Month: January 2006

The best car we drove during vacation is a Benz S320 Series. Wing let us use his car when we were in FL. The handling was perfect and the car hugged on road very well. However, we rent an All wheel drive Subaru in Portland, it was a good car and it was half the price of the Benz we drove.

The best fruit is the papaya we picked up at the Garden in Kawai.

The best Chinese food was in Vancouver.

The best crab was in FL. Wing BBQ them and tasted good.

The best music is the CD I bought in China and I made a copy for MingMIng’s mother

The best place we went is the beach at Kawai

Vacation is over and it it time to back to work and take care of daily routines. We had great time.

Gosh darn it, now that Donald wrote his, I guess I have to write mine.

• Call friends more often.
• Go out more, by myself or with others without the kids.
• Eat a durian before I leave Singapore.
• Sell something on Ebay.
• Make to do lists everyday, just like Donald.
• Row more, just like Donald.
• Eat better, just like Donald.
• Lose weight, just like Donald.

Donald, you are so cool!

We dropped Big Brother & Sister off at Vancouver International and drove all the way back to Washougal. It was raining heavily all the time. But we made it. Mom cooked dinner and we finished eating and ready for the airport. 3 week vacation was over. Well, there is always the next time.

Last night, those relatives (a family of almost 17) of Big Brother suched him in to have very expensive meal in downtown Vancouver. I did not like those relatives taking advantage of him but I did enjoy the meal 🙂 After meal, Big Brother evidently knew what was going on said, once in a while, no problem. But, if it were frequent, then it is entirely different story.

Mom told me last time about 5 years back was even worse. It costed US$1,000.00. This time, just about half.

The iPod is fixed nd works really nicely now. Took me about 5 minutes to pry the thing open, replace the screen and pop everything back on. Not too bad. I even removed some of the scratches off the screen with Brasso. It worked okay. Cleaned up a lot of the shallow scratches…

Went all the way up Mt. Hamilton for the first time yesterday. This is The Mountain That Broke My Collarbone. Dick, the Sales Manager at the bike shop got married on the mountain on New Year’s Day. He and his wife were going to ride up the mountain on separate bikes, and then come down on a tandem. 😛 It never happened since there was a 40mph gale going on then. So yesterday was a make up. 4600′ of climbing in 20 miles or so… my legs are toasted today.

Some Random things I would like to do this year…

– 24 hour race. – 5 guys taking turns riding a course for 24 hours.

this’ll lead me to

– ride more
– eat better
– lose weight
– buy about $600 dollars worth in lighting equipment. (I’ll sell it later)

some other randomness.

– put some effort into meeting women
– I think my time at the shop is coming to an end… I need to figure something else out for me to grow with.
– I think I need to be more responsible. I’m making todo lists everyday for work. (Arif is too)

Vince has been complaining every day that he doesn’t want to go to school. Today he said that he was sick and had a headache and that he really, really, didn’t want to go.

Jeremy came home from work and he and Vince had the following conversation

Jeremy: Something smells good!
Vince: It’s bacon!
Jeremy: How was school?
Vince: (Pause) I seem to like it.

To my secret pal, welcome to my blog. This blog has 5 contributors, so don’t be alarmed if you get confused with the story line. Doris is me, Jeremy is my husband (he hardly ever writes on here), Donald is my brother (he’s in California), and Noel and Rena are my parents (they are natives of Maryland, but work all over the country).

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?

I am not a yarn snob. Each and every yarn has his/her specific use.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I have one beautiful spindle, a bunch of roving (both from my parents for Xmas) and about 10 crochet needles but this does not mean that I spin or crochet. Yet.

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I do have a lovely knitting needle case.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting since SP6. If I had to rate myself, I would say that I’m in the highest part of the lowest quartile. Or the lowest part of the 2nd quartile. Basically, I know the rules, but I have trouble with the execution.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I think I do, but I don’t keep it up, so it’s probably filled with self-help books when I was in a blue mood. Don’t use it.

