Our 1st Successful Sale on Facebook

14 September 2020

This afternoon we sold an item (bicycle) on Facebook for the very 1st time.   We only agreed to see 2 people this afternoon.  1st person didn't come, called the meeting off last minute and said her neighbor was selling their bicycle to them.   I called the 2nd person.   He came, looked at it, liked it and paid.   It was quick and easy.

We posted the bicycle for sale yesterday on a few selling places on Facebook.  20 people enquired about the bicycle.  One person offered $120, another $100 and another $70.    One asked what was our best offer?   If nobody is willing to pay $125 for it, we intend to donate to our church's annual fundraising sale.   This year there was no sale because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We ordered the Schwinn Connection S5926WM Hybrid bicycle from walmart.com on the 21 August 2016.  We paid $216.52 (incl. of tax).

Disappointedly, Mike's 1st ride on the 27 August 2016, after only 2 miles,  on a paved path in a park, the hind tyre tube popped!

Had the tube changed, on the 2 September 2016, at a Walmart supercenter  but was not happy that we have to pay for the 700C tube, even though it is like $4.21 (incl. of $0.33 tax)

Emailed walmart.com and voiced our disappointment of what happened only after only 2 miles of riding.    So they refunded us $19.90 on the 5 October 2016.   They knew how to make their customers happy.

We have no problems after that.   It was a beautiful bicycle.  Sadly, Mike only rode it less than 5 times during these 4 years, probably just 3 times, if I remembered correctly.  He had hoped to get back to riding when his health conditions enable him to, but it didn't.  It was in the past month that he decided a tricycle would be safer for him and so he finally decided to sell it.  I would have ridden it long ago if I was tall enough for it.

Wrong Straight Talk Service Cards

It has been over 2 years since I made that costly mistake.   It was not like 100s of $, but $65.40 (inclusive of $5.40 tax) was a lot for us.  And to date, I am still hoping the Company would refund me or give me some kind of  compensation.  Maybe at least one free service plan.   I am now writing this to tell myself that this is a gone case.

Back on the 26 May 2018, my husband waited in his truck while I went into Walmart Electronics Department and looked for Straight Talk Service Cards.   I probably would have taken my time to look carefully at the 2 x $30 cards before I purchased them.   I was in a rush because I didn't want my husband to wait too long.  Back home, I only realised my mistake when I failed to reload them to our 2 cell phones.   The cards that I bought were for home phones.   What I needed was for cell phones.   My eyes must be blinded.  Both home phones and cell phones cards are green color.  However, the house phone cards have black colour on it while the cell phone cards have red colour on top of the green cards, respectively.

$30 Home Phone Cards

$30 Cell Phones Cards

Walmart couldn't take them back because I have scratched and revealed the PINs.  Straight Talk representative said they could not do anything.   I tried to sell , offering BOGO, to no avail.  The public most likely think I was a fraud.

So I decided to keep them.  I thought maybe we would change our local communication home phone to the Straight Talk home phone and then I could use those 2 home phone plans that I had wrongly bought.

2 years later, this year, around 17 June 2020, I tried to sell again, to no avail.   To throw away is a waste because the PINs have not been used yet.   So on the 24 June 2020, I wrote (snail mailed) to Straight Talk Company, suggesting that maybe their system could use the PINs for customers who were renewing the home phone subscriptions automatically.   I didn't ask for any compensation.   I did say we have been their loyal customers since 2011.

Less than a month after my letter to Straight Talk Company, 15 July 2020, a representative tried to reach us.   He tried to call me on my phone.  The call center, 800-353-1842, was listed as possible spam, on my phone.   I couldn't hear the message clearly.   Instead of touching the loudspeaker, I touched the delete.  I read somewhere later that I could recovered the deleted voice message but I didn't know how then.    An agent, by the name of Dominic, said he is available from 2-10 pm ET but I couldn't catch the number he indicated to call him back.

He then tried to call Mike, who couldn't talk to the agent, as he was on kidney dialysis and the place was noisy with all the machines here and there.

