11 Feb 2026 – Repacking For USA

Sun: quiet morning to get my thoughts together while family is out skiing. 2022WinterOlympics with Norway topping the medals with 16/Gold, 8/Silver, 13/Bronze – 37total. Norway never fail to amaze&impress me with their winter sports, especially when their pop ~5+mil, like SIN&SC/USA, places where I visit and stay for longer periods. Having lived in Norway for over a decade, do feel their connection with winter and the snow. #6 (now 14) who is born&bred here was probably given his 1st pair of ski when he started to walk!

2026WinterOlympics currently happening in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo/Italy between 6-22Feb. Since the first WinterOlympics/1924 and as of 6Feb2026, Norway total medals 405: 148Gold, 134Silver, 123Bronze – official data InternationalOlympicCommittee/IOC. Pix downloaded.

Norway’s medals count for today is 6 and its only the 3rdDay today, still as amazing&impressive. Even Ginny is ready for her Sunday’s outing to pull one of the family on ski but it will be tempting fate if this grandmother here ski at this stage in life, especially not having lived here since 1985!

Skiing is the ultimate escape. You’re out in nature, and you’re free – Bode Miller

Skiing days are a past activity for me! Pix from 1960s-1970s,Skittenelve,Troms and 1980s-Kolsåstoppen,Bærum/Norway as a reminder – been there, done that and have enjoyed it thoroughly while it lasted. Looks like equipments&clothing have come a long way compared to what it was…

Mon: tkx to Mette for catching up with a cuppa – convenient with Eckers directly next door to the neighbourhood KIWI grocery just 5mins walk/in the summer and 10mins now in these condition. A chicken salad lunch+coffeeNOK200+/S$27+. Congratulations to Tage/Mette’s son who recently married his 28yrs cohab-partner.

Really 75% off – cruising days are also over, hopefully Mette can use it(with applicable T&C). The last time on a ship with her was on StenaLine in Aug2011. Not sure why ColorLine is offering this to me?? https://amylamsg.com/2011/08/26/frederikshavn/

Tue: beautiful day for a short walk around the neighbourhood, last time here in the winter was 9yrs ago and could not really walk after the heart ablation procedure but have walked around here many times during summers.

Road names like Eventyrveien=FairyTaleRd and BukkenBrusesVei/NorwegianFairyTale do add character to the hood.

Still one of my favourite houses in the hood, especailly with this location not too near the road and still easy access to the bustop on Sognsveien/JohnCollettePlass. The old telephone booth is still there as a mini library.

Food shopping to fit into the suitcase for USA except for the Fisksuppe+Fisk which are for tomorrow’s dinner. #6 homemade NaanBread for his HomeEd homework will hit the spot with the soup.

Wed: this country is certainly geared&ready for these winter conditions, early morning road clearing –  tkx Ingrid for taking time to  catch up@Eckers.

Neighbour’s backyard under construction for a new house to be build, glad to be flying off tomorrow but will probably be hearing construction noise upon returning in Mar! But for now to pack and anything for distraction. This lovely bonquet of Astronomia, with the buds finally fully open to wish us a safe journey ahead tomorrow – tkx for its cheeerful company the past few days.

To me, the most worrisome part of traveling comes before any of the traveling actually occurs: the suitcase-packing process. It’s a challenging and anxiety-filled process – I am caught between wanting my suitcase to be light and worrying I am going to need every single item in my bedroom – Laura Marano

7 Feb 2026 – HEL-OSL

Wed: perfect flight having a row to myself despite of a nearly full plane, first time not watching any moveis on a long-distance flight but slept since lying down was possible and timing was about the time normally in bed. Arr into HEL with a beautiful full moon slightly earlier than scheduled.

Thought with nearly 2hrs there should be no problems for the connecting flight to OSL but lo&behold it was not the case. Looked like groups&ppl from the PRC had Auroras in mind and HEL-immigration being so undermanned got me running for my connection to just make it in time. Heart was pounding like it was pouncing out the rib-cage when finally on board, thank goodness could still breath despite of issues with asthma. Obviously this airport is not equipped to deal with such crowds but the airlines,immigration&airport need to communicate&coordinate better to prevent a situation like this.

Arr on schedule safe&sound into OSL despite being warned that there might be some technical problems after boarding, like it was not enough of a nightmare nearly missing the flight! Nice to be met, especially with more luggage than usual and thankful that the box came thru’ OK. Calamansi plant indoor like me enjoyed the warm cozy fire while watching the light snow flurries floating peacefully down – needed this after a literally HEL-immigration, even the tiniest snowflake makes the world more beautiful.

Thu: a decent night sleep and time to venture out for groceries. Beautiful morning light but have not walked in these conditions since 9yrs ago. Talking it slowly at the pace of a sloth to the annoyance of everyone who overtook me – hahaha. Welcome back to Norway and to Norwegian prices NOK500/S$63 got me these. Made 2 meals from yesterday’s leftovers ChickenCasserole – ChickenFriedRice & ChickenPotatoeSalad, like cooking for the family, they are so appreciatative&grateful.

It’s not leftovers that are wasteful, but those who either don’t know what to do with them or cna’t be bothered – Baggini

Fri: -9°C cloudy with some winds, do not mind the cold, but not a fan of the wind in these kind of temp. No intentions of going out except to the mailbox and as it is, takes me ~10mins to get all the layers on. Such serenity to be able to stay indoors reading amongst these luscious plants against the snow white background outside.

And in good company with these quiet feather&Lego friends – hahaha!

Sat: shopping@Ullevaal Stadion at my favourite bakery for my favourite Norwegian baked goods@BakerHanson for 2Napoleonskaker/NOK100/S$13, 2Skoleboller/NOK74/S$9.70, 5KranskekakerRinger/NOK140/S$18.37 total: NOK313/S$41. 

Seafoods&snacks@RemaNOK559.69/S$73.50, NormalNOK199/S$26.11, MesterGrønnNOK140/S$18.37 for a bonquet of  Astronomia.

3 Feb 2026 – Hello February

Sun: Happy Thaipusam to those marking the day, a festival dedicated to HinduGod SriMurugan. Here it is one of the most significant Hindu observances, drawing thousands of devotees who walk the procession route from SriSrinivasaPerumalTemple/SSPT to Sri ThendayuthapaniTemple/STT@LittleIndia of course will not be found alive there, hahaha – pix downloaded. https://thaipusam.sg/

Hopefully this will give ppl the incentive to recycle, even my youngest grandson has been doing this to earn his weekend goodies since he could count and now he is 14 and still recycling. 2022 posting below and now finally in 2026, 4yrs later it will be a reality here in SIN as I head back to Norway to check if it is still the same as it was when last there = pix downloaded.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/public-can-use-ez-link-card-to-get-10-cent-refund-when-recycling-drink-bottles-cans-from-april

Above posting from Apr2022 with informative info from today’s ST – even #6 in Norway has been collecting recyclable bottles&cans to trade in for his Sat-goodies since he could count! Good to know how to save with all these prices going up. Recycled beer cans save enough electricity to run a television for 3hrs according to DenisHayes. Note that being able to choose if I want to keep, donate or put in the value for some draw. Not sure how those new machines work nowdays?? Have not been back to Norway for 3yrs and alot of things can change!!

There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere – Leonard

Water activities, including swimming and kayaking, were halted at Sentosa’s Siloso,Palawan&Tanjong beaches, a day after a crocodile was spotted in the waters off SentosaCove yesterday evening.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/crocodile-sentosa-beaches-siloso-palawan-tanjong-search-5898686

Gold 財神 Caishen=God of Wealth ready to tell your fortune at the jct MC/MP-Rd. Decent HokkienMeeS$6.80 dinner @ChangChengMeeWah,MT-Blk59.

Red 財神 by MT-MRT-sta/Exit1 where the overall fortune is highly favourable, relationship is favourable, particularly attracting the attention of the opposite sex – hahaha!

Mon: BombCyclone wreaks carnage across SE of USA with worst blizzards in decades – concerns about the roads’ conditions for everyone there and feeling for the farmers in these affected areas. Frozen blueberry plants in Clermont/FL – do feel for their agriculture producers as these kind of produce do not take the freeze well and will be ruined – pix downloaded.  Memories when there was a severe freeze when living in Casselberry,FL and the citrus farms suffered a great loss.

https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/winter-storm-bomb-cyclone-snow-east-coast-01-31-26-climate

Want not waste not, cooking up garlic,onion,scallion broth ready for the freezer and items to be pack…

Delivery of MaruMaru PineappleTarts – each piece is individually packed handcrafted with home-cooked pineapple jam, 2boxes/24pcsS$90 including delivery – pix downloaded. Have been getting these for the past few years, nice presentation and decent taste, best that they will travel well when individually sealed&wrapped – pix downloaded.

