Kindergarden Days

For me the past 3 weeks, I was not a happy camper, things happen that just make you feel down and you start to go on a roller coaster ride of emotions. You look into yourself and your self beliefs and you question your abilities and worth. It's a time when you have to step back and take a look at the wider picture. But this week was much better, things have passed, decisions will be made and like I have always believed, there are always two sides to a coin and it's up to you to choose which side you want. A new week brings new possibilities ;-) STORM Today Sunday -- wow wasn't it a huge storm in the evening ? At the Balestier / Toa Payoh area as I was driving back from my grandpareant's house (more on that later) there were 2 fallen tress on the expressway and at least another 3 more at the main road of my place. Guess the NParks would have their hands full removing all the fallen branches. Hopefully no one got hurt. GRANDPARENT'S I spent my Sunday at my Grandparent's (bless their souls) home, since they have passed on it was time after almost 8 years to dispose of the flat, getting a buyer wasn't the difficult part, clearing the 'junk' if one can call it that was exhausting. Anyways being the eldest grandchild I volunteer to help, anyways my mum and dad would be there as well. Left the wife at home since she isn't the type that's too crazy about roaches and dirt and stuff like that. You watch the Cable TV program - Dirtiest Job - well it's something like that. The place was really in need of a good renovation, it's over 30+ years old already and nothing was changed since I first stayed there during my Kindergarden years. I lived with my grandparents when I was young, both my parents worked and I only saw them over the weekends. Kindergarden was in the nearby Good Sherpard Kindergarden if I remember correctly at the East Coast area. I dreaded going to school, I would cry and all that, did all the tricks in the book to try to get out of school and this was only in Kindergarden. After Kindergarden when I got back I would grab my Ribena bottle and my Danny or Beano comic, go lie on the bed and I would read it for hours on end. Guess that's where my interest in comics and reading develope. Children should love to read and comics I feel is a great start. My other favourite was Tarzan -- which incidentally I still have a couple currently now, all yellow and the stapes all rusted but they are still with me. All these were given to me by a family friend who would without fail get me every issue of the comic. Some gems were uncovered in the 'rubble' the standard family photos, some of me (damn I look like a stick insect back then) and my sis at our birthdays, holiday trip photo's, my aunt's and uncle's weddings and family outings, most were in black and white. But some rare finds of interest anyone remember this old Yaohan plastic bag and it's made of the more durable (but more environmentally damaging) plastic. On it's back it's got weights conversions. if you can't see if properly the first line reads : 1 tahil = 37.8 g (advises you to ask for 50 g as the nearest) the last row reads 3 katis = 1.8 kg (advises you to ask for 2 kg as the nearest)

My grandfather's what you would call a 'hoarder' he keeps everything and I mean everything !! What's really good is that he also labels everything, you want to know when the TV or Fridge was bought, just look around the back and sure enough there would be some sticker with the date of purchase neatly hand written on it. He used to have this mini which he drives around and the boot of the mini is always full, you can't put stuff in there, he has everything you need in that boot, probably the only thing missing is the kitchen sink. One of the rare find was his collection of match boxes and here's a sampling of a few.

This above is the Singapore Zoo collection, one side features animals the other side features the really really old zoo logo. How about this collection of SEAP game match boxes, comes even with it's own box to contain them all,16 in total.

and this is the very neatly packed in groups of 8 of various different match boxes. I think you can pick out the Mandarin Hotel (bottom row 2nd from right), there is the American Club (top row, 2nd from right) and even The Pink Pussycat (top row, right) have no idea where that is, the others are nightclubs, restaurants, tea houses and hotels if I am correct.

As I was shifting through the load, I came acoss one of those old journal like books, I flipped it open and it was a brand new one, but probably 20+ years old. Nothing was written in it. Anyways no one uses these nowadays with all the latest electronic gadgets around. As I causally flipped through the pages I came across a US $1 bill !!! You can see from the picture below where the bill has been lying in that book all these years. It's probably my grandparents first US note. (oh ya I figured I better put the word SPECIMEN on the picture just in case) What a strange place to find that note.

Well we finally cleared up all the broken and useless items and it was all brought down to the allocated HDB area for bulk waste disposal. As we made the many trips down to throw the stuff away, there were a few karung guni men around and they probably had a field day with the items. I even say a young couple shifting through the boxes and they came away with some coasters. Guess they wanted some retro feel to their home. Tomorrow the final sale will be concluded and the new owners will take over the flat and their renovations will begin.