5 Nov 2020 – Hello November

Sun: 2more months of this turbulence year and hopefully will be able to see my kids&grandkids in 2021. Do not even remember when I have not traveled for 365days??Returned to SIN 1Nov2019 and have not been out since then.

Mon: Happy Bday HS. Appreciations to Boon for vegetarian dinner on a rooftop garden – a feast for the eyes&taste in good company of Sam and William accompanied with excellent service. Highly recommended.

One of the best vegetarians I have been so far. Everything was tastefully presented with flavours complimenting well with each other. https://www.joierestaurant.com.sg/

Tue: grocery day@Giant/Tampines, SeniorSavingsS$2.50. Got a bunch of mini-Mums to cheer up my 4walls – that is unusual as orchids are usually my preference where cut-flowers are concerned, must be thinking of Thanksgiving ahead when I would usually get Mums&pumpkins. 2fans for S$20 for the bedroom&kitchen, tired of moving around the one&only fan I have!

After HS recommendations, now watching another Netflix series, A Suitable Boy, 1S&6E based a novel by VikramSeth, published in 1993. Enjoyed it and like the fact that the historical backdrop is accurate. Can never get enough of those colourful&beautiful saris. Pix uploaded.

Wed: paying attention to the US Election on CNA, but no! will not be colouring this!! Midnight and still no final results yet today due to the Swing States and the counting of the early Mail-In Ballots because of COVID-19. Unable to keep my eyes open any longer. Good night with sweet dreams.

Thu: looks like Biden is on the path to be the next US President, still not final but hoping&praying. Trump wants a recount and take the matter to SupremeCourt and will not go quietly! My 1st-born in the US send me the OK poster this morning – hmmm, wonder what she wants to tell me???

Early Bday celebrations with brunch for AudreyM@IKEA Cafe to combine with some shopping we both needed from there. New frozen vegetarian food to try. Christmas things are up and this year’s bag has the same design as last year’s, but red in colour – so far I have 6different IKEAbags, including the rainbow bag from Norway. And this apple has an irresistible fragrance, but it is uneatable, thus no temptation here! 

Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified ― Chuck Palahniuk

Nov birthdays:

2Nov   – HongSze and JohnK/Ireland
4Nov   – AiLing
8Nov   – Beverley
11Nov  – AudreyM
13Nov  – YeeFun/NZ
15Nov  – ChrisTay
27Nov – DaisyChia
29Nov – Happy 14th to grandchild #3JohnW/USA
30Nov – Happy 70th to cousinChai/Canada

31 Oct 2020 – Indian Heritage Centre

Tue: senior grocery day at the local MT Giant with 0.80c savings. Do not need to go to the main Giant@Tampines every week, ~once or twice a month is enough. Watching these TV series can be additive for me, tend to binge-watch wanting to know what happens next, and not good to be sitting in front the screen all day – will probably get Lucific withdrawal soon, hahaha

Wed: when you received a message – he refuses to eat, or let anyone eat the last ones, its time to find Sticky, even when it takes 3different buses to unfamiliar industrial estate! https://www.sticky.com.sg/

Used to be able to get these at CathayCineleisure on Orchard and would usually get them before my trips back to Norway&USA. They are one of the nice little gifts made in SIN to get for kids. Not sure if this last one was the one I got at MBS when the family was visiting in Feb? 

Fri: these mini produces are perfect for my portion&taste, no need to waste and always fresh. The mini Romaine lettuce are amazing as they can keep fresh&crisp for up to 2weeks in the fridge (ie if you know how to store them), and they are good&refreshing for wrapping all kinds of everything to make a delicious light meal/snack. Today I discovered these mini apples from NZ, absolutely deliciously crisp, small cores, sweet&juicy, not usually a fan of apples, but these will make me one even when they are S$6.50 for 5.  

