Cello #2

1st June (Mon) 

It’s PH so tutor able to put it in the afternoon (3.15pm). Again lil’ one and me sat in the studio coz we needed the aircon 😬. Hubby wandered around in the nearby mall until I went back for him an hour later. The girls had to sit with the cello on their legs, indeed it is not easy to have 4 pax and one huge cello in our small car. 

Tutor is so encouraging, always complimenting “very good”. I would have screamed and scolded her for making those mistakes 😬. 自己的父母亲 are very critical. I take it that I can’t be an educator at all, I don’t have the patience and I’m very harsh / critical. 

Learnt a new song from Suzuki Book 1 - Lightly Row. Hey! She learnt this song too! Somehow at the back of my long term memory I could sing out this phrase “A123EEE”. 

Tutor was excited over a new Ghibli music book he just got hold of and showed her the book 😂 asked if she knew Ghibli. Hmm….he probably didn’t notice the bags we were carrying - Kiki Delivery Service. It was nice of him to start playing some songs, not the full song but briefly. I started to wonder when che-che will reach that stage? Actually also why can’t Ghibli have more songs for the cello, piano and electone? It’s always the same pieces - トトロ, いつも何度でも, あの夏へ ,  海の見える街 etc etc. Someone needs to program more songs in the MDR for the electone. 

On the way to pick hubby up, che-che found a way to put the cello in the car with the two of them squeezing behind. One skinny and one ahem ahem 😂. 

6th June (Sat) 

🎻 purchase day.

Met tutor to choose her cello. 

Tutor told her on Monday to prepare scales to yi yi orh orh first if he’s not around. Tutor was running a little late being caught in the jam, the staff told her she can play something first. That very instant she said that che-che and I locked eyes together and she gave me her trademark puppy-look pathetic face 

and we both laughed. I knew what she was thinking “what the heck?I run out of tune most times”. She tried yi yi orh orh a little (but she was paiseh) after some persuasion from me coz it’ll be so dumb to sit there. She keeps looking at the door, waiting for tutor to push open the door. Lo and behold when he pushed opened the door, it was ‘my saviour 来了’. 

Immediately he got down to business. 手脚很快 he tuned and dunno what else he did then yi yi orh orh. Then took another model which che-che was eyeing, immediately we could hear the difference! I love the deep sound. 

Can you guess which model she chose? 

He helped to select bow. I didn't know there's a way to select bow 🤣. Even chose the better rosin for her. When I bought her her one and only violin I didn't know what to do and took whatever rosin they had.

The cello comes in a thick cloth casing that is almost similar to a laptop bag material. Decided to get a hard casing here, which even with tutor’s teacher discount at 50% is more expensive than what I can get in Taobao. I was more worried about cracks in the case if I had Taobao-ed and I can’t refund if that’s the case. Who was to know that the staff had to drill and push back something to the wooden end pin wooden holder just to fit into the case. Wah! If I had purchased from Taobao I wouldn’t know that the cello she bought won’t be able to fit nicely into the case. 

While waiting for the staff to do whatever he had to do, tutor was sharing with us the Vettori Paolo cello priced at $100K. 我听到了价钱眼睛都要掉下来。His sons' crafted cellos are priced $15K cheaper. Still we can't afford anything more than 5 digits (lemme rephrase that even for a 4 digits price we need to set budget lor!). The cello is in a transparent case, the space I wouldn't dare to step closer incase my bag sling catch a part and topple the cello over. Only they can play that cello and asked if we want to hear. Of course! I was more excited but dare not voice out, #27 che-che said she wanted to hear. My goodness! The sound is ... I don't know how to describe but it's just so 迷人, so rich. 

I asked a rather dumb question if anyone new would buy this expensive cello or usually one will slowly upgrade. I'm thinking for our piano we also started with the basic model then subsequently we changed to a much better piano, so it works the same for cello? There are people who are willing to pay that much he clarified.太有钱了.

His sons and daughter 

Good to know : other famous luthier

Her cello! 

