18 Feb 2023 – My Own Budget

Wed: grocery shopping@Giant/Tampines was a success considering that a total bill of S$146.43 was redeemed totally (probably the only seldom time!) with CDC/S$145, SeniorSavS$4.53,Yuu/S$1.43, including promotional items amounting to S$30.02 for many reduced snack items that I would not normally buy.

Got this bladefree-fan+light from JapanHouse/Parkway – have been looking for something like this for a long time and since it was reduced from S$17 to 10, worth to try and see how effective&how long it will last? Also time to clean the laptop S$6.50.

2023-SIN-budget is now out with more savings for this year. https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2023/02/14/singapores-budget-2023-allocates-higher-cash-payouts-under-assurance-package-gst-voucher-scheme/

Life is a daily cleansing. Negativity must be washed away, if you wish to attract positive experiences to your life – Leon Brown

Amazing Lego-Building from nephew(took him 5hrs on a rainy afternoon and get these flowers together). #6(still on-going with his cities), and busy setting up birdhouses he has helped to built – pix credits to Clement&2nd-born

Valentine’s Day Lindt-goodies for the Fabulous5+1friend arrived a day late to save on shipping, looks like they do not have any problems with belated greetings – pix credits to 1st-born

Thu: congratulations to LexingtonHighSchool,SC,USA – 2022Girls-CrossCountry-5A-Team, here being recognized and honoured for their State Championship in SC-House of Representatives. Well done to all the coaches, proud of my 1st-Born and Jeremy who coach a sport that requires discipline, endurance, strength&speed.

Bus196-BedokInterchange-MRT-PasirRis-bus-EliasMall

Appreciations&tkx for a sunset gravlaks, lobster dinner+red-velvet-lavacake.

Pleasant ride on the last shuttle-bus(21.45hrs)from IKEA-Bedok catching Bus196 with hardly any traffic on the road. Pix credits to Helen.

Fri: picked up meds@FarrerPkMedicalCentre. Movie The King Of Musang King 猫山王中王  – entertaining but a tad too long and being a fan of durians, had to watch it. Nice to see a local flick with JackNeo,MarkLee,Yeo YannYann in it. Early Bday dinner with Henry.

Sat: tkx for the PrimeMagazine featuring Les in their Feb-Mar2023 issue.

14 Feb 2023 – Tiger Lily Wine

Sat: from Loon – It could not be more typical of you, its even an outlaw – that is so much like a hiker.  Appreciations&tkx to AT-hiker Loon for this site. If I do get to Damascus, VA,USA for TrailDays in 19-21May2023, will get a few bottles to share. Besides my own 2005AT-thru-hike-trail name, TigerLily, do also remember the trail names of those who hiked with me then.

https://www.sierravistawinery.com/tiger-lily-wine/
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/tiger-lily-2019-outlaw-estate-reserve-g-s-m-el-dorado/

Sun: have been watching older movies from Netflix, etc and of course not remember most of them! List of 2022movies on the big screen to watch if not travelling. RottenTomatoes/RT guide list has 100choices to choose from but not all are to my taste! 12 of my choice, one for each month. So far have watched #3(brilliant performance of a grumpy widower by TomHanks), 4(dark and slow moving), 7(entertaining), 11(good cross-culture acting).

1  Aftersun/UK,drama
2  A Love Song/USA,drama
3  A Man Called Otto/USA,drama comedy – not in RT list
4  Banshees on Inisherin/Ireland,black tragicomedy
5  Everything Went Fine/French,drama
6  Living/UK,drama
7  Mrs Harris Goes To Paris/USA,comedy-drama
8  The Long Walk/Lao,sci-fi horror
9  The Quiet Girl/Ireland,drama
10 The Whale/USA,drama
11 What’sLoveGotTo DoWithIt/UK,comedy – not in RT list
12 Women Taking/USA,drama

