28 Nov 2022 – Cyber Monday

Fri: tkx to Boon for sharing this from KenrokuenGarden/Japan bringing back wonderful memories from 7yrs ago. Nice to see that this tree has grown to reach the top of its support system. https://amylamsg.com/2015/12/05/japan4/

In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful— Alice Walker

Sat: 20copies of Season’s GreetingsS$6.50, one box ChocolateTartsS$5.50, BananaPieS$30 from DonaManis, KTMW-chicken-rice-lunchS$7.90@KatongShoppingCentre. Chicken-rice-hunk-SokiWu is now computerized – too busy to smile or do his act or perhaps he has grown out of it!

https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/katong-chicken-rice-hawker-hunk-tiktoks-newest-obsession

Bus to YishunInterchange/NorthpointMall, off one stop too early when changing from bus966-857 and got totally lost in some residential area, but all’s well that ends well and appreciations to DaisyC for meeting me at the interchange.

Tkx to cousin John for hosting a BBQbday at his house with green garden, a rambutan-tree

surrounded by 100s of air-plants&bonsai and even the rooster&hens fly in here to make themselves at home. And how befitting to have this cock visiting to just learnt that South Carolina Gamecocks/USA(where #1 is at her 3rdYear now) won their AmericanFootball game.

Tkx to his offer for this stone-stool, originally from 5Temenggong, something I so remember sitting on in my childhood. He also has some of the stone-backings for another stone-bench; good to be reminded of the good-old-days. Looking forward to finding this stool a new place outside my 4-walls.

Nice to catch up with part of this branch of the family(Jay&Ray are away working) and to meet new younger ppl. Happy Bday DaisyC, vividly remember one of the first visits when Josh was born, ie 23+yrs ago, now a mother of 3sons into their 20s.

Sun: with Thanksgiving out of the way, time to get the Christmas stuff out, starting with the list of correspondences, And also its the first Sunday of Advent, need to find the Advent Calendar. 

Mon:  BlackFriday&CyberMonday – time to shop&find your bargains, but for someone who dislike shopping, those days are just like any other days. Unable to find just one word that would be the opposite of a shopaholic or oniomania! Calvin&Sam are in Germany, so will be in CC most of this week, hopefully get hardcopies of 2022Season’sGreetings addressed and in the postbox by the last day of Nov.

24 Nov 2022 – Being Thankful, Always

Mon: Good Monday Morning on this WorldTelevisionDay and a fabulous week ahead to all. Tried the new MRT TELine/Brown from OrchardB –

GreatWorldCity/2stops to take bus16. Nice to experience this ride when it was quiet and everything is still new. Also in future when the BrownLine is completely ready, will be able to take the MRT from MarineC-OrchardB ie if I am in a rush! Preference is still above ground on the buses, but good to have the choices.

Tue: nice 4+k walk on ECP-BougainvilleaGarden, bus32-Esplanade, short ~1k walk-CliffordPier via JubileeBridge; bus196-XianJiPorridge,Blk107JalanBkMerah. 1st time tasting watercress in congee, excellent for my taste, will remember to get some and add to my congee in future. This must be the only place I know of that serves watercress in congee, tkx to Clement for recommendation, appreciations to DaisyC for this info, never knew that – it’s very old Cantonese style of adding watercress to porridge. I grew up eating that at Chinatown porridge stalls

Bus196 from BkMerah–CDB/TheRoyalNorwegianEmbassy to get papers certified, must have been ~30+yrs ago since I step into the top floor/44@HongLeongBld/RafflesPlace.

Bus196 from ShentonWay-IKEA/AlexandraRd for a productive&successful shopping afternoon&lunch. Their ChickenWings&PeelToEatShrimps never disappoint me and even this mini ChristmasLog was decent and attractively presented.

Delighted with the find of ready-made black-out curtainsS$14.90+a new paper AdventCalendar$39.90. Looking forward to making this daily starting 1Dec. Again bus196(4x in a day must be a record for me!) back to the EastSide – pleased to manage to be on the go from 0800-1700hrs and not too tired nowadays!

Wed: late out with #3sBday(29Nov) gift, but this will be the last of such kind of gifts for Bdays. From 2023, cash gifts are more particular&useful as agreed by all – for Christmas, still an annual basket for the family+cash for the individuals.

