18 Mar 2021: Happy 47Bday To My First-Born

Tue: Chaco@CC sales S$75, time to get a new pair for nephew Clem as he has worn out the last sale’s pair! Also to check out these lovely photo books by SengHock

Some of these lovely tree pix from his collection – now updated&inserted in my AmazingTrees posting.

Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life ― Herman Hesse

Tkx for Calvin for dinner from Jaggi’s Punjabi/NorthernIndian cuisine in good company of Helen, SengHock & Iyas.

Wed: La Feile Padraig Happy St Patrick’s Day to all celebrating. Will always try to attend the parade whenever possible. 1st parade attended (pix downloaded) in Dublin/Ireland 1966 and the last one (so far), in HI/US 2019. Legends associated with St Patrick – he miraculously drove all the snakes of Ireland into the sea, thus one of my favourite saints, hahaha! He is said to have used the three leaflets of the shamrock to explain the concept of the HolyTrinity.

Many of my favourite writers are Irish and it will be a never-ending to list them with their quotes, thus an Irish blessing to all.

Thu: 47yrs ago, there were concerns, hoping that my contractions did not start on St Patrick’s Day. Rotunda Hospital was at the other end of O’ConnellSt where the parade was held. Two above pix downloaded with a route-map for the present day parade.

Mon18Mar1974-0430hrs a bundle of joy, Linn, my 1st born was welcomed in Dublin/Ireland when I was 24. Anyone who has been thru’ a natural childbirth for their 1st born will always remember that feeling of becoming a mother – lost my voice for a few days after she was born! For real, looking at the old pix now and remembering why there was a scarf around the neck. Pix of her from Dublin/Ireland 1974+pix from SIN 2020. 

https://amylamsg.com/2010/03/18/happy-birthday-linn/

Today she is still a bundle of joy with 5children and makes me a proud mother&grandmother.  Having children has changed me in the best possible way. Was an OK person before having children but I know that I am a different person now, and hopefully better because of L&M. Many moons ago, when asked what was my most difficult challenge in life? My reply was&still is: 1-raising children, 2-completing the AT Thru’Hike, and will never want to trade them for anything else.

Appreciations to sis Jo for dinner, she makes a delicious MeeSiam. Belated 50thBday (9Mar) celebration&cake for Sue

15 Mar 2021 – A Dinner To Remember

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. To family&friends in Norway, keep warm&stay safe from this latest snowfall

A mystery package with 2toothbrushes arrived from the Netherlands a few days ago! Has this happened to anyone? What should I do with them as I did not buy or ordered this and friends I know there or any others connected with dental care have not sent it??

 

Tkx to Kristy for this link and to let me know that it wouldn’t impact me negatively, but could explain the package, thus will donate them charity.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/23/business/package-didnt-order-brushing/index.html

 

Made Tex-Mex, FajitaChicken lunch for AudreyM – pix from when I made the same for AudreyW last year, forgot to take pix this time round!

 

This is so cool – instead of removing a dying 110yrs-old tree from her property, a librarian in Idaho/USA transformed the stump into a LittleFreeLibrary. Being a fan of trees, especially old trees, started the below posting in 2012 Dedicated to Trees Around The World  and have been updating it regularly.

https://amylamsg.com/2012/07/12/around-the-world/ 

Started on this Netflix series New Amsterdam, inspired by BellevueHospital in NYC, which is the oldest public hospital in the US. Being an idealistic, especially where education&social health issues are concerned, am so far enjoying this series. 

Mon: it has been exactly 10yrs ago when I was travelling on the Sarawak&Rajang Rivers and  Pan-Borneo Highway trying to retrace the KLB branches – another memorable trip!

https://amylamsg.com/2011/03/15/kuching-sarikei/

 

Wonder when&where the next adventure will be???? At present, will just let the books,  memories, imagination&the screen to run their course and see where they will take me! 

 

We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep ― Shakespeare 

 

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world ― Einstein

 

Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world ― Oscar Wilde

11 Mar 2021 – Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Mon: Happy International Women’s Day and a good week to all. I am a daughter, grand-daughter, sister, mother, grandmother – I am human and a woman ♀

New discovery, Cô Chung – good Vietnamese food@PlazaSIN. The ambiance with a small aquarium+fresh beautiful flowers give a nice touch here. 