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-2022/

Mon: mask-wearing is no longer mandatory on public transport from today as COVID-19 restrictions are stepping down to Dorscon-Green. Not even sure if SIN was ever in Dorscon-Red?? Will still keep mask handy when indoors in crowds, handwashing regularly and not touching the face, etc will ALWAYS be good habits to have.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mask-wearing-feb-13-dorscon-green-mtf-covid-19-3265126

Tue: Happy Valentine’s Day – the origins of Valentine’s Day is a pagan festival, Lupercalia in ancient Rome, not as romantic as you would imagine! It is said later that Valentine was a priest, who defied emperors’ orders and secretly married couples to spare husbands from wars; he was beheaded on 14Feb~270AD.

Love is blind, marriage is the eye-opener — P Thomason

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

Today according to Hallmark, ~145million cards are sold in USA and ~250million stems of flowers globally each year!

At my age, an affair of the heart is a bypass! —Joan Rivers

Grocery shopping day@Giant in Tampines – to be updated in next posting…

10 Feb 2023 – Mavis Tutorial Centre

Tue: woke up to sad news for this Tue – prayers&thoughts are out to all affected and condolences to those have have lost family or friends in this earthquake 7.8 magnitude earthquake which rocked Turkey&Syria.

https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/turkey-earthquake-latest-020623/index.html

Another day in class, learning&understanding more, but still slow at grasping when things are moving so fast with just a click of a button. Discovered that there is the convenience of direct bus31 from MP Rd to TampinesInterchange.

Wed: need this day to clear the mind – watched a good movie, A Man Called Otto(2022) where TomHanks played brilliantly as a grumpy widower.  Based on a novel A Man Called Ove(2013) is a by Swedish writer FredrikBackman which I enjoyed and movie in Swedish was out in 2015.

Thu: last day of class – having come to the realization that the mind for HighTech is slow or perhaps that the interest is not fully present despite the willingness to learn in this 7thDecade of my life journey! Poor teacher Jimmy who must have the patience of a saint to deal with me. clicking buttons is too fast for me. Come Aug, to test the physical capabilities that with determination&focus if the body is still able to manage a 700+k walk which will be more fitting into my speed&steps…

Short walk and stroll in the Tampines area, nice post office, found interesting SINpostcards and together with the Rabbit postage would be cheerful Easter greetings to put in the mail next month. Somehow postage stamps are not so popular nowadays, but still like these miniature pieces of art.

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning — Krishnamurti

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. Sharing 2amusing rainy pixs, one here from SIN many years ago on a StPat’sDayParade(many moons ago), and the other from Chicago,USA – no, have not been there! The simple&repetitive pitter patter sounds of raindrops are peaceful&restful for the overstimulated body&mind, enjoy the lovely cool-wet moments.

Appreciations to Ade for last night’s dinner@PP and tkx for Kana Shiok=hit with deliciousness/singlish. This black olive with Asian preserved vegs+herbs&spices really taste out of this world.

In memory of Burt Freeman Bacharach(1928 – 2023), may he now RIP.

6 Feb 2022 – Visitors from Ireland

Fri: Welcome to the Rowans from Ireland. Appreciations&tkx to management&staff for an information&interesting LASALLE College of Arts tour.

Our eating&walking tour started at 1McNallySt, a bite of DimSum@FortuneCentre, and from CHIJMES, doing another similar ColonialWalk as with Tanja&Bill – https://amylamsg.com/2023/01/12/busy-social-week/

Ice-cream-break in front of ACM, tea-break@LauPaSat and ended the walk with a well-deserved beer tasting@LeVeL33 Craft-Brewery, world’s highest Urban Microbrewery.

Thank you BroJoe for keeping the rains away from your family until we were done with today’s tour.

Many are not aware that BroJoe(1923-2002) designed our IrishGradsOfSIN/IGAS logo and also he was the principal@StPatrick’s in 1975. When I returned to SIN in 1998-99 to live&work, the statue(but did not take any pix then), in the building on MarineParadeRd was a different one of that from today.