Sat: Happy Halloween – Trick or Treat Enjoy your last Oct2020 day. Appreciations to Les&Ivy for yummy BahKutTeh 肉骨茶=meat bone tea+side dishes&condiments in good company of 3gen, Clement, Daisy & Darryl. Dinner delivered by Old Tiong Bahru BakKutTeh

26 Oct 2020 – Lucifer & Sex Education

Thu: delivered urine for test and also blood test@SGH. Since being out&about, and that DaisyC was not busy, got the chance to catch up in Chinatown. This robot catches my eyes whenever I walk by it from SGH, but most of the time when I am passing by, the restaurant 泰福楼Tai Fu Lou (Northeast Chinese Cuisine) with this yummy looking fish on their glass-door is closed. Supposedly its SIN exclusive specialty paper wrapped fish 特色纸包鱼餐厅, must try one day!

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/gEYnlHfyCyw6tByp0DAxEQ

A bite&cuppa@Tiong Shian Porridge Centre長城粥品中心, one of my favourite congee places, especially when raw fish was allowed in those days! Today just had the chicken-feet&some veg, and it was breezy&relaxing sitting outside this coffeeshop chatting&watching life goes by.

Durian Snow-Ice@MeiHeongYuen 味香园甜品, the only place I like for this Taiwanese shaved-ice which is very finely shaved, unlike the others, like the ice-cones, ice-kacang, etc which are more coarsely shaved. Again pleasant sitting outside cheering with encouragement for this guy who dropped his van-keys in the drain and successfully fished it out. 

Appreciations to DaisyC for this pix & for catching up. Do enjoy these interactive wall murals by YC Yip. Where Chinese characters are concerned, will definitely need help, not only with reading&writing, but translation too! ~50,000+characters, ~20,000 rarely use, and you will need ~2,000+ to be able to read a newspaper. I only know ~20+characters!! Got the Lunar/Chinese 2021 Calendar to remind me of special dates. Looking forward to receiving the Norwegian&US ones from L&M and perhaps Carmel who is now in Ireland can find me an Irish one. That will cover the countries where I have lived for over a decade and have been home to me…

Fri: not being able to travel or wander about, started on these 2Netflix series, Lucifer and Sex Ed after AudreyM’s recommendation. Let’s see how many Seasons/S&Episodes/E I will manage to hang on to without getting bored! From what I have read, there are so far S5&E44 and still a S6 on the way for Lucifer; SexEd, S2&E16 and S3 on its way. So far after a few episodes, they seem promising, even when the titles may be misleading.

Sat: what an exciting afternoon looking thru’ old B/W pix from Audrey’s childhood days, Audrey and Alvin’s Katong childhood grounds – tkx for sharing. Good luck to Alvin’s new book, do enjoy&like the charm & uniqueness of his books where the pix in there are all hand-drawn or painted, ie no photography. https://www.facebook.com/alvinmarkstudio/

 

Sun: tkx to AudreyW for ClayPotRice, how can the sellers make a profit when this is sold for S$3 (food&pot for keeps)?? To those who have turned their clock back tonight, enjoy the extra hour of sleep and a good last Oct week ahead to all.

21 Oct 2020 – Mexican & Korean Foods

Sat: this was what I found at my gate this morning –  593dengue cases were reported by NEA in this week ending – NEA who are also doing their best to educate ppl to be aware as to how to flight this. I get Pandan&LemonGrass to make tea as I like the taste of them individually. Roaches& mozzies do not seem to like them and being on the 7floor might also be a help to keep them away and they are most unwelcome!

Sun: belated Bday lunch for AudreyW. Since unable to travel to the US and wanted some Tex-Mex, homemade Fajita Chicken with Tequila Shots (tkx to Estella for that bottle). Appreciations to Aud and Clement for good company and an enjoyable afternoon that passed by quickly. Pix credits her.

Mon: many thanks to Singaporean painter Yusoff Abdul Latiff of 5 Temenggong Road/Singapore of the B/W pix (1948-9). The write-up below is from a magazine PASSAGE/Friends of the Museums Singapore – January/February 2021

Tue: new area to discover from KovanMRT connecting with a feeder-bus

to this well-maintained and serene surroundings of this 1,000+units condo complex.

