New addition to the family!

As you might have guessed from my previous blog entry, we are expecting a new addition to the family. There are so many things that I wanted to DIY for the new baby arrival:

 1) Cot mobile

Source: http://www.littleredfarm.com/2011/10/homemade-munari-mobile-tutorial.html

2) Quiet book

Source: http://www.bubblesandbobbins.com/2012/05/activity-book-quiet-book.html

3) Refurnish the torn baby chair seat cover (gift from a forum mummy)

Source: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2009/12/recovering-high-chair.html

4) Refurnish the torn padded changing mattress of Lucky Baby changing table (gift from a forum mummy)

Source: http://specialtoysshop.blogspot.sg/

Will also be attending a talk and baby fair (part of Rise and Shine event) tomorrow at Suntec. Hopefully, we can stock up on some baby essentials!

Clear Skies!

Yeah, the weather has been clearing up over the weekend!

Finally can 'air' the unit, breathe in some fresh air, hear the birds chirping...

Hope this good weather continues... Have a good day ahead => 

Review of water air purifier purchase from Pure Essentials/Wil Essentials (Wan Shon Trading P/L)

With the Sumatra haze, I placed an order from water air purifier with ioniser from Pure Essentials/Wil Essentials (Wan Shon Trading P/L) via Qoo10 on 19 June 2012.

Source: qoo10.sg

The status of the item remained as 'Shipping Estimated 20 June 2013' from 20 June 2013 to 22 June 2013 and I decided to email them twice on 21 June 2013 with no response. Found their office number after going through pages of user reviews and decided to give them a call on 22 June 2013. Called so many times before someone finally answered and I was informed that I can do a self collection instead. His explanation of the delay is due to their deliverymen falling sick due to the haze (understandable). I was also assured that it will not be a wasted trip (note that my item was not even packed then despite my order was placed on 19 June 2013).

Made a trip down on the same day and finally collected my water air purifier with ioniser with 2 free 30 ml essences. I also received a refund of S$3 for the delivery fees.

After this experience, I guess I will not be making any more purchases from them. No doubt there are many glowing reviews from many customers but there are also numerous customers like me who did not really have a pleasant shopping experience. I noticed from "User Reviews" of other products (that they are also selling) that there are buyers who placed orders on 19 June 2013 and yet received their items on 21 June 2013. Why is there this disparity in service level?

Somehow I get this feeling that I was being 'smoked'...

On a separate note, the water air purifier seems to be working condition. However, I forgot to ask about the warranty =< 

The Haze! Part III

After reading the interesting posts on Hardwarezone, Yahoo News, etc, I can only say heng (means lucky in dialect) it is only the haze and not SARS.

You may wonder why I say so:

1. Despite assurance by the government that there is ample N95 masks for everyone, the fact is that there is no stock anywhere unless you intend to pay through the nose for them ($3/pc vs $6/pc or even higher). There could have been better crisis management by the government. Where exactly are the 9 million masks? Perhaps the masks should be distributed via the RCs with proper registration in place (1 per pax) to prevent abuse whereby people resell the masks at high profits.   

2. During recent press briefing by the authorities, it was stated that healthy people only needed to wear N95 masks for outdoor work if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) went above 300, which has not happened yet. I am not too sure about the last part... I am kind of skeptical about the PSI data. It is so hazy outside! My skin itches... My eyes itches... 

I think I should get my N95 mask soon and maybe start wearing eye goggles!

Source: http://www.3m.com

So Hazy! Part II

The hazy situation is getting worse and PSI is only 131 as of 9 am. 

Is there something wrong with NEA's measurement equipment?

No doubt this figure is an average figure taken over 3 hours but the difference should not be so big...

The haze looks even worse than when the all time high PSI reading was taken yesterday night at 10 pm which was a shocking 321.

 

Hazy 'city' view taken from Park Central

I have found the following excerpts from Yahoo News very 'interesting' with my personal thoughts in blue:

 

1. Indonesian senior official Sony Partono told Reuters, "Foreign parties should not be interfering with our domestic affairs." He added, "The most important thing is that we have attempted to control the damage resulting from the forest fires," and said fire trucks had been dispatched to affected areas (source). (Are you sure this situation can be resolved by just fire trucks? No casualties? How about your fellow Indonesians who are suffering the same fate as us?)

