Cats who teach me to fly…

Miemi just loves to lie around under the sun. She smells good always after her suntanning session. I always wonder if she feels warm as she is covered with fur, everywhere.  Perhaps animals do need Vitamin D too.

I have been busy viewing cars lately. Wanted to buy a van like Renault Kangoo, however, from the feedback given by many drivers, the impression of Renault Kangoo isn’t impressive.

I decided to turn my target to Suzuki Every, which is a small van which I think it is suitable for ladies like me. Suzuki Every looks cute. I love it. However, my uncle has a Honda Acty  to sell and it looks similar to Suzuki Every. Mel and I went to view Honda Acty yesterday and even test drove the van. We were pleased with everything. It’s small but this is what we want. I love it very very much. The most important thing is, the maintenance cost is low.

I’ll be collecting the vehicle this week and I am so happy as it will be convenient for me to deliver flowers or do anything. It’s hard to engage a good responsible driver nowadays. Therefore, I would rather depend on myself or at least stand by.

I started to organise activies as a volunteer leader. I realised that my strength alone is not strong enough to help others. As a volunteer leader, I can lead a group of volunteers in an activity so that there will be more volunteers helping many beneficiaries rather than me, alone. I always think that being a volunteer or volunteer leader is the same. True, we have the same intention, that is to give. If I can lead more people to give, wouldn’t it be better? In fact, being a volunteer or volunteer leader doesn’t bother me. My intention is to help more beneficiaries.

Look at my Patricks! OMG! “Beachy” and cowboy Patricks :). The cowboy Patrick was bought from Taipei. Cool huh? The sexy “beachy” Patrick was given by Mel as a gift. Cool huh? Patrick was so fat that they occupied half of my queen size bed, therefore, one has to be in the hall :p. The big one sleeps with me haha….

So cool with his glasses and what’s that on his head? Sexy huh? I love both of them. I have a big Doraemon on my bed too. So both big Patrick and big Doraemon sleeps with me and most of the time Miemi too.

So, I actually do not have much space left.  Miemi can stretch herself horizontally on the bed and I always have to give way to her. Guess, I have overly pampered her. What to do? There is only she and I.

Patricks, Patricks… My Patricks!

The picture on the left was taken at Yang Ming Shan, Taipei. It is a maize plantation. People who live in the city like me have never seen much of a plantation.  I was so happy to see such greenery.

Many times I wish I could take a month off to such places to learn how to plant and harvest crops, to experience the life of being a “farmer”. I think I should do so one day.

Look at the huge maize on the right. Woah… I don’t know if it was ready to be harvested but it was huge.

On this trip to Yang Ming Shan, I have seen hot sulphur springs and sulphuric gases. I got rather close to the maize plantation and saw the biggest maize in my lifetime. I believe there are bigger ones out there. I have gained knowledge and see the beauty of mountains again.

Lastly, the picture on the left was taken from where I had seen the sulphuric hot springs.

I just love to look at the scenery. The banner on top was  taken in Yunnan. It was naturally blue in colour and it is my favourite picture among all that I have taken. I just love mountains and Singapore doesn’t have any.

I went to Taipei last Wednesday to have a short break. People who love Taipei must have loved to eat and shop. In Taipei, it’s all about food and shopping. Therefore, it is definitely not my cup of tea.

I am glad that I have visited Yang Ming Shan National Park. Since it is summer now, going up to the mountain is not as cold as  I have expected. What interest me was the volcanic features.

As you can see the picture on the left was a hot sulphur spring. The temperature was extremely high and the water was boiling.

It was the first time I saw smoke or should I say steam with sulphuric gas emitting from a volcano. I was curious about what was actually going on that produce such awfully smelly gas.

Let’s take a closer look at the yellowish sulphuric gas on the picture on the right. Look at how strong the steam was. In fact, the ground was covered in steam. The surface of the ground is extremely hot and thus produces steam. Can you imagine what could happen if I walk on the ground with a pair of rubber slippers? I believe the slippers would melt.

Honestly, the whole place smelt awful. If anyone has ever had their hair permed,  the chemical that the salon used on our hair has the same smell as the sulphuric gas. POTENT!

Overall, It was an unusual experience for me. I love seeing new things, understanding new things and learning from it.

I helped out at a flag day  last Saturday morning. Well, it was all so tiring but happy. It was a flag day for St. Luke’s Educare, the  elderly day care center at Whampoa which I often volunteer at. I was happy to see Vivi, the staff at the centre, outside the office for the first time.

Selling flags was interesting. It has been years since I last volunteered  for flag day. This time, I smiled more as I have become more open and giving. My donation bag was not as heavy as Vivi’s and her fellow colleagues’. However, I had done my best. I met different types of people. Those who told me that they did not have shilling and yet came back to me and donated. These were really sincere people and may God bless them! Many I believe had difficulties and some did not know what was going on :).

For me, I have never stopped smiling. A smile is a free  gesture and I love to give it to everyone. After three hours of standing, I finally felt tired. I had lunch with Vivi and her colleagues. I felt all sleepy after lunch and had to go home ha…

It was a meaningful morning spent and in the afternoon. I was all looking forward for the stargazing activity at Semakau Island in the evening.

Look at this beautiful rooster. It has been three decades since I last saw a rooster roaming freely.  I was at High Point Community Service Centre this morning for my food packing volunteer work. The rooster happened to cross my path and it was cute. How long have I not seen a rooster roaming freely? I was chasing behind the rooster, taking pictures from my cell phone, hoping to keep it as a memory.

All the volunteers and I have packed 1600 packets of food today. These food packs were sent to the needy people. It is hard to imagine that there are so many needy people in Singapore. I myself find it hard to believe. I have learnt from a fellow volunteer that there are a few centers out there which provide meals twice a day, every day of the year.

I am getting closer with the volunteers who volunteer themselves regularly there. I like to know them better. I love to talk with them like friends and I hate to keep a distance. I want to be part of them too as they are very positive people!