Appreciations to AudreyM for this delicious home-made Korean lunch spread+sides – 갈비탕KaibiTang/BeefSoup, 닭갈비DakGalbi/SpicyChicken with veggie, bringing back fun memories from my one&only visit to Korea in 2013 when she was working there. Tkx for sharing these spices, will try to make this chicken some day.

https://amylamsg.com/2013/04/09/reflections-on-busan-부산/

Wed: today is another stay-in my 4-walls day. Again urine has to be collected for 24hrs to be tested for Hyperparathyroidism/overactive glands in the thyroid. Hoping&praying that the result from this test is better than that in Aug so that surgery is not needed. Have been taking VitD supplements daily for the past 2months.

Tkx to Linn for this registration plate MORMOROK – mormor=maternal grandmother in Norwegian, so it s good that #1-6 think that I am OK – hahaha

16 Oct 2020 – Dinosaurs At The Airport 

Mon: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to family&friends and to those celebrating this day. Was planning to check out this new JurassicMile, but was told that it is crowded, so will wait till the novelty passes by and then can finally walk to the airport! 

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/new-35km-cycling-jogging-path-linking-east-coast-park-and-changi-airport-launched

When I last walked this section, it was not connected to the airport.

https://amylamsg.com/2009/01/09/eastern-coastal-park-connectors/

Tue: senior grocery day@Tampines Giant usually taking up the morning with the shopping and the afternoon with cleaning and storing away the groceries. 

Wed: digging up info for AT-Hikers&TrailAngels in a FBgroup I have set up last Fri. Decided to do this as the book/journal printed in 2008 are all gone, except the one copy on hand, thus putting it here online to share. This will be the 3rd group I have set up to manage, including 2others for the LAM &TSANG family-trees. Looks like I will be busy online – busy hands are happy hands. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1050337225413375

Thu: was craving for KCH KoloMee, and with no visit to KCH this year to fix it. Heard about this location and yes, the rumour is true! Was there early with just 2ppl in front of me and by the time I finished, the lines were sneaking around the corner@Yummy ‘Sarawak Kolo Mee’@#01-45 Tampines Round Market&Food Centre.

The taste was yummy, but somehow the noodles lack that crunchiness that I like. Bought a packet for cousin Karen for her verdict. Believe it or not, for me the most memorable bowl of KoloMee was in Sarikei, Sarawak/2011. 3MYR~S$1@RianCheongCafe where the noodles were of perfect consistency and the sauce was simple&tasty – have yet to taste anything like that. https://amylamsg.com/2011/03/16/sarikei/

Took over an hour to get and to find this stall, and an unchartered area for me. Remembered vaguely being at the opening of the TampinesHub 3yrs ago, but somehow it seems longer. First the 31bus from MP to Tampines-Interchange, connecting with bus292 to Tampines St11.

https://amylamsg.com/2017/08/11/52nd-national-day/

 

A Norwegian friend just told me that It seems that you eat a lot in Singapore, and my reply to him – unlike the Norwegians, we live to eat more than to eat to live. L&Ms father used to teased about my family for discussing what’s for dinner while we are still eating lunch… hahaha!

 

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world – JRR Tolkien

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. Happy 50th Bday to niece PatriciaLAM, difficult to image that she has now joined the over half century, 50+Club – so vividly remember visiting her when she was born and babysitting her in Dublin!

 

Thank you cousin Karen (paternal grandmother RGCHAN SweeNgor side) for showing around the lovely grounds@The SeaViewCondos. 

 

The clubhouse brought back memories of 5TemenggongRd. Was sooo tempted to slide down those railings on the staircase, but not a good idea!

 

The dark wooden paneling no matter how lovely to look at is not where I would want to live in, maybe for a short holiday period or if I had enough househelp to clean&dust! Personal preference to live in is still the Scandinavian simple clear-cut lines in light wood. But this is absolutely beautiful. Tkx to Karen for showing me around and for this interesting link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtILU2LJBlo&feature=youtu.be

11 Oct 2020 – Kusu, StJohn’s and Lazarus

Thu: this trip would not have been if not for Calvin’s ride n his car to MarinaSouthPier/MSP and for the use of his bike on the islands – appreciations to Helen for the arrangments. Has been a long while ago (Dec2016) since I was last at this location, dinner on the Stewords Riverboat which is no longer here now. And even a longer time since I last stepped foot on these islands.

