'Fart' Food Go Away

Potato has suddenly become our main dish - and it is a 'fart' food - I leave you to imagine that :-)

However, thanks mummy brought with her some 'magic' from boleh land - tonight the 'Bak Kut Teh' with local mushrooms and chickens made Eden and Adam adding more bowls of rice tonight.

I like the School 2

Follow up what is left for previous entry.

Eden and Adam like going to school. This is good mainly the system here is so much different - no 'heavy laden' school bags - I remembered adam had to carry 2 bags to put in all his text and exercise books and it was really heavy - it was like doing my 20kg weight training.

No more spelling - homework - timetable memorising etc especially more than 5 homework a day.You can understand why Adam likes it very much here. Adam gets to know new friend easily and we have noticed he already got to know at least 6 friends in his first day. I was surprised that some of his classmates greeted him and said good bye to him so friendly (like buddies) when I picked him back from school.

Eden likes the activities in school - to him I guess it is more like a 'play' school. They learn through playing so he enjoys the class very much. No wonder he told us he liked the school that day. He is quite slow to get to know people but adapting well. We are grateful that they speak and know English good enough to communicate.

BUT - there is always a BUT

the Math and Science subjects are too far low standard at their level in UK. What they are learning right now basically is year 2 or 3 at most back in Malaysia. Adam is always the one who finishes Math first in the class and get the answers right !!

I worried they enjoyed too much at school but ignore the 'learning outcomes'.

I hope the school does good for both of them - hopefully the kids will learn to be a critical thinkers - dare to questions and always yearns to seek answer. I particularly am pleased that they have a chance to learn some other foreign language - Adam is learning basic French now and later German and Spanish - imagine they can speak about 5 languages after that. I hope he will soon pick up music in the later curriculum so that his piano skills will not fade away.

Oh yes, they have swimming class too - in this such a 'bitterly' cold country :-)

My last point: Being a bit 'kia Su' I am tempting to ask my folks in KL send in some local study materials like Maths and Science to us so that we can coach them personally at home.

Do you think that will be too much :0P

Outdoor game

The weather is so unpredictable here - like having 4 seasons in a day..

The kids dying for outdoor games... perhaps they envy K&D having fun time under the sunshine at the other opposite part of the world :0)

DST

Daylight Saving Time (or summertime as it is called in many countries) is a way of getting more light out of the day by advancing clocks by one hour during the summer. During Daylight Saving Time, the sun appears to rise one hour later in the morning, when people are usually asleep anyway, and sets one hour later in the evening, seeming to stretch the day longer.

The reason DST works is because its saves energy due to less artificial light needed during the evening hours—clocks are set one hour ahead during the spring, and one hour back to standard time in the autumn. Many countries observe DST, and many do not.

Benjamin Franklin first suggested Daylight Saving Time in 1784, but it was not until World War I, in 1916, when it was adopted by several counties in Europe that initially rejected the idea.

It is difficult to predict what will happen with Daylight Saving Time in the future. The daylight saving date in many countries may change from time to time due to special events or conditions.The United States, Canada and some other countries extended DST in 2007. The new start date is the second Sunday in March (previously the first Sunday in April) through to the first Sunday in November (previously the last Sunday in October).

Today it is almost always one hour ahead, but throughout history there have been several variants on this, such as half adjustment (30 minutes) or double adjustment (two hours), and adjustments of 20 and 40 minutes have also been used. A two-hour adjustment was used in several countries during the 1940s and elsewhere at times. A half adjustment was sometimes used in New Zealand in the first half of the 20th century. Sometimes DST is used for a longer period than just the summer, as it was in the United States during World War II. From February 3, 1942 to September 30, 1945 most of the United States had DST all year; it was called “War Time.”

It starts 2am this morning, does it mean I gain an hour more for my life :0)

Walk to school

I exercise... finally :) Twice a day 5 times a week 20 mins walk. Great to have the kids as companion.

Autumn

This is just a week apart. Getting colder and our neighbour is telling us that this is the beginning and worst to come during winter.

Dining

Finally we get to eat at a dining table. Sounds nothing special but having to eat our meals at coffee table the last 2 weeks this brings on the smiley faces.

Teacher's Award

Adam has been sticking these collection on the wall and today he has been given a gold award.

