6 Months As Husband & Wife

We are 6 months husband and wife. :)

Taiwan Holiday Part 3 - Special English Castles

 

The tour that we joined is Taiwan New Experience. Thus, we were brought to some special places in Taiwan where most tour don't visit. The most special place I feel was Oliere. It consists of 4 English Castles, built by a very rich Taiwanese for his wife.

Fernvale Palms Progress - 25 Dec 2012

I was at Fernvale Palms on the same day when the accident happened but I did not sense anything wrong on site though I did notice that no one was working on the project. I thought it was due to Christmas celebration.

I took a closer look at the project progress on that day (as my Mrs. was not with me, thus no one was nagging me to leave fast). I was actually quite delighted to see progress for the B blocks but I was not aware of the accident at that time.

The main contractor has finally completed the painting for the last 3 floors for 432B blocking facing the basketball court. The outstanding painting of this side of the project is the white paint of the lift shaft.

For the other side of the B blocks facing the MSCP, the contractor has progressively painted more facades. In fact, it looked like the painting of 432B is faster than 433B. There were about 5 more facades to be painted.

It is a sad case for worker to fall from height despite MOM’s recent strong effort to advocate safe work at height. Being a public officer project engineer, I also understand the paramount importance of ensuring the safety of workers at site. Hope the main contractor learns from this accident and finishes the project fast and safely.    

To those who are worried about the accident and progress,
(a)  MOM has issued stop work order for plastering works and working at height for the project. However, if the main contractor has experienced project manager on site, I believe he will re-schedule their workers to do those works which do not require harness. This can be lying of tiles, ground level painting work, etc. So, the progress will not completely halt. I doubt the main contractor has finished laying all the shelter, bathrooms, kitchen and service yard tiles. For being selfish, please send all the workers to complete tiles lying for 433B.

(b) Likely, MOM will review the main contractor’s safe work procedure and risk assessment to determine if the contractor has inform the worker about the potential risk for his work and if they have trained the worker sufficiently for him to perform the task. Based on what was reported, it seemed like the worker has a safety harness on but was not hooked on to any anchoring point.

I was searching online about HDB’s work procedure for handing over the flat to the owners. Based on what I have gathered online, HDB will issue a letter to owners about 2 months before project completion to inform the owners about the good news. Next, they will issue the HLE application letter to owners requesting them to apply for HLE (if necessary). Upon approval, they will send them the approved HLE letter. The last phase will be BCA granting the TOP. Normally, HDB will start issuing the keys 1 week after BCA awards the TOP, pretty fast right! Another thing is that HDB will update the website, informing the exact month of probable completion date when the date draws nearer.

Anyway, this is only what I have gathered online, may not be accurate. For whoever who read our blog and is aware of HDB’s work procedure, please share with us.  

Taiwan Holiday Part 2

The well known papaya milk at Liu He Night Market with Ma Ying Jiu's support.

To try at Liu He:
(a) Papaya milk (with Taiwan President board)
(b) Gaint fried squid

The famous Shilin Night Market. It has shifted to a new location with most food stalls at B1 level.

Taiwan signature building - Taipei 101

Taiwan December Holiday Part 1

Dear and I went for Taiwan holiday early December. It took me a much longer time to sort out the photos, thus for this late post.

Good food at Feng Jia Night Market. According to the tour guide, this is one of the best night market in Taiwan, selling food, shoes, bags and shirts.

To try at Feng Jia:
(a) Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang
(b) Jumbo stinky dou fu
(c) Sweet potato balls.

The famous Taiwan Lu Rou Fan at Jiu Fen.

Fernvale Palms Progress - 21 Dec 2012

 

 

 



Fernvale Palms Progress - 5 Dec 2012

 

 

All roofs are up for 433B and 432B. Hope the progress speeds up.

