21 May 2022 – Flu+PCV13 Shots

Tue: being the first appt is the best way to go@SGH. Got my breakfast, breathing tests, consultation with follow-ups appts+paper work including 2shots (flu+PCV13) all done by 1100hrs.

Nice crochet-flower-art by KnotsWithLoveFHG, Carnations, OrchidsToSunflowers, in appreciation of SGHstaff. Just as I was admiring these, DaisyC messaged to let me know that she managed to get fresh milkfish and if I would like to lunch with her? Anyone who knows me also know that I cannot resist fresh fish&seafood, hahaha!

OutramMRT-NE-PurpleLine3 to DhobyGhaut, quite an underground system, must have looked lost as some kind lady directed me to PlazaSIN where I picked up a house-warming plant+snack and still managed to connect with NS24-RedLine to YioCunKang.

The barricades+construction got me confused and here I asked a young man for directions and was impressed&touched that he not only gave me directions, but walked me (10-15mins) to Daisy’s lovely newly renovated pad – calming&nice minimalist feeling&style.

Thank you for yummy lunch and what a beautiful peranakan-tiled wall.

Today is the National Day & a public holiday in Norway Happy 17May to those celebrating&marking the day when the Norwegian Constitution was signed in Eidsvoll/Norway on 17May1814. Pleased&delighted to see that #6+family&friends had a nice 17May celebrations in Norway with perfect blue sky thru-out the whole country.

Wed&Thu: what a bright-brillant-full-moon for this early morning wake-up greeting after flu+PCV13 shots yesterday@SGH. Had a good 8+hrs sleep, now to take it easy today&tomorrow.

Fri: Its been a long time ago since last stepped foot in an orchid farm. Tkx to Wendy & AhHong for this lovely morning where it was a breath of fresh air to be amongst these beautiful orchids@NeoCheng SoonFarm/30LimChuKangLane5. Nice to be able to catch up with AhHong who remembers those days where we were setting up for the shows – good to see him with a cheerful smiley disposition.

And tkx to Wendy for dessert@PoisonIvyBistro/Bollywood.

Tkx to Chris for Japanese dinner@Chikuyotei/Intercontinental and for introducing GrilledStingrayFins – they are delicious with the mayo, tasted like NorwegianDriedFish/tørr fisk but the mayo did make it taste differently must try that with the tørr fisk in future!

And also tkx to Les&Ivy for Jazz&Cocktails@Idlewild/Intercontinental – pleasant voice&sight! of GreggAuthur from Australia. Nice meeting Jan who grew up in Alaska, a young active sporty lady who will be doing an island-round cyclying tomorrow morning – good for her. Left 2230hrs, was tired after a morning in the sun at the farms+long MRT&bus rides.

Sat: had a good night sleep, now ready to deal with another day, not really! and tomorrow too will be another day! Wonder if it is the side-effects of the 2shots+the heat&humidity??

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense – Ralph Waldo Emerson

16 May 2022: Teamwork Lessons

Thu: one of my favourites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jop2I5u2F3U – a meaningful&profound message without saying anything especially in today’s world circumstances&stituations! To all in Finland&Sweden+other countries who are feeling threatened by the stronger&super powers, including where I am today, stay united&strong. Hoping&praying that peace&love be with us all. Tkx to Robert for the share, was searching for it – and as he said  the only Motivational propaganda I take.

It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed – Charles Darwin

Fri: TGIF – a good weekend to all, especially to paraskevidekatriahobics. Paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia both are defined as the fear of Friday the 13th, and like all superstitions, etc the only thing we may have to fear is fear itself.

Sat: made some salad for staff@CC as their kitchen is out of action until next month. Appreciations to Calvin, Sam & Wendy’s good company for last night’s Vietnamese dinner at MrsPhoHouse/RangoonRd despite of too salty food and poor service – should have taken it as a sign when there were only a few tables of ppl there! Would NOT recommend this location, had better meals at the BeachRd location. Tkx to Wendy for the ride back to the East and for the chat.

Sun: Happy Vesak Day to all celebrating&marking the day. Somehow this downloaded pix is smoothing to my eyes, just added the orange text to fit the day! Chatting with both daughters in USA&Norway early hours this morning – delighted and looking forward to US arrivals on Wed13Jul. Have been now informed&updated that #3 will also be visiting, the only one of my 6grandchildren who is born in SIN and now he is at last getting to visit his birth-country since his birth in 2006.