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I like citrus.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

My brother came over to Singapore for Xmas (I’m and American living overseas for 2 years) and apparently the candy that you can not get in Singapore is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I hadn’t notice, but now that I know, I’m obsessed about them, KWIM?

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I have lots of Do-It-Yourself things that I do in my spare time away from the computer, including the cleaning, cooking, grocery shoping, dental appointment making, laundry, boo-boo kissing… Knitting is the only craft thing I do for myself, although I do lots of crafty things with my kids.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

In 2004, I had so many people tell me that their iPod changed their lives. Well, I was all up for changing my life – who doesn’t want their life changed for a few hundred dollars, so my husband went out and bought the little do-hicky for me for Xmas and on Xmas day, I unwrapped it and promptly handed it to my husband who did all the computer-y stuff for me and I tried to use it, I really did, but I couldn’t hear it over the kids screaming and my husband kept borrowing it from me (“Just for today, OK?) so then finally after a few months, I gave it to him and then later my son dropped it. So that was the end of that. I do much better with a “regular” CD, but if you want to send MP3s, I’m sure someone around here could help me out. I’d love some recent upbeat music that I can dance to.

10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can’t stand?

I love all colors.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I have a lovely husband who I have been married to for 7 years, a 3 year old son and a 1 year old daughter. We also have a dog and 2 goldfish. My husband and I are both engineers by training, but now I’m at home with the kids. We are living in Singapore for a 2-year assignment with his company. Since we’ve been together, we’ve lived in southern California, northern California, Austin TX, Taiwan, upstate NY, and now Singapore. We’re gypsies.

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I would wear all these things and I love all these things, but if you send them to me, I might not wear them for a while as it is 80 degrees and this afternoon, I’m going swimming outside. It’s always summer in Singapore.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love all yarns. Ok, I haven’t been knitting that long to know, so if you’ve got a favorite, send it my way!

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

None.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Socks.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks.

17. What are you knitting right now?

Socks. OK, OK I have to admit that I’m a slow knitter and for my first project after the required garter-stitch scarf, I started a pair of socks that my SP6 pal gave me and I’m still working on it. I’m almost done with the 2nd sock.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

No preference.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I’ve only knitted with bamboo.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No.

22. How did you learn to knit?

By a book.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

It’s about 3 months old now.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I love little farm animals.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

I love Labor Day. Hooray for all the people who work!

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Just dust.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

None.

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

Any book by the yarn harlot.

29. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

After I finish my socks, I’d like to learn lace, or felting, or how to make mittens, or how to knit with 2 colors.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Let’s see, I like socks, my foot is 9 inches long, is there any other measurment?

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) September 14

A final note: Please take the suggested spending limit to heart. I mean, we don’t even know each other, so no need to go overboard! I won’t mind if you use the cheap-o way to send packages – just tell me that you did so and I’ll look out for them a month or so out if you are shipping from far away. Also for the SP items, I’m a big fan of regifting and recycling. So books/magazines that you’ve read and liked and are now sitting around your house, knitting supplies that are in your stash that aren’t to your liking, “vintage stuff”, recipes, etc. are much appreciated!

So yesterday, Katherine left for the airport. She was the last person to leave, both Bob and Donald left about a week ago. It was a wonderful holiday, Vince loved seeing everybody and I loved having some help around the house. It made Vince really miss New York. Vince started his school last Monday, it’s why Katherine stayed an extra week, to help his transition into school. I have to say that it didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped. Vince is really frustrated by the use of Chinese in the classroom, there is a 45 minute Chinese class, but they give simple instructions in Chinese during the English part of the lesson. Anyways, he is quite happy at the end of class, just getting to school is a problem. Vince reallly misses his old school in New York.

Also, we are getting more concerned about Edda and her developmental delays, this week, we are setting up an appointment at a Children’s Hospital for an evaulation and assesment for her.