31 Oct 2024 – ByeBye October 2024

Mon: a good week ahead to all. Walking gives you the chance to see things at different angles, give your mind space to ponder – and no, will definitely not try to eat these mushrooms

Tkx to Chih Wey Then a professional journalist photographer for his amazing share of his Bioluminescent mushrooms in Singapore’s Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

And to PaulK for his input on this subject – It’s the underground fungi that are the most important. This book is a good introduction to the importance: https://www.merlinsheldrake.com/entangled-life

Tue: grocery shopping@Giant&MT-wet-market with appreciations to Jerome’s The Long And Winding Road posting sharing this B/Wpix – my 20+yrs old basket&Tingkat are still in use for grocery shopping&take-aways today tying my best to do my part!

If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us – Suzuki

Nice change to see these tentage temporary stalls both by the MP&MT MRT stations and bus stops – tried both the chicken&beef TurkishKerbab and preference is for the chicken.

Wed: thank you for the invite to the CognitionAwarenessDay2024

@ClinicalScienceBuilding /LKC-Medicine on MandalayRd for the talk+refreshments.

Was here a year ago as a volunteer for the DementiaResearch and since can still remember last year’s Oct appt and have not been called up for another appt this year should be good news – hahaha!

We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they’re called memories. Some take us forward, they’re called dreams – HG Wells

Thu: this last day of Oct is a public holiday here in SIN because of Deepavali – Happy Deepavali to those celebrating and may this festival of lights bring joy&peace to everyone. Will hopefully check out these lights and get into a MRT carriage with this art next week with Huang visiting – pix downloaded

If there is light in the soul, There will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, There will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, There will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, There will be peace in the world. — Chinese proverb

27 Oct 2024: Ostentatious Vs Hypocrisy

Thu: discovered that FairPriceXtra/ParkwayP offers oysters+wine on Fri – must give it a trial one of these Fridays! Today just to catch up with Gel since running errands here to learn that the BasementFoodCourt is closed for reno. Also to walk back&fro from my 4walls to cover ~8,000+steps under shade!

FairPrice Xtra Events | NTUC FairPrice

Picked up ready-made Thai food@MT-Hawker&Market/ChangThaiFoodS$13 for tonight and tomorrow – OK decent food.

Tonight’s downstairs wake rituals must be one of the nosiest&long lasting so far – annoying drumming of cymbals on-going monotonously for ~30mins. Am not usually bother but somehow tonight this was irritating! Had to close door&windows, on the AC and had Symphony92.4 on full blast – did not see any setup cage for burning, at least that is more interesting when there are beautiful paper-made-offerings and according to some other beliefs when ppl upon their death even buried their material goods with them. Who really knows? no one and no reliable sources have been there&back to tell…

When sil who believed&pracitsed these rituals passed, nieces&nephews being a good&filial children paid their respects by burning a paper mansion+whatever that might be needed in her after life! Today nephew jokes about never having to be homeless in his afterlife as he could stay with his mother! the irony of life!!

Most impressive paper mansion downloaded from below site…

A House for My Mother by Brian McDairmant – Brian McDairmant, Cinematographer

Fri&Sat: somehow tonight the noise sounded more for LionDance – turns out to be some anniversary of a temple(was there to ask, but forgot which temple!), maybe that was what Thu night was about too and I probably mistook it for a wake thinking that all the noise,etc will not bring back the dead! Had to go downstairs to find out despite not understanding anything, snap some shots and to be honest and with no knowledge of this culture, find it rather noisy&ostentatious – each to their own but to me ostentation is the signal flag of hypocrisy…

As far as I’m concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue – Albert Einstein

Appreciations to Seb for the link below – was wondering about why are these young guys were drinking&smoking like there is no tomorrow? So this give them the excuse to be drinking&smoking to be a medium possessed??

