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Blessed With Gratitude

20 Jan 2026 – In Every Ways Here There&Everywhere

Sat: TusenTakk Morten for his beautiful WinterWonderLand greetings from his house&barn on Kvaløya/Norway. Doubtful if I will ever get there in the winters or see the Auroras again but grateful that the experiences are still very intact&vivid in the memory from making Norway my home for many years. In the late 1960s there was the car-ferry(used to fish while waiting for the ferry in the good-old-days!)from Tromsø-Kvaløya, now a bridge/Sandnessundbrua(1974) linking those 2islands – no doubt one of the most spetacular areas where I once lived. Downloaded bridge pix with Tromsø/TOS-airport in the background.

Congratulations to Calvin f0r his new bike and here at CampersC now ready&decked for the CNY. Wendy with her various inflated outfits and the season is being 財神 Caishen=God of Fortune(one of the many Chinese deities) blessing the shop with good fortune.

Appreciations for the combined JanBdaysSpread for Iyas,David,Thian(away at present)+myself. Food too chilli hot for my palate, would have probably burnt a hole in my stomach! but made it up with BelgiumChocolateHäagenDazsIceCream, tkx to Phelia.

谢谢 Calvin&Sam+Chris, delighted to get my HelinoxChair fixed and ready to relax on again – also thx for the new inflatable pillow, the old one with sponge-chip-stuffing spilling out from the split at the seams and could not be repaired – grateful to Helen for the me-pix to remember by incase the memory wanders – hahaha!

Sun: Bfast with Helen at our usual haunt@MT-market ThankU and as always, fun to be with her. Safe journeys to us onwards. Dinner@Rochalie

Mon: HenleyPassportIndex ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without applying for a visa, based on numbers from the InternationalAirTransportAssociation (IATA), the world’s largest travel database. SIN has the world’s most powerful passport, and has retained its position for the third year running. Good to have&know that since this passport will be put thru’ immgrations again for the next 3months despite not a good time to be in Norway or US considering the situation – pix downloaded.

The 10 most powerful passports in the world in 2026

  1. Singapore
  2. Japan and South Korea
  3. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  4. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway
  5. Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates
  6. Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, Poland
  7. Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom
  8. Canada, Iceland, Lithuania
  9. Malaysia
  10. United States

Even I who hardly touch the piano will be tempted to play here – tkx to Michelle for her share@MaeRim,Chiangmai/Thailand. Perhaps a future suggestion that SIN build something like this@MtFaber(my childhood-haunt) and if that happens, may even play again…

The piano is the easiest instrument to play in the beginning, and the hardest to master in the end – Vladimir Horowitz

Tue: view from the FoodCourtRafflesCityMall/jct NorthBridge&BrasBasahRds with RafflesHotel at one corner and CHIJMES at the other.

No worries with the noisy lunch crowds when there is a table with a view – tkx Leonard.

Been a while ago since last here@OdeToArt

Coffee,T&cakes@MarriottHotel/OrchardRd celebrating our 2026Bdays and friendship over 2decades. When we first met, Leonard was not even 30 and today he is 55!

The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it – Hubert H. Humphrey

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Flower Power Still Rules Within

16 Jan 2026 – ThankU For a Wonderful Bday Week

Wed: thankU AK for lovely orchids+Bfast at our usual-haunt@MT-Market catching up with updates. When we first met, was not even a grandmother then, her 2kids were not even in their teens and she was about to expect her #3. Now she is soon to be a grandmother of 2 and my #1grandchild is soon to be married – it is thru’ our decendents who show us how the years have gone by so quickly…

Where has the time gone?
The years have slipped away.
Every time you look around,
There is a brand “new” day.

The old passes on—
Making way for the new.
The new becomes many,
And the old becomes few.