PhoBeefSoup/Phở Bò and FreshSpringRolls/Gỏi Cuốn were tasty. WaterFernCake/Bánh Bèo, first time tasting these steamed rice cakes with crushed shrimp, scallion oil, sweet fish sauce and they were excellent. Lemongrass drink was how I would make it for myself, not too sweet – a very satisfactory meal + efficient service, highly recommended and will return.

Decided for an evening stroll to see where the mood will lead – from OrchardRd heading towards BrasBasahRd to find that the RendezvousHotel is newly painted to blue with a painted white top added which I do not recall seeing when the building was in white.

Lovely contrast of the NationalMuseum from SMU (former sports ground for SJI&CHIJ). It has been a long while with this barricades in front of the former SJI, now SAM, but what are they doing now?? 

Walking thru’ SMU beautiful campus makes me feel like going back to school – like the idea for this section of the building with books, this is new and befitting.

Have been wanting to take a shot like this for many years. Every time I pass by LeeKongChian School of Business/SMU on the bus I keep telling myself that I want a shot of this when the lights are on! Finally, tkx to Clement it is done – such a good nephew who has the patience to accompany me on these night walks to make sure that I do not fall over!

Have not been to this section, The School of Law since it was completed. Did not even know that ArmenianSt has turned into a pedestrian street and the FirstBotanicGarden here.

After 30+yrs, The Substation will vacate ArmenianStreet premises in end-Jul…
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/substation-vacate-premises-end-july-talks-ongoing-authorities-relocation

Anyone in my era who had private piano lessons with MrsWong will remember this older white building (now beautifully renovated) on YokeYewSt and across from it was

Edited with these 2 downloaded pix Mon5Apr2021: the AmericanEmbassy then from 1960s; and now this new building SembcorpDevelopment&Indrustries has replaced it. Such a pity, personally my preference is for the older building.

Once the SIN PhilatelicMuseum, soon to be a ChildrenMuseum. Good to know&see that MasonsTable is still around on ColemanSt, do not even remember when I was last there!

Continued on ColemanSt, passing by some of these cameras in the shops! If I had to carry those, I think I will be put off with taking pix!! Last pix for the night of SwissotelThe Stamford&StAndrew’sCathedra before turning onto StAndrew’sRd heading to FullertonHotel for a break before getting on the bus. 

7 Mar 2021 – Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991)

Wed&Thu: replying mail, messages, updating notes etc. Some music humour came to mind as I was sorting out music books, manuscripts, notes, scores + old LPs.

Fri-Sat-Sun: have been following the news with the controversial on six of Dr. Seuss (1904-1991) books. Being an admirer&fan of him, but have not read all his books (60+) nor any of these six that will no longer be in print, but able to see&understand from today’s circumstances & conditions as to why this is happening.

Glad to read that NY+some other public libraries will not be removing these books. Enjoyed going into Youtube online to listen to the readings and to see the illustrations (see below).

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dr-seuss-books-public-libraries-removal/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/books/dr-seuss-books.html

One of my favourites is Oh, the Places You’ll Go! His last book which I gifted away to some of the high-school grads when L&M graduated high school (1992&1997) – the words are so simple and yet meaningful&profound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abw43kcLrbg

1. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937)*
2. If I Ran the Zoo (1950) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl6wD6EGOVk
3. McElligot’s Pool (1947) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlsA3hb6a5c
4. On Beyond Zebra! (1955) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnsM5VxAR68
5. Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLKnal92y7w
6. The Cat’s Quizzer (1976) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yeNj1akz30

*And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street – a character described as Chinese has two lines for eyes, carries chopsticks and a bowl of rice, and wears traditional Japanese-style shoes..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYEvhFUsLlY

Just cannot get enough of his wacky, whimsy&witty words combined with amazing illustrations from such an imagination written in 1937. As a Chinese of race, I do not feel or see any prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people of a particular racial or ethnic group. To me it is just to show the colourful difference of life. Considering the era it was written in 1937, would like to believe&think that it was not done with any intentional hidden agender or motives, unlike today’s sensitive culture regarding race, religion, etc.