Thu: Happy Thanksgiving to all and even if you do not celebrate or mark this day, there is always something to be thankful to. Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. https://amylamsg.com/2016/11/25/thanksgiving-2016/

Picked up meds from FarrerPkMedical, errands@CitySqMall, and appreciations for all kinds of foods starting with a cheese platter made by me@CC, CheeseMushroom@Herbivore, AlmondCremePaste@YatKaYanDessert一家人 and of course not forgetting my favourite Ben&Jerry’s CoffeeIcecream@Cookie&CoffeeCafeBar (afterall, Thanksgiving is an American celebration!) all under one roof@FortuneCentre. Nice to catch up with Henry and safe trips to Inessa.

What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving – Erma Bombeck

20 Nov 2022 – Grandnephew Ayden Doyle

Thu: yeah! a productive day with Thanksgiving baskets ordered to be delivered to USAfamily and new bank account set-up. Too bad for DnB, but their service needs much improvement and they were really unhelpful despite being their client since the 1970s! Let’s hope that will not need to change again now with SpareBank1

Fri: another productive day with grocery shoppingS$35 including 2tubs of CoffeeHäagen–Dazs&MeePokBfast+lunch with coffeeS$8 done by 0700hrs. Rest of the morning cleaning&putting away fresh producesS$12, porkbones&meatS$6 to be cooked for stock&soup; should not need to do grocery until Thanksgiving!

Laundry for cooler weathers clothing done and put away until the next trip.

And the weaver said, Speak to us of Clothes. And he answered:
Your clothes conceal much of your beauty, yet they hide not the unbeautiful.
And though you seek in garments the freedom of privacy you may find in them a harness and a chain.
Would that you could meet the sun and the wind with more of your skin and less of your raiment,
For the breath of life is in the sunlight and the hand of life is in the wind.

Some of you say, “It is the north wind who has woven the clothes we wear.”
And I say, Ay, it was the north wind,
But shame was his loom, and the softening of the sinews was his thread.
And when his work was done he laughed in the forest.
Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean.
And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter and a fouling of the mind?
And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair – Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

Tkx to Clement for Vietnamese dinner – SpringRolls+RoastQuails@KỳAnhQuán and Black-Sesame-Cake+rich yummy Sundae@SevensCafe, also a pleasant walk ~5kwalk MarineCres to&fro JooChiatRd.

Sat: lovely cool wet weathers, perfect day for snoozing. Sooo excited&thrilled to be made a grand-auntie again, #33 for the PurpleGeneration. Happy Bday&welcome adorable grandnephew AydenDoyle to this world(08.58hrs UK-time). Congratulations to his parents Yasmine&Andrew. Perfection only exists in babies and there are no words to express the joy of a new life.

Sun: appreciations to Leonard for help with high-tech and for tasting the food@OldBibik’s Peranakan-Kitchen – good BeefRendang and PulutHItam/black rice pudding with coconut milk&ice cream, 1st time tasting it with coconut ice-cream and such a yummy combination. Tkx for delicious home-cooked dinner@Ivy&Les 

16 Nov 2022 – Hello SIN

Sat: beautiful sunrise view from bedroom window, cherishing&enjoying every moment to the fullest watching father&son building bird houses for the winter, and admiring the last&only rose left for the year.

Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone… – Thomas Moore

Sun: yummy home-made RoastBeef openfaced sandwich with freshly home-baked-bread before taking off from OSL-HEL. A flock of birds wishing me a safe trip as we drive down the road leaving the neighbourhood for this round.

Not much change for OSL-airport@Gardermoen – I stand by corrected that the short train journey from Olso Central Station to Gardemoen Airport is the most expensive in terms of distance travelled – Kevin

Mon: appreciations&tkx for good interesting HEL-SIN flight company of Kevin making the 12+hrs flight time go by faster – pix credits to him. Again lucky to have an empty seat beside us and after 7hrs sleep, just one movie 23Walks for this flight, another good flight. Now ready to hit the long-distance flights for 2023…

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it – Henry Ford

Pix credits to first-born for #2 last high school XC banquet with her flock. Wow! trying to imagine that there will be soon 2grandchildren in University!! Hope to be able to make it for her high school graduation in May2023.

