tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393870775558042232024-02-28T15:44:33.230-08:00Ramblings and rumblingslady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-39783678538439777462013-09-11T23:13:00.001-07:002013-09-11T23:13:41.524-07:00Dancing with old ageThis year, I have been thinking a lot about how I want to age. Being home in Malaysia recently, seeing the women in my clan, I am reminded of how we can always have a good laugh, always try to do the best, including aging gracefully.
And lately, I visited a friend in the Sir Edmund Hillary Retirement Home, in Ellerlie. It reminded me again of how we have some choices on how we choose to be lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-2681083456000891092012-04-25T22:56:00.001-07:002012-04-26T02:56:06.295-07:00Of reunions, a planet under strain and legacies of harmony
A bunch of 50 or nearly 50-year old girls can truly turn a café upside down. An afternoon tea that started at 12 started to wind down only at 4pm as time came and left and no one took any notice. After leaving school in 1979, we parted ways as teenagers filled with our personal trepidations as we take a new passage to life after 5th form.
Needless to say time has left its indelible mark on lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-56603088394021034772012-01-31T00:14:00.000-08:002012-01-31T12:22:26.510-08:00Hanging onto our traditionMy mother worked herself silly in the lead of to the Year of the Dragon. Over the last 50 years, as far as I can remember, mom has put on a splendid feast for our family. On Chinese New Year Day, if there is nothing else in the shops to eat, chances are if you came to our house in Klang, you can get a very decent meal of mushrooms and chicken, cooked-to-perfection curry, sea cucumber braised withlady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-55111923469753577812011-10-09T21:59:00.000-07:002011-10-10T01:00:10.347-07:00A wasteful generationConsumerism, I gathered from Wiki, is “a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts.” I have been asking myself this question: Am I am consumerist? Do I buy goods in ever greater amounts? Am I driven by greed and the desire to own things in hoards?I confess, once upon a time, when I worked in lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-79869733864998907582011-03-06T18:06:00.000-08:002011-03-06T19:37:39.064-08:00"I am not smart"Over the weekend, at our local tennis club, I met this young lady Judy (not her real name) who is a highly talented sportsperson. She is a high achiever in all areas of sports: table tennis,swimming, netball, socceer,and athletics. Her grandma tells us she has only been playing tennis a few years yet she is playing such high quality tennis at the moment.While we were yakking away watching my lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-29994291504252843402010-11-18T20:21:00.000-08:002010-11-18T20:36:47.034-08:00My 3rd Aunt -- farewelll, till we meet again 3rd Aunt is in red jacket, in front.What is it about death that so preoccupies us? I think about death or dying often. It is morbid. But our gurus tell us to practice dying. So often, I think, about how I want to die – peacefully of course, and in my sleep. Hopefully my death will not cause much grief. Hopefully by then I would have gained enough merits so that I will have a good rebirth. That’slady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-88267011793155454332010-11-03T19:34:00.000-07:002010-11-03T19:46:52.710-07:00Halloween no more - the things we used to love 2008: Halloween LootToday and for the last few days, it dawned on me that my little Princess is no longer little and she has definitely been pushing away things that confined her to what what she was. A definitely pre-teen has emerged full blown – monster or angel who can tell? For the first time this year she didn’t make me buy her a Hallowen goodie bag, and she didn’t dress up, and she didn’t lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-6070654891018685902010-08-06T02:54:00.001-07:002010-08-09T01:59:22.542-07:00The Klang I used to loveI was home in Klang for nearly 3 weeks during July. I lament the fact that the Klang I used to know is not anymore the Klang I can claim to know. Growing up in 68 Jalan Meru, everyone knew everyone on the street. If I did something silly, my neighbours will be the first to tell my mom. The first shop on the block was a coffee shop (owned by a Hainanese); the 2nd shop was a car workshop/sales lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-75644885972248637692010-05-09T15:23:00.000-07:002010-05-09T16:05:05.395-07:00I have a mom who read me storiesMother’s Day came and went. I rang mom to wish her “Happy Mother’s