Of all his book, The Lorax in the movie is where I find a stereo-typing of an Asian race looking character, O’Hare who has big ideas for making money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdWesdMfyd4

Edited: a valid comment from Nancy, one of my AT-hiking-buddies – and let’s remember it wasn’t the public who wanted these books taken away – it was the Seuss Foundation. And, I do agree that the African American depiction was awful, but the Chinese one could have been seen as colorful but I’m still not sure that it wouldn’t have been offensive to some Chinese in America where they were often taunted for their different looks and dress. I am surprised at how old these books are because I don’t think I had any as a child but I had lots for my own children. And I gave Daniel the “Oh the Places You’ll Go” after graduation. I actually discovered a copy in an AT shelter that gave me the idea.

My reply: I am sure some of his depictions were and still are distasteful to some ppl, but that is art! As mentioned, can also see&understand why those six books will no longer be in print, considering today’s sensitive circumstances & conditions…

A very dear elderly friend, AlonzoDawe (1927-2019) who was a wonderful artist with a great sense of humor and up to today, I still miss his humour teasing me about eating soup with sticks and walking to nowhere – hahaha! Another example of innocent humour from another gentleman from that era.

 

Gone is an era when&where the innocence of humour&wit with illustrations&words showing the beautiful&colourful differences of cultures, etc in this wonderful world! Sadly&unfortunately some of todays actions, words, illustrations, etc can be taken out of context, thus splitting hairs and leading to misunderstandings.

2 Mar 2021- 8Treasures Tonic-Soup With Black Chicken

Sat: 1stCOVID-19shot with 9regristations, 12vaccines and 6discharge stations, was impressed at how everything was so efficiently executed. @MPCC 0850hrs, vaccinated@0900hrs, under observation  for 25-30mins

0925hrs was discharged to do grocery shopping – no sweat! Walked pass by this little red car bringing back cheerful childhood memories and making my day.

To pamper myself, made 8TreasuresTonicSoup八珍汤 – ready package consisting of

1. CodonopsisRoot – DangShen 党参
2. SweetPotato – BaiShu 白薯
3. PoriaCocos – FuLing 茯苓
4. LicoriceRoot – ShengGanCao 生甘草
5. SzechuanLovageRoot- ChuanXiong 川芎
6. PeonyRoot – BaiShao 白芍
7. FoxgloveRoot – ShuDi 熟 地 黄
8. AngelicaSinensis – DangGui 當歸          +BlackChickenbought@FairPrice$5.35.

Taking time to slowly take the CNYdecorations down with a slightly sore arm. 

Now with my 1stCOVID-19vaccine taken, will await to see the effects before the 2nd-shot on 20Mar. In the meanwhile, tkx to niece Kat in NY/USA for this great share – enjoyed this interconnectedness of nature and our relationship to it. Never to get lost is not to live and the best sort of walk is the one on which it doesn’t matter twopence whether you get anywhere at all.  https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/04/18/nan-shepherd-living-mountain-walking/

Favourite AT painting of TeamMofo/Guinness, Mofo, Pilgrim&Corky heading thru’ the WhiteMountains by Chuck Becky Aldridge. Looking forward with happy thoughts as to when I can see my family again and can hike, trekk or walk with my AThiking-buddies.

Sun: enjoyed the first moon on this 2021LunarCalender with no more sore in the arm or any other side-effects, hopefully none in the next few days to come. Boosting the immune system with tonic soup&rest – managed to gross-out some ppl with this pix before deboning the meat from the chicken to the final presentation to be served, lol.

Tkx to Gel for breakfast company and for being a GuineaPig for the soup which tasted much better than it looks, so do not judge the book by its cover hahaha.

28Feb 2021: WorldOmeter of COVID-19 deaths are as follow:

SIN/pop 5.6+mil in an area of 721SqKm – 29
SC/USA/pop 5+mil in an area of 82, 932SqKm – 8,498
Norway/pop 5.3+mil in an area of 365,268SqKm – 622

Mon: goodbye Feb, hello Mar! Thank you for such wonderful memories with Francis&Henrietta, Richard, David, Johnny, Harry from exactly 10yrs ago (2011) in HKG. Looking forward to catching up with all again and do some hiking with Harry when it is easier to travel – will miss LokLok.10yrs, a whole decade seems another lifetime ago! – tkx to FB for these reminders!

https://amylamsg.com/2011/03/02/repluse-bay-to-sai-kung/

Appointment@SGH arranging for surgery in Apr. Errands in Chinatown and dinner@IKEA with Clem & Leo. Had a craving for the simple peel to eat shrimps & Gravlaks from the northern seas! No ice-cream@QueenswayShoppingCentre’s McD, 1st time in this building! Tkx for dessert@Starbucks@AnchorpointShoppingCentre. Appreciations to these 2wonderful ppl for their patience with assisting, helping, teaching an old auntie to keep up in this high-tech world over the past 2+decades!

