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

21 Oct 2022: Wandering&Meandering About&Around

Tue: happenings yesterday, Mon but did not have time to post, better late than never! Running errands at BugisJct and sad to see that the fountain there is now out of bounds. Looking back with fond memories at the time there with #6 while his mother was shopping(Feb2020)and I had him to myself with towel&change of clothes ready. Oh well! perhaps some accident happened and things need to change, will always have this pix to remember&see how much fun it was for him to experience this fountain when it was possible.

Glad to find Daiso there to pick up odds&ends. Its been a long time ago since last crossing this shopping overhead link-bridge to now Bugis+formally Iluma, when it was opened in 2009. https://amylamsg.com/2009/09/24/ilumia/ Bought 2Uniqlo round shoulder bags/black&blueS$39.80 – needed light smaller easy to reach bags fitting in the basic real necessities instead of blindly groping into backpack or bigger-bag for buscard,other cards&phone.

Tkx to Helen for my fav ice-cream@FortuneCentre, belated NationalDessertDay, but always in time to eat this ice-cream anytime, any day! Ben&Jerry’s CoffeeCoffeeBuzzBuzzBuzz, most appropriate for my new buzz-hair – hahaha. They have taken away this flavour from the few Ben&Jerry’s here and this is the only location, tkx to Clement for the find. Everything slows down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream to reach your hips…

Short walk to CC via LASALLE College of the Arts as she has not been inside. Nice to discover another of BroJoe’s sculpture, BlackHole, do not remember seeing this at the opening in 2007? But then 15yrs! was a long time ago, and with the crowds, etc have probably overlooked this amazing sculpture.

Appreciations to Calvin&friends for more food@CC, hi to Zoey&THEN ChihWay and will certainly remember someone with a family name THEN! And he was in NS with others named SO and HOW, making them SO THEN HOW – lol. Walked to the jcts of Serangoon, Selegie, BkTimah, Sungei, RochorCanal roads (downloaded jct-pix from JeromeLim) to check out the lights, the best spot to take pix without walking down LIttleIndia/SerangoonRd – to be posted for Deepavali.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-police-to-be-deployed-in-little-india-over-deepavali-weekend-for-crowd-and-traffic-control

Wed&Thu: tkx to Clement for brunch@BedokInterChangeHawkers, he is on his way to The BanyanTreeResort/Bintan(opened 1995) for the weekend while I am running more errands before the weekend&public holiday crowds.

Do remember vividly staying in luxury for a relaxing weekend there 1996(long before blog-postings), in a 2bedrooms OceanviewInfinityPoolVilla, which was affordable as working for a travel co in Orlando,FL/USA then and was charged IATA rates, otherwise would not be able to have had such a wonderful experience.

Fri: TGIF and enjoy the long weekend for those who live where Deepavali is celebrated&marked. Wandering&meandering around to do errands&meet ppl the past week to avoid crowds during weekend&public holiday. Istana entrance taken from IstanaPk. The DeepavaliIstanaOpenHouse will be on Mon from 0830-1800hrs and will be open to all visitors.

Spotlight@PlazaSIN has completely changed their layout taking a longer time to find a few accessories needed for sewing, still prefer the choices of fabrics@ArabSt. Nice pop-up stalls outside the Kopitiam. Like the idea that I can slowly enjoy&taste these teas without any of the sales-pitch, ie there was no one to man the stall, but 3thermos+disposible cups were there for anyone wanting to taste with a code to scan if you have questions or for purchases.

Why buy it for $7 when you can make it yourself for $92 of craft supplies – hahaha

17 Oct 2022: Mr Harrigan’s Phone

Fri: Happy National Dessert Day, an excuse to indulge with your favourite dessert – too many favourties to decide, depending on the mood! Ice cream never disappoint, especially my fav Ben&Jerry’s CoffeeCoffee.

On Netflix MrHarrigan’sPhone – a boy and an aging billionaire bonding over books and their first iphone – genres stated drama, but read after the movie that is a teen horror drama film based on the novella by StephenKing from the collection If It Bleeds. If I had read that first, StephenKing, horror! would not have watched it, but glad that did not read first as it got me reflecting to check if certain thoughts have changed?

