Thursday, September 20, 2018
Karen's 50th Birthday Lunch
Today being 20th September is Karen's 50th, Htike's 38th and Sam's 19th birthday... And both Ann and I got to celebrate with Karen at Tingkat Pera Makan nearby EAST at 119 Owen Road. It is a Peranakan restaurant nearest EAST. The food is simple but soulful. We enjoyed our lunch and fellowship. It was a simple celebration but fun enough. Thanking God for life, health and friends to celebrate birthdays with. Just two days ago, a few of us at EAST celebrated Joseph's birthday with a blueberry cheesecake.
Friday, September 14, 2018
Three Sessions with A
The past three sessions with A have been very helpful for my personal growth. I was due to meet her on coming Monday afternoon. However, I have decided to end it already because I felt the cost per session seemed rather hefty. Even though deep down, I know it is good investment in myself as a person. I hope to be able to pick it up again sometime in the future, Lord willing.
8-16 October 2018 Trip to Shenzhen
Looking forward to a 寻根之旅 with mum, two uncles, a cousin and an uncle's friend. Destination: Shenzhen and Dapu's surrounding areas. Maternal Grandfather's hometown.
Post-trip reflection: I had an excellent trip travelling from Shenzhen, through Huizhou, Meizhou, Songkou, Dapu to reach the highlight of my maternal granddad's hometown in Xihe, before travelling back to Shenzhen and returning to Singapore within a week or so. It was wonderful staying at the many different luxurious five stars hotels, with an especially memorable stay at a Tea Plantation at an elevated altitude with really fresh mountainous air. It was also significant to trace the footsteps of granddad at Songkou where he took off for Nanyang over a century ago.
The old mansion, 9 halls 18 wells (air wells), unfortunately is currently in a state of disrepair. We felt rather sorrowful that the once rather stately manor has not been maintained over the centuries. Upon our return from the trip, there was much interest in doing some repair and renovation works to the old ancestral mansion, but soon interest dissipated as time goes by. Too hefty a cost is involved, and much organisation work has to be done as well. No idea if anyone is willing to follow through with all the work and costs involved.
I have started to look into renovating my own 2 room flat, effectively a one bedroom apartment, in the far northern part of Singapore, Yishun St43. I hope my apartment will be livable by end of the year, or even before my birthday, Lord willing. Feeling really excited about it.
Post-trip reflection: I had an excellent trip travelling from Shenzhen, through Huizhou, Meizhou, Songkou, Dapu to reach the highlight of my maternal granddad's hometown in Xihe, before travelling back to Shenzhen and returning to Singapore within a week or so. It was wonderful staying at the many different luxurious five stars hotels, with an especially memorable stay at a Tea Plantation at an elevated altitude with really fresh mountainous air. It was also significant to trace the footsteps of granddad at Songkou where he took off for Nanyang over a century ago.
The old mansion, 9 halls 18 wells (air wells), unfortunately is currently in a state of disrepair. We felt rather sorrowful that the once rather stately manor has not been maintained over the centuries. Upon our return from the trip, there was much interest in doing some repair and renovation works to the old ancestral mansion, but soon interest dissipated as time goes by. Too hefty a cost is involved, and much organisation work has to be done as well. No idea if anyone is willing to follow through with all the work and costs involved.
I have started to look into renovating my own 2 room flat, effectively a one bedroom apartment, in the far northern part of Singapore, Yishun St43. I hope my apartment will be livable by end of the year, or even before my birthday, Lord willing. Feeling really excited about it.
Tuesday, September 04, 2018
Post Jogja Trip
30 Aug to 2 Sep - mum, sis and I travelled to Jogja together. It was sis' birthday trip. She planned it and she paid for most of it. Air-tickets and accommodation. And the trip almost didn't happen as I often threaten not to go along with it when we have our usual siblings conflicts. Nonetheless, God was gracious to us all and it happened. We enjoyed ourselves despite a tiff here and there even during the trip. That's how my family rolls, I guess. Especially now that the family nucleus has been watered down to just three ladies in the house. Mum is in her mid seventies, sis is in her early fifties and I am in my early to mid forties. Two middle aged women and one elderly senior lady who isn't willing to admit she's a senior. Well, I guess it's probably because mum doesn't look a day over fifty, to her credit. :D
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