Tue: grocery day, senior savings S$1.18 – fresh produce washed and ready to be stored to last the week.

Mar family Bdays+special days:

2 Mar – ArleenUMALI
3 Mar – LAM JingZhi George
4 Mar – Brenna LAM-KENNEDY     
6 Mar – LindaTAY           
9 Mar – LEONG SueLyn               
11Mar – KenTAN                            
13Mar – RobynKAWAMOTO     
14Mar – EllieHALL           
15Mar – DanielWONG                                                                                                                          17Mar – LEONG Pat-Lynn, BethYEOH  & Happy St Patrick’s Day
18Mar – LinnHALL, LAM YiSheng
31Mar – JosephineLAM

Happy Mar Bdays to: AlexChua, AnthonyChao, GelYeo HannahLeong & NattyTay (SIN); JohnLim (Australia), AmeliaPower, PaulDrumm & StevenKao (Dublin/Eire); ThomasHeggelund (Norway); AlSosa, CeeWorel & JaniceTubbs (USA). Amazing to know 27ppl with bdays in Mar!

26 Feb 2021 – 11to15CNYsDays – Calvin’s SurpriseBday

Mon: This has been circulating around FB, amazing what one can buy or sell nowadays.

Chinese (Cantonese) TaamTung 痰罐 taam=phlegm and tung=a container – English Spittoon! My paternal grandmother had one of these (of course without the double Happiness Chinese character!) by her as she was a chain-smoker and often had to spit out her phlegm! Wonder what she will say to it being a Chinese Traditional Fruit Basket? For some toddlers this was and or maybe still is also used as a potty, but food does become shit at the end it – hahaha

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3122937/chinese-sellers-amazon-hawk-spit-bowls-fruit?utm_content=article&utm_medium=Social&utm_source

11thCNYday visiting bro Les’s clinic staff@FarrerPkMedicalCentre&Hospital An OJ-machine, outside on the sidewalk, but no AppleJuice even with this huge one at the main entrance. This machine is still charging S$2 (S$3@many other machines), enjoyed a healthy dose of my VitC for today.

Lunching on Malay food – SotoAyam/ChickenSoup + Achar/PickledVeg&Bridal/PotatoPatty S$6+ @CitySquareMall. Shopping@Mustafa for dill to make Gravlaks ie if only I can find fresh salmon! The dill here cost S$1.55 for this large bunch which would have cost ~S$2 for a tiny bunch at other grocery stores and would have needed at least 10bunches!

Tue: grocery shopping@Giant/Tampines. Tkx for 12CNYsDay DIYpopiah lunch@Peggy’s who has a GreenThumb, a cat on the HotTinRoof! and the tallest tree in her neighbourhood. She has finally brought down the curtains for her advertising agency, H&H where I once worked, and can now concentrate on her orchids and the writing of her book.

Nice to catch up with Peggy, Pat, LenChoo & Beng – Peggy&Pat are classmates from 1962CHIJdays.

Wed: 13CNYsDay and a surprise Bday for Calvin@CC. Made Gravlaks since I was doing it for tomorrow, but only had a taste for everyone except for the BdayBoy, who got a few more bites!

Tkx to Chris for picking me up to collect the RoastSucklingPig&Pork, to Yoshie for salad and to SengHock for strawberries. Considering that Calvin+Helen&2others have just for the first time cycled 122km island round, was in good spirits enjoying the surprise for someone who does not like Bday cake, so durian ice-cream+durian waffles for dessert. Appreciations to all who helped to pull this thru’, pix credits to Helen & Yoshie.

Thu: 14CNYsDay, RossmaxSpacer+new medication Relvar (to be used only once day) for asthma was delivered today. The spacer was recommended to used with my other inhalers (max 16puffs per day). More appointments ahead@SGH to check on this consistence cough+shortness of breath.