KAYA

I have to video conference with Grandma to find out the what and how as little Erin is craving for Grandma homemade Kaya. I wonders what she will say tomorrow morning...

Days without chilies

Chillies are expensive here so its luxury to have it.

Found these GIGANTIC Chilies at the reduced corner. Printed SWEET and crunch on the label :) Can't imagine a sweet chilly would taste like.

I like the school

One day, Eden burst out and told dear: Mum I like the school !!

We just wonder what magic the school has??

~ write more next :o) ~

First Day at School

The boys are attending Summerhill Junior School and Summerhill Infant School that is just side by side.

Adam is even more excited for his first day after hearing Uncle James Gym experience in school. He blend in really well. Get to know quite a number of friends the first day and they are already sharing their chips with him the second day.

Eden is quite fearful of being 'new' in the class as he normally needs longer time to know friends. Frankly I am expecting that he will react like his first day in kinder 2 years ago. But I am proud that he just wave goodbye and walk in his class.

So they are 'free' from carrying those heavy bags to school now. All they need is their kit bag with their lunch box inside.

First morning walk

This is a park nearby our house and its just next to Adam & Eden's School. I will surely take a shot of the four seasons. The boys are not keen walking in the cold weather and i surely wonder how they will survive through the bitter cold winter.

Arrived !!!

Yes, Ann, Adam, Eden and Erin arrived on time at T3 Heathrow airport but it tools them 3 hours later to get out. Apparently Ann was caught to get her chest and lung X-rayed and then she need to managed 3 kids and 7 luggage !!! I am sorry that my iMac is one of them.

Guess how many kgs she brought with her. About 130kgs for all I would think, strange that MAS did not charge her at all.. Luckily two of my friends took them and all the stuff with his van.

Kids were so excited yet tired. Eden cried because of the cold that he still not used to. Adam and Erin were doing well and slept straight away when we reached home.

I am happy they are here now and the journey will involve more hands now :-)

Thank God for the family..

Tool that saves my feet

Look at the price display - I am thinking to buy and ship back and sell, and I am sure I will get double back from what I pay. Sorry about my typical accountant thinking :-)

I miss my driving lifestyle back in KL. Now it is all bus number 11 I take - my 2 legs :-)

Before 11 and After 5

Truly UK has changed so much from 10 years ago. I remember all activity will cease after 5pm except pubs and some take away shops. Now some shops are open till 8pm. for example HSBC in the city centre - bank is the worst service provider in the past, because I remembered they closed at 3pm 10 years ago, now at 8 and this is real improvement.

However, still 80% of the shops will close at five and even earlier - poor us who used to have late night mamak and roti canai :-(

They even restrict transaction before 11am on Sunday - see pic above. But UK people are more hard working now, they will bend the rule and says you may browse in the shop before that - I guess $$$ still rule the world now.

However this is still not good enough for us who are 24 hours hyper-active - I still miss the time we can find food stores in the street at any time you want.

A friendly house

My house situated at the Garfield Road, St George in Bristol and true enough not only this cat always comes at my door, there is this giant leech visited us ewllllll~~~~

I also saw there was this dead fox outside a house few blocks away, am I in the jungle :-)

My second Sunday service

The first worship last week was in a Methodist Church where 99% are 60 years above and I looked really odd there to me. Then as I walk along the street just to explore around my area - St George, I saw this United Bethany Church and a black lady invited me to come along. Since I have plenty of time, why not :-)

It was apprently a typical balck church - loud singing and loud sermon - a lot of Amens - it sounded funny to write this way but it was exactly how I felt. This is how one see things, Lord needs to forgive me that I put on different lens to see His people. But sure both are nice and friendly.

This is the second Sunday service I attended.

I was surprised to see so many packs of food on the floor, at the windows and everywhere like what you see in the photos above.

This Croft End Church which is near the kids' school - was celebrating the Harvest Week - and gave a very good teaching that day. There were kids around at least which I am pleased, at least they have sunday school going on and kids can find their place in Sunday worship.

There is a vineyard church and hillsong church in Bristol that I am keen to visit.. I think God has put us to Church visiting journey again - I pray He lead the way - He always does

Cold Cold Cold

The winter is creeping in its way....
Leave are turning colour and falling down.....
Wind blowing add on the chil and coldness....
The family reunion should warms my heart soon ;-)