Half of 2021 just over … SG just opened up for dining out on 21 June, with two people allowed, and social visits limited to 5 visitors a day. This happened after we saw a spike in covid cases in the community in May, and tightening measures were implemented (e.g. schools doing home based learning in the last two weeks of Term 2, tuition switched to Zoom, no dining out allowed).
Such a relief to be out of the “heightened alert” phase in May and first three weeks of June, when many F&B businesses were so quiet, catering to only takeaways. I was really glad on 21 June to see life back at the coffee shops and food centres: two dining-in is better than none seriously! And also a really good time to implement the “return tray or fine” rules (can see more folks doing so now, which is a good thing), although the messaging in the banners and posters received some “flak” (“return your tray after eating to avoid a fine”, haha, needs to hurt in the pocket before people will do it, after years and years of “education” and “persuasion” was ineffective to change behaviour).
Anyway, for me, here were the highlights of the month 🙂
Artistic/Creative – did my portrait sketches in pen at start of month,
and ended with some painting (wouldn’t call it Chinese ink, rather using the materials only like rice paper and the paints) of some amazing sunrise scenes from a place in Germany called Hunsruck (literally means “a place for dogs”) where a classmate V stays!
Also made a “trolley” for moving heavy stuff (which many friends associated with a skateboard somehow, LOL). The wood comes from the sides of a bedframe that I had dismantled and the wheels were from Mr DIY (4 for $5.60) … quite happy with it as it looks pretty solid (and good to use for moving heavy buckets of water for watering plants, or compost, or furniture :))
Workouts – continued to be motivated and disciplined to run 5 times a week, and added on once/twice weekly sessions of upper body/core training now that the park opposite the house is opened – really great to have the pull-up bars, sit-up bench and other equipment just a minute away! Also kept up with my 6th Half-marathon (20 June), and this time round managed to do so with the group at full allowable capacity (of 5 for outdoor mask-off activities!) with A joining in for most of the run, and JY finally able to make it (haha! after repeated unsuccessful earlier attempts due to some circumstance or other). A very nice run to the three reservoirs (LP, LS, US) and a wonderful view of the sunrise, and great company!
Meetups with JC classmates and students – invited some friends over for afternoon tea (18 June) and for pizza (10 June) … cannot be a hermit even in such times. I find it good to do just do a bit of socializing to connect/reach out to others to stay “human” and overcome the “isolation” of seeing only the family folks in person day after day 🙂 …. (good to also know everyone has taken their two doses of vaccination too).
Family Activities – was able to maintain the various outings with spouse (cycling and running, and makan outside once 21 June came), or just going to one of the reservoirs nearby to see the sunset (like Lower Pierce and Upper Seletar 🙂 ). Also did quite a few jigsaw puzzles with the two girls, now that they have a ready source of supply (haha, thanks to SY’s friend, who is a very keen collector). (photos below lunch at Chong Pang City on return cycling route from Sembawang Park 10 Jun, run at Botanic Garden 24 Jun, sunset from the “rocket” at Upp Seletar Reservoir 26 Jun)
Besides the amazing sunset from Upp Seletar from the highest level of the rocket, it was also very photogenic from the ground level … (so much so that I even ran there early the next morning to try and catch the sunrise..photo below bottom left, but alas it was too cloudy).
Here is one of the cutest jigsaw puzzles I have ever done (thanks to SM, haha) … these are apparently called TSUM TSUMs, and come from Disney animation movies (like Toy Story or Monsters Inc)
But the most novel experience came from making nonya changs and a few “kee” chang (dumplings to celebrate duan1 wu3 jie2) … with recipe from J (JC classmate) and buying ingredients the week after the actual day 14 June (this is always about 1 week before summer solstice it seems). We were hoping ingredients will have price drop, haha, but nope, did not happen. Photos below show the “process and outcome” and many thanks to wife for helping to do the bulk of the work! It was delicious and very well received by those we gave it too, yay!! (for record, made about 80, spent about 40-50 dollars for ingredients)
Personal and random stuff – did my usual blood donation when the FIL went to SGH for his medical appointment late June and enjoyed the complimentary tea (see photo below) and 100Plus, and the chat with a very friendly and funny nurse who attended to me (must say so far, experience donating blood has been excellent, and hopefully, more people will do so … only 1.8% of Singaporeans donate, and only one third of those are regulars, so was glad to find that a classmate ML was also a regular and had just done his 75th one recently, fantastic!).
The durian associated images are the result of my JC class WA chat getting all “excited” when durian season started recently and a lot of sharing was done (haha!), including where to get, pricing, and where a tree with lots of fruit could be seen (it’s at MR, beside the male toilet, I never realised that after all these years of going there for runs!), and “durian theory” was from a signage at Botanical Gardens on how the seeds get spread.
Totally random: finally watched “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” (2001 animation movie) after playing some related tunes on dizi (e.g. To Zanarkand) at the end of June … was really amazed at the state of the art 20 years ago! ( added this to my FB post when I shared it )
While I Live, I Learn 