Week In, Week Out

9 Jun

The days that go by feel so ho-hum. Day in, day out, week in, week out, it feels the same. Too monotonous the routine that I can go about it like a robot on repeat. There is not much excitement happening.

The desire to play more golf has seeped out of me with the unpredictable weather lately. We can get nice weather for one nine, and upon crossover, the weather goes downhill, that is, too hot for my liking or raining cats and dogs in a worst-case scenario. When this happens, the golf goes down with it. Hahaha.

Over the weekend, I played in my club’s monthly medal tournament. During the first nine, I played so well because of cloudy, cool conditions. All my shots were spot on, and I was one under my handicap at the turn. The back nine, sadly, was a different story. Too many strokes over. Sigh.

The sun came on full blast, and needless to say, the will to play good golf melted under the sun. It’s a lesson learned to continue to build my mental strength to overcome the heat and adversity of uncontrollable situations.

So, I’m taking a break from playing in the sun or rain for the remainder of this week. Perhaps next week, when I tee off, I will have a better mental approach. We shall see.

Extended Weekend

2 Jun

It is nice to have an extended weekend with two replacement public holidays on Monday and Tuesday. But it throws the momentum off. Monday felt like Sunday, and Tuesday felt like a Saturday! It’s a weird feeling.

I played golf on Sunday and Tuesday, and Mother Nature had a little fun with us on both days. We gave up the last three holes when the rain started for the Sunday game, while on Tuesday, playing at a course outside and with five holes left, the rain came down in a fury and we didn’t have enough time to find shelter. I was soaked to my underwear. We decided to wait it out and did manage to complete the game.

The extended weekend saw many holidaymakers travelling. Some even took leave from work to stretch the holiday break. We opted not to be part of the crowd, hence, the golf and eating out because I deemed the home kitchen closed! Heheheh.

It will be quite some time before we have another long stretch of holiday break. So, making use of it and being happy about it!

Too Much Activities

26 May

Lately, I have been playing golf more regularly, and with pickleball added to the mix, my weekly routine is quite packed. On a positive note, the wet weather has cleared up a little, and we were able to find windows for several uninterrupted rounds in cloudy conditions, which was nice. But it can also become hot and unbearable! Not easy to have everything go perfectly all the time. Sigh.

On a different note, the activities have stressed my body to the point where it has not had enough time to recover. I recently went for a lymphatic and sports massage instead of the usual aromatherapy massage. And the therapist told me my legs are overused! Dang. It makes sense now why they hurt all the time! Finding the right balance is challenging. Or is it age catching up with me, requiring more recovery time? It is definitely food for thought.

Perhaps it’s best to pace out the activities and not be a heroine, pushing myself to the max. Otherwise, the sports once loved and being passionate about will no longer be enjoyed, right?

Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0, Part 2

19 May

The last two golf outings have been a blessing. I would say Mother Nature scored zero versus golf games that have racked up two wins thus far. The score is now Mother Nature-1 and Golf Games-2.

We had really good weather both times, cloudy and cool until only the last three holes when the sun decided to make an appearance. Now if only we had planned that Kampung Kuantan trip a week later. Oh well.

Despite such niceties, days when we are home, the house feels like an oven! And on a couple of occasions, it rained more than cats and dogs. I won’t complain because golf can go on without interruption, and I’m thankful.

I tee off again later this afternoon. Maybe golf can pull ahead with another good weather outing? We will find out!

Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0

12 May

We have been experiencing some rough patches of weather lately. As you know, it rains every day, and planning a golf game is difficult. Last week, my friends and I decided to play a morning game, as the pattern seems to be rain and thunderstorms mostly in the afternoons. So, we took a gamble and booked an 8.30 am tee-off at Royal Kampung Kuantan Club.

The drive to the golf course was just under an hour, and we arrived an hour early. It started to drizzle as we got out of the car. Since we arrived early, I decided not to register ahead but wait for the situation to improve. Hah! Wishful thinking.

Water, water everywhere! Same spot, inundated within minutes.
Flooded within a short time

The rain started coming down heavier than ever! Bummer. Pretty soon, the whole golf course became flooded, with the fairways blending into the nearby pond. From the golfer’s terrace, the putting green fared no better. Long story short, we waited for three and a half hours during the downpour. Mother Nature decided it was not a day for any outdoor activities! She goes one up against golf.

Lunch was crabs with mantou, prawns, baby squids, and Lala bee hoon

The rain was relentless! It was too heavy to get to the car, and too early to go off for brunch. Finally, when there was a window, we managed to get to the car and drove to Kuala Selangor for a comforting seafood lunch. It was the least to cap off a washout outing. I think golf needs to take a backseat for the time being until the weather improves.

It’s May Already!

5 May

The old saying, time flies when you’re having fun is so true. Suddenly, it is May already. Last week, I had a packed schedule of activities. Amazingly, I could even pull it off with the horrible weather that we are experiencing.

