YowCH & Grace

YowCH also ordered a new laptop from Challenger for David, given that Esther’s old laptop ($499) was rather slow and not good enough for school work. We chose a Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5 14IIL05 with Intel Core i5 running at 1GHz, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Came on 16 June, together with a stylus, a bag and Star Wars Jedi Challenges Augmented Reality game set, all for $1297.45.

The laptop has touch-screen, full HD and flips all around to convert to a tablet. The stylus is pressure sensitive, useful for drawing and writing.

Here is the Star Wars hardware, we downloaded the software into our old phone, Samsung S7, since the new phones are too large to fit.

Samuel enjoys the game, fighting like a Jedi with his digital light saber. He is wearing his bicycle helmet because the head gear is too big for his head.

Tags: David by yowch
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15 June, Monday morning, Samuel had Home-based Learning again, and this is his morning assembly:

Grace ordered David’s new iPhone SE 2nd Generation and it was delivered to our home.

Transfer of data from his old phone was very smooth.

Tags: David, Samuel by yowch
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We recorded another worship session for KFC (Junior Sunday School) on 9 June 2020. Due to urgency, only YowCH, Esther and Joseph, with David recording the video.


A check on the car, we managed to drive 603km on 1 tank of fuel before refueling, about 11.0km/L, in May-June, as the traffic was very light during the Covid-19 Circuit Breaker period. The meter is not too accurate.

Joseph and Samuel received face-shields from school.

YowCH instructed Samuel to read some Chinese, and he just fell asleep shortly after.

Samuel received a care-pack from the school day-care centre (YMCA). Came with Maggi tom-yum.

On Sunday 14 June, Samuel was very enthusiastic in worship.

Tags: Church, Family, General, Samuel by yowch
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Grace bought a second hand high-tech sewing machine on 8 June 2020, the Singer Futura CE-250 for $590 (including transport). This machine is about 10 years old, but very lightly used by the previous owner. The original listed price was US$900. It comes with an embroidery attachment, but it needs a computer to run the software.

The seller threw in some goodies like scissors, threads, and accessories. Also came with 2 DVDs of Singer software.

Trying it out for the first time.

Many stitching patterns and even automatic button hole.

Trying out embroidery, using Esther’s old laptop. The software runs on Windows 7, needed to set compatibility backwards to make the software work.

Using a built-in clip-art, success!

Then we got adventurous and downloaded a picture of Totoro, and programmed it for embroidery

Successful, too!

Grace ordered some embroidery thread from Carousell sellers, and they arrived really fast (like the very next day).

Made a KTP logo onto the SJ issued mask.

Some fun stuff we made:


The phoenix for Joseph looks very nice, you can see the details.

This machine now replaced the basic sewing machine that Grace had been using.

Tags: General, Grace by yowch
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Second week of June, Samuel’s return to school.

YowCH took part in a Covid-19 research (giving blood sample), and for his efforts, received $70 NTUC vouchers.

He also went to the chiropractic to check on his back pains, and while waiting for his appointment, he had a haircut.

In the afternoon, David worked on another piece of siew yuk.


Sadly, the skin is still not crispy. We need to refine our method further.

Tags: David, General, Samuel, YowCH by yowch
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YowCH likes to do aluminium sheet craft. Here he made a tray that fits into the oven for baking cookies.

On 2 June, the children went back to school, except Samuel who was on Home-based Learning on the first week of June.


After a long 6 weeks, Bey Blade and other toys for Samuel finally arrived from China on 3 June. Timing wasn’t very good because he had started school from 2 June.

YowCH went back to KTP office to collect some papers, drop in some paper work and noted that the office was still rather empty (most still working from home). The management also install perspex screens on the directors’ tables and meeting rooms.

YowCH also collected the SJ Covid-care pack, with sanitiser and 2 nice masks.

Here’s a photo of Samuel eating watermelon, he loves watermelons.

Tags: Family, Samuel, YowCH by yowch
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We ordered a cast iron pan from China, as David says it is a good pan for steak and other meats.

It came prepared and ready for use, but we still washed and oiled to make sure that the pan was well oiled.

YowCH tied a rope around the handle to improve the grip, and folded and aluminium shield against the heat.

Nice to use!

YowCH later on ordered a cast iron wok from China, 15″ (largest that can fit into our sink for washing).

It came raw and unprepared, so David prepared the wok with the oiling and heating.

YowCH added the rope work to improve the handles.

Very good for cooking!

Tags: David, YowCH by yowch
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We continued our sports to stay healthy, even with the lockdown situation.

Joseph went for some runs, 1.6km.

YowCH was regular in his 2.5km (3x per week) and 5.0km (Sundays).

Samuel went in-line skating (2.0km) while Grace went for brisk walks of 2.0km).

YowCH was also regularly doing weights and planking.

Instead of running, sometimes Joseph also skated.


Esther also joined in the skating.


As shown in the software records on the phone for his runs, YowCH has very regular in his runs, not skipping even in the rain.

Only David got lazy in May.

Tags: Esther, Family, Grace, Joseph, Samuel, YowCH by yowch
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Esther celebrated a low-key 18th birthday at home, due to Covid situation.

But she received lots of food and drinks ordered by her friends and family:



David prepared good salmon and steak for the dinner.


And we had watermelon after dinner.

Tags: Esther by yowch
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After a random Facebook post about a Malaysian lady (Baizura Muhammad) having worked out a recipe similar to Famous Amos cookies, we tried our hands on it.
Round 1: 20 May: First try, we made them too large… but they tasted good. Without chocolate chips, we crushed cashew nuts instead.

Round 2: 23 May: Better now. We used Lindt 70% Cocoa chocolate (cut to chips from the bar), expensive stuff!



We gave some to friends, neighbours and Yan.
Round 3: 2 June: We made 2 portions in one go. Save electricity.

Lots of cookies, about half given away.

Tags: Family by yowch
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