The Chinese Spirit-Medium: Ancient Rituals and Practices in a Modern World

Grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time – Reinhold Niebuhr

Nice to see these young ppl keeping active and good to see that there are some discreet lights up in some neighbours ready for the Deepavali. Never a dull moment when living in public housing – hahaha

Sun: with fond memories&thoughts of a gracious lady, my children’s paternal Norwegian grandmother Ellen Annemor Poulsson Hald(1924-2020) who would have been 100 today.

A thousand thanks for dinner@ImperialTreasure/Ion with speical foods(raw ingredients brought by our hostess for the chef to prepare) fit for ppl who know CantoneseCusine . My humble contribution was a starter-bite of the LadybugOn MarinatedSalmon – has been a long whole ago since last made!

and believe me besides YamPaste With GingkoNuts/Orh Nee 银杏芋泥, the other dishes and wine are not on the menu…

24 Oct 2024 – There Is A Season

Mon: oil slick and sheen is seen in surrounding waters due to leakage from a land-based pipeline between BukomIslanda&BukomKecil which happened early yesterday morning. Shell stopped the leak at source, placed containment booms off the site of the leak and deployed craft equipped with dispersants to clean up the oil sighted in the vicinity of the leak. MPA deployed 7 MPA craft to spray dispersants. As at 1800hrs yesterday, no new oil sightings were reported – maps&pix downloaded for the oil spill!

Should avoid swimming and other primary contact water activities near the beaches of EastCoast-Park, KusuIsland, StJohn’sIsland & LazarusIsland – NEA. No plans near or far for swimming or participating in any water-activities in these waters!

wild shores of singapore: Oil spill from Bukom refinery, 20 Oct 2024

Tue: brunch@IKEA/Tampines – crowded to be mid-week, will definitely not find me there on weekends! BumbleBeeCakeS$4.50 with thoughts of my flock’s IrmoHighSchool’s mascot/SC,USA 

Tkx to Aileen for gifts, good for the aging-tired-face! Appreciate finding heating-pads@Watsons – 1st-time/2005 using these after a bad fall from one of the most difficult miles@AT-Thru-Hike,MachoosucNotch/ME,USA helpful for sore muscles&cheaper than massages!

Up to today, the most significant challengers in this life journey are still the same as they were 20+yrs ago, ie – being a mother, completing AT-Thru-Hike and adapting&intregrating to whatever&wherever life journey takes and that is still ongoing everyday! Now content&grateful to reflect with good memories despite being less physically active.

Thu: congratulations to #4 inducted into the NationalHonorSociety@IrmoHighSchool/SC,USA. No problems to spot the tallest&blondest female in her class&running team – now nearly as tall as her older bro#3 bringing back memories when Linn was hospitalized with SepticPelvicThrombophlebitis/Jun2009. Both flock in Norway&USA makes this life journey worthwhile and keeps me looking forward…

Like all of us in this storm between birth and death, I can wreak no great changes on the world, only small changes for the better, I hope, in the lives of those I love – Dean Koontz

20 Oct 2024 – Heartbeat@Bedok

Thu: great to see the lively activities here at Heartbeat@BedokPolyclinic for appointed flu shot – impressed that it was done within 5min after registration. With the flu season ahead, do get your shots to avoid&prevent getting the flu.

Don’t Waste Fall By Being Sick. Get A Flu Shot! It’s Super Quick.

An integrated community lifestyle hub opened in 2018 with sports centre, public library, community club, polyclinic+senior care centre(~14% of BedokTown’s 290,000residents are 65+) under one roof spans an area of about three football fields – 2above pix downloaded.

Do enjoy walking&absorbing the ambience in these heartland areas here in SIN.

SoupKamping@BedokInterchangeHawker – MuslimIndianMuttonSoup that is stewed in rich spices with cubes of mutton, this rich soup has the mutton flavour without the gaminess topped with fresh coriander.

