21 Dec 2025 – A Time For Everything

Thu: kiitos/Finnish – condolences to Claire/Norway, to Gel/SIN for the recent passings of their fathers and to Inga/USA for her mother, may they RIP. The circle of life with a time for everything starting with birth until when death marks the end of a physcial life. Always sad&painful when your beloved family&friends die but hopefully some good memories to remember them by.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal – From an Irish headstone

Fri: danke/German – productive Fri-morning walking to run errands, looks like widening of the sidewalk@StillRd. Always delighted to see grown-ups spending time with kids outdoors.

TheLensMan is now located in another new location no longer opp the food stalls, now nearer the WhiteOctopus but still within the MP-Promenade. PP is now ready with TangsXmasMarket in the basement. A quick ride on Bus36-RafflesCity/Nespresso with heavy traffic@Stamford&NBridgeRds junction and back to the EastSide on Bus16 within less than an hour.

FullertonHotel inside-out elegantly&fully decked&dressed ready for this Season. Nowadays when snailmail is no longer the main mode of couumnication, it is easily forgotten that this location was once the GeneralPostOffice/GPO.

Thankful for SG-CulturePass/S$100, including SisticFeesS$104 – appreciations to Leo for helping with the booking. Has been a long while ago since the last life-performance of any opera and now an enjoyable Mozart’sDieZauberflöte/MagicFlute by the SIN-LyricOpera@VictoriaTheatre. Do know this opera well with ~7min Overture and the beautiful&difficult ~3mins aria Der hölle Rache – complete opera ~2+hrs including 20mins intermission. Photos&video not allowed during performance.

Good enthusiatic audience, pleased with RowBSeat27 and probably the only empty seat26 next to me! No problems being by the timpani when not a full orchestra – an easy get away from the crowds directly by the door with a pleasant short walk across SIN-River to the FullertonBusStop for Bus196 with hardly any traffic&ppl on or off at stops and was back to my 4-walls before 23.00hrs.

https://www.singaporeopera.com.sg/slomagicflute1225

Sat: cпасибо spasibo/Russian – thankU KK for homemade fish-soup (on the fishy-side)+tea that has an amazing aroma for my smell but he does not know what kind of flowers, looks like some family of the Daisyflower – will brew it next week and see if the taste will give me a hint…

Interesting analogy, tkx to KarenSB for the share. Despite not being a car person but do know that Volvo is Swedish-made and Ferrari,Italian. For one who has lived&worked in both Norway&USA for many years would agree that Volvo is sitll one of the safest cars and Ferrari an iconic luxury sports car. Both good cars but does depend on who you really want to be your driver but who knows what will happen when more driverless cars hit the roads…

Sun: mahalo/Hawaiian – to get dessert for tonight’s dinner@Clement on this 4AdventSunday/3days to Xmas. Recycled&decorated these commerical bags&boxes to be given away for this season.

Also Winter Solstice/Dongzhi冬至 the shortest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere – to be edited&updated with pix…

Waste Not,Want Not – Proverb

17 Dec 2025 – Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Sun: ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါသည် kyaayyjuutainparsai/Burmese/myanmar language – with CC-friends welcoming BillC, one more Sunday/10days to Xmas. Nice to catch up for early local Bfast@MT-Market/my favourite CheeCheongFunCCF-Stall/猪肠粉a steamed rice noodle roll originated from GuangDong/China. A Cantonese dish made of thin layer rice flour batter, steamed and rolled up to resemble pig intestine (as the name implies CheeCheong=PorkIntestine, Fun=Flour) pix credits to Calvin and Helen.

Pleasant short stroll and not too crowded with ppl fishing&napping@EC-Pk/SiglapCanal,AreaC before the predicted afternoon rains. Iyas cycled 18k from his home and now has to push his bike with us while Calvin has gone to do his test for a valid motor-bike licence – pix credits to Helen.

Gentle snores were heard while preparing for a light lunch – should it be a compliment that they are so comfortable&relax enough to nap within my 4-walls? or an insult about my company? hahaha!

Cheese&FruitsLunch after a brief nap.

Congratulations to Calvin for passing his tests – pix credits to Iyas & Helen.