Here’s to more cello days ahead

What was I worried about when she said she wanted to learn cello? I was worried that she might give up halfway as she did with her violin. Her reasons was (as if she remembers) she was so bored with playing open strings for a very long time unlike now doing in first lesson. Infact she didn’t play open strings that long, otherwise why would I remember a few songs’ fingerings. Of course to a group of 4 year-olds they had to practice open strings first coz (1) young and mostly would be holding violin for the first time and it’s the beginner part of yi yi orh orh to make sure they press the bow hard enough (2) most would have started with violin as the first instrument unlike her who already had some music background so maybe that’s why she was a little faster than the others in her class. (3) it was a group class, progression is slower coz teacher has to make sure everyone moves, if she’s faster than the others she has to wait for them. 

Now she is fast with cello coz (1) she plays so many instruments, just need to make small adjustments and have strength to press fingering now, (2) individual class she didn’t have to wait for anyone (3) hate to say this but coz she played the violin before so it’s the same. Almost wanted to tell her if at age 24 with musical background and having seen how cellos are played and she’s still doing open strings for a long time, she’s going to be embarrassing herself. 

So hot! ☄️🥵

It’s so blardy freaking hot today! 

Got back home after bringing the girls out for lunch at Swee Choon. Showered and hang up the bedsheets before retreating to an air-conditioned room. I started perspiring again while hanging up the bedsheets. OMG! Should I shower again or not? I decided to rest a little before leaving the house again about 105mins later. Haiyah! Have to go and pick che-che up near Little India then to Gramercy to select her cello. I’m so tired, there’s never a still moment (except when I’m sleeping) this week and all the weeks. All I want is a time to steal a nap in the afternoon but I can’t coz I need to leave the house later. If only I could pass her the car. I didn’t do it coz she’ll need to return her tutor his cello, can’t leave cello in open parking under the ☀️ while she’s out with friends and 最怕被偷。SIN in general is safe but coz the cello doesn’t belong to us so no matter what we need to take care. 

Okie dokie enough of complaining. Going to take a 30mins 😴 now before hanging up the last bedsheet and che-che’s laundry. 

🥹

Updating the monthly calendar. And ….. boo hoo hoo 😭. Both the man and che-che will be travelling having fun while I’m stuck in SIN end up more sulky and wrinkly. Will be holding the fort for the month of September to Oct for 5 weeks. No joke man! I would be so exhausted 崩溃. You may think the girls are older should be easier right? No ah…Princess #2 starting school in June and not sure of how her school schedule is going to be. School is so far then altho we say she needs to take bus it will take a long time to reach school/home. When everything from housework to cooking to certain chauffeuring is left all to me, it means one thing - I’d be crawling to bed more tired everyday. Although this is what I do now, but when hubby is around I can leave chauffeuring to him and sometimes he will help to vacumn the floor on Thursdays when I go for my Fight-Do class. When he’s away it means everything on solo with no help. When he’s away means I cannot be the damsel in distress and scream for help to kill the damn cockroach and scary lizard.

Comfort food

Dunno what to eat. I wasn’t going to cook coz had to visit mom in hospital and then drop by to Lenovo to try to get a battery replacement for lil’ one’s laptop, getting ready for school. And since I’m out, I usually don’t want to cook the many dishes typical chinese meal. 

Sianz. Everytime ask what to eat? Suddenly I wanted plain porridge. I was craving for black soy sauce to dip a fried egg and a silken tofu. But the three of them can’t do this kind of blend food. I should have told them to settle themselves. I think I’m feeling a little grandma-ly. Don’t you agree that this is a simple comfort food? 

Clearing

Clearing the freezer and saw this pack of berry mix with less than 1/5 left. 

I love it that Japanese sells their things in small packs but it means I either have to go Donki or Meidiya to get them if the other supermarkets don’t carry them. 

I usually put the berries in my unsweetened Greek yoghurt but no more yoghurt left so made my açai drink. Yums!  

On This Day - 4th June #Reminders from FB#

4th June 2025

My go-to orh orh music.

Now all I need is light turbulence to rock me to sleep.

4th June 2025

Didn't get to sleep immediately.

I just spent 1.5hrs talking to my ex-team CS, now IFM.

Didn't know he was onboard until he walked past me.

Hey! It's my fav smiley funny CS and thank goodness altho Capt mentioned abt light turbulence there wasn't any, so I could stand at the galley and have a nice long talk with him. (Okay now that I'm seated, gimme light turbulence so i can orh orh). The last time I bumped into him was in Marine Parade when (I think) che-che is in primary school, 15-16yrs back.

