Velvet Notes

I’m sorry I can’t continue writing my Hospital Happenings today.

I’m been having cramps since yesterday and have been on painkillers the whole day today.

Give me a couple of days.

Thanks.

…. continued

Tuesday 15 April

On the way to the operating theatre (OT), we met my mom. I told her where my room was and why I was only just being wheeled away. She then went to my room to wait. Phillip accompanied me as far as he could and went off.

I was transferred to another gurney and wheeled off to the OT. Or what I thought was the OT. After looking at the ceiling rolling up in front of my eyes, I was treated to a still picture of the ceiling and some lights. We did not move for a while. I raised my head and looked around. I was in some sort of a queue. There was an old lady in her gurney in front of mine. It was like there was some sort of OT waiting room.

There, I attempted to wear the surgical cap issued to me. Note, operative word is “attempted”. How difficult could it be? Apparently, my hair did not get the memo and refused to stay in the cap. I think a nurse managed to stuff it in.

In a while, we moved on the OT (threatre 3B, if I remember correctly). From then, it was just the OT staff and I. Everyone seemed to be in a slight fluster. I supposed some emergency happened that pushed my morning surgery to the afternoon. Eh, whatever. I am here.

My identity was checked before I was wheeled out of my room, double-checked upon entry to the operating theatre waiting room and triple checked at the theatre itself. With a double major surgery scheduled, I am very certain the medical team would want to have the correct patient under the knives.

The anesthetist got busy. I said “Before you knock me out, thank you for your hard work.” I think they were surprised. A gas mask thingey was placed over my mouth and nose. I got very sleepy very quickly and managed to kinda wave and said “Bye bye” before going to Lala Land.

I woke up in pain. A lot of pain. Did I mention I was in pain? I think I was in the recovery room. I could hear others around me. A moan or two occasionally from someone somewhere nearby.

I remember groaning a bit. It reminded me of the days when I was curled up in bed with cramps. Unpleasant.

Each time I managed to get out of Lala Land, I was dragged back. Not a bad thing, really.

I remember someone asking me how did I feel. I am ashamed to say “Pain. Very painful.” Actually, I mumbled that.

Later on when the pain was still horrible and I was a little more conscious, I vaguely recall someone saying “morphine pump”. I cannot remember whether is was at this stage I was first given the morphine pump and told to use it but I sure was damn glad they gave it to me.

Surgery took about two and a half hours. Recovery time (or the time it took to get me to a state of the semi-living and the less groaning ) took about 3 hours.

My friend, Amanda, saw (probably from afar) them wheeling me back to my room (at about 8pm-ish) and announced it to the peeps who were waiting in my room. Everyone came out to form a welcoming party. They were asked to wait outside while I was transferred back to my bed. I was told it was about twenty minutes from the time they brought me back to the room until the welcoming party was allowed in the room.

During the transition from gurney to bed, I was told that I gave a long groan. Did I mention I was in pain? That part about groaning I remember. I started to gain more consciousness.

A disembodied voice said “Here is the morphine pump. Just press this button. It will only activate once every X minutes to prevent you from getting too much too soon.”

Then I heard Jason’s voice “Hi Lynne, we here to visit you.”

I opened my eyes (somehow got my glasses back on) and saw EVERYBODY in the room. Heck, there were Phillip, Mom, Linus, Jason, Lewin, Fiona, Clare, Amanda and Arti. That was nearly enough to knock me out again. Wow! I was touched.

Phillip bought me a huge stuffed Totoro.

Here is a picture of me giving the thumb’s up (without releasing the morphine pump for obvious reasons) and Totoro just next to me. I looked so bad after surgery (pastey face, panda eyes, dishevelled hair..oh crap) that the picture has been cropped.

Lewin started to joke about the oxygen measuring device clipped to my right middle finger. He was making me laugh!!!! No! No! No! Cannot!! Bad boy!!! Ahhhh!

I raised my right hand and kinda gave him the finger. With the device clipped on, it was not too bad. *whistle*

I kept pressing little black button. Hey, it hurts, okay? Someone who shall remain nameless kept saying “Stop that. You’ll become an addict.” The next sentence describing my thoughts at that time has been censored to keep this entry within the PG rating.

At about 10pm-ish when Mom said “Okay, we are going.”

Night, mom.