ThankU for yummy chocolate from Switzerland with our Xchange of gifts on this 3rd AdventSunday.

Appreications with thanks for favourite homemade rich&creamy LobsterBisque indulgence, scrumptious SteakRochalie, etc by broLeslie for Sunday dinner with wine&whisky to die for.

Blessed to be able to taste such perfectly-cooked food with sensational spirits. 2015VegaSiciliaÚnicoReservaEspecial isn’t a single-vintage wine but a special release (NV) blending iconic older vintages. ÒirLeòmhann a SIN-based Scotch whisky brand, but a specific 35-year aged whisky does not appear to be a standard or current product in their lineup based on available information. The brand is known for limited and rare releases with specific age statements…

https://www.millesima.sg/vega-sicilia-unico-2015.html

Mon: dakon/Esperanto – on this cool wet day but depressing to hear&read about these shootings at a HanukkahCelebration in Australia Sydney’s/BondiBeach and USA/BrownU@RhodeIsland over the weekend. Speechless without words but with sadness for the situations and to all affected – pix downloaded.

Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. But that’s unacceptable. As others have observed, talking about how to stop a mass shooting in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn’t too soon. It’s much too late — Klein

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/what-we-know-bondi-beach-shooting/106141672

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/14/us/benjamin-erickson-brown-university-shooting

Downhearted to learn that one of my favourite Hollywood movie directors RobReiner&wife were murdered by their mentally distrubed son, Nick/32 – feeling of helplessness with such undesirable and turbulent Monday news.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/15/us/rob-michele-reiner-dead

Tue: grazie/Italian – was planning HorFunDinner@MT-market but was closed for cleaning. Seb had Korean-food while I tried out the OK dishes at the newly renovated ChangChengMeeWah@MarineT, S$9Clams,ChickenFeet,Fish w Rice.

Wed: go raibh maith agat/GaelicIrish –  a very wet perfect day to be indoors. Finally managed to watch parts of the famous WinterSonata/KoreanDrama from 2002. Heard so much about it when first returned back to SIN in the early 2000s but did not have the time or interest for dramas and still no interest especially after discovering that there are 20episodes. Watched part of episode1 and fast forward to episode20 with some reading to get the jist of what the big hooha was about. What a cheesy-tear-jerker-chick-flick but PrettyBoy/EyeCandy BAE YongJoon was worth that few minutes to understand what the hype – hahaha.

https://www.kdramalove.com/wintersonata.html

All the time in the world can’t erase my memories. A person you bury in your heart, you can never forget.

13 Dec 2025 – Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Wed: gracias/Spanish – what these ppl are saying are intelligently,logically&objectively expressed for me, but how to prevent WW3? An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 just struck Japan on Mon triggering a tsunami warning. Is MotherNature warning us and will she be able to prevent, slow-down or stop this ongoing conflict?? Keeping fingers crossed hoping&praying for diplomatic dialogue&peaceful consequences  – pix downloaded.

7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan, triggers tsunamis

JohnMearsheimer/American Political Scientist – pix downloaded

the tragedy of great power politics is that even security-seeking great powers will nonetheless be forced to engage in competition and conflict with one another.

The Suicide of a Superpower: Walking Blindly into World War III | John Mearsheimer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU_q9RcE89Q

DavidOualaalou/International Geopolitical Consultant – pix downloaded.

Is Japan Picking a Fight it Can’t Win? Geopolitical Trends

KJ Noh/Geopolitical Analyst&Journalist – pix downloaded.

China Would DESTROY U.S. in War Over Taiwan, Trump’s National Security Strategy a FANTASY | KJ Noh

HeniOziCukier/Political Scientist (Recorded at TEDxLisboa on March 15, 2025). Pix downloaded.

Are We Heading Toward World War III? | Heni Ozi Cukier | TED

Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it  – Churchill

Thu: merci/French – one of my favourite US-fastfood chains Chick-Fil-a with my favourite HoneyMustadSauce opens here today Thu11Dec and probably the only location in SIN that will be closed on Sundays.  Good memory when they first opened in 1992FL/USA, was then asking local business to help fund with LHHS-Project-Graduation and they donated many yummy platters.  Hopefully a success here but will not attempt to be there until the school holidays are over – pix downloaded.

https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/singapore-first-chick-fil-a

Fri: ขอบคุณK̄hxbkhuṇ/Thai – Ting&CH, our annual gathering, this time not within my 4walls but another round for OysterNight@Fairprice/PP. Always nice to catch up with them.