2. Corruption and Indonesia's decentralised political system have hindered efforts to stem the haze problem, said Jackson Ewing, a researcher at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. "Burning is quick, efficient and requires very little labour to clear land," he said. "Government actors at the local level are colluding with private interests and central government authorities have difficulty influencing what is happening on the ground." (source) (This is nothing new to us...)

3. Environment and National Resources Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan urged Indonesians "to enforce their own laws" in a Facebook post on Monday night. "We are deeply concerned that the 113 hotspots in Sumatra have caused our 3 hour PSI to rise to 152. NEA has been in touch with the Indonesian authorities to register our concern, and renew our offer of assistance," he wrote. "For too long, commercial interests in Indonesia have been allowed to over ride environmental concerns," he added, saying he would personally speak to his counterpart in Indonesia to "personally to convey the seriousness of the situation."  (source) (Cloud seeding cannot be used in Singapore? I am sure even if the rain falls outside the boundaries of Singapore but in the correct wind direction, it will still provide a brief respite...)

4. PM Lee also said Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan have both called their Indonesian counterparts to register Singapore’s “serious concerns and offer our help to fight the fires.” 

A joint statement released by both ministries on Tuesday highlighted to Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Marty Natalegawa and Indonesian Environment Minister Dr Balthasar Kambuaya that Singapore’s PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) reading “had breached 150” on Monday, and “had entered into the unhealthy zone.” They also “emphasized the urgency of the situation while also reaffirming Singapore’s commitment to help Indonesia fight the fires in Sumatra.” According to the statement, Dr Balakrishnan also “requested that Indonesia share relevant information to improve monitoring of hotspots and land clearing activities.” 

On a claim made by an Indonesian Forestry Ministry official on Monday that Malaysian and Singapore palm oil companies that had invested in Indonesia may be responsible for starting the fires in Riau, both ministers “asked Indonesia to share the names of errant companies involved in illegal burning”.  In an interview with The Straits Times on Tuesday, Dr Marty said he had had a good talk with Shanmugam and he hoped experts from both countries’ environment and forestry ministries could meet soon to “compare notes on what's happening and where, and what's being done." (source) (What notes do you want to compare? Just put out the fires first la... Compare all you want after the haze is gone... I wonder if the Indonesia authorities will really reveal the companies responsible for the illegal burning...)

So Hazy!

Even the indoor environment is kind of hazy. 

Current PSI as of 10 pm which is 1 hour ago is at 321.

I think Singapore need to declare state of emergency...

Can you imagine travelling in the peak hour trains while breathing in such polluted air in the train cabins...

More often than not, there is no proper ventilation in the train cabins...

I hope there will be a big thunderstorm soon and clear some of these junk away!

Anyone familiar with the rain dance?

Hope I will receive my water air purifier soon.

*Going to continue stalking the NEA website

Secondary Maths Tuition

If you are looking for a dedicated Secondary Maths tutor (including Secondary 1 New Syllabus) for your child, you may wish to contact me at amk.mathstuition@gmail.com. 

Notes, worksheets, test papers etc will be provided.

Offering 1-to-1 tuition at student's place or my place located at Ang Mo Kio St 52 as well as group tuition at my place located at Ang Mo Kio St 52.

Teaching Experience:

2 years experience as a Maths tutor.

Taught students in Primary 2, Primary 4 and Secondary 1 to 3.

Schools attended:

River Valley High School

National Junior College

National University of Singapore

The Haze is Back!

Cant even see beyond the boundaries of Ang Mo Kio =(
Luckily I have not smell anything yet... But odourless does not mean it is not 'poisonous'!

The Haze in Ang Mo Kio!

My iHerb essential oils have arrived late last week (super fast shipping by DHL) and I plan to create various 'concoctions' (for external use only) including the Thieves Oil which is supposed to be effectively kill airborne bacteria and can help prevent the spread of germs.

Source: healthyfoodsandmore.com

In case you are interested, you can check out Easy Aromatherapy Recipes and Essential Oils Recipes to know more about the benefits aromatherapy can bring to a person as well as the household.

