A Testing Week

By Wednesday I was fully recovered and ready for work but Eric was going downhill quickly. He had to have the day at home while I went to his branch to attend a joint staff meeting to discuss strategies for Oral English. Lots of people brought ideas to the table and a document will be collated from across all the branches which should be useful. Perhaps the best thing though was the amazing spread Heather put on for afternoon tea including homemade chocolate coconut slice and Anzac biscuits. This is a huge step up from our usual fare. Back at our own branch we began testing week, a once-a-term chore that I now find easy to administer so long as you keep on top of the marking and recording. Eric made it back to work on Thursday but it took him a few more days to feel truly energetic again. 
On Friday I joined Heather and Michael on a walk at the Chinese Gardens. While they did a circuit of the grounds I walked up and down the pagoda 6 times. This means six flights of stairs at 30 steps a flight. I was still feeling OK when they returned but 6 was enough. I was starting to go wobbly at the knees. That evening at work I was fine but the next day my shins screamed at every step I took. It wasn't any better on Sunday, in truth even worse. I must learn to stretch! Michael left for a couple of weeks in Aust while we were at work.

After work Peter joined us for dinner at our hawkers across the road and we had the opportunity to see our local friends pay respects to their ancestors at the opening of the Hungry Ghosts Festival. At this time the Taoist Chinese in Singapore observe a large-scale tradition of paying respects to the dead. They believe that during this month, the “Gates of Hell” are opened and souls of the dead are freed and allowed to roam the earth. Believers congregated to burn incense sticks and offer prayers at the offerings tables which were laden with food such as Mandarin oranges, roasted suckling pig and duck, bowls of rice and other food alongside a local Chinese cake made especially for the occasion. A number of our local friends from the HDB, including the Gary the florist and Li Erp, the Kopitiam manageress attended while we ate our dinner. Incinerators lined the footpaths and were ablaze for many hours into the night. In the coming weeks we need to be mindful not to step on pop-up offering spots all along the footpaths, mention any words associated with death or touch the children on the head, which could let the spirit in. 

On Sunday evening we met at New Everest Restaurant in Little India for a meal organised by Peter. We don't usually do this on a Sunday as the place is always throbbing with thousands of males who have enjoyed their one day a week off work. It was even busier than usual on this occasion because it coincided with Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the celebration following a month of fasting, known as Ramadan. Hari Raya is Malay for "grand day of rejoicing". In Singapore, it is the most prominent of all Muslim festivals. The following day is a public holiday where families dress in colour-coordinated outfits and spend time with their families. Our meal was fabulous as always.

On Monday our usual walking group met at Nex, McDonalds and then Eric lead a walk through Serangoon Gardens to the Japanese Cemetery and on to Kovan for lunch. It was hot walking the streets but we enjoyed seeing all the beautifully dressed Muslim families moving between their family visits. 

I spent most of the afternoon investigating travel insurance companies as we have just discovered our existing cover only applies if our travel originates and terminates in Australia. Oops! A small oversight. We now have appropriate cover so can go ahead and plan the next trip in Sept which we think will be a return to Cambodia. Some ruins, some birdwatching and some days lazing on the beach.
In the evening we went to see the movie, 'The Jersey Boys'. Viewing it from the comfort of my Gold Class recliner while sharing a glass of red wine and cheese platter with friends was a fun experience. The film itself wasn't deep or terribly gripping, sort of like the songs themselves. Still, toe-tapping good and I'm still singing them today. I probably spoilt it by seeing the live show which was fabulous, a number of that cast were leads in the movie. 
This morning before work I went for a brisk walk to Kovan because we needed bread and the bakery there is fabulous. Unfortunately I got myself caught in a typical downpour for the tropics - heavy but quickly over and then just steamy. By the end I had no idea if I was wet from sweat or rain but it didn't matter either way. I kept the bread dry!