Would not consider it a horror movie. Can relate to MrH who chooses to live alone and his comment about the danger of false info becoming common&accepted as true. A good advise from him to Craig was that he will dispatch enemies with haste and feel no guilt. When Craig asked his teacher about ghost and she replied that one should not summon the dead unless they want an answer and that not all ghost are holy. When the Gods Wish to Punish Us, They Answer Our Prayers – Oscar Wilde

Movie based on true story – Heaven Is For Real, a true story about a 4yr Colton who visits heaven during a high-risk operation on his burst appendix. https://amylamsg.com/2019/05/20/imagine-theres-no-countries/

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today…

Have recently read that so far there are 4,200religions, but prefer to keep to a minimum words about them in my blog postings. Thoughts&feelings regarding the differences of beliefs,rituals,religions,etc are usually personal&subjective. Have learnt&experienced that it is usually not constructive discussing about them unless ppl can respect,share&learn from the differences, ie being objective&open. https://amylamsg.com/2014/05/01/beliefs-religions-rituals/

Beliefs,faith,hopes,religions,rituals etc vs logic&reality – is that possible? As DeniseS puts it so eloquently – Our humanness makes us vulnerable and we all seek solace in different ways. I suppose it depends on the devils that haunt one from life’s experiences that determine what manner of solace we choose.

https://amylamsg.com/2011/08/22/if-religion-is-a-thing/

Re-reading some of these past blog postings and some from more than a decade ago, and perhaps the mind may have matured now – hahaha! Thoughts have not changed much, but more important that the mind is now more open to admit not believing does not mean that it does not exist for others who believe.

https://amylamsg.com/2010/12/18/rituals/

Sat: appreciations&tkx and congratulations to LynnWongYQ for a great book launch in Chinatown – Reviving QiXi, looking forward to reading this signed copy of the interesting bi-lingual(Chinese/English)forgotten SevenSistersFestival.

Nice to catch up with Ernest & Victor; PatrickYee’s impression on how QiXi was at SaiBakMun/NorthwestGate西北門in the 1930s, now Habourfront. Could not resist shooting today’s real photographer – would have fallen and unable to get up if this camera was hanging around my neck!

Delighted to meet ChooLS who has a pix of 5TemenggongRd from the 1950s, excited to see it and hope that he will find the time to share it.

Views from 5TemenggongRd 1950s&2000s are shared on pp146,155&156 where growing up with 3grandmothers when every such festivals, rituals, etc were marked with all kinds of foods&offerings. Great fun for the kids, usually not having the slightest clue what they were about, thus just good memories transported back in time. Now looking forward to learning more from the book.

Chinatown is as usual full of life with various activities, including a wedding despite of the high-wave of Covid-infections. Today’s launch&walk-abouts were all outdoors, except for the bus-rides to&fro, where masks still have to be worn and sensibly so.

Sun&Mon: with the 4-walls more or less back to normal with a slight change, now more time to prepare foods which are time-demanding. SmokedSalmonLadybugs on cucumber&creamcheese with chives, made of cherry tomatoes&blueberries garnished with dill, black-sesame-seeds take time to prepare, but only a few seconds to eat- hahaha. Annette suggested black olives, and good idea for those who like that, personally, the smoked salmon is savoury as it is and I prefer contrast of the sweet blueberries.

13 Oct 2022: Hello Garry

Mon: successful day for family@SungeiBuloh, while it was another laundry morning+follow-up appt@SGH and no complications after tonsillectomy. Watching #6 enjoying one more night dip with his new water toys and some advance Halloween cakes before his flight tomorrow.

Tue: tkx to Clement for one more basket(10) 小籠包 XiaoLongBao from #6’s favourite place 鼎泰豐 DinTaiFung with a robot directing us to out table. The record for XiaoLongBao is held by Kiera who ate 22, ie 2+baskets – wow! difficult to beat that!! Ready now for their long flight via Finland back to Norway – no direct flights from SIN-OSL.

Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end; it simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again…

Wed: is it possible that it has been 6+yrs ago??? and it was also a Wed in Mar2016 when Garry&I last met and on transit with champagne-picnic-basket@ChangiAirportT1, but this time round just Bfast@TheHainanStory海南寶ChapterOne/Hotel Boss as he had an overnight stay. No champagne or solving world’s problems this time round, hahaha but great to catch up with his driving trip in Australia and the new apt in Sydney.

