31 May 2021: So Long May2021

Fri: TGIF on this day in 1937, 84yrs ago! GoldenGateBridge in SanFrancisco, CA/USA was opened to traffic, trivial info on this last Fri of the month.  The last time there was at the Recommissioning of the USSMIssouri May1986 – another lifetime & a different person ago!

I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Sat: tkx to AudreyW for visit and for this most delicious AyamBuahKeluak – chicken cooked with the nuts from the kepayang/PangiumEdule, a mangrove tree. The fresh fruit and seeds contain hydrogen cyanide and are deadly poisonous if consumed without prior preparation. Have not had this dish for a long while and could not wait till dinner, had to taste a bite and it is out of this world. It’s also one of the favorite dishes of SINs founding PM-LKY and his son, LHL who is now SINs PM.

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-05-16_111918.html

The contents of the nut is dug out and sautéed with aromatics and seasonings, before it is stuffed back into the nuts. It is one of the most labour-intensive Peranakan dishes to prepare. Peranakan/Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia, inter-marrying with local Malays. This unique cuisine found mainly in this part of the world combines Chinese, Malay, Javanese&other influences.

Coincidently managed to discovered via AudreyW’s FBchat that the yummy dish is made by LionelChee who was also responsible for the foods at the events I organized 2decades ago. The food then was delicious and still is after tasting it again. Glad to reconnect and now he has a take-away&delivery menu.

Sun: amazing that I can still enjoy these cut-flowers received a week ago – so snipping the bottom and changing water daily does help. Probably most important was that they were very fresh when purchased, tkx again Aileen & Adeline. Productive&quiet day, managed to order 3Bdays+1Anniversary gifts online from Wine&Country for Jun/Jul, not too exciting gifts for the flock, but better than a card!

Mon: honouring and in memory of those who died while serving in the US military on this Memorial Day.

Haircut with Helen@Roots/EliasMall – glad to get a decent short cut at the back of the head especially with this hot humid weather. Pix credits to Helen.

Marking the last day of this month with a scrumptious Peranakan dinner –  BeefReadang, NasiUlam, BluePeaRice, AyamBuahKeluak, AssamStingRay, ChapChye & DryLaksa, prepared by Lionel from CasaBomVentoExpress who I have not seen for 2decades. Tkx for delivery, nice to catch up and will definitely order the AssamStingRay again. Pix credits to Helen.

Tkx Calvin for this bike –  I think I should be able to keep it since it matches so well with my outfit – hahaha. Pix credits to Helen.

31May2021: WorldOmeter of COVID-19 deaths are as follow:

SIN/pop 5.6+mil in an area of 721SqKm – 33
SC/USA/pop 5+mil in an area of 82, 932SqKm – 9,732
Norway/pop 5.3+mil in an area of 365,268SqKm – 783

27 May 2021 – Paya-Lebar-Airport

Mon: appreciations to Aileen for catching up with  yummy take-away-SINbreakfast of CarrotCake, CheeCheongFun&Congee from Marine-Terrace-Market – thank you for beautiful flowers (pink Lisianthus from Adeline&lilac Dendrobium orchids from Aileen), am sooo totally blessed.

BE SAFE and stay home! Any country with 4-walls that enclose you with harmony&peace is home:

Peace•Vrede•Paqe•سلام•Свет•Мир•Pau•平和 •Mir•Fred•Vrede•

Rahu•Kapayapaan•Rauha•Paix•Paz•Frieden•Ειρήνη•Lapè•שלום•

शांति•Béke•Friður•Perdamaian•Síochána•Pace•평•Miers•Taikos•

Мир•Keamanan•Paċi•صلح•Pokój•Amani•ความ สงบสุข•Barış•

Світ•Hòa •Heddwch•פרידן•

Tue: grateful to YipYewChong for his share&reminder of Paya-Lebar-Airport. Memories of father seeing me off for my further studies to Ireland on the VC10 (pix downloaded) in 1965. He sure looked happy here, probably such a relief to get rid of me – hahaha! Liked the mosaic mural there, and would appreciate if anyone has B/W or colour pix to share. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/into-the-vault/a-flight-to-remember-14835636

Thank you for all the comments from FB-posting –  interesting to hear about all the 60s-70s flying days, especially when it is our 1st overseas flight! Such a different time&era where flying was exciting! Nowadays I dread it and the only reason I fly is that it is the fastest way from point A-B-C etc… you have to be a member of the FB-group-Nostalgic-SIN to view the FB link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/48000673979/permalink/10159465870973980/?comment_id=10159467133343980&reply_comment_id=10159469302698980&notif_id=1621570052359604&notif_t=group_comment&ref=notif

Appreciations to MohdHishamSalim for the mosaic and to JudoYeo for the mushroom, but somehow unlike the mosaic-wall-mural, the mushroom info-counter did not stick in my mind then, only discover it when searching for pix – pix of PL-Airport (except the one of my father) downloaded.

