Of Staghorns and Birdnests- Project Growing Up Part 9 - ( first published on thebarefoodfoodie.org on 18 June 2014 )

Better Than An Ultrasound

Like an expectant mother waiting for the BIG day, my days are filled with childlike curiosity and joyful anticipation. I know by now how my baby looks like. The facade is up and set in stone, concrete and steel. She has the complexion of pale plaster, gently enhanced by the right touches of rouge and gray eye-shadow. Organic, eco-centric, raw, fiercely individual.

Going Green

My sense of wonder is piqued daily by the leafy friends moving in and taking residence. They exude an aura of vibrance and serenity. Soon, I expect them to pervade every conceivable nook and corner devised by Mr Y. He has promised transcendence and meditative retreats of privacy infused by visions of nature. A bonus treat is the relaxation of modesty encouraged by the garden screens all across the thoroughfare. Exciting!

There is a marked preference for bird’s nest ferns and staghorns at this stage. I welcome an open migrant policy of more species and varieties. Bring them on, I say.

Mr Y takes me on educational trips to the nurseries for planting and buying tips. Along the way, he goes off the beaten paths to tap his sources for my green co-habitants. He wears many hats, among them an in-depth knowledge of plants as horticulturist, a casual familiarity with suppliers as contractor, and a stubborn insistence of having his way as architect and dictator.

Guess that comes with the territory, like the doctor in the delivery room. Baby, you are looking beautiful to me.

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New Perspectives

So What If The Day Started Badly This morning, as I was reversing my car out of the porch for a dental appointment, I drove right into a van who just happened to park in front of the house across the road, right at the very instant. The knee jerk instinct was to feel sorry and angry with myself at the same time. I said a little prayer for comfort and that the rest of the day would turn out better, with small mercies along the way. I also texted G, telling him what happened and that I was a little shaken by the incident, trivial as it was. The text came back " No worries". It was all the comfort I needed - no judgment, no reproof, just a quiet understanding and acceptance. The Rest Of the Day Got the tooth fixed, had my comfort food for lunch, left car with dented bumper with mechanic, took a bus to Ang Mo Kio library to while away the time. Along the way, discovered my favorite Yong Tau Foo franchise had moved to the food centre here, much nearer home, and also picked up a ...

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