Can it be Thursday?
Can it be Thursday already? I'm in the college office, just finished with copying the student evaluation comments and sending them back to the student teachers. My class two weeks ago, on "Methods of Teaching," was the most fun I've had teaching since I liked teaching piano (10 years ago?) Turns out that interaction and facilitating learning are pure joy for me. Grading, not so much.
Tuesday, August 3
I am still under the weather, dripping and headachy, so W goes to the college alone. He's recording theology courses, but is frustrated by a meeting of enthusiastic prayer next door.
It's not bad to pray. (How we love it.) But having an all-morning pastoral prayer meeting on the other side of an accordion partition from a recording session? Not so cool. Waldemar wraps up early with a sore throat and no lasting work.
I've had a bowl of Maggi curry ramen, but walk through the neighborhood along the expressway to meet W at the Giant Hypermart. Up 54 steps, down 54 steps on the walkway to IKEA and Hypermart. W's taken the bus from church, and found his briyani chicken rice in the food court. We don't find much beyond a home magazine, but it's a pleasant walk home on the winding trail. Two thick columns of ants cross the pavement, dragging supper home to their colony.
Wednesday, August 4
Yay, I'm feeling so much better, and am able to come in to finish grading evaluations. W and I split a mutton murtabak (pancake/crepe with ground lamb embedded) and cucumber with ketchup. Sounds awful. Tastes great.
After finishing my third student eval, I'm ready for a breather. Kathleen drops me at Tampines MRT station to head downtown to meet my friend Sumathi for lunch. Sumathi's daughter Amitha knows food and has drawn a map to "Glutton Bay," an outstanding hawker strip on the waterfront. We meet at City Hall MRT station and walk underground for blocks, past shops and eateries, up and down hallways and escalators, and finally into the sunshine at Esplanade Theatre.
The building is shaped like the national fruit, the stinky but custard-ly durian. Apparently one either loves or hates this fruit, which 'tastes like heaven' to those who are its fans, and 'smells like hell' to those who are not. We haven't had durian this trip, and hardly smelled it since we don't live near a market. It is forbidden on public transport.
The hawker stalls are closed until evening, but the Thai Express near the waterfront serves up Sumathi's first taste of pad thai and a cooling green melon salad for me. Some friends touch the heart, and Sumathi is one of those. We connected in Cambridge years ago while our husbands were studying. I always look forward to meeting her, because she inspires and grounds my life of faith and friendship. My one regret is how infrequently we can meet. In Seattle, she'd be a regular!
We chat for hours, strolling along the water to the fountain of the Merlion, Singapore's national symbol, and into the financial district where banking skyscrapers reach into the sky. Sumathi's daughter has a pasta emergency, too little food for a crowd they are feeding tonight - so when it's time to hop the bus for home, Sumathi makes a short shopping list and waves goodbye. See you soon, friend!
W's some distance away but having lunch. He tries to find me as I wander One Raffles Place. Ah, there's a manicure shop on floor 4, so I go in for an "express" manicure. The gal files my nails with a used emery board, and doesn't disinfect her tools. I don't have nail fungus, and don't want it! so I'll never go back there.
We walk from the financial district to a trip on the Singapore Flyer. The huge wheel turns in a half hour of spectacular views over Marina Bay. Photo taking, relaxed talking (no kids in our pod), and beautiful scenery, just before sunset.
We decide to try Gluttons Bay. W's not hungry, eating only one of 10 satay skewers. Like most of the other diners, sitting in tables under the stars, with the lights twinkling off the water, I'm famished. No problem to down the rest of the chicken, along with crisp cucumbers and ketchup, and chopped, formed, mashed rice.
It's a romantic walk along the quay. W scoots under the security chain at waters edge to take photos of the spectacular Marina Bay Sands hotel and the lit-up Flyer. The air is warm, the murmur of people sitting on the concrete steps beside us, the slight breeze coming off the bay - it's a perfect night.
Tuesday, August 3
I am still under the weather, dripping and headachy, so W goes to the college alone. He's recording theology courses, but is frustrated by a meeting of enthusiastic prayer next door.
It's not bad to pray. (How we love it.) But having an all-morning pastoral prayer meeting on the other side of an accordion partition from a recording session? Not so cool. Waldemar wraps up early with a sore throat and no lasting work.
I've had a bowl of Maggi curry ramen, but walk through the neighborhood along the expressway to meet W at the Giant Hypermart. Up 54 steps, down 54 steps on the walkway to IKEA and Hypermart. W's taken the bus from church, and found his briyani chicken rice in the food court. We don't find much beyond a home magazine, but it's a pleasant walk home on the winding trail. Two thick columns of ants cross the pavement, dragging supper home to their colony.
Wednesday, August 4
Yay, I'm feeling so much better, and am able to come in to finish grading evaluations. W and I split a mutton murtabak (pancake/crepe with ground lamb embedded) and cucumber with ketchup. Sounds awful. Tastes great.
After finishing my third student eval, I'm ready for a breather. Kathleen drops me at Tampines MRT station to head downtown to meet my friend Sumathi for lunch. Sumathi's daughter Amitha knows food and has drawn a map to "Glutton Bay," an outstanding hawker strip on the waterfront. We meet at City Hall MRT station and walk underground for blocks, past shops and eateries, up and down hallways and escalators, and finally into the sunshine at Esplanade Theatre.
We chat for hours, strolling along the water to the fountain of the Merlion, Singapore's national symbol, and into the financial district where banking skyscrapers reach into the sky. Sumathi's daughter has a pasta emergency, too little food for a crowd they are feeding tonight - so when it's time to hop the bus for home, Sumathi makes a short shopping list and waves goodbye. See you soon, friend!
We walk from the financial district to a trip on the Singapore Flyer. The huge wheel turns in a half hour of spectacular views over Marina Bay. Photo taking, relaxed talking (no kids in our pod), and beautiful scenery, just before sunset.
It's a romantic walk along the quay. W scoots under the security chain at waters edge to take photos of the spectacular Marina Bay Sands hotel and the lit-up Flyer. The air is warm, the murmur of people sitting on the concrete steps beside us, the slight breeze coming off the bay - it's a perfect night.