Edited 27Aug2021: appreciations to Wong Fang Chin for the below link.

https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-17/issue-2/jul-sep-2021/murals

Wed: Happy VesakDay to those marking the day, a public holiday here in SIN. It is a celebration of Buddha’s birthday and, for some Buddhists, marks his enlightenment. It was over 2decades when was first introduced to a British monk, AjahnBrahm who inspired me with this talks. Do not consider myself a Buddhist, but then for me, Buddhism is not a religion or faith but more a philosophy of life! Also 2021’s 1st total Lunar-Eclipse, a Super-Flower-Blood-Moon tonight. Looking forward to seeing pix of this from Moon-Watchers with good cameras, ie if not too cloudy! Tkx to Jo for dinner tonight

Taking pictures is savoring life intensely every hundredth of a second – Marc Riboud

Thu: taking care of paper work (LPA) at the lawyer’s office, advisable to get these done when the mind is still in tact so as to save problems and or misunderstanding issues for the family, especially when they are thousands of miles away! Beautiful bonsai, especially this bamboo. Read this and it is news to me – while bonsai plants are beautiful to look at, they are not particularly auspicious to keep at home. Vastu experts say that it is best to avoid placing this plant anywhere at home. It symbolises slow or stunted growth and might interfere with the lifecycle of the inhabitants…

To have a garden is to believe in tomorrow’, but to have a Bonsai-Garden is to believe in many tomorrows.

Walked by OasicHotel, admiring the creepers growing on the metal framework – it was in 2016 when it was opened and not so green then!

Decided to pick up a salad (Howdy S$13.30), since I just missed bus196 on RobinsonRd, and Salad-Stop was just by the bus-stop – portion was big enough for lunch&dinner. Again did not plan or had any intentions to get take-away, but just wanted to help ppl to hopefully keep their jobs! Even lunch-hour@CBD was quiet with hardly anyone out – practically empty bus and feels like life is going in slow-motion, very pleasant for me, but not good for the economy.

23 May 2021: More Health Issues

Fri: not sure if I should be saying TGIF, but would still like to wish everyone a good weekend. With these recent numbers of COVID-19cases+a Dengue case reported in my block and as I am writing this, I am also hearing a funeral service downstairs in the common area! Plx take care&be vigilant, ie stay home!!

Have not been out of my 4-walls since Mon, but had to be out today to collect my meds@FarrerPk&app@SGH, very efficient in&out in less than an hour@SGH. More apps ahead for next month – the domino effects of age&health-issues, c’est la vie! Buses48&196&MRTFarrer-OutramPk were practically empty. Was rather pleasantly surprised to hear that the shuttle-bus-driver to SGH had Symphony92.4FM on, the station I am usually tuned to.

Because of my skin-type, scars have always keloid for me. Dermatix usual price in the stores S$80+ but bc I got it at SGH, S$70.10 and CICA-Care usual price S$70+, with my MedekaCard S$60.25. These over-the-counter products are not consider necessary, thus not government subsidized, quite rightly so. 1st time trying them, so will see if they work – the scar today, will compare it after using these products a month from now!

Since I was out, dropped by at the outdoor market to pick up a fresh ginger drink. Feel so sorry for all our stalls and ppl trying to make a living – tough times ahead. Had no intentions of getting any take-aways as I do have food, but wanted to help – the usual rice with 2veggie+1meat used to cost S$2.90 when I moved here, it is now S$3.50, not complaining, paying willingly.

Sat: appreciations to niece&nephew for their co+yummy dinner delivered from IndoChili.

Found Kedondong (Spondias dulcis/ambarella)@the local fruit stall across the road and made juice for the weekend. In the midst of our daily lives, we must find the juice to nourish our creative souls – Sark 

Sun: thank you to Adeline&Isabella for visit with lunch&cake to celebrate Yasmine’s Bday who is in our thoughts today even though she is thousands of miles away. Happy Bday Yasmine, be safe in London.