It was somehow a fitful first night - the nurses kept coming in to check on me. Temperature and BP and the morphine pump counter to see how many times I pressed it.

Sometime during the night, I woke up in pain. Not from my stitches but from behind my left shoulder blade and my left side just below the armpit. It HURT! Damn. Now what? I started to massage myself and managed to fall asleep.

Throughout the night as I kept waking up from the second source of pain (and not the original source), I wondered how was I going to get rid of that pain. And why would I have it?

I found out the answers the next day.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading “A good reason for not blogging” I posted yesterday.

For a spur of the moment thing, it was quite entertaining.

As I read through it again myself, I thought “3 hours of work for such a short piece?”. I will try to put up the next instalment soon.

In the meanwhile, do read the rest of my blog. I’ve been told it is entertaining…

Apologies again for not blogging for so long.

I went for a double major surgery (Fibroids and Hernia) on 14 April so I had to clear up my work and stock up groceries for my long recuperation time. Hence nothing until today.

Saturday 12 April 2008

After my heart procedure of Oct 2006, I had decided that the next time I ever get hospitalised again, I WILL bring my own pillows.

Picked up my two pillows from the drycleaners. I called the cleaners at 4.45pm and asked what time did they close. The clerk said “5pm”. That sent me to hyperdrive. I asked if I could rush over RIGHT NOW to pick it up. She said okay after she found out that I stayed just across the road.

I then quickly ran to the cleaners and managed to get my pillows with a couple of minutes to spare. This is a weekend and their business must be very good to knock off at 5pm, I thought. Anyways, the clerk was very nice about it and rushed to get my stuff.

Sunday 13 April 2008

Went grocery shopping and stuffed my fridge with fish and pork. No chicken or seafood for several weeks. Sigh. I couldn’t believe I actually bought a 10kg bag of rice ($14.50). Packed my stuff for my hospital stay. Stuffed one pillow into my big bag and placed the other in a pillow bag. Got my own night clothes, reading material and MP3.

On the morning of 14 April (Monday),

Made sure the house was in order and off I went to check in at SG Hotel (Singapore General Hospital). Had to check in by 2pm but as I had to get breakfast, lunch and some cash first, I was of course late.

Plenty of peeps at the Admission Centre (ate part of my breakfast at the Centre while waiting). I was lugging my bags here and there. Felt like I was going on a holiday. It was 4pm before I finally got to my room (One bedder) in the O&G section. Did the usual checking of weight and height (too heavy and too short) and then off to finish my breakfast. Just about finished my lunch at about 5.15pm when I realised dinner was at 6pm. Oh boy.

There were so many people who came in to see me after I checked in.

The two surgeons and their teams came by to prepare for the next day’s surgery and the attendant nurses.

Prof Chow (hernia) had his assistant mark where my appendix scar was. She went off to get a marker, marked my tummy and put a protective plaster over it. I was laughing so hard!

Can you see the scar? It is very faint.

I finally got to see Dr Devandran (fibroid). I was supposed to see him a week ago during my pre-op checkup. By the time I was ready to see the Dr (2pm), there was a pile up of patients. Shortage of doctors. It would be a while before I could see one.

As I had a previous engagement at 4pm and had not been told that the pre-op checkup would take so long, I had to go off without meeting the good Dr.

Anyways, we shook hands as I said “I finally get the chance to meet you!”. He smiled. He then proceeded to inform me that my blood count was low - 8.1. I asked what was usual. It was “10″. Dang.

I needed a blood transfusion.

Yikes!!!!

A young Dr Clarence (trainee?) came in to put in a plug. He put a tourniquet on my left upper arm and started to try and locate a vein. I flexed my fingers and did whatever to get a dang vein to pop up. Now, I am no wuss when it comes to putting in a plug though I dislike having one. But after he could not locate a vein (what?) after slapping my hands and crook of my arm, I was starting to get worried.

We ended up putting it on my left wrist. I can tell you that if I were a loud swearing sort of person, the entire ward would have heard me. It was one of the most painful plug placement I have ever had. I was told that it was because of its location.

The good young doctor left me to recover from my (first) ordeal and I managed to take a pic of the plug. I was sore.

Damn princess veins.

I was then grilled about my medical condition by an anesthetist. He had to make sure I didn’t choke at the operating theatre. I sure didn’t want that. Answered every question as best I could.