Every day, without fail, it rains, making it hard to plan a round of golf, whether a morning or afternoon game. At least, the pickleball games are indoors, and whether it rains or shines, we are not affected.

Strangely, the daily downpour has been very localized, at least for us as far as golf is concerned. It may rain at home, right before we leave, but be dry at the golf course of choice. Like yesterday, for example. Luckily, we were able to finish the afternoon game in good time, although it rained a little, but not heavily enough to stop the game.

I guess when time flies by so quickly, the weather shouldn’t be a deterrent to having fun. We have to learn to circumnavigate the situation. This week, the same busy schedule is in place again; rain or shine, the fun continues!

A Year Older

28 Apr

You know you ARE getting old when on that special day, you end up seeing the doctor! In my case, it was actually the dentist (the doctor is another story, another time!). Yesterday was that milestone day, but it didn’t feel special. I had to see the dentist as soon as possible because the filling in the back molar tooth fell off.

Actually, it was the second time. There was a small gap from two weeks ago when a tiny piece fell out. And the irritating gap has become bigger with this new mishap. I even started a food storage in there!

A day earlier, the latest unfortunate incident occurred when I was eating some fruits after dinner! How terrible is that? Not from biting on something hard, but a soft fruit. Duh.

A year older these days is not something to celebrate, although age is just a number. Of course, there was the usual birthday trip (we went to Ipoh and Damai Laut for golf with friends last week) and dinners to celebrate, but this year, nothing too fancy or extravagant.

Nevertheless, I had my fair share of cakes this year, and I even bought myself a present! Why not? And I’d like to think, although older, not necessarily wiser. It’s too much for the brain cells, mine at least. Hahahaha. As long as I’m healthy and stay healthy, this matters more than gaining new knowledge and wisdom. Dinosaurs cannot take things for granted and must prioritize health above all.

So here’s wishing myself a very happy birthday, and stay healthy!

Happy birthday to me!

Taking a Break

24 Apr

We decided to take a break from everything, especially the stress of worrying about when my DIY pinball machine package will arrive.

At the start of the week, on Monday, we escaped to Ipoh with some friends for golf, and I did not have the chance to post anything until I returned.

The following day, we continued our getaway to Damai Laut for two more rounds of golf. The small group was enjoyable, the weather was lovely, and the food was delicious. Having the buggy on course for all three rounds, the golf was not tiring at all. What more could we ask for?

Interestingly, we had shopping opportunities in Ipoh and Sitiawan, and we were happy to contribute to boosting the local economy.

However, in the blink of an eye, the four days flew by, and we are back home to our usual routine and extreme heat. This morning, I decided to cancel the DIY pinball machine order because there have been no further updates on its status, other than that the package is packed and waiting for delivery. Hrmph.

I have been waiting for over a month since placing my order on March 22nd. And each time I inquire about its status, I receive repetitive messages stating that my order has passed the stated delivery date, information I already know and don’t need to be reminded of constantly! Initially, I tried to be patient and understanding, but it has become increasingly frustrating. Moreover, the urge to build and craft is gone, especially with the wait. Sigh.

So, I am glad we took the break to forget about the unfortunate non-delivery and do the right thing to end the wait and move on.

Damai Laut Golf & Country Club

An Alternative Build

14 Apr

Building something is better than waiting and wondering when my DIY pinball machine package will arrive. I am not too upset about the delay. If it arrives, good. If it’s late, no big deal. I’ve waited so long already; a few more days make no difference.

Over the weekend, I received this cute little Snoopy DIY kit as an early birthday gift. It was a very thoughtful gift from my niece. I guess an alternative build is better than nothing, right?

It was an enjoyable Snoopy kit, and I completed it in no time. It now adds to my other Snoopy collection, an alternative to the DIY miniatures I have been doing all these years.

Contemplating a New Build, Part 3

7 Apr

A week has passed since the deadline, and there has been no change in the status of my DIY pinball machine kit. In other words, it has not shipped yet. Boo. At this point, my urge to build has waned.

Two days after the vendor missed the delivery deadline, as shown on my favorite online shopping site, I messaged them again to get a status update. There’s the usual apology message, asking for my patience and saying they are doing their best to expedite all orders on time.

“Doing their best?” I thought. Duh, I don’t think so. Are there so many ardent crafters like me who ordered this DIY pinball machine specifically that they can’t fulfill the deliveries? It’s now been two and a half weeks since I placed the order.

To avoid becoming frustrated with the situation, I might dust off one of the boxes in my stash and start working on an existing kit while I wait for this particular kit to arrive, or forget about this whole crafting thing! After all, the enthusiasm has died down now, with all that waiting for the kit to arrive.

Sometimes, things don’t work out as intended. In my case, contemplating another challenging DIY project after the Marble Run Spaceport, purchased from a physical store in the mall, has hit a snag due to this delay. The only consolation from this episode is my patience, something that is never a virtue of mine. Oh well.