28 Jun 2020 – EmeritusSeniorMinister Goh ChokTong,

Thu: Happy Dragon Boat Festival 端午节Blog-posting from 10yrs ago explains the legend with an edit of zongzi (China) bak-zhang (SIN) added to the posting – enjoy your bak-zhang. Fond memories of the 3grandmothers+househelp making these from scratch, including the bamboo leaves from our backyard – good old days from the 1950s.

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

Unfortunately no personal old pix to document, but will have to rely on the memory and hopefully this will stay intact as long as there is life in this body. The ingredients can&may vary from different dialects, families, villages, etc.  4above pix downloaded.

https://www.herworld.com/solutions/bak-chang-101-whats-difference-between-various-dialect-groups-rice-dumplings/

https://www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/dragon-boat-festival/

Today is 2weeks ago when the gallbladder+stones were removed – the first day off AntiB since then. The body needs to now adjust to be healthy enough to fight off bacteria naturally and to slowly get rid of the toxic from all the drugs pumped into the body intravenous or orally.

https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2020-emeritus-senior-minister-goh-chok-tong-to-retire-from-politics-after-44-years-as-mp

Fri: TGIF – Happy retirement to former SIN PrimeMinister (1990-2004), EmeritusSeniorMinister Goh ChokTong 79, is retiring from politics after 44yrs as a Member of Parliament. Dr Tan SeeLeng will succeed Mr Goh as PAP MarineParadeBranch chairman. Mr Goh will be missed by many in the MPcommunity, including myself. Welcome Dr Tan.

Sat: tkx Leonard for checking on my laptop and phones – should be ready to Zoom, but first to my favourite food joints on EC Rd. Take-away BakZhang/KimChoo KuehChang, PrawnMee lunch@BeachRoad PrawnNoodleHouse and take-away HokkienMee/Lor29 HokkienMee. My first sit-down meal with one real person since CB started.

Walking up TelokKurauRd taking time to appreciate all these wild flowers&weeds before they have to be cut down. Returning back to the flags fluttering in the light breeze, all ready&up for the upcoming elections.

Emily of Emerald Hill by StellaKon – online screening here starring MargaretChan from SIN ArtsFestival 2010. Have always enjoyed a good performance of this one woman-play where it journeys through human consciousness&through time. IvanHeng is another performer who also does a good Emily that I like.

The significance of this play lies in the linkage it provides for the postcolonial past toward a history of the vanishing present – Max Le Blond 

Sun: Brunch@PeachGarden at HotelMiramar to celebrate these Bdays – John, Clement, Huang(25Jun), Jeff, John/MoFo(today). Yummy dim-sum with beautiful&delicious cakes from Antoniette which sadly will be closing for good – savouring the last of it. Appreciations to Pat&David for tasty home-made MeeSuah+banana-bread delivered for dinner. What a feast for the weekend. Thank you thank you.

As the month of Jun is coming to a close, updating&documenting only countries with immediate family (strangely enough all the 3 have roughly about the same pop, but not so in area wise!).

The end result of statics is literally the end  – from WHO & WorldOmeter of COVID-19 deaths are as follow: 

SIN/pop 5.6+mil in an area of 721SqKm – 26
SC/USA/pop5+mil in an area of 82, 932SqKm – 720
Norway/pop5.3+mil in an area of 365,268SqKm – 249

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time ― Mark Twain

24 Jun 2020 – Post-Surgery Follow-Up

Snail-mail from the US post-marked 29May2020 finally arrived sometime last week while being hospitalized – 2+weeks which is more or less getting back to normal.

Sat: these chickens were excited for the opening of CB Phase2, they were seen in the OutramMRTstation – such an uplifting story to put a smile on the face over the weekend.

https://mothership.sg/2020/06/chickens-take-mrt/

Even chickens are smart enough to social distance, and here are some ppl who should learn from chickens! British Indian Curry Hut was ordered to close today – URA, the restaurant will only be allowed to do takeaways next week and open for dining in from 29Jun, provided it has shown that it is able to implement safe management measures for its customers. Quite rightly so!