Thank you Theresa&ChengJun for yummy home-made seafood+braised-pork dinner in company of bro Les&Ivy – my contribution, Gravlaks for starters.

Fri: 15CNYsDay TGIF and is last day to this 2021 CNYcelebrations&visits, the first night of the lunar year with full moon 元宵節 Also ChapGohMei and ChineseValentine’sDay – enjoy the full moon, ie if not cloudy! Need to fast&rest (by choice!) this worn-down body&soul today before going apprehensively! for the 1st shot of COVID-19 vaccine tomorrow!!

https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/chinese-new-year-festivities.htm

21 Feb 2021 – 6to10CNYsDays – JanJat (Cantonese)人日

Wed: Lent begins today – also known as Ash Wednesday. For those observing&practising, what are you going to give up until Thu1Apr2021 (40days)?

CNYs 6day visit at the Cairnhill area for

a delicious home-made 5course lunch by KK – thank you.

Thu: those effect by this freeze, please take care and be safe&warm. Many in TX/USA are effected with on&off electricity. Thoughts are with June Rose Theingi in Mandalay/Myanmar. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55902070

CNYs 7day is JanJat (Cantonese)人日, literally translated=people’s day, the common man’s Bday, the day when everyone grows one year older! Happy Bday everyone!

Fri: appointment@SGH with a domino effect for more appointments until Jul when tests, scans, etc are done – the reality of aging! Amazing how SGH has developed and is still expanding, the latest construction being where the former bus interchange was. Quite a contrast from when I was first there to visit broLes where he broke his leg in the 1950s!!

A walk around the area with the old&new and this must be one of my favourite mailboxes along Neil/KampongBahruRd.

Passing by SilatRd SikhTemple/BukitMerahRd, usually on the bus when passing by here, so finally a chance to take some shots when walking by.

8thCNYday yummy dinner@DIY GoodChancePopiah 好彩薄饼, 1st time here, tkx to Clem for the introduction.

A leisure stroll along BlairRd – can never get enough of these beautifully restored old houses.

Did not even realised that ShakeShack is on NeilRd! Down lively&vibrant KeongSaikRd where it was the usual long-line@KokSen

Chinatown/MeiHeongYuen Dessert 味香园甜品 for our favourite shaved-ice dessert. Had not planned to be in Chinatown until after the CNY, there it goes again to show that life never goes according to plan – hahaha. Continuing towards BuddhaToothRelicTemple

Some of the 2021CNY lights&scenes to remember by – appreciations to Clem for being such a sport to take this slow stroll with me on a pleasant breezy evening.

Taking a detour to my bus-stop, but passing by one of my favourite bus-stops (designed to fit the surroundings here) on TanjongPagarRd, and by the scene of the fatal tragic accident a week ago. Condolences to their families and may these 5young men now RIP – tempting fate is a sad way to go!

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/5-die-car-crash-fire-tanjong-pagar-shophouse-14185410

Fate loves the fearless – JR Lowell
There is not such thing as accident, it is fate misnamed – Napoleon

Sat: Happy Bday Jay and appreciations to you, dear nephew for making time to catch up on this 9thCNYday – CheeCheongFun lunch@MarineTMarket&FoodCentre. Tkx for the yummy varieties of SoonKway.

Sun: 10thCNYday – Good Sunday morning, taking a day to rest. 2appointments have been scheduled for the COVID-19 vaccines next month in Mar. Being born in the year of the OX, I am ready with my bullish attack on COVID-19.

16 Feb 2021 – 2&3CNYsDays in A Colourful-Coded Family

Sat: 2ndCNY day’s visit – tkx to a lovely cousin Karen&Peter (paternal grandmother side/Chan), for her yummy KCH-Laksa lunch. She is originally from Sarikei/Sarawak, but left to study in Perth/Australia when she was 16 and never returned. When I was visiting Sarikei 10yrs ago, the ppl there remember her as the skinny girl who threw things out of the window where she lived!

https://amylamsg.com/2011/03/16/sarikei/

Payang puri was built After KL bank and it was a vacant block when we moved into the 4th and 5th floor ( first penthouse of Sarikei) I watched the construction of the building while throwing things out of the window – Karen Lim

At sis Jo (83) for yummy home-made duck porridge dinner and take-away MeeSiam. Sue fell yesterday, fractured or even broke her wrist and is in a cast&sling.

