Shopping

Hello everybody

I have been living in this semi rural area for many years already and I still like this place and won't trade it for any other. It is scenic quiet and peaceful  . . . and the living cost is affordable if the little money you have is wisely spent because things are really not cheap either. The basics, the everyday ordinary things are readily available but not the upmarket branded items like sports shoes. If you want them you got to go find in other places.

My man needed a pair of running shoes to replace the one that he was using. It was me who was fussing over the matter. For him it didn't matter though he complained that he could feel the ground underneath when walking or jogging especially when he went off road . So before him getting more bodily pain it was better to change the shoes.

Worn out shoes increase your risk of falling. The thinning undersole can make you slip. The lost of cushioning effect in the soles can cause heel pain or joint pain and it can influence the stability of your posture. At this age the layer of fat on the sole of your feet is thinning and badly worn out shoes can give you cranky feet. A calcaneum spur can make you go meroyan .

So last weekend we went to a big shopping mall. After a 15-minute drive from our transit home we were already there. It was still quite early so we  had the luxury of choosing the parking lot. Very seldom you can park right there nearest to the entrance. The early bird catches the worms, I saw our 'chauffeur' smiling.

Inside the mall I felt we were like country bumpkins. If left on our own we could get lost. It was huge to our standard to us the rural folks. At the same time we were a little scared the place looked expensive . . . do you have enough money?

Our purpose was to buy a pair of running/walking shoes.

Our girl brought us to a sports outlet.

We gawked at the rows and rows of shoes. Good stuff. So smart looking. So stylish.

I think our eyes pop out at the price tags.

Why wouldn't we opt for the ordinary shoes which can be bought in the small shoe shop back in our small town. So much cheaper. Thinking about it I nearly wanted to retreat. But then . . .

We old people also have eyes for all things stylish and up to date . And so this hebat looking shoes was a must buy. Don't think too much about the price doesn't good quality come with expensive tags?

The process of buying shoes is not exciting at all. You got to try so many pairs to find one which gives the the perfect fit. You do not want blisters or joint pain later. So try and try until you are satisfied. Then when you found one you feel you don't like the colour. You ask for another pair to try in the end you still don't feel right. The salesman will suggest a different brand. You try again . . . and after fighting with yourself over which to choose finally you make the purchase. I thought I heard the salesman let go a sigh . . .

Walking in the mall such as this you got to have a strong will not to let yourself succumb to temptations. Temptations to buy.There were so many things you thought you want to buy. You can get crazy looking at the array of things displayed. They can easily make you part with your money.

But then why go to the shopping mall if you don't want to spend. Just for window shopping?

It is a place for a shopping spree. Look at those young people. They look so wealthy and stylish, buying and spending like nobody's bussiness. Look at their shopping bags. They are full of expensive items which they bought confidently with the swipe of their plastic cards. See how busy the cashiers were at the counter processing the payment.. The cashier has no time to wait for you to count your coins. Nevertheless they have to entertain us old people who prefer to pay with cold hard cash.

Just a half day outing at the mall the amount of  money spent made me feel guilty even though most of it was paid by our girl. The next time I want to get things I think I just need to go to the old rundown shophouse in our small town.

Or if you sayang your money and don't want to spend at all then just sit back and watch the world passes you by . . .

Here they come with trailing colours

Passes over us 

And off they go 

As we watch . . .

Happy shopping.

Till the next entry , bye . . .

Restraint And Relief

Hi

Now back to my old laptop after few days of being extra busy.

This laptop its battery is dying. I have not replaced it. So it is permenantly plugged on to an outlet. Am using it like a desktop.That means I am stuck at this corner. Not too bad 'coz I am facing the window.

Also when I turned it on sometimes Windows refuses to boot. I got freak out at the black screen and later by the error messages that came up. I am no computer savvy so you can imagine me clicking nervously to find ways to make the whole thing work again for me.

Somehow it works.

And so now I am happily typing.

For the last three weeks or so I had an elderly person staying with me. You must know one old person taking charge of a much older person is quite challenging. More so when feelings in your heart and words on your mind could not be spoken out. You cannot just speak like talking back to your tennis partner when your are being wronged for losing a point.

I needed to be patient and compromising because I am the younger one (he he he) if not I would be considered disrespectful. Many times your trying to assist her to do certain task was misunderstood for being too dominating and you would see her kind of merajuk. My reaction? Laugh it off and not be weary about it.