Many thanks to Margaret&Peter+Brendan for gifts and just love those Irish sayings, a country where I have had many experiences that have shaped part of my life journey. On Bus196 and the sky opened up on the way back to the EastSide. Going to be another night of good night sleep.

Sat: another lovely cool&wet day to chill and relax. Need to do some PowerPoint homework for the course, but not sure as to what I am doing, just going to give it a shot and hope that it is on the correct track…

In loving memory of bro Lawrence who would have been 89today. Have been at the piano for 6+decades and still at it when mood&time permit; the ukulele is only recently&btw! but the cello is history. Looking to donate the cello to some good cause and just heard from the administrators from LASALLE that the music department are in the talks. Would be appropriate place for the cello as Ireland was where I got my music scholarship&education.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150202132611.htm

Sun: Happy ChapGohMei十五暝 – meaning the 15night of CNY in the Chinese/Hokkien dialect and today signifies the end of the 15CNYday celebrations – also considered the Chinese equivalent of Valentine’sDay in some of this part of the world. Happy Thaipusamதைப்பூசம் to those marking this day, a festival celebrated by the Hindu/Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month(pix credits to niece Pat/May).Tkx to Seb for helping out with the WixWebsite course.

A wet afternoon eating&waiting patiently for the LionDance@MeiHeongYuen/Chinatown. Since this was the only CNY-LIonDance I would have the chance to watch, was supposed to start ~1600hrs! Rains cannot stop this Samsui woman from her work(pix credits to Victor), so no complains for eating, waiting&watching life goes by here at my favourite Chinese dessert location today!

Delayed by the rains until ~1900hrs, worth the wait

for this amazing 1hr performance by 新加坡鹤山会馆武术醒狮团SIN HokSanAssociationLionDanceTroupe

The finale with BossLady blessed with the good luck rearrangement&4D#9176. The year of the WaterRabbit has so far really brought water almost throughout the 15days of the CNY.

2 Feb 2023 – Building A Wix Website

Mon: on this 9CNYday, tkx to cousin YatSoon+Helen+niece Merla&Mei for his share of the family in London/UK. Grandnephew Ayden’s 1stCNYwith his parents nieceYasmine&Andrew.

What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love ― Nicholas Sparks

Happy Bdays to auntieNgor/KCH,Sarawak and cousin WengKei from NZ but is now in KCH – pix credits to cousin Karen. Family&friends in Auckland/NZ, plx stay safe.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/new-zealand-city-declares-emergency-after-heavy-flooding/vi-AA16OqRd?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=934f7004afd841329bed084549a72d46

Tue: on this 10CNYday appreciations&thank you to IrishGrads/IGAS members Rosemary+BoonCheng for delivering this amazing book bringing back fond memories from the student days (1960s-70s) in Dublin/Ireland. Looking forward to reading it.

31Jan2023: WorldOmeter of COVID-19 total deaths are as follow:

Thu: attending this course starting today, survived 0900-1800hrs day, but the focus was not fully there! Has been a while since I have attended a full day class, especially on building website when you get stuck on&to the screen and the eyes are not as they used to be.

Located conveniently by the TampinesMRT&BusInterchange, MavisTutorial is across the road from TampinesCentralShoppingSt. Not sure how I will handle another 2more days of this next week, had a splitting headache at the end of the day. Tkx to our government, this is a fully subsidized course.

https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/enhancedsubsidy

29 Jan 2023 – Medical & Music 

Wed: CT-scan@NHC/SGH on time as scheduled, in&out within less than 30mins, hopefully no further attention will be needed after the results. Kopitian gone from NHC and in its place is SG-Hawker.

Decided to pack some Nyonya/Peranaka food for lunch. Heavy rains while on Bus196 and even without umbrella was not a problem as the walkways to&from all the bus-stops on my paths today are all shaded. Enjoying fully this lovely cool wet afternoon with this yummy food. An early good night sleep with the peaceful&relaxing pitter-patter of the rains.

