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Oh My Ferragamo!

17 Mar

Recently, at the wedding, I decided to wear heels to match my outfit, but I was in a bind. I didn’t think I could balance on either the black three-inch or the bling-bling four-inch dinner stilettoes. It’s been ages since I wore these!

So I decided to don my Ferragamo shoes instead. It was either the classic Vara pumps or the Artiste block heels. I prefer the Vara over the Artiste, and the ever-reliable Vara pumps have held up after all these years. Perhaps a tad hardened on the insides that I have to grit my teeth when I walk, but what’s a little pain for a night of glam?

However, the other pair of Ferragamo has suffered a terrible fate. With two years upended by the pandemic, traveling and meeting people was out of the question. Furthermore, there have not been many new business opportunity meetings, so wearing good shoes were not required.

Anyway, my Artiste Ferragamo shoes suffered massive hydrolysis on the bottom. It’s like a replay of my Blundstone boots, only this time, it’s my designer label heels. The rubber underside of the shoes exploded to smithereens! The only consolation is that the shoebox contained the mess.

The awful state of the Artiste

I am not upset, but wondering if I bring the shoes to the Ferragamo store, can anything be done to save them? Would I be accorded a solution or a replacement (wishful thinking here) like Blundstone Australia did? Hmm.

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Double Happiness

14 Mar

Double happiness is when two people discover each other for a lifetime together. Double happiness also means during the wedding, the extended families can gather merrily for a happy celebration.

Two nights ago, my nephew tied the knot. Congratulations to him and his beautiful bride! My heart is bursting with love for the newest member of our family!

It was a heartfelt, joyous occasion for everyone present. The younger twin of my only sibling is now a married man and will be starting his family soon. There was so much love and affection throughout the Chinese tea ceremony, which was steep in tradition. A boisterous close family affair that morning.

Then the wedding dinner that night was equally a heartfelt and joyous occasion for the family. I was ecstatic when I reconnected with my cousins again, having not seen them for ages. It was such a nostalgic trip down memory lane as we caught up, reminisced, squealed, and giggled like teenagers until we teared up about the growing-up years with our grandpa around.

Grandpa was the center of our universe, but there was so much fear in us whenever we visited him and Grandma. Nonetheless, my cousins and I have happy childhood memories. Now only our memories remind us because, during the dinosaur era, smartphones to record every moment did not exist yet. Today, the wedding is a memory filed away but captured in print, video, and almost everyone’s smartphones.

As I have said, there was double happiness for everyone during the wedding dinner – not just for the newlyweds but for all the aunts and uncles meeting up again. Many a time, I felt emotionally moved to see the elderlies hugging each other affectionately and catching up, something we all could not do, especially during the peak of Covid. It takes a happy occasion to reconnect with everybody again. And it takes a pandemic to reevaluate the importance of family and being in touch.

A cousin lamented that the clan should not meet only for weddings and, sadly, at times, for funerals, but it should be more frequent now that there are no longer lockdowns and restrictions. Time is precious, likewise family members and our extended families too.

As such, efforts are underway to spur the next generation of cousins to get to know each other better and ensure their bond grows, just like it has been for my cousins and me. As for the newlyweds, a toast to their happiness and the start of a beautiful life together.

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Itsy No More

13 Mar

Weeks have passed, and sadly, Itsy the Golden Orb Silk Weaver spider is gone! Recently, the gardeners spruced up the perimeter greenery area, and Itsy’s branches were affected.

Initially, when we relocated her there, we felt that area would be a haven for her with lots of insects for food. It never crossed our mind that the gardeners would trim the branches. So now, it is a clearing with lesser branches and foliage. Fewer insects and pests for humans, I suppose.

With her web destroyed, I presume her demise as well. How unfortunate.

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Is It March or November?

3 Mar

Time has flown by so fast that it is March already! But it does not feel like it. Typically, during this time of the year, especially after the Lunar New Year, it is hot and dry, and doing the laundry is great. All the clothes have that sun-soaked smell. I love it.

This year, however, it is cold and wet. And doing laundry is a bane. The clothes don’t get that sun-soaked opportunity, and they smell. Ugh. So yea, it’s weird because it feels more like November than March.

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Winning Again

28 Feb

It is nice to be able to play good golf. It is even better to play well and win! After several games, I have finally gotten my golf mojo back. And it sure feels great, pocketing some dough along the way, coming out tops during our weekly Tuesday group game.

I hope to maintain the momentum, for this Saturday is the Monthly Medal tournament at my Golf Club. While I don’t expect to win because the field has more and stronger players, I hope I can play to my handicap; that’s all I ask.