An old person in a quiet way can be very demanding. They command you without being loud. You must know her likes and dislikes and you must do things accordingly. They wouldn't listen to you they won't want to change their ways. In your impatient heart you mumble . . . stubborn . . . oh excuse me I am just a human being . . .

So you have to be patient.You have to give way. A lot of bersabar.

You cannot complain because when you become old like them you will behave the same way.

Its forgivable to be cranky when we are old. So is the crankiness of my old laptop.

For many days I stopped  my hobby activities. Of course nobody stops me from going out but I just couldn't. My responsibilities, and worries would be on my mind. So it was better for me to stay home and be a good companion to the person under my care and in between do things like reading blogs or read back on my previous blog posts.

Pictures found in my past blog posts . . .

This pic posted in Birds like and dislikes

Pic posted in Don't want to be a stereotype

Posted in " Back To Normal"

Found in "Something Unusual Something Rare"

This is from "Mulberry Tree For Birds To Stop By"

This picture was taken through the car windscreen posted in much earlier entry

The Brahminy Kite 

The last picture is of the bird that first kindle my interest in bird watching.

There are more bird pictures have a look at my previous posts. The pictures some are ok some are not. Birds, they don't wait for you. "Catch" them in whatever situation and in whatever pose as they don't listen to instructions.

Happy reading . . .

Bye . . .

Condo Living As I See It

Hi again

Where do you live. I don't mean where on the street do you live. I mean in what type of house. Bungalow? You must be rich. Or in a terrace house just like most of us ordinary people do.

My visit to a home in a condominium complex got me thinking. Not thinking of buying because no way I can buy one. Just one wishful thinking that if I could afford one how convenient it would be because of the amenities or the facillities available to you when owning a unit . What I like most is that the swimming pool is just so near you. So convenient without having to drive out you can go swim everyday.

The unit that I visited is nice with ample space and the plan is well thought out and practical. The combined living and dining is not cramped.The master bedroom room is quite big and the other three rooms are reasonable in size. The important part of the house, the kitchen is ok so does the laundry area. The bathrooms are quite roomy. It also has a balcony. You can set up small indoor garden there to make the unit more homey.

Since everything is within one floor it is therefore good for there is no need to do the climbing, you know what I mean. The disadvantage is there is no upstairs for you to hide the mess and untidiness when sometimes you need to hehe.

Cleaning house won't be such a hassle. The ceilings are quite low so are the windows unlike my old terrace house where cleaning away the cobweb and the lizard droppings is such a struggle-too high to get sucked by the vacuum cleaner. I think all the pests, flies cockroaches and ants shouldn't be a bother in the condo apartment especially if the unit is at the upper floor.

Unless you are very rich and can afford a duplex, there is no stairway which you hate to vacuum. Save you from dragging that machine up and down.

Another advantage of condo living is you don't have to bother tidying and cleaning outside the house. It has no compound to be maintained. No grass to cut no trees to prune, no smelly cat poos to wash or to bury away. The area outside the house is not your duty to maintain. Your concern is only within your own four walls.

The not so convenient is you have to pay the maintainance fee, the bigger your unit the higher the fee.

Security is one more good point. Unless your terrace house is in a gated community then you score the same point. Mine, no. So I see this aspect of condo living is a plus.

So all in all living in codominium is good, modern, clean (only when new?) yet simple. Not only it suits the lifestyles of the young but also suitable for retirees, may be. I don't say its really good because I don't experience living in one. I am just thinking aloud and my opinion is formed from my visit and talking with the occupants.

The occupant busy with cake cutting

Oh ya there is one thing I don't like. In this particular place you only get two car parking spots. For you and wife. You need to buy one more plot which is not cheap . . . you need one more of course for your father or mother or sister who would come over to stay a few days with you.

(But then if I am the one staying there I don't need more than one car. I don't have to own a car. There are the LRT, MRT the buses the taxis, uber, grab car the paid motor bike ride . . .forget the name. . .etc)

Of course they have visitor car parks but you cannot park there for more than a certain hours. You have to keep checking  if your time is up ( not sure whether you can renew the the permit to continue parking there).  The security fellow is ever ready to clamp your car if you over extend your stay. How unfriendly.