Dr Clarence (I think) came in again and gave me a form to sign. He explained that the hospital had to explain to me the risk of getting a blood transfusion i.e. probability of getting Aids or some other condition.

Managed to finish a bit of dinner and went to bed. Phillip came for a short while and went home.

Slightly after 10pm, a nurse came in with a cute little cooler box with a red cover. I asked what that was and she replied “That’s the blood for your transfusion.”

“Oh boy….”

I felt funny looking at the bag of blood.

She first flushed my plug (I think that was the term). The fluid was cold!:

And then connected the tube to the bag of blood:

And drop by drop, I emptied the bag. Yum.

I had the final glass of water at 11.55pm. The cut off time for eating and drinking was midnight. There was some confusion as to what time my surgery was scheduled for. Either 7.30am or 11.30am the next morning. Never mind, I’ll still get operated on anyways. Can’t remember what time the transfusion ended cos I was too sleepy when the nurse came to remove it.

Went to bed. Fiddled with the bedside light switches and finally decided to leave furthest hallway light on before settling in to sleep. It was my first night in a new place and I certainly did not want to sleep with all the lights off.

Tuesday 15 April

During the night, I heard a baby cry and thought it was cats yelling. LOL! As I couldn’t eat anything before the surgery, I spent the time watching Channel News Asia. Almost drank some water! I took a walk along the ward and saw the nursery with the bassinets lined against the windows. Cute!!

Phillip came by at about 9ish and we started to play the waiting game.

Showered and changed into the hospital gown at about 10.30am. Excitment turned to slight frustration when I was putting on the stockings given to me by the hospital. Promotes blood circulation, I was told. Huffed and puffed into them. Decided that the opening at the bottom was for my sole to breathe instead of my foot’s anterior.

Blue gown, white stockings and a sweater. Fashion week, anyone?

I waited and waited and waited. Watched more telly. Martha Steward is on at 12pm!

Finally, at about 1.30pm, I was told to get ready. I replied I was ready at 10.30am. After another 30 minute wait, I was put on a gurney. This was when I started to get a little scared. Suddenly, one of the attendants stopped the gurney and asked where was my hospital tag. Heehee. Hadn’t got one yet.

Here is a picture of me after they put it on. Notice that it is red as I had indicated a drug allergy (more like a reaction to a strong cold tablet).

The attendants refused to let me bring my camera in for the operating staff to take pictures as they open me up. Sigh. Had to leave the camera behind.

And away we go!

I’ll write the post op happenings tomorrow. I’m going to bed now! It’s 1.30am!

Hard at work in the Garden (back when we first started), I noticed an auntie plucking up some weeds in the Bougainvilla row. I actually ran up to her and asked what was she doing. (Can’t believe I did that).

She said that the weed she plucked was a herb used to cool down the system - “chiak liang eh”. Wash the plant, boil and drink.

This evening, one of my Gardeners headed me a stack of printouts of the plants we can find in the RC Garden. I was totally amazed at the information found within.

It never ceases to amaze to constantly learn that that common roadside weed you see is actually a herb.

Emilia.

That pink tip green bodied capsule like thingey ripens to a head of white feathers. You would have probably picked a bunch up and blew on them, releasing them into the wind.

Wow

Gulab Jamun are basically fried milk doughballs soaked in syrup. Been wanting to make them for ages.

The first time I ate these little delights was at a family friend’s house more than 20 years ago. She had invited us over and Gulab Jamuns was dessert. I was fascinated by the taste. I remembered her saying that she used Cardamom.

That was probably what enamoured me to them.

The fragrance of Cardamoms is wonderful. Warm and sensual.

My good friend, Arti, remembered me saying that I wanted to learn how to make them. So the dear lady bought a packet of Gulab Jamun mix and showed me how to do it.

Mix with a bit of water into a dough. Pinch a thumbsize piece off and roll. It must be smooth so even if you have to roll between your palms for five minutes, do it.

At this point, you can stuff the doughballs with pistachios. Yum.

Heat some ghee and fry doughballs. Don’t fret if they turn dark like the colour of Dark Chocolate Maltesers. Once you put them to soak, they will expand and change to a lighter colour.

The syrup can be flavoured with a pinch of powdered Cardamom. 1:1 ratio of water and sugar.