I tried to call the Call Center, 800-353-1842, who have no idea who had called us.   So I wrote another snail mail on the 16 July 2020, asking if they can contact me on my cell phone again, text me a message or email me.

No response from them and so I wrote my 3rd snail mail to them on the 31 August 2020, referring to my previous 2 snail mails and asking if there is anything they could do for us.

Maybe this is meant to be another lesson for me to slow down and not to take things for granted.    I hate throwing away money, especially through my own mistake and consequence.

28 November 2020

I am very pleased with their patience, response and professionalism in dealing with my case.   

On the 4 October 2020, a CSR called.  A refund ticket for $60 of the 2 Home Phone cards (that were apparently never been used) was issued and forwarded to the management for approval.

On the 6 October 2020, a CSR called.  Instead of monetary refund, one $30 plan was credited to our phone.

I had to call on the 20 October, 21 October and 16 November, with regards to some issue with the crediting of  the second $30 plan.

On the 17 November 2020, I had to talk to 4 persons before the situation was solved.   The 4th CSR successfully credited the second $30 plan to our phone.

It took almost 5 months, from the date of my 1st letter (24 June 2020) to the date when the case is finally closed (17 November 2020).  I didn't expect them to go any faster.   I am very glad they accepted my mistake and were kind to refund me.

12 Days of No Wifi

What do you do if you do not have wifi subscription at home, and your wifi modem does not work after a thunderstorm?    Not a good experience at all, especially if your cell phone plan is first 3GB up to 4G LTE speed then 2G, even though it is unlimited data.  You don't know when the wifi will be restored and so you don't dare to use too much internet.  You can't watch videos with 2G!

It happened to us.  Thunderstorm on the 10 July 2020 and then no wifi until the 22 July 2020.

After the thunderstorm on the 10 July 2020, I reported to an Agent that my wifi modem was dead.  The Agent trouble-shooted and confirmed that my wifi modem was dead because no light came on when I plugged it into another electrical outlet.  A ticket was issued and I collected a replacement wifi modem from their store that same afternoon.  This was our 3rd modem.

We had the 1st modem since September 2015.  It was a Ubee model and it survived all the thunderstorms.  We changed it because an Agent told us the system called for a modem upgrade.  I had called the Agent complaining about the internet connection fluctuations.  Another possible reason was the increase in the usage of internet at home during this COVID-19 pandemic time.

The 2nd modem, that were recommended to us was a Panoramic wifi gateway.  It was very disappointing that this new Panoramic wifi was not as tough as the 1st Ubee modem.  The 1st Ubee had served us for 5 years!

And now this 3rd modem was also a Panoramic modem.  I would be mad if this modem need to be replaced, due some kind of technical flaws.  I guess we cannot take any thing for granted.  We will see how good this new professed to be good reliable equipment.

So back to the thunderstorm.

The 3rd modem lighted up when connected to the original electrical outlet, signifying the modem was working.  However there was no wifi signal.

So I contacted an Agent.  A work ticket was issued for a technician to come out to our home on the 12 July 2020 between 10 am - 12 pm.

12 July 2020.  The technician came.  He said he changed some cable or wire in the cable box on the outside wall.  He also found out that their communication equipment, on the utility pole, need to be attended to.  It had to be dealt by a field technician.  He was a home technician.  He issued a work ticket.

13 July 2020.  Contacted an Agent who said the case now rest in the hands of the Operations Field.

14 July and 17 July 2020.  Texted Agents.  Both said the target fix date was 19 July 2020.

19 July 2020.  No technician appeared.  Texted an Agent who reported there was no work ticket on file!  We had no idea why there was no information of the fix date of 19 July 2020 in the system as well.  We had no idea what was going on.  It was a frustrating moment.

20 July 2020.  I decided to let Mike take over.  He called the office and spoke to a representative, who generated a work ticket for a technician to come tomorrow, 21 July 2020.

