Retiree!

I'll be retiring soon…countdown… another 3 working days left! What are my feelings??? Mixed - sad, but happy too!

Sad to leave because I enjoy working in my present job which I’ve held for more than 8 years in this small company with only 5 personnel including the boss and his wife – pleasant environment, easy manageable jobs, small workloads, lots of free time to surf the internet to pursue my personal interests and enhance my skills/knowledge etc., no pressure, no stress, no office politics, nice boss and colleagues, 5-day week and extra income ;)

Happy because I’m finally able to keep company with my beloved retired spouse, to be totally free with my time to manage as I wish, sleep late and wake up late too, pursue my other interests such as gardening without time constraint which had been previously restricted to the evenings or weekends, virtual gardening and internet surfing anytime (haha! when I do equip myself with a home pc, hopefully soon!), visit family members and friends more regularly, and lots more other things!

Hmmm….retiring is a more suited word for me, but truth be told I’m being retrenched because the company had to downsize to just husband and wife team due to unforeseen economic downturn. I empathize with them, business is truly a risk, sometimes beyond one's power or expectations. Hopefully their business will recover soon! My two other younger colleagues will have to find new employment. As for me, since I’m already beyond retirement age and had planned to retire in a couple of years time (though sooner now!), I’d rather be seen as retiring! :D

In fact, I was a retiree when I’d opted for early retirement from the government service in 1994, but chose to return to the workforce (private sector) in 1998 to be gainfully employed and to sharpen my mental powers as I was afraid to leave it idle and become senile prematurely :) Woo..hoo!...by mid next week, I’ll be a retiree again!

Now, my top priority is to buy a reliable home computer so that I can continue to pursue my addiction!

Breath of fresh air with Spider Plant

Botanically known as Chlorophytum comosum, these tough and resilient clump-forming plants are probably the most popular of all houseplants because they can really thrive on neglect, yet present a remarkable fountain of gracefully arching thin stalks adorned with baby plants, resembling miniature versions of themselves.

Thus, they are perfect for hanging baskets where their uniqueness is beautifully displayed. They’re so fascinating and lovely to look at! I love watching these beauties with their grass-like linear leaves often striped green, with yellow or white center, culminated in little tufts/rosettes of leaves tossed into the air on their wiry stalks, giving the plants the appearance of spiders dangling from strings….hmm…without fear of the creepy crawlies, moving all over me!!

No wonder, it’s commonly known as Spider Plant, Ribbon Plant or Airplane Plant, which is so befitting its appearance!

The wild species has green leaves, but most cultivars are variegated. 'Mandaianum' has a yellow stripe down the center of each leaf, 'Variegatum' has white stripes on the margins of the leaves with green down the center and 'Vittatum' has recurved leaves with white central stripes.

Spider Plant is one of the easiest houseplants to grow and maintain. It thrives in the shade or bright light. Can tolerate some direct morning sunlight too! When in active growth, it should be watered regularly to keep the soil moist, but sparingly during the wet seasons. Occasional spraying of their leaves is recommended to prevent brown tips. Propagation is easily done by dividing the main root mass or by removing and culturing/rooting the ‘spiders’. The latter, being the better choice because it’s simpler and by not disturbing the main root mass and allowing them to be pot bound (overcrowded in their pots), they’ll produce more plantlets! More F.O.C plants to beautify my home! :D

Spider plant is also known to cleanse the air we breathe! It’s placed in the top three of houseplants that are efficient for the removal of formaldehyde from indoor air. The other two are Philodendron sp. and Epipremnum sp. Other air purification/filtration plants are Chrysanthemum, Gerbera, Dracaena, Boston Fern, Palms such as Bamboo/Lady/Parlour Palms, Aglaonema, Spathiphyllum, etc.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that I’m soooo… fascinated with these Spider Plants! I've propagated many pots of these lovely plants to keep me happy and smiling always, as well as healthy too!!

Updated Jan 23, 2008 - Do visit my other blog which has more garden delights, besides some extra information on Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum).