27 Jun 2019 – The White Crow

Mon-Tue: @NUH and stressful times with a complicated family situation. Have been more on the MRT than bus the past 2weeks due to convenience&destination to KentRidge/NUH. Fortunately I can choose the time, thus avoiding rush hours. Reading helps to distract the claustrophobic feeling; the cleanliness&safety is impressive.

Am reminded of Goh SiGuim when passing thru’ MainBuilding LobbyB. Told Karen that I see her partner in crime big&clear on the NUH wall and her reply: my claim to fame, well at least she has a claim to fame – hahaha! Hopefully I will not see this wall for a while after today!!

Fame is a fickle food 
Upon a shifting plate, 
Whose table once a Guest, but not 
The second time, is set. 
Whose crumbs the crows inspect, 
And with ironic caw 
Flap past it to the Farmer’s corn; 
Men eat of it and die – Emily Dickinson

Excited about my SG Bicentennial Commemorative S$20 Note.

Chat with Gayle who is a chef in FL/USA : Golden Paste! It gets everywhere and you don’t want to wear something that you don’t mind getting stained. It smells like dirt, but the health benefits are worth it. Boiled turmeric. Then you add coconut oil and black pepper. It’s great for inflammation.

Have been given some in capsule form by bro-in-law, Michael who also believes in the benefits. Doug English – a veterinarian in Australia has been doing studies for decades of the health benefits of turmeric

Not that the stains will put me off, but will wear gloves when skinning&cutting these.  The Chinese call them yellow-ginger when translated from Chinese, Assam is Malay. I add it (fresh) to some of my dishes, especially fish when it compliments the dish, ie to my taste! Nasi Ulam (been a long while since I last made this) is another dish where turmeric enhance the flavour. Have not tried it as as a paste, usually prefer spices&herbs if I can get them fresh.

Birthday greetings to nephews Chon&Clement and the Huang from HI who is somewhere in Thailand or China at present. Except for Chon’s pix the others are taken this year!

Wed-Thu: gathering energy for a Penang trip over the weekend with Les&Ivy+Lawrence meeting Chon to sort out family matters and to have a good time catching up with an old friend&flat-mate from Dublin days, not forgetting Penang food too! As Alonzo said – with Amy, there is always food and at the moment, not just food, but happy thoughts said niece Sue. Movies is a way for me to shift my focus and The White Crow, out today is my way to energize.

Inspired by the book Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993), it reminded me of another movie – Mao’s Last Dancer, both excellent movies which I would probably watch again.

https://amylamsg.com/2010/04/24/maos-last-dancer/

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world ― J.R.R. Tolkien

23 Jun 2019 – All’s Well That Ends Well

Thu: NUH with Lawrence for his blood test. Lunched with Les&friends@BarBQ-Tonight. Appreciations to Les&Ivy for yummy steam-boat dinner last night to welcome Irene (Ivy’s cousin&her family from KL), David&Cindy back to SIN. Always like the idea here of the individual personal pots for this. Overnight@Rochalie.

Fri: 0700hrs-NUH this time to admit Lawrence for his Embolization procedure this morning and will be visiting the next few days; feel like I can practically find my way around there blind-folded!

Delicious fresh figs from ColdStorage/AnchorPt and these Spanish donut peaches from Isetan/ScottsRd are perfect sizes. The usual preference is for local tropical fruits when back here, but could not resist these when priced reasonably.

Sat: NUH and tkx to Sue for ride from NUH.  A fishy-tale@KEK Seafood Alexandra as to how to eat&enjoy fresh good Red-Grouper 油蒸红斑 to the fullest, hahaha.

Some ppl were wondering if I finished the whole fish – if this was the only dish, no problems to eat every bit&morsel, but we shared 3 dishes+rice&soup for 3ppl, total bill S$109.50. During my Northern Norway days, fresh fish was the normal daily diet then and often free as we did our own fishing, so S$71 is expensive, but was informed that it is reasonable!

This is my 3rd time here and only realized about their Michelin* this time round, thus explaining why it is so crowded.

