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First Project of 2026!

10 Mar

I finally made myself work on a DIY project this year, my first project of 2026 after such a long break from an activity that I once loved and dedicated a lot of time to. Yay! As you know, during the Lunar New Year, I wasn’t feeling festive, and the weather during this time was terrible, alternating between hot and wet; it wasn’t pleasant.

Playing my games daily on the iPad was so addictive and unhealthy that I decided to recalibrate my routine. Time for crafting! I had stopped my crafting for quite a while, and all those unboxed miniatures that I had aspired to build are collecting dust! Ugh.

However, I did not unearth a box from the tower of miniatures. There are eight boxes altogether, projects of different sizes and difficulty. Instead, I bought a whole new type of model to work on. It is a mechanical piece that looks overwhelming but does not require glue. Looks like fun, yet intimidating.

The infinite cycle Marble Run Spaceport did pose a challenge, but only for a short while. I took five days to complete the DIY kit, several hours each day. Upon completion, there was a sense of achievement as the kit was a Level Four in difficulty!

My first DIY project for the year!

The mechanical part featured a USB-C connection, which was quite impressive, and not a battery pack like all my previous miniatures that required one for the lights. Amazing how things have changed and improved since my last build.

Now that I have completed the kit, where can I keep or display the spaceport without collecting dust? Sigh. A win for personal satisfaction, but a no-win for storage. With this niggling display situation, should I even attempt the remaining eight boxes? Something to consider for this year.

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Chap Goh Meh 2026

3 Mar

It is Chap Goh Meh today, the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, and the celebrations of this festive time are coming to an end. How time flies.

I have to say, the past two weeks didn’t feel festive for me because I felt so out of it. I was merely going through the motions to pass the time. Even the few golf games I played felt so meh. And the weather during this period started wet, then hot, and now unbearably hot. Sigh.

Well, now that the Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year is ending, we are galloping into March, February being a short month. The family had an early Chap Goh Meh dinner two nights ago, and it was a simpler feast compared to the Reunion Dinner spread.

A simpler Chap Goh Meh spread of ‘Poon Choi’ (big bowl feast), Roast Duck, and a Nam Yue Pork.

Separately, we decided on a nice dinner outside tonight to bid adieu to the festivity and hope things will return to normal. Maybe I will play better golf again?

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Year of the Fire Horse, Part 2

24 Feb

It has been an unusual Lunar New Year so far. I am not feeling the festivities. So much so, we only put up the customary red cloth at our home entrance two days before the New Year! Two days, that’s cutting it really close. But we made some effort and hung tiny lanterns up on the trees in the front garden.

Some effort with little red lanterns

Despite the effort, the nonchalant feeling remained, perhaps due to the weather. Typically, during this time of the year, it is hot and dry. But it has been raining cats and dogs! Cold and gloomy. Ugh.

I think this sentiment could be due to the Lunar New Year being so late, mid-February, and all the holiday and festive mood has evaporated. The weather has not helped either. And the joys of Christmas and the New Year feelings have dissipated with the lengthy break from then until the Lunar New Year came around. Oh well.

I guess I have to change my mindset and make the best of the Lunar New Year. After all, I always believe, you are what you preach. Be positive to have a good time!

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Year of the Fire Horse

17 Feb

Gong Xi Fa Cai! We have officially ushered in the Year of the Fire Horse at the stroke of midnight. The fireworks last night were non-stop and loud; what a boisterous way to welcome the new year.

The family reunion dinner last night was a gastronomic adventure. The spread was a test of our tummy space! I definitely gained a kilogram. Burp!

Decorated our Yee Sang to look like a horse!

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous 2026 ahead! May you gallop into the year with zest and positivity. 

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So Nonchalant

10 Feb

The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year feeling is not there at all! We have another week left before we usher in the Year of the Fire Horse. I’m feeling so nonchalant about it, I don’t understand myself.

I have been a slowpoke in preparing for the New Year this year, unlike the previous years. While we did manage to purchase the necessary festive things for gift exchanges and did some cleaning, it was minimal. The New Year decorations are out of storage, but yet to be set up. Really don’t understand why I’m so nonchalant this year.

I suspect this is due to our procrastination in hanging up the red cloth at the entrance to the house. It is yet to be up. The house does not feel festive. Maybe if we get to it, then we will be triggered! So, we’d better hang it up before the weekend comes around. Chop chop!

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A Slow Gallop?

3 Feb

Suddenly, it is February already! Good gracious me, where did time go? This year, the Lunar New Year falls in February, and we are doing a slow gallop to usher in the Year of the Horse. Or is it a slow gallop? January has flown by.

