3 Dec 2020 – Orchard Road

Sun: 1st Sunday of Advent, Happy 14thBDay to #3 (pix credits to Linn), the only one from my flock of 10 born in SIN besides myself! 15thDay in the 10thMonth of the ChineseLunarCalendar (if not too cloudy, look up for the moon tonight). 

Mon: great to meet up with Reis&Henry from TemenggongRd who will be writing a history and setting up a website of that road and the ppl who lived and still lives there. Looking forward to be a part of that.

Tkx to Calvin for providing this board and to Andy for getting this mobile wall-cork-board@CC to a bottle-shaped@CC last week while it is a total mess on my desk behind in my 4-walls. Today will need to start on corking the bottle – time will show where this will lead. So far do have a rough idea, but with long experiences, also aware that it might turn out differently.

Tkx to Helen for a bite and appreciations to Helen&Sam for the OrchardRd walk tonight. As beautiful as they can be, I can never understand why they are unable to keep to the colours of Christmas – red, green, gold and white??? 

Considering this year’s circumstances, this is a good message from Tangs.

My favourite for this year is this charming winter village. From the walkway, this humble and unassuming tree caught my eye and as we were passing it, I noticed the tiny houses and decide to walk up the stairs here at Wisma. Was delightfully surprised by this village with a moving locomotive. Nice to see such a tasteful display.

Mandarin Gallery

313, just noticed that the star on top of the tree looks like and angel when taken at this angle – had to enlarge to see that it is a star! Also a Ben&Jerry’s, wonder if they have my favourite CoffeeCoffee flavour?

OC with the moon over the OrchardGatway overhead pass and Paragon.

Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand — Dr. Seuss

Tue: grocery shopping@Giant/Tampines, but unfortunately what I wanted were no more. Snail-mail season greetings out in the mail, hoping that they will arrive in time. Appreciations to Calvin for dinner@OwlBrews, dessert@EC Pk under the beautiful full moon to discover that this location, CoffeeBean@MairneCove opens 24hrs.

Wed: first Christmas lunch with HS&Boon’s cheerful company@NewGreenPasture/Vegetarian. Favourite VietnamRoll, first tried years ago and still like it, and now another new favourite, BambooRice. Tried all these drinks and like them, especially the Roselle Tea

Dessert@Merely’s/SunshinePlaza, ice-cream made from scratch – tried the KopiPeng flavour today and it hit the spot as I have not had my coffee this morning.

Thu: if you are thinking of visiting this temple be prepared to stand in line! Looks like some kid lost their grasshopper sticker on this sidewalk – cute!

9 happy Bday Stanley NEO

13 Happy Bday Ingrid HUSTAD

16 Happy Bday Andy LAM

19 Happy Bday Rita Tann

21 Happy Bday ANG ChinSheng and Anna TSANG

23 Happy Bday Minos LAM

25 Merry Christmas

27 Happy Bday Lisa XIAO

28 Happy Bday Peggy LEUNG

31 Happy Bdays Jordan&Jagger WONG

24 Nov 2020 – LAM-Family-Tree In Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet

Sat: much appreciations to Leonard for helping out with the Excel file for the LAM-FamilyTree – finally seeing a dim light at the end of the tunnel. Still need much work with the editing of numbers&names but such a help will most of the cells in place. Feeling that I have nearly accomplished what I returned to SIN to do, now with SIN NLB interested to help with preserving some of the documents+pix and another new interest from ReisLEE who will be writing about he history of TemenggongRd will be needing some info&pix from me.

Tkx for dinner@SinHengClaypot BakKootTeh/新興瓦煲肉骨茶 – both herbal&pepper styles. Nice change from my bro’s usual haunt@OldTiongBahru where the clear broth soup there is still one of my favourites

https://cavinteo.blogspot.com/2012/11/sin-heng-claypot-bak-koot-teh-both.html

Sun: 1545-1600hrs – this is what happens when Thor/Þórr throws his hammer on to earth! Anyone in my area or areas that are effected, stay dry&safe. Perfect indoor day for chilling.

Taking care of bills, mail, etc. Both daughters have messaged me to let me know that they have got their BeaujolaisNouveau2020 and as usual, expect that it will be difficult to find here in SIN, especially for the 2020. To me this young wine really compliments the turkey+all the trimmings&sides for the Thanksgiving meal. Oh well, just have to rely on my memories as long as I have them…

https://www.beaujolaisnouveauday.com/

Nov2012: the last Thanksgiving in L&J old house in the US before it was burnt down with everything in it. Good memories with good company in the dinning room and with the grandchildren drawings for their place-sitting in the kitchen on this wooden Norwegian – Husfilden table&chairs L&M grew up with. Thankful that we all came out of it safe&sound, things&stuff can all be replaced!

