On Monday, September 12th I had my first official day volunteering at RDA.The day starts with everyone receiving their rider and horse assignment for the 10 week course.My horse is Harley who is one of the largest horses there.He was born in '98 so is considered one of the younger horses at RDA.A few of them are older than I am which is kind of funny!My rider’s name is Yen Ming, he is very sweet with a variety of ailments.His struggles do not affect his coordination as is the case with some of the other riders there so Yen Ming is already one of the best riders, technically speaking.He really enjoys riding but does not verbally communicate much so it was a little hard to connect with him.But, it nice to watch him with the horses, he really loves them and is gentle when he leads them.The goal is to keep consistency for the rider throughout the 10 week course and additional courses once a good sidewalker match is made.Since Yen prefers to ride quietly and really no longer needs a sidewalker and I have the “gift of gab”, I am being re-matched on the 19th with the resident “chatty Cathy”, Sun Ling.I also think this will be a good fit.After the riding lessons are finished and the riders have left on their way back to school, the volunteers all sit and have a 30 minute debriefing session where each riders’ progress and areas for improvement are discussed with the group.It is during this time that we have coffee and a snack.This week’s snack was pretty interesting – Green Tea Kit Kats from Japan which are surprisingly delicious!
Harley, my week 1 horse at RDA
Green Tea Kit Kat from Japan. It's almost like a white chocolate Kit Kat but creamier.
Monday night Mark came home with 10 roses as a romantic surprise!After I’m fully impressed with his thoughtfulness he takes the romance up a notch (this is a direct quote), “ Yeah, I was going to get you a dozen roses but they we like $60 with the vase and everything so I just asked the lady what $20 would get me.”Honesty – another one of the many reasons why I love him but I think sometimes men should just omit certain things, haha!Anyways…after dinner Mark and I watched the NFL games from the night before.Needless-to-say, Mark was pretty disappointed with the Colts’ game.And the Colts’ weren’t the only ones to lose in a blowout, I also beat Mark in our week 1 Fantasy Football matchup! I’d planned on never letting him live in down but I think his friends in the league will have that department covered for me.
My roses from Mark. He does read the blog and I don't want his head getting too big so I'll leave it at - he is pretty amazing!
Despite the lose, some people (and dogs) still have team spirit - GO COLTS!
During the week I decided to dive into two new projects.The first was organizing a book club.I’ve been dying for an excuse to get some women together monthly for dinner and book club sounded like a good idea.Not sure what everyone’s schedules were like and how many people were nerdy for books like me I had hoped for 6-8 women to agree to it but I’m pleasantly surprise to say that I have 14 book club members!I told everyone that while getting a good read is a plus, it is not meant to be a super serious book club but more of an excuse to get together for dinner and if you can't make it sometimes, not to worry so I’m sure there won’t be 14 in attendance every month but it’s still a much better start than I anticipated!We will be meeting the first Wednesday of every month at various restaurants in Singapore, the first meeting is October 5th so I’ll let you know how it goes.The other thing is not really a project but a goal.I started a program called couch to 5k, an application on my phone.It’s a 9 week program where you run three day per week with the goal being to be able to run a 5k when you are finished.I’m not actually signed up for any 5k’s but just wanted to try something different to work on my fitness.
Colt still has play dates with other dogs which have upgraded to twice a week now, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.When it started a few weeks ago it was just one day a week and about 4-6 dogs and has now graduated to two days a week and 13 dogs!Colt has a lot of dogs at the play dates that he likes but particularly likes a beagle puppy named Calvin and a Chihuahua named Peanut.Seeing a Chihuahua and a Great Dane sitting with each other is pretty comical, I'll try to get a picture at some point.It wasn’t all highs for Colt this week though.When Mark and I left for a bit over the weekend Colt snuck past the baby gate (I guess he finally realized he could walk past it or even over it if he wanted) to the study and chewed up Mark’s brand new shoes.Mark was not a happy camper.So, Colt's been having to go to his room when we leave until he can be trusted again : (
"I have no idea what you're talking about"..."Shoe? What shoe?!?"
I guess I still love him...Just a little....
The weekend, like most, went too quickly.On Friday we went to a Hawker Center nearby and then caught a late movie, Crazy Stupid Love.It was really good, a rom-com which Mark didn’t hate so that’s saying something!We also went to a sushi buffet this weekend.The food was really fresh and delicious but Mark and I may never be allowed back considering the amount we ate – I kid, I kid!
Sushi buffet - asparagus, rice, and steak.
Sushi buffet - sushi rolls and sashmi
Lastly, I leave you with a little Colty video for your viewing pleasure. Colt eats his meals on the balcony since he is SOOO messy. He has also become extremely domesticated and instead of barking when he wants in, he now knocks (sort of). We really didn't teach him this but he does do it everytime he wants in!
Mark and I haven't seen a lot of each other this week because he’s been working late and then gone most nights because of the APPEC – Asian Pacific Petroleum Conference.Which is a conference this week in Singapore that brings a lot of people from the oil and gas industry and while Mark doesn’t actually attend the conference there are events at night that he’s been going to for networking.
I’ve missed him but I been keeping myself pretty busy this week since it was my first week of volunteering for RDA, Riding for the Disabled Association. It is exactly what it sounds like, a non-profit organization that allows children and adults with physical or learning disabilities in Singapore to get free, therapeutic horse-riding lessons.The lessons aren’t don’t necessarily always focus on learning good equestrian form but are more for helping build confidence, communication skills, and coordination through riding.