From Garry22May: Trip around the block #13. Off to Kakadu. Jackson arrived for 6 days r&r. His keeness to see/do as much as possible prompted an increased level of activity on my part but did leave me a little bit stuffed! Great fun.

20 May 2021: Between-Handsome-Young-Men

Mon: today is the National Day & a public holiday in Norway. Happy 17May to those celebrating Norway’s Bday when the NorwegianConstitution was signed in Eidsvoll/Norway on 17May1814. Today’s lunch&dinner – salmon&salmon+shrimps&meatballs from IKEA.

For us in SIN, a new week ahead with new measures under tighter restrictions to observe. Social gatherings capped at 2ppl, no dining in, so only take-aways from now! With infographic like the above, will definitely stay mainly within my 4-walls where indoors are concerned except for groceries&medical app.

This news is worrying – Covid-19 is airborne, scientists say. Now, the authorities think so, too.

Tue: Happy 56thWedding-Anniversary to Lawrence&Mabel, of course I remember the day, the only time I was a bridesmaid. The occasion was at the ROM, do not even remember if there was a lunch-reception or dinner (do not have any lunch or dinner pix on my side).

1956-Lawrence left SIN for his studies&work in Ireland&UK and did not return until 1964. In those days it was not that easy to travel around and I did not see him for 8yrs. Mother’s 1stEU trip was in 1963 when she could be with the other 4siblings. Her next trip was 1964, when father flew her to Guy’s Hospital/London and her final trip was back to SIN where her lung cancer had spread to her brains and she passed away in Jun1965, less than a month after their wedding.

Jul1965, I was sent off to boarding school in Dublin/Ireland – a very traumatic&sad stage in my life-journey.

Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence – Levine

Wed: sorting out old pix and found this from 2016/Norway, again between 2handsome young men, hahaha! Happy Birthday Christian in Norway but do wonder where Magnus is nowadays? Another pix from 2014 with Chris&Christian – I think I will title a new folder Between-Handsome-Young-Men – lol, need some humour considering the  circumstances nowadays!!

Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self – Eleanor Brownn

It is not enough with India’s continuing to grapple with a major spike of COVID-19cases+an outbreak of BlackFungus, and now with severe CycloneTauktae slamming into Gujarat/India??? Prayers&thoughts are out to all affected. Pix downloaded

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/05/17/tauktau-cycone-india-gujarat/

On top of the pandemic+natural disasters, now also war between Israel&Hamas?? What is happening in this world?

Thu: sharing some old pix downloaded from my previous blog postings, the ones where KellerPianoCo was once in OrchardRd bringing back nostalgic childhood memories of walking into that shop on the old wooden squeaky floor.

Might still have some music scores bought from there if I have the energy to go thru’ all of them! Today, all that is left from that shop is a green corner area with a grey electrical or gas box and the drain is still there.B/Wpix downloaded.

https://amylamsg.com/2014/11/11/orchard-gateway/

Interesting history&stories from OrchardRd: https://mothership.sg/2014/12/the-history-of-orchard-road-behind-the-concrete-glass/

Has it been 6yrs! ago since #5&6 of the flock are done with pre-schools?? Now way into their elementary schools and soon can count their years with 2digitals!!

16 May 2021: AT TrailDays/Damascus, VA/USA

Thu: Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all celebrating&marking the day, a public holiday in SIN. May PEACE be upon all in these difficult&turbulence times. For those who are not aware, the festival of Eid/Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls on the first day of Syawal, 10th month of the Hijrah/Islamic calendar. It is a celebratory occasion following the fasting month of Ramadan. HariRaya is Malay for big/grand day of rejoicing. For me its the all the yummy food – hahaha

Appreciations for yet another yummy dinner of YauMeiFan 有味饭=flavourful rice in Cantonese. Am impressed with my young grandnephew, Darryl who made this dinner. Niece Daisy did well with bringing him up.

My contribution, another cake from the same location as the last one, but this time round, a chocolate cake which was misleading being covered with white cream and a cute unicorn, now in my kitchen for good luck – lol

Fri: on bus196 passing by MountbattenRd, glad to see that this house and the name given by me to this house is BigFoot which has recently been repainted since my last shot! https://amylamsg.com/2018/03/01/mountbatten-road/  App@SGH and tkx for another yummy steak dinner@Theresa&ChengJun, my contribution, Norwegain smoked salmon on cream-cheese with chives on sweet-peas&mini blinis garnished with lemons – an early 17May celebration for me.