Mon: similar weather as yesterday making it another perfect napping&screen time day! My  Plantar Fasciitis has been bothering me yesterday&today, another reason to get my feet off the grounds! Just came to think of it, the elevator was under maintenance for a few weeks the beginning of this month and have been taking the 100stairs down&another 100up for a couple of weeks; last week did a 10+k walk. All this might have aggravated the heels.

Tue: Good morning from one of the most overworked cities in the world according to The Star! Not being in the full work-force but stuck in SIN is the best place for me at present. For years Norway has been ranking as one of the best countries to live in. But why are the Norwegians so happy with their life?

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2020/11/15/work-life-balance-still-elusive-for-kl-ites

https://norwayomega.com/blog/why-is-the-quality-of-life-in-norway-so-good/

Due to the circumstances, am unable to visit my other homes, Norway&US this year, staying put in one country for a whole year – cannot even recall when I have gone a year without travelling!!

Leisure is only possible when we are at one with ourselves. We tend to overwork as a means of self-escape, as a way of trying to justify our existence ― Josef Pieper

Today’s grocery shopping from Giant/Tampines SeniorSavingsS$3.58 Some of their stuff@$1 Zone are quite a steal, but forgot a whole bag of veggie – now, where is my memory when I need it most?? Called them to explain and to let them know the items forgotten, was then told that I will be refunded upon receiving my receipt. 

 

20 Nov 2020 – Dinosaurs For My 3Grandsons

Tue: grocery@local Giant&NTUC with SSavings of S$1+

Wed: hair cut, the last one was ~2months ago. Today decided to have the shortest cut ever, like that it takes less than 5mins to dry in the air and the feeling of a lighter head! Dinner at Jo’s with Les&Ivy – 7dishes+home-made TurnipCake LoBakGo/蘿蔔糕to take home. Tried to FaceTime with #6 but the connection was so bad that we had to give up – oh well, another time.

Thu: headed out to the airport on bus36, and what a sad sight in T2. Have never seen SIN airport so empty&lifeless. Following the signs to the new Hub&SpokeCafé from the basement up the elevator to Level3 was a maze thru ‘barricaded ghost town, then down to Level1 – not a good way to follow – do NOT recommend this way!

Getting there by way of a car is the easiest option: drop off at the open-air SouthCarPark and pop right by the café. From the bus-stop, walk down the length of the now-closed T2 on Level1. It’s a strange journey – one filled with dimly lit corridors&empty arrival hall. From the coach&drop-off entrance, heading to the bicycle lockers and straight down that kinda back-lane feeling – must have walk~1k before getting to where I really want to be!

Hub&SpokeCafé: the surroundings of lovely greens&flora (ArundinaGraminifolia, also known as BambooOrchid, is a robust and forgiving plant that is easier to care) is a contrast to the hard concrete leading me here.

VandaMissJoaquim, SIN national flower; CouroupitaGuianensis, CannonBall tree with their lovely flowers on the trunk and the world’s most dangerous fruit from SIN!

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/guangdong-customs-seizes-worlds-most-dangerous-fruit-from-singapore-cannonball-tree

Good idea that with the rental bicycles@GoCycling where you can rent here and return at other locations. Started at 1000hrs, from here ~2k to the JurassicMile.

Path should be wide enough as long as ppl keep to single-files, especially when meeting opp traffic. A sign that I usually snap on the bus when I return from my long-overseas stay, not happy to see all the grounded SIA planes, but the sunflowers give me hope that it will be better times soon.

An empty T4car-park and colourful set-up for the carnival starting on Thanksgiving in time for the school holidays. The Dino-Kart looks fun, but not at the thought of crowds. Bus36 stops by the carpark here, might be brave enough to take a trip, but, will turn around if the crowds are too much. For those who only want to do the JurassicMile, you can by-pass all the above route and start here. https://mothership.sg/2020/11/dinosaur-carnival-changi-airport-terminal-4/

On to the Jurassic Mile

The baby dinosaurs and Velociraptors have convinced me that they, too like me, are no fans of golf!

Apatosaurus long-neck stretch over the newly installed nets.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/changi-jurassic-mile-overhead-safety-netting-golf-ball-13535968

Triceratops/3-horned-face, Ankylosaurus/FusedLizard, Brachiosaurus/ArmLizard.