Mar2016: : how lovely to be able to catch up with Garry on transit. Enjoyed a nice chat and picnic with him at T1 viewing gallery where we did not have to deal with the lunch crowds or the noise. Unable to solve the world’s problems this time round, but the Kinetic Rain there never fail to fascinate me.

Nov2008: Garry in Norway – https://amylamsg.com/2008/11/04/signs/

Jul2010: visit to Bali – https://amylamsg.com/2010/07/09/bali1/

Safe onward journeys to Garry and until we meet again. Perhaps then, will our cards be in better position to trump over evil the next time round.

Thu: airing&sunning cushions, floor-rugs, mattresses, etc – make hay while the sun shines despite that mattresses are not made of hay! nowadays, it shines mainly in the morning, but somehow today there was no rain all day, perfect day for autumn-cleaning. Most of the laundry done, ready to be stored until the next visit.

2Halloween basketsUS$80 taken care of to be delivered to family in SC/USA. Convenient with online shopping and WineCountryGiftBaskets/USA where they have all the addresses used by me in their system, must have been using them the past 2decades.

First time hair was buzzed was just before AT-thru’hike/USA May2005, tkx to Dee then. Time for another buzz, now its all white! in anticipation to hopefully get in shape for another thru’hike/bike/drive in Aug/Sep2023@PEI/Canada. Much to read&research with mental&physcial preparations ahead and the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

9 Oct 2022 – Treetops Executive Residences

Wed: rain or shine, there is always some silver lining – trust an 11yrs old to find it and be it despite that his mormor=maternal grandmother in Norwegian voicing her concerns that one of the tanker-ships being too near to the shore!

Moving on to TreetopsServiceApts where a pool is easily accessible is a good idea, and this youngest grandson is certainly related to his mormor, hahaha – here all ready unpacked by himself with his clothes folded&placed tidily in the closet.

2+2k walk to&from KK for is no problem for these Norwegians bearing gift from the mountains in Norway, causing some stares along Orchard&ScottsRd. Met with the L&M’s Danish/Norwegian uncle, EspenPoulsson(their paternal grandmother’s branch) who has been living&working in SIN for the past 19yrs! Forgot to take pix, but hopefully will catch up over the weekend.

Thu: his mother had to work while the guys went hiking with KK&guests at TheSouthernRidges+TemenggongRd. AirZone@CitySqMall was a great success for #6 but mormor was walking up&down the escalators this time round after learning from the last round with grandnieces,Devon&Eliot in Jan2022 that walking on these nets was not a good idea at this stage in life!! Glad to be able to use up the last of the 4tickets. To end the evening with ppl he calls my friends-lol for dinner@DinTaiFung with gifts+arcade games must have really made his day.

Fri: Happy 80th to a dearest brother, Leslie – started the day with early personal delivery of our gifts; NorwegianGravlaks, 80steamed mini CharShuiBaos叉燒包 and 8Sunflowers.

Appreciations&thanks to Leslie, a wonderful brother here with his immediate family+sisters,nieces,nephews,grandnieces,grandnephews(Kat/daughter returning from the USA,Albert/sil breaking his work trip,May&family/niece from Norway) for his 80thBday bash gathering of his family&friends(~110ppl).

Family pix credits to Jessie:
BackRow L-R OrangeGen
Sue,PatLynn&David,Clement,Judy,Adeline&Lee,Kat,Patricia&Albert,May&Bjørn
MiddleRowSitting L-R GreenGen
Jo,Leslie&Ivy,me
FrontRow L-R PurpleGen
Lucas,Beth,Stanley,Kiera,Isebella,Olai

Yummy foods&drinks and a great night was enjoyed by all@Angie’sOysterBar&Grill

This is as Elegant Attire as it can get for me hahaha, not an IssyMiyake outfit, not as far as I know as it was sold by some young ppl@BedokInterchange,S$50. Pix credits of Les&Ivy to Kat – EpiphyllumOxypetalum or KengHwa(what my paternal grandmother called them and we had them thru’out my childhood days)which bloomed when they returned home from the party – sign of good luck.

https://flowerpowerdaily.com/tan-hua-flower-becomes-a-star-thanks-to-crazy-rich-asians/

Sat: appreciations to EsbenPoulsson for his invite and for his book signed&presented to 2ndBorn. What a coincident that he lives in the same block as Patricia&Albert. Took #6 back to Treetops for a swim before dinner, as it is he is soo good with much patience to be the only child amongst all these grown-ups chatting away.