In the event that you got 'hooked' on aromatherapy after reading the above links and would like to get started on experiencing the benefits first hand, I would highly recommend getting the essential oils from iHerb. There is a wide range available with user reviews as well as fast and dependable shipping. iHerb does not stinge on packaging. My 10 bottles of 30 ml essential oils were packed standing in 2 cardboard boxes and sealed before placing into another big cardboard box (labelled as Fragile) with the rest of my items. 

For 1st time customers on iHerb, you can use this discount code VTN247 to enjoy $10 off your first iHerb order of $40 or more! 

Alternatively, you can also use the same discount code VTN247 to enjoy $5 off if your first iHerb order is less than $40!

Fanco LED light kit - Review

As a follow-up on my previous blog review on Fanco FF9, I have decided to do a short commentary on the Fanco LED light kit attached.

Somehow I felt that the brightness offered by Fanco LED light kit is not as good as the conventional lighting for my tiny sofa area. No doubt each LED light can be tilted to shine at a certain angle and the coverage is still weaker compared to the previous light installation below.

Source: lighting.com.sg

Interested buyers might wish to take note of this if you are intending to use Fanco LED light kit as the main light source for a large area.  

DIY Mini Herb Garden - 2 weeks on...

Remember my previous blog post on setting up DIY Mini Herb Garden? I have blogged about the outcome on my hamster blog and thought I should repost the content here.

Sage, Wheat Grass & Lemon Balm

The seeds started to sprout within a few days and I have transplanted them to organic soil. The growing rate of wheat grass is super fast. Average growing height is around 1 cm per day. It has been 2 weeks since I first started and the hamsters are enjoying the end products.

Usually I will trim around 2 cm portion of wheat grass, soak it before 'presenting' to Fly or Nami. I would recommend hamster owners to give it a try. The whole experience is quite a breeze and quite fun to see Fly snatching the wheatgrass from my fingers and chomping down in great delight. Nami is not so fond of wheat grass though.

Wheat Grass

Dehumidifier - To buy or not to buy?

Ever since we shifted in to Park Central, we have been in this dilemma of whether to get a dehumidifier or not. As the master bedroom toilet and the wardrobe share a common wall, the humidity level in the wardrobe is rather high =< I really hate the musty smell that our clothing tends to get after a while. 

The same goes for other areas in the unit, like the storeroom etc. Have heard various theories that humidity in Ang Mo Kio is rather high as we are near to various water catchment areas like Lower Pierce Reservoir etc.   

Source: gothere.sg

However, I suspect it has more to do with the layout of the unit. There are so many openings to the unit. The amount of dust that accumulate in the unit per day is amazing especially with my 'open door' policy. I love having fresh air and lots of sunlight in my living environment.

Unit layout

Have previously tried dehumidifiers from Daiso which filled up in less than a month (capacity was around 300 ml at S$1 each - 2 pcs in a pack). 

Dehumidifier from Daiso

Currently using Fairprice Water Jumbo Dehumidifier (600 ml capacity at around S$1.50 each). Similarly, the container is around 25% filled in around 2 weeks.

Fairprice Water Jumbo Dehumidifier

The operating costs of dehumidifying the master bedroom and other areas in the unit is getting rather high. We went to various electronic stores to take a look at the dehumidifier models available in the market and were quite shocked at the prices (cheapest model was Novita ND290I at S$469). Decided to take my search online and happened to come across these 4 dehumidifiers listed on Qoo10:

Source: Qoo10.sg

Option 1. ETD-250
- Smallest sized model out of the 4
- Suitable for 10 sq m space
- 1 button to operate
- Most likely made in China
- Size: 21.8 cm (height) x 14.6 cm (width) x 13 cm (depth)
- Capacity: 500 ml
- Price: $79.90 + $9 (shipping)

2. Dehumidifier + Fan
- Like the dual function option 
- Made in Korea
- Size: 41.3 cm (height) x 28.8 cm (width) x 21.6 cm (depth)
- Capacity: Not listed (but should not be more than 500 ml) 
- Price: $120.00 + $23 (shipping - too expensive)