Stegosaurus/RoofedLizard, Parasaurolophus/NearCrestedLizard – strange that they are lizards considering the sizes of them! Better be correct with these names or I’ll get a ear-full from #3 – hahaha

My 3grandsons would have enjoyed this mile, especially with Tyrannosaurus rex/T-Rex, king of the dinosaurs and the most ferocious predators to ever walk the Earth – even that did not prevent some ppl to try sit on it! https://mothership.sg/2020/10/jurassic-mile-tiktok/

Hub&Spoke-JurassicMile-ChangiAirportConnector-ChangiCoastalParkConnector new to me ~5k done from the T2BusStop to until when we join the old connector.

Plants on this new section and sighting of a couple of fighter-jet landings.

Back to more familiar paths on ECP@AreaH

Been awhile since I took to these paths@Areas F-H, but do remember that there will be no buses until AreaF. These roots seemed to be taking over the grounds soon! It has been weird to not hear the planes on this stretch of the walk, saw&heard only one – JetStar!

When the bougainvilleas are in bloom, this BougainvilleaGarden is a stunning sight – today, ice-cold virgin Mojito hits the spot while waiting for bus36 (the only bus here) at~1330hrs to get our lunch@MarineT – after ~10+k walk in ~3hrs including photo-stops. Appreciations to AudreyM&her auntieVivien for today’s company.

Thanks to Theresa&ChengJun for another HairyCrab dinner with Les&Ivy and this special well-matched HuaTiaoChiew, 花雕酒. Theresa from HKG, like MayYung is an excellent cook and was introduced to her yummy home-made ShanghaiWonton. 

Could not resist a bite of dessert, StrawberryShortcake from Dulcet&Studio. Some of these Japanese pastry are so delicate&light, it just melts in your mouth. Thank you for this whole PandanChiffon to take away.

Fri: TGIF, a day to rest and also need today to figure out yesterday’s pix for this posting – time-consuming, laborious&tedious, needed a nap in between!

16 Nov 2020 – A Shellfish Extravaganza

Sat: Happy Deepavali/Diwali to those celebrating. May this Festival of Lights, the new year celebrations for Hindus, Sikhs&Jains bringing new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness to all. Beautiful flora-peacock@ChangiAirport and another guarding the entrance into Little India here in SIN. Mayuresvara an incarnation of Ganesha, whose mount is a peacock (in the Ganesha Purana) The mayura named Citramekhala is associated with Saraswati, a deity representing benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion and knowledge.

Way to go for the Saturday Night Riders – management&staff of Campers’ Corner keeping fit as well as working&celebrating together.

New brand@CC – andWander, a Japanese name-brand with nice things. Good gifts to start the holiday shopping season.

Helen feeling at home&happy with the new displays.

Collectors item, but does not look too comfortable to ride in it!

Sun: a wet&cool perfect indoors Sunday with rains the whole afternoon&evening. Like here in MarineP, its walking in a maze of barricades by the SIN-TouristBoard/STB on GrangeRd where the future Thompson-EastCoastLine-TEL/BrownMRT-line will be located. Will be faster&easier to visit my bro from the future MarineTerraceST to NapierST, ie if I live to see that completed!

Being a big fan of shellfish, this weekend was a Shellfish Paradise with crustaceans&mollusks for me – hairy crabs on Fri, followed by raw oysters, steamed clams&Topshells on Sat. When they are as fresh as they are, the best way to prepare them is just by steaming and eating them just as they are, ie no sauces or dip, my preference to eat these shellfish – except for oysters which I like them raw with lemon+Tabasco. Some ppl have questioned about how healthy or safe it is to eat these – when I taste one that is not fresh, would spit it out.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/shellfish#dangers

Vivid memories of a serious shellfish poisoning when I was in Sarawak. 6-8Feb2009 was one of my most miserable weekends, had the runs and vomited constantly for 3days in Sibu/ Sarawak. The Orchid Hotel, a budget accommodation centrally located with wireless but that was either a disco or KTV bar which blasted out loud&clear all night. The energy level was zero to bother with relocating, but it will certainly not be my choice when & if I return to continue with the research. Rescheduled flights and was back in SIN 8Feb night. My own fault, do remembering a periwinkle tasting off, but did not spit it out!!

https://amylamsg.com/2009/02/06/kuching-to-sibu/

Mon: good Mon morning after a lovely cool wet night of restful 7hrs of sleep. Jan/USA once asked about this character and here is one of the most eloquently written ones I have so far read!

https://londondaily.com/british-writer-pens-the-best-description-of-trump-i-ve-read

13 Nov 2020 – Fri The 13th And World Kindness Day

Tue: this old-time-snacks outlet, K&H Paper Trading recently opened here in my hood – name of this shop is misleading as there isn’t any form or trace of paper trading in there. Instead there are 100+ variety of local-made retro cookies and another 100+other snacks. Tried asking them how many sorts, but they were not sure. Will pop by again another day to estimated how many! 