Where has the time gone?
For, longing are the years,
Which brought joy and laughter
And sometimes even tears – Salley

Unusual to see 2Dendrobium/Den blooms fused together and the abnormality is quite stunning, unfortuantely it broke off from the stem, so now individually placed on its own. Den is a genus of mostly epiphytic and lithophytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae. It is a very large genus, ~1,800 species and this one might be DenVictoriae-Reginae, commonly known as the QueenVictoriasDen.

Tkx for BeefRendang,OtakOtak,AyamBuahKeluak,NgorHiang,Popiah-dinner@Godmama/Funan – nice cool evening to dine alfresco despite entertaining issues with the glass-sliding-doors – hahaha!

Thu: 2IKEA-DaisyCussions Bday giftS$30 to myself. Tkx to nieceAdeline for DimSumLunch@CantonParadise/PP where she ordered enough food to take away for another meal for a whole family! What does it feel like to be 76 when the FlowerPower within still rules idealistically&strongly more so now in this troubled-world – flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words ScottMcKenzie’s SanFrancisco still lingers within. Blessed with good food and happy that these feet can still walk everywhere with all my senses intact, more or less – hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bch1_Ep5M1s

Yeah to a needed traffic light@PP/MP-Rd when taking a bus(cousinKaren must be thrilled!), but preference is still to walk around the HDB-estate and today these lovely Queen of the Night cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) on StillRd 昙花 (tánhuā)=fleeting flower reflecting its beauty but brief overnight blooming, often associated with good fortune. Might tempt me to take another midnigt walk if still awake. Tkx for these 2026calendars from Norway took 2weeks for snailmail and with much appreciations for all the gracious well wishes.

Fri: lunch@MT-Market with nieceDaisy, thankU for one of my favourite Cantonese desserts(almond&walnut paste) from one of the better stalls SiyuanDesserts 思源糖水铺, good but still cannot be compared her mother’s homemade almond paste which is greatly missed.

Tkx Gel for bringing us dinner&cake to my 4walls and appreciations to nephewLee for this pix from 2017, 9yrs ago.

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Tiong Bahru 2026

13 Jan 2026 – Monks In SC/USA

Sat: A group of Buddhist monks who are traveling from TX-WashingtonDC/USA on a walk for peace reached Columbia/SC. They reached the StateHouse and received a proclamation from the City of Columbia, MayorDanielRickenmann and a proclamation from SC presented by StateSenDeonTedder – would have joined in the walk if I were in SC. This PeacePilgrimage is expected to end in DC on 13Feb2026(I will be just arr into SC)where they are hoping to be able to give a short statement – pix downloaded

https://www.wistv.com/2026/01/10/monks-heading-into-columbia-day-77-peace-walk/

Not sure what is going on downstairs but nice to see kids outside enjoying themselves. MRT-MT-Sta–OrchardBlvdSta where crowds have never been an issue so far, even on weekends  – tkx for dinner@Rochalie

Sun: appreciations with tkx to cousinsYeng,Ching&HH for scrumptious lunch@PorKeeEatingHouse,SengPohLn/TiongBahru – one of family’s old-haunt with 4Auntie&Uncle. Good to catch up with 16Auntie and cousinJohn – the homemade Tofu&YamBasket here are still some of the better tasted. Informed by the younger cousins today that I have mistakened this location for serving CoffeeRibs, it is another location just down the road called HoiSuenLao then now GoldenSpoon. Must order a take out portion to try one day…

Changes on SengPohLane where the corner provision-shop PinPin(tkx to SusanT for the name)was then is now HomeGrownFlorist and OldTiongBahruBakKutTeh is ToastBox – YIP’sBirdSingingCorner is still here.

TiongBahruMarket always bring back fond childhood memories and is still one of my favourites – now all decked and ready for CNY.

Checking which stall at the foodcourt had the longest line today… as usual its still Loo’sHanineseCurryRice.

Another family’s old-haunt and the first of all the HarriAnns –  MiniAngKuKueh, not for me but good gifts as they are usually like by many and today was one of the lucky days to find them there.