Sun: was told that the Merdeka Generation (MG) Package has to be collected@MPCC Multi-Purpose Hall in conjunction to a HariRaya Celebration Event. If I knew that one did not have to be physically there to collect the package, would have saved myself a headache waiting in the heat to be registered.

All’s well that ends well as I managed to get these shots, said hello to Emeritus Senior Minister Mr Goh ChokTong (GOH) and left quite shorty after that. Will now wait patiently for the MG package in the mail.

What an amazing adventure for Karen&co, (pix credits to her) climbing to the roof of Africa – Mt Kilimanjaro 19,340ft/5,895m in 8days. Way to go to my AT hiking buddy, Wiggs – am living vicariously thru’ her! Would have definitely preferred to be in this line anytime than the one in the MPCC!  Jun 2015 – group pix credits to Glenda/HiHills

NUH to check on Lawrence and good that the procedure went as it should. Glad to know that Sue visited yesterday, SiewKing last night and now Clement. Am touched by those who are also trying to do their part even with their overwhelming responsibilities to their own parents+their immediate family&full-time jobs.

Love all, trust a few,
Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy
Rather in power than use; and keep thy friend
Under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence,
But never tax’d for speech ― William Shakespeare, All’s Well That Ends Well

19 Jun 2019 – 1957 To 1961

Wed: going thru’ some old pix trying to recall the primary school days with a 1957pix form St TheresaConvent with Pr1 teacher, Ms Soo&classmates. Me with my forehead&eyes peeping in the background already liking books then and still do! Next to me, Yolanda and in front of me, Kwong YokeHeng. Another 2names I can remember from that class are Elizabeth Chee&Ow, but do not seemed to located them in the pix.

Pr3or4?? Sleeping Beauty play, me being SleepingB (now SleepingGrandmom!), Yolando (prince), YokeHeng(page), Valerie(witch) with Sr Marie, the few nuns who made an impression on me and thought her to be the most beautiful nun I met then, in my mind she still is. Glad that these 2pix are in such good condition considering when they were taken.

Posted these in FB to try and find if ppl can recognized anyone of have info about anybody from that time-frame in my life’s journey. Also did an on-line search and was really excited when I found this site and below pix downloaded from there.

https://chijsttheresasconvent.moe.edu.sg/school-history/heritage-at-stc

Only today Wed 19Jun 2019 did I discover that – A Nun of Royal Descent and a Principal. The history of St. Theresa’s is never complete till the story of the nun of royal descent who later became principal is told. Adopted by a Thai prince, Sr Marie Jombunad left the comforts of her palace for an IJ Convent. Thought she was the most beautiful&elegant nun I can remember. In 1970 Sr Marie was recalled to her native Bangkok to head RuamRudee International School.

Access was via a dirt path and 58 back breaking steps carved out of the hill slope. But education was in demand and all made the sacrifice of a difficult journey. We had to walk thru’ the kampong and crossing some plank-bridges, seeing kids catching fish and hanging around those drains. These downloaded pix brought back memories from those daily walks to&from the school to the car for the 5yrs. At the end of the path by the road was the shaved ice Indian man where I would sometimes buy from.

Sister Maria Lau was appointed principal on 26 February 1990 and coincidentally enough, Maria here was my classmate in VictoriaSt/CHIJ from 1962-1965. Do not know why I was transferred to VictoriaSt in 1962 for Pr6? but one does not ask too many questions in those days! The transition was not easy&neither were those pre-teen&teenage years. Mother died in 1965 and was then sent to boarding school in Dublin/Ireland – a path that one does not choose, but chosen for you!

On hindsight, I know now that I am blessed to have been given all those experiences to live a full life. Thank you.

St Theresa’s Convent – 1954/69/92 has sure come a long way, but Mt Faber&the foothills surroundings, my childhood playgrounds will always stay deep in the memory.

Nostalgia – the Vice of the Aged.

Believe it or not? This is the first Salmon Vending Machine crossing my path but did not try as the stomach was asking for durians (wonder if there will ever be vending machines for durians – hahaha). Norwegian Salmon too – wonder if there are there such machines in Norway,

18 Jun 2019 – Toy Story 4

Sat: today, 15Jun, 2gentlemen I admire and respect, my father LAM TinYue would have been 108; Linn&May’s paternal grandfather John HALD III 96. They both hold special places in the heart.

