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Change for the Better

19 Oct

After my health scare in January, I had to manage my diet to avoid a recurrence. For the first three months of the year, I avoided alcohol. And I was very conscious of my food intake, and I am still until today. I have omitted quite a fair bit of food with my new low-oxalate diet.

Everything I cooked was bland, but it had to be this way. Salty food was a big no-no for me. The biggest give-up was nuts; I had to give up most of the nuts I typically snacked on, among other things. Spinach, a healthy vegetable full of calcium, is my biggest enemy these days – who would have believed such a thing?

Now, nine months later, with a follow-up appointment with the doctor yesterday, I am pleased to say I am all good and clear. The diet change has been for the better; no new traces of a recurrence inside me. Yay!

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Putting is So Difficult

17 Oct

Lately, I can’t get my putting right when my ball lands on the green. In the last few games, putting was my biggest challenge. I have no issues with my tee-off, second shots, or short game, but putting. I have been consistently inconsistent. Is it me or the putter?

I can do 30 putts in one game, but then for the next game, return with 38 putts. Last week, I had a 32-putt game, followed by my second 38-putts this morning. All within a week. There was even an appalling four-putt today on a Par 3! Four putts!!! Horrors. Where have I gone wrong along the way? My Scotty is failing me!

Looks like a refresh is necessary all over again to rid myself of such horrible putting stats. So, out goes my Scotty, and the TaylorMade Spider Mini will finally see some action. I hope my fortunes will be for the better with the change. We will find out at my next game. Fingers crossed.

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DIY Project #32

16 Oct

I am keen to start DIY project number 32, but the will to craft and build is not there. Have I stopped too long and lost interest? I’m not sure. My stash of miniatures is still there, and the desire to buy more from my favorite online shopping site is also there, but the will to build is sadly lacking.

Perhaps I have been playing too much golf and hardly any time or energy left for other activities. Well, I guess I have to be disciplined, shake off the layer of dust, and do it!

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Going Down South, Part 2

13 Oct

We went and came back from the Forest City Resort Golf trip. It was an enjoyable but tiring trip because of the journey both ways. Waking up at 4.00 a.m. to take the bus with the rest of the group was not fun but necessary for the 12.30 tee-off. But we were delayed along the Plus highway with a traffic crawl due to an earlier accident.

Thankfully, we arrived on time at Senibong Golf Club. After a quick catered lunch, we teed off. I have never played speed golf before. The game at Senibong felt like a race against time! There were three of us on our flight, and buggies were allowed on the course. We found ourselves racing and chasing every shot.

The weather was cloudy, and unexpectedly, rain clouds were threatening. And when we heard thunder, the race to complete the game became more evident. We finished that game in three hours and thirty minutes! What a record.

That evening, we checked into Forest City Resort Golf. The Hotel seems to have lost its luster. Our room did not have a luggage rack. The TV did not work, the furnishings had scratches, the bathroom amenities were minimal, and they wouldn’t issue a second room access card. What has happened?

Luckily, the golf course was pristine and top-notch. The fairways and landscaping were excellent. However, the greens on the Legacy Course were frustrating. It was slow, making putting difficult. I recorded 38 putts compared to 30 putts at Senibong.

Drinks after game

The next day’s game was at the Classic course, and the greens felt better. But being a more challenging course, the return score could have been better. Oh well. The weather was a scorcher, and I don’t think I could have played any better.

Would we return to play again? I wouldn’t mind playing at Senibong, after it was our first time there. As for Forest City, perhaps we should play one course twice instead of both.

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Going Down South

10 Oct

The timing to travel south to Johore for golf is, unfortunately, not the best with the haze. But the trip was mooted before the weather conditions changed. Oh well.

We woke up at an ungodly hour of 4.15 am to meet at the club to go on the bus. At least we don’t have to drive because there are enough people to charter a bus.

On the bus now, I can feel the impending headache. Ugh. I hope I can play decent for the afternoon tee-off at Senibong Golf Club. We will find out.

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Double Happiness Thrice Over

9 Oct

This year seems to be a year of weddings! First was my nephew, then my niece, and now it’s my cousin’s daughter. The best part of such happy occasions is seeing the extended family again. And some new faces whom we’ve never met before.