At the flowers’stall where CDC$15 was used for this fresh bunch of EucalyptusSilver$Leaves as these a year old dried ones need to be replaced. Do like the scent when fresh which last for a couple of weeks and after they are dried can last still indefinitely but do like changing them annually.

Instead of MRT, bus16 joy-ride watching the busy Sunday life goes by@Orchard&JooChiatRds on a comfortable clean AC-bus – this round fortunately with a good bus driver on the best single-front-seat with a view!

Looking at life thru’ the windshield, not the rear-view mirror – Byrd Baggett

Mon: sharing old pix with cousinLinda+PuiAh&AnnW for nostalgia reminiscence. PuiAh forwarded HS-msg that other guy is ElliotLI, the son of a banker friend of their father. Elliot was educated in BBK but transferred to ACS when his father joined LeeWahBank/SIN. He subsequently went to US and haven’t heard from him since – he has a sister named Sharon.

According to Linda – pix has to be from 1963 as her broHK left SIN in 1964 and the guy next to HK is QUEKSin/KWOKSon grandson, son of QUEK KaiTee/KWOK HoyChee not related, but business associate of LAM family n old friend. Can see that the celebration was held at the upper-lawn@5TemenggongRd but not sure what it was about nor any idea or memories of those 2guys mentioned?

Tue: productive shopping@Giant/Tampines – treats for self, sauces to make enough pots of curry when in Norway&US and snacks that are not sold there requested by #3John – lets hope these will all fit into my suitcase without being overweight. TotalS$278.63 including SenSav+PromoSavS$24.72 using S$270GiftVouchers paying S$8.63cash all delivered to my door when spending S$200+

IKEA/Tampines – some good ASISdeals,lamp for sewing+2DaisyCussionsS$112.60 did not get their CNYtreats!

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Alchemist

9 Jan 2026 – Subli Motion

Tue: XmasDecorations down, so ready to be boxed and put away until next season…

Appreciations for the new S$300CDCS$600PTVS$60

Neighbourhood ready for CNY appropriate&tasteful with just the red&gold lights – time for an ice-cream before the rains, dessert before dinner.

ThankU for dinner with nieceJudy&nephewClement.

Wed: this volatile world situation with climate-changes, political-issues, etc is distrubing&destressing. Trying not to read too much into the news, perhaps ignorance can be bliss! and the subject of food can hopefully be a distraction. Apparently niecePat-Lynns friend’s 8yrs kid tells us there is a 50-course 4-7hrs meal~DDK5,600-16,600/S$1,132-3,355 and this does not include beverages from  Alchemist,CPH/Denmark. First time in CPH 1969 during Dublin/Ireland student days this place certainly did not exist then and a meal like this will probably be the end of me financially&physically then&now! but what a way to go!! Will be in transit ~2hrs in CPH next month on route to USA  –  pix downloaded.
Another good distraction from this troubled-world is sewing while listening to audio-books and this one was read many moons ago/late 1980s when it was first published and we were living in FL/USA. Do remember it making an impression then – today the self-discovery is at a different stage in this life joruney as to then…
Always working towards this serenity quote but do need to be reminded.
SubliMotion is a restaurant located in SantJosepDeSaTalaia,Ibiza/Spain run by chef PacoRoncero who utilizes molecular gastronomy in cooking. The restaurant is known for being among the most expensive in the world with over 12course and a limit of 12guests ~€1900/S$2,855pp. First&last time in Ibiza was in the early 1980s and without doubt would not afford to go there then or now even if it existed but fond memories of another chef then! No intentions or plans of returning there for any revisits – pix downloaded.
Thu: a to-do-list is literally as long as your arm but procrastination is on top of the list – hahaha
You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
What mood is that?
Last-minute panic ― Bill Watterson
Fri: again another dessert before dinner day, could not resist McD-HersheyIceCream. Nice beach walk with Lynne,Pat&Peggy despite having to ask some PRCppl to pick up their dogpoop and to let them know that No camping or tents are allowed in ECP/AreaC.
What an flashy house@81WilkinsonRd – quite an eyesore in my eyes when located in a neighbourhood like this!
Appreciations with thanks to Peggy for delicious homemade dinner, Pat for yummy ChocolateBananaWalnutBread and Lynne safe journey to back to UK. Looking foward to return here in daylight to see PTs amazing orchids in her garden.
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2026 First Full Moon

5 Jan 2026 – The End of Twelth Days of Christmas

Fri: 1st2026 Friday out with 51more to follow!