Tue: arr on schedule safe&sound back in my 4walls and after 7hrs sleep adjusted back to SIN-time(7hrs ahead of Norway), hopefully no jetlag for this short trip. Follow-up appt@SGH and all is well until the next appt in Mar2023. Creative display of this project there at the moment https://projectlionheart.sg/

Happy Bdays to Chris/15Nov&Belated to Sam/10Nov – knowing that time has really gone by quickly when I see pix of his kids all so grown and now with his family pet too! But still, sometimes it still feels like yesterday when all these kids, including my own grandchildren were just smaller kids…

Art in CC by Jimmy Raffuse Bins/Catchall Trays, 2019, multicolour carpaint on cast resin – https://pluralartmag.com/2019/10/18/a-refusal-of-raffles/

Tkx to Helen for being such a sport again walking the evening away with me, enjoying all the street-life with entertainments&performances, first time hearing&seeing this amazing Sheng-https://artsequator.com/lasalle-michael-lee/

Life on OrchardRd with S$1.50durian-ice-cream – just like waving the magic-wand, no more line at the ice-cream man when I was ready for it after the magic-show, hahaha. Christmas lights to be posted for Christmas.

Ah, music – A magic beyond all we do here ― J.K. Rowling

What a nice coincident to bump into the SingingRockReps from CZ who are showing their range of harnesses for all kinds of climbing@MBS. Despite of our densely ~5+mil pop here, SIN is a safe place to be and these police patrolling around tonight will definitely see to that. https://www.singingrock.com/working-and-rescue-harnesses

Wed: glad to be able to sleep 7+hrs last night adjusting back to SIN-time today. Busy day within the 4-walls unpacking, laundry, putting away things, updating of blog, organizing paperwork&pix etc. Takes a week to prepare for such a trip, then another week to unwind and get everything back on track again. But being able to spend time with family&friends make it all worth the while.

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary – Margaret Cousins

11 Nov 2022 – ByeBye DnB, Hello SpareBank

Tue: FinnAir dep on schedule last night 22.30hrs, thought it looked to be a crowded full plane but was lucky to have an empty seat next to me for this 13+hrs flying time from SIN-HEL. With dinner, 7hrs of sleep, breakfast, watched 1movie(Land/USA) and had fun with their flight info screen, all in all a good flight.

Arr HEL on time with 1+hrs layover time to connect; such a contrast here compared to last night’s crowd in SIN airport last night, but then it is 0600hrs! HEL is a popular transfer point for services to&from Europe and 1+hr was enough time to connect from HEL-OSL, 1hr20mins flight time and again lucky here to have an empty seat next to me on this nearly full flight.

Arr OSL 0830hrs on time in fog&rains. Expected to be in line at the immigration here in OSL, pleasantly surprised did not have to go thru’ any immigration as it was taken care of in HEL where the passport was stamped with the 1st stamp for this passport, but do not understand why they had to stamp it on the last page?? Time for pølse med lumpa(hotdog wrapped in potato wrap) with raw onions NK46-S$$6+soda/SoloNK40-S$5, XpressTrain RTtickets@SenSave NK210-S$29.

Appreciations to 2nd-born for meeting me at the train station. No point of her driving to the airport which will take ~1hr when the Xpress train takes ~20mins.

Amazing with even a lemon on their lemon plant; Christmas cactus given by Ellen(1924-2020),1st&2nd-born’s Norwegian grandmother, coincidently it started to flower on Ellen’s Bday this year(27Oct). Beautiful Oxalis triangularis/ Purple Shamrock. Do wonder where they get such GreenThumbs from?

Wed: a walk down Bogstadveien in the Majorstuen area. Chillout-travel store is still around; looks like Christmas decorations are up, got warm-smoked mackerel at Jacob’s,(Essendrops gate9), one of the few grocery stores that has it.

DnB has been quite a pain –  considering that I have been banking with them since the 1970s@RådmannHalmrastsVei,Sandvika(used to be able to drive there, now for only pedestrians) when it was BergenBank(pix downloaded) merged with Den norske Creditbank in 1990 to form Den norske Bank. It is now part of DnB NOR, and finally closing my account there and done with them, opening a new account with SpareBank

What businesses need from a bank is significantly different from what individuals need from a bank ― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr, CEO of Mayflower-Plymouth

Thu: nice refreshing walk around the neighbourhood amongst these beautiful naked trees in appropriate clothing to stay dry&warm to meet with Ingrid&HansK.

I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift – Dodinsky

Fri: Ullevål Stadion has a new coffee joint – ExpressoHouse, was a pharmacy there during my last visit 3yrs ago. Looks like they are tearing down a building across the road, wonder what it will be? Metro station spied from a side exit.

Glad that BakerHansen is still around where my favourite Napoleonskake&Kransekaker can be purchased. Delighted to discover that #6, like his mormor&oldermor also likes Napoleonskaker. Tkx to Mette for taking time to catch up.