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/holland-village-restaurant-ordered-shut-5-persons-fined-flouting-rules-first-day-phase-2

Proud of my first-born and her running dedication. Being a good mother, she has encouraged her flock to follow her footsteps. A healthy&constructive way to keep the young ppl busy&fit and out of mischief. Congratulations for her Masters Women on the Columbia Running Club members on this latest SC Road Race Rankings.

Discovered the joy of audio books again, used to do that during some my drives on the turnpike from Orlando-Miami (FL/USA) when I was working there in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Oh! how delightful to hear those eloquent words, especially now that the eyes are not as they used to be, thus less reading the past decade. Its a refreshing change to let the mind wander with the words again – Austin, Dickens, Dahl, Hemingway, Wilde, etc…

Sun: Happy Father’s Day to all fathers with loving memories for my own father BG1LAM TinYue(1911-1996) who would have been 109yrs a week ago. Most appreciative for the home-made delicious lasagna, Ciabatta&cookies Father’s Day dinner, thank you Pat&David.

Mon: pouring down cats&dogs as I headed out to RafflesHospital/RH for a follow-up. Todays RH is quite a different one from the time when we (H&H) designed their logo and first set of pamphlets in 2002. Before that was BiancoCt where party-goods, wrappings, etc. could be purchased there.

First visit@RafflesSpecialisCentre/2019 added on with a nice food-court in the basement.

Here is the first bite of food sitting down outside the 4-walls since CB started – decent congee (ChinesePorridge)&good HaliaTea (ginger-milk) in a nice uncrowded hospital food-court.

Everything is healing fine so far and bandages came off today, yeah no stitches or staples were used – no more need for any follow-ups unless necessary. Was told that I got to the hospital in time when I did as it was really bad. Thank goodness the hospital bill (nearly S$40K) is absorbed by government’s subsidies+MediSave&MediShield. Paid for today’s consultation (S$50+) which is also subsidized, otherwise S$233.

Convenient location where bus-stop&MRTstation are within 1min walk (no chickens in BugisMRTstation!) – the Green/East-WestLine took me to RafflesCity (1stop) where I could pick up some stuff in a practically empty mall. Best time to shop, no lines when nearly everything is on promotion, but by 1300hrs, it was time to head back to the 4walls for the tired body to rest.

Tue&Wed: more cats&dogs this morning – usually am away from SIN at this time of the year, thus taking time now to enjoy these heavy tropical rains bringing on cleaner&fresh cooler airs. Rain or shine, pressure-cleaning still happened this morning – the sound of heavy rains hitting on the ACmetal&the window-panes are relaxing sounds for me, providing the calm&serenity needed for a full recovery soon. The Secret Garden audio-book (8+hrs) FrancesHodgsonBurnett/1910 narrated by StevenGarnett (real Yorkshire English) with musical interludes of Tchailovsky’s/1892 Waltz of the Flowers hit the spot. The innocence of childhood brings back cheerful memories.

Wed: God SanktHans, Norway Mid-Summer.

Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts – Sigmund Freud

19 June 2020 – It Pours

Tue: having some pains, but hopefully that will pass by tomorrow, and if not will head to the polyclinics.

Wed-Sun: had to call for an ambulance, could barely get to the phone with the worst&excruciating pains ever experienced. Was admitted into RafflesHospital for Laparoscopic keyhole surgery removing gallbladder&nasty infected stone which escaped to the bile-duct/Cholecystitis. One thing lead to another – the heart rate sky-rocketed setting off the pre-existing AF. After 4days in ICU on whatever multi anti-etc drips (lost count), one after another to counter-act each other.

Must have been in such a delirium – had no idea what was going on, but do remember seeing shadows of some clear figure (nothing spooky)+an on-going party in the background, so clear that I asked for a of change room in the ICU. This is what drugs can do to the mind, messes it up completely – the cheek of them to party on disturbing the peace without including or inviting me! This must be the first delirium ever experienced, do not recall or remember of any others.