On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Nine Ladies Dancing…
Traffic lights at this jct of MC-MP-Rds finally ready by TaoNan opp CHIJ’s schools in time for today’s first day of school to prevent bottleneck traffic here during school hours!

Sat: On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten Lords a-Leaping
Sat: never a dull moment when living in HDB-estates – this morning some funeral rituals not with LeapingLords but with bells&cymbals+chanting. Getting away from the noise despite not planning for marketing; coffee+food to go, glad to find a tubular-light-bulb to finally fixing the light in bathroom and a good bargain of 2new dresses for S$20. Some slight alterations needed but the material is well-worth the buy, so there goes to show again that all’s well that ends well with or without plans…
First 2026 full moon/Wolf–SuperMoon, do not usually take evening walks but could not resist the company of this amazing bright full moon with 100% Illumination – thank you and goodnight Moon. Makes me think of the only Chinese song I know – The Moon Represents My Heart 月亮代表我的心 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B5gAczFJps
ThankU to Larry&Zarina TX/USA,
Lily Sandeid/Norway, Paul London/UK – makes me feel closer to family&friends near&far when we are all under the same moon despite not being at the same place or time.

Sun: On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eleven Pipers Piping…
Welcome back DavidT and thankU for lunch@SpringCt, nice to catch up with Judith&Jen too and safe journeys to David back to USA.
Appreciations for CareFridgeTreat and Sunday-SteamboatDinner@Rochalie. Safe journeys to Kiera who heads back to DC/USA tomorrow. Another beautiful moon tonight for medition before bedtime.
It’s the moon that moves me. The sunlight makes everything so obvious —Bavo Dhooge
Mon: On the twelveth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve Drummers Drumming 
Ppl living in HDB-estates, plx tell your true love to only send gift on the fifth Day of Christmas-hahaha. The End
Probably one of the most annoying XmasSongs for me! Historically established in 567AD to unify different dates used for celebrating Christmas by Eastern&Western churches. The exact origins and the meaning are unknown, but it is highly probable that it originated from a children’s memory and forfeit game. This evening of 5Jan, the day before Epiphany traditionally marks the end of XmasCelebrations and all XmasDecorations in this HDB will be down, if only there are 12Drummers to help – hahaha!
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice — T.S. Eliot
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A Happy & Healthy 2026

1 Jan 2026 – Over & Out with 2025

Mon: On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five gold rings… enjoy this last 2025Monday.
Why U might feel carsick in an EV—even if U are not usually prone to it – for one like me who has tendency to motion sickness, this is not good for me! https://www.carscoops.com/2025/06/felt-carsick-in-an-ev-science-has-the-explanation/

Japan breaks from US-Alliance: 70yrs pact collapses as Tokyo goes its own way – keep hoping&praying for peaceful consequences… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZEN4rTekkc

Tue: On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Six geese a-laying…

Introducing Cendol to ChristopherY who is back for a short visit and this time round his newly wed bride Kate who also happens to be from Jiangmen/China. Discovered that Christopher’s family is also from Jiangmen. Hmmm! do wonder if our ancestors might have know of each other??

With a cabbage in the fridge and since@GeylangSerai was in the mood for lamb/mutton to make Fårikål (Norwegian Lamb & Cabbage Stew), yes Lamb with a B(during student days in Dublin/Ireland, we used to tell ppl how to spell our name, Lam without the B!)and no Goose or Geese –  https://northwildkitchen.com/farikal-norwegian-lamb-cabbage-stew/

Wed: On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Seven Swans a-Swimming… enjoy this last 2025Day
StSylvester’sDay with LineIslands (part of Kiribati),Samoa&Tonga being the first to ring in 2026 when it is 1800hrs Wed31Dec2025 here.

Drinks&food@VUE especially the oysters which were fresh&delicious

The crowds were starting to gather@MarineBayPromenade before 23hrs

~30mins of spectacle fireworks display with probably one of the best views possible ending with much smoke but the lungs are grateful&thankful for a breezy night clearing the air quite quickly and ringing 2026 in with a BANG.

Appreciations with tkx to broLeslie&Ivy+family for this evening and safe trip to nieceKat,Devon&Eliot.

Dixcussing with Kiera and not to sound unappeciatative but every NY-Eve, a certain chord in me that has been brewing over the past 4decades! As spectacular(irony) as these NY-Eve-Fireworks around the world are, cannot keep but wondering about more constructive ways to spend these $MultiBillions$ on, like education,medical,etc instead of fireworks,firearms,etc. Senior years are certainly bringing back some idealistic teen years thoughts

Last here when it was then ME@OUE/Apr2016 with KV&family, a location with a view on the roof-top and food to die for…

59fb7dc269b1c647683e0fa8b82c8036_1450616234_932x710_crop_746x568_b39dd8dd79IMG_0535

Squid-InkCroissant – my favourite.

IMG_0536IMG_0546IMG_6067

SashimiPlatter,RedLobster/ChiliSauce&ManTou,DarkChocolateMoelleux, best lave-cake tasted.

IMG_0528IMG_0533IMG_0529IMG_0530

OUE-Bayfront ground-floor lobby with these sculptures do make me think that DIET is to DIE without the T. Who am I trying to kid? Not only being a glutton but also being greedy&weak for good food,champagnes,wines,whiskeys and not forgetting good-looking men, in that order – hahaha.

Thu: slowly but surely in not too bad crowds finding my way to MRT-TEL-ShentonWaySta by 01.00hrs grateful for the extra late trains (last one 02.30hrs, every 5mins) back to the EastSide by 02.00hrs. Everything went impressively well-controlled&smoothly without any incidents but not sure when the next outing at such a time will ever happen again and only here in SIN would I attempt take the subway alone at this time of the early morning…

Singapore tops the world ranking, with 98% of residents feeling safe walking alone at night. Its low crime rates, strict law enforcement, and social order foster an unparalleled sense of public security – Sources: (Gallup) (Euronews) 

On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eight Maids a-Milking… Happy New Year and if any what is your top New Year’s resolution??

2 – Happy Bday Darryl
5 – Happy Bdays GeraldC & Leonard
6 – Happy Bday CindyH
9 – Happy Bdays Judy & Lee
10 – Happy Bday KeeYang
11 – Happy Bday MickK
15 – Happy Bdays AngieS, Estella, JoshuaL & me!
18 – Happy Bday Isabelle (SunSun)
20 – Happy Bdays DavidLam & Mayven
21 – Happy Bday Michael
22 – Happy Bday Katy
24 – Happy Bdays OleK

 

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Post Christmas 2025

28 Dec 2025 – Who Are U; Who Am I?

Fri: on the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves

HappyBoxingDay/StStephen’sDay/WrenDay on this 2ndDay of Christmas – BoxingDay comes from a tradition of gifting boxed gifts to the ppl who might need them more. What a nice way to share gifts received and giving away things not needed or in used any longer+a day to acknowledge with appreciations&gratefulness for greetings&gifts&kindness received. ChristmasCrackers loot from yesterday’s lunch that would otherwise have gone to waste but the grandchildren might appreciate them for the CNY.

Sat: on the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French hens

Appreciations with thanks to Henry for HorFun+Chicken dinner, no FrenchHens

but a pleasant surprise of a life-music-performance@MT-MarketSquare on this 3rd Day of Christmas, again no FrenchHens but a very attentive&discipline audience…

Sun: on the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four Calling Birds

Grandniece Isabelle asked – what do u think being yourself means? such a profound question from a teenager! What kind of an answer does she expect or hope from this grand-auntie? The simple answer – depending on what stage in life, U are what U are and every stage has its charms with their ups&downs.

Cogito, ergo sum – René Descartes 

Quiet days are important  –   ie a day doing nothing…

The most valuable thing one can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room – May Sarton
Might or might not be any or some of whatever above descriptions but by asking Who Are U; Who Am I occassionaly helps to reconnect with core values, fostering self-awareness and personal growth. Totally blessed, so far for intact mental&physical health to be able to still live financially independently making my own choices (without intentions to hurt oneself or others) and not what others expect or say but to accept the consquences moving forward to continue learning with time for each&every change at the different stages in this life journey.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken – OscarWilde

We are living in a world where people demand explanations for everything — your choices, your silence, your growth. But what if silence is not weakness… but evolution?

ThankU to broLeslie&Ivy for another delicious SundayDinner@Rochalie – nice to have some time with nieceKat, grandniecesDevon,Eliot&Kiera and pleasant surprise to catch up with nieceJessica from Canada, was not even aware that she is back visiting.
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Christmas 2025

25 Dec 2025 – Tanglin Club

Aug 2022: new completely mesh-HelinoxSunset/4th!Helinox chairS$200 added to the collection – cooling&perfect for relaxing with a book or watching movies. The other more solid mesh-office-chair(2021X’mas-gift) with the supporting back is better for when having to type&work on the laptop.

Mon: شكراً shukran/Arabic – delivered Helinox chair to CC for repairs, was hoping that it would lasted longer than 3+yrs. With appreciations to Chris who will be fixing it. In the meanwhile despite it being heavier to move around, will just be content with IKEA’sPoäng from Linn when she got it to nurse #3John, ie 19yrs ago when he was born here! Do desperately need new cover(Cushion,Knisa-light beigeS$50), not feeling the best with a slight temp, will wait with an IKEA trip until feeling better.

Tue: takk/Norwegian – taking an easy day before tonight’s dinner. Have not been to this YMCA/StevensRd since cousinDavid’s days with his HI/USA students, another life-time ago! Instead of the direct MRT-TEL from MT-StevensSta, will take Bus16 changing at either DhobyGhaut or Somerset to Bus190 or 970 factoring in that there is always traffic jam at OrchardTurn taking me StevensRd and crossing the road to the Y. More time on transportation but less walking, need to preserve the energy for family dinner.

Appreciations to nieceJudy who now works at this YMCA for this delicious ChristmasSpread – have to really pace myself during these seasonal feasts and not eating like there is no tomorrow or there will not be a tomorrow…

Wed: thankU for this julaften/ChristmasEve and for all online,snailmail greetings&gifts – with fond memories&thoughts of loved ones, family&friends, near&far.

Good of KK to include the mini-homemade-chocolate-wreath in his Minimalist Tree in a Maximalist House.

Thu: kept this card made 20yrs ago when working@H&H and has never failed to keep me sane giving me a good laugh every year especially in my HDB-suroundings. Will be sharing this for the next 12days of Christmas so be patient to read it until the last day – hahaha

On this first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree

https://www.41051.com/xmaslyrics/twelvedays.html

Tusen hjertelige takk=thousand heartly thanks to broLeslie&Ivy for our annual Christmas family lunch@TanglinClub, still one of the better Christmas-Lunch-Buffet here in Singapore. This year there is an addition of the WinterVillage with the trains – nice touch.

The first one celebrated here was when Kiera was in a baby-carrier/2months, now she is 22 and here with babyKai’s 1stXmas – welcome back to SIN Kat,Devon/under the weather,Eliot&Kiera. Clement is also under the weather and not here today and to be honest, am not feeling my best took 2Panadols+CoughMixture this morning and will try to talk less for today.

We first introduced these party poppers here when they were first produced nearly ~2decades ago and have kept the tradition since despite the dismay of the servers – hahaha but they are compensated with good tips. David&family are away celebrating with his family in Perth/Australia, Sue took family pix with his camera and those will be updated here when he gets back. This fancy group-pix is taken by the club but not with just the family.

5Jan: edited with appreciations and thanks to nieceSue and nephewDavid.

Special thanks for this seldom pix with my only brother left and BabyKai’sFirstChristmas.

God Jul🎄og Godt Nyttår🎉til deg og dine.

Merry Christmas🎄and a Healthy&Safe 2026🎉to each and everyone.

Seaaon’s Greetings🎄and a Healthy&Safe 2026🎉to each and everyone.


			

	
	



			
				



	
	


		
					

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The Magic Flute

	


		

		
21 Dec 2025 – A Time For Everything




Thu: kiitos/Finnish – condolences to Claire/Norway, to Gel/SIN for the recent passings of their fathers and to Inga/USA for her mother, may they RIP. The circle of life with a time for everything starting with birth until when death marks the end of a physcial life. Always sad&painful when your beloved family&friends die but hopefully some good memories to remember them by.


Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal – From an Irish headstone












Fri: danke/German – productive Fri-morning walking to run errands, looks like widening of the sidewalk@StillRd. Always delighted to see grown-ups spending time with kids outdoors.




TheLensMan is now located in another new location no longer opp the food stalls, now nearer the WhiteOctopus but still within the MP-Promenade. PP is now ready with TangsXmasMarket in the basement. A quick ride on Bus36-RafflesCity/Nespresso with heavy traffic@Stamford&NBridgeRds junction and back to the EastSide on Bus16 within less than an hour.




FullertonHotel inside-out elegantly&fully decked&dressed ready for this Season. Nowadays when snailmail is no longer the main mode of communication, it is easily forgotten that this location was once the GeneralPostOffice/GPO.




Thankful for SG-CulturePass/S$100, including SisticFeesS$104 – appreciations to Leo for helping with the booking. Has been a long while ago since the last life-performance of any opera and now an enjoyable Mozart’sDieZauberflöte/MagicFlute by the SIN-LyricOpera@VictoriaTheatre. Do know this opera well with ~7min Overture and the beautiful&difficult ~3mins aria Der hölle Rache – complete opera ~2+hrs including 20mins intermission. Photos&video not allowed during performance.




Good enthusiatic audience, pleased with RowBSeat27 and probably the only empty seat26 next to me! No problems being by the timpani when not a full orchestra – an easy get away from the crowds directly by the door with a pleasant short walk across SIN-River to the FullertonBusStop for Bus196 with hardly any traffic&ppl on or off at stops and was back to my 4-walls before 23.00hrs.





Sat: cпасибо spasibo/Russian – thankU KK for homemade fish-soup (on the fishy-side)+tea that has an amazing aroma for my smell but he does not know what kind of flowers, looks like some family of the Daisyflower – will brew it next week and see if the taste will give me a hint…






Interesting analogy, tkx to KarenSB for the share. Despite not being a car person but do know that Volvo is Swedish-made and Ferrari,Italian. For one who has lived&worked in both Norway&USA for many years would agree that Volvo is sitll one of the safest cars and Ferrari an iconic luxury sports car. Both good cars but does depend on who you really want to be your driver but who knows what will happen when more driverless cars hit the roads…






Sun: mahalo/Hawaiian – to get dessert for tonight’s dinner@Clement on this 4AdventSunday/3days to Xmas. Recycled&decorated these commerical bags&boxes to be given away for this season. Waste Not,Want Not – Proverb




Also Winter Solstice/Dongzhi冬至 on the shortest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere. ThankU for yummy local feast with GadoGado,MeeSiam,Rojak,Satay+Kueys for dessert.




Forgot about getting TongYuen/湯圓







			

	
	



			
				



	
	


		
					

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‘Tis The Season To Be Jolly’- 2025

	


		

		
17 Dec 2025 – Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la




Sun: ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါသည် kyaayyjuutainparsai/Burmese/myanmar language – with CC-friends welcoming BillC, one more Sunday/10days to Xmas. Nice to catch up for early local Bfast@MT-Market/my favourite CheeCheongFunCCF-Stall/猪肠粉a steamed rice noodle roll originated from GuangDong/China. A Cantonese dish made of thin layer rice flour batter, steamed and rolled up to resemble pig intestine (as the name implies CheeCheong=PorkIntestine, Fun=Flour) pix credits to Calvin and Helen.




Pleasant short stroll and not too crowded with ppl fishing&napping@EC-Pk/SiglapCanal,AreaC before the predicted afternoon rains. Iyas cycled 18k from his home and now has to push his bike with us while Calvin has gone to do his test for a valid motor-bike licence – pix credits to Helen.




Gentle snores were heard while preparing for a light lunch – should it be a compliment that they are so comfortable&relax enough to nap within my 4-walls? or an insult about my company? hahaha!




Cheese&FruitsLunch after a brief nap.




Congratulations to Calvin for passing his tests – pix credits to Iyas & Helen.




ThankU for yummy chocolate from Switzerland with our Xchange of gifts on this 3rd AdventSunday.




Appreications with thanks for favourite homemade rich&creamy LobsterBisque indulgence, scrumptious SteakRochalie, etc by broLeslie for Sunday dinner with wine&whisky to die for.




Blessed to be able to taste such perfectly-cooked food with sensational spirits. 2015VegaSiciliaÚnicoReservaEspecial isn’t a single-vintage wine but a special release (NV) blending iconic older vintages. ÒirLeòmhann a SIN-based Scotch whisky brand, but a specific 35-year aged whisky does not appear to be a standard or current product in their lineup based on available information. The brand is known for limited and rare releases with specific age statements…


https://www.millesima.sg/vega-sicilia-unico-2015.html




Mon: dakon/Esperanto – on this cool wet day but depressing to hear&read about these shootings at a HanukkahCelebration in Australia Sydney’s/BondiBeach and USA/BrownU@RhodeIsland over the weekend. Speechless without words but with sadness for the situations and to all affected – pix downloaded.


Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. But that’s unacceptable. As others have observed, talking about how to stop a mass shooting in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn’t too soon. It’s much too late — Klein


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/what-we-know-bondi-beach-shooting/106141672


https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/14/us/benjamin-erickson-brown-university-shooting




Downhearted to learn that one of my favourite Hollywood movie directors RobReiner&wife were murdered by their mentally distrubed son, Nick/32 – feeling of helplessness with such undesirable and turbulent Monday news.


When you hate, the only person who suffers is you – Ghosts of Mississippi


https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/15/us/rob-michele-reiner-dead




Tue: grazie/Italian – was planning HorFunDinner@MT-market but was closed for cleaning. Seb had Korean-food while I tried out the OK dishes at the newly renovated ChangChengMeeWah@MarineT, S$9Clams,ChickenFeet,Fish w Rice.




Wed: go raibh maith agat/GaelicIrish –  a very wet perfect day to be indoors. Finally managed to watch parts of the famous WinterSonata/KoreanDrama from 2002. Heard so much about it when first returned back to SIN in the early 2000s but did not have the time or interest for dramas and still no interest especially after discovering that there are 20episodes. Watched part of episode1 and fast forward to episode20 with some reading to get the jist of what the big hooha was about. What a cheesy-tear-jerker-chick-flick but PrettyBoy/EyeCandy BAE YongJoon was worth that few minutes to understand what the hype – hahaha.


https://www.kdramalove.com/wintersonata.html


All the time in the world can’t erase my memories. A person you bury in your heart, you can never forget.