Sat: an early walk&breakfast@my favourite CheeCheongFun with Calvin&Helen was done before the sky opened up. Appreciations for breakfast&pix credits to Helen. One more get-together of more than 2ppl before the tighter measures kick in tomorrow!

Appreciations for last night’s yummy home-made dinner with delicious fresh fish hooked by bro Leslie on his fishing-trip. Who knows when we will be able to get together again with more than 2guests in a household?? Tkx to MeiPin for driving.

Another lovely evening in the gazebo where the smoke of cigars brought back much fond memories of my father.

Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ve fed him for a lifetime – Confucius

Sun: Oh how I miss all my AT hiking buddies this 2021AT-TrailDays Thanks to Karen/Wiggs for her share of the 2above pix.

2018 was the last one attended and it was Bear’s final TrailDays, may he RIP. Hopefully I will still have more TrailDays ahead! https://amylamsg.com/2018/05/19/trail-days-2018/

A day to gather my thoughts to deal with health issues before a new week ahead with new measures under tighter restrictions to observe. Social gatherings capped at 2ppl, no dining in, so only take-aways from now! Pix downloaded.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-covid-19-measures-singapore-dining-in-group-sizes-14808564

12 May 2021 – Dale Chihuly’s Glass In Bloom

Sun: Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers. In loving memory of my mother TSANG MayLan (1911-1965) who also was my 1st piano teacher and up to today, the piano is still the instrument I play to console&control my moods.

Gratitude to my 2beautiful daughters Linn&May who have made me a proud mother&grandmother and who are also wonderful mothers to my 6grandchildren. This mug is a gift from them sometime during our stay in the USAdays. Sweet memories from when they used to ask me what I wanted for Bdays&Christmas. And to their frustrations, my answer would always be good children! Still they managed to get this precious gift that has been with me since their school days!! The only time&pix of them paying respects to their grandparents in MandaiColumbarium/SIN1999.

Mon: a very efficient&productive day, in&out of SGH within less than an hour, new bus/shuttle stop is taking shape there. New battery@Bugis for my SwatchWatch – has been dead of a couple of days, but had to return to Swatch for free battery as long as the watch is capable to receive it! @MPCC for a new TraceTogetherToken/TTT, again, battery dead, but instead to changing the battery, was given a new one, but had to return the old one.

Mon&Tue: good one from DrPP for the MondayBlues, and a downloaded one for the present hot&humid weathers outside! Am impressed&pleased with Nana (one of the staffs@The Gardens) who returned my call and kept me updated as to how crowded The Gardens will be for my visit tomorrow.

Wed: headed early into town, started walking from CustomHouse along The Promontory@MarinaBay to capture different angles of MBS.

Continuing on MarinaBlvd crossing Bayfront&ShearesAve

Turning into the Gardens to discover that these outdoor displays at The Meadows&SereneGarden are behind fences and was too early to get near them. Had to be content with zooming in between the fences.

EtherealWhitePersians, RedBamboosReeds, PalazzoDucaleTower.

1st person I met today with a camera as I headed closer to DragonFlyBridge – like you can get lost when MBS is visible in nearly every direction you look!!

FloatBoat&Floats – do remember these from one of my visits back to FL/USA after returning to SIN to live&work in 1999.

Crossing the bridge, amazed with these palm-trees with such colourful nuts, beautiful delicate pink blooms with The SIN-Flyer in the background.

Looking back, with good memories of our staycation there 1+yr ago when the family was visiting.

Inside the FlowerDome, Chihuly was the main reason for this visit, but since there might as well take a stroll to enjoy this revisit – random pix of some of these permanent fixtures!

What day is it? asked Pooh. It’s today, squeaked Piglet. My favorite day, said Pooh.

The Japanese do like polka-dots! TalkToMyHand is my name for this cactus!! 1st time taking the elevator down, took the stairs on previous visits!

ElectricYellow&DeepCoralTower, WhiteTower,

ErbiumReeds&TrumpetFlowers, NeodymiumReeds.

Do wonder the cost of renting this venue? So long for now until the next visit, appreciations to all who are working relentlessly to keep this place in immaculate top conditions.

Inside the CloudForest – random pix from CloudWalk.

