Presents from Janice and Kian Ru

The impressively designed card cover

25th December is a very well celebrated day fore whatever reason.

For me, this year it took added significance because two former students, Janice and Kian Ru (two sisters) gave me a Christmas present each.

A Caricature of me teaching literature...

They were lovely presents-indicative of life itself.

Kian Ru gave me a box of Ferraro Roche-reminiscent of the movie, Forest Gump -"Life is like a box of chocolate-you never know what you are going to get".

The Heartfelt Message from Kian Ru

Janice's present was a box of Danish cookies-again, reminding me of life being similar to the wise saying of likening it  to life ---- how will  the cookie crumble for you.

Great Christmas gifts for one with a sweet tooth such as I.

While Janice is an intern doing some work in design and intending to pursue a degree in it, Kian Ru has now decided to take the CAT route to an Accounting career.

Sisters Two

I thank them for their presents.

Most of all I love the Christmas card, the sisters sent.

The design and drawings were likely by Janice (it was professional!) while the heartfelt message was from Kian Ru.

Both are daughters of Jesslyn whom I taught pro bono at DUMC Adult English class.

Believe me, I have taught English to Kian Ru from Std 4 up to Form Five.

I hope it will pay off with her getting a good grade possibly a distinction in English 1119.

All's in the hand of Almighty God but privately it will be good for my feelings of achievement!

Amen.

A Red Letter Day for My Family

God Blessings!

I praise the Lord. For He has answered my prayers.

Today is a red letter day for my family.

I feel the burden taken off from my weary shoulders onto His yoke.

My son commenced his working life today (16 December 2015).

He is hired as an accounts assistant by a leading ICSA firm.

With my daughter working for a PLC, my cup runneth over.......

Praise be to the Lord again.

Amen

Cataracts, Retina Tears and Other Concerns

About a month ago (November 2015) or so, I suddenly realised it was not by spectacle lens which were dirty. Looking out doors, I saw a black smear on my left eye. It appeared like a dead mosquito lying in my field vision. A few days later, I say similar smears in my right eye vision. There were more of them. My worries started. What were these?

So, I went to the hospital without delay. Fortunately, I met my friend's daughter who works in the Ophthalmology Department at Universiti Hospital.  The first appointment did not give me clear ideas of what these smears were. I was told that I had cataracts. The right eye had 15% more floaters compared to my left eye.

So, coming home, I went to You-tube to understand better what are floaters and what are the flashes that I got as well.

Last week and today morning I went to see my eye doctor again to allay my fears as the flashes were of some concern.

After checking my eyes, she came to the conclusion that the flashes was more to do with my vitreous humour. The vitreous on my right eyes is totally detached from the optic nerve while for the the left eye, it is semi detached. There was no indication of any retina tear which are holes in the retina. Thank God for that!

The symptoms of a retina tear are as follows:

-Increase int the multitude of floaters...like a swarm of flies
-Increased frequency in flashes
-Dark shades covering the eyes from the sides.

Once these are experienced, its time to go back to the doctor to plug the holes with a laser.

As for floaters and flashes occasioned by cataracts and vitreous humour, it's best to ignore it. By doing so, the mind  will also 'learn' to ignore it and life goes on.

I will be seeing my doctor in May 2016.

Meeting up with Dr. Chan Lean Heng on 6 September 2015

Left to Right: Standing - Yau Kok, Bala, Ken, Saik Tat and Heng. Sitting- Saras, Rani, Swee Pin, Lean Heng and Jenny

Our good friend, T Bala. organised a special dinner get-together for us  to meet up with Lean Heng who was running a workshop for LGBT in KL. It was held at the Chinese restaurant in new town with a a quaint Italian name. I will put in the name of the restaurant later.

The following 10 friends attended:

T. Bala
Mrs Bala-Mdm Saraswathy
Lee Saik Tat
Selvarani
Kenneth
Yau Kok
Lean Heng
Swee Pin
Jenny
Heng

Here are some photographs of the function.

From left: Bala, Swee Pin, Saik Tat and Lean Heng

It was the first time that I have met up with Lean Heng since 1975-a hiatus of 40 years.

Saras,  Ken,  and Bala

She has retired from lecturing in USM and is now doing community work.

Yau Kok, Jenny and  Rani

My Home Tuition Class for F5 Students.

The Trio-Tutor and Students

I have two students that did SPM this year.

Tan Kein Ru was my student since Std 4. Then, I was teaching in the DUMC church on a voluntary basis at the Excel English Class. Thought there for a year.Subsequently, her mother enrolled her for my home tuition class. Substantively, she has been with me for 7 years.

With Kein Ru

Yeo Boon Chie joined my class as a revision student for 3 months.

With Boon Chie

I do hope they will do well. Keeping my fingers crossed that they will excel in the 1119 English Paper.

Dropping by to see Father on 28 November 2015

Besides attending the function to meet up with Jerry, Rosely and the rest of the gang, my son Jonathan and me went and visited my father.

My father was glad to see us and so was Bo Kiak, my sister in law.

I brought some medicine, calendars for Bo Kiak as well as adult pampers and plastic bed protectors that will be comfortable for father when he lies on the sheet at night.

We left for home at 6 pm.

Here are some photos and a video on this  occasion.

Father explaining to me that he has difficulty speaking

I spoke to father about having more soup food and bread in the evenings

First MHS Lunch at Cititel Cafe on 7 October 2015

The ladies had their little secret topics, I am sure...

From left to right: Heng,Yakob, Penny Devahi, Fang Lan, Mr. Teh, Aktar and Dato' Sohan

Sohan and Aktar in animated conversation

We had a luncheon for our Form 6 classmates at the Cititel Cafe in Midvalley City on 7 October 2015.

We were fortunate to have Devahi and husband, Aktar, Fang Lan and husband, Mr Teh, Penny Yeo, Dato' Sohan Singh and Yakob. Imagine meeting some of our friends after some 45 years hiatus.

We shared the old times and promised to meet again sometime soon. We all had a wonderful time. We had a good time talking about the things  that had happened to us since 1971.Most of us have retired. Devahi and Aktar are still in legal practice while Dato' Sohan runs a successful real estate business and timber consultancy. I informed them that I was doing a little  English tuition while Yakob is doing some part-time consultancy as well.

Here are some of the photos and a video of that meeting.