I was not a good sponsor, did not answer most of the questions.  Soon Richard was baptized and received his confirmation as well.  In the same year, we had our Church Wedding too.  

Life was full of ups and down.  Our marriage was not all smooth sailing.  We had our separation, reunion and now divorce.  However, I am still holding on to my faith, my one and only holy catholic church.  This is because I had encounter Christ, the Lord who came to my rescue when I had commited a mortal sin in my life.  

Jesus came to rescue me.  I went Church and came home to take a bath and miraculously, I was led by the Holy Spirit to be immersed in water, removing all the 'demons' in me.  Thereafter, my sins were cleansed and I was born again in water and spirit, feeling very refreshed and good.  

28 August 2008 A dinosaur appeared in the sky

Our God is a jovial one, making jokes to us.  I was shown a flying pig too.  In the chinese horoscope, I am a pig.  So in the morning, I saw a flying pig in the sky.  Pigs can fly was the message.  Now, I am also a dinosaur!  

I am still learning my faith, and trusting in God despite all the trials and tribulations now.  

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Fu Shan Garden

Fu Shan Garden taken on 7 February 1996

Fu Shan Garden taken on 20 April 2022

The top photograph shows the year 1996 where the photograph was taken.  The flats were being built. It was showing Blk 827.  The photograph was taken on the mountain top of Fu Shan Garden.  You can see the bricks staircase and the bricks flooring.  It remains unchanged over the years.  

The photograph on top shows Richard.  I took the photo.  He was wearing the shirt which I bought for him.  He was so excited to see our house.  I miss the house very much.  But it was like a haunted house...

 14 May 2021

26 May 2021

30 March 2022

Almost everyday we had to walk past the garden.  It is a big and beautiful garden, full of dinosaurs. There is also a basketball court and a few playgrounds.  The gardener tries very hard to beautify the garden as can see from the pictures above.  Every little plot of land, he tries to add plants and flowers to it.  Many times, I saw the gardener working on the empty plots of land.  

I feel so blessed to be able to live here even though there were good and bad memories over here.  Over here there are wet market at Woodlands North Plaza, big supermarket (Giant), and Causeway Point.  Not forgetting Woodlands Community Club here.  

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Precious Time

The clock tower is covered with overgrown plants

Went to Boon Lay Secondary School on 22 August 2008.  This is a gift from the graduating class of 1997.  The clock was stalled and the whole structure covered, cannot be seen.  I had to pushed aside the plants to take the picture and video.  It says 一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴            .

Meaning of the chinese proverb shown on the clock tower

Time is like gold, but no amount of gold can buy time.  An inch of time is an inch of gold, but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.  

Time passed cannot be reversed too.  Time gone cannot be found again.  Dora died about 2 months back.  Father died one year back.  Jesus came 14 years ago.  

Everyday it is a gift to be able to wake up in the morning.  We can get to choose what we want to do for the day.  Thank God every morning for being able to wake up for another day.  Be good and do good to the people around us and our pets.  We do not know when we are not going to see them next.  Life is so unpredictable, like Dora.  

Last sight of Dora at the hospital

Got money also cannot bring back Dora.  Got money cannot buy back the lost time.  During my working days, I spent hours working, came home and need to cook meals or buy food, do the chores of the house and need to prepare for next day's lessons.  Richard spent his time working too.  There was hardly time together.  No quality time together, but it takes two to tango.  We hardly talk to each other.  And then one day he just suddenly told me that he knew of another girl!!!  I was so surprised and sad and angry that such things happened.  I was taken aback by such behaviour and treatment from him.  

We know each other for 32 years!  In the year 2000 we got separated and he left the house for another woman also.  I prayed for family reunion and in the May 2002 he came back.  After he knew that I started work, he stopped driving taxi.  He took over his aunt's shop business with his sister.  That is where everything change...  

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Cebest

 

Photograph of the family in 2003

Life is so unpredictable.  One moment he was gone, another moment he came back.  Then now he is gone again.  Now, he is remarried...  I bought a Schnauzer for him in the year 2003.  Woe to me, I bought a dog instead of keeping a baby!  I never know that I would have 3 children next.  I never know that Cebest had such a short life also...

Ah Kew, his friend, happened to have a car that day.  Richard borrowed the car, and we went to see dogs at Pasir Ris.  We came across the only 'black' Schnauzer there, so cute and loveable.  It was love at first sight.  So I bought it for him.  Back home, we thought of a name for him.  'See the best' which is Cebest.  We paid only $2000 at that time to buy Cebest.  

Photograph of Cebest lying on the bed

Now, Isaac wishes to have a dog.  We went to the pet shop to see dogs.  He likes a Dachshund so much.  I asked the shopkeeper for the price and it was so incredible.  A Dachshund now cost $13000!!!!  It was simply too expensive.  We could not afford it.  And Isaac was so sad.  

Anyway, we had Cebest with us for 3 years.  We lost him after the yearly vaccination.  After vaccination, one day, he saw 'something' coming in from the main door.  He was barking non-stop at the air.  He saw something which we could not see.  The 'thing' came into our room.  He followed.  Then after that his health deteriorated.  The 'thing' might be the death angel that came to bring him away from us.  He always hide in the store room and his appetite was no good.  He refused to eat.  I wanted to bring him to the vet, but Richard said, "wait and see."  But in the end, in the early morning, dawn time, we had to rush him to the vet, which was too late.  He died at the clinic.  

 

 I was so sad for weeks.  It was the year 2006 that we lost him.  After that we do not have anymore dogs in our lives.  In the year 2007, I had occasions where my legs 'kick' on something at the end of the bed.  I also heard bells.  It seemed that Cebest had come back.  I was 'converted' as well.  And in the year 2008, my faith had saved me...

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A New Life

 It was a great day.  The weather was very good.  After sending the children for catechism class, Richard and I cycled to Waterfront.  There we saw so many monkeys.  People were feeding them food -- watermelon, orange, and so on.  I spotted this mother monkey carrying her baby. 

7.9.2008: Somewhere around Waterfront a monkey carrying her baby was spotted.
 

 

7.9.2008 : Picture of a special blue bird that I sighted as I was cycling on the way to Sembawang Park.

After Waterfront, we cycled to Sembawang Park.  On the way, I spotted this bird which was flying, and when I noticed it, it just stopped for me to take photograph of it!  How amazing!  And this was the first time I spotted this kind of blue bird.  

We continued to cycle and soon we reach Sembawang Park.  We were both sweating.  This was the place we had our wedding photo shoot. 

7.9.2008 : Picture of a Richard and I standing at the spot where we had our wedding photograph. 

Little do I know that I was pregnant by then.  It was only later that I had missed my menstruation and had the 'symptoms' of pregnancy that I knew I was pregnant in the later weeks.  My birthday was the next day.  Richard told me that that was a birthday present for me.  

30.9.2008 Photograph of ultrasound scan showing the baby's heartbeat

I have a new life ever since Jesus came.  Everyday was a different day.  Little did I know that this new life that I have will result in another new life...

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