SecretGarden

CloudForestPersians, RubyRedChandelier, UraniumGreenChandelier

LostWorld – FioriVerde. What a wonderful morning, such an enjoyable visit to these 2 enclosed areas with only a handful of ppl, thus managed to shoot these pix without anyone in the way, a walk from 0700-1200hrs. Appreciations to the blog below covering the whole exhibition+night scenes with amazing pix.

https://dejiki.com/2021/05/gardens-by-the-bay-dale-chihuly-glass-in-bloom-review-walkthrough/

Continued walking along the river to get to a bus-stop – after HelixBridge to catch a bus to do some grocery. Glad this was a short walk as the sun was scorching by now.

Had fun testing out all these percussion instruments@ActiveGarden. The grandkids would have enjoyed this garden.

Edited 30May2021: 7pix credits to DennisQuek – seen from different angles with different eyes. These are pieces of arts and so is his photography.

Appreciations for his permission to include them here.

8 May 2021 – Esplanade Bus-Stop

Wed: to friends&ppl in Mexico, prayers&thoughts are out to those who are effected by railway bridge collapses, no way to celebrate CincoDeMayo, but they do not celebrate that in Mexico!  Karin&Guillermo, pray that all their family&friends are safe there, but they are now in the US where they do celebrate CincoDeMayo!!

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/05/04/world/mexico-train-metro-crash

Thu: SGH appointments are not always that boring&dreaded if moods&physically conditions are up to taking the mind off the health issues to focus on the surroundings. If I take bus36, will change to bus75@StopID:02061-Esplanade where I have good views of the Flyer and StamfordRd ahead.

And if taking bus196, will change to bus75@StopID:03019–OUE Bayfront, another stop tastefully designed to fit in to the surroundings.

Not only Dale Chihuly’s PaintBrush Tower (not sure this will be a new permanent feature added here or just temporary?) can be seen within a mins walk from this bus stop recently – a stop I would sometimes choose to change at for the CBD scenes. Also a bus stop where I can enjoy wandering just within a few steps to check out the arts&surroundings to see what is new.

Pembungaan=Blossoming in Malay, bronze mural (2011) by KumariNahappan. Rodin (1840-1917) The Thinker (1902) is where I think, therefore I am!

TóngLè’sPrivateDining – revolving restaurant with views serving traditional Chinese fare at OUE-Tower. AscottRafflesPlace – luxury serviced apartments.

Bus75 stops@StopID:06011 on OutramRd where the FOCshuttle (good regular service) there will take me into the hospital grounds. The stop&it’s surroundings now are under much construction at present, but do look forward to when this is completed.

It ought to be plain how little you gain by getting excited and vexed. You’ll always be late for the previous train/bus and always on time for the next – Piet Hein.

Fri: tkx to Clem for downloading: My Father – Hopkins’s brilliant portrayal of dementia father where it ends with him saying that he is losing his leaves! Sad&depressing, but the reality of life for caregivers with dementia relatives&patients.

This film received 6 nominations in total including the 93rd AcademyAwards, he won Best Actor; Zeller&Hampton won Best Adapted Screenplay.

Sat: tkx to Daisy for a lovely family steamboat dinner to celebrate Darryl’s completing his NS. Proud of this young handsome grand-nephew who will be starting with an internship here in SIN and then when situation improves, will continue his further studies in Sydney/Australia.

Abundance of yummy food, typical of the LAM family where food is concerned! My contribution, a cake (for all the celebrations in May, including tomorrow’s Mother’s Day!) was hoping to get one@The BakeryChef, unfortunately it was closed, this one from a bakery by NTUC@BukitMerahCentral.

From Garry5May: Trip around the block #10. I wrote a post on Anzac Day while off-line with an assurance from Mr FB that it would be posted when I was next online. Did not happen and it has wafted into the either. Mine you, I have been out of range for 10 days.. So a few catch up pics.

Was getting concerned without any of his DownUnder–OutBack pix or words for so many days, and the 1st pix he sent me was this map-drinkcoaster after 10-MIA-days! Heading north from Alice its impossible to miss these statues of an Aboriginal woman and child, and the man on the hill.

Devils Marbles – Much of this area is of cultural significance, especially to Aboriginal women and photos are not allowed. These pics are from the areas allowed to pe photographed.

Every roadhouse has a claim to something

Daly Waters pub ready for a big Anzac Day

Many petrol stops now have these above ground shi]ing container-like petrol storage