He was surprised I could remember him. How can I forget him and his wife? My favourite couple, CS and LSS, no airs very nice people to work with (of course junior crew must know their work lah!).

What a good start to the holiday.

4th June 2025

Can’t believe I'm doing this for her. 🤣 Get the limited cards here for her, then when the girls go for their siblings trip they will go to another store themselves.

Che-che is out collecting all the stores' cards.

4th June 2025

Mummy needs to take credit for this hard work.

My son-in-law

I think she said she likes him right?

*edited : turns out I took the wrong pic. Then took another person, said wrong again. Aiyah, I took the remaining 3 of those I dunno their names, one of them has got to be the right answer

And Micchi 

4th June 2025

Lunch at 3+pm. Great! Now my meal is haywire, don't

think can eat full meal for dinner. 不怕不怕、不会饿 with so many konbinis around.

4th June 2024

* added photos to the album: Mid-year trip - May 2024

This photo and the next photo are the awkward views of

USS Intrepid. I can't have any side or back photo of USS Intrepid coz I'm on it. Oh well, can always find from the internet 🤣

But! But as I look thru my videos and photos I did unknowingly took the aerial view of this and USS Bataan the second time I flew into NY.

There were veterans around giving us insightful knowledge. And we learnt of a naval battle, Leyte Gulf, which we never knew. I know for sure that curious girl will start looking for information when she's free.

In October 1944, USS Intrepid took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and planes from the carrier helped sink the Japanese battleship Musashi. Intrepid suffered her first kamikaze hit, and in November she was hit two more times by the suicide pilots. In March 1945, a bomb exploded just off the ship's bow, but Intrepid remained in action and helped sink the Japanese battleship Yamato a few weeks later. Before the end of the war, the ship was struck a fourth time by kamikaze attack.

About the kamikaze attack, I learnt that the Leyte Gulf battle was the first time the Japanese used this strategy.

Of course then it went on to WWII. All the while I thought it was only in WWII they used this strategy.

But like we both said Leyte Gulf battle wasn't our dai-ji so we didn't even learn from school. Unless we happen to watch it in History channel lor...

I learnt something new everyday.

4th June 2021

Tried 2 new recipes, something that is compliant for me. 

Hope they taste good

The fight with oil splatters. The smell of chilli made me cough. This better be worth the taste!

Was so excited to use the new food processor but it was a mistake as nothing was  blended, all ingredients got swept to the sides 🤣. Changed to my smaller blender attachment instead, finally got the paste I wanted 👍🏻

Yup! I planned to do both coz I need to fry the chilli paste. 

Messy kitchen to deal with later.

Next up, my otah. 

Been craving for otah but there’s nothing I can eat outside so decided to try and make it. 

The food processor did its job (finally!). I looked at the things I need to wash and clean later, then I wish I had a Thermomix. 

I thought it looked a lot but I only got 3 small containers. Freezed them n will try them tmrw. I hope I like this recipe.

2021

3rd June - this girl’s first day out of the house in 17 days! Muahahaha! 

Out for an hour 15mins, only about 40mins in the mall (the rest in the 🚗). Bought her bubble tea and walked around the quiet mall, most shops close early.

#shesabttogocrazy#

4th June 2016

I haven't been to the library here for a long time. Lil' one is not interested in the music section and went to the dance section. Borrowed 2 CDs for her, 2 music books. Would love to slowly go through the books, quite a rushed and noisy trip for me.

4th June 2016

We're on our way to join the revolution. 

Wait! Chiak first then revolt.

4th June 2015

The art of camouflage. Should hv covered her mouth! 

Nice basil. Wanted to give to neighbour but dunno who uses them. Then this girl started playing with the basil n lemon balm until all .... Aiyoh that troublemaker.

I hope I'm trimming correctly too. Keke!

4th June 2015

Shucks! Back to the night guard sleeping style again! Now coughing is back to square 1 - cough like siao. This is the longest time I'm sick man!

4th June 2014

All packed and ready to go

🧽 life of an ah-soh 🧼

Came across this in one of the ・くらしvideos, seems like a miracle cream. Anyway it’s lemon scented so why not? Even if I have 100s of cleaners at home I had to get it coz I’m an ah-soh. 