Thu: needed today to be a loner recharging for another busy weekend ahead. Watching cheesy movies is a good way for me to switch off. Appreciations to 1st-born for posting these pix and nice to see that they do mark the CNY despite being in a another culture&society where CNY is not celebrated. Besides myself, #3 is the other only one in my flock born here in SIN! Thank goodness Chinese eateries are world-wild and take-away Chinese food is a nice way to mark the CNY. Tkx to Gel for her home-made Kimchi

Fri: TGIF on this 6CNY-day and a good weekend to all. Appreciations to Aileen(now a proud grandmother to a beautiful baby girl – pix credits to the Tang-family) for taking time to meet up for brunch in my hood in the midst of her very busy schedule, اشكرك for lovely orchid, safe journeys back to her temporary home in Saudi.

谢谢 to Calvin for this juicy&sweet box of mandarin-oranges, stay safe&warm in their Japan trip – pix credits to Yukie.

Sat: today is the 7CNYday and also know as Rénrì人日, Everybody’s Birthday. According to Chinese customs, Renri was the day human beings were created. It is celebrated not only in China, but also in the surrounding region influenced by Chinese culture. Happy Birthday to all celebrating Downstairs here@46MarineCres, the neighbourhood has been preparing since a week ago for their CNYdinner.

Tkx to AudreyW for lunch invite, she is the only one who I know makes yummy 炒年糕 or chǎo niángāo = Stir fried Shanghai rice cakes with mushrooms & cabbage in a delicious, savory Asian soy based sauce.

Tkx to HS for Concerto3 -Three Concertos with re:Sound – 3rd time within a week at the WestEnd. Quick ThaiFoodBite&drink@BarBarBlackSheep after nearly 2hrs on the bus! Has been a long while ago since last YongSiewTohConservatory of Music/YSTCM and what fantastic performance. The music&medical scenes here in SIN have have come along impressively from since what I can remember from my younger days!

1.Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Cellos in G minor, RV 531 (soloists: Qin Li-Wei, Liu Jiaqi). 2.Grażyna Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra. 3.Joseph Haydn: Cello Concerto No.1 in C major (soloist: Qin Li-Wei).

Where words fail, music speaks — Hans Christian Andersen

Sun: cool quiet wet day to chill before dinner with nieceDaisy&grandnephewDarryl before he returns for his studies in Sydney/Australia next week. Met@KatongShoppingCentre – ChickenRice, for me and IpohTuckKeeSon noodles for them – nice walk to I12.

24 Jan 2023 – Visits & Visitors

Sat: welcome Henrietta&Francis from HKG for Meepok brunch @TanjongPagarPlazaMarket&FoodCentre. Being CNY’s eve, many stalls were closed, thus not much selection.

Was even brave enough to step into Chinatown to snap some shots! Too tired to go for more reunion dinners tonight, need to charge up for all the visits for the coming week.

Sun: A very Happy 21st Birthday to #1 – appreciations&thanks to 1stBorn for these pix of my beautiful grandchildren, the FabulousFive in the USofA.

KongHeiFattChoy to all celebrating the Lunar/Chinese New Year of the Rabbit on this 1st CNY-day.

Appreciations&tkx to Les&Ivy for delicious lunch+wines to start me looking much forward hopping with eagerness&enthusiasm into more adventures&journeys ahead.

Nice to catch up with Michael&Sharon+Alex&girlfriend. Tkx to Theresa&CJ for visiting.

Mon: on this 2nd-CNY-day visiting with 2nd sis-in-law who was recently promoted to a great-grandmother, niece JenLeng to grandmother, grandniece QiYing to auntie and grandnephew KeeYang to a father. Starting a new generation in the LAM-family with Baby Anna’s 1st CNY. Looking forward to meeting her soon, today she was home asleep.

