Welcome

Welcome to our blog! Ling is a former biology teacher but now on adjunct-teaching, and myself – CY – currently working in a tertiary institution. The both of us have been together for a while, and were married in November 2006. Our daughter, Hannah, joined our family in June 2009 and she was joined by Peter in June 2013.

Our blog entries themes have evolved over the years, including phases where we ranted of living and working in Singapore, dining at foodcourts, recipes when cooking at home, and the current general focus now – as parents of young children, technology, photography, and of stuff about our home. This web site has been around since early 1996, and I’ve been writing my reflections and muses here since that time though most of the posts before 2000 were lost when we transited between host providers.

Our web site is privately own, paid for and maintained. We do not receive sponsored products or services to review – whether it’s our vacations/holidays we take, our dining experiences, or tech toys that we buy. So when we like something and say so, it’s really because. Similarly if we say something didn’t work for us, it’s exactly just that. We are not influenced by any commercial agencies nor affiliated to social media influencer companies, and are not obligated to express anything other than our genuine and earnest perspectives, though we do strive to say so politely and responsibly. In short, we are fully independent.

We’re glad to have you visit our site. Do enjoy your stay here, and God bless!

Disclaimer too: none of the three authors in this blog are representing our respective institutions and workplaces in the materials we write and post here.

Also, this is a privately owned space albeit in public sphere, and the only full freedom of expression allowed here is for persons known personally to us. Profanity-laden strangers, please visit someone else’s blog.

Updated Dec 2019.

82 thoughts on “Welcome”

  1. Hello Dr Foo! Is that you and your wife? Oh wow! You guys are so sweet! :D :D :D

    Anyway, I’m one of your students in lecture hall from IND. Haha! And you met me before. If you remember, there is once I called up to you saying that one of your bag compartment was upzipped. Haha!

    And you are really a good lecturer (: GAMBATTEH!

  2. Hi Michelle: yep, that’s a picture of my wife and me taken during our honeymoon.:)

    Ya I think I have an impression of a lass who told me that my notebook bag had been left open! Happened quite a few times liao. Getting older + more senile by the day.:(

    Oh, and congrats for having cleared all your subjects too. But only C++ for PRSP duh.:(

  3. Haha! Paiseh luh. ‘cos of my Alice assignment eh? The one with kidnap scene and a superhereo which is the mad scientist instead. Heh heh! I did quite badly for that. So, it pulled me down ): But I think I’ve done not bad for my JAVA? (:

    Eitherway, I will continue to strive harder for the next programming subject eh! At least a B+ to A? Haha! :D

  4. Well, you weren’t in my lab class so I don’t quite have an impression of your Alice assignment.

    But based on your marks that I’m seeing from your school’s Exam System now, yep you did much better in Assignment II (Java). And very well done on that! All your PRSP lecturers will tell you that doing well in Java is a better indicator than Alice of how well you’ll do in your programming-oriented subjects later. So yes, you are on a good track to getting your first A next semester.:)

  5. Oh my.. Is that.. Is that.. Is that you Miss Tay Ling Ling?? It had been a REALLYYY LOOOOOOONG time since i saw you.. Do you remember me? =) I’m from HSCS and you taught me from my sec 3 and 4 years? hehe.. Of course, you wont be miss anymore now would you? HAHAHAHA..

  6. Hi Yonatan, it’s me alright :) I still remember that you used to sit at the back corner of the classroom. My students call me Mrs Foo now.

    What are you currently doing?

  7. Oh!! Haha.. Married already.. Change name liao.. I am doing a biomedical degree in Australia.. =) I didnt know you got married until i saw this blog man. Wow.. heh..

  8. Still very much into bio, aren’t you? May you contribute to society once you’re done with your studies. :)

  9. Yeap! I am. =) I sure hope to be able to be of use to the society after my studies. =)

  10. hi.ı am from Turkey.my job sales manager.(steam cleaning machine)you make sale steam vacuum cleaner?thank you…

  11. Where can I email you? Saw your blog about Osaka, etc. ? Pretty amazing.. Want to ask something. Thanks

  12. hi! i happen to see your blog while looking for ideas from the internet for my son’s birthday. I enjoyed reading your blogs that I know I will keep on returning here. thank you for inspiring me. Who knows I could also blog like you!