Ferries to the SouthernIslands taking off from MPS costing S$12RT for Seniors.

The ride was on time and refreshing in the morning misty drizzles. Felt like being in paradise to be outdoors with fresh air on the upper deck.

Kusu=tortoise or turtle, located about 5.6km south of SIN. Being the smallest of the 3islands to visit, decided to stop off here first. With an area of 0.085sqK/0.033sqM, took us only a few mins to cycle around. Has been a long while since I have been on a cycle, and forgetting that pedaling backwards does not mean to brake (old habits die hard!), took a clumsy harmless fall to get the hang of using the hand-brakes before going into the temple of DaBoGong 大伯公. 

Tortoise Sanctuary where we saw a tortoise with the most unusual shell. Can anyone explain to me what is the cause of this? They all came towards us when they heard voices, but also dispersed just as fast when they discovered that it was not feeding time.

152steps leading up to 3keramats where there were also 3monkeys there today. Not being a fan of monkeys got me down those stairs quite quickly – See, Hear and Do No Evil

https://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/nature-wildlife/singapore-islands/kusuisland/

St. John’s is the largest of SIN SouthernIslands, 6.5km from SIN. With an area of 0.4sqK/0.2sqM, the charming old pier can still be seen next to the newer one.

Quiet, peaceful and far from the maddening crowds, this is a bicycle haven for me. Being a weekday, met only a handful of ppl and 1-2 other cyclist. Being enochlophobia, this was perfect for me. Linked by a short causeway to Lazarus it is easy to cycle on these 2islands. 

Interesting&rich in history – saw a most tempting site when I would like to return to spend the day on foot to discover more and swim in these clean clear waters.

https://www.urbanexplorers.asia/2011/01/pulau-sakijang-bendera-saint-johns.html

Lovely breeze on the way back, nearly crossing paths with a humongous container-ship!

Clearer weathers for skyline views. Thanks to Alvin for his share: https://youtu.be/lrzKGj_ZEH8

Welcome back to the unwelcoming traffic! Tkx to Calvin for yummy ZiChar dinner@DeTain BishanCoffeeshop and for the best day for me since Mar. Pix where I am in, credits to Helen.

Seldom do I see such a nice ZiChar place with bright&clean with decorative electrical hurricane lamps. If the power ever goes here, there will be no problems with lights! The sky opened up after I got on the bus as I doze off with the peaceful raindrops lullaby. Set my alarm for 45mins. #13bus runs directly from Bishan to the bus-stop by my 4walls and would take ~1hour, especially in this heavy downpours.

Fri: TGIF – a good weekend to all. Restful night and surprising enough to not feel any sore or tender muscles anywhere, was expecting some consequences after riding the bike ride. Busy day trying to download yesterday’s pix and figuring out what to write. A simple home-made bourbon salmon for dinner tonight, quite a contrast from last night’s choices of dishes! 

Sat: a very unique date today 10102020 and will never happen again. The garbage chutes are long due for a thorough clean&paint job. Surprising it is done a week ahead of time and the chutes are opened again today. Garbage bins were emptied more than once a day when they were left outside for the week.

Sun: a day to work on both the LAMs&TSANGs family trees, more a jungle than trees for this never-ending project. Tkx to Leonard for his help to edit the LAM family tree and for dinner in the neighbourhood.

How can it be possible to even image that I got married for the first-time 51yrs ago today – twice married, twice divorced and fortunately unable to remember the other dates! Now, happily single for 2+decades and intend to remain so – hahaha. 

One can never be 100% certain when it comes to family lineage. One must always keep an open mind, willing to go wherever the facts may lead ― Laurence Overmire

7 Oct 2020 – UnderGround Police

Mon: a day to search for info&pix from my maternal side to start a group in FB for the TSANG MayLan Heritage, another never-ending task and still missing some names from the LAM TinYue side??

Tue: 70steps up the staircase to this Bunker built in 1956 to house the Combined Ops HQ for police&military use during crises.

A shield from the 1950s is in this Briefing Room – not quite bullet-proof, but it did serve its purpose then.