Sengkang West Road and SBS Bus 50

A new route leading from Yio Chu Kang to the Tampines Expressway (TPE) will be available in three years' time. The route, Sengkang West Road, will offer an option to the narrow Jalan Kayu road, with three lanes in each direction. Motorists have been reported as looking forward to the construction of the route. The new road will start at where Yio Chu Kang Road and Jalan Kayu currently intersect. It will then cut through parts of Seletar West Farmway before joining the TPE. As a result, 13 tenants will have to leave the Farmway to make way for the project. Sengkang West Road will also provide access across the TPE to the upcoming Seletar Aerospace Park.

Changes include:
- Jalan Kayu will end at Sengkang West Avenue, which will be extended to coincide with Sengkang West Road, it said.
- Fernvale Road will be re-routed to join Sengkang West Road.
- a segment of Yio Chu Kang Road between the Central Expressway and Jalan Kayu will be widened to three lanes in each direction, up from the existing two.

But the stretch of Jalan Kayu with shop houses and eateries will not be affected

There is also a new bus service 50 which will run from Punggol to Sengkang and through Sengkang west way to Ang Mo Kio which will benefit us. I have plotted out the bus route around Palms as below.

Eating House, Shops and Supermarket Near Sengkang MRT In The Future

There will be an eating house, shops and a supermarket for the new BTO project near Sengkang MRT. I guess high chance of a NTUC?

It was house warming day for Saturday. We visted dear's colleague and friend new home in Punggol. Punggol project is much faster than Sengkang's.

I have been at Palms these few weeks though I have not uploaded the project progress photo. Progress is rather slow - one roof cap per week.

Ties That Bind - A Movie & Talk Event featuring Les Misérables

HDB Vanity Top Wash Basin

We woke up early on Sunday morning and went to Toa Payoh market for breakfast. The market served one of the cheapest and nicest foods in Singapore. After that, we visited the Philips sales, wanted to purchase hair dryer initially. In the end, we bought the baby milk bottle steriliser bundle. We visited HDB hub and tried the famous Rojak at the food court. The HDB hub also showed the difference between the vanity top wash basin and the wash basin with tap mixer. I think we will be getting both of them, 1 at our master bedroom toilet and the other at the attached toilet.

The layout of the latest Sengkang HDB near to the MRT is similar to the proposed layout by our ID.

Hawker Breakfast Hari Raya long weekend

Lately, someone raised a very interesting question in FB asking if there is lift serving the multi-storey car park (MCP) in Palms. Then, I reviewed the schematic layout of the Palms project and there is indeed a lift serving the residents at the car park. So, residents of Fernvale Palms do not have to climb up the stairs to collect your car in the future. I guess I did not pay much attention to the car park since we do not own a car in the past. 

Another interesting point is that there is vanity top wash basin for attached bath/WC for 5-room flat. Though not quite sure what it is and also not hopeful for something fantastic, probably can reduce the renovation cost.  

Last weekend was hawker breakfast Hari Raya long weekend. On Friday, we made a last minute decision to drive to Shun Fu market to have our breakfast as we knew that the market is relatively less crowded than AMK markets. It was our second time to the market, the first being the time when we attended the marriage preparation course at ALife. We had prawn mee, (quite a big portion for $2.50), small cups tea and coffee and Chocolat N' Spice muffins.

On Sunday, dear and I went to Hougang Ave 1 Block 105 market. I did not know that there was a market so close to our house. The market was crowded. We had soya milk, wanton and dumpling mee, fried dough and pancakes. Then, we shopped at a wholesales store selling Kuehs in a nearby store. I think we will visit this market for the next few Sundays (free parking) till we finish trying all the food there.

Our Car Family Stickers

Our car family stickers - you and me.

Fernvale Palms Progress (30 Sept 2012)

I walked and jogged along Sengkang Riverside Park to Punggol Promenade today. The park connector is rather cool. It gave me the temptation to purchase a bicycle to ride through the connector when we shifted in Palms in the future. The progress seemed to have sped up. I saw quite a handful of workers working on the project on this Sunday morning too. Pray hard that 433B residents can get our keys in December this year.

Dear and I also bought our first family car - Honda Jazz. We have not been driving for a long time ever since we passed our driving test. So, we have been trying to brush up our driving skill. It is rather stressful driving in Singapore.