What started as business as usual, as far as routine is concerned, has been thrown into disarray! The follow-up medical last week had us waiting for almost seven hours. The doctor had 50 patients ahead of us, remember? It was not a good idea to do our blood tests and see the doctor separately. We should plan to do both on just one day. Oh well, now we know, right?

Then the weekend golf was weather-interrupted. The Interclub game, organized by my golf club over the weekend, was a washout because the skies opened up gloriously and dumped a whole lot of rain. This unexpected downpour came after a period of hot and dry weather leading up to the Lunar New Year. And typically, this festive time is hot and dry.

It’s been a while since I last played a round of golf that was incomplete. My flight had six more holes to play, while some other flights had fewer holes left than we did. Nonetheless, everyone ended up drenched from top to toe. My golf shoes were soaked through to the inner sole, and my golf bag and clubs had to air out for over 24 hours when I got home. That’s how bad the situation was.

Well, golf games and activities aside, the focus should now shift to preparing for the Lunar New Year, which is just two weeks away! Gosh. Where do I even begin my preparations?

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Goodbye 2025

30 Dec

Two more days before we say goodbye to 2025. What a year it has been for me, and I cannot gush enough about it. Thank you, 2025, for the people, the places, the experiences, and the wonderful memories.

I look forward to the coming new year with excitement! Here’s wishing all my readers, friends, and family a very Happy New Year! May the new year bring exciting adventures and experiences, a healthier lifestyle, and good well-being to all.

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Two More Weeks, Part 2

23 Dec

While I excitedly recounted my travel highlights for 2025, I regrettably noticed a decline in my other activities. My carving dwindled to just a few pieces, and building miniature creations has become a thing of the past!

Instead of sitting to create, I sit and play my games on the iPad Mini. Too much at times! I do feel guilty, but I can’t seem to break away from this addiction. And it’s just two games—two silly games only—that sometimes take up to mindless and endless hours on the device. So bad! Ugh.

Perhaps in 2026, I should reconsider my sedentary activities and return to carving or building miniatures. There were other games that I was playing on the iPad, but I managed to tear myself away from them and even deleted them. However, Homescapes and Tasty Travels are still keeping their hold on me. I need to be stronger!

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Two More Weeks

16 Dec

Gosh, 2025 is coming to an end soon! There are two more weeks left in the year. And what a year it has been for me. As always, there were ups and downs, as well as memorable and sad moments, to mark another eventful year.

For me, the highlights have been my international travels! This year, I visited Bangkok, Halong Bay, ZhangJiaJie, Kyoto, and Osaka. And not to mention several local road trips within Malaysia. A good mix with family and friends, I would say, in terms of activities like shopping or golf, sights, and gastronomic adventures.

2025 saw my golf skills fluctuating up and down too much. I experienced both great games and frustrating ones, whether it was putting issues, chipping challenges, or just inconsistencies in my swing – I have encountered it all!

When the mindset leans more towards treating the game as a social outing, the focus on doing well tends to falter. If I want to play to win, I have to be very disciplined and change my mindset. We shall see.

2025 was also when hubby and I became serious pickleball players. We invested in better paddles, balls, and shoes, thus making our weekly games more enjoyable. When one has the right equipment and apparel, it makes the outing more comfortable and fun. And it’s a great alternative to golf, especially during the rainy season, because we play the sport indoors, covered from the weather in an air-conditioned space!

Thank you, 2025! But it’s time to store these wonderful experiences and memories away soon, and make way to usher in 2026 with a bang!

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Wet Year-end Challenge, Part 2

25 Nov

It has been raining cats and dogs the past few days. The situation has gotten so bad that several toll gates on the main Plus highway had to be closed yesterday. Several states have experienced flooding, forcing families to leave their homes. A significant annual challenge as we approach the end of the year.

Closer to home, we typically have two issues: a garden filled with backlogged water that cannot drain due to the continuous rain, and an occasional leak in the roof. On the activity front, I have been very fortunate for the last two golf outings.

There were threats of impending downpours only to have the sun peak out, and strong gushes of wind to blow away the voluminous clouds. There was no need to bring out the raincoat, and the leather shoes held up without issues. And the rain came down only after we were all showered and sat down for lunch, for both games! Aren’t we blessed?

As I have said previously, I take each day in stride, and if the weather is unfavorable, it’s best to return to the clubhouse and be safe. If I can complete the round of golf with my friends, we return to the clubhouse to celebrate!

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