Sat:ありがとうArigatou/Japanese – HappyStLucia to those marking the day. Not sure if I can still remember how to bake Luciabrød/Luciaboller? Package mailed 2Dec from USA arr and 10days for snailmail but US$31.15!!! for this small package, honestly must have a serious talk with my flock about snailmailing packages when we next meet. Also what happened to this newspaper from KK cutting in a simple brown envelope to be repacked?

9 Dec 2025 – Christmas Lights

Sat: obrigado/Portuguese – the live-cut TallTutsan after a week despite being told that they have a short-display-span is still looking pretty this early morning with the last of 2025 Super-full-moon ColdMoon amongst the ongoing gift wrapping.

Such a pleasure to have this beautiful full moon for company with delightful lights in the neighbourhood by the market.

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise – Robert Louis Stevenson

MRT-TEL-MarineT-sta/Exit1; this year the tree is no longer by the market but at the junction of MP-Rd&MarineC just across the road from  MRT-TEL-MarineT-sta/Exit2.

Sun: nandri நன்றி/Tamil – tkx to 2ndBorn who was recently in London/UK and shared my favourite of all favourites ChristmasLights of what I can so far see today! When they are done with such classy-simple-elegance, ie to my taste, no need to change for as long as these eyes still see…

2ndSunday of Advent/7th day on the AdventCalendar – 2 more Sundays/17days to Xmas. FB-Memories from 2014/11yrs ago reminded that the 2ndSunday of Advent was also the 7th day on the AdventCalendar!

Appreciations for SundayDinner@Rochalie and tkx for wine – good PopiahS$2.60per-roll from food-court@PP. BabyKai is now 10months who kisses&hugs his mother’s phone when he sees or hears his father’s voice, so adorable&cute – babies are such a nice way to start life with their tiny feet leaving the biggest footprints on our hearts…

Mon: 多謝/doh jeh for gifts, 唔該/m goi for favours&service/CantoneseChinese. Enjoyed catching up with LynneO@PlazaSIN spending an afternoon reminiscing on our early teenage years from CHIJ which seems another lifetime ago. How innocent&naive we were then when a wild party literally meant dancing the night away without any smoking, drinking of alcohol or hanky-panky. 2025ChristmasLightsOrchardRd,

Paragon and Takashimaya.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go
There’s a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well
It’s the sturdy kind that doesn’t mind the snow – M.Willson/1951

Tue: terima kasih/Malay – thankU for prompt reply from VincentC/contractor who got the plumber for the leak from the toilet cistern into the toilet bowl, to be expected from faulty&old gaskets&valves.

Could not even turn off the water supply as the valve was stuck but thank goodness the leak was slow. Google to learn that these components would cost ~S$10 online but could not fix it myself. With 2foreign workers for ~45mins, now replaced new components+valve connection S$150. Hopefully this will be it for 2025-plumbing bills after S$100 for the kitchen sink leak in July.

5 Dec 2025 – Welcome Lynne 

Tue: Ευχαριστώ/Efharistó/Greek –  cool wet&windy morning to hopefully help the mood to get with the snail-mail out today, the very limited last few ones whose online info not found in my contacts. With the local PostOffice@PP now closed+postage upS$1.55 to mail just a card internationally will need to go GREEN in future. Coincidentally bumped into Carmel who informed that the SiglapPostOffice is still opened but in today’s volatile world who knows if it will still be opened in 2026??

I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You’ve got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail…

Safest countries in case of World War III

With a global stockpile of around 13,000 nuclear warheads, we all know that a nuclear war would be catastrophic. And while you probably don’t want to think about a nuclear apocalypse, you might wonder which countries are the best to live in when it comes to survival. A study, published in the journal Risk Analysis, has narrowed down a few island nations that could continue to produce enough food to feed their populations after an ‘abrupt sunlight-reducing catastrophe’ such as a nuclear war, super volcano, or asteroid strike – pix downloaded.