After soaking for about 10 minutes, it is ready.

In the expert hands of Arti, the whole process took less than 30 minutes.

A couple of days ago, I bought a packet of Gulab Jamun mix. I also have a packet of Macha. **grin**

Wanna guess what I am planning next?

The Blue Pea is more commonly known by its local name, Bunja Telang. Its botanical name is clitoria ternatea.

I hunted for pots of this plant when my Garden started out as I wanted to have a plant that provided natural colouring. Have you seen Nonya kueh with artificial blue colouring? Yech.

I once left a dried flower in my bermuda pocket. Took me a while to figure out how the bermuda got that blue stain when I was hanging up the laundry.

As my Garden fence was in need of some tidying up, I decided yesterday to clear out a big bush of Blue Pea.

Armed with garden shears and garden cutters, I went ahead today.

Unfortunately, I started just before 7pm so it got dark soon.

45 minutes later (and a lot of sneezing), having cleared out a sizeable part of the bush, I had a handful of flowers and two big handful of seed pods.

The calyx were removed and the petals will be brought to my office to dry out (it is 45% humidity). It is the single-petalled variety.

That leaves (pun unintended) the pods. Quite a number seem old and there aren’t many freshly dried pods (sounds like an oxymoron). I will be shelling the pods and plant the seeds. It is a lot of them but I don’t think many will strike. I could be wrong. They do look old…

The good news (or bad) is that there is still two-thirds of the bush left.

**faint**

I have to look out for the double-petalled variety I planted in the Garden a year or so ago. And I truly suspect that there IS the white variety on another part of the fence. It would be wonderful to be able to have all types of Bunga Telang.

It is a pity that I cannot find my camera or there would be pictures of what I did today. No problemo. Plenty of photos when I finally find my camera (I suspect it is in my office) and start clearing out the remaining bush.

Later I have to go find my friend, Michael who owns a kueh shop at Amoy Hawker Centre to see whether he wants my dried petals…

In the continuing effort to go Green, I bought a two-tier tiffin carrier and a four-tier tiffin carrier for use in the office. Got them at a kitchen supply shop at Chinatown. Very good price! Contact me if you want to get them yourself.

I bring them out to buy lunch for myself and colleagues.

The colleagues were tickled but are slowly getting used to having tiffin lunches.

The main grouse about using the tiffin carriers is the washing up. Because of that, there has been, surprise surprise, firm resistance in using the carriers. Non-biodegradable disposables were opted for.

Sigh.

Save 1 minute of washing up and contribute to several hundred years of trash. THAT is not my cup of tea.

How difficult is it to take a sponge, detergent and scrub away? I even volunteered to do the washing up. No go.

Will post a pic of the carriers when I finally take one.

So what are you doing to save the Earth?

After I wrote my first post on the subject, I got to think.

Anyone out there have anything they want to get done in the next 5 - 10 years?

Is there anything that is stopping you from writing those down and planning to get them done?

I’m planning to go to Adelaide next year in April to make cheese (hopefully) and Florida in May next year to help out in a Tillandsia nursery. I got the contacts for these two places through friends.

Just open your mouth and make known your plans to family and friends and you might get lucky!

Oh yeah. I want to do one of them cattle drives Down Under too!

Help out in these places and be paid in produce:

1. Cheese making factory

2. Tillandsia nursery

3. Sausage / Ham making factory

4. Honey farm

5. Fruit Orchard

6. Salmon smoking factory (oh joy!!)

That’s that for that category. Now next:

Cook / bake

1. a whole salmon (any way… maybe like what they serve at Cafe Carousel)

2. Beef Wellington

3. Sugee cake

4. Fantastic tasting pineapple tarts (the old fashioned way)

5. Kueh Lapis

6. Chilli Crabs

7. Black pepper crabs

8. Garlic Naan

9. Italian Herbed BBQ Pork Ribs

10. Chicken Kaarage

11. Tomato paste using my own home-grown tomatoes

Okay, so much for the food category.

Here is the writing category:

1. Write a cookbook

2. Publish the said cookbook

3. Write a gardening book

4. Publish the said gardening book

5. Write and get published 20 Articles.

6. Learn how to write a script.

Miscellaneous:

1. Bungee jump

2. Go on a balloon-ride

3. Snowboard

4. Gliding

5. Ride a horse. Not sit on a horse which is led around a track. I want to gallop across a nice big field/meadow and not fall off.