3. Morning Up MU-898 Mini Dehumidifier
- Made in China
- Size: 22.3 cm (height) x 14.6 cm (width) x 13.5 cm (depth)
- Capacity: 600 ml
- Price: $79.00 (free shipping)

4. Olee Petite EF 881
- Most pocket friendly and functional option
- Suitable for 20 sq m space.
- Made in China
- Size: 30.9 cm (height) x 19.4 cm (width) x 13.5 cm (depth)
- Price: $109.00 + $5 (shipping)

Did not manage to find much user reviews though. Do let me know if you have any recommendations =>

Tokebi Hand Blender - Cooking Experiments

Have been using the Tokebi Hand Blender quite frequently these days to blend fruit shakes, soups etc. One major plus point is that I can blend HIS multi-vitamins together with the selected ingredients for fruit shakes. HE is not very pleased though as I have been preparing various 'concoctions' to ensure that HE has a balanced diet (basically involving lots of vegetables). 

Tokebi Hand Blender - Cooking experiments

The Tokebi Hand Blender tends to splatter if the bottom rotating component is not submerged in sufficient amount of ingredients. It is quite powerful in the sense that it can blend ice cubes with ease. Cleaning the Tokebi Hand Blender is also a breeze. I will usually clean it right after usage by letting it operate in a jug of diluted rice water enzyme for around 10 seconds and repeat the same cycle using clean water. Not much scrubbing is involved.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with this buy.   

Rice Water Enzyme - Highly recommended!

Read about this rice water enzyme online and decided to give it a try to play my part in creating a clean and green environment (low cost and less wastage). 

Only 2 ingredients are required - 2 litres of rice water (refers to water which you tend to drain away while rinsing the rice) and 100 grams brown sugar (cost around S$0.60 for 300 grams). The mixture smells quite bad (vomit-like =<) and lemon peels was added to the mixture subsequently to improve the end product (lemon like smell).

Rice Water Enzyme
(Source of lemon peels image: www.tiemiaomo.com)) 

During the fermentation process, you will notice whitish stuff floating on the dark brownish mixture which is normal (by-product of the fermentation process).  I left the mixture to ferment for 1 week in a dark corner (cabinet under the sink) and it is ready for use!

I filtered the liquid portion of the Rice Water Enzyme out before mixed it together with dish-washing detergent and water in the following proportion (2 : 1 : 4). This new detergent is quite fluid in nature (tends to drip) but it is rather effective in removing oil/grime.

Quite happy with the outcome. I had fun carrying out this science experiment although HE was quite disgusted (kept complaining about the smell). I find it quite ok lei =) In any case, I think HE has got used to our new detergent although HE is still complaining about the smell while doing the dishes.

Other than washing dishes, the Rice Water Enzyme is also very effective in cleaning the kitchen floor. Imagine the stickiness of splattered oil remains etc which is part and parcel of the kitchen environment. 

Look at the Before and After effect of using the Rice Water Enzyme to scrub my kitchen floor. I was quite amazed at the big difference. Pardon my dirty kitchen floor! I did carry out vacuuming thrice a week and mopping weekly ok!  

Rice Water Enzyme - Effect

 You might want to give the Rice Water Enzyme a try since not much cost is involved and it is a high effective product.

DIY Mini Herb Garden

Have been thinking about having a tiny herb garden by the kitchen yard even though I don't seem to have any green fingers =<

Have killed 1 pot of lemon balm previously but the thought of having fresh herbs at my disposal is rather tempting. Not too sure if anyone has encountered the same situation where you only need a small amount of herbs but the quantity sold is always much more than what you need. No doubt you can freeze the herbs and save it for future usage but I find it a hassle especially with the limited fridge size.

HIS only concern is whether these plants will attract any insects. That is also one of my concern. I tend to run at the first sight of any crawly/flying creatures while screaming for enforcement (HIM). But the thought of having a tiny herb garden is just too tempting.

Source: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/garden/garden-herb-garden.htm

 I love the above idea which is made entirely from recycled material. Herbs are kept neatly with clear labels and the entire setup can be easily transported to other corners of the house as when required.

