20 Dec 2014 – Banyan Tree at KohSamui

Wed: all afternoon at Mt E for tests etc to ensure the body  is able to take a short flight tomorrow. Slowly but surely I can walk even when it is at the speed of a snail. Tkx to Clem for early Christmas dinner at Buko Nero****good food and a glass of wine before going on anti-bio because of the  ‘Helicobacter pylori’ attack causing the serve bleeding ulcer.

Thu: more blood test in the morning, packed and headed to the airport to discover that passport for sis has expired. At this rate life goes, might end up with a heart attack! Jo, had to go home while Lawrence and I checked into BKKAir, first for me! Hopefully things will work out for the best tomorrow and that she can have an extension for her passport and also there is space on the plane.

Glad and relief to discover that the passage sitting next to me is a young handsome cardiologist. 1.30hrs flight flew by with dinner served. Going thru’ immigration at KohSamui/Thailand airport felt nearly as long as the flight – perhaps it would have gone faster if I had Leon to chat with 🙂

Fri: a private jacuzzi and pool to every villa makes life quite comfortable. Indeed a relaxing and beautiful place to be with perfect temperatures with sounds of the waves from the S China Sea to calm body & soul. Appreciations to Les&Ivy.

Lovely breakfast with the family and good to catch up with Kat & family who is back for the holidays from NYC.

Must admit that the Thai are really good at their SPA and massage. Had one this afternoon and it really felt good.

Yummy rock lobster dinner at The Cliff****

Yeah, Jo arrived safely. All’s well that ends well…

Love all, trust a few,
Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy
Rather in power than use; and keep thy friend
Under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence,
But never tax’d for speech – Shakespeare

15 Dec 2014 – An Unexpected Weekend

Sat: the last 2 movies The Monk and Revivre went to the drains and so were plans for wrapping gifts. Thanks to Les, Drs Ang & Tan and the staff at Mt E, blood transfusion was necessary and hopefully this will keep me going for this life’s journey. A serve bleeding ulcer caused by the HelicobacterPylori is no joke, especially when blood is coming out of both ends, and also when one is on blood-thinner! Looks like a vampire attacked my hands 🙂

Sun: the Third Advent Candle is the Candle of JOY and today, am both joyful and grateful that I survived thanks, to the excellent doctors and dedicated staff at Mt E.

Mon: Martin Place Sydney, Australia – gunman takes hostages in a chocolate café. Of all places Lindt Chocolate, one of my favourite chocolates!! Their demands, an ISIS flag and to talk to the PM Abbott. This ISIS ideology is really getting out of hand. Prayers and thoughts go to all who are affected in this Sydney Seige. Pix credits to BBC.

Gunman holds hostage in Belgium – what in the world is happening and what kind of evil and dark forces are going on??

Only have two wishes, PEACE and GOOD HEALTH. Maybe it is too much to ask for, but one can still dream and hope.

Edited: 16 Dec 2014 – condolences to the families and friends of the 2 hostages in Sydney Siege. Prayers and thoughts are with them. The siege is over but sadly not peacefully. News that 2 hostages and a self gunman did not survive.

This is scary, many times when some dark negative forces take over, my health seems to be affected, including 9-11 and the Bali bombing! Getting totally paranoid. Consolation from KK, ‘There’s always sthg terrible happening in the world….

12 Dec 2014 – A Busy Week Of Entertainment!

As it is Changi Airport in SIN ranks the best in the world and has done so for the past few years. Would be interesting to see the rankings when this project is completed in 2018? Above pix credits to ST.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/work-changi-airports-jewel-project-and-t1-expansion-begins-20141205

Mon: Mahalo/Hawaiian thank you for getting all the snail-mail (greeting cards + a couple of packages) out with a bill of S$50 in postage.