RDA Centre
Tuesday was technically my first day but was very brief and was mainly for filling out schedules and waivers.Thursday was my first day of training.It took place at the RDA stables from 9-1:30pm where we learned about the people that come to RDA (mostly children), safety, and working with the horses. The training was very hands on which I liked.I worked with the largest horse, Mistoff, who is solid white.I haven’t been around horse much so I was pretty intimidated at first but began to feel comfortable quickly.There were two other women in my group working with Mistoff, both were training as well.We worked really well together so decided to all sign up for the same volunteer day, Mondays. My role at RDA will be a “side walker”, although I will also help with events.As a side walker, my job will be to give instruction to the rider and support them; sometimes this will be emotionally, sometimes I will physically have to support them on the horse.
Didn't get a chance to take a picture of the live horse I worked with but here is a pretty drift wood horse in front of the RDA building!
My first day working with a rider will be this Monday, when the next 10 week course starts.On Monday I will get a rider and horse assignment and will work with the same horse/rider for the full length of the course.I was told by almost every volunteer that it really rewarding to see the progress of your rider over the 10 weeks so I am getting really excited to get the assignment!
Also keeping me busy this week was Spanish. I’m working on learning it through Rosetta Stone and have covered several lessons this week while Mark has been gone at night.In fact, I should probably go work on it some more now. Adios!
**As I’m preparing to get caught up on the blog, I’ve started looking through my pictures from the last few weeks since I like to outline our story with photos.It is during this process that I realized that about 90% of the photos from this time period are of food – local food we’ve tried, weird food at the grocery, recipes I’ve experimented with, etc.I mean, I know Singapore food has been a frequent topic of mine throughout the blog but if a stranger were to have looked through my pictures this week, I would have looked like someone covering a blog for The Food Network, not someone discussing their life overseas.**
Well, now that I got that little tidbit out of the way, I’ll start from the beginning of last week…Like most every week, it started off with routine cleaning of the condo and a trip to the store.But, this trip to the store was a little different.As I was perusing the fresh meat section of the grocery, something caught my eye that I’d never seen before and knew I would have to share it on the blog…A black chicken!Apparently a lot of Asian chefs prefer them to traditional chickens when cooking because they have a more “gamey” flavor which leads to better soups and broths. While I’m sure that’s true, I won’t be picking one up just yet because I’m still not past the strange look!
Black chicken
After getting the place clean, getting the shopping out of the way, and recovering from the shock of the black chicken, I decided to give Colt a “dog spa day” again which consists of me giving him a bath, nail clipping, ear cleaning, and brushing his teeth (his least favorite part, as well as mine).And he was being pretty comedic after his bath - while trying to dry himself off on his bed, he fell off!I came in too late with the camera because he didn’t do it again but I still thought this video was cute : )
Colt’s been having play dates two times per week now, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm, with other dogs nearby so I couldn’t have him being the smelly dog!He gets along really well with all the other dogs and is even pretty good about not playing too rough with the smaller dogs.All the owners that meet up with their dogs are women and this outing has slowly morphed from dog play date into wine club.Last week and this week, girls have taken turns bringing wine for everyone so we all sip wine and chit chat until the dogs get tired.Colt always looks like he’s having a lot of fun but now I’m not sure who looks forward to it more, him or me?!It’s been really nice meeting more people.
He does love me! Colt and Niki
Yes Colt, I'm storing that fat there just for you!
Your weekly Colt pic!
Last week, I also had lunch with my friend Hayley at an Indian Restaurant close to both of us, Kha.We both finished off our meal with a traditional Indian desert called Thap Thim Krwap.It had things called Red Rubies in it which were water chestnuts sliced up and cased with a Jell-O-like texture and then was topped off with coconut milk, shaved ice, jasmine, and rose petals.I don’t know what to say about it other than it was extremely interesting.I wouldn’t say that it tasted really good or bad but was a unique flavor and full of lots of different textures.
Indian food @ Kha
Thap Thim Krwap desert @ Kha
After a very filling lunch, I’m not sure how I was able to look at or even think about food but I did.I started putting together my first ever chicken pot pie for our dinner that night.It is a really simple recipe but I get proud anytime I make something edible that looks even the slightest bit pretty so I had to get a picture. (Yes, I know this is sad but me cooking something pretty happens about as often as a solar eclipse so it must be documented.)
I totally didn't stage this photo. I just always add a backdrop when I'm done cooking something...Ok, you caught me...
Over the weekend, Mark and I tried Hawker food again but at a different place.This time we went to Lau Pa Sat.Lau Pa Sat is one of the more well-known Hawker Centers in Singapore where there are a lot of different food stalls and live music on the weekend.It has TONS of different food; you can find everything from pig organs to seafood dishes to vegetarian dishes.Mark and I shared a crab meat roll, duck noodles, and satay.While Lau Pa Sat still has very inexpensive prices, you do pay a little more there than at other Hawker Centers because it’s the business district and has a little bit more (I stress the little bit) of an ambiance with the live music and Victorian-style architecture.
I can't remember what this is called but it is a veggie and crab meat roll
My pick: Duck noodles
Mark's pick: Chicken and beef satay with peanut sauce