7 Nov 2022 – Leaving On A Jet Plane

Sun: congratulations to all the fine young ppl including #2&4(SC) and GraysonTubbs(FL) who made it to their high-schools XC-State-Championships in FL&SC/USA, and a big hand to their wonderful parents who have raised them.

To #3&5, so proud of them who cleaned up after celebrating with their sisters; a well-deserved extra hour of sleep for Fall-Back this weekend. Pix credits to 1st-born&Allison. Special thanks to coaches Tom&JaneHammontree, Goodale, Hall, Lewis.  

Good memories of FL/USA days when both 1st&2nd-born were in LHHS-XC with coach Hammontree and all the meets attended including FL-State-Championships in 1990&1994. All those Sat early mornings driving to where ever the meets were held were worth the while.

Lovely peaceful morning and tkx to Ivy for home-cooked dinner with the Chuas.

Honestly, I never really understood the glorification of Fridays & weekends.

I don’t want to build a life and career, where I spent five days a week waiting for the weekend. No!

I want to enjoy my life, and don’t wish any weekday away. I want each day to matter to me, in some way, even if it’s a small tiny way.

I love my life. Everyday. That’s the spirit we should convey all around us ― Logeswaran

Mon: coincidently exactly 3yrs ago today was also@Jewel watching a movie. Today will be heading there later for an early dinner before heading to T1 to catch FinnAir flight to OSL/Norway via HEL/Finland/RTS$1,280. A short one week trip leaving SIN thru’ HEL ! to sort out banking issues in my other home. Has been 3yrs ago since I used my passport which was renewed 8Nov2019/S$70 then and will last until 2025 before having to renew again. Was not planning to travel until 2023, but this has to be taken care of before the year is over.

7Nov2019: Shaw@Jewel to watch The Farewell – Based On An Actual Lie are such appropriate words when this movie is about a conspiracy of lies on death! A Chinese family who, when they discover their beloved Grandmother has only a short while left to live, decides to keep her in the dark and schedule an impromptu wedding to be together. Highly recommended to see how family dynamics, cultural differences, etc bind the family together.

The Farewell won’t change cinematic language, but by opening us up to a clash of cultures we don’t often get to see and by showing us the beauty of a lie, it just may change you – Glenn G

Enjoy being in the basement@Jewel where GB Shaw’s quote about where there is no sincerer love than the love of food applies so fully here. With Jewel nearer to me (bus 36 direct to T1@the airport in less than S$1&20mins), the food selections&eateries here are endless and would take me a year to try everything!

Edited – Mon7Nov2022: had time to wander around T3 to check out what is new there, nice display of these peacocks. India adopted the peacock(Pavo cristatus) as its national bird in 1963 and it is one of the national symbols of India. Hindus consider this bird to be sacred because the god Kartikeya rides on its back. Legend also says the peafowl is able to charm snakes, really?? Skytrain to T1 in pouring rains and T1 is packed with ppl all going somewhere…

5 Nov 2022 – 75thBirthday

Wed: Happy 75thBirthday HS, thank you&appreciations for delicious

Cantonese-Bday-dinner@TangYun/TanglinClub. Chef MikeTan here has extensive international experience, most recently at JW Marriott’s Chinese restaurant, which was awarded the prestigious Michelin Plate. Prior to that, he worked at Resorts World Sentosa’s Michelin Star-winning Forest Restaurant, and at restaurants in New York, Beijing, Miami, and Shanghai. His Miami restaurant “Hakkasan” is also a Michelin Star winner for contemporary Cantonese cuisine.

Was lucky to get the doggie-bag of the left over SteamedMarbleGoby with SpicyBeanPaste辣豆沙蒸大理石蝦虎魚and this is the result when you know how to eat fish…lol

HS and I go way back to the 1950s when our parents were good friends and glad that this kind of friendship continues on to our generation. Nov1956 HS’s 9Bday party@LewisRd where we, the kids then were totally hypnotized by the snake-charmer!

Thu: running some errands and tkx to Clement for soufflé@HoshinoCoffee/PlazaSIN. Could not take my eyes off the cute serving robots with blinking eyes downstairs @PaperRice/Vietnamese food – must try to get closer to those serving robots someday!

Discovered that Muji@PlazaSIN also serves food and looks&smells pretty decent with the smaller portions that would suit me – another must try.

Fri: walking the back-route via the overhead bridge across StillRd around MP HDB-estates to Parkway and also to check out where the MPCC is now temporary located.