Giving orders in the Radio Control Room – pix of me credits to Victor

Fun with toy cars in the Map Room – group pix credits to Victor.

Police Officer’s Rest Room – Victor will need a rest after having to put up with us!

Tkx to Victor for arranging this and appreciations to George & Evelyn (who was and still is working in this location since the 1970s!) for an enlightening and interesting tour.

Police officers may drive black and white cars, however what goes on in their job is a lot of gray – Arik Matson

Tkx to Alvin for his share – https://youtu.be/iPS7qPjS8co

Once a police headquarters during the mid 20thcentury, 195 Pearl Hill Terrace is one of the longest pre-war civic buildings in existence. 

Edited Fri30 Oct2020: UpperBarracks@195 PearlHillTerrace. Built in 1934 it used to be the accommodation for the SikhContingent of the StraitsSettlementsPoliceForce. The Contingent was disbanded after WW II, 1945 and was replaced by the GurkhaContingent in April 1949. Thereafter the building was used by various Govt Agencies eg MID (Ministry of Interior &Defense, the predecessor of Mindef&Ministry of HomeAffairs), Ministry of SocialAffairs and also the CombinedOperationsRoom. Today the building house many offices and a cafe.

This historical building has now been transformed into an artistic and hipster space and is located behind the People’s Park Food Centre.

195 Pearl Hill Café where an unusual combination of pasta and seldom yummy pork-satay is served. Satay is a Malay/Muslim dish, thus no pork, so this is more a fusion-kebab with an unusual appetizing delicious peanut/pineapple sauce. Appreciations to Victor for ordering all this way in advance otherwise, no chance to taste.

Edited Thu25Mar2021: tkx to CK Lee for this link –

http://ieatishootipost.sg/tiong-bahru-satay-ah-pui/

This feline has not moved since we passed by it this morning. Heading down those steps in that lovely breeze, I too could have like a deck-chair or a hammock to hang out there for some hours. Eyeing at this delicious looking fish at someone’s lunch in the food center (perhaps another time!) and headed to run errands in Chinatown.

Cats are connoisseurs of comfort – James Herriot

Chinatown Complex for take-away kampong chicken to try. What came first, The chicken or the egg? I don’t care, I eat both!  

Mid-Autumn lights here in Chinatown will be over 16Oct, but not sure if I will get to see them this year.

Wed: would usually collect a few days of events before posting, but there was so much happening yesterday and the same will go for tomorrow.

4 Oct 2020 – LAM+TSANG FamilyTree

Fri: met at CC to catch up with Calvin&co (must get a hair-cut like Helens, welcome to the Grey&White HairClub – hahaha). Condolences to Chris&family for the passing of his uncle, may he RIP. Memory-lane pix with Chris from 2013.

Helen&I decided to take a walk with the Giant Baby & The Royal Family at Gardens By The Bay, catching the mid-autumn lights which will be over on Sunday.

The Apricot Grove featured apricot flowers at various stages of blooming, enhanced with gobo lighting effect to simulate falling flower petals, is inspired by the Chinese fable of Dong Feng 董奉 who is a skilled and generous medical practitioner from the Three Kingdoms period 三国时代

The moon was teasing&playing hide&seek with us the whole evening.

The new (opened Sep2020) Apple@MBS which looks more impressive at night. 

Around MarinaBlv to the CustomHouse where most of the eating joints were done with their last orders. OneFullerton for a bite&drinks@Aseana, just in time to place the last order. Appreciations to Helen for good company and a lovely evening. Was blessed to be on the bus when the sky opened up, got back to the 4-walls just past midnight. 