SolomonIslands & Vanuatu’s residents will probably survive. Iceland, the only nation in the NorthernHemisphere in the study is also one of the safest nuclear war zones – largely due its remoteness. NewZealand has an efficient food export economy that could feed their population multiple times over just from exports – pix downloaded.

Wed: Teşekkürler/Turkish – lunch+Xchange of season’s greetings&gifts with Aileen. Much changes since my last walk via MP-Rd-AbovegroundShadedWalkway route to PP. Bushes&creepers have really grown, so nice to have more shade from the sun under this covereed walkway. Looks like a well-needed new traffic-light is under constrution at the junction of MC&MP-Rd/ TaoNanSchool&CHIJ/Katong, hopefully ready in time to relief the traffic issue when schools start.

MPCC to be completed sometime in 2026. Crossing StillRd to continue underground – impressive MP-UndergroundSpaces est. time of completion ~2027? now no AC at this section! Do not be deceived by these pix with hardly anyone, being not a fan of crowds will find the time or go out of the way to avoid ppl, and in familiar surroundings would know how&when but might not be like this if found in unfamiliar routes…

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-marine-parade-community-building-that-will-house-towns-library-to-be-ready-by-q1-2026

Thu: Cảm ơn/Vietnamese – tkx to Peggy for the picking some of us from MRT-TEL-KatongPk-Sta, the KatongPk from my childhood days is nothing like what is is today!

CHIJ-1962ClassmatesLunch to welcome Lynne back from UK for a visit. MakkoTeck Neo=AuntLadyBoss/35TelokBlangahRise, affordable & decent Peranakan food. https://teckneo.com/

Appreciations to Eve&Lynne for arranging&getting Penny, Lynne, Evelyn, Peggy, ChengHwa, Angela, Rebecca, Susan, Mary and myself together – a good time was had by all despite of the heavy on&off tropical showers. Tkx to Mary for interesting info on some of the PacificIslands, especially Kiritimati. 

Tkx again Peggy for dropping me@TeoHongRd –  sooo very tempting@99OldTreesDurian but resisted and headed up the stairs to the walking path for a short cool lovely stroll towards The Pinnacle@Duxton for bus196 directly back to the EastSide

Fri:  Toda תודה/Hebrew –  FairPrice/OysterNight with Gel@PP and a delightful walk with a full moon.

1 Dec 2025 – Getting Ready for Season’s Greetings 

Fri: no plans of much decorations but the usual embrodried ChristmasTree with the 24 languages for ThankU – will be inserting in Dec postings starting Mon1-Thu25Dec. Got these lovely festive looking life-berries@MT-Market. PP/Australia asked if they were edible(typical foddie like myself!) – Pl@ntNet identify this TallTutsan/Hypericum x inodorum is a woody shrub known for its clusters of berries that ripen from red to black. While historically used for medicinal purposes, it is now often considered a weed in many regions and is not safe to consume, as the berries can cause gastrointestinal distress – looks can be deceiving! Anyway pretty in my eyes for any table centre-piece. Unlike orchid was told that they have a short-display-span – will experiment to check if they are worth S$10.

Don’t judge a book by its cover – All that glitters is not gold  and First appearance deceives many

Sat: Happy 19thBday to my only grandchild JohnW#3 born in SIN and since he is born here in 2006, will celebrate the last year of his teens! today but will be tomorrow for him in the US. This is what happens when U blink too fast! from an adorable toddle in 2008 at the back yard@AvalonSubdivision to 2025 dashing handsome young man@High-School-Senior-Prom,Irmo,SC/USA.

No matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away ― Murakami

Annual-Post-Thanksgiving&Pre-ChristmasLunch and this year its Tex-Mex for Clement, Leonard & SL – thankU for gifts. Not sure how much longer hosting within the 4-walls for more than 1person will be possible? Has taken this whole week to pick up grocery, etc and a few days to prepare the food. Have been feeling it the past few years whenever preoarations for a gathering but this year really feeling it more…

Continued with dinner at the newly renovated MingKitchen@ChangChengMeeWah,Blk59-MarineT with still decent food but prices of course have gone up –  3dishes for 3ppl/Sweet&SourPork,Tofu,VeggieS$40

Sun: first Sunday of Advent and only 3more Sundays/24days before Christmas. Appreciations for Sunday’s dinner, made SautéedMushroom to go with Les’s yummy SteakRochalie – a quick bite of fruit+my favourite BengawanSoloKueys before heading for the MRT. With health isues, not wise to tempt fate stayng around 3ppl smoking cigars indoors enclosed in the Dessert&CigarRoom. 

Mon: Dank je wel/Dutch – need to get snailmail Season’s Greetings ready for mailing by midweek, and now with the PostOffice@PP closed, will head to the GeneralPostOffice@PayaLebarSq. Since there picked up some stationary@Popular.

HenriCharpentier another favourite location for cheesecake – could not resist these which will make perfect gifts for the season ahead 5packetsS$87. Took much will-power to not get something for myself…

Nice to see some green-grass on either side of PayaLebarRd with the front of PLQ-Mall and the back of GeylangSeraiCommunityCentre/GSCC – wonder how long this green luxury will last before constructions…

Good to see many Seniors enjoying the GSCC-facilities.

27 Nov 2025 – Do We Really Get Grumpier With Age??

Mon: here is an interesting read – older adults literally have a harder time suppressing negative reactions and managing frustration but positive interactions flood the brain with oxytocin, counteracting stress hormones that fuel irritability. So just keep reminding yourself that it is your choice and within your control to break the grumpy cycle despite how much this aging body aches after my morning walks – hahaha!

Why We Get Grumpier With Age—And How To Stop It

While going thru’ old doc&pix to share with cousinIrene found origins of my BirthC/1950, 1st-IC/1962+1st-Passport/1965 and a Certificate from the State of SIN/1965 when I left SIN. Was informed that DrChai married to 6auntieLAM PohYing then delivered me as documented 15Jan1950,01.30hrs@5TemenggongRd – in the same location when paternal-grandfatherLAM SongKee passed on in 1950 and where motherTSANG MayLan also passed on there in 1965.  The house is no longer but memories are still very alive&vivd…

Early 1950s – the house where I was born and grew up in…

Later in 1950s – after the wall was built, and remember watching that stonewall being built in the mid 1950s.

https://amylamsg.com/2014/11/14/5-temenggong-rd/

Tue: grocery day at local 24hrsGiant with Bfast@MT-Market – forgetting that the school holidays have started here with more ppl  especially for today’s late start.

Wed: welcome Angie&Alex/neighbour back from Macau and thankU for Blueberry jam.

YouTiao deep-fried dough fritters commonly served for breakfast, often paired with warm soy milk,coffee or congee. All my grandchildren like this easy to eat food. Cantonese name yàuhjagwái 油炸鬼 literally = oil-fried-devil, referring to a legendary tale of treason involving a corrupt official.

https://smartdory.com/2023/02/yau-char-kwai-origins/

So very sad to hear news of the HKG fire bringing back vivid memories of the Sep2013-house-fire where I nearly lost my life in SC/USA. Thoughts&prayers+condolences go out to all affected.

2 above pix credits to Irmo News 26Sep2013

To watch your house burning down is a nightmare. The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. Woken Fri20Sep2013 fateful morning by the alarm and smell the smoke. First thought was, did one of the kids forget to turn off the toaster as Fri morning is PopTarts day. https://amylamsg.com/2013/10/06/lost-for-words/

Pix downloaded

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/hong-kong-fire-tai-po-wang-fuk-court-towers-latest-5492751

Thu: fond memories celebating the first Thanksgiving in 1984@Kolsås/Norway with Denis&Paul – have been marking Thanksgiving ever since then. Whether celebrating or not, one should always give thanks to all our blessings despite without my flock,turkey or BeaujolaisNouveau but thinking about them with appreciations for the different foods with family&friends or on my own wherever there is life within me ! Happy Thanksgiving.