A walk on MacKenzieRd to this first OldChangKee outlet to pick up some curry-puffs&sotong-heads.

Thank you to Calvin for yummy oysters&wines – must have ate nearly a dozen and slept a goodnight sleep last night, so must be fresh! 2above pix credits to Helen.

Now at this stage in life, am more careful with raw foods, but oysters are the only few foods where I like them best raw on the shell. Good time was had by all who were there, good to catch up with Lucas.

Sun: Happy Fathers Day to all fathers, with special loving memories&thoughts to my father, LAM TinYue (1911-1996). To the Orange&Purple Generation for this LAM family-branch, this is your grandfather and great-grandfather.

Also Happy Fathers Day to the father (John) of my 2children and to sons-in-law Jeff&Bjørn, fathers to my 6grandchildren. Thank you for my children&grandchildren who are so far the greatest blessings in this life’s journey.

Appreciations to Daisy for ticket to the Premiere for ToyStory4@Lido – still remember ToyStory1 being released in 1995 when we were living in FL but do not remember 2&3! Not to be a spoiler, but watching the ending for 4, doubt that there will be a 5, but you never know…

There is a mini carnival outside Shaw Lido, but the main carnival is at Gardens By The Bay. Do take the kids there during the school holidays for some fun while it last. https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/gardens-come-alive-with-toys

A sea of protesters, most dressed in black and carrying white flowers of mourning, have swept through central Hong Kong to denounce a controversial extradition law and demand that the city’s leader, Carrie Lam, steps down.

The Chinese idiom人山人海 people mountain people sea is most appropriate here.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/16/hong-kong-protests-carrie-lam-china

Mon: catching up with housework, etc and important to have a day like this to put things away and see the big pix! My biggest pix is FOOD – hahaha, j/k! Even when I have a solo meal, will try to take the time to make it look appetizing&pleasing to my eyes!! Often it takes more time to present than eating it!!! Food pix here taken from a magazine for presentation ideas.

The further we go the more we leave behind and sometimes it is important to be away from issues both physically&mentally to see that life is really quite simple as long as you can remember to live with this saying – do onto others as you would like others to do onto you. What others do or say is NOT within my control but what I do or say IS.

Tue: NDC – these young dentist nowadays look like they could be my grandchildren or it is just me getting on in age, hahaha!

14 Jun 2019 – A Cure For Diabetes?

Wed: posted in FB and got my answer as to what we called these SIN-cherries. Used to eat these in my childhood, they were growing wild quite abundantly around. Wish I could still find some. Anyone knows where they can be found now?? If my memory serves me correctly, we used to call them Bocelli and tried to get to them before the birds, but the birds are usually faster!!

Tkx to Zai who has these in her garden, but she lives in Brunei and to Chuan where these grow wildly on the road where he lives in KCH.

Shirley Tong: I believe it’s buah cherry! There was a buah cherry tree opposite our house at Tiverton Lane and as children we used to pick them when they fall or when we can reach them. Super sweet! We didn’t even think of washing them; just popped them into our mouths haha. No one ever complained of diarrhoea! Those were our happy childhood days.

Thanks Shirley for her share, that is BuahCherry. Was probably having the singer Bocelli in mind, whose voice is as sweet as those cherries. Shirley Tong:  Haha…quite an apt association with Andrea Bocelli!

All this got stirred up because a student discovered this as a cure for diabetes! Pix downloaded.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/01/19/young-scientist-finds-potential-diabetes-cure-in-aratiles

I thought I saw a familiar face in the news – way to go SengGee who is still sweet&charming as ever, but not so little! Have been told that he is the best liver person here in SIN, glad to have caught up with him recently.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/nuh-study-sees-hepatitis-b-patient-cured-after-stopping-medication?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=STFB&utm_source

Saw Lawrence off to T2, tkx to Lee for driving – ongoing long&complicated family issues! Excise by exploring&gallivanting around are my usual ways to de-stress, but with age catching up and low energy level, reading,walking&watching movies are good alternatives; NetFlix is a good place to be at present!! Just a few, and these too will probably be forgotten soon –  Leap Year/2010, Always Be My Maybe/2016, From Japan To Egypt/2017, Wine Country/2019. Dinner@DIn Tai Fung/Parkway.