21 July 2020.  A technician came, who insisted, as part of the diagnostic procedure, to come into the house to check the wifi modem, the internet and whatever.  We told him for the past days, all the Agents that we contacted had already troubleshooted remotely and we already knew that the wifi modem was not receiving signal.  We told him that the 1st technician who came on the 12 July 2020 didn't insist to come in because of the COVID-19 and that he could check from the outside.

So this 20 July 2020 technician came in and then he went outside.  I must have missed seeing if he had checked the cable box on the outside wall but I did saw him climbing a ladder at the utility pole.  Next thing we knew, he called Michael on the phone and said he couldn't solve the problem.  What a technician!  Don't even have the courtesy of reporting, to us face to face, what he found was the problem.

After the technician left, Mike called the office and spoke to someone, supposedly a Field Operations Supervisor, who generated a work ticket for another technician to come out tomorrow (22 July 2020) between 10 am - 12 pm.

22 July 2020.  Finally, an Operations Field Technician came.  Even though we were discouraged initially when he said he couldn't promise that he could restore the internet connection, I appreciate him for his humbleness.  Right then, we didn't know if the situation called for more than just fixing the box on the utility pole.  Anyway, this young sweet technician rang our front door, about half an hour later, happily announced that he had changed some wire in the box, and got back the phone and internet signal.

Some wires in the telecommunication box on the utility pole was replaced.  It was already diagnosed, on the 1st day of service by the Home Technician, that the box needed to be attended to.  Yet it took the Company 10 days to get to the right people to get the job done.  Very disappointing process.

That telecommunications box was struck by the thunderstorm on the 10 July 2020.  The neighbors whose source of internet signal derived from this box were affected as well.  I wondered if they were more patient than I was.

Anyway, I am glad the wifi modem is running now.  I am happy I can watch movies again.

I forgot to add that the Company is good.  They gave credit to my account for the 12 days of no internet and phone services.

The Lord Calls (7)

Mike picked a closed name tag from the Christmas giving tree in the church foyer on the 9 December 2019.   After clearing with the Bishopric, he gave me the tag, now revealed with the name of Joan Murray.   We have no idea who she was.

Heavenly Father must have wanted me to fellowship with her.   Found out she was in her early 80's and living alone.  I was excited to learn that she lived in the same neighborhood because that would allow me to visit her easily.    I brought some cookies and knocked on her door on the 15 December 2019.    It was my first visit to her.   I am glad that I was able to visit with her as well in the next 5 months or so.

I wasn't in the area during the week when Sister Murray passed away on the 26 September 2019.   However, I am glad I was able to attend her funeral on the 1 October.

Rest in peace, Sister Murray.  It has been a pleasure knowing you.  We have fun visiting.

The Lord Calls (6)

May 2020

Staying at home and trying to keep myself occupied, during the COVID-19 pandemic, has led me to searching out friends, whom I have not seen for years.  There is joy when you find and reconnect.   I am saddened when I learnt that they have passed away.   I am more saddened if  it happened just a week or two before I found them.   If only I had call her number earlier.

Thanks to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I am comforted that my friends have gone to the spiritual world and there is the hope of meeting again in the next world.    I have no pictures of the following friends, but they will not be forgotten.

Nancy Vera Pennington Phelps and I had spoken and messaged each other in April 2019.   We lived in different states.  We had planned to meet, during a visit to her city, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the visit was cancelled. Neither of us made contact after that.  We were both busy with our own lives.   The desire to call her came this year.    I think I called her number around the 23-May-2020.    Her son answered her phone.    On the 27-May-2020, I learnt from her son that Sister Phelps had passed away on the 14-May-2020.

I wished we had met last year.   I wished I had called her between April 2019 and May 2020.

Sister Phelps was once my Visiting (Ministering) Sister.   She had been there when I needed help.   She helped me clean the house the morning I was moving to another city.   And the last friend to see me off from my home.

Sister Martha Louise Johnson was my angel.   Because I didn't have my own vehicle, she had volunteered to take me to work and back from work, even when it was like almost midnight at the end of my shift.  She also volunteered to take me to my medical appointments.   I learnt of her passing (24-March-2019) when I reconnected to another Sister on the 24-May-2020).