Words can not express the joy of new life – Hermann Hesse

Nice spontaneous meet up with Lily&AngelinaÔng who text me while I was about to hop on the MRT in Kranji. Since they were in town and for me to get back from the West-East of the island, BencoolenSt was just a slight detour. Tkx for my favourite ice-cream@FortuneCentre and safe journeys onwards for them.

Tue: 3rdCNYday, headed again to the other end of the island, 2days in a roll to be in the West&North ends! – to visit with 11thAuntie(95, eldest of the BG), nice to catch up with cousin Ken&Cynthia@BinjaiPK

And with 18thUncle&Auntie(87, youngest of the BG). Tkx to cousin Sara for lunch&dessert@CausewayPt

Took the opportunity to check around the new Woodlands InterChange; got OliveRice to go and Bus168 back to Bedok InterChange a joy-ride of 1+hr. Thus wrapping up the CNY-family-visits for this round and who knows if the energy will still be there for a next round?

Hallo, Rabbit, he said is that you?
Let’s pretend it isn’t, said Rabbit, and see what happens ― AA Milne

20 Jan 2023 – The Year of the Rabbit

Tue&Wed: needed these 2days to do whatever had to be done, including preparing for the next wave of the CNY socials. 

Thu: was planning a quiet day but realized that some last moment errands were needed. Appreciations to Clement for the RabbitRedPackages and for ChickenRiceDinner in TheHainanStory ChapterOne (Hotel Boss). Lovely stroll to WaterlooSt, sometimes the unplanned things are the best! But they were out of RedMelonSeeds.

Continued on the bus to Chinatown in time to get to YueWah before it closed. Thank goodness there were some packages left and even managed to snap a few pix before the rains started. Will be back another night when its less ppl&cars.

Fri: Ivy called and had to make a trip to PP to pick up some last moments CNY-goodies for her – not sure how many more times I can do this, but will always try my best to help as long as I am able. Since I was out&about, might as well pick up more mandarin oranges. Again just back in time before the rains, despite me liking the rains&cool weathers, do really feel for the vendors who depend on this major CNY-event to earn their main profits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePW4kTiGffY/3.20 Mm Lee – Fengshui Is utter Rubbish, from my understanding, it does not only applies to Fengshui, but also to things like horoscope, etc, and I fully agree with him here. Its going to be another busy social weekend. Preparations for the Rabbit to pop&hop out of its hole are more or less ready, but

16 Jan 2023 – Days of Celebrations

Fri: welcome to AhChee from Canada – it has been 50+yrs ago since we last crossed paths during our student days in Dublin/Ireland. Nice to meet with his wife, Angie. Tkx to Les&Ivy for hosting a scrumptious LoHei dinner last night. A great evening catching up with news from this 1960s-70s-group of IGAS, IrishGrads who are all grandparents now!

YiQian PrivateDining壹仟私厨Cantonese&Teochew fare – Prosperity LoHei with Lobster龍虾撈起, MarinatedBabyOctupus 潮式腌小墨斗, Beef with SlicedGarlic琥珀蒜片牛柳粒 pix of 3 of my favourite dishes there.

BraisedSlicedDuck鹵水鴨片, SoonHock笋壳鱼Steamed TeochewStyle潮州蒸, MustardGreen with CrabMeat蟹肉鱼漂大芥菜,Wok-fried GlutinousRice with WaxedMeat 生炒臘味糯米飯 https://www.yiqianprivatedining.com/

Sat: Happy Pongalஇனிய பொங்கல் to those celebrating this Hindu harvest festival(14-17Jan). Thanks to nephew Clement for lunch at the MajesticRestaurant, MarinaOne. https://www.facebook.com/majesticrestaurantsg/

yummy foods,

had fun exploring this new exciting location.

Threw some magnetic darts(first time with these kind of darts and has been a long time since I threw any darts!) in the basement.

