Quiet Time
Yesterday after school, I had originally intended to go for a good workout at the gym but as I was walking towards the destination, I felt very very very much that I wanted to take a walk with the Lord.

And I did just that. Walked, listened to PnW, prayed and simply enjoyed God's presence. At one point, I was so touched that it was almost unimaginable... nearly cried, cos I was reminded once and again of how He never fails.

Pst Kong's series on 'The Sermon on the Mount' have blessed me so much. I know that as I enter the next phase of my life, there will be much more that God has in store for me, and I want to hear His voice and seek His face. I want the fresh manna. I want to be poor in spirit, to be meek, to be broken...

Exam Time
And well, this week is the exam week in school and during exam time, teachers here leave rather early. I think there are less than 10 teachers in the staffroom right now... I just made myself a banana fruit milkshake and heez, I have to say it is really tasty, and so awfully easy to make.

Shake Time
Got this brilliant idea from a TV variety show. You need only a small, transparent plastic bag and whatever mushy fruits you can gather. So I decided to try this concoction today.

Ingredients:
1) Banana
2) Tomato
2) Milk
4) Fruit Juice
5) Green Tea
6) Ice cubes

Hahhaha, if it sounds yucky, let me assure you it is quite the opposite. It is marvellous!

First, peel the banana and put it into the plastic bag. Add in the washed tomato and get ready to squash them both together! And it's actually quite fun to squeeze them in the plastic bag. wahahha. Then, after they are mashed and a little gross-looking, slit a small hole at one end of the plastic bag and squeeze the content out into a glass.

Add low-fat milk, soya milk or whatever milk you like and fill up your glass with it. I also added some supermarket fruit juice to the mixture. Stir it using a spoon and tada! That's a delicious, frothy and fruity shake you have! For me today, the mixture was a little too thick, so after taking a few sips, i decided to pour in some green tea. It really tastes very nice!

And on a hot, humid, summery day, add in some ice cubes and enjoy your very nutritious banana fruity milkshake!

























Himeji Time
And last Saturday, I visited the Himeji Matsuri (Matsuri = Festival) with Yuen Yee. Yuen is a Singaporean Australian Chinese. Wahahah. Born in Singapore, raised in Australia and Chinese by race. It's been some months since we last met and so, cos spring weather is cool and comfy for walks, I decided to meet her up at Himeji.

Himeji is famous for its castle. Himeji Castle is possibly Japan's most famous castle and it is also registered in 1993 on UNESCO's World Heritage list. What causes it to stand out is that it has kept its original form for nearly 400 years, never damaged by fire and warfare, even during the 2nd World War. This is pretty impressive considering that many castles in Japan have been destroyed by fire as they are made of wood. Himeji Castle is a wooden structure too and its towers, stone ramparts and earthern walls are extremely well-preserved.

Anyway, I really wanted to go into the castle, but could only admire its grandeur from afar that day because of the Matsuri! Still, it's ok... I have complimentary tickets from one Japanese ambassador, so I can always go back anytime. And Matsuris are always lotsa fun! There are many ya-tais (think pasar malam stalls) selling all sorts of food and snacks, drinks, trinklets, etc... And it's so nice to just soak in the festive spring atmosphere. :)


Himeji Castle in the background





Matsuri Picts


Yuen Yee and I at Mount Shosha

Shosha Time
After the Himeji Matsuri, we went to Mount Shosha. This place is the filming location for 'The Last Samurai' in which Tom Cruise was the leading man. Anyway, I have never watched the show before and maybe now I will! Visited a number of temples and shrines, did a bit of hiking and of course along the way, we talked and talked and yeah, it's really a nice way to spend a Saturday - quality time with a good friend!


The contrast between the various shades of green
























A coffee-cum-souvenir shop snuggled in the woods



Autumn has arrived?!

As I finish tap-tapping away on my keyboard, the staffroom gets quieter and quieter... bu zhi bu jue, it's time to go home le... ahha. Tomorrow is the last day of the examination, then it's back to some real classroom action again! Ganbarou!