Shirley Brown was a sweet little lady whom I had the pleasure to work with, for 18 months.   She was always good to me.    She gave me some money as a parting gift when I left the company and moved to another state.   She told me I am welcome to stay with her if I have no place to go.    It is very humbling to hear that kind of gesture and love from people.   I only knew of her passing on the 12-January-2017 through another colleague of ours.

The Lord Calls (5)

2 days ago, while looking at old pictures, going down the memory lane and reminiscing, my thoughts went to a friendly young man, who I am thankful for.   If it was not for this young friendly gentleman-photographer, I wouldn't have those old pictures.  I knew he worked for a newspaper.   That was in 1971 when I was in Form V.   We never met after that.

I could even remember his name, Alfred Lee.    After 48 years of not being in contact, I wanted to find him and thank him again for the pictures.   It must be that I am older now and have more time to reflect on the past.   So I looked him up on the worldwide popular social network, Facebook.   I found  Alfred Ak Lee.    This Facebook guy is fatter and having not seen him for 48 years, I was not sure he is the Alfred Lee of 1971.   However Alfred Ak Lee is a photographer and there was a picture of him when he was younger that looks like Alfred Lee of 1971.    So I requested friendship.  I wrote him a private message asking him if he was the Alfred Lee of 1971.   2 days, no reply and I wonder.   His last public posting was in May 2018.  His profile pictures is of a photographer and so it is odd that he is not posting any pictures since May 2018.

I don't know why I continue to search for him.   I read an article from PressReader.com of a Alfred Lee that died of cancer on the 26 July 2018.   And I saw a resemblance of the Alfred Lee of 1971 in the picture that they posted in the article.   I felt that this is the Alfred Lee that I was looking for because of what they wrote about him.

However, I didn't want to take it for granted that the Alfred Lee who passed away is the Alfred Lee of 1971.    So I messaged the only FB mutual friend of Alfred Ak Lee and myself, to check if Alfred Ak Lee had passed away.   Our mutual friend didn't know.   That is odd.   I guess sometimes there are FB friends that we hardly keep up with, like in this case.

I wonder who I could ask.   I asked a former classmate, whom I thought would know.   Nope.    A former schoolmate came into my mind.   He had worked as a Municipal Counselor so he definitely would know.    And yes, bingo, he confirmed that the Alfred Lee of 1971, was the Alfred Lee that had died last year.  I didn't know his full name (Alfred Lee Kim Lung) until I read the article of his passing.

I am sorry, Alfred Lee, that I was too late in thanking you again for taking pictures of some of our school activities.   I know I have thank you in 1971 but I felt like thanking you again.

The Lord Calls (4)

I knew Agatha Wong when we worked together at the Miri/Bintulu Project in 1973-74.   Sweet lady.   She operated a stall at the Tamu Muhibbah before she ventured into tailoring business.   I would take my clothes to her when I needed help with some sewing work.

13-July-2009

Time passed and it was only around Chinese New Year 2019 when I wondered why she didn't reply my messages.   Found out that she had passed away on Christmas Day 2018, from colon cancer.   Last I saw her was in 21 April 2016.   Another friend gone.   She will be missed.

Last picture with Agatha Wong.  18-September-2014.

Displinary Warning Letter (2)

Thursday, 5 July 2018

Received a disciplinary warning letter for the second time, from the same employer, exactly 4 years apart! First time was on the 5 July 2014. And it was 5 July 2018 today. The difference is store and state.

On the 5 July 2014, it was a $60+ check, with the signature missing. I was the cashier so technically I was accountable for the mistake but I felt I was not to be blamed entirely. I wasn’t the one who received the check from the customer. Checks are electronically accepted by the computer, machine printed “void” and returned to customers. Because the checks were returned to them, we usually tell them that they need not sign them. In this incident, the customer’s check was not accepted so the signature is a must. With the signature, we can't deposit the check into the bank account.