  14. Dear Mrs Foo,

    On behalf of the National Library Board (NLB), we would like to invite you to pledge your blog to the Singapore Memory Project as part of efforts to collect memories that are already manifested in existing online channels.

    The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) is a national initiative to collect, preserve and provide access to Singapore’s knowledge materials. Spearheaded by NLB, the SMP aims to build a national collection of content in diverse formats (including print, audio and video), to preserve them in digital form, and make them available for discovery and research.

    By pledging your blog to SMP, you are affirming that every memory matters. Whether your posts are an account of your daily life, or an expression of your thoughts, the SMP hopes to find a home for your memories so that it can help build towards an understanding of Singapore. You will also receive a badge that you can display on your blog in recognition of your contributions.

    Contributors to this blog pledging initiative will be listed on Singapore Memory portal’s blog pledging webpage. All blogs pledged to SMP will archived using NLB’s web harvesting software, in addition to images of each blog’s landing page.

    If you are keen to pledge your blog to SMP, simply fill up our response form at this following URL: http://singaporememory.simulation.com.sg/Public/Pledge.

    You may find out more about this initiative at http://www.iremember.sg/?page_id=2822.

    We are looking forward to your contribution.Do also let your fellow bloggers know about this initiative. They can pledge via the URL above.

    Simulation Software & Technology (S2T) Pte Ltd
    583 Orchard Road #14-02 Forum The Shopping Mall S(238884), Singapore
    |w: http://www.simulation.com.sg

  15. Dear CY, I came across your site while searching for Minton condo show flat modelling. I am the owner of 1 unit and unfortunately the unit that I brought, the common areas shown in the modelling turns out totally different from what I have seen. I hope to find more modelling photo to confirm what I have seen.My unit is near to the tennis court, if you happen to take photos of the modelling when you were in the show flat I will great appreciate you can help me. My email is as stated and I look forward from hearing from you. Thank you very much and God bless you.

  16. Hi Jasmine; thanks for the visitation to our blog. I’ll email you in a bit.

  17. Hello CY and Ling,

    I just read your articles on your lovely family, your new home and renovation. Congratulations on the TOP of your new home! The articles are heart warming, inspiring and very helpful. Thanks a lot for your hard work.

    Could you please email me your IDs contacts and referrals? I will have to do reno too and am very interested in your shortlisted IDs.

    Thanks a lot!

    Hope to receive your email soon.

    Happy New Year of Horse!

    Sisi

  18. Hi Sisi; thanks for the well-wishing, and visit to our blog. I’ll email you soon.

  19. Hi Chek Yang,

    Great looking apartment you have there. Hope we’ll bump into each other sometime.

    Just wanted to ask if you’re in touch with any Minton interest groups. Heard there’re various groups of residents lobbying for different things…extra fences, moderation of facility charges etc. I’m specifically looking for any group that’s lobbying the developer to lower fees for the booking of facilities. If you know anyone that’s in such a group, could you link us up?

    Thanks in advance!

    Best regards
    Adrian

  21. Hi CY and Ling
    We came across your site whilst looking for things about the Minton. We’re moving to Singapore from Perth early next year and wanted to get some ideas as to what to do with an apartment at the Minton. We love your choice of designs and colours – very similar to what we envisaged we’d like to do! Would you be able to email us the details of your interior designer?
    Thanks!

  22. Hi Sarah; welcome to our blog, and sure thing about the contact point – will email you in a bit.

  23. Dear CY,
    Nicely written blog! Chanced upon your blog while researching for reno ideas. Im collecting my keys in 2 weeks time but has yet to siurce for ID. Would appreciate if u can share with me the ID contact that you have engaged.
    Ps: love the idea of your children’s room. Would like to do the same for mine ax well ;)
    Hear from you soon.

  24. Hi CY & Ling,

    A very good blog which me and wife can certainly relate well to. We also have a 5yr old daughter and 2yr old son, staying and living in Singapore, and looking to renovate our apartment in Jan next year. Very interested to approach your ID, could you send me his details too?

    Thank you.

  25. Hi Jasmine and KC; welcome to our blog – and sure thing; will email you both in a bit.

  26. Hi both

    Also came across your blog whilst researching on renovation ideas. Totally lost where and how to start planning but learning loads from your blog! Thanks!

    Would appreciate the contact and names of the 2 IDs you shortlisted and finally who you chose.

    Thanks again!