Fri: the immune system inevitably gets progressively weaker with aging thus causing a slowing of immune cell generation in response to pathogens, leading to an increased susceptibility to disease in the older population – life happens! and up to each individual to do&take whatever possible to keep as healthy as possible despite of any side-effects – pix downloaded.

Flu and People 65 Years and Older | Influenza (Flu) | CDC

Sat: Australia in the SouthEastern region is on high alert with supercell mega storm – to all in this areas, plx be safe. Here so far so good with min side-effects from the flu-shot on this hot sunny morning.

Sun: another lovely cool wet morning and sounded like there was quite a storm last night! No not a dream or nightmare, for real but was so in my own dreamland that made me feel blessed&thankful lying in a comfortable dry&safe bed. Thank you for Sunday homecooked dinner, my favourite Steak-a-la-Rochalie(my bro makes the best steak to my taste – perhaps being related, we might incline to have similar taste with foods-hahaha!); BlackPepperCrab, Halibut + many other yummy dishes. my contribution is the dessert dish. Sad to hear about another oil spill this evening, will find out more about it next week.

16 Oct 2024 – TEL-NSL-MRT

50A MarineTerrace YongHuatDelight’s CheeCheongFun/CCF(RiceNoodelRoll)豬腸粉  Mon-Sun/0500-1400hrs.

Yong Huat Delight: Handmade Chee Cheong Fun In Marine Parade | Eatbook.sg

Sun: appreciations to Helen for sharing Sunday breakfast at our favourite& my personal best CheeCheongFun@YongHuatDelight-MT-market  – not a fan for CCF except for these and if not take-away, would usually bring my own condiments when eating here at location – do like extra toppings of fresh Cilantro,Ginger,GreenOnions+a dash of SesameOil for Congee – 2above pix credits to Helen.

Mon: according to this map, does not look like it will be just a passing shower in SIN this morning but no problems chilling&enjoying this cool wet moment with thoughts of my flocks in Norway&USA – pix downloaded.

PUB issues islandwide flood risk alerts due to heavy rain | The Straits Times

Weather outlook indicates inter-monsoon conditions — light, variable winds and higher lightning activity means that the chances of comet sighting will be doubtful these few days…

Life isn’t how you survive the thunderstorm, but how you dance in the rain – Adam Young

Appreciations to Linn for sharing pix of #3&5 – more blinks and #3 is now a Senior in HighSchool, seems like yesterday when he was born here in SIN!

Tue: grocery day with S$13+savings from Promo&SS. Tkx to Pokey/NancyL for sharing her pix from the AT bringing back such memorable times there.  When I saw Helen/GA mentioned, thoughts of how LOON sweet talked this waitress to get us a ride back to the trail – Packman her grandson Daniel is so lucky to have her support on his hike and surely it will also be as memorable to him someday.

Glad to have documented 1stSIN-AT-Through-Hike/2005(and up to today still the only SIN-female who has thru’hiked this trail) to keep the memories – also blogging+FB, scrapbookings, etc to help. Visuals with short captions are the best ways for me to keep the memories alive, especially now, when being not so active!

Wed: first time on the TEL/Brown-MRT from MarineT-Woodlands/24stops~55mins changing to the NSL/Red to ChuaChoKang/5stops~10mins to TheWarrenCondos where a beautiful SteinwayGrand can be found.

Appreciations to HS for yummy homemade MangoSalad,SeafoodPasta,RoastChicken dinner, my contribution FreshFruitCocktailSalad+FreshWhippedCream. Tkx to Will for the ride back to the EastSide/30mins by car – took 1hr15mins by MRT to get here!

Behind every homemade meal is a tale of culinary triumphs and a few burnt edges. Cheers to imperfect perfection

12 Oct 2024 – Rare Comet C/2023 A3

Wed: prayers&thoughts to all affected by Milton in FL/USA on this World Mental Health Day – pix downloaded

Thu:  guests’ bed-linens,towels,etc washed&stored, bathroom+floors vacuumed&cleaned can now have some time&space to myself before more visitors. Tracking Milton making landfall near SiestaKey,FL/USA at 2030hrsWed9oct/US-Eastern-time – 0830hrsThu10oct/SINtime. Thoughts to all in FL/USA where we lived for ~12+yrs bringing back memories of the preparations for hurricanes from 1987-1999. Was fortunate to be where they did not make landfalls near us then – pix downloaded.