Sooo missing my AT-hiking-buddies this 2022-Trail-Days! Congratulations to HiHills for her PorscheTaycon fully electric in a frosted berry color – tkx to Wiggs for pix

First TrailDays attended: 2008: https://amylamsg.com/2008/05/19/damascus-va/

2016: https://amylamsg.com/2016/05/16/the-30th-annual-appalachian-trail-days/

2017: https://amylamsg.com/2017/05/22/trail-days-2-2017/

2018: https://amylamsg.com/2018/05/19/trail-days-2018/ was Bear’s final&last TrailDays, but hopefully I can be there again for 2023-Trail-Days! Has not been too easy to arrange to meet for these TrailDays being also end of the year for school events&functions for the USgrandchildren. Tkx to MoFo who made these gatherings possible by driving me there&back over the years.

Mon: enjoying this public holiday starting with breakfast with Helen at MarineTerraceMarket and a walk-about to check out the to-be MarineTerraceMRTstation – pix credits to Helen.

A stroll with Leonard between charming back-lanes

to discover KỳAnhQuán/JooChiatRd – the best roasted quails tasted, will be back to taste the other dishes! Highly recommended – a perfect wet-cool afternoon to snooze, especially when things are spinning around like the old LPs, now in hands with Leo and tkx to him for IT-help and to make sure that I did not black-out, hahaha!

11 May 2022 – Movie Breathe

Sat&Sun: Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers with loving memory to my mother Tsang MayLan(1911-1965), special thoughts my 2daughters, Linn&May (pix from 2020) who made me a proud mother are also mothers and my 3grand-daughters, Katy, Ellie&Sophie (pix from 2014) who might also become mothers, ie if I live to see their children, my great-grand-children (BrownGen). It has been 3yrs since I saw #1, 3, 4&5 and also has been 3ys ago since I have been at their school-ending-year awards&presentations ceremonies – hardly recognise #4 who has stretched and resembles her 2older sisters.

Many thx to Jeff for mailing these from #2-5, so thoughtful&sweet of them.

Mon: tkx to first-born for these recent pix of my FabulousFive in the US

and here with them on strings, would be able to form a quintet! – appreciate to receive this video from their father

Will be missing yet another school-ending year events and this will be the third year not being there Hardly recognising #4 playing the double-bass&soccer who will be a teenager next month, resembling her 2 older sisters. Looking forward for her visit in Jul – she is the only grandchild I took full care of when her mother had to be hospitalized after birth.

1st-born’s 40thBday in 2014BostonMarathon/MA, USA when we all (ie my 2daughters+6grand-daughters) met then and have not been all together since. Can only hope that we can all be together to celebrate her 50thBday in 2024.

Good Mon morning and a good week ahead to all from a tunnel vision of the East-Coast area taken from a HDB-lift landing. But when you clear&open your mind, you can have a wider vision to imagine&see a bigger picture!

Tue: tkx to DaisyC for lunch company in Chinatown. At Daiso for these 2sunflowers+leaf and what I now have to pay is S$8.56 instead of S$8 before the pricehikes. Discovered Scarlett, but have not tired these loctus root snacks yet and then could not resist these bottles (can be later used as a floor-lamp stand of piggybank) of popcorns – OK taste, most ppl here prefer the salty taste, but I do like the sweet taste.

Wed: Breathe (2017) – brillant inspiring touching movie based on the true story of Robin Cavendish who became paralyzed after contracting polio in the late 1950s – highly recommended. The topic of assisted suicide was also part of the fictional 2016 drama Me Before You — an ending that sparked some outrage due to its perceived comment on life as a quadriplegic. But Serkis — who made his directorial debut with the drama based on the parents of his Imaginarium Studios co-founder Jonathan Cavendish — stressed that Breathe‘s mutual agreement between Robin, Diana and Jonathan is the decision’s “extraordinary” element. “It’s not a selfish act; it’s kind of altruistic in a way, as it was to make life better for Diana and Jonathan, so they wouldn’t have to go through the misery of watching some very, very long, extracted, painful departing,” he explained – The Hollywood Reporter.