SGIFF NMS: SIN Girl, straight out of bad relationships, two lost souls strike up a friendship on a holiday resort island. How coincident can this be that the island happens to be Koh-Sumai in Thailand, where I will be heading next week!! Some of the dialog is in Cantonese and simple enough for me to understand…

Tue: OCBC Aquatic Centre for a good swim. Can’t beat this Olympic indoor pool size and a lane to myself again! The energy level and mood seem to always be better after a good workout. S$1 entry for seniors is really affordable. Had to even show my senior ID and maybe should take that as a compliment 🙂

Condolences to Calvin at Campers’ Corner for the passing of his mother. She has been suffering with cancer for a while and may she now RIP. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

SGIFF: As You Were, two childhood friends who are now a couple find their relationship threatened by the mysterious working of memory and the troubles of familiarity. This film is ode to the passage of time and the persistency of solitude.

Shown at The Projector, Golden Mile Tower is my first experience at this location. Worn-down cinema but trying to revive by showing the not usually seen movies on the 5th floor. Seats need to be replaced and rather steep seating which is good as the chances of having a head blocking is minium! Not a desirable area with females at the entrance look like they are dressed to kill – did not have the guts to take pix here and it was past 2300hrs when the movie was over!!!

Wed: Merci/French thank you that I found the way by bus and MRT+LRT to Punggol/Purple Line for Calvin’s mother wake.

SGIFF Lido: About a Woman/Indonesia movie. An elderly widow finds herself alone and lonely after the departure of her maid. Concerned for her wellbeing, her daughter and son-in-law hire a live-in helper – a young boy named Abi – to keep her company. The widow and Abi slowly develop a kind of affection bond.

Did not make the other show Breaking The Ice and just as well. Totally worn out both mentally and physically after About a Woman, unlike the woman when she could still hiked the AT 🙂

Thu: chei-zu tin-bar-te/Myanmar thank you to Peggy for a veggie lunch at Fortune Centre and to a fantastic Musical Adventure Monkey Goes West at the newly revamp Victoria Theatre. Enjoyed this entertaining show with a fully local cast.

Like that the concert hall and the theatre are now connected (especially today as it was pouring buckets when we just got into the connection). The revamp has been tastefully done keeping to the white marble style as how I remember this location from the 1950s!

SGIFF The Arts House: We Were There, a trip into memory lane for six old friends. Was too tired after nearly 3hrs of musical to appreciate this flick! Was struggling to keep my eyes opened! Decided not to rate these SGIFF movies as they are rather different from the usual ones.

TGIF and no movie today but more Christmas shopping and wrapping to do. Explored the new Bedok Mall and a trip to the Tampines IKEA.

Have decided against putting up my Christmas Village this year as I have been busy at the SGIFF. In addition, next week will be heading to Thailand for a long weekend!

This is what it looks like if it is up –

https://amylamsg.com/2013/12/17/christmas-decorations/

To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die – Thomas Campbell

4 Dec 2014 – Hello Dec

This comedy drama tells the story of a young popular medium, who is hired by a Chinese ex-singer to find a spouse for her dead teenage son. The chosen bride turns out to be an unexpected person, and this snowballs into a series of events culminating in a Chinese ghost wedding…

Fantastic movie but like many of the SIN movies, you need to know the lingo or will be lost in translation. Constructive message to controlling and naggy! mothers…

Mon: last funny for 2014 Thanksgiving 🙂 Goodbye Nov – Hello Dec. Advent calendar is up. Those who are not familiar with this advent calendar – it is a piece of embroidery with 24 pockets switched by hand (took some years!). Will place a thank you note in different languages for 24days. Gratitude and well wishes are not just for the holiday season but for everyday.

Tue: lunch at Kallang Wave with Chem. New signs as to what NOT to do in the during events in the stadium!! Sometimes I do wonder if SIN tops the world where signage as not what to do are concerned 🙂

Good to see the Skate Park, Library and the Climbing Wall in good use.

Clem headed off to see the tennis while I went for a nice swim with a whole lane to myself. Happy to finish most of the Christmas shopping and hope to get those that need to be mail + the old-fashion snail mail greetings out by Mon. What a lovely productive day. The bus stops to & from the stadium are nearly completed and only just 15mins ride for me with a choice of 2 direct buses.

Wed: pot-luck dinner with Lynne from UK who is back to visit with her grandchildren. Good to have an annual catch-up with CHIJ classmates from 1962. Pix clock-wise: Penny, LaiToe, Cheng Hwa (the last time I saw her was in 1965), Lynne, Peggy, Shirley, Evelyn and Sylvia. Mary and Angela joined us later. Tkx for getting us together and safe trip back to UK.

Looking forward to tomorrow for the first show of the SIN 25th International Film Festival/SGIFF. Bought tickets to see 10 movies and the last one will be on Sun 14 Dec. Yeah!

1 Dec 2014 – Forecast For Another Busy Month Ahead!

Goodbye Nov and what a busy month it has been.

Raw and untouched beauty in Iceland – an awesome place and even ‘more awesomer’ (as my grandniece would put it – It is so awesome it defies the rules of grammar 🙂 ), if and when you can be there in person to experience the country and the people. A place I would like to revisit some day!

Fri: appreciations to all at the Iceland PPP/Campers Corner, especially to Calvin, Sam and Seng Teong. Tkx to a great audience for their attention. Thinking of Leo & Chris, my high-tech gurus who were not able to be with me but grateful to Seb, Henry, Diesel and Roy for their help. With Thanksgiving and the Iceland PPP behind, can now focus on Christmas.

Sat: Happy Bday JW. Today 8yrs ago, #3 grandchild and only grandchild born here in SIN. Linn&family and May were attending their cousin’s Pat& David’s wedding here in SIN then. At present the Halls are at Sugar Mts/NC. Tkx Linn for picking out a present (Elasmosaurus – notice how the weapon is aiming at it 🙂 ) for JW on my behalf. Only a mom can know what their children really wants!

Sun: first Sunday of Advent and last day of Nov 2014 – looks like there is good snow for skiing in Sugar Mts/NC. Tkx to Jo for lunch & dinner

For those who are not aware, this is NOT good, as I had to explain to a health official who was testing and certifying me to be competent to work in public kitchens! The main cause of red tides was the release of large amounts of untreated sewage into the sea. Tkx to Martin in HKG for the share of his amazing photography and the awareness.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2849621/The-red-sea-Extraordinary-aerial-photographs-mystical-looking-tides-coastal-waters-beach-China.html

Special Dec dates:

14 Happy Bdays Ingrid HUSTAD & LAM Cheng Chwab

16 Happy Bday Andy LAM

23 Happy Bday Minos LAM

24 Happy 14th Anniversary Patricia LAM & Albert CHUA

25 Merry Christmas

27 Happy Bday Lisa XIAO

An old outdated Nordic joke says that it is easy to find your way out from the Icelandic forests – just stand up.

27 Nov 2014 – Happy Turkey Day

Maps to the Stars** follows the Weiss family, who lives a glamorous but problem-riddled life in Hollywood. Stafford makes big money from his self-help manuals while his wife Cristina manages their child star son Benjie, who has known a life in rehab at the tender age of 13. Their estranged pyromania daughter Agatha starts working for a fading diva Havana, who sees her mother’s ghost at night. A story that proves that incest (even without being aware) is not a good gene combination…

Not a good idea to watch this movie when the frame of mind is not at its best, in addition with encountering with strange people, ie people whose actions and or words which are not constructive nor positive to my present chain of thoughts!!

This week has been busy with preparing for the PPP on Iceland at Campers Corner but also having Thanksgiving and the family in mind! So let’s hope that tomorrow the mind will be focus on the presentation.

Do not even remember when I had the last Thanksgiving with my whole family

https://amylamsg.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/thanksgiving/

https://amylamsg.com/2009/11/26/happy-turkey-day/

https://amylamsg.com/2010/11/25/thanksgiving-2010/

https://amylamsg.com/2011/11/24/thanksgiving-2011/

https://amylamsg.com/2012/11/21/pre-thanksgiving-thoughts/

https://amylamsg.com/2013/11/28/thanksgiving-2013/

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse – Henry Van Dyke

There is everything to be thankful for even when the family is not together. This list is never-ending, just checked into the postings from 2008 (when blogging first started!) till now 2014. My immediate family is and always will be in my heart no matter where we all may be. Grateful and blessed that we could be all together Apr 2014 to celebrate Linn’s 40Bday and the Boston Marathon.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

23 Nov 2014 – Getting Stuffed Before The Turkey 🙂

Thu: sooo proud of my eldest #1 grandchild Katy. Running for the SC State CC Meet and playing the violin at St Andrews Presbyterian Church. Way to go Katy bug! Glad that she still enjoys playing the violin. In spite of being a music teacher, I did not manage to get L&M playing any instruments. Tkx for the share, Linn.

Starting with some Christmas shopping and tkx to Clem for lunch. First experience at this location, Old Street Bak Kut Teh 老街肉骨茶***and quite amazed with their digital menu and order system! Liked that they came around every now and then to refill our soup bowls with steaming pork broth.

Had in mind to attend the Safari Talk at Campers Corner but turned out that Les&Ivy arranged farewell drinks for Yas. As always, family do come first and it was a lovely evening with wonderful wines. Safe journeys to  a dear niece.

Fri: Seb, tkx for lunch-buffet company at the Intercontinental Hotel/Bugis***and like most shopping areas, the Christmas decorations are up but will not post anything related to Christmas until after the Thanksgiving.

CC to update Iceland PPP, tkx to Chris, Diesel and Seb for their help. News that Diesel will be a father soon and also moving to the Marine Parade neighbourhood. Congratulations and good luck Diesel.

Sat: appreciations to Campers’ Corner for dinner. Bon Appetit to chefs Roy, SengTong & wife. 2014 Beaujolais Nouveau is out, cheers to L&M, remembering that how we always had the latest vintage Beaujolais with our Thanksgiving dinner. Les does not consider Beaujolais a wine, he says it taste more like juice and he has a point but my girls and I still like it!

Sun: tkx for lunch at Jo’s. A voice from the past made my day. A call from Lumumba as he was known to us during our Dublin student days. He real name – Tan WanAn and he shared an apt with Les&Ivy and I in the 1960s. When he said guess who, and someone not spoken to for 50yrs!! Wow half a century and I have been wondering what has happened to him.  Happy to hear his voice and that he is now retired. Hope to catch up with him soon. Must ask Les&Ivy if they have old pix from those days…

I’m looking forward to the future, and feeling grateful for the past – Mike Rowe

20 Nov 2014 – Whampoa & No Touting!

Sun: tkx for dinner at sis Jo. Nice to chat with nieces Sue & Yas.

Tkx May for the pix of Olai 1st dental visit looking so lost – wish I could just give him a hug. Can sooo relate and understand that he does not want to open his mouth. Recalling his grand-uncle, Nils who ran off from the dentist chair at one time. And it took 4 grown-ups to hold me down for my 1st shot…!!

Mon: Wayang Boy***a family comedy about SINeans living amidst the influx of foreign immigrants. Caught in all the hoo-ha is an Indian boy – Raja who is new in SIN and he was brought to SIN by his Chinese stepmother. On his first day of school, Raja is branded ‘a foreign talent’ by the class bully. And thru’ the mayhem of the children’s multi-racial ‘wayang’ performance, everyone learns anew the meaning of living together as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion.

At Campers Corner to get some help from Chris to set up Power Point!

Tue: a rainy day. Met Gel & Mil coincidently at the congree stall at Marine T. Sad that this stall again will be closing down 🙁 On top of that to discover that Katong CHIJ/Marine Terr will be relocated for some years while this will be torn down to make way for bigger and higher buildings! Hope that the lovely tree will stay. First the TaoNan School on Marine Cres and now this. Surrounded by constructions and dust 🙁 🙁

Gel & Mil were there to help Mr & Mrs Lim to clear  and sell off their stock by the end of the week. They have been selling school’s arts craft and stationery at this shop thru’ out Gel’s school years.

Tkx Mil for cutting my hair and appreciations to both Mil & Gel for a nice afternoon at their place and new discovery of another food joint – Whampoa. No touting!!!

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tout: a tout is any person who solicits business or employment in a persistent and annoying manner – another one added to the others SIN NOs signs but how would to this is a signage without words??

Wed: deadly snowstorm up to 12′ of snow hits US NorthEast with fatalities. To those who are affected in these areas, plx stay safe! Pix credits for the weather to various news sites.

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude… – Shakespeare