And one more thing, the unit I visited is on the ground floor so everything seems easy. No need to take the lift. If on the upper floor you have the incovenience of waiting at the lift door. Imagine if the lift breaks down. True, there is more than one but still if you are in a hurry are you going to run down the stairs? If you are old like me then how. If things go wrong you might feel like living in a cage right or not.

Aahhh . . .I am wasting my time thinking about this. I am satistied with my present living arrangement. I am living in a small town it takes me only a short drive to shops supermarkets wet market and whatnot.

What else do I want, the pool I frequent is so nearby. So is the tennis court that have seen me play for don't know how many years.

And the biggest "pool" of all just a  half kilometre away ha ha.

All I need to do is make my home more geriatric friendly like upgrading the bathroom floor. This is one place where home accident can happen especially to old people who by nature is slow and clumsy. So get ready before I come to that stage.

Anti slip tiles for the bathroom floor

In the end where we choose to live is not only depended on what we want and what we like. Suitability and affordability come into play. Cut the coat to suit the cloth, we adapt to our circumstances.

Home of a Brahminy kite 

Nest built on a house plant

Nest of some stinging insects

Nest of the weaver bird

No matter in which type of house we live we should put efforts to turn the house into a cheerful home. .

Cheers.

Old Fashioned

Dear readers

Most women are fashion concious because they want to look good. Some say they don't care though they say it not wholeheartedly.

Actually there's nothing wrong in wanting to look good.

Me? Ya like everybody else but I know I am old no more fashion-concious and not desperately trying to make myself look good or look pious. I only want to be comfortable. I don't like the hassles of dressing up and don't like to over wrapped myself.

Anyway why should I bother at all. I am comfortable with myself with the wrinkles and all. If I dress up prim and proper to today's standard someone will say eh this woman buang tabiat ke because I am most time in the worst of dressing, a T-shirt with a sarong or a T-shirt with ankle length easy sports/workout pants. Cool and comfortable in our hot and humid climate.

Now it looks like society dictates directly or indirectly on how a woman should dress. Sometimes women are condemned for not conforming and they who condemn never know why a woman is defiant. There must be reasons. Why should she be talked down to. Woman is most time being under pressure and stress for being made to take up  loads of reponsibilities,  She needs space and doesn't want anybody to put more control on her even over some small matter such as dressing. What is important is decency surely a well-balanced woman knows that.

At the time when I was a young woman the situation was more relaxed. More relaxed does not mean women simply dress without considering respect for society. We went about our lives without being so self concious. If the girls ever got wolf whistles they just waved sportingly and it ended just there and nothing more or they just ignored.

Girls are girls in whichever era they live they are fashion conscious though their styles may differ and look wierd to those of different era. As for me in my younger days a big portion of my salary went to buying fabrics and tailoring, shoes handbags skin care items and hairstyles, the common stuffs. If ever I could live all over again I think I would do just the same. No regrets because that is normal for any young woman. And now  in our senior years if we are fashion-concious it is in our own old fashioned way.

In our time we did not fuss over how to wrap and wear the veils but we were more concerned of dress patterns and fabric design. Floral or checkered or stripes. From the  old pictures  I can see that people liked stripes. Well something like vertical stripes for the short the fat and the plump. Horizontal stripes for the tall thin lean and wiry ha haa. Arrange the stripes to give the best illusion. But someone will say this type of fabric design is fit for pyjamas only ha ha.

Popular stripes

Vertical stripes to make one looks taller

Horizontal stripes suitable for the slender people 

Everywhere stripes

(Blurry pictures intentionally put up) he he he.

Lucky are those who can wear any design floral chevron checks whatever . . ,

Mmm

How about the design pattern on this pipit

Scally breasted munia

Munias usually appear in group

There are lots of ideas you can get from nature. More than just the old fashioned stripes.

Be happy,

bye . . .

Storytelling

Hello again

Sometimes I become a storyteller but I am not so good at it. If I tell stories the listener would not know where the beginning and where the ending is.  Confused, the listener would just turn away.

My audience is usually my grandkids . . . ha haa  . .  at bedtime. My storytelling has songs to break the monotony of my repeated stories especially for the youngest one but sometimes before  I could recite my revised version she would cut with a curt response . . .  don't want twinkle twinkle  . . .

Hmmm . . .

Some people are natural storytellers. There are storytellers who perform on stage where they share stories of educational and cultural in nature. Some travel from place to place in search of audience. Not to worry. There are lots of people ever willing to spend hours sitting to listen.

Then there are storytellers like you and me the everyday and the ordinary storytellers among ourselves . . . Good to have them around other wise life would be bored i.e if they do not sound like a broken record.

From a title a good storyteller can expand it into so many sub headings. Dramatised and with added embellishments entwined into so many paragraphs and with so many words so convincing that you crave for more. They can flash back event of hundreds of years ago as if they were there at the time witnessing everything.

You see a story has got to be told otherwise it will die and what happened nobody will know. You may ask if that is so important. Of course it is because it can refute if there are lies in subsequent stories about certain event.

 A lot of stories are just made up out of wicked bad hearts or mere ignorance.

On the lighter sides there are gossips told with humour and satire which can make you laugh rolling on the floor as the saying goes, though sometimes after getting up you feel like a fool.  A storyteller with a storytelling skill is able to take you to high and low emotionally. Not to mention those teary tales making you feel so stupid after shedding so much tears.

All of us have our own life stories which for whatever reason we sometimes like to tell. Our lives vary but generally most are just mundane everyday stories. Of course not if you are some famous sensational persons or you have extraordinary experiences. Others they have nothing much to tell.

Yet some people can con you with their imaginations and dreams just to draw attention to themselves and to feel good and to inflate their own ego. We allow them to fool us without realising it. It does not matter if no harm done anyway but still we cannot throw cautions to the winds.

Then there's the obssessive and promotional type of storytelling. We like to tell stories about our accomplishments and exploits how small or how insignificant . Why do we need to tell ? Aahh . . .we tell because we want  to "compare notes". Yeah . . . how can only the neighbour is having such fantastic stories. Me too . . . haaa . . .  and not to be out done we add sugar to make our story sweeter.

At times we have to become listeners to friends who become instant storytellers after they come back from some kind of a personal mission. Listen to them of what they went through on their tour and how that has made them become greatly enlightened spiritually. To some listening to it can be inspirational but to others it may be just a yawn especially when the storytelling is creeping to boasting.

A good storyteller is clever to gauge the situation.  If the audience is losing interest, more salt and spice will be added. You listen with mouth gapped. When back to your senses you feel like a fool. But the next time you don't mind listening again because the storyteller can make things so believable and interesting.

Ok you say you don't like to listen to cock-and-bull stories. You may go off but many others would still remain and that's why the coffee shop in the kampung or the cafe in the city is full house most of the time. And the storyteller continues to have a great time . . .his stories sell.

Storytelling with funny foolish and hilarious stories, indeed is  popular, a pastime to while away your boring hours. A pastime?

Below - storytelling session ?

The sparrow and the bee-eater

Lets end our chat with this song, his story . . .

bye for now . . .

True Colours

Hi everyone

These few days there were lots of cackling (?) sound in the vicinity. I was curious to see the kind of birds flying high and making noise. I have not heard anything like this or may be they were there but I never was aware of their existence or never have I any interest in them before.

I realised there were a number of these birds flying high up and making short rough and gritty sounds. Probably its now their mating season that is why they come out in numbers. There must be some kind of a competition among them in attracting the best of suitors hence all the noise.

Patient. Patient. That is what you need in bird watching. Ready with your camera or your binoculars.

There . . . one came down low and landed on the lamp post. Against the very bright light it was just one dark figure. The colour of the feathers do not show well because the near side is in the shadow I could not get a better position.

The same bird in close up and in different angles. It looks fierce.

The picture below was taken later in the day. Was it the same bird. You ask? Hey no I won't know male or female they all look the same to my eyes. 

From far they show their true colours. Quite a beautiful  bird. So this was the same kind of bird I spotted before but then there was only one bird and it was very quiet. Never knew it can sound so loud. 

The dollar bird - burung tiong batu (?)

That's in the bird world, when the right amount of light falls on and reflected by the feather we see the true colours. So we learn about the bird's true colours if we are patient enough to wait for the right time.

In our world how to know a person's true colours, of course in the different sense of the words.

In good times it is hard to see peoples' true colours. Right?

People will reveal their true colours in the worst of your  time. When you are no more of help to them in other words when you are no more beneficial to them then only you will find out their true colours. Their ugly side will show, hypocrisy will surface.

Well thats how it is. What to do . . .

So friends, wise up.

Till the next entry, bye . . .