https://www.rotary.org/en/jonathan-cavendish-why-he-created-polio-movie-breathe

I have accepted the risk of dying, I don’t want to just survive I want to truly live 

7 May 2022 – Magnolia Snack Bar Nostalgia

Wed: found these pix from 8yrs ago from one of the visits with my US-flock then. Sunrise Cactus pre-bloom, full-bloom, post-bloom – a reminder as to how quickly time goes by, so take care to enjoy your moments of bloom. The blooms may be brief but the memory of its beauty will last a lifetime. A good mid-week and

May the Force Be with you all – pix of SkelligMichael/CoKerry, Ireland downloaded

Thu: Happy CincoDeMayo to those celebating&marking Mexican army’s victory over France at the PueblaBattle during the Franco-MexicanWar. https://www.edarabia.com/cinco-de-mayo/ Enjoy your tacos&tequila – everyday is a celebration with many special celebrations this month despite the lack of authentic ambience – the mind&memory can help.

Was in the mood for some TexMex today, delighted to discover the nearest location to satisfy my craving is only 3bus-stops away@Guzman y Gomez,12Katong S$31. BurritoChickenBowl+2 large sides of Guacamole&PicoDeGallo is enough to last me for a few meals – first time tasting this rich interesting chocolate/cinnamon drink Champurrado.

Follow-up appt@FarrerPkMedical and all is as well as it can be with breathing back to 99% as to when I was there with 30% a month+ago, ouch!  Now able to run errands in LIttleIndia&Chinatown (Mother’s Day deco is up) without feeling out of breath&tired. Appreciations to CJ&Theresa for yummy dinner, her HKG-style-steamed fish is one of my favourites, especially with totally fresh fish. Do miss the freshness of Norwegian fish/wild when I can fish them and have them on my plate in less than an hour.

Finally this guide I have been waiting for from Canada (took slightly over a month!) arrived. Looking forward to reading it.

Fri: Ode to Art@RafflesCity would usually have something there to catch my eyes.

Treating myself to my favourite almond croissant@TiongBahruBakery and my favourite box of RoyceDarkChocolate for Mother’s Day. All mothers deserve to treat themselves now&then, tkx to niece Patricia for company.

In conjunction with SIN-HeritageFest2022, CapitolTheatre premiered its documentary film tonight. Have not been inside this since the 1960s (do not even remember any of the movies seen there) and nice memories to see the familiar pair of FlyingHorses, what I used called them before knowing about Pegasus and the zodia dome ceiling. Fascinated to know&learn that all the chairs can be retracted underground in such a way that it can be turned into an empty hall so as to accomodate exhibitions+other kinds of other functions, what a clever&practical idea – would like to see it in action!

https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2022/05/04/the-singapore-debut-of-the-capitol-of-singapore/

Vivid memories of the MagnoliaSnackBar (best chocolate milk shake for me then) in the Capitol Building, also in CHIJ classrooms overlooking this building from 1962-65.

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2016-01-25_105628.html

The introduction+speeches went on longer than expected, had to cancel reservations for dinner@BroadwayAmericanDiner. Headed back to RafflesCity to dine@DinTaiFung (few locations open up to 22hrs nowadays), thinking of #6 as this is his favourite place to eat at and again mistaking the stalk of lemongrass for a straw in my favourite lemongrass drink! Appreciate the good companies of neices, nephew, grandniece&friend.

Sat: relaxing with my favourite goodies&snacks reading&watching movies for this Mother’s Day weekend.

I sometimes seem to myself to wander around the world merely accumulating material for future nostalgias –  Vikram Seth

3 May 2022 – And Meeting Up With Niece Francesca 

Fri: appreciations to IreneL for her invite you to a Zoom meeting with the conservation team in China. This ceremony at our ancestral hall is to honor our ancestors and report the start of the construction repair work in May. Nice to see&recognise some faces of the cousins from granduncle LAM JeeChiew’s branch. Pix to be included if I receive any from IreneL.

Tkx to Les&Ivy for last night’s dinner&dessert to welcome niece Fran from KL/Malaysia. Great to catch up with her and safe journey back to KL. Looking forward to more family-get-togethers now that we are allowed to have bigger gatherings. pix credits to bro Les, was too busy catching up with Fran!

