This year is the first time Zachary has lived and attended school in Canada. All his life, he has been somewhat confused as to his national identity. His mother is Indonesian and he lived in Jakarta for the first four years of his life. Then he has lived in Cambodia for the last two years. His father is Canadian but his heritage is Chinese: Hong Kong Chinese on his father side and Indonesian Chinese on his mother side. Since starting school Zachary has begun to learn about begin Canadian. When I pick him up in the afternoon, he jumps out of the bus without his gloves on in the middle of winter. I scold him to put his gloves on and he replies, “But Dad, I’m not cold. I’m a real Canadian!”
Zachary has become very interested in the Canadian National Anthem. He sings it to himself all the time and listens to the French version on YouTube. Of course, in the international school system which Zachary attended in Indonesia and Cambodia, there are no national anthems because the students come from many different nations. Here in Toronto, “O Canada” plays on the classroom loudspeaker every morning and the whole school stands at attention and sings together. To Zachary, who had never experienced this before, this was very strange and he had many questions about national anthems for me when he first started school. We explored the national anthems of other countries on YouTube: Indonesia, United States, France and Japan.
Here is Zachary singing the English Canadian National Anthem with pride.
Toronto Today
before, we were friends, such warm friends
warmer than the sun
before we were friends, friends like a caterpillar
wishing to be a butterfly
now, we have walked far apart
you avoided me because of something
maybe I went too far
however that was because I cared for you
Reff:
friendship is like a cocoon
which changes the caterpillar into a butterfly
friendship is like a cocoon
something difficult becomes beautiful
friendship is like a cocoon
understanding friend, facing differences
friendship is like a cocoon
nananananana......
leave everything from the past in the past
as warm as the sun
afternoon turns to night
hiding the rays of the sun, until it shines again
now, we have walked far apart
you avoided me because of something
maybe I went too far
however that was because I cared for you
Back to reff.
(translation from the song "Kepompong" by Sindentosca that is playing in the left sidebar)
Another tip from my mother in laws on how to clean the dirty pots. Little, if any, scrubbing is needed to clean even the dirtiest pots, you can use baking soda to have spotless pots.
Fill pot with 1 to 2 inches of water, and add about 2 tablespoon of baking soda; simmer 15 minutes, then scrape tough spots on bottom with a wooden spoon as needed.
It is nonabrasive and environmentally friendly.
Galuh, the kids and I took a long afternoon walk in the conservation area in East Don Parklands today. It was a balmy three degrees centigrade but the sun came out to cheer our progress. A trail follows the path of the Don River which winds its way towards Lake Ontario through our neighbourhood. Footbridges cross the course of the Don at various points. The snow from last week was all but gone and the kids had no problem racing along by bike (Jacob) and scooter (Zachary). 
We found a frozen pond surrounded by barren trees. The boys were fascinated by the ice and tried hard to crack it with sticks. What is it about ice that makes boys want to break it? I noticed a number of other large sticks, even logs out on the ice. My boys were not the first ones to try. Later the kids spotted some ducks swimming in the river and we watched them for a while. Jacob in particular was mesmerized. We explored a new trail that heads south, passes under the railway and ends up near North York General Hospital not too far from my mother’s clinic on Sheppard Ave. 
After copious snacks consumed by the children, we headed home. Jacob grew tired and I carried him on my shoulders where he fell asleep at once. We arrived at home as the sun set and were welcomed by a full house as my mother opened the front door for my sister, her husband Tim and their three kids as they arrived at just the same time for dinner.
My mother in law taught me a new thing today. She asked me to use vinegar instead of soap or other kind of toxic products when I mop the tiles in the kitchen. She said that vinegar can remove any kind of stains on tiles.
I doubted what she said.
So after finished cooking, I put the water in the basket; poured two table spoons of vinegar; and then mixed it with the mop. I mopped the tiles in the kitchen and as the result the tiles were very clean, all the stains were removed, and the tiles were very bright again.
It is amazing!!! It is cheap and save the world!
REMEMBER NOT TO USE VINEGAR FOR MARBLES FLOORS. The vinegar only works for tiles.