Rey's pet

Rey's got a new pet every boy would love to have. It is a spider named Bim. Everyday he'd drop a few ants into the container to feed Bim.

heading for Singapore

I told Rey to put only 1 ultraman in the luggage but he wanted to put his whole collection instead. Hmm...I don't even think he has the time to play with Ultraman when he has so many people to play with him in Singapore. The summer season in Japan is getting unbearable, I'm having headache already. Rey's sunflower didn't survive the heat either. It withered within 1 week after it was brought back from school. I really don't have think I have any greenfingers. oh well, tomorrow is the day I can escape from the heat! Again, I'm going to pamper myself in Singapore (1 month stay) and choke myself with all the hawker food.

my fav card

The nearby supermarket introduced this card to reduce plastic bag usage a long time ago.

For every visit to the supermarket I'll get a stamp on this card when I show my shopping bag and I'm only 1 stamp away from my 100yen discount (smile).

He loves flowers

Rey got these flowers from the park for me. He puts them in his favorite paper cup, smells it so tenderly that it gives me the shivers...and he takes a long time to finish his dinner because of this.

I: Rey, finish up your dinner FAST!!

R: (fake innocence) But mum, the flowers are so beautiful that I have to look at it...

I: aiyah! you think you girl ah!

Summer party

We had a summer party on the last day of Rey's school. It has become a ritual for our usual gathering since last year. The former yamaha mates chatted, tell jokes and stories and laughed just like little adults. I can't help smiling watching them communicating in their own world. You get to see a different side of your child when he is with his friends. The highlight of the night is lighting up the firework crackers. It was all so fun!

Gion Festival 2

Rey is dressed for the occasion.

Even the dog is in his festival outfit.

Rey waited years for this. the 1st time I give him icekachang from the roadside stalls.

Laying out the ingredients for okonomiyaki.



I own this road!

$4 for this water ball!!!

they call this yo yo ball.

I tried to dissuade him but in the end, he wanted to fish too. The fish died the next morning.

something like pinball

Rey concentrating hard on his game.

Aiyah! Just 1 ball to win...

Doing his crane stance "Ha!"

Geta at very good discount on the final day.

Final day for the parade, see how big the wheels are.

1 of the many hokos near our house.

People upstairs making the festival music.

Posing for the camera before departure on the final day.

See the ropes to pull the hoko? later, bamboos will be spread on the ground near the wheels to make the hoko turn direction.


4 days of festival and I'm dead tired. The roads outside the house were closed to traffic from 6 pm and Rey and I have been out looking at different hokos, eating and playing games at stalls.

Gion Festival 1

Rey waiting for his ice cream treat after I took these photos.




These are the pictures 3 days ago. Today is the start of Gion Festival in Kyoto, 1 of the top 3 festivals in whole of Japan. And I'm glad to be able to see how the "hoko" are built starting from day 1, just 1 minute walk away from my house. And people all over Japan are travelling down to see the building process. How convenient!

random photos from kindy

Catching a short nap on the bus after the zoo visit with teachers.


Rey at the far left.

time for tea ceremony. (rey 2nd right)

Painting crayfish (Rey front left)

washing girls' back.

really HAPPY boy!

try this! Egyptian puppet

This is something I learnt from an Egyptian couple. Try it!

1) Take 1 origami paper and roll it into a cone. Twist the top (head) so that the cone will not open up. Trim the bottom flat, or it will look nicer using pattern-cutting scissors.

2) Cut a hole for both sides. This part is where the arm sticks out.

3) Cut half of an origami for the arms. Fold it half inwards for both sides.

4) Fold half once more to get this.

5) Fold it to about 1 third of the length (arm length).

6) cut the middle line to form 2 'arms'.

7) Stuff the arms out of the hole from the bottom, draw the faces, add some patterns.....

And Tadaaaa!! You can flap the puppet arms up and down just by pulling the paper below!!

Note: straight arms may look quite stiff, you may want to curve it gently.