Last night was another happy occasion, thrice over that we saw everyone, if not most, again. Everyone looked great, from the aunties and uncles to the cousins, nieces and nephews. We caught up from where we left off at the last wedding.

The lovely bride looked beautiful and blew my mind away from what I recalled of her during her younger days. The bride and her groom made a lovely couple. Congratulations to my cousin brother and his wife for having a new son-in-law.

As we grow older, such family gatherings become more treasured. The photo session to have everyone in becomes a priority. Perhaps there will be another such occasion soon, and I look forward to it.

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The Heat is On

6 Oct

The weather, of late, has been wonky again. It constantly flips between being hot, like a furnace, and cold, like being in the highlands when it rains. Unpredictable is what the weather is.

Playing golf in the afternoons is very taxing on the body when it’s hot. I find myself drinking more water than ever to stay hydrated. However, not all afternoons are hot, and there are days when afternoon golf can be a washout.

I’m glad I rested the last few days to allow my body to recover. Regardless of the conditions outside, I have been indoors chilling and doing nothing. It’s nice as I caught up with my reading.

Recently, there have been reports that the haze is back! The heat is on and gets to me. It becomes unbearable and uncomfortable. Sigh. I hope this won’t last; otherwise, we have no choice but to be indoors more than ever. We will have to monitor the situation.

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Time to Rest

3 Oct

I think I am playing too much golf, raking up three games in a row last week. It’s tiring. There do not seem to be any improvements in my ability to play well. The putting gets to me, the roller coaster scores upon completion irked me, and I feel piqued to sacrifice all those balls that cannot cross the ponds and lakes. The list can go on! Sigh.

Thankfully, I have conquered my fear of the sand bunker and can escape without adding additional strokes to the score. I will take a short break to let my tired body recover and focus on building my miniatures to keep busy.

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A Horrendous Record

2 Oct

I have been keeping track of my putting stats for some time now whenever I golf. Three putts are, of course, the biggest bane for me. And I’m sure for most golfers as well. The average two putts are good, while a one-putt is revered.

Yesterday, I played in my club’s Monthly Medal tournament, and as always, the putting was something I was more conscious of than my other shots. I was doing okay until one hole – it was disastrous beyond words.

Whenever the flagstick is at the back of the green, doubt would creep in. What do I do? How do I play the shot? Unfortunately, I tend to make the wrong decision on what clubs to use to approach the green.

It’s as if I never learn from past experiences and repeat the same mistakes whenever I’m in this situation. All the time! Why? Yesterday was no different.

I approached the green and left myself short on the front for a long putt. Or what I call a three-putt zone. Uh-oh, danger lights were flickering wildly for the impending three-putt.

But did I three-putt? No! I did not. Instead, I five-putted. Yes, you read that right! I landed on the green front on three and did a five-putt! I was beyond peeved. Was it bad putting? I certainly erred in my line reading.

When I missed the third putt, I lost my focus. Whatever it was, it was a record, albeit a horrid one, for me to do a five-putt. I hope this will be the first and last time.

The lesson learned here is perhaps not to approach the green short on the front whenever there is the blue flagstick. Either play it short for a chip-and-run approach or take a club or two longer to land the ball closer to the cup.

This theory may or may not work, and I will only know the next time I golf and find myself in this situation again. I hope I can remember this theory to save the blushes and no more repeat of the horrendous five-putt record.

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DIY Project #31, Part 2

29 Sep

It was a public holiday yesterday and a rare occasion that I did not play golf. Instead, I caught up with my crafting. Finally, DIY project number 31 is a wrap! It took six weeks, but there were days when I did not touch the project at all. Nevertheless, I’m pleased with the pace I took for it.

Light off, light on
Details of the kitchen

And thank goodness the set can sit inside the Ikea display cabinet. But I had to move some around earlier to fit in project number 30. I will take a short break from crafting, as usual, before starting number 32, which I am still undecided about which one to take on.

There is the super tiny walnut kit that I recently purchased, or I could work on the Molan House, which is equally minuscule. Let’s see what my mood will be on decision day.

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