Yummy starters, meats&desserts@Atout – my favourite were the beef and GrandMarnierSoufflé

Sat: sooo proud Sooo proud of my #2 Elisabeth HALL in SC/USA. Congratulations Ellie for her PSAT TOP Scores and for being selected as one of the 21-22 PalmettoGirlsState delegates to represent IrmoHighSchool and for being MissYellowJacket pageant – way to go Ellie.

With this view into Johor/Malaysia from a new condo, no rains can stop the eyes from enjoying the surrounding views.

And you cannot go too wrong when you have a view of this unblocked church – faminlar looking wall decoration from the WaterlooSt days!

Tkx to Calvin&Sam for gracious&kind hospitality at his lovely new pad. Another 1+hr bus journey ride in the dark thru’ unfaminlar areas observating some passenger carrying bulky carriers from Diaso as prices there will no longer be just S$2 from tomorrow. https://mothership.sg/2022/04/daiso-queue/

30Apr2022: WorldOmeter of COVID-19 deaths are as follow:

28 Apr 2022 –  Looking For A Needle In A Haystack

Sat: tkx for my dose of red meat, yummy rib-eye-steak@TanglinClub and my favourite Bushmill night-cap – was first introduced to Bushmills in the late 1960s in Ireland! and liked it then.

Bro Leslie discovered a brillant way to rid AC-condensation on the windows while chilling outside Maduro jazz-lounge last night – he should patent his secret! Appreciations for a lovely evening out with Les&Ivy+Daisy and Clement – as we were leaving, was stopped by some young ppl who asked if we were a family and after confirming that we are, she was all smiles telling us how wonderful and nice to see family having such a nice time together – blessed&grateful to Les&Ivy for these family gatherings and for keeping us together.

Sun: tkx to 2nd born for this smoked mackeral, it was OK but I still prefer the plain warm-smoked ones. Many think it is too fishy, and even when I am visiting her in Norway, will try to eat this outdoors! I like it on an open-face sandwich with raw onions and NorwegianMillsRemulada which was unfortunately confiscated when she tried to bring on her trip this time round with no checked-in luggage, only carry-ons. Oh well, will have to wait until I get to Norway to taste it.

A busy Sunday trying to locate old pix with IreneL for the LAM-Heritage project. So many questions with few&no answers as most of the BlueGen who have the answers have passed on and the few ones remaining do not know or not quite sound in the minds to remember. With such a large family like ours it is a challenge but good news is that Prof. Selia Tan and the conservation team in China will hold a special ceremony at our ancestral hall to honour our ancestors and to report the start of the construction repair work in May – this traditional Cantonese ceremony will be held Fri29Apr.

Mon: must try to locate as many pix&any other possible info from my 2009&2011 trips so that the conservation team can see and keep to the original designs. Not sure how Irene is going about with her research or how she intends to write the family history? Will try to do my best to help as long as I can do so with good conscious&intentions , ie without uterior motives!

Tkx to her for this info and pix of a Ming Dynasty ancestral hall (layout slighly similar to our anestral hall) that is being restored. We are fortunate that the same contractor involved in this project will be working on ours. Another encouraging development is that the head of the Lam Family Association in the neighboring township of Sunwui (Xinhui) has offered to deal with the Party secretary on our behalf. He is a powerful and influential person in the region, so this will be very helpful. 

Tue: take care, stay healthy&safe everyone now that life is more or less back on track here in SIN. Time to find my passport and yeah! it is still valid – have just been informed that about 2months wait to apply!! Slowly but surely thinking&planning about being on the go again, ie if my health checks are cleared!

Busy getting help to recover the images from the CDs with no luck. Last hope now is to approach the library (have been informed that the only chance might be the museums, library or police who might have better Hi-Tech equipment!). Tkx to Leonard for all his help and for trying. His neighbourhood has a guy ringing his bell on an icicle tricycle, had to treat myself with an ice-cream to remind me of the carefree childhood days when I used to run down TemenggongRd to the main TelokBlangahRd at the same sounds of those bells.

Life is like ice-cream, enjoy it before it melts

Wed: searching&updating pix&info, etc for the LAM-Heritage and for Irene’s research. What I managed to salvage from the grounds when I was there in 2009&2011, thinking that it would be the last time I would see our ancestral hall – tkx to Irene for sharing her salvage when she visited in 2019.