Sat: had a restful sleep with the blissful sound of raindrops. Tkx to SL for helping to pick up bulky&heavy grocery stuff, am now set with all kind of detergents+toilet-paper for until 2021. Tonight’s dinner reservation was made nearly a month ago, but had to be postponed. So combining a belated Bday for Ivy and an early Bday for Les from Clement, SL & I

BakkwaBaconSalad 自制肉干沙律菜bacon strips grilled bakkwa-style with an oriental green salad complete with lotus root croutons, WagyuTruffleHorFun松露和牛鸳鸯河粉, Awesome FlamingPineappleBeef 火焰菠萝牛肉

30 Sep 2020 – SingPost & Shopee

Sat: neighbour works for SIN-Post and left her bike on the elevator-landing today. She removed it after I told her that it should not be parked here, but could not resist taking this pix which really puts snail-mail into perspective, hahaha! Have not rode on a bicycle since the helmet got stolen, and gave away my bike! Doubt if I will buy another bike again and If I do ride, will have to borrow or rent one. As for helmet, do not like borrowing or renting – that means neither I get a new one or I will not be able to ride a bike again!

Sun: discovered this online shopping and could find just about anything. Would usually make it a morning or an afternoon to buy Recogen supplements at their store@UbinAve where I need to change 2buses to get there. It is also the location where I get roasted foods for a group. And other times when there are promotions at the HealthFairs, usually@SunTec. Due to Covid, no fairs and trying to avoid wondering around unnecessarily. Surfing online and found that Shopee has them at the same price including FOC delivery+shop voucher worth S$8. Ordered 4items, will see how long they will take to get here.

The great thing about the Internet isn’t that you can reconnect with old friends or stay up to date with developing world events or send pictures of newborns immediately around the world. It is simply that you can log on to jcpenney.com from anywhere and order fresh underwear immediately after seeing your life flash before your eyes ― David C Holley

Mon: received 3 boxes of Recogen (30sachets perbox, 300g ) Original. Free 7 Sachets. Regular price, S$62perbox-total S$186 – paid S$178 using S$8voucher&FOCshipping. Quite impressed with how fast this arrived, the order was placed just 24hrs ago. 

Tue: grocery day@Giant/Tampines. Free shuttle was punctual for the 1015hrs pick-up and the driver must be on of the best I have experienced so far – smooth ride, no jerking around, perfect speed. Also he was smart enough to keep the front door closed so that ppl had to get off at the back to not block those who trying to board in front. New@Giant, fresh seafood – today’s SeniorSaving was S$4.

Wed: tkx to HS&Boon for good dinner company (made GravLaks+SeafoodPasta) and for the hand-made mooncake+beef-stew. Looking forward to tasting them. Not too sure if I feel like or want to check out the mid-autumn lights in Chinatown or GardensByTheBay this year. But if I do, it will not be until next week, ie if they are still on! Nowadays, after going out, would usually get all my clothes in for washing and myself into the shower. So will try to do my gallivanting in the late afternoons to be back to shower nearer bed-time like I have always done otherwise the skin will get dry with too many showers.

https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/whats-on/calendar-of-events/mid-autumn-festival-2020/highlights.html

Wed30Sep2020: WorldOmeter of COVID-19 deaths are as follow:

SIN/pop 5.6+mil in an area of 721SqKm – 27
SC/USA/pop 5+mil in an area of 82, 932SqKm – 3,359
Norway/pop 5.3+mil in an area of 365,268SqKm – 274

Thu1Oct2020: Happy Mid-Autumn, Lantern, MoonCakes Festival to those celebrating. Enjoy the lights+your favourite mooncakes. The plain traditional ones are still my favourite, but happy to taste all these new ones. Also the dough piglets in the basket were popular during childhood, now only for decoration.

Most memorable are these delicate beautiful hand-made lanterns – could hardly wait till dark when we can light them with candles and carried them walking around TemenggongRd. The transparent coloured cellophane ones are my favourite. They are absolutely beautiful&mesmerizing when a real candle flame is flicking inside them. Bought these 2decades ago and they need repair every year when I take them out. The new ones are quite different with music and run by battery which has taken the charm out, but probably safer.

Hugs&well wishes are out to family&friends all around the world connecting us under this clear sky with a beautiful, bright & big moon tonight in SIN.