  27. Hey there; welcome to our blog, and glad you found our posts helpful. Will email you later about our ID contacts.

  28. Hi there, I came across your post on the Japanese knives that you bought from Kyoto. Am interested in getting a set myself, but would like to hear the opinions of those who have gotten one too.

    Your reply would be much appreciated

  29. Hi Justin,

    Welcome to our blog!

    I figured you probably have read my posts on the Japanese chef knife we bought during our trip to Kyoto. We have been using that knife for 4 years and it is still the best knife we own so far. It is very sharp and excellent for cutting. I sharpen it using 2 different grit whetstones periodically, say every 6 months, as we don’t cook very often. Best investment for our kitchen. I imagine I could pass it down to our kids… hee hee. Just my opinion, of course!

  30. Hi CY and Ling
    I was checking for Minton managing agent contact and stumbled upon your blog. It was really nice to read the pages on Minton as I just bought a unit there from resale market and never had a chance to see the building process and the actual unit from the developer. Thank you for documenting all these!

    As I’m renovating my place soon I will appreciate if you can share the contact of your curtain and blinds supplier. Thanks for your help!

  31. Hi Carol; welcome to our blog, and glad to know that our notes on The Minton were helpful. Sure thing about the contact points; will email you later.

  32. Hi chekyang, would like the contact of the 2id you short listed for Minton Reno as well as the fans brand. We have just gotten our keys to our new place and learnt a lot from your blog :-)

    Tia
    Jtan

  33. Hey there; welcome to our blog and glad that the information on our renovation experience is helpful. Will email you later on our IDs and fans.

  34. Hi Yang and Ling,

    Merry Christmas to you and family.

    I chanced upon your blog while looking for some reno ideas for my new house. Your blog has provided good info and sharing that I have learnt from it.

    Would appreciate if you can share your ID contact.

    Thank you.
    ~Kevin

  35. Hey there; glad that our sharing of our reno experience was useful. Will email you our IDs later.

  36. Hi guys, will you be able to contact me to talk about the installing of your invisible grilles. looking to do a story on children’s safety on condos. ple email me if you are happy to speak. cheers

  37. Hi Chek Yang,

    I have chanced upon your blog entries regarding your renovation journey for your Minton apartment. It’s been very educational, especially in terms of the timeline before deciding on an ID and the actual things to look out for.

    I am really keen on getting your two final short listed IDs’ contacts, and also the ONE that you went with in the end. I particularly love ur kids’ room!

    Thanks for writing back, appreciate it!

    Warmly,
    Jemker

  39. Hi Mr CY,
    I really enjoyed reading your blog.. what a good luck that i chanced upon reading your blog today when planning for my future home renovation. Its really informative and your pictures are so nice!…I hope to know your IDs too like Jemker requested. If you can email me much appreciated. Thanks! Keep up your blog posting k!.

  41. Hi CY, I chanced upon your blog while searching for windows film.I understand that you’ve chosen LLumar film..With so many window films in the market, it really is a pain to choose the company. Will you be able to email me to give me your feedback on the current film model you have, the pros and cons, maintenance wise and the cost per square foot..Thank u so much for your help!!

  43. Hi Ling and CY
    I have been following your blog for a while especially on The Minton, as i was considering a bigger home for my family and the Minton has a nice layout for their 4 bedders.
    However, due to the current measures, we are shelving the idea for a while.
    I run a small business selling kids playhouses, http://www.myplayhaus.com , and seeing your two adorable kids, i’ll like to give you a playhouse. If you’re interested, do let me know.
    Look forward to your email.

  44. Hi Nelson Ong,

    Welcome to our blog and we’re glad that our sharing has been useful to you. We want to thank you for your sweet gesture of offering us something for our kids. They have quite a bit of toys and stuff at home and we prefer to keep things simple where possible as well. We’re very appreciative and hope that you wouldn’t mind. :)

  45. Hi Ling
    No worries. My offer still stands. So if at any point whenyou want it, don’t be shy and just drop me an email.

  47. Hi,

    I chanced upon upon your blog while researching for reno ideas and have followed your renovation journey. Interesting read.

    I am currently looking for someone to sell my current house and would appreciate it if you could share your property agent contact and any advices on how to go about it.

    Thanks!

  49. Hi,

    Can u advise which ID you used ? I am looking around for 1.

    Thanks in advance!

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