LuckyPlaza to pick up dress repairs that was not within my skill to fix.  Worn this for TraceeWorel/Craft wedding in FL/USA many moons ago. Tkx Clement for fresh CoconutWater, nice to hear about his recent HKG&China trip.

LaSportiva/Gore-Tex (Italian) with the FrixionAT SoleSystemS$280 from Jul2016 new then from CampersC, now 10yrs later still good&ready for another trip. Usual footwear Chaco open-toes-sandels but now heading to weathers where toes will be frozened if not covered.

Tue: FinnAir from SIN(T1)-HEL/13+hrs with 1+hr transit in HEL–OSL/1+hr –  no direct flights from SIN-OSL, over the years of experience, the preference is changing in HEL/Finland, a smaller and less hectic airport compared to all the others – pix downloaded.

31 Jan 2026 – ByeBye Jan2026

Thu: 2017 – 9yrs ago since the procedure for Non-InvasiveHeartAblation@Feiringklinikken located in Kjerkebygda down by LakeMjøsa,Feiring, Eidsvoll municipality in Akershus county/Norway. Formerly Norway’s only patient-dedicated hospital for heart patients and for me the best hospital stay ever. Now 9yrs later hopefully the tired and worn-out ticker will pull me thru’ the next 3months of travels – pix downloaded.

https://amylamsg.com/2017/02/01/lhl-klinikkene-feiring/

Safe flight PP back to Perth/Australia until we meet again – not related by blood but she is like a sister to me, my first friend and still a good friend after over 70decades. The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life – a sister may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a sister.

We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet. Even longer,’ Pooh answered – A. A. Milne

Considering that I have been in the OrchardRd area the past few days as PP’s accommodations is there and walking by this Adidas shop just yesterday but thankfully not at the time when this happened – pix downloaded.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/orchard-road-accident-13-injured-hospital-scdf-police-5890061

AC maintenance S$129 total cleaning for 3unitsS$18per unit+Gas-Top-UpS$75 with MRL AirConServicing – poor foreign-worker not his fault that there was some misunderstanding quoted from another guy and of course have that all in B/W to back me up – all’s well that ends well and hopefully will last till the end of the year before the next cleaning. Always makes me nervous to see those safety harness fastened to the frail window frame and hope&pray nothing serious will ever happen here…

Fri:&Sat: with this ongoing haze, best to stay indoors. Packing a box filled with CurrySauces+CNY goodies and will payS$160 for checking it in on flight.

 

Cook and Share a Pot of Curry:  to share and to celebrate the diversities of cultures&foods, an event is created by 8 people to bring awareness of an incident from 2011 and have been cooking&sharing a pot of curry with family&friends in Norway&USA since then.

https://amylamsg.com/2011/08/21/variety/

Variety is the spice of life that gives it all its flavour – William Cowper

This incident was a dispute between two neighbours over the cooking of curry in SIN! Do like a good curry but this in not really about liking curry or not; more about respect, tolerance to the different cultures,understanding&fighting against xenophobia when living in a multi-cultured environment. In this case, it was a complain from a PRC family about the cooking odour of their Indian neighbours – the audacity and cheek of them, should have stayed put in China!

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=bcea3bb0-06d7-4ca6-8d9e-37a8bea0e1f3

28 Jan 2026 – Fear Of Crowds

Sun&Mon: appreciations for pix from ppl who are at those places – the contrast of an aerial view of one taken with the ArcticAurora in Lofoten/Norway. And the others taken at Geylang,OrchardRd,LittleIndia,Chinatown/SIN when Sunday is the only day some of these foreign workers have a day off to meet their fellow-country-ppl. Personally would prefer to be snowbound than crowdbound and at present contently bliss to be within my 4-walls. All above pix downloaded but have seen&been in those scenes for real and will do whatever possible to avoid them – enochlophobia/fear of crowds, just discovered that there is even a word for it!