Bought some seeds from Horti Flora which is stocked at NTUC Fairprice. Decided to make full use of these toy capsules which have tiny holes at the bottom as part of my basic germination kit. Have also placed trimmed pieces of filter bags at the bottom of the toy capsules which will prevent soil from falling out. I am trying to germinate the seeds (consisting of wheat grass, lemon balm and sage) by spreading them on wet cotton wool. The wheat grass is meant for my hamsters which are really fond of vegetables.

Wish me luck!

Do share with me if you have any ideas for tiny herb garden in high rise apartments.

Restarting The Lemonade Diet

Have tried this diet previously before the BIG DAY and it was quite effective.

Was able to achieve a smaller waist line and felt more alert/energetic as a result.

As quoted in Stanley Burrough's book (inventor of the Lemonade Diet), the following ingredients are required: 

2 (tbs). of lemon or lime

2 (tbs). of genuine maple syrup

1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

10 oz. water (hot or cold as preferred)

More information can be found here.

Have lost the previous recipe copied off the net but basically the version I used was a diluted one in the sense that I added water to the mixture whenever I felt that it was too concentrated. My rationale was that since water is allowed to be consumed together with this mixture, it did not seem to matter how much water I have added to it.

Have been feeling sluggish/lazy/irritable using the past few weeks (must be from the numerous fast food deliveries and countless scrumptious roti prata from the 24 hours prata shop downstairs at Ang Mo Kio St 52)  and decided it is time to restart this diet.

Pure Maple Syrup, Cayenne Pepper, Lemons in NTUC style

Have bought the above items yesterday and will be starting the diet this afternoon. As per my previous attempt, I will cut out fried stuff from my diet during this period but I will be having my meals as per normal and will not be surviving solely on this diet. No doubt this will result in much slower results but I am happy with the results so far. 

One thing to note is that you will be needing the toilet quite frequently especially at the start of this diet so it is advised to start during a weekend.

Hope that I will be back to the energetic me soon with less headaches/body aches etc.

Tokebi Hand Blender - Review

There are actually quite a number of blenders available in the market, ranging from S$40+ to S$200+. 

Source: courts.com.sg

Being a noob cook, I was looking for a mid-range hand held blender cum mixer for my cooking experiments. Did research for months before deciding on Tokebi  Hand Blender listed on Qoo 10. Item was sent out from Korea and shipping took around one week. Total cost including shipping is less than S$100.

Tokebi Hand Blender V-5500

What I like about Tokebi Hand Blender V-5500:
1. The pretty detailing on the product (very important as I will be slaving away in the kitchen!)
2. Blender felt sturdy
3. Item came with a variety of accessories including a stand which is very useful
4. Only 1 button to select for operation (dummy proof especially for 1st time user like me)
5. Small selection of recipes (in English) available for download (recipe provided in package is all in Korean)
6. High number of revolutions per minute (22,000 - 24,000) compared to other brands
7. Low power consumption (170 W) compared to other brands
8. Blender can also act as a mixer (looking forward to my 1st baking experiment)!


What is not so great about Tokebi Hand Blender V-5500:
1. Blender feels quite heavy after awhile (How ironic, I know...)
2. 2 pin plug converter is required
3. Recipe book provided in package is in Korean =<

To be continued (with my various cooking experiments).... 

Updated: It seems like the above Korean hand blender is no longer being sold on Qoo10. Another item with similar functions can be found on Qoo10 as well. So far, reviews seem to be quite positive and much cheaper than my Tokebi which is still functioning well 1.5 years from the purchase.

Melamine Sponge - Review

This product is a godsend ever since we shifted in to Park Central.

I have been using it to clean the white kitchen tabletop, kitchen stove, kitchen sink, toilet basins, shower screens etc.

I like how effortless it makes cleaning become.

Soak it in water and use it to clean any stains or dirt.

Daiso melamine sponge

Accordingly to the packaging, it is suitable to be used on the following surfaces: glass, ceramic, tiles, uncoated mirror, stainless steel and non-glossy plastics. And it is not suitable for usage on the following surfaces: resin type products, coated mirror, printed surfaces, car exteriors, wood, uneven surfaces, absorbent surfaces, lacquer ware and glossy plastics.

