Our mantra:  Every day and in every way we try to stay as healthy as we can...

Health is wealth, especially when we are the natural caregivers of our grandchildren, who would rather be in the company of cheerful happy people than a couple of grouchy elders often complaining of aches and pains..

A good attitude is everything and even though some form of dis-ease may strike unexpectedly, a period of rest while  drinking plenty of water will certainly accelerate the curative process and allow wellness to prevail.  A helpful website that promotes the usefulness of  water can be viewed at: http://www.watercure2.org .

At this time of writing, Jeanne who is seven years old is heard commenting that her Chinese is below the expectations of her Chinese teacher.  This is to be expected, explains her mother, Jolene, because no one speaks Chinese at home and so when Jeanne translates her English thoughts into Chinese it will sound less fluent than what is expected to be delivered from the basic flow of any mother-tongue. 

However, a young mind absorbs whatever is heard and practised often and it is not something to worry about as the process of learning Chinese is ongoing and she will master the language as well as she has her piano playing which is quite outstanding to say the least.

Lauren, just six months away from turning five and a pre-schooler, enjoys her play-class at Kinderland where she recites more Chinese nursery rhymes because of the added exposure to it  during her extended Chinese class.

It used to be that our two little girls would stay over and be naturally spoilt with what they are otherwise not allowed at home, viz, watching their own tv programs and consuming meals on demand.  This is due to their school schedules and also to their extra music and swimming lessons. Part of their weekends too are spent with the other set of grandparents who, being retired like us, take them to church and cater to their outdoor activities, like cycling around their estate.  

Jeanne, who is a Convent pupil at CHIJ Toa Payoh, has an inclination for the arts and showed off her stage talent recently during the school's Primary One concert  when her entire class dressed as Janet Jackson look-alikes and performed one of her dance routines. Jeanne was of course in the front row and the one chosen to display the high kicks.

Every Tuesday, we are scheduled to pick up Lauren from her kindergarten and so she is allowed to watch her favourite tv program, Hi-5, an Australian production,  before and after she wakes from her afternoon nap.

The family comes by for dinner on Tuesday evenings when Kong2 cooks a sumptious meal for everyone.  The grand-daughters, however, prefer to have their ' kid's cuisine' often consisting of their favourite chicken rice and smoked salmon.

They anxiously await the arrival of Uncle Leonard and Auntie Tracey who are another pair of 'children spoilers' not being in town often and on the occasion that they are, would provide the added company that the two little girls delight in.

The third grandchild will join the family in early December and already has his picture in print and on the computer for all to see. He has yet to be named but because our son, Lionel, would like him to be called a simple John, since the girls in his family have thrown out his proposal to use the name Michael Schumarcher, Jolene the birthmother has proposed the name Evan which is another version of John.  That remains to be seen, after the stork has delivered this bundle of joy.

Family togetherness is important and although everyone is busy at work or on travels, this month will once again see the Tan Family gather for a dinner at a restaurant in the Orchid Gardens, when we will come together to celebrate Lionel's birthday, which happens to fall on Deepavali, an exact repeat of the day he was born 38 years ago.

Happiness is living a simple life while enjoying what has been so generously provided for us by the Good Lord.  For this we are thankful and wish nothing less for our grandchildren and theirs in the future years to come.

God Bless Us Everyone !

                                                           ........awaiting the arrival of.....

                 

 

                by the receiving team of ..........his sisters.... Jeanne and Lauren