Sun: enjoy your day with your Valentine. My most favourite version of Unchained Melody (1965) sung with such emotions&talent by Bobby Hatfield, may he RIP. This version was made popular again after it was used in the movie Ghost. Giving away some of my things and made this for a beautiful couple, Karen&Peter.

The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing – Blaise Pascal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZZqf3AVJbE

Edited: Fastelavn and it is meant to celebrate the promise of Spring’s return, celebrated in most Scandinavian countries. Fastelavnsboller (pix downloaded) and FortuneCookies (pix credits to May) home-made by May this year, she even managed to insert the fortunes inside the cookies – impressive.

https://www.norwegianamerican.com/festive-fastelavn/

3rdCNY day’s visit to 11auntieDiana (93) who is in good health&spirit – she is the now the eldest of the BG. Amazingly she still manages to eat her own lunch with chopsticks! Good to catch up with cousin Ken&Cynthia. Managed to capture this wedding pix of auntieDiana&uncle PingNam (1959). Tkx to Les&Ivy for the use of their car&driver/Rahman, making it easier&possible for this visit. Believe it or not, fell asleep for 4+hrs this afternoon!!

Mon: 4thCNY day’s visit with 6sis-in-law, Ivy (78) to 2sis-in-law, GeokSiew (81) at niece Leng&ChinSheng – their 2children have left the nest. Appreciations for lunch.

With the 8ppl regulations, it is difficult to see everyone in my 2bro’s branch.

Leng is blessed living in these surroundings where she can plant her own papaya trees and

there is even a durian tree in the neighbourhood – such a treat to see this kind of greenery in a residential area@Jalan Rasok

To nephew Mun&SK+SuiChang (eldest of the OG&PG) who also has left his nest but was back to meet with us. Appreciations to him for taking time with his grandaunties! Tkx for yummy durians. Tkx to all for having us, good to catch up with part of 2bro’s family. Missing JenWee&Steve+families. Took me 30mins on the bus+1hr on the MRT to get to this Kranji&BukitBartok area – less than 30mins to get back when driven by Rahman.

Tue: need to rest today before visiting with friends and more appointments@SGH.

Tkx to FB for this memory. Wondering when we can have another lovely CNY gathering like this one 3yrs ago??? This year, will be missing saying personally 恭喜发财, 新年快乐, 身體健康 Wishing You Prosperity and Good Fortune, Happy New Year, Good Health to those I am unable to visit.

Edited: forgetting all these days in the middle of this busy CNYvisits. Forgot all about Pancake Tuesday&Mardi Gras Tue16Feb2021 and did not have any pancakes!

12 Feb 2021 – CNY/Lunar New Year 2021

Tue: and I never thought I had that kind of energy, so was quite thrilled to be able to hand-wash one set (one pair) of black-out curtains, 2 more sets to go+3sets of ordinary curtains which will not be done until after the CNY period. The old hooks needed to be replaced and fortunately they were available in the accessory shop across the road.

Grocery shopping at neighbourhood Giant who is teasing with the Chinese word Niú牛=cow! 1st time to spot fresh chicken gizzards there – bought some+fresh chicken meat to make Fajitas, now all cooked&packed into 8packages to freeze. The freezer is again full and even if there is a lockdown, I have enough food for a couple of weeks, do need to slowly empty it!

Thank you to AudreyW for this yummy looking LoBakGoh/TurnipCake, looking forward to tasting it. Having senior moment, had to text her to return to pick up her red-package!! Could not resist buying this cheese-board online – there was a offer of free shipping for 2 and if I got 1+the shipping would cost about the same. They look like good gifts for ppl who like cheese&wine, like myself! Am exhausted after such an active day, hope for a good night 8hrs sleep. 

Wed: another set of black-out curtains washed and then to pick up a PandanCake for bro Steven in the UnitedMediCareCentre. He was in good spirit and enjoyed his cake, but unlike in Sep2020 when he could still remember my name, am not so sure if he remember my name this time round.