/

Body&soul are telling me to chill&rest to recharge&reset before another busy week ahead. Taking a breather to unwind to just chill out, letting go of the stress&relax the mind. Whether it’s with some soothing music,a good book or simply kicking back giving myself permission to chill. Life’s too short to be constantly on the go, so take this moment to pause&breathe to enjoy the present. A little chill time can do wonders for the mood&well-being. Putting the feet up,taking deep breaths and let the chill vibes in.

Just breathing can be such a luxury sometimes – Walter Kir

Lacking energy thus had to cancel Sunday’s dinner&Monday’s lunch, hopefully able to make Tuesday’s lunch.

Take care to be warm and safe for those in the way of WinterStormFern/USA, a significant winter weather event effecting ~200+millions bringing heavy snow,ice and widespread disruptions. Have no problems to be snowbond bringing back fond memories of the 1970s days in Tromsø/Norway above the AcrticCircle where it was home to me then – pix downloaded.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/live-updates-winter-storm-fern-100940075.html

Some humour despite of Fern – Snowman by IKEA – hahaha!

Tue: tkx for lunch with first friends KK&PP@DinTaiFung/Paragon, Olai’s favourite place for 小籠包 XiaoLongBao=SmallBasketBun – family record from him 23pieces beating his cousin Kiera 21! PP first experience walking SIN only glass overhead bridge@OrchardGateway across OrchardRd. Was hoping to take PP up to the rooftop@OrchardCentral by the outer esclators but could not find the way with one of the outer esclators under maintenance.

Last there was Nov2016 with cousinYun tourist guiding up stairways to heaven via 3-storey high boots@OrchardCentral. First there was with PuiAh in Nov2010.

https://amylamsg.com/2010/11/12/views-of-the-orchard-area/

Bus16 was packed from OrchardRd-MarineC, had to close my eyes to concentrate on breathing and rewarded myself a cup of fresh OJ where this IJOOZmachine here@MarineC tells me that it is their 168,353,140cups sold also my dinner for today still filled up from lunch.

No wonder nose&throat were irritated the past few days and looks worst here on the EastSide – pix downloaded.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-haze-burnt-smell-hotspots-nea-5884461

Wed: was planning a MtFaber+CableCar for PP but with the haze+coughing will be tempting fate and too close for my travels to end up in hospital. Blessed to spent some time with friends from since we were kids, ie for 70+yrs. Appreciations with thanks to KK&PP for their friendship for 70+yrs. Pix from 2026/SIN,2010/Croatia,1950s/SIN.

Tkx to RY for checking today – looks like there is a promising chance to go for dinner later and tkx to KK for a yummy wholesome homecooked meal.

24 Jan 2026 – Welcome Back Peggy&Family And Tim&Chris

Wed: text message from USAPresidentTrump to NorwayPrimeMinisterStøre on Jan 18 at 16:15hrs. Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7mev35x2lo

NorwegianPM-Støre said he had repeatedly explained to Trump that the NobelPeacePrize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. Oh dear! am I out of my mind to be heading to Norway&USA? Completely speechless at what is going on and wondering if this is fake news or that my imagination is playing tricks on me??

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/19/europe/trump-norway-nobel-prize-snub-intl

Thu: Happy 24Bday to grandchild #1Katy – graduated with her Masters from UofSC last month, and just like a blink of an eye when I changed her diapers, now here am I getting ready to fly across the ponds for her wedding next month?!

Before you marry a person you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are – Will Ferrell

Welcome Tim(last time we met was in Dublin/Ireland for Lock&May’s wedding/1970?) and his son Chris – tkx for 蝦子麵 HaZiMeen/ShrimpRoeNoddles, one of my favourite noodles. YMCA/OrchardRd, where they are staying downloaded old pix of what was from my childhood days and today – agreeing with Tim’s comment, the old one has more character like us. Good luck to Chris who will be starting a new job here in Mar.

Being in the OrchardRd area was no problem to pick up distilledH20 for PP to drop them off to where she&her family will be staying during their visit and learning the difference between all these waters! Have not been to CentrePt for a while, glad to discover that there are both a grocery&foodcourt conveniently located just around the corner of their accommodations.