5 different varieties of the wafers – chocolate, durian, pandan, strawberry, vanilla+BellyButton Ice Gem biscuits (all for~S$8). Most of us who grew up here in SIN will remember the BellyButton biscuits. Have been wanting to taste these since the opening, but the min amount to buy is 100g for each item (~S$1-$2per100g). Today is the best time to get these & some prawn-crackers (from the mama-store) to share with everyone in CC.

Appreciations to Calvin@CC for combined Bday celebrations for Sam & Chris. Pix of me taking a pix, credits to Helen. Yummy fresh TopShells cooked by PengHann – first time tasting these. Just checked out about these Baigai/Babylonia Spirata. 

Ordered online from Ka-Soh for delivery – 16pcs HarCheongGai 虾酱鸡=PrawnPasteChicken (S$39 including delivery) being one of Sam & my favourite deep-fried chickens. 1st time ordering from this venue, was OK, but would probably have been better to eat it fresh as deep-fired food tends to go soggy after being delivered. Good Sashimi&Sushi

Friend of CC made one of my favourite Malay soups, Soto Ayam=ChickenNoodleSoup – tasted a sip of the soup and it was scrumptious, had to package some to take with me. Cedele’s RedVelvet from Ann was just too rich to eat a whole slice, perfect with a bite or the heart will be complaining! Eating far too much the whole evening – Eat, drink and be merry

A man’s true character comes out when he’s drunk ― Charlie Chaplin

Wed: today 11Nov is VeteransDay honoring military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the US-Armed Forces (and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable). Major hostilities of WW1 were formally ended at the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major US VeteranOrganizations, ArmisticeDay was renamed VeteransDay in 1954.

Thu: woke up to this lovey sky with both the sunrise colours&a half-crescent moon smiling at me, its going to be a lovely day! Appreciations to LEE MeiChen, TimothyPWEE & LisaLIM from NationalLibraryBoard/NLB for their time to look at some of father’s old documents&items which will be donated to the library. In this way, they will be taken care of and ppl who are interested can also request to see them at the library. Will wait for the agreement (draft) before listing the items donated.

Fri: did not expect my TGIFs greetings would have been missed, trust Johnny&Richard in HKG to notice that I was late with my posting! special greetings to them!! A good weekend to all, stay healthy&safe this Friday the 13th! and World Kindness Day!! After a nice walk&grocery shopping, and as I closed the door behind ~12n, the rains started. Fresh cut-flowers for the hostess for tonight’s special dinner and a special white flower hanging-plant for Ivy.

Appreciations to Theresa&ChengJoon for the scrumptious 大闸蟹Eriocheir sinensis+many more other dishes dinner. This ChineseMittenCrab, also known as the ShanghaiHairyCrab, is a medium-sized burrowing crab that is named for its furry claws, which resemble mittens. It is native to rivers, estuaries and other coastal habitats of E-Asia from Korea in the north to Fujian/China, in the south – a seasonal delicacy in Asia, prized for its sweet flesh&creamy roe. The male roe is creamier, buttery and lava-like while the female roe is denser, darker in color and more solid (crumbly).

9 Nov 2020 – President Joe Biden

Fri: picking up fresh chives for the weekend lunch. Not having a car and when having company for a 4course lunch, need to get the foods, etc bit by bit over a few days. Taken care of some frozen foods from IKEA yesterday&today. 

Sat: still no final or official results for the US 2020Elections. Some of my favourite quotes on ignorance and stupidity – very applicable for life’s journey, especially today on this lovely cool wet day. Continue to hope&pray for a different US than what has been happening the past 4years and somehow I find it difficult to see it happening if there is no change with the leadership and his followers.

Sun: never thought I could have the craving for Norwegian food, but todays lunch proved otherwise! Norwegian lunch in good company of nieces&grandnephew – pumpkin soup, smoked salmon-roll (made with lumpa, Norwegian potato pancake) with cream-cheese, bourbon salmon with mashed potato+sides, and waffle with cream-cheese&strawberry.