Day”…she was happy that I rang, happy that I remembered. I hadn’t organised any presents although on her birthday, which was just a few days ago, I organised some chocolates and cake online for arrival on her birthday. Mom loves cakes, in fact, she loves anything sweet. When she gets angry, she often takes out her biscuit tins or lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-52221321559748860592010-04-26T18:54:00.000-07:002010-04-26T19:55:20.454-07:00Living with a broken achilles tendonI am missing my left leg heaps. A couple of weeks ago, I broke my achilles tendon while playing tennis with Princess, at our neighourhood tennis club. The beauty about the injury is -- contrary to many accounts I have read where the injured is in heavy pain -- I suffered no real pain. Or not the sort of pain that would scar me for life. I remember reaching for a top-spin from Princess, and the lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-11412236005011996392010-02-07T14:09:00.000-08:002010-02-28T21:29:54.835-08:0010,000 hours to be truly goodI bought this book called Outliers, The Story of Success, for Tony as a Christmas present. It was a cheeky thing to do but I learnt this trick from him who excels at buying me things he wanted. Outliers is written by Malcom Gladwell, the guy with the buffy hair who also wrote Tipping Point. Gladwell’s theory is that geniuses do not become what they are until they have put in the hard yards. lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-61234209054906485892010-01-23T10:49:00.000-08:002010-01-24T10:09:19.383-08:0030 years later -- how the world has changedIn 1979, a bunch of us girls, left school, Convent Klang, a highly popular school in our neighbourhood started by the Catholics. I had little knowledge of the world around me, having at that stage never been 30km outside of my precint, Jalan Meru. It was the last year for those of us in 5th Form. We took our major exams -- the one that would mark us for life -- the MCE or Malaysian Certificate lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-70782749184914265182009-12-06T15:13:00.000-08:002009-12-07T11:20:11.397-08:00Till we meet again -- Anna Woolf (Apri 68-Dec09) Aunty Unu, preparing surprise cake for Princess in Gold Coast. Tony's birthday party in Sept.Picture of Princess with Aunty Unu.Picture of Aunty Unu as the Avatar, Ang, (from a cartoon series) I took in, Mahurangi, 09.The Chinese do not have the equivalent of the term “goodbye”. So here I am, doing the very Chinese thing – saying “Joi Kin” (in Cantonese my dad’s dialect), till we meet again, tolady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-62897761059681506842009-10-26T17:15:00.000-07:002009-10-26T18:00:36.660-07:00From squeals to mealsThe Woolf family just spent our weekend at Mahurangi East. It was a perfect weekend, except for a bit of rain on Monday. Still, Hubby managed to take the 3 Woolf girls and Uncle WaterMelon for spin in the StabiCraft. The waters were kind to us, supplying the fishermen (Hubby and Father In Law) an abundance of fresh snapper. What really struck me about the Woolf girls this time is how they have lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-76838113956938099602009-10-06T19:26:00.000-07:002009-10-06T19:31:43.523-07:00Waste not want notA couple of weeks ago, in the Saturday edition of the Herald, Canvas ran an article about this lady who is Kiwi but moved to the Aussie outback to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. She wasn’t a natural cook but grabbed onto this idea of writing a book about cooking that would help households save money. Her trick is cooking only 3 days a week. The rest of the week’s meal consists of lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-64489190022847393412009-09-02T03:33:00.001-07:002009-09-02T03:53:56.707-07:00Lessons on life (and organ donation)Pic: Long Jump medal winnersPic: Aunty Unu, artist in the makingBrisbane can be intimidating. Its giant highways that snake through the topography make Auckland look like toyland. Brisbane’s wild weather swings capture the best of what it means to be a huge unpredictable country. It was in Gold Coast – about an hour’s bus ride away from Brisbane International Airport – that we got a taste of whatlady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-14519492703219362062009-08-23T17:36:00.000-07:002009-08-23T17:40:48.529-07:00Transplant Games 2009: An ordinary day, go KiwisAug 23rd 2009 wasn’t like any other day. The sun was shinning in Brisbane’s Broadbeach except it wasn’t ordinary sun. It was a sun coming up to greet thousands of people who had descended on Broadbeach to attend the 17th World Transplant Games.We are in the Gold Coast at the Transplant Games – a sporting event held bi-annually for transplant patients.Our first main event was the beach walk – lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-10083739681300887152009-08-17T16:33:00.000-07:002009-08-17T16:54:11.794-07:00Off to Brisbane for World Transplant GamesThree generations of Woolfs head to Brisbane this Saturday at the unearthly check-in time of 4.40am to head to the World Transplant Games. We are all excited, no doubt, except for the prospect of having to wake up at 3.30am to get ready!Grandma, Aunties (three cheers for Aunty Unu who is just out of one of the world's most killing chemo regimes and out and about with us!), Princess and I are lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-21221401311509153172009-07-09T00:38:00.000-07:002009-07-09T01:08:09.718-07:00Single sex school anyone?Lately the debate has surfaced again about the merits of single sex setting for students in New Zealand. The argument is boys learn differently to girls. Another starting bit of statistics that surfaced was that boys were achieving less than girls in national examinations. I went to an all-girls school -- a Convent to be precise. Did I learn better because I was among girls? I don't think so. lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-88587830965893005792009-06-18T22:10:00.000-07:002009-06-18T22:21:18.136-07:00Books -- source of our kids' intellectIf we encountered a man or rare intellect, we should ask him what books he read.- Ralph Waldo EmersonThis week was Book Week at Princess’ school. It culminated in a Book Character Parade today at 9.15am at the school. Oh what fun it was. Principal came as Cruela de Vil – what good sport. Principal’s assistant was the Wicked Witch with a basket full of poison toadstools. Princess and her friend lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-61335203518732829592009-06-08T02:31:00.000-07:002009-06-08T02:37:16.977-07:00Life's not fair, get used to it!Two of my friends have sent me this chain mail. It is worth repeating because I love the key messages in there. We need to teach our young that life doesn't owe them anything. Whatever we experience in a sheltered environment is not likely to be repeated in the real world.This set of rules has been attributed to Bill Gates but I can't vouch for it. The message is simple yet profound. So here it lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-21168396182158202692009-05-07T10:37:00.000-07:002009-05-07T11:54:45.853-07:00American Julian Robertson's art gift to New ZealandEver so often one comes across a piece of news that makes one take notice. When I used to cover the financial markets in Singapore as a journo, I got the chance to interview many financial wizards. Too bad I never had the chance to catch up with Julian Robertson. I love the name Julian. If I had a son, he would have been called Julian. Julian Robertson was famed for his Tiger Fund then. It was anlady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-34717176753766759272009-04-30T14:34:00.000-07:002009-05-01T03:49:03.695-07:00Mother's Day -- No gifts but a thank you!You can't miss Mother's Day these days. The commercials in the media start at least a month before. How many pieces of jewellery can one buy for her/his mother? I don't believe in going out to a restaurant on Mother's day either -- it is a sheer ripoff. Countless other families are out there, buying their moms massive meals. The service is often bad and the food sub-standard even at the best lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-56793031537670529862009-04-22T03:35:00.000-07:002009-04-22T19:38:46.191-07:00Avatar - The Last AirbenderFor the last week or so -- and including the last 2 days -- Princess and I have been glued to the telly, watching a little bald boy and his odd group of friends set out on a journey to restore balance to a world corrupted by the Fire Nation. Princess' Aunt introduced us to Avatar, now we can't stop it from invading our telly time.We watched and rewatch some parts; and check out the special lady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539387077555804223.post-19665300389591212202009-04-05T19:06:00.000-07:002009-04-05T20:19:06.712-07:00How do children cope with disappointment?Princess went to a gym competition on Sunday. She didn't win anything. She was all storm clouds and winter despite the sun being most dazzling outside. Not winning is ok, I told her. "Not after all the hours I put in," she says. "You don't know what it feels like, it makes you feel like you are not worth anything!"I felt sad seeing all her internal turmoil. I tried to recall how I used to cope aslady lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662383303348824429noreply@blogger.com5