Last Saturday was Malaysia Day, and it was a good reason to celebrate the occasion. We opted for a meal in the city center so that after dinner, we could drive around town to see city skyscrapers lit up.
We were not disappointed, as KLCC was illuminated in the Malaysian flag colors beautifully. The iconic towers never cease to take my breath away each time we go into the city, and that night was a sight to remember. A toast to my country, and Happy Malaysia Day!
Every year, when our wedding anniversary comes around, it is a public holiday. We chose the date to coincide with the country’s Merdeka Day celebration, 31st August, so we don’t have to work on this special day. When Malaysia celebrates her birthday nationwide, we celebrate our anniversary with a trip or a dinner.
This year, we decided to have a low-key dinner. We didn’t even order a bottle of wine to pair with our meal, just a glass each. But it was just as lovely despite the boisterous ambiance of the restaurant.
I have lost count of the years, but does it matter? Happy anniversary, and a toast to us!
The golf game on Saturday, 19 August 2023, will forever be etched in my mind, for it was during this game that I holed out from the fairway for an eagle! A two on a Par 4.
Saturday’s game was the Carlsberg Classic tournament held at my club. I played well despite performing poorly on all the Par 5s again. This phobia is hard to get rid of. Slowly, perhaps to change the mindset.
Thankfully, I fixed some issues I had earlier, and it helped. I was sharp on the short game, and my Scotty putter was good. I also had good company on my flight, and the camaraderie eased our waiting for each shot.
I told my buggy mate we should all aim to finish with a par on Hole 1 because we started with three pars and a birdie on Hole 2 during the shotgun start. With that in mind, I teed up and launched my ball.
Typically, my ball would fly to the left, but that morning, it went right. And actually, it was a much better position to approach the green. I brought two clubs with me when I walked to my ball on the fairway. The distance on the Hole 19 app on my AppleWatch showed 119m. The hybrid choice came to mind since it was a white flag, so it is better to land the ball short for a one-chip, one-putt strategy.
But when I stood still at the ball again, the reading changed! Aiks. It became 125m. Maybe I better use my wood instead. One last effortless hit and a par is still within range.
I lined up my shot, took a test swing with my 5-wood, and struck the ball. It flew beautifully, landed on the green, and rolled a bit before disappearing into the hole! I saw the whole scene unfolding in slow motion. Holy moly, what just happened?
OH WOW! I could not believe my eyes! I just holed out for an eagle. Everyone on my flight whooped and shouted, and I was ecstatic! After twenty years of playing this game, this eagle achievement is my first.
After the game, the club presented a dozen golf balls to me, and I will get an Eagle Achievement certificate too. Nice! Sometimes when the going is so bad, a little surprise pops up, like this one, and you love the game all over again. I am officially an eagle achiever, be still my beating heart!
The trip to Johore for Interclub games was fun but tiring because of the ungodly wake-up hours and the return journey. Once the second game and luncheon concluded, we left for KL. The weekend traffic jam along the Plus highway contributed to a longer-than-usual trip back.
The second Interclub game on Sunday was against Ponderosa Golf & Country Club, half an hour from our hotel. A morning game this time around, the course challenges were very different from the first day’s outing. However, both days had the same strong wind external factor, creating challenging conditions to play.
Hubby and I had an unusual four-person buggy instead of the typical two-person buggy. A first for us to be using this for a tournament! It took a while to get used to being in the four-seater with the opponents to move along the golf course.
Although hubby and I won against our opponents, my putting was terrible. I made 37 putts, with two 3-putts and TWO 4-putts! It was so demoralizing to have such horrid putting stats.
Being a Matchplay format again, our side lost by a substantial margin to our host this time, 9.5 points versus 20.5 points. But everyone was happy and enjoyed the hospitality and outing tremendously!
Sometimes it is not the outcome but the moment that matters most – the fellowship, the fun, and the experience. The memories are stored away but reminisced fondly again with time passing.