So it is official – WASHINGTON: US President-elect Joe Biden took the first steps on Sunday (Nov 8) towards taking over the White House 73 days from now but Donald Trump showed no signs of being ready to admit defeat and continued to sow doubt about the election results.

Just wondering what it is that makes such a deceitful, demonic, despicable creature with no dignity or decency? What is so sad is that many do not see it. Appreciations to KK for the Alamak share, the best so far. For my overseas friends, Alamak is a local slang here for Oh no! Hopefully that is the worst he can do say or do. Again hope&pray for the best, but be prepared for unconstructive actions&words from a sore loser.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/biden-pledging-unity-begins-transition-trump-refuses-to-concede-13494918

While here in SE Asia, 

~37+million Myanmar citizens, including 5mil 1st time voters, have gone to the polls yesterday. Waiting for results – Aung San Suu Kyi will likely keep her position!

BBK/Thailand: Thai protesters dispersed last night after being confronted by police and security forces as they marched to the royal offices.

With all these crowds, the COVID-19 cases are going to sky-rocket!

5 Nov 2020 – Hello November

Sun: 2more months of this turbulence year and hopefully will be able to see my kids&grandkids in 2021. Do not even remember when I have not traveled for 365days??Returned to SIN 1Nov2019 and have not been out since then.

Mon: Happy Bday HS. Appreciations to Boon for vegetarian dinner on a rooftop garden – a feast for the eyes&taste in good company of Sam and William accompanied with excellent service. Highly recommended.

One of the best vegetarians I have been so far. Everything was tastefully presented with flavours complimenting well with each other. https://www.joierestaurant.com.sg/

Tue: grocery day@Giant/Tampines, SeniorSavingsS$2.50. Got a bunch of mini-Mums to cheer up my 4walls – that is unusual as orchids are usually my preference where cut-flowers are concerned, must be thinking of Thanksgiving ahead when I would usually get Mums&pumpkins. 2fans for S$20 for the bedroom&kitchen, tired of moving around the one&only fan I have!

After HS recommendations, now watching another Netflix series, A Suitable Boy, 1S&6E based a novel by VikramSeth, published in 1993. Enjoyed it and like the fact that the historical backdrop is accurate. Can never get enough of those colourful&beautiful saris. Pix uploaded.

Wed: paying attention to the US Election on CNA, but no! will not be colouring this!! Midnight and still no final results yet today due to the Swing States and the counting of the early Mail-In Ballots because of COVID-19. Unable to keep my eyes open any longer. Good night with sweet dreams.

Thu: looks like Biden is on the path to be the next US President, still not final but hoping&praying. Trump wants a recount and take the matter to SupremeCourt and will not go quietly! My 1st-born in the US send me the OK poster this morning – hmmm, wonder what she wants to tell me???

Early Bday celebrations with brunch for AudreyM@IKEA Cafe to combine with some shopping we both needed from there. New frozen vegetarian food to try. Christmas things are up and this year’s bag has the same design as last year’s, but red in colour – so far I have 6different IKEAbags, including the rainbow bag from Norway. And this apple has an irresistible fragrance, but it is uneatable, thus no temptation here! 

Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified ― Chuck Palahniuk

Nov birthdays:

2Nov   – HongSze and JohnK/Ireland
4Nov   – AiLing
8Nov   – Beverley
11Nov  – AudreyM
13Nov  – YeeFun/NZ
15Nov  – ChrisTay
27Nov – DaisyChia
29Nov – Happy 14th to grandchild #3JohnW/USA
30Nov – Happy 70th to cousinChai/Canada

31 Oct 2020 – Indian Heritage Centre

Tue: senior grocery day at the local MT Giant with 0.80c savings. Do not need to go to the main Giant@Tampines every week, ~once or twice a month is enough. Watching these TV series can be additive for me, tend to binge-watch wanting to know what happens next, and not good to be sitting in front the screen all day – will probably get Lucific withdrawal soon, hahaha

Wed: when you received a message – he refuses to eat, or let anyone eat the last ones, its time to find Sticky, even when it takes 3different buses to unfamiliar industrial estate! https://www.sticky.com.sg/

Used to be able to get these at CathayCineleisure on Orchard and would usually get them before my trips back to Norway&USA. They are one of the nice little gifts made in SIN to get for kids. Not sure if this last one was the one I got at MBS when the family was visiting in Feb?