Hurricane Milton live updates: At least 12 deaths confirmed; power outages, flooding still major concerns (nbcnews.com)

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. Appreciations to those who marked themselves safe in FB from Milton in FL/USA. Special thanks to AllisonN who kept us updated about this devasting hurricane.

Two things Florida can teach the other 49 states: how to make a good margarita and how to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane – Tom Feeney

Here in SIN we can hopefully look forward to the sighting of this rare comet. Comets are large objects made of dust and ice that orbit the Sun. Best known for their long, streaming tails, these ancient objects are leftovers from the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Will try to be at ECPk after sunset for next week – pix downloaded

Rare comet to light up Singapore’s night skies from Oct 11 | The Straits Times

Comet A3 is the brightest comet in 27 years! Don’t miss it (earthsky.org)

What Is a Comet? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

By being seldom seen, I could not stir

But like a comet I was wondered at – William Shakespeare

Edited 23oct2024: no chance to seeing this comet with cloudy skies the past week!  Tkx to PaulK for sharing the above pix – It’s all about being in the right place at the right time! From my nephew Jordan/a pilot on RyanAir – I think he might have been trying to catch it up – Beautiful!

Relaxing day listening to the audio book and re-watched the movie – ShawshankRedemption/1994, 4 of my favourites with MorgenFreeman (DrivingMissDaisy/1989,BucketList/2007,LasVegas/2013, are the other 3) – pix downloaded.

That’s the beauty of music – They can’t get that from you – After Andy’s moment of rebellion where he played opera for the entire prison, he is, of course, punished for his malfeasance. He is sent to solitary confinement for an extended period, but he gets out with a smile on his face as he admits that it was easy because he had the music in his head the entire time, something they could never take from him.

Sat: first time using a public washing machine in SIN due to the size&weight of this sofa cover – long overdue for a wash and now with these commercial machines conveniently located either just across the road and around the corner 1min walk from my 4-walls.

Even an OJ-machine by these washers around the corner. S$6 hot/cold 30mins wash S$4 hot dry 20mins but bc of size&weight not fully dry, so hanging it out in the sun while the rest were all done in my personal washing machine now all stored away.

The freedom of women was achieved by two things: One, the Pill. Two… by labour-saving devices like the washing machine. By science, not feminism – Doris Lessing

8 Oct 2024 – Family’s Legacy for 小龍包XiaoLongBao 

Sat: Pineapples,Rubatans,Mangosteens,MiniWaterMelons,DukuLangsats,Longans/local fruits. Beef,Chicken,Mutton including PorkSatay – this traditional Hainanese style satay is served with a peanut gravy that comes with a pineapple puree and only in ChineseSatayStalls will you be able to find this as all MalaySatayStalls do not serve pork. Lots of other yummy foods like Laksa,KFC,PizzaHut,RotiPrata&IceCream for this afternoon’s family PotLuck gathering. From #6&his mother, tusen hjertelig takk to all – his record for satay is so far 8sticks.

This grandmother is never too old to spend time with grandchildren in the water where it is safest from breaking any bones – hahaha!

Sun: another short trip for mother&son to Universal before flying back to WnterWonderLand.  Hi-Chew+Feastables are the top of the list to pack from this trip! But have been informed that dental care is free for kids in Norway!

#6 trip started with his favourite小龍包XiaoLongBao@鼎泰豐DinTaiFung/Jewel and tonight back there ending his 2024SIN-Trip and breaking the family’s record of 23XLB from Kiera’s 22! Will miss not having around but grateful for the time together and cherish that memory – no matter where my flock is located, they are always in my heart. So proud of him, the youngest/13 of my flock for flying here on his own for this trip.