Slow but steady walk to&from PlazaSIN finding this bargin dressS$3.90 while walking under the shade by ConcordeHotel and got some sewing accessoriesS$10.50@Spotlight/PlazaSIN. Lucked out at the downstairs CareFridge/FOC for my monthly ration. Today was 18yrs ago since this blog was started and today managed ~10,000steps.

https://amylamsg.com/2008/01/21/about-the-book/

Fri: what a lovely&perfect day catching up with PP. Bfast&MT-Market,stroll on EC-Pk,CoffeeBean&TeaLeaf/MarineCove for refreshments,take-away-lunch from MyBriyaniHouse ending on Bus36 a loop joyride with ~10,000steps for today. Appreciations with thanks for all these yummy gifts.

Sat: introducing to PP Old Bibik’sPeranakanKitchen for one of my favourite dishes there –

AyamBuahKeluak – chicken cooked with the nuts from the kepayang/PangiumEdule, a mangrove tree. The fresh fruit and seeds contain hydrogen cyanide and are deadly poisonous if consumed without prior preparation.  It’s also one of the favorite dishes of SINs founding PM-LKY and his son, LHL.

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-05-16_111918.html

The contents of the nut is dug out and sautéed with aromatics and seasonings, before usually stuffing back into the nuts but today it was not stuffed back into the shell but taste just as delicious. It is one of the most labour-intensive Peranakan dishes to prepare. Peranakan/Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang,Malacca,SINIndonesia, inter-marrying with local Malays. This unique cuisine found mainly in this part of the world combines Chinese,Malay,Javanese&other influences.

20 Jan 2026 – Here There&Everywhere in Every Ways

16 Jan 2026 – ThankU For a Wonderful Bday Week

Wed: thankU AK for lovely orchids+Bfast at our usual-haunt@MT-Market catching up with updates. When we first met, was not even a grandmother then, her 2kids were not even in their teens and she was about to expect her #3. Now she is soon to be a grandmother of 2 and my #1grandchild is soon to be married – it is thru’ our decendents who show us how the years have gone by so quickly…

Where has the time gone?
The years have slipped away.
Every time you look around,
There is a brand “new” day.

The old passes on—
Making way for the new.
The new becomes many,
And the old becomes few.

Where has the time gone?
For, longing are the years,
Which brought joy and laughter
And sometimes even tears – Salley

Unusual to see 2Dendrobium/Den blooms fused together and the abnormality is quite stunning, unfortuantely it broke off from the stem, so now individually placed on its own. Den is a genus of mostly epiphytic and lithophytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae. It is a very large genus, ~1,800 species and this one might be DenVictoriae-Reginae, commonly known as the QueenVictoriasDen.

Tkx for BeefRendang,OtakOtak,AyamBuahKeluak,NgorHiang,Popiah-dinner@Godmama/Funan – nice cool evening to dine alfresco despite entertaining issues with the glass-sliding-doors – hahaha!

Thu: 2IKEA-DaisyCussions Bday giftS$30 to myself. Tkx to nieceAdeline for DimSumLunch@CantonParadise/PP where she ordered enough food to take away for another meal for a whole family! What does it feel like to be 76 when the FlowerPower within still rules idealistically&strongly more so now in this troubled-world – flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words ScottMcKenzie’s SanFrancisco still lingers within. Blessed with good food and happy that these feet can still walk everywhere with all my senses intact, more or less – hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bch1_Ep5M1s

Yeah to a needed traffic light@PP/MP-Rd when taking a bus(cousinKaren must be thrilled!), but preference is still to walk around the HDB-estate and today these lovely Queen of the Night cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) on StillRd 昙花 (tánhuā)=fleeting flower reflecting its beauty but brief overnight blooming, often associated with good fortune. Might tempt me to take another midnigt walk if still awake. Tkx for these 2026calendars from Norway took 2weeks for snailmail and with much appreciations for all the gracious well wishes.

Fri: lunch@MT-Market with nieceDaisy, thankU for one of my favourite Cantonese desserts(almond&walnut paste) from one of the better stalls SiyuanDesserts 思源糖水铺, good but still cannot be compared her mother’s homemade almond paste which is greatly missed.

Tkx Gel for bringing us dinner&cake to my 4walls and appreciations to nephewLee for this pix from 2017, 9yrs ago.

9 Jan 2026 – Subli Motion

Tue: XmasDecorations down, so ready to be boxed and put away until next season…

Appreciations for the new S$300CDCS$600PTVS$60

Neighbourhood ready for CNY appropriate&tasteful with just the red&gold lights – time for an ice-cream before the rains, dessert before dinner.

ThankU for dinner with nieceJudy&nephewClement.