We will sign up for the next away Interclub outing without hesitation, should the next one appear on the club calendar again!
Public holidays are always a welcome occasion! We had a public holiday in the middle of the week. A break in momentum from golf, work, and routine, so hubby and I took in a movie which was a welcomed change.
So far, it is the only break for July; the next public holiday is at the end of August. Perhaps another movie during that time? Hmm.
It slipped my mind of another significant celebration because of the recent wedding. As of yesterday, my blog reached its tenth anniversary! Gosh, where did the time go?
It never crossed my mind that when I started this a decade ago, I would go on for so long. It seems that there is so much to write and share. Ten years is a long time. Honestly, it was simply to write and keep memoirs of significant moments in my life covering my travels, hobbies, and adventures. Who would have thought this prevailed all these years and still going strong?
Well, happy anniversary to my blog, and a big thank you to all my readers and supporters for keeping my blog going! A toast to many more years ahead.
Saturday was an eventful day for the family. The fun part was when the groom and his merry best men arrived and had to overcome the challenges prepared by the bridesmaids before being allowed entry. There was laughter aplenty, and the expressions were priceless.
The Chinese tea ceremony went well in the morning. Before we knew it, the whole affair was over, and soon, we had to get ready for dinner that evening. The Wedding Dinner was a cozy affair. My niece was gorgeous in her gown, and her new hubby was equally dashing. They make a perfect couple. My heart is bursting with love for them!
Seeing all the aunties, uncles, and cousins again was a boisterous affair. I discovered I had a niece (my cousin’s daughter) that I never knew existed! Oh, my goodness. She lived in Australia all these years and recently came back to visit. It’s nice to have family celebrations to discover the family tree has grown.
Like the previous wedding dinner (of my nephew), we dressed to look our best. I opted for a Cheong Sam this time instead of an evening dress. I don’t dress up often, so it’s nice to be able to do so once in a while. And it will be a while before we all gather again for another family celebration.
My heart is bursting with love and joy as there is another wedding in the family! This time, it is the elder twin of my only sibling. It is another auspicious celebration as we welcome another new member to the family after the recent addition of the younger twin’s better half in March.
Words can hardly describe the excitement as we prepare for tomorrow. The Chinese tea ceremony will take place in the morning, followed by the wedding dinner in the evening. I look forward to seeing and raising my glass to all the aunts, uncles, and cousins again, making merry, and sharing the family’s happiness on this momentous occasion.
I thought this month we would not have any public holidays to enjoy after all the long stretches in May; well, I thought wrong! Today is a public holiday, being the King’s birthday. Long live our King!
It’s also a welcomed opportunity to recuperate from yesterday’s tediously long drive back from hubby’s hometown. After this, it’s back to the grind and daily routine.
The days leading up to my birthday went by so fast! We had an early birthday dinner celebration last weekend with the girls. It was such a gastronomic indulgence.
Then hubby and I played a round of golf at Royal Perak Golf Club on Wednesday. I had the shot of the day on Hole 5, a Par 3, landing my ball a foot and a half away from the cup for a birdie. Perhaps my Hole-in-One shot is coming soon?
But the actual day of my birthday, the day went by so slowly. We were back in Alor Star and it was like a furnace. I could feel my body fat melting away, which was good because I’d been feeling a bit chunky, eating so much leading up to my special day.
And then it rained, no, it poured and poured and poured! Mother Nature was relentless. The outside perimeter of the house was flooded. Oh no! It was sometime before the rain subsided, and we had to clean up the place. Not the ideal activity to do on one’s birthday but it had to be done.
I was sweaty, I was tired and hungry. Sigh. It could be worse because look at the bright side – I am healthier now after my recent hospitalization, and I feel the love of my family and friends for their good wishes on my special day. That’s all that matters. Happy birthday to me regardless of the circumstances!
Angieneering 
Remarks