There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart – Gandhi

Drama from the neighbouring block across the street – was informed that an elderly man fell asleep with the stove on and there were 3fire engines here upon returning from the airport but fortunately he is OK. At this age&stage of our life it is not easy to be completely without any family,friends,caregivers,support,etc – remembering what also recently happened to the neighbour directly next door!

Mon: Happy 82Bday to dearest bro Leslie – may there be many many more Bdays to celebrate for my only surviving brother in our sibling flock. Nice to catch up with ShookWah+others – tkx to Carmel&Soon for the ride back to the EastSide.

Thank you for scrumptious dinner@Angie’sOysterBar&Grill and glad to see Ivy with the help of the strong young men making those steps up&down to this location.

Appreciations to Chris(owner of Angie’s) for accommodating NorwegianChocolateHearts into the desserts.

Needless to say, champagne&wines are out of this world and for one who hardly takes alcohol nowadays, had a sip of some of these.

Tue: thank you to a functioning washing machine for doing its full-time work yesterday&today.

Hello dear nephew Vincent back from Perth/Australia for a few days – good to catch up and an excuse to take a break for cleaning&clearing within the 4-walls.

@88HongKongRoastMeatSpecialist/ChinaSt,FarEastSq – located in the heart of CBD&ChinaPlace conservation area, this is an award-winning commercial conservation project opened in 1999. The site, dating back to the 1820s, was also the first landing point for many early Chinese immigrants.

Far East Square

4 Oct 2024 – Busy Busy Busy

Tue: tkx to family&friends for pulling me thru’a full day of activities – sooo touched that #6 wanted to watch DespicableMe4 as he reminded me that we have watched 1-3 together in Norway over the years! TexMexLunch@GuzmanYGomez/I12; OYEYO 我野友 for bordering

GardensByTheBay-TreeTopWalk ending the day@SatayByTheBay to discover these mini sweet juicy watermelons/size of a grapefruit grown in Malaysia and could only find them by the drinks stall here. Nice to see the younger generation living life fully despite me not being able to keep up in action but just watching them gives me joy.

Wed: appreciations to Clement for taking #6 to the BirdParadise while we met with R-Eu and tkx to KK for hosting. Dinner@DinTaiFung/Paragon where #6 managed 18小龍包XiaoLongBao, so far his record! As for OreoCoke, definitely my first&last taste! A loaf of bread S$25!! no, did not buy but tasted a sample and favourite is still Bjørn’s homemade bread.

Thu: mother&son@Universal Studios – a day for the grandmother to get laundry done and to run errands.

Fri: CheeCheongFunBfast@MTmarket, SIN-Flyer, DimSumLunch@CystalJade/Suntec and somewhere in the basement of Suntec is where the most deafening arcade games can be found, could not be in there for even a few seconds without getting a headache!! ShavedIce@MeiHeongYuen/TempleSt,Chinatown

Parts of MarineParade, including StillRdSouth, flooded due to damaged water pipe this morning and PP was closed. Was out of this area before it happened and tkx to ChrisT for the warning so as to avoid getting caught in this – pix downloaded.

Parts of Marine Parade flooded after workers struck underground water pipe – Mothership.SG – News from Singapore, Asia and around the world

The flooding in SIN was an accident while HurricaneHelene a natural disaster left her destructive marks behind. 1stBorn&family+friends in SC/USA are all safe have finally got power back. Thoughts&prayers out to those affected with at least 215life lost and AT-trail-towns badly damaged including HotSprings,Erwin&Damascus and many hostels ruined+bridges washed out. Natural disasters make us realize our powerlessness. You lose everything in just a blink of an eye – pix downloaded.

Hurricane Helene live updates: At least 215 dead as some communities struggle to get basic supplies (nbcnews.com)