Oct Bdays

3  – Happy Bday CHONGSiongYin
6  – Happy Bday DavidWONG
7  – Happy Bday LeslieLAM
8 – Happy Bdays Larry LAM, AudreyWONG and KONGHengSun
12 – Happy Bday Karen SCAF-BENHAM
13 – Happy Bdays DavidYUNG
16 – Happy PatriciaLAM
21 – Happy Bday SteveLAM & DeeHALL
27 – In memory of EllenHALD Sr
29 – Happy Bdays KwokLockLAM & KieraCHUA
31 – Happy Bday AdelineLEE, MarkBOROWSKY, and Happy Halloween

25 Sep 2020 – StarHub

Tue: this large halo that appeared around the sun and seen by many in SIN at around noon today (22Sep) is what scientists call a 22-degree halo –  because the ring has a radius of ~22º around the sun. Millions of tiny ice crystals in cirrus clouds that refract&reflect light in just the right orientation&position with respect to your eye for the halo to be visible. Tkx for the stunning halo and may you RIP, dear 4th sis-in-law, PohKit. Pix downloaded.

No camera or mobile on me, in addition, hands filled with grocery, and strangely enough it was also not my usual time (~12n) to be out grocery shopping, but did so today, nearly dropped everything when I saw this amazing phenomenon. Thought that the eyes were staring to much into the sun and got blinded with illusions. Rushed back to my 4walls and was online searching for an explanation. 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sun-halo-spotted-over-eastern-singapore

26Dec2019: was fortunate enough to have the camera on hand to capture yet another amazing&beautiful piece of natural art – total solar eclipse then – Ring of Fire’s path in SIN and the last one for this life’s journey! Many were too busy looking up at the eclipse then, but being a typical hiker, giving attention to my surroundings and saw this. Times like these, I do wish for a better camera. Can imagine how alarming it must have been for ppl in the DarkAges when there were no explanations for these phenomenon. 

https://mothership.sg/2019/12/crescent-shadows-why/

I look up in hope
Dreaming to be brightened
And begotten out of this hazy funk,
And suddenly I see
My light glowing high above me,
She is warming certainty
Wearing her angelic halo… Bodhi Smith

Wed: yesterday (SIN) and today (Norway&US) is also the Autumn Equinox and how I would have liked to see the Fall colours – just have to be happy with looking thru’ old pix from previous years for now!

How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days — John Burroughs

The fall equinox has been a day of celebration for cultures since ancient days. People tracked the transitions of the Earth’s journeys around the Sun.

• At Machu Picchu in Peru, an ancient stone monument called Intihuatana—which means “Hitching Post of the Sun”—serves as a solar clock to mark the dates of the equinoxes and solstices.  
• In Mexico, the Mayans built a giant pyramid called Chichen Itza. On the equinoxes, it looks as if a snake made of light slithers down the pyramid’s steps.
• In England, Stonehenge was also built with the equinoxes and solstices in mind.

MachuPicchu – my first project@FL Travel School in the late 1980s and that is still in my bucket list.

https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-fall-autumnal-equinox

Thu: lovely early morning pouring rains. Not that it is my choice to stay behind 4-walls so much that I become isolated, but to use this time to restore&gather myself getting ready to expand the ability to participate in the world again when possible! Home to me is within, thus home is everywhere, where ever I may be! The heart may not be in top condition, but hopefully the mind is still there, despite that the body might not always be in sync with the mind.

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. Getting errands done before the weekend – switching over to StarHub who is promoting a SeniorPlanS$8 as compared to M1S$20 which is quite a saving. 

PP-Level3 now has one of my favourite cake/pastry shops. Looks like a new Fairprice will replace where Giant was once located.

Rambutans bring back carefree childhood memories where we had a rambutan orchard. During the season, you can usually find me up in the trees enjoying these yummy juicy fruits. Tkx to May&#6 for this IKEA rainbow bag, was pleasantly surprised that it took 10days (NOK178/S$25+) to get here. Snail-mailing has been living up to its name during these strange times, taking weeks&months to get to its destination!

Edited – on the subject of memory, it is also NationalDaughtersDay2020 in the US, but do not even remember when or if we ever celebrated this day? Now that travel is not so accessible, feeling blessed to have my 2beautiful daughters L&M+#2&6 visiting me in Feb2020 for my 70th. It is seldom that we can capture a pix of all 3 of us together, previous time being Linn’s 40th in 2014. Happy National Daughters Day to all celebrating.