URA Plan For Sengkang West Way

Fernvale Palms Progress - 23 Sept 2012

The first picture was taken on 19 Sept and the second picture was taken today (23 Sep). There are more patches of white painting for the 433B block.

Lately, we read on FB that the residents of the Boon Lay project which was rolled out at the same time with Palms have started collecting keys. The project is of smaller scale as compared to Palms - 16 storeys and consists of 2, 3 and 4 rooms flats. I understand the frustation of our future neighbours for the slow progress of the project. Cause, I desperately hope to collect the keys as early as possible. However, knowing that the main contactor has another project Fernvale Crest pushing for completion, I seriously doubt their ability to complete all fast. Frustated. Desperate. Helpless.

Our Wedding Vow

I vow to always keep my love, as pure as it is today.

In your laughter, and your tears, in your sickness, and your health.

In your comfort, and your fears, in your poverty and your wealth.

I promise to be true to you, I promise to cherish you.

With this ring, I marry you.

Our wedding favours.

Fernvale Palms Progress - 1 Sept 2012

Painting has started for blk 433B. Hope the progress speed up!

Natas Fair 2012

We booked our honeymoon at the Natas fair at Expo on Saturday. We are going to the States for 15 days in December. 

These are the freebies we got from the Natas fair.

a) 3 luggages

b) 1 small MasterCard bag

c) 2 boxes of locks

d) 1 card case with pen and key chain

e) 2 discount offers for next trip (next holiday with Super Travel) 

f) 1 free land tour in China (next holiday with Super Travel) 

g) 1 travel adapter

Our Dream Seletar Mall

The Seletar Mall, a new development by a 70:30 joint venture between Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and United Engineers Limited (UEL), will be completed at the end of 2014.

The 99-year leasehold mall, located at the junction of Sengkang West Avenue and Fernvale Road, will have a gross floor area of 284,000 sq ft and a net lettable area of 188,000 sq ft, spread over four levels above ground and two basement levels.

Key anchor tenants include a cineplex on the fourth floor, a food court on the third floor, and a supermarket at the basement. The basement will also have about 390 parking spaces.

The Seletar Mall will be family-oriented and cater to existing and future residents staying in HDB flats, private condominiums and landed properties in the vicinity. There will be 730,000 residents and a working population of 47,000, including those from the upcoming Aerospace Park which will be ready next year, within five kilometres of the development.

The Seletar Mall and Fernvale Palms Progress (18 August 2012)

The new mall near to Fernvale LRT will be named The Seletar Mall which will be completed by December this year, pretty fast right. They have just started construction few months back. This is the difference between commercial valued building and residential flats. The owner of Seletar Mall will push for the early completion of the mall so that they can start collecting rental. So, by the time we move into Palms, we will have a small shopping mall to walk around. But, the short 6 months completion of the mall makes me wonder how big the mall is. Hopefully, it is not as disappointing as Rivervale Mall and HDB don't close down the Fernvale Point. I guess all residents will welcome more amenities, the more the merrier.

I saw a report that Seletar Mall will be ready by end 2014, which seems to be a more realistic date to me.

The progress of the B blocks seems stagnant for the past 1.5 months though we are unsure if there are any E&M works on-going. The main contractor seems to be rushing civil work for the A blocks. Based on site progress, it looks like quite impossible for us to get the keys before we go for honeymoon in December. April 2013 will be a realistic date to get our keys and February before CNY will be a bonus.   

I enjoyed observing the Sengkang west-loop residents' lifestyle. There was a very queue outside a shop at Tongkang LRT in the late Saturday afternoon. I think that is our home nearest Singapore Pools outlet, which is not that near though. It was also quite common for the residents to have family BBQ at the BBQ pit beside the basketball court. I think I have met at least 3 families having BBQ when I visisted Palms. Yesterday was the first time that I met another couple who went down to observe the progress of Palms. They were taking photos of the project too. The progress of Fernvale Gardens BTO is also in full swing now. There were a lot of workers working on the project yesterday and I guess residents for the B blocks facing the basketball court will have to bear with the noise and dust for a year.