Tkx to Les&Ivy, the celebrations continue with another yummy Chinese dinner @ParadiseTeochewRestaurant/ScottsSquare, surprisingly this is the only pix for their family(missing Devon&Eliot), somehow the photographers last night overlooked the details as to who is who!

烧乳猪RoastedSucklingPig-one of the best suckling piglet I have tasted done to perfection, 蒸鲳鱼SteamedPomfret-freshest yummy pomfret, XO酱开边龙虾焖面StewedMeePok with Lobster in XO Sauce

This was one of the most delicious KurobutaPork, here served here with giant scallions, beautifully presented with edible flowers complimenting with this red from Les’s wine cellar.

卤味三拼盘 BraisedTrioCombinationPlatter,石斛花胶炖鸡汤 Double-boiledChickenSoup with Fish Maw, 福果甜芋泥 MashedYam with Gingko

Sun: tkx for DimSumLunch to Pat&David@ParadiseTeochew/ScottsSq. Nice of Beth to make this drawing for #6, the kids could really finished a tower of 小籠包 Xiaolongbao.

Some hours to rest@Treetops before heading into the CBD for dinner. Appreciations to KK for dinner@BengThinHoonKeeRestaurant 茗珍奋记菜馆, first time in this location, had to ask for directions there! Good to catch up with Alex from London/UK and nice to meet Jim&Suzy from VancouverIsland/Canada on this CanadianThanksgivingDay. #6 was not feeling well, his father left early with him. CBD on a Sunday night is like a ghost town and indeed a pleasant&needed quiet evening full-moon-walk after all these foods.

A good family is like an old recipe. You just keep making tweaks until you get it right. A family that eats s’mores together sticks together.

4 Oct 2022: Hello Family From Norway

Sat: hello Oct, after talking on the phone yesterday with Starhub to learn that I had to be there in person to renew the SeniorPlan S$9monthly is worth it even when it means being at the location@Bugis 1045hrs(opening 11.00hrs). There was already a line ahead of me, 1000hrs brunch@my regular BakChorMee-haunt across the road first expecting to wait@Starhub. After an hour wait, was done in 5mins. The sky opened up on the bus, no umbrella was needed – shaded bus stop all the way back to my 4-walls where all the beds are ready for family!

ChangiAirportJewel: a bite@FoodRepublicS$12 so-so food but managed to get O’s favourite mini pineapples&candies@FairpriceFinest.

ChangiAirportT1Arrival: crowded – in future, if I ever have to be there to meet anyone, will bring my own Helinox chair to wait in this GreenArea and hopfully not be chased away! All’s well that ends well – family from Norway arrived safe&sound as scheduled, now they will need to adapt to food,time,weather, etc for their short visit here.

Dinner@neighbourhood’s ZiChar was too much, but #6 still managed to finish his favourite dish.

Sun: his morning view taken by him on his new camera – bday present from his parents.

A successful morning dip in the sea – pix credits to his mother, this grandmother is too much of a whimp to be near or in the weekend crowd.

#6 favourite food小籠包 Xiaolongbao from his favourite place 鼎泰豐 DinTaiFung and yes he managed to finish all that using chopsticks and as he said, only way to eat this dish so as not to destroy the skin!

Mon: collection with his stuff including a new baseball+bat and a full face snorkeling mask  – the grandmother can now venture out on weekdays and can still throw ball, hahaha.

If I would have known that grandchildren were going to be so much fun I would have had them first 

This mask is quite amazing, got me thinking about when there were only 4 such masks small enough they could use for the ThamLuangNangNonCave recuse in 2018. MotherHen keeping an eye on her chick while he is testing out his new mask with success&satisfaction.

No matter how many times I have been down this ArabSt&HajiLn area, there is always something new to discover

and this time round, a new sculpture@ParkviewSq – now closed on Sun&Mon@Atlas, formal DivineWineBar.

https://amylamsg.com/2012/04/18/parkview-square/ https://amylamsg.com/2015/05/03/tourist-guiding-from-the-scarlet-hotel/

Tkx to nephew for yummy burger dinner@AndazLobbyCafe.

Tue: 2nd-born off to work and the guys to PulauUbin while I am trying to clean&tidy up with the drilling&hecking from somewhere upstairs who is doing some renovations – ear-plugs are most useful lately. Pix credits of the wild life@PulauUbin to #6