26 Jul 2017 – In Memory Of Ranveig

Mon: tkx to Hannah for showing me around to find the food court Kopi (which accepts my Kopitiam card) on the ground floor of the JurongEast MRT Station. Was waiting at Westgate (appreciations to  EleanorFoong for the correct location) which is connected to the MRT station and is totally new to me, refreshing to see the greenery in the courtyards among all the concrete, but glad that I was at the wrong place or would not have ventured into this new mall.

Appreciations to The International Association for the Study of Irish Literature/IASIL for their Opening Reception and the first day of launches and readings (24-28Jul 2017)@the HSS Building at NTU which is between the Chinese Heritage Centre and the Hive. Need to re-read James Joyce’s Ulysses –

Love loves to love love

Tkx to Rosemary&BoonCheng for the ride to Commomwealth MRT Station. Do remember that I did some work here for the Business School many moons ago, but gave it up as the journey on public transport with MRT EastWestLine and 2buses changes took nearly 2hrs to get here.

Tue: many thanks to Ambassador Geoffrey Keating and Mrs Jane Keating for hosting the book launches for the IASIL 2017.

A lovely evening was had by all@the Irish Ambassador’s Residence. There are so many books I would like to read before the eyesight goes. Quite a difference with time – took 90min for bus196 from MarineC to Commonwealth during rush hour and 50mins back in the late evening.

Edited 16 Aug:  in spite of my back profile in The Irish Times, was following the with speech 🙂

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/an-irish-literary-summer-school-in-singapore-1.3179501

Wed: Safe journey home to HI/USA to cousin Wilki&Patti. Tkx to Jo for dinner.

Condolences to Ranveig’s family. Pix downloaded from her FB. Was very shocked and saddened by the news of her passing and memories from the Northern Norway days kept creeping up today. Met Ranvieg in the 1970s where I was working at Tromsø Musikkskole and NordNorsk Musikkonservatorium and she was a student there then. She invited me to her parents’ farm, an island on Grytøya@Lundenes where I tasted my first and best fresh cod-liver – mølje. 

http://www.ht.no/nyheter/2017/07/25/Navn-p%C3%A5-omkommet-kvinne-frigitt-15063483.ece

On Sunday her body was found on this same island. Have not seen Ranveig or been back to Grytøya since then, but have never forgotten their kindness and hospitality. Regrets that I did not make that trip to Harstad when I was in Tromsø last year. May she RIP. Pix downloaded in memory of her and her parents.

Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age – James Joyce