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs…

23 Nov 2025 – Welcome CousinIrene On Transit Back To USA

Thu: this chicken had to cross the road as a take-away, hahaha! ChickenRice&extra chicken&cucumber+ChickenCabbageSoupS$5 – added some collagen broth(from the freezer) to make it tasty for my taste-buds, enough here for my 5*lunch+dinner. For some it would be one meal but at this stage a meal like this is usually enough for 2meals according to my stomach.

When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need – Ayurvedic proverb

With the history of China&Japan, this is not going to be an easy solution if no diaglogue,discussion,talks,etc. Japan being restricted by its constitution to defensive purposes – Article 9 of Japan’s post-WWII constitution prohibits the use of force in international disputes and the maintenance of a military but there has to be a more diplomatic way to go about it than escalating the recent provoking actions&remarks made by Japan’sPM who might have been coerced into it or even worse she does not believe or ignorant as to what happened during WWII – indeed a very distrubing situation, hope&pray for peaceful consequences.

There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people – Howard Zinn

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/us-renews-commitment-to-japans-defence-amid-tokyos-row-with-beijing

Fri: ~06.30hrs cloudy&early recceing with updates for areas@EC-Pk checking out what is new and good areas for me to have a picnic at. AreaC near MarineCove and the underpass nearest to my block – did not expect to see any sunrise on this cloudy morning but nice to be crossing path with this colourful rooster. Serene&peaceful as it is today but will NOT find me here in the weekends or on public holidays.

AreaD where camping is permitted – delighted to see ppl enjoying the outdoors.

AreaE not sure what is this new sign is about between LongBeach&Jumbo restaurants where the old RedHouseSeafood once stood? Looks like the WakePark managed to survive – memories being here when #3John was born in 2006/19yrs ago.

AreaE fortunate to spot this blooming orchid, amazing how these have grown and a nice area to watch the planes approching for landing@ChangiAirport  – used to be able to tell which airlines when they reached here…

AreaE has been a while since last ate@EastCoastLagoonFoodVillage – today’s view from there towards the sea not clear enough to see Indonesia in the background but seems to be more ships.

AreaF BedokJetty –  CasurinaGrove

AreaF awww how absolutely romantic&sweet to see him serenading to his possibly bride-to-be? under this flowering tree.

AreaF never bored or tired to be in the company of fauna&flora – blessed&grateful for still OK eye-sight at present.

AreaF discovered the perfect picnic spot, tried for this space a couple of years ago when the US-family was visiting but was under construction with the outlet-drain then. Now with the completion of the ParburyOutletDrain, will book in advance for the BBQ-pit and try for another picnic here in the near future.

AreaF BougainvilleaGardens never disappoint despite not being in full-bloom, with the bonus when sighting of a plane approcahing the airport –  seems like there is a plane about nearly every 5mins before 09.00hrs!

AreaF glad for these informative posters on the ground-level of this tower.

AreaF lovely tree-stump but always sad to know that this tree is no longer. Ants’ nest sure looks threating and was bitten a few times when off the path to capture some of these shots.

AreaG BusStop#94099/after EC-Sea-Sport for the only Bus36 here taking ~6mins back to TEL-MRT-MTsta. No worries if U miss the bus as will always be early for the next bus and if lucky may even catch sight of another plane. ~2hrs from my 4-walls with stops for pix+notes ~10,000+steps/~8+k with aching body&joints after an early morning walk and now an afternoon uploading these pix with captions&comments.

Sat: enjoying&relaxing after the night’s rains in the cooler weathers with audiobooks,laundry,sewing…

Sun: guiding cousinIrene around ChangiAirport where she so conveniently&wisely overnight@CrownPlaza and lucky her to get ungraded to a JuniorSuite which is bigger than my 4-walls.

Introducing to her one of my favourite cheesecakes@TokyoMilkCheeseFactory/Jewel and KineticRain/T1. Glad to have been able spent some one to one time with her after our hectic get-together in China. Safe journeys to her back to CA/USA. Appreciations for dinner@Rochalie and a good night sleep with the rains after ~13,000+steps today.

19 Nov 2025 – Katy’s Bridal Shower

Sun: sorry to miss #1Katy’s BridalShower, here with her sisters #2Ellie&#4Sophie+shades bc of her recent eye-surgery. Looking much forward to be with my whole-flock for her wedding and wishing her all the happiness in the world as she is about to begin another new chapter in her life – pix credits to Linn.