I had called the Assistant Manager who also couldn’t get the check electronically read, so he called the Store Manager, who keyed in the check number manually into the machine. Store Manager put the customer’s check into my till, but forgot to ask the customer to sign. I was pleased to learn some days later that another Assistant Manager had contacted the customer and had the check signed. On the end of that incident's shift, we were not able to reach the customer.

Today, 5 July 2018, I confessed that it is my fault and carelessness as a cashier. I have mistaken a $20 for a $100 bill. I cannot excused myself that it was an old $20 version bill because I have rceived that version many times. I thought myself an efficient cashier but today I am not. I will be with the Company for almost 5 years. I don’t know what happened to my eyes and mind today. I have given free $80 cash back to a customer! I realized my mistake when I was organizing and stacking up the $20 bills. I remembered a “$100” bill but it was not among my bills in my till. 4 years ago, I said I will continue working hard for my employer, be the best cashier that my employer and customers will remember. I said that again today. I want to add that with God’s guidance and blessing.

I was so disappointed with myself. I was also upset of people’s dishonesty. I remembered it was a lady, probably in her 40’s. I strongly believe that ALL customers know what they pay their purchase with. They definitely would voice out if the change is under. There were and I believe honest customers who would voice out if the change is over. In everything there is an opposition. So with the honest, there is the dishonest. In my case today, I have encountered an dishonest person, who knew what she had paid me but chosen not to voice out the over change and chosen to walk out of the store with the extra $80 cash that I have wrongly given back. I prayed to God to instill a conscience in this lady, to return the extra $80. The amount would NOT make the Company poor, but it had shaken my self-confidence in my ability as a cashier.

Snow 2018

Thursday, 22 February 2018

Now I know why I cooked the 7 vegetables.  It is because I didn't go to work and I had more time at home.

I was scheduled to work from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm today.   Called the Assistant manager at 8:15 am.   Business was opened.  I was hopping it wasn't.  Bad icy road conditions.  TV announced to stay home otherwise drive slowly and cautiously.  On normal days, I would drive myself.  But this morning, Mike would take me.  We got out of the driveway, but got stuck on the neighborhood road.  It was like ice skating condition.

We could feel the tires swayed to the sides.  Scary.  Took us a while to slowly drive back to the house.  Lots of tire turning.  Smoke as well.  Smell of rubber.  Also because our area is elevated and there was not enough weight on the truck.  I suggested that we call AAA road assistance.  He didn't respond, guess he wanted to try the best he could.  I suggested asking Heavenly Father for help.  He said he was.  Mike is a learnt ice driver but he threw in the towel.  He told me to call the store to inform them that I can't get to work because of the road condition.  Even though I was just sitting in the truck, doing nothing else, I was exhausted by the time we got back into the house.   Anxiety exhaustion.

A blessing in disguise, not working today.  Got to hem 3 pairs of Mike's trousers and 3 pairs of my pyjamas pants, that we bought from Value Thrift Store last Thursday.

7th Day of the Chinese New Year

Thursday, 22 February 2018

I didn't learn from my mother about eating 7 kinds of vegetables on the 7th day of the Chinese New Year, which is believed to be the creation of human, therefore the human day.   My Hakka in-laws did the lei cha.   I like it but have no interest to do it.   Nowadays you can eat that any day at some shops.

I prefer the idea of 7 kinds of vegetables, cooked however you like it.  As a Christian, I learnt that God created man at the end of the 6th day (after he had created every other living things on the earth) and not on the 7th day.   But anyway. just for the fun of trying out how the taste of 7 kinds of vegetables together, I decided to stir-fry what I could gather from my fridge:  cabbage, radish, tomato, celery, bok choy, carrot, broccoli and sweet pepper.   I have 8 kinds of vegetables.

Stir-fried with oil, garlic and a few drops of oyster sauce. Tasted good!

The Lord Calls (3)

I am writing "The Lord Calls (3)" being the 3rd of the same subject, some of the many friends, that had gone over the veil.   I missed them.

