The Secret Garden of 1 Utama After The Rain
Lily magnolia bud at the Secret Garden of 1 Utama
Last weekend, we got into the Secret Garden of 1 Utama just after it stopped raining. The plants and everything else were dripping wet. As we squeezed through narrow pathways, any light brush against the leaves would send a cascade of water droplets onto us. It was not that good an idea to be poking around the garden after all.
It has been seven months since we were there last. Nothing much has changed. Not many plants were in full bloom. Nevertheless, we were pleased to discover that one of the lily magnolia trees was flowering. A number of buds were about to unfurl their petals, too. The water droplets hugging on to the satiny deep red buds and the leaves made such an interesting subject for our cameras.
That must have been our briefest visit to the Secret Garden. We only spent about 40 minutes wandering among the greenery. I guess we will not be going there again any time soon, not at least until the weather turns hot and dry. That is the time when the flowers will start to bloom again.
Tags: 1 Utama, Lily magnolia, Magnolia liliiflora, Mulan magnolia, Purple magnolia, Red magnolia, Tulip magnolia
Door Knob Turner For My Weak Grip
Turning a round door knob can be an impossible task for people with weak hand grip. That was how I got trapped twice in the same accessible toilet at the Penang International Airport a few years ago. Since then, I have a phobia of using toilets with such knobs affixed to the door.
Most of the doors in the house have round knobs, too. I should replace all the knobs with levers but never got around to doing it. That was why the bedroom doors were seldom closed. I was afraid I could not turn the knob to open them.
Door knob extender for people with weak hand grip.
The other solution, short of replacing the knob, is to install adaptive devices called the door knob extender or door knob turner to the knob. These devices make it convenient for people with weak grips to turn the knob by way of a lever. They are difficult to find in Malaysia. A lot of online stores carry such items but they are rather expensive.
A few weeks ago, while I was browsing at the newly-opened Daiso at 1 Utama, I found a door knob extender for RM5 only. All items at Daiso are priced at RM5. What I like about this extender is that it is easy to attach and remove. All that is need to slot it into a knob and turn. My only gripe is that the lever is rather flimsy as it is hollow.
Door knob turner for people with weak hand grip.
When I went to Daiso again, they had run out of that particular device but had another that was smaller. I bought one to see if I could actually use it because it looked a tad too small for a comfortable grip. After attaching it to the door, I found that it has a more solid feel to it and provided a better grip despite its size. This one is going into my wheelchair bag for those accessible public toilets that still use the round door knobs.
Tags: 1 Utama, adaptive device, assistive aid, assistive device, Daiso Malaysia, door knob extender, door knob turner, partially paralysed hands, round door knob, weak grip
Meeting Eleanor
Peter Tan, Wuan, Christine Lee, Dr. Kenji Kuno and Eleanor Lisney.
Eleanor and I met online through our respective blogs. She is a disability consultant based in Coventry, United Kingdom. We have been talking about meeting up for the longest time. The planning to come back here took a while. The infrastructure in Malaysia simply cannot provide her the mobility and independence like those in the UK.
Anyway, we got together last Saturday with Wuan, Christine and Kenji at One World Hotel where we spent a good four hours sharing information and experiences regarding disability issues. We were enlightened on the support and services provided for disabled people in the UK. Thanks Eleanor, for your time and the lovely afternoon tea at the hotel lounge. Here is wishing you a safe journey back.
Tags: 1 Utama, Christine Lee, disabled people Malaysia, Eleanor Lisney, Kenji Kuno, One World Hotel, wheelchair user