As my observant children so appropriately&eloquently said many moons ago – my mom will never have to watch a soap opera as her whole life is one!

Thu: looking forward to receiving my MG/MerdekaGeneration package. Even the envelope&stamp with this note has a nice design and I do like the word Merdeka – wonder how many of us are in this generation? In the LAM family tree, I am 1 out of 34 in the GreenGeneration from LAM SongKee’s branch.

Fri: TGIF- a beautiful&harmonious weekend to all. Re-reading JamesJoyce and what a difference 50yrs make – read some of his works during teenage days but have forgotten most. Also those were the days when I was more impressed with Ibsen’s works, thus read all his plays in English then, and later in Norwegian during my years in Norway.

When you’ve sold yourself once for the sake of others, you don’t do it a second time – Ibsen’s A Doll’s House Act 3

https://amylamsg.com/2011/05/22/dolls-houses/

Could not find the Dubliners HC in the library, so borrowed the audio and was surprised to how I enjoyed these 6CDs, yes I still have a CDplayer and it still works!! Appreciation to the Irish Embassy for hosting Bloomsday Book Club with Richard Barlow’s/NTU introduction to James Joyce’s Dubliners@the Irish Residence.

Someone asked me if the Irish are really so helpful – from one of the stories, Grace, where everyone were so helpful after Mr.Kernan injured himself falling down? As far as the memory goes, yes is the answer for when I was there in the 1960s-70s, but cannot answer for now?

The new SIN Irish Ambassador (#6) is out of town, so did not get to meet him this time round@the new Irish Residence (3rd since 2000), and my first visit here. Appreciations to him for opening his home with drinks&snacks for this book club.

Irish Ambassadors to SIN from 2000-present
1. Brendan Lyons
2. Huge Swift
3. Richard O’Brien
4. Joe Hayes
5. Geoffrey Keating
6. Pat Bourne

https://amylamsg.com/2014/05/11/irish-ambassadors-in-sin/

Ladies group pix credits to Carmel and tkx to Carmel&Noreen for sharing the cab to&fro.

2above pix credits to the Irish Embassy

One by one they were all becoming shades. Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age ― James Joyce, The Dead/Dubliners

11 Jun 2019 – To Discover or Rediscover

Sat: thank you Alvin for the completed framed portrait and for good breakfast company. Good luck to his new ventures, happy sketching and safe travels for his EU trip ahead. Looking forward to catching again up end of the year

Always enjoy visiting the National DesignCentre to check out what is new, it’s been awhile since the last visit. Took the weekend to catch up.

These delightful pix books are wonderful for young&old – creative artwork pleasant to the eyes and stories to get you imagination going.

The book and title that got my attention: The Journey by Francesca Sanna – What is like to have to leave everything behind and travel many miles to somewhere unfamiliar and strange? A mother and her two children set out on such a journey: one filled with fear of the unknown, but also great hope.

Published by Flying Eye Books in spring 2016, the book has been translated in 14 languages, and has been awarded with the gold medal of the Society of Illustrators (US) and the Premi Llibreter (Spain).

Nice place to have a bite or drink@Tanuki Raw – Lychee Martini with fresh oysters followed by Truffle Yakiniku (pan-seared US-BlackAngus beef, onsen egg, truffle soy-sauce over Tanuki’s signature rice). Bon Appetit.

Long day and was tired, but stayed until interval for this full-house story telling session. Enjoyed Kiran Shah’s Nevertheless, She Persisted where she told passionately her personal story of the progression of arranged marriages in her family.

Sun: Happy 10th Birthday greetings from SIN to Sophie, #4grandchild – hugs&XXXs to her. She too now joins her 3older siblings with 2digits in her age, but still does not fit into her daddy’s shoes, hahaha! She is the only grandchild I woke up for 2 of her night-feeds for 2weeks of her baby-life. Linn was then hospitalized for Septic Pelvic Thrombophlebitis/SPT and thx to May&Nancy who were also there to help.