Thanks to Linn for these pix with Ramona(friend from their UF/FL-days) and as she said – don’t blink, where did those 20+yrs go?? Appreciations to Ramona for being her support there.

Nice to have had some time@Marriot/Tang’sPlaza (OvalsPizza+KangJiSugarCoatedFruits) with Harold & the Tays+the bundle of energy from the Twins!(if I had that kind of energy would have had NO problems doing another AT-Thru’Hike-hahaha)before they take off back to their USA homes tomorrow. Safe journeys to them+Judy&Richard who are also heading back to their home in Australia tomorrow. ChristmasLights on@OrchardRd but no energy or mood for that yet – pix credits to cousinAlfred&nieceCandice.

Wed: late morning delivery from Giant – should be good with laundry detergent until after 2026 Norway&USA trip, tyring out a new promotional brand.  Stuff for MiniChocolateChristmasWreath are in place to start making them soon, kitchen curtains repaired to hopefully last for a few more years?

15 Nov 2025 – AT, MacLehose, UKc2c, PEI-Tip2Tip

Wed&Thu: unpacking&unwinding but rewinding for Sat presentation with thoughts of refreshment! Searching online for ideas but no luck for what is in mind – few things that would be suitable are sandwiches from PolaCatering but too late to order for delivery. The problem is that I have no idea as to how many to expect –  oh well! can only try my best to figure out what kind of finger-food taking consideration that we will be in a store with clothing, etc… ie no messy foods. Slow walk taking the backroads between the HDB checking out the how far the CC-constructions are at and delighted to see that there will be connection from the overhead bridge@StillRd directlly to the CC.

PP is getting ready for Christmas but quite strange that no pop-up-stalls in the basement are up yet, just as well, for me not ready for Christmas until Thanksgiving is over.

Picked up some cheeses and ChineseStyleCocktailSausages from FairPrice remembering that they were quite popular when served last Christmas. Thank goodness Four-Leaves takes order for mini-bite-size-sandwiches which will be perfect but will need to pick them up tomorrow, will not be able to make it for Sat morning – should be OK in the fridge.

Fri: another short slow walk to pick up sandwiches@PP and this time round, a large coconut water@MrCoconut on the way back hit the spot. They are no longer in the mall but at the MP-MRT-sta by the ticket counter.

With these yummy bite-size ChestnutBiscuits newly discovered@FairPrice+all the other refreshments stuffed into the wheeling chart ready to be picked up by Chris for tomorrow.

Sat: thanks to Campers’Corner management&staff for this successful presentation with appreciations to an attentive&interested elite group. Pix credits to Chris,Helen&Yoshie.

Happy Bday to Chris and Belated Bday greetings to Sam. Delighted to catch up with Richard&Judy from Sydney/Australia and happy that Irene & Art from USA made time to be here. Blessed to have KK,HS&Richard, 3 of my childhood friends together – we have known each other since the early 1950s, ie for 7deacdes!!

Learnt from HS that his cousin MichelleKwan just passed and her wake was held downstairs from my block, condolences to her family – have not seen Michelle since before Covid. It was a stereo effect with a Christian wake from the front door and Indian prayers rituals from the back kitchen window but thank goodness for the 22.00hrs rule, everything was calme&quiet by then. What is it with this week – RichardA/Norway also just passed, condolences to Claire&family, and just got a call to be sadly informed the SuzanB/USA is about to take her last breath.

Do remember this from Nov2023 and will try to make a note for future Novembers if here to go out somewhere for dinner and be out until 22.00hrs!

The diversity here at HDB/PublicHousing is amazing. Was on my way for freshly squeezed OJ/S$2@Block47 void-decks vending machine when by chance saw a note of apology regarding the noise of some religious prayers.

Festive drums&horns were blasting and ppl moving to the rhythm of the fire. Nice being able to be in the background, ie away from the crowds! watching ppl enjoying&celebrating to whatever peaceful festival which brings joy to them – IndianSaris are just so beautiful&colouful. Incidents like these give me some hope to the respect of mankind – got me in the mood for ChickenBiryani dinner.