8 Jun 2020 – Difference Is The Essence Of Humanity

Received a free Digital Air Purifier (worth $699) delivered to me, the catch – S$168 for the filter. After receiving the machine, within 3 days to activate the one year warranty on the machine, a pix with the machine and copy paste the script below to be posted on my FB-wall sharing with friends. and to paste on FB this message from the sponsor, Eight Stars Pte Ltd

Refresh Your Home with Cleaner Air. I just received a FREE Digital Air Purifier (worth $699) delivered to my home. It is suitable for any family with ASTHMA, SINUS and ALLERGIES issues. This only available for LIMITED participants to tryout in the market… etc

Tkx to S for last night’s dinner from DinTaiFung delivered by Grab to celebrate the graduation. Appreciations for tonight’s dinner home-made BakKutTet by Pat who personally delivered it. Yummy yum yum – enough food for the weekend. Will challenge Lucas&Beth when they have learnt to play 5-stones – hahaha.

Sun: wine delivery from Les to last me until end of the year, thank you thank you, am so absolutely blessed with my family here too. Also mail with postmark dated 23Mar from Norway #6 arr on Fri – better late than never, felt like Christmas this weekend with long due mail received and yummy foods&wines delivered to the door. How lucky and totally blessed I am.

Mon: above 2 pix downloaded which are much more than a thousand words. My titles for these pix – ALL LIVES MATTER. The flower pix is a Japanese Egret Orchid, but I would like to call it DELICATE PEACE, bringing back memories of the FlowerPower&HippyDays from the 1960s.

Pix downloaded – how wonderful It would be if our differences can be respected and bringing us together. We have much to learn from each others differences which can help us all. Seeing what is happening in the world now is rather upsetting, but will keep dreaming, hoping, praying and thinking constructively&positively. My thoughts are exactly with John Hume’s quote.

Anti-Cruelty, Anti-Racism, Anti-Wars, Anti-Violence are important for me, but somehow with a slogan like Black Lives Matter to me  seems to separate than bringing us together. Perhaps its just me, but hoping these world-wide protests will stay peaceful, otherwise they will be in vain. The last Anti-Racism protest in person was 7yrs ago and still will be protesting for this cause as long as there is life in me, but with pix&words due to health issues.

https://amylamsg.com/2013/05/17/greetings-from-malacca-2/

I plan to stand by nonviolence, because I have found it to be a philosophy of life that regulates not only my dealings in the struggle for racial justice, but also my dealings with people, and with my own self – Martin Luther King Jr.

5 Jun 2020 – Senior Proms 1993&2020

Tue:  Easter care-package mailed 27Apr to the US was received today and online purchases from the US ordered&paid around the same time were received today (2+months). Now this really puts the term snail-mail into another dimension. They can open things up on this CB Phase1 today, but I’m still staying put to see what happens to you all first, hahaha. For my overseas family&friends, those travel books’ places are from different areas in SIN. 

This batch of lychees from today’s grocery@Giant/MarineTerrace is sweet, juicy with small seeds. These are from China, S$7.90per kilo – bought 300gms S$1.83 after .50c discount, Senior% from the whole bill .90c savings today. Being alone, best to get just enough to last for day and then shop again to taste the fresh new batch another day, hopefully just as sweet! Its the season, also like them in my martini too – Cheers, YamSeng, Sláinte, Skål.

Wed: ppl who have the power&voices, learn from this sheriff and it is NOT about politics for me.  So very sad with the unrest around the world on top of COVID-19.

A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true – Martin Luther King Jr

Late news from Norway: must be traumatic watching your house floating by, stirring back the feelings of despair and helplessness when L&J house burnt down – thankfully no injuries or fatalities reported here and when the house burnt down in Oct2013. As Kiat puts it never underestimate the folly of men building habitats in unstable locations and my reply – there are many of those unstable locations around the world and it is a matter of time where&when Mother nature decides to claim it back..

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-52920766/norway-landslide-buildings-swept-away-in-alta-disaster

Thu: throwback from LHHS/SeniorProm in FL/USA1993 with Gabe(&Jen+6kids), Brandy (&Matt&4kids), Jeff&Linn (+5kids), Matt&Kristy (+2grown-kids) – 27yrs have gone by quickly!

To a different kind of SeniorProm in IHS/SC,USA today. Appreciations to 1st-born for pix of #1, stunning&beautiful inside out like her mom at her SeniorProm. Need these kind of pix more than ever nowadays to focus on happy thoughts – life goes on despite of everything.

Fri: live-streamed of #1 graduation tonight and an evening with tears of joy streaming down from this grandma! Congratulations to #1 with her siblings&proud parents@Irmo High School Graduation Ceremony at W C Hawkins Stadium.