That’s all for now.

I was quite pissed this evening when I found out that I got a Credit for a paper I really toiled hard for. I supposed that I ought to be grateful that I didn’t get a P1 (SHRIEK!!!) for it.

For my next paper, I have to review a Reading and THEN compare it with another Reading and I have to provide examples of texts to support my review. Only 1,500 words total. Simple, huh?

When I first read the instructions for my next paper, my reaction was (sorry, Stuart), “What the heck did I get myself into?”

I am not from the media/advert/PR industry. I am in a different job scope. This is the first time that I have had to look at stuff soooo objectively and scrutinise soooo critically. Did I mention my learning curve is vertical?

I have had to scrap off enough brainrust to fill a 50 gallon dustbin and I am only at my first of six assignments for Term II.

You have no idea how bummed out and inadequate I was feeling. My classmate advised me to jia you for my next assignment. That made me feel better.

Then while watching “L.A. Ink”, a lady came into the shop and asked for a tattoo with these words:

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”

Somehow, that really hit home and picked me out of my doldrums.

I have so much more than some people my age. Must not grumble too much and gotta put my faith in the Good Lord to help me out. But must not drag my heels too much or else:

One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some strange prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, “What have we here?”
Those prints are large and round and neat,
“But Lord, they are too big for feet.”

“My child,” He said in somber tones,
“For miles I carried you along.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know,
So I got tired, I got fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt.”

“Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand.”

– author unknown

I will rise and I will take a stand cos I sure ain’t wanting to leave my butt prints in the sand.

Another lovely poem came to mind on being able to see what I have and being grateful for them. To paraphrase Mr Burns:

Some hae money and canna study,

And some wad study that want it;

But I have money* and I can study,

And sae the Lord be thankit.

Anytime now on that I feel like grumbling my head off about how tough I feel my studies are, that poem is going to remind me to suck it up and keep going.

Going to bed now. Need my rest to be mentally ready for my next (very late) assignment. Nightie night!

*not a lot of it.

I recently organised a Mass Order of Swallowtail Garden Seeds on Green Culture Singapore forum.

The response was overwhelming: 23 pax ordered more than 80 packets of flower, veggie and herb seeds.

I myself went a tad overboard with veggie seeds. Some of the names are sooo cute:

1. Sunburst patty pan summer squash

2. Black plum heirloom tomato (think Black Pearl… ooo… Johnny!!!)

3. Summer Thyme (love this name!)

4. Mokum Carrot

5. Purple Haze Carrot

6. Rainbow Mix Carrot

7. Lemon Cucumber

8. flying Saucers Morning glory (okay, this is a flowering plant)

9. Mammoth Russian Sunflower

amongst other seeds.

I’m looking forward to planting my garden. Purple carrots and yellow cucumbers…

Want to know more? Join me at Green Culture Singapore. ; )

You know them. The most common ones look like tiny pineapples, hence the chinese name “air pineapples”. Here is a pic of a blooming Ionanatha Maxima. When the airplant blooms, the leaves sometimes change colour.

Here is a tray of Ionantha Rubra and Ionantha v. Ionantha:

For some odd reason, I love airplants. Perhaps I got that from my mother.

25 years ago, she bought loads of them. And loads of them died on her. She thought it was her brown fingers. But now we know that it could be the salty air (she lives near the sea).

It is a pity she has refused to start on them again as recent years have brought many different types of airplants into the Singapore market.

One of the most sought after is the King of Airplants: Xerographica. I was not too keen on the “little” fella. A present of two Xeros softened my heart. My friend has a Xero clump (that’s rare).

Now that there is a King, there has to be a Queen, right?

Meet Streptophylla. I have both the normal and the purple form.

“There’s normal and purple form?” Oh yes. When you start on airplants, do not be surprised at the variations you can find. Here is a picture of Streptophylla purple.

I have been growing airplants for about 2 - 3 years now. Presently, I am going for the big plants and the clumps. If you think a blooming (I’m not swearing) single Ionantha Druid is pretty, then wait till you see the clump. The best part is that the bloom is white and not the common purple (ack) one.

