Terrapins

 

 These are Opal and Oscar.  Opal is the female terrapin while Oscar is the male terrapin.  Female terrapin is always bigger than the male terrapin, as told by the shopkeeper.  He helped us to select the two different sexes, after our request.  

The shopkeeper was quite nice.  He chose everything for us, all the necessary items.  He even taught Isaac how and when to change the water for the terrapins.  The school counsellor had given us the tank, pebbles, solution and food.  But Isaac wanted to buy ourselves and return those things to the counsellor.  So we bought the Japanese white pebbles, the tortoise tank, tortoise food and Ammonia Detox.  And everything cost us $38.  My mum said, "You buy the tortoise and I will pay for it.  Tell Isaac to go school everyday."  In the end, my mother passed me a $50 note.  

Photograph of the food we giving to the terrapins and the Ammonia Detox we put in the water of the terrapins.

The Ammonia Detox helps to stabilize the water and to prevent diseases for the terrapins -- Anti white spot, Anti fungus and so on.  More specifically it read like these for its indication --

Ammonia Detox conditioner: removes harmful ammonia, chlorine and chloramines.  It can be use for all types of fishes, shrimps and invertebrates.  Ammonia level in aquaria can rise to dangerous levels due to poor filtration, overstocking, overfeeding or lack of water change.  This can cause unnecessary stress, outbreak of disease and even death to the fishes.  Ammonia Detox is a fast and effective way to eliminate ammonia from water, making water safe to use and prolong the water changes interval without the risk of ammonia poisoning.  Regular use prevents ammonia poisoning in live fish shipping.  Use regularly to improve fish conditions.  

As for Food we use XO Turtle Food Sticks: This brand is very good.  I purchase this because when I was a preschool teacher, I bought this for the school terrapin too, and the terrapin was well.  Similarly, it is almost 2 weeks plus already, or 15 days already and the tortoise looks so healthy and lively in the water.  Isaac told me they were able to eat 4 pellets now!  Previously they ate 2 per day.  

About XO Turtle Food Sticks: Latest formula ensuring every requirement of reptile nutrition, fortified with vitamins and calcium.  Promotes colour, health and growth.  The food is designed to float, easy to digest and assimilate, also accepted willingly by all turtles.  Does not cloud water.  Feed w or 3 times daily.  Remove any excess left over food.  Ingredients --Fish meal, wheat flour, oat, shrimps meal, algae meal, calcium photosphate colours, fish livers, spirulina etc. 

Photograph of the terrapins 'tools' or apparatus.  

This is a normal fish tank or terrapins tank.  My previous school used this type of tank too.  But as for the food, I fed Mumbo with the food, I never ever see him eating it before.  So he probably die of hunger or not used to the condition (cannot adapt to no aircon??  as suggested by the shopkeeper)  

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My Pets

 

Photograph of Dora at 1 year old

I love pets.  I had dogs, chickens and terrapins before.  Now I have cat at home.  The above photograph shows Dora, named by Isaac.  She was a stray kitten, brought home one day on 14 March 2019.  She is such a pretty cat.  We had done deworm and vaccination for her at the pet shop.  She was sterilized as well.  Dora can understand 'fish'.  She loves fish.  Every time I said 'fish', she would come out from her hiding place.  Besides fish, Dora loves to eat prawns also.  Sometimes she eats little chicken.  

Photograph of Dora (2 year old) looking at the newly purchased terrapins

Recently, the school counsellor suggested to buy terrapins for Isaac.  She bought two, but in the end 1 was stolen.  So it was only left with one, Mumbo.  Jumbo was stolen.  Jumbo was a female, bigger in size than Mumbo.  Mumbo and Jumbo were placed in school.  However after got stolen, Isaac got to bring it home.  But unfortunately, Mumbo died some time later.  

Isaac was sad to see the terrapins lost and died.  I walked past Marsiling pet shop one day, after seeing doctor for my hand.  I asked them if they sell terrapins.  The shopkeeper told me the shipment will come later in the week.  I called up several times to ask, and finally the shopkeeper even call me back to say the terrapins are here.   

Photograph of terrapins on 3 March 2021

So Isaac and me cycled to Marsiling pet shop to buy the terrapins on 2 March 2021 -- Two terrapins.  They were gifts from my mother to Isaac.  

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Qyou4 Nan1 (Saving Lives)

 

 One day while walking on the way to 888 Plaza, a pigeon dropped down from its urban home, the modern nest that they build.  I was saying that it's so hard to find a nest in Singapore.  And I saw one nest that come to build in my corridor garden, a natural nest build by the sunbird itself.  How spectacular was that!

My father also brought home a pigeon one day.  I was so amazed with it.  That was the first time I saw a pigeon in my old house with my parents.  My father loved nature too.  He loved to watch animals documentaries too.  He loved to fish.  He was a good fisherman and he specially went hunting for frogs to cook for me to eat so that my legs would be strong when I was young.  My parents were farmers too.  

My father often talked about saving lives.  He would say in Teochew, 'Qyou4 Nan1' (Teochew) which means saving lives, 救人。He was also a kind hearted soul who loves to help people.  So he always mentioned that if wanted to save lives, people must not charge any money.  This is because he encountered many 'medium' who charged my mother thousands of dollars...

Today my father is gone.  By faith, we know that he is in better place now.  I am sure he would be saving lives.  

To think that I was a Catholic since birth, I am a Christian and yet I did not know that being Christian means that we will be saved by God!  I must thank Jesus and God for coming to me to show me, to let me experience and to save my soul. This was assurance of salvation.  If I had sinned and I was saved, so can you. 

Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

You can depend upon this promise.  It means what it says. Eternal life is what you receive when you receive Jesus Christ by faith as your personal Saviour.  The God 'who cannot lie' (Titus 1:2) says, "He who hears My word and believes...has eternal life."  We can base our assurance of salvation on the words of Jesus with total confidence.  

One glorious day Jesus Christ will return as a Conqueror to take His children to be with Him.  "And thus we shall always be with the Lord". (1 Thess 4:17).  We do not know the day nor the hour when this great event will take place. "For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  (Matthew 24:44)  Until that day we must live and work for the Lord.    

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49 Days After Death

 

                                                                         My Father

Last Saturday my mother celebrated 49 days after death for my father.  It was supposed to be on Sunday, but the priests would not be free on Sunday to pray for him.  

Early in the morning my mother cooked his favourite food and dessert.  My brother went to buy his favourite food too.  On the table was placed all his favourite food.  

My mother said that for daughters we would mourn until today.  But for sons, they will mourn for 100days.  During the days of mourning, we cannot go other people's houses, cannot attend other funerals and weddings.  We were not supposed to wear red or bright colours.  

 

       My Father when he was young

 So you can see that people grow old.  We are not forever young.  That is the life cycle of human being.  After death, we are resurrected -- the belief of Catholic.  Because of this belief, it gives us hope.  It gives us reassurance that our father is still alive and we that we will meet some day to come. 

Luke 11:9, 10  -- So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.…

I prayed that my parents have everlasting life, and I am willing to sacrifice myself for them.  I do not know what is God's plan for me now.  Having experience death and resurrection, I place all my trust to the Lord and God Jesus Christ now. 

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