Then I went about my extra task today. Cleaning the ovens. 

“Highlighted item” refers to the top right white container 

Not sure which one to use first so eeny meeny. I love this sponge! Took out the grease so easily that I couldn’t take out last time.

Honeycomb sponge with no honey 🐝

A good alternative to the sponge that is used with the polishing cream, price in € 😩. 

This cleaner works wonders! I’m set to clean the glass, the toilet walls, the doors with this cleaner. But I hate the idea that the sponge that goes to clean the electrical appliances (for consumption use) + pots will be used to clean the house. I need separate sponges!!!! Just as fussy as I have x3 clothes scrub (for clothes, for shoes, for floor  mats). Dunno lah! Just some mad woman me have the mentality that I don’t want to mix the scrubs. 

Will check in Greenleif next time if it’s the same texture

I don’t clean the oven that often. Maybe only once a month coz I hardly use it. When I did, it wasn’t as clean as today. Omg! Why did I only discover this product so late? I used to use baking soda + vinegar, Cif, kitchen grease cleaner but just couldn’t clean as clean as this. 

Spent a long time cleaning the convection oven. Removed everything except the door, the top rod part, the bulb cover which I’m having trouble opening up. I need to change the bulb which fused out last week 😩. I need to figure out how to remove the double-layer glass, there’s some marks in between. 

Oven as good as new

Wanted to clean the microwave oven that is stack on top of the fridge. I was already giddy from squatting and lowering head cleaning the oven then getting up to rinse the cloth in sink then squat again. Was still trying to recover the giddiness and didn’t want to climb up and down (to rinse cloth in sink to wipe clean) 

I ended up taking my pot, trying to clean off the carbon buildup at the base (luckily it’s just the outside base not inside the pot). Managed to get some off. I’m too tired to check the other 2 pots, I needed a cold shower. As I brought forward the extra cleaning works that is usually done on Wednesdays to today. Called it a day! I’ll clean the other 2 pots another day. 

*****************

There’s also The Pink Stuff that I’ve heard of years ago but never tried it before. Checked on it to know the difference between the two. 

Both Pierre d'Argent and The Pink Stuff are popular, heavy-duty multi-purpose cleaning pastes that require some scrubbing to lift tough grime. However, they differ significantly in their ingredients, abrasiveness, and scent. 

Pierre d'Argent

• Formula: A French, 99.9% natural all-purpose cleaner based on white clay (kaolin), glycerin, and natural soap. 
• Texture: A hard, solid clay block that lathers up when activated with water. 
• Abrasiveness: Low to Mild. It cleans, polishes, and protects surfaces without scratching. 
• Scents: Usually a light, fresh lemon or mint scent. 
• Best For: Polishing copper, stainless steel, induction/glass-ceramic hobs, bathroom grout, and even sports shoes. It leaves a protective, water-repellent film. 
• Pros: Non-irritating to the skin, eco-friendly (Ecocert certified), and lasts a very long time since the clay dries out completely between uses. 

The Pink Stuff

• Formula: A UK-based, 99% natural paste primarily composed of quartz (a mineral), soap, and sodium silicate.
• Texture: A soft, thick, creamy paste that is ready to use straight from the tub.
• Abrasiveness: Medium to High. Its quartz grit is excellent for biting through heavy rust, baked-on grease, and scorch marks, but it can scratch highly polished, delicate surfaces.
• Scent: A signature, very strong sweet rhubarb fragrance.
• Best For: Heavy-duty outdoor furniture, barbecues, restoring discolored metal pans, and erasing scuffs on walls or sneakers.
• Pros: Highly effective at cutting through burnt food and grime; very satisfying, viral results.
• Cons: Can be too harsh for delicate plastics or glass stove tops. The paste can also dry out in the tub if the lid isn't sealed tightly. 

Which one should you pick?

• Choose Pierre d'Argent if you want an eco-friendly, all-natural option that is gentle on your skin and surfaces, and leaves a protective, smudge-free shine.
• Choose The Pink Stuff if you have severe baked-on messes, rust, or heavy grease and need a stronger abrasive paste to get the job done. 

One of the hikes

This is one of the hikes I’ve always wanted to do. Infact there are a couple of hikes I want to do in beautiful scenic Switzerland. Will I get the chance to do it?