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A New Game

27 Feb

Lately, I find myself playing a lot more games again on my iPad Mini. It’s not good because it’s very unhealthy, especially for my eyes and time management. Being obsessed with my games, reading the news, and watching YouTube or Netflix derails me on more important matters, like house chores or crafting my miniatures.

So at times, I have to put the iPad aside to focus on those things because I tend to forget the time amid a game challenge. I am distracted by the latest game downloaded recently. These things happen when free ads promoting new games appear amidst my regular ones.

Piqued, I would check them out, and the next thing I know, the game is downloaded. And before I know it, I am playing a new game. Sometimes, the interest would wane, but the appeal is quite lasting for this latest download, Brick Out.

I find myself playing it until the wee hours of the night. Even Gudetama, the Netflix series I am watching now, cannot hold my interest as much! I should detach myself from my games and be more disciplined in putting down my iPad Mini when it’s time to sleep.

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On the Uptrend

20 Feb

I am pleased that my golf mojo is coming back! By my third game yesterday, there were vast improvements. The tee-offs were good in direction and distance, likewise, my second wood shots.

As such, by the third shot (or fourth, if it is a Par 5), it is only an iron or wedge to use to land on the green. The putting, at times, was brilliant, save for silly mistakes. I made 31 putts yesterday, which was quite good. Separately, I did not feel too tired being out under the sun and kept hydrated more than ever.

I look forward to the next few games lined up this week in preparation for the upcoming Greensome Tournament on Sunday. It should be fun!

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Relocating Itsy

17 Feb

Three weeks ago, we decided to relocate Itsy from our garden. The initial thought that a Golden Silk Orb Weaver spider would be of good luck has not been accurate at all.

I had medical issues right after discovering Itsy in our garden. The girls said it was Itsy’s fault! Her spider powers were too much for me, sucking my energy as I took some time to recover after my medical procedures. Whether you choose to believe it or not, well, it was such a coincidence.

So, for me to get well faster, Itsy had to go. But killing it was not an option, and we decided to relocate her to the trees at the perimeters of our housing area. Thankfully, hubby managed to move her without issues using the long garden rake.

Several days ago, I went to check on her. And my goodness! I was shocked at its size, for she is now humongous!

A plump Itsy compared to her looking skinny in our garden

The new environment seems to be well-suited for her as insects are abundant. With the web being so big now, she can trap easily and eat to her fill. And with so much foliage and greens to camouflage, she is in a safe place from danger.

Good for her, looking healthy and plump. As for me, I am getting healthier too (thankfully not plump!), and good for me too! A win-win situation.

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My Longest Par Putt

14 Feb

My second golf outing was so much better. The distances were back, and at times, the tee-off was phenomenal. Slowly but surely, I think the muscle memory is coming back. Yay! And that morning, the weather was perfect, cloudy, not hot, and good company too.

I am slowly getting used to the TaylorMade Spider Mini putter. But I have to admit the wedge work was accurate most times and made putting so much easier.

As a social golfer, there is always that one highlight of the game that overshadows all others. The highlight of this game was my long putt.

It was a Par 5, and the tee-off was good. But the second shot with the 3-wood was a horrible hook and ended up not where I wanted it. Sigh.

I approached my ball to assess the situation. Luckily, the angle towards the green was decent. And it was at a distance where I could land the ball on the green with my 7-iron, and I did.

As I drove towards the green, the ball looked very close to the blue flag. Phew. But as I got closer, it wasn’t the case! Hah, distance illusion sometimes can trick you.

From my ball toward the hole, I took 27 strides, akin to almost 30 feet or thereabouts in length. I was very positive and felt that making par was achievable; if not, a bogey was just as good, given my horrible hook approach disaster.

The Spider Mini was remarkable in its speed and strength as my ball went straight into the hole! Woohoo! A par on the Par 5. I was in disbelief but elated.

After that, the perfect weather gave in, and the sun came out. It was hot all over, and I fluffed the last three holes. Oh well. It doesn’t matter. That one phenomenal putt is enough to savor and remember until my next game.

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DIY Project #26, Part 2

13 Feb

Once the momentum kicks in to stay focused to work on the miniature, it’s a breeze all the way, a situation I had forgotten the past year when I derailed from crafting to do other things instead. It is nice when there are no hiccups or lengthy pauses to hinder the pace.

So, in less than two weeks, minus a few days of non-crafting, DIY project number 26 is now a complete piece and ready to join the others in the Ikea display cabinet. I hope I can find a place for it!

DIY project number 26
With the light on!

Number 26 is another bookshop that I seem to like; there are now three books-related sets that I have done – two bookshops and a study. There were challenges, of course, but they are nothing when one stays focused.

I will take a break for a few days before deciding which miniature to work on next for DIY project number 27.

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