Coffee&drink@TheSingapuraClub – for once music from the 1950s-70s could be recognized&related to and not blasting thru’ boombox, but in comfortable volume providing relaxing ambience with just us there(would not want to be here in any crowds). A pleasant&peaceful afternoon went by quickly.

Tkx to Calvin@CC for hosting this celebration with my favourite durians

for JanBdays – myself, Estella, David, Iyas and SkyThian. Appreciations to Estella for good Tequila

Sun: tkx to Les&Ivy for dinner and to Shawn for durians – wow! durians 2 nights in a row, sugar level is now probably high enough to get me thru’ any long distance walk, hahaha!!

Amazing to hear about May/Pat’s trip in Japan, especially the MoonFlower Sagaya Ginza, Art by TeamLab. Worlds Unleashed and then Connecting and according to her – a beautiful experience of food like eating in a moving artwork. Fish sprang from plates, water flowed round, flowers bloomed. On my bucket list but will probably be too distracted to eat.

Mon: tkx to AT-fellow-hikers, HiHills&MissWiggy for beautiful orchids and to Wendy for TorchGingerFlowers. Appreciations and thank you to each and everyone of you for your kind&thoughtful Bday gifts, treats&wishes. Need to give the stomach a rest before the next wave of socials for the CNY. When I was in my 50s, I thought I’ll never make it to the 60s. At 60s I thought that’s it. And now 73, still on my feet enjoying life to the fullest.

12 Jan 2023 – Guests From Australia&Switzerland+Light to Night Festival

Mon: a quiet day needed before the storm of socials this whole week.

Tue: tkx for including me for last night’s claypot-reunion-dinner at NewLuckyClaypotRice/HollandDr and  desserts  at DailyScoop/ChipBeeGardens 

with nieces Judy, Daisy, nephews Vincent, Clement(seldom time that I can get a pix all these 4sibilings together!), grandnephews Stanley, Darryl from broSteven’s branch – missing Annie&Andrew. Welcome back to SIN, Vince, even just for a short visit, safe trip back to your other home in Australia.

Wed: welcome Bill back to SIN and welcome Tanja for her first visit, hopefully many more visits to follow. From the airport straight to a bowl of PrawnNoddles at DaDongPrawnNoodles 大東蝦麵@JooChiat where every morsel was thoroughly consumed&enjoyed by guests from Switzerland. This noodle stall has been around since 1966. Now, at the helm of it all is WatsonLIM, a 31-year-old 2nd-generation hawker who has decided to take over the reins from his father.

Bus36 to Esplanade, changing to Bus75 a short walk through

to see what is new on my favourite handicapped-staircase.

Appreciations to Theresa&CJ for yummy steak dinner and the best tasting bamboo I have tasted. This amazing lychee is delicious&juicy and with this kind of size&cost, one is all you can eat. Usually not a fan of prunes, but this PruneLapis 黑棗千層蛋糕is good.

Thu: will be guiding Bill&Tanja thru’ a brief&short colonial walk from CHIJMES(1852)VictoriaSt(my old school)walking to show the magnificent colonial architecture. Passing by StAndrew’sCathedral(1836), being wrapped at present!, National Gallery(1939)formal SupremeCt,

VictoriaHall(1862), AsianCivilisationMuseum(1867)orginally planned to be a CourtHouse, SIN-River, FullertonHotel(1928) formal GPO,

CliffordPier(1933), LauPatSat(1824).  

Tkx to Calvin for LoHeiDinner@TanXiangYUÁN/LittleIndia

https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/ben-yeo-opens-live-seafood-restaurant-little-india-tan-xiang-yuan-338746

LightsToNightFestival2023 – pix credits to Helen. Ephemeral + Hearing Padang by Atelier Sisu

May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out ― JRR Tolkien

Pulse by Felix Frank 

https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/light-to-night-2023-is-back-in-full-swing