Here is one of my favourite picture: two bunches of spanish moss hanging in my Garden. When I first hung it up, I was worried that someone with an overactive imagination might have a heart attack:

Nearby hangs the Selerianas:

I was told that these require a higher skill level. I have no problems with them in my Garden but others have quite a bit of problem with it.

If you want to know more about Airplants in Singapore, then join me at Green Culture Singapore. The link it on the right side of this page. See ya!

Freecycle is a website dedicated to connecting people having stuff they don’t want with people who wants those stuff.

I’ve been a member of the Singapore “branch” for about a year now. Have freecycled Lever Arch files, carpet protectors, hamster cages and printers. The responses have always been overwhelming.

I have the website bookmarked in my computer: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SgFreecycle/

The things offered there range from Wine Racks to computers, printers, baby stuff, etc, even hamsters are put up for adoption.

Check it out. If you have a little still workable something you want to chuck out, chuck it over to Freecycle. There’ll be someone who will take it.

Come to think of it. There will be people who will still take broken stuff to salvage spare parts.

See you there! Save money and save the Earth!

Singapore has scored another First.

The first country to host the Youth Olympics in 2010.

We are all pumped up and very proud!

Go Singapore!

There was the excitement at the announcement that Singapore was going to hold its first Grand Prix and first ever night race(hence the title).

In Today, 18 February 2008, I read that it took 15 years for F1 to arrive in Singapore. Tsk. No matter, good things comes to those who wait.

Let us hope the event will boost the economy and that Singapore does become a Jewel in the F1 crown.

This morning, as I was stretching in front of my bathroom mirror, I saw the faint outline of my ribs. “Long time no see!” I thought.

Now for some of you, this may be nothing unusual. Well, I haven’t seen them outlines for quite a while now and it shows that my discipline in eating less fattening stuff has paid off.

Wheeee!!!

On a different note, while having lunch at a nearby foodcourt, an elderly lady chose to sit at my table (without asking for permission or enquiring whether the seat was taken, of course). I glanced at her lunch. It was Prawn noodle soup with lots of … stuff floating in the soup. I could not believe my eyes and took a (nano-second) longer glance.

She must have had two heaped tablespoonfuls of crackling floating in her lunch.

Now THAT’s enjoying life! But you won’t see me doing that for quite a while. I want my arteries intact.

This is one African Violet that really captured my heart. The photo does not truly reflect the delicate beauty permeating from this gorgeous specimen.

The glitter is obvious. Can you see the parts of the petals where less glitter seem to be and it appears more opaque? That’s where the “Ivory” of the name “Blushing Ivory” comes from… or at least that is my theory.

Notice the side profile of the bloom on the far left? It is even beautiful from the back! If ever you have a chance to acquire one, go for it!

At 8.38pm today, I turned the TV on. It has not been turned on for several months. Due to my schedule, I just did not have the time nor inclination to watch some television. What have I missed!

The TV programme that came up on screen was “Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe”. My! That is one hunky looking guy. Because he was helping to make cheese at Crowley Cheese Factory, I continued watching it. So love eating cheese and am interested in anything in the manufacturing process. It was a whole lot of salt that went into the cheese making process.

I hope to be able to watch more TV programmes this year while I am typing out my assignments. Truly miss shows on Discovery and Travel & Living - Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Anthony Bordaine, Mythbusters, Miami Ink, can’t remember any more.

Oooo…. love the tune as well.

Well, what can I say? It’s been more than a month since I’ve posted anything. I have photos for the Calendar Recycling steps done but laziness and distractions prevents me from putting it up…for now.

How is everyone? Made and sticking to your New Year’s resolutions? Don’t feel compelled to make any. I don’t remember making any NYRs but here is what I want to accomplish this year in no particular order:

1. Hand my assignments up in time (stop laughing)

2. Reorganise my African Violet collection. No, you cannot have the spares for free.

3. Propagate endangered Tillies (air plants)

4. Take up Piano lessons(?)

5. Complete my “I, newbie…” series on African Violets

6. Try out at least 25 new recipes (now where can I find potlucks to gate-crash?)

7. Start growing my sunflowers again

8. Tone up (I said stop laughing)

9. Clear storeroom of at least 10% of the stuff inside

10. Freecycle more stuff

11. Save the Earth. Slow down global warming.

12. Save up for my 2 trips in the first half of 2009

13. Revamp wardrobe

Go me!