Betty Leong Pick Yun (I am not sure I spelled "Pick" correctly.  We went to the same Shorthand-Typist class in 1972.   She was my best friend then.   After graduating, we went on our respective lives and lived in separate cities.  We met and visited each other, maybe a few times.   We both got married, have children.   She was my bridesmaid.     So busy that we lose touch with each other.    Sometime in 1988, I was contacted by a family of hers, relaying me the news that she had passed, leaving behind a husband and a daughter.   She had died of pneumonia.  I probably have other pictures taken with her, apart from our class picture, but they were not in digital form.

27 August 2020.  Found this piece of congratulations note from Betty.  Brings back memory of our close friendship.   I really miss her.

Congratulation note from Betty Leong

Known Dawn Frances William since 1999, through the church.   She has gone over the veil, on the 10 October 2013.  I got the sad news from her daughter, via the Facebook Messenger.

Visited Doris Barbara Greene for the very first time on 18 December 2013, at her  home.   Thanks to our church's Visiting Teacher program, we became friends.   She sewed the following pillow, and gave it to us on the 14 April 2014.

Interestingly, I met Doris's mother, Alicia Clayton-Clavie'  at my work place.   And then, interestingly, I was assigned as her Visiting Teacher.    My companion and I visited her at her home, for the very first time, on the 26 February 2015.   Sister Greene texted me, on the 18 April 2017, that her mother had passed away on the 26 March 2017.   Sister Clayton never get to see the Easter card that I snail mailed to her on the 24 March 2017.

In the period prior to our reallocation in August 2015, I have enjoyed the friendship that I had with this beautiful mother and daughter.   I only learnt, early this year, from my Visiting Teaching companion, after continual unanswered phone calls and messages to Sister Greene, that she had passed away on the 21 July 2017, 4 months after her mother, Sister Clayton, had passed.   Miss and love you all.

Chinese New Year's Dinner 2018

Monday, 19 February 2018

Chinese New Year 2018, the year of the Dog, began last Friday, 16 February 2018.    We had our "reunion" dinner today.   Traditionally it is held on the eve of the New Year, whereby family get together.   I cooked up 6 dishes with 3 bought dishes.

Stir-fried brocolli with carrot and mushroom

Stir-fried prawns and edamame

Braised ginger beef

Blanced brocolli with oyster sauce

Braised chicken feet

Curry chicken

Barbecue pork

Roasted pork

Roasted duck

Burst Water Pipe

This is one of those times that I still cry sometimes when I think about it.   I don't think I can laugh about it........

So we have rented this home (154.....) for 2 years, continued renting on a month to month basic, for 2 months.   We couldn't rent another month because the landlord had found a tenant that would take up a year's lease.  We had to move out by the 31st July 2015.

Thankfully, there was a friend (Frs), living alone, in the same gated community park, who had told us, before she left for a few months of summer holiday in another city and  state, that we were welcome to move into her house (241.....).   She did ask that we pay $500 for a month's stay, which was less than half of what we paid ($1,050) to the place we had to vacate.

Mike was in the process of hearing from a potential employer in the month of August, so this temporal housing was a blessing for us.

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Disappointed with 2 people (R&K).   They came in the morning, gave us the key to the house of Frs that we were moving into, told us that they would be coming back at 4 pm to pick up the unwanted furniture and stuff for another lady.  R&K didn't turn up nor call us.

Disappointed also with another 2 friends (E&J) who came twice in the morning to pick up our unwanted TV, VHS & DVD player, entertainment console and a book shelf.  Said they would be coming back, also at 4 pm, to help move stuff to the Salvation Army store.   They also didn't turn up nor call us.

Moving 2 x 2 drawers metal cabinets, 2 wooden computer desks to the outside of house was not easy for Mike.   I am small built person and I don't have the strength at all to help with those furniture.

We moved packed boxes, of what we needed to Frs's home and the rest to a storage unit.   Bought lunch and dinner from fast foot restaurants.   By the time we got done with the clearing and cleaning of the rented house 154 and by the time we got back to Frs's home to call it the night, it was already 1:00 am the next day!