All the best to the next chapter in her life’s journey@University of South Carolina/UofSC/SC (1801) not to be confused with USC/CA (1880). Looking forward to visiting her there. Pix credits to L&M.

The Courtney Shealy Hart Award, in recognition to the Top Female Senior Athlete who excels in the classroom, community and on the playing fields!

Every person you meet knows something you don’t; learn from them —H Jackson Brown Jr.

1 Jun 2020 – Life Online With Interesting Links

Sat: interesting read and if this link is proven correct, it will not be good for ppl like me if the virus hits me, at this age with pre-existing issues like blood clots&heart issues. Oh well, when it is my time to go, will go with no regrets – such is life

https://elemental.medium.com/coronavirus-may-be-a-blood-vessel-disease-which-explains-everything-2c4032481ab2

Looking at the clock daily, one of those few ppl who still has an analog clock&watch, and would not have realized how amazingly brilliant the analog clock&watch face can be if not for Alan’s FB video posting. Hmmm clock&numbers, is this a sign or too much time on hands?? Not linking this clock video here as it takes up too much space in the posting, but if interested, copy&paste the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/debashish.roy.1232/videos/1546896372141127?t=2         

Have been listening to Ajahn Brahm’s talks again. Do remember what a calming effect they had on me, first introduced to his talks in the late 1990s when I returned to work in SIN. Glad that they still do have the calming effect as that is so needed now. Having some concerns as he now sounds like he is short of breath, but then, I too would probably sound the same to someone who has not heard from me for a decade.

http://amylamsg.com/2010/12/09/simply-this-moment/ 

The Studios Online: A Good Death – hosted by The Studios and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. A palliative care doctor, as she journeys with her patients, opening up to her about their hopes&fears while her own family conflicts over what is best for their ageing parent. Rather depressing, but the reality of life is that we all die; how you lived your life+your attitude will also effect how your face your ending days. Family Duet: a light-hearted multi-generational take on the seldom-asked questions about family life – did not get much of my attention, trying to get the message without success.

But life was taken way too soon from Tori 9yrs ago.

https://amylamsg.com/2011/05/30/in-memory-of-tori-mcgee/

Sun: God Pinse on this last Sun&last day in May to those marking this long weekend in Norway&around the world – tkx to 2nd born in Norway for the reminder of it being a public holiday there on this Christian holiday of Pentecost, which is celebrated the 49day after EasterSun. Reading a gator in the clouds this morning, must have been around too many FL-Gators – hahaha 

http://www.norsk-med-silje.com/blog/2014/6/9/god-pinse-but-what-is-pinse-all-about

Not having lived in SIN from 1965-1999, am not too familiar with the celebrities of that era. For me, the only familiar work from Dick Lee’s Home, which I like and is practically the national anthem here, anyone from SIN would probably know this song. Just discovered from the online concert that he wrote it in the late 1990s having lived sometime in Japan&HKG and was feeling homesick. Here is a touching video where you can hear what it is like to be homesick. 

Sad news from the US, so much unrest with protests, riots, curfews, looters, violence, etc happening there on top of the COVID-19 pandemic. Demonstrators rally has now spread to Europe in solidarity with US protesters – really depressing with all these news. 

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-31-20/index.html

Mon: welcome Jun2020 and hopefully there will not be too many increase of cases now that Phase 1 of CB is opening here tomorrow. Going to be a real busy week for the family in SC/USA with #1s PromDinner, graduation and family vacation to GA.

The below link has NOTHING to do with religion for me, its about hopes for PEACE and if prayers help and or work, just do it. Prayers&thoughts are with all in the USA and around the world. For all my life, I have always hoped&prayed for PEACE ON EARTH and will never stop hoping&praying for that. Here is where John Lennon’s Imagine is so needed.

https://cbs12.com/news/local/police-take-a-knee-in-solidarity-prayer-with-protesters-in-coral-gables

Oh no! PP added to list of public places visited by COVID-19 cases (Wed 20May between 1400-1500hrs) while infectious – was last there Fri22May (1100-1400hrs), 10days ago!!

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/moh-places-visited-covid-19-may-31-parkway-parade-12788566

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 109. L&M paternal grandfather John HALD III 97 today. Happy Bday AmyJ
21 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