Before and After using melamine sponge

It is rather effective in removing brownish stains/pencil stains/pen stains from the ceiling. All that remains are the holes that can only be 'repaired' by patching up using wall putty.

You might want to give it a try to remove stains. 

I would highly recommend getting this product from Daiso ($2 only) instead of neighbourhood stores ($3.90 at slightly bigger size).

Fanco ceiling fan review - Model FF9

We have been deliberating about installing a ceiling fan in the living room even before shifting in to Park Central. Shelved the plan after seeing that the living room is rather windy and prefer to make do with a small table fan if required.

Recently, the weather has been rather unpredictable. Hot and sunny for one moment and start pouring the next moment. Not to forget about the haze and burning smell we are experiencing now due to the hotspots in Sumatra region.

Haze in Singapore due to hotspots in Sumatra region

Decided to review our plan of installing a ceiling fan and these are some of the criteria we were considering:

- Wind speed of the ceiling fan (Does it really cool down the living room in the shortest possible time?)

- Matches the living room theme (Not that we have a beautifully designed living room but it has to at least match the Scanteak furniture lying around the area.)

- Silent (Does the fan has a quiet motor? We don't want to disturb the quiet sleeping environment for our hamsters =P)

- Comes with a light kit (As the connection that our future ceiling fan will be using is also our current light source, we would need a model that allows a light kit to be attached underneath.)

We were not considering air conditioning at all due to the higher costs involved (installation, operation and maintenance cost) and installation is going to be another nightmare. Prefer not to deal with any contractors after the long arduous with Park Central defect office. Entries are available here and here. Another reason of not considering air conditioning is due to our sensitive noses. Somehow we always end up sneezing after sleeping in an air-conditioned environment.

Currently, we are making do with a table fan (when necessary). There is just no space for a standing fan in our tiny 90-square-metres 4 room HDB flat at all.

Brands we have in mind are KDK (very good motors and wind speed but no light kits) and Fanco.

Decided to arrange for a free on-site consultation session with a seller which was sourced from an online forum and we actually placed our order in the same appointment!

 Spent a total of $380 for Fanco FF9 48" (in brown) and LED light kit (3 light bulbs) inclusive of installation. The above pricing was above the same as what was quoted by Everjoint 1.5 years back. 

After one week of heavy usage, I would say the money was well spent. The wind generated is rather strong even at speed 1 and the motor is super silent. Now I can spend my daytime in the living room without having to bear the midday heat. Best of all, the constant circulating air is 'diluting' the polluted air created by the irritating neighbour who keeps smoking at all hours of the day.

Door to door durian sellers @ Park Central

Was kind of forced to buy these 2 Maoshan durians from 2 Malaysian sellers who claimed to be delivering durians to a fellow neighbour at Park Central.

Really regretted opening the door. A woman's 6th sense is always very accurate I guess.

Was quoted $13/kg for these Maoshan durians which I also don't know if that is a reasonable price. They opened a total of 3 durians in fast succession before I sensed something is not right.

Immediately asked for the price and was quoted $100+. Almost fainted...

One guy was even saying buy 3 get 1 free. Told them I really had not much cash and could see the change in their facial expression. Requested for the price of 2 durians instead which was close to $60. :0

Told them I really don't have so much cash and managed to 'escape' by paying $40 for 4.5kg of Maoshan durians.

Luckily HE didn't scold me... These durians better be good and we have sworn not to open the doors to any strangers.

The amount of door-to-door salesmen at Park Central is really astonishing. Hopefully this post will act as an alert to fellow residents and not to be as naive as I was.

Update: Sad to say, the durians are really not worth the price! Had better ones at much cheaper prices.

Pre packed Laksa sauce from NTUC

Various ingredients for yummy laksa

Took the lazy way out by buying pre packed sauce from NTUC and cooked this laksa dish a few weeks back. Although I have not noticed the brand before but it turned out quite well. However, the sauce was abit salty.

Bought Sakura laksa beehoon, fish cake, taupok, coconut milk and some eggs as well as part of the ingredients. Quite a yummy and easy-to-prepare meal on a lazy weekend.