Friday, 31 July 2015

On opening the front door of Frs's home, I heard water gushing and found the master bedroom's bathroom's floor flooded and water moving into the bedroom.   I ran out and cried to Mike.    After a couple of calls, Frs called back.   BK (Frs's maintenance friend), who happened to be our friend as well, came to the house.   Mike had already shut off the water supply, outside the house, successfully.   He had to use a rock to hit the frozen switch.

I was too emotionally to do anything but cried and cried.   I was extremely tired and sleepy.  We had been up since yesterday.   Amazingly, Mike was calm.   BK took control of the situation.  Between him and Mike, they soaked up all the water with towels, jeans, bedsheets, throws, etc.

Went to bed about 3 am!

Thankfully later, on this day, 2 friends (J&N) came and moved all the unwanted stuff, that Mike had moved onto the front yard of the 154 house we had vacated yesterday, to the Salvation Army store, that E&J didn't do yesterday.

Another disappointment!   I tried to machine dry all the wet clothes that had soaked up the water but unfortunately the dryer was not working as it should be.   It took 3 cycles of run to dry just the towels!  It was like 3 hours!   We ended up taking 3 trash bags of wet clothes to a commercial laundry dryer.

*****

This was my 1st experience with water bursting from the pipes. And it had to happen when I least expected it, when all I wanted to do, was to sleep.   I know it could happen during freezing temperature in the winter time, if the pipes were not insulated.   I know of friends whose home have been flooded because of that.   Was it meant to be, that we came to Frcs's home at the right time?   What would have happened if the water was left running and nobody was there?

New York City - Snacks

Monday, 16 October 2017

The most I have paid for these snacks in my life!   I paid a total of $19.20 for the already packed 120 gm  dried cuttlefish ($10.00) plus the cost of self picked 210 gm of washabi peas ($???) plus tax.   That is New York City.   That is why so expensive.

Snow 2017

Friday, 6 January 2017

Woke up to snow on the ground and 1 digit Fahrenheit.   Looked thick but it was only like 2-3" and the area is not flat.

Backyard

Frozen water in the jar

Front

Christmas Dinner 2016

Sunday, 25 December 2016

Thanks to Roger who did the Christmas dinner.   Even though there were only 4 of us, I enjoyed the companionship.

Baked peach glazed ham

Dressing

Green Beans Casserole

Sweet Potato Salad

Brioche Buns

Birthday Treats 2016

Monday, 8 August 2016

I told Mike not to give me any card nor flowers, for my birthday.  I also said I don't want any other material things.   I actually requested that on his way home to get me a yogurt ice cream from Braum's.   He returned home with a pizza for dinner and a ice cream cake.   That was great!   I don't care for the pizza but I love the ice cream cake.  It was delicious.

Mum's Knitting

Friday, 5 August 2016

Most of my clothings, when I was growing up, was sewn by Mum.   I remembered she told me she learnt to sew by herself.  If she is alive now, I would tell her how much I appreciate her dedication in bringing us up.   There were 5 children and she was the best mother.   We hardly get sick.  We were cleaned and fed.    

These are the 2 knitted items that I have kept that she had made.  A blue sweater for me (when I was already a teenager). A red/green strip v-check vest for my younger brother when he was in his childhood.   The bottom pink strip was a replacement or an added strip.   My younger brother passed away 8 years before our Mom passed.

I didn't follow her foot steps in sewing.   Her granddaughter does.  Mum would be so proud of this granddaughter, who happens to be her first grandchild and a special one too.

Mom Hanging Sign

Friday, 5 August 2016

I love this sign from my son, Yean.   Thank you so much.

 

Mugs

Friday, 5 August 2016

I get all sorts of mugs during my life, but I still kept these two.   20 year or more ago, a work colleage (Sebah P) gave me the mug with my name on it.   I love it.    And 9 years ago, Mike gave me the one with a teddy bear attached.   I have not used it at all.