Always glad to see that this public area is still immaculately clean&well-maintained despite of the constructions for the new MPCC&MRT.

Sat: lovely cool day after a night of rains. Getting cooler weather clothing&travelling accessories out of mothballs for cleaning&repairs. Had been 3yrs ago since these have seen daylight and now that eyesight is not as it was(even in daylight!), taking much longer time to mend&sew, but still manage to not throw things that are mendable. Nowadays with so many carry-ons&Wheelys around, decided to sew a smiley face on it, that way hopefully will be able to find&see it easily.

1 Nov 2022 – Tour De France

Sun: SIN is making history being the 1st SE-AsianCountry to host a Tour De France this weekend. Those attending, take care to be safe and to all do take note of road closures and bus services affected.

~150+killed + many more injuries after ppl were crushed in a large Halloween crowd in Seoul last night; one of the deadliest peacetime accidents in South Korea’s recent history. Prayers are out to all affected – pix downloaded from NY-Post&WeiBo.

https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/seoul-south-korea-halloween-deaths/index.html

That is what I would call a real horror –  vivid memories from a crowd in SIN 1964 at the old Odeon cinema with either CliffRichard or HayleyMills here in person; was there being pushed and fell which was probably one of the most terrifying moments I can remember.

Mon: Happy Halloween to all marking&celebrating, but most celebrations were probably done over last weekend. Downloaded yummy&healthy snacks/above pix probably not too popular with the kids.

At this stage in life all these downloaded sweet TrickOrTreats pix are not healthy snacks, but fun-food-art to prepare are not too appealing to the taste-buds nowadays, only a bite is more than enough no matter how pretty&tempting they may look.

1985: 1st Halloween LongBeach,CA/USA, May, then a 1stGrader dressed as a mouse was afraid to knock the door at the 1st-house TrickOrTreating and was given her 1st large bar of Hershey-Chocolate when she quickly got the hang of it. Still remember vividly the expression on her face when she got the chocolate. 1987: LB,CA/USA with a tiger,pumpkin,devil/home-sewn-costumes.

2012: Ancient Origins of Halloween & Jack-o-Lanterns, Talks & PowerPoint Presentation to Irmo Elementary School/Mrs Paddock’s 4th Grade Gifted Class, Irmo,SC/USA.
The origins of Halloween actually dates back to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). Also known as AllHallowTide, GhostFestival, DiaDeLosMuertos, Totensonntag, Hop-tu-Naa, CalanGaeaf, Allantide, etc is a day for remembering those departed from this world. https://amylamsg.com/presentations/

http://www.history.com/topics/halloween

Tue: Happy All Saints Day. Hello November and hopefully will see some Fall colours this year, last seen was 2019! To artistic&creative ppl, do make colourful&informative International calendars like this for where ever you are located to mark your own special days.

29 Oct 2022 – Chateau Latour 1982

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself – Tecumseh

https://www.countryliving.com/life/g28564406/gratitude-quotes/

Wed: never knew that that are so many animals&plants you should never touch(30) – Nature’s Toxic Reality https://news.science101.com/en/ever-touch-never?ly=native_one

Who would ever know that the leaf of rhubarb is that toxic??

Ian Forsyth/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Thu: monthly grocery shopping@Giant/Tampines(24hrs) which takes a full day for me. Morning bus to Bedok for the free shuttle; hours looking at their new products&promotions, then cleaning produces&putting away everything and usually too exhausted by then to do anything else!  Found my favourite ice-cream there, tkx to Clement for that tip – did not get any, freezer full+no cooler bag with me today but delighted to now know and hopefully that they will keep stocking that in future.

The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything; the soul that complains can find comfort in nothing – HW Smith

Fri: appreciations to Clement for brunch@Privé/i12Katong. Happy Bday to Theresa, tkx for steak dinner and probably the first&last time! to taste ChateauLatour1982, had to savour every drop. Also first time tasting this yummy specially-made Bday-Chestnut-Cake/HKG-style栗子蛋糕 and those must be the biggest blueberries have ever seen&tasted.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them – JF Kennedy 

Sat: not even sure if this sign exist – downloaded from Hyperlite Mountain Gear/Photos from KatieHouston (@oatshikes)  If this is for real, it is to my eyes a tasteful AT-marking&sign, thus would appreciate to know where on the AT this can be found – must be missing my hikes!!

When I pray, I always thank Mother Nature for all the beauty in the world. It’s about having an attitude of gratitude – Kerr