Thu: finally able to visit bro Steven@UMC – last visit was for his Bday Sep2021, closed to visitors for the last CNY. ART self-test was required and the sky opened up during the hour bus ride on 196. No worries as it really cooled down the temps after a hot&humid morning. He was in good spirits, even remembered who I am+my name as well as his own name after a few hints.

Some random interesting (to my eyes!) shots from the bus on the way back. Nonna Lina with the Italian flag colours located in one of the shophouses on CantonmentRd; caution – caterpiller crossing road! Have been wanting to take a pix of this interesting BuahCherry/Aratiles-sarisa tree which looks like it has no trunk on NicholeHighway before it gets chopped down.

https://amylamsg.com/2019/06/14/aratiles-sarisa/

22 Apr 2022: Looking Forward To Another&Next Visits

Mon: a late morning of packing+a few hours to EC Pk and again avoiding the sun which usualy gives me a headache, did not accompany them to the beach. Has been 2+yrs ago since last in Jewel and not only has #6 grown, so have the flaun&flora here.

#6 with his perfect eye-sight spied a wedding.

Many thanks to Clement for being such a spot here – both mother&grandmother were not up to ball-games on the nets. #6 favourite小笼包 XiaoLongBao+fried-rice@鼎泰豐DinTaiFung before boarding with heavy hearts&blurry eyes at the departure gate until we can look forward to meeting again –

Tue: while waiting for Rahman to drop Ivy@GreatWorldCity thinking of #6 as I sat by his favourite restaurant – this pix got me to miss him even more!

Tkx to Annie for vegetarian lunch@Elemen元素 – excellent WildMushroom&WhiteTrufflePizza(very thin crust, must be my favourite pizza so far!) and good to have a chance to chat with her before she leaves back to Perth/Australia.

Wed: congratulations to the marriage of grandnephew PG4ANG KeeYang to FENG Yuan. He is the 2nd of the PurpleGen to be married (4Feb2021), wonder if I will be around to update the next generation – BrownGen???

Perfect day to do the laundry (5loads), tkx to a good washing-machine and decent drying weather -managed to get a shot (zoom) of this beautiful yellow-flame-tree/Peltophorum pterocarpum(tkx to Wendy for the name)located at junction of MarineParadeRd&MarineCres by the ongoing MRT-constructions.

and now everything is cleaned and dried before the rains, slowly but surely will get them just folded&lay-away until the next visit from USA in Jul, no need to store-away yet!

Thu: pouring cats&dogs this morning, thank goodness the laundry was done the past 2 days! A long- due-haircut, tkx to Helen for arranging the appt; a trip to CC to say hi and to share some goodies from 2nd-born&#6 – missing them tons.

Fri: TGIF Happy Earth Day and looking forward to another yummy durian season.

When you start to do the things that you truly love, it wouldn’t matter whether it is Monday or Friday; you would be so excited to wake up each morning to work on your passions – Edmond Mbiakading

17 Apr 2022 – From Sentose To SuperPark & SBG

Wed: a beautiful early morning (starting before sunrise), solo walk on the beach towards the MonoRailBeachStation before the family gets up – wonderfully serene for someone like me who hates crowds, totally Demophobia not that I fear crowd, thus not Anthropophobia.

Heading back by the road, managed to capture this beautiful rainbow when I got back to the hotel after ~2hrs walk.

Another morning of water activities for #6 before checking out –  breakfast for the past 2days!

Speechless with our Grab driver’s dashboard! Goodbye and thanks for this Sentose staycation.

A fast cleaned up and short rest before heading to SuntecCity. 2nd born took bus196 to work while Pat&Beth picked us up for a playdate with Isebelle and I had another good 2hrs walk leaning the new layout of this mall while the kids were bouncing&jumping about! https://www.superpark.com.sg/

Tkx to Lee&Adeline for dinner@鼎泰豐 DinTaiFung where #6 discovered that he really likes their小笼包 XiaoLongBao.

1st time tasting these fancy pancakes@FluffStack – fluffy soufflé pancakes.

Not only did these pancakes fascinated me, so did this tattoo and did get permission to take his pix!

Thu: tkx to niece for yummy Indonesia lunch@CumiBali, shopping the afternoon in Chinatown and it was fun times for them Easter egg hunting with Seok&family where they spotted a hornbill.