IKEA had the Mustard&Dill sauce, picked up 6bottles to make sure I have enough to last to the end of the year! Have been waiting for a long time for this so that I can make Gravlaks. Tkx to Daisy to arranging the appointment at the home and for her company at IKEA.

Just as I thought that today was over, Gel drops by with her annual home-made Kimchi, thank you thank you. Looking forward to tasting it, cheers to that and what a feast it will be ahead. 

Thu: the 3rd&last set of black-out curtains washed and got some sewing done on this last day for the year of the RAT and what a year it has been.

Fri: TGIF – to all celebrating the CNY/Lunar New Year starting today Fri12Feb2021 lasting for 15days. Thank you for all the greetings – my favourite so far was sent by Reis&Henri from ‘Temenggong Artists-In-Residence’. The Chinese character Niú牛=cow, thus, Happy Niú Year 

Tkx for yummy lunch@Les&Ivy and appreciations to Pat&David for the ride there&back. Not quite the same with such a small group, but good to catch up with Pat&David+Lucas&Beth and Patricia&Albert+Kiera. After today, there is still 2nd sis-in-law, Josephine/sis and 11&13auntie to visit and to pay respects to my parents.

CNY is now Celebrate New Year! Whether you call it Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year or Korean New Year, as long as everyone is welcome to celebrate, does it really matter what we call it? As long as it’s about family and friends, and food and gift-giving

https://www.quora.com/Is-the-term-Chinese-New-Year-offensive-to-non-Chinese-Asians-who-celebrate-Lunar-New-Year

8 Feb 2021 – And A Simple Life

Fri: starters – first Lo-Hei (Cantonese for tossing up)&reunion in my own 4-walls! A simple ready-packed with the basic dried&pickled ingredients: crackers, red&white ginger, leek, yam. wintermelon, sesame seeds, grinded groundnut, pepper&herbs, apricot sauce costing ~S$10. Adding some fresh produce (carrots, cilantro, cucumber, pomelo, spring-onions, white-reddish, fresh-squeezed calamansi-juice+raw salmon~S$25 is not anything like Jessie&Frank’s 28ingredients with wolf-herring, but 18ingredients with salmon tasted OK and was better than no Lo-Hei.

https://www.roots.gov.sg/ich-landing/ich/yusheng-and-lo-hei  https://amylamsg.com/2013/03/03/28-ingredients/

Mains: TruffleWagyu Rice-Beef-Bowls+Pork ribs&cheek, delivered by BurningOak.

Desserts: tkx for the yummy chocolates&durians, now I have desserts in the freezer to last at least a month!

Sat: reunion with Judy, Daisy, Clement, Stanley&Darryl. Having fond memories of their mother&grandmother who would usually make her AlmondPaste at this time of the year, and believe me it is the best I have ever tasted. Dinner@ChuanKeeSeafood泉记海鲜煮炒on LowerDelta/BkMerahRd and with a nice breeze making it pleasant to be dining alfresco.

Decent food – Sauté Asparagus with Mushrooms & Scallops, Cereal Chicken Coffee Ribs, Satay (chicken&pork Chinese style), Sweet & SourPork, Tofu, with the Fried Rice being my favourite dish for tonight.

Hazel, my Irish-Norwegian FB friend asked-

How do you keep your figure?
My reply – What figure???? hahaha
To be honest, I can feel that the body, especially the heart is protesting and it is time to cut down on all these rich foods or the body will not make it till the end of the year!

Sun: have been trying to get this shot from the kitchen window since a year ago, but somehow it always turned out blurred with the old camera. Now with the new camera, finally managed – still waiting for the yellow bird before the yellow blooms disappear! Tkx to cousin Calvin for the name of this – Xanthostemon chrysanthus (F.Muell.) Golden Penda 金蒲The parking garage roof-top garden (2004-5) has flourished and it is a pleasant view from the kitchen window whenever I am by the kitchen sink.

Mon: the adjustment of the new electrical bill nearly gave me a heart attach. Looks like the freezer will have to go now that the heat is returning with a vengeance and the AC is already on in the daytime (between 12n-1800hrs) since a few days ago! Chris warned me about the freezer consuming quite a bit of electricity, but did not gave it much thoughts until the bill was adjusted!!

We believe that electricity exists, because the electric company keeps sending us bills for it, but we cannot figure out how it travels inside wires – Dave Barry