Jubilee Photo Studio@National Library – a trip worth the time to view some of these precious old B/W photography to refresh your memories if you are my age 🙂

1st time I took a plane was from here – when/1950s, to where? do not remember?? but do vaguely remember throwing-up!!

https://amylamsg.com/2015/03/13/former-kallang-airport/

This I remember vividly – the night before, we had a big dinner party on the lawn and those wooden tables&chairs were left on the lawn for many days before the catering ppl could collect them.

So glad to come across this as I was actually asking round in Nostalgic Singapore, a FB Group if anyone might have some old pix from the Yang Kit pool with good childhood memories.

Was not aware that this was still happening in the 1980s, left SIN in 1965 and would have thought that by the 1980s, flushed-toilets were the norm. But do remember dreading being caught behind one of those vehicles carrying these buckets in the 1950s-60s!!

Edited – tkx for informative comments from FB-NostalgicSIN: night soil lorry seen here along N-Bridge Rd (1984) – pix credits to ChrisLee. Tng KhinChai: the last place was a house in Lorong LewLian where the family have been paying $3 a month for collection (ST 24Jan 1987/), MohdBakhtiar Anang:  the official title of the job is Night Soil Worker and they are represented by a union. Yusof BinAbdulRahman:  Black Bucket (Tong Hitam) kampong days. We have come a long way looking at this new concept from Japan…

Mon: @Les’s FarrerPk Clinic for Lawrence’s errands. Dinner@Les&Ivy to arrange Lawrence’s trip back to KCH for this round.

My favourite coffee cookies can be found here@Bakerzin/Farrer Park. Interesting novelty with this chocolate dog, have never ate any dog, but might this one!

Tue: need this day to cool my nerves&sanity! The latest news in NYC must trigger off some terrible memories from 9/11 – family&friends all over the world, stay safe.

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/manhattan-helicopter-crash-june-2019/index.html

7 Jun 2019 –  Dumpling Festival

Thu: today 6Jun 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day when more than 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin the operation that would liberate Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. D-Day would forever be associated with the invasion of Normandy. Many have come up with meanings for that D including Day of Days or Doomsday. Does it really matter what D meant considering all those life lost?

Happy Bday Dika Lam. 

Another morning@NUH, just too tired to do anything after that. The journey there from the East to the West by bus&MRT takes about an hour. Commuting for 2hrs is OK when you can do so at non rush-hour and can read, but still take abit out of me! After getting off the MRT, need to walk thru’ the Heart Centre with interesting sculpture&art.

Lawrence’s blood tests are still not to the level that the hospital feels comfortable to release him today, that must be a downer but he is dealing with it in such good spirits. Pray&hope that tomorrow he can be discharged. No matter how beautiful&fantastic a hospital is, very few choose to be there!

Fri: TGIF and Happy Dumpling Festival 端午節 Duan Wu Jie  or Dragon Boat Festival. This year’s pix are downloaded, no time to gallivant about to shoot any due to family situation. But the good memories with paternal grandmother making these yummy dumplings from scratch will always be with me. Used to do my own fillings and marked it so that it will not get lost with the rest.

For Jan&other overseas friends, this is what the festival is about

https://amylamsg.com/2010/06/17/dragon-boat-water-water/

Tkx to Sue for the ride this morning, took 30mins instead of an hour by public transport. A long morning waiting@NUH for Lawrence’s paper-works, etc so that he can be discharged. Sent him back to Les&Ivy to recover for a few days before he can head back to Malaysia. Am sooo hospitalized out after 5days there!

Getting out of the hospital is a lot like resigning from a book club. You’re not out of it until the computer says you’re out of it – Erma Bombeck

But discovered these yummy Chews (favourite is the Mint flavour)@NUH pharmacy over the week, rather costly for nearly S$5pp and being me had a whole packet (12) to realize that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect – boy and it sure did!! Now I know to only have just 1, not 12. Tkx to Ivy for the dumpling.

Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps ― William Blake

5 Jun 2019 – Salamat Hari Raya

Fri: TGIF. Been shopping online and got this delivered but not the chance to try it. Hope that it is worth S$48 for the 2containers. It is supposed to bubble when in contact with water and no scrubbing needed, so let’s see if this is true – verdict to be announced when I have the chance to try this product.

Fort Canning – a park with amazing old trees that I am never tired of seeing&hanging around with, but do remember mozzy repellent – if you’re going to sit or stand still for even 1min!

One of my favourite projects from the early 2000s-H&Hdays, but then the Maritime Corner and the Raffles House were not yet in placed.

A revisit and this time for their new Sang Nila Utama Garden with a Balinese influence!

Looks like the excavations are still on-going. Was helping with this during one of my visits to SIN many moons ago.

Sat: Happy Bday to Morten – when our children were the age when we first met, ie Morten15 and I, 18, I thought how could this be?? Now our grandchildren are that age and I am amazed how time has gone by so quickly!!

Sew a button(s) or something on to a commemorative quilt – Poverty Quilt in memory of Jimmy’s grandmother. My personal contribution of butterflies are also in memory of a beautiful young lady, Tori McGee and a lovely girl KellyXuan. Strange to be back in an empty 51Waterloo St! Pix credits of Jimmy, Ivan&I to Shirley.

Usually I am in the US or Norway this time of the year. Now postponed till Aug, thus missing them all bunches. Thank goodness for these, pix credits to Linn. They are part of me making them a quarter of the Chinese ethnic race, but one can question&wonder about my ancestry with #1,2,3&4.

Sun: @T3 to discover that one can watch a big screen movie here FOC. Here to meet Lawrence to take him to lunch@Jewel, so no time for movies this time round. Sad to hear of the passing of our 14thUncle LAM TinChong Danny this morning. May he RIP.

Home-cooked dinner@Les&Ivy and staying the night with them.

Mon: accompanied Lawrence bright&early to NUH for his colonoscopy with SengGee. It is a total maze to be able to find where to go even if you are sober! By the time I got back to my 4-walls, it was pouring buckets –  am thoroughly enjoying every single minute of it. Has been hot hot hot and this tropical downpour today is very welcomed. As the saying goes – it never rains but it pours, and that is how my life feel likes at present.

Tue: NDC to discover that there was a mixed-up with my broken tooth vs to teeth not straight! Had to reschedule for another appointment. Am sure getting familiar with our National Health locations here in SIN!!

Yummy fancy Dim-Sum@Min Jiang@Dempsey, tkx to Ivy with the good co of Carmel. Even the napkin was a fancy item!

The Goldfish in a Bowl is quite a novelty with the twist of dill enchanting the taste. Wor-Tip with individual pipette tube, thus distributing the vinegar into the filling does add to the taste. After lunch back to NHU and now I can even lead the way for Ivy to visit Lawrence after his TACE procedure.

Appreciations to Calvin&Pat for hosting this lively break-fast gathering@Owls Brew. Tkx to Chris&Pat’s friend for BBQ sotong-heads (favourite part of the sotong for my taste!) for me. Got back just before midnight, barely managed to shower before crashing. To be on the go for 12+hrs is not what it used to be – hahaha!

Wed: Selamat Hari Raya to all celebrating. Pix from T3 displays. As for me, another morning@NHU but took a 4hrs nap in the afternoon, the consequences from yesterday!!

60yrs ago on 5Jun, the 1st Cabinet after SIN became self-governing was sworn in at City Hall. The People’s Action Party/PAP formed the first fully elected government of SIN, after it won 43 of the 51 seats in the general election of 1959. Pix downloaded.

1 Jun – Happy Bday Morten
2 Jun – Happy Bday KK  & Richard LEE
6 Jun – Happy Bdays Dika  & Harry
9 Jun – Happy Bday Sophie
15 Jun – my father LAM TinYue would have been 108 and L&M paternal grandfather John HALD III 96 today. Happy Bday Amy J
16 Jun – Happy Father’s Day
25 Jun – Happy Bdays John/Chon, Clement & Huang
28 Jun – Happy Bdays Jeff & John WILSON
30 Jun – Happy Bdays JenMun & Annie