Need to Getaway

6 Nov

Maybe I need to get away from the usual routine and life. Stay away from golf and carving, and take out that bikini to wear to even out all the uneven golf tan lines.

I saw a sports doctor yesterday to evaluate the wrist. Thankfully it’s not what I thought initially – Avulsion Fracture and no necessity for an X-ray or MRI. Rather it’s a case of De Quervain’s stenosing tenosynovitis, inflammation of the tissue on the thumb side of the wrist. Commonly known as Wrist Tendinitis, it is due to overuse.

On top of over usage, it seems that Tendinitis is part and parcel with age, being the dinosaur that I am. Gee, as if I don’t have enough problems already what with the Infectious Collitis and Endometriosis diagnosed earlier in the year. I’m such a problematic dinosaur this year.

But with the weather so wonky these days and M2’s big exam looming closer each day, will we have time for a much needed escapade? Frankly, I don’t think it will be enjoyable with constant wet weather nor will there be ease of mind knowing what’s ahead for her.

It’s a good thing that today’s a public holiday and I am home taking a mini break as recommended by the doctor.

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Ciabatta No More

5 Nov

I managed to rework the second Gnome Home and am pleased to say that it’s a ciabatta no more! I added more Meranti wood pieces to the top and sides to give it more height and volume.

Then I painstakingly carved and filed down the addition to blend with the ‘roof’ so that the overall look is proportionate to the base. Areas where I couldn’t get it to look smooth, the wood putty did the job.

And after adding gesso to the overall shape, you can’t tell that the whole piece is actually made up of big and small pieces. Once the final touch of colors are added, my Gnomes have another home. Yay.

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A Colorful Bloom

2 Nov

I may not be a garden or plant person like hubby but I do appreciate a full bloom when I see one. Yesterday when he showed me this colorful air plant, I must say the heart did a funny flip albeit tiny. Still… a flip’s a flip.

Other times when hubby showed me little baby shoots coming out at the sides of a mummy air plant, honestly I don’t know what I am looking at. Likewise when I stand in front of his bromeliad collection, I can’t relate. I don’t know what I am looking at to appreciate. I’m pathetic…

But colors on a bloom, they are different and I can appreciate. So perhaps I am not that pathetic after all?

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Mounted on a piece of wood and hanging with a wire, this beauty is looking darn pretty!

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800 Days

1 Nov

Yesterday I reached Day 800 with the Candy Crush Soda’s Daily Bonus! It’s like an obsession and a mindless morning routine on the iPad Mini for me to reach this crazy number .

The iPad Mini…. big sigh. Sometimes the device works, sometimes not and it bothers me depending on what I do. If I do need to play Soda for the heck of it, I will play it on the phone because on the iPad, the app can’t go beyond the Daily Bonus.

I get more riled up when I am on Sticky Hands’ apps – Solitaire Cooking Tower and Age of Solitaire because the iPad Mini is just too laggy with these new games but this is not the focus here. It’s the Candy Crush Soda’s milestone.

And as I have said previously when I reached Day 700, for every 100 days you’d see a post on this crazy number of a milestone. Next aim: Day 900. I think I can do it.

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Next milestone to reach: Day 900!

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Is Golf Really Healthy? Part 2

30 Oct

My earlier assumption of burning 200-400 calories during a round of golf was off by a whole lot! I used to be able to hit such numbers but these days, it’s not even close.

Two weekends ago, during the Saturday morning golf game, I clocked 5.9km with 9,993 steps but burned only 127 calories. This was according to my Xiaomi MiBand2. Hmm… has my metabolism slowed down?

Anyway true to my earlier take on the after game plans, the four of us (plus a friend) had lunch but skipped the alcohol. The spread may not look or feel heavy but I believe the calories tipped over what I burned. Oh well…

I shouldn’t be too nit-picky with such things if I want to enjoy the company of friends during a round of golf. Do note these days, it’s more the company than the game for me because of the nagging pain on the left hand.

Speaking of left hand, I have decided to go get an x-ray done to assess the situation and see where do I go from here. I am so not looking forward to this I must say…

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Noodles, vege, fruit vege, more vege, anchovies & onions plus a fish porridge, nothing too heavy…

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Thriving Garden

29 Oct

Although I am not a garden person, I am happy to say that our garden and plants are thriving despite the wonky weather that we are experiencing. Wonky in the sense that it’s either super hot or super wet.

The frangipani tree is all good, so are hubby’s collection of air plants and bromeliads. Even the staghorn ferns that he acquired are healthy.

The smaller ones, remounted on wood planks, are doing really well and now hangs in one corner of the garden. They were purchased from our trip back to his hometown for Chinese New Year early this year.

As for the two big ones, they are mounted on the trees in front of the house and are also thriving beautifully despite their exposed fern leaves or fronds looking brown. These fronds are known as the shield frond because they protect the roots from damage and store water and nutrients. And the brown look is due to humidity issues and not because the fern is dying, so they should never be removed.

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The three amigos

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Giant staghorn #1

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Giant staghorn #2

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Is Golf Really Healthy?

26 Oct

Many will think that golf is a good and healthy activity as a form of exercise but I don’t think so. Think about it for a minute.

You may exert a lot of energy and probably burn 200-400 calories from the four and a half hours outing but along the way, old sports injury – if there are any, are subjected to more stress. Such is the situation with my left wrist and obviously, this is not healthy. Or you may unfortunately pick up new injuries.

And usually after the game, a hearty meal ensues whether it is a morning or afternoon game. On top of that, the alcohol intake, be it beer or whiskey… goodness! All that hard work gone in a jiffy.

A pint of beer is about 180-208 calories (depending on brew type and brand) while a shot of whiskey is about 64 calories and more, depending on proof percentage. No one stops at just a pint or a shot, let me tell you. I know I don’t. This probably explains why I have gained some weight recently despite the limited diet due to my Endometriosis – the meals and drinks that follow after each and every game.

You may feel good thinking you managed to burn 200-400 calories initially but six hours later, if not careful or disciplined, you end up putting back more calories than what was burnt in the first place!

Imagine week in, week out, the once a week or more games with this routine. One may argue that consumption of food and drinks was in moderation or very little but mind you, every little bit counts.

In conclusion, golf may be a good and healthy sports by itself, it is the after-game indiscipline that will just void all that form of exercise and render it ineffective.

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Our Frangipani Tree, Part 3

25 Oct

It is slightly more than a month since its pruning and our frangipani tree has stabilised. New leaves are growing and so far they look healthy. No rust fungus splotches in other words.

I hope the netting covering the top, which has been providing an excellent shade for all the plants hanging on the branches beneath, won’t hinder the sprouting leaves. Maybe in time, the netting has to be removed; we will monitor the situation.

Thank goodness we didn’t have the tree chopped down as it’s been given a new lease in life.

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Busted Nail, Part 2

23 Oct

These few days I am more aware of my busted nail now that the bruised part has almost reached the tip. It is interesting to note that the white and brown coloring of the injury has ‘evolved’. From the time I took the two pictures two weeks ago and comparing to the most recent shots, it’s looking very different.

And no, I did not scratch the underside of the nail. On closer inspection, the brown on the underside looked like dried blood, stuck there for three months. Ugh.

Maybe by the end of this week, the nail can be trimmed and gone is the reminder of my unfortunate bathroom incident.

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up close on the ever evolving bruised nail

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Not Getting Better, Part 2

22 Oct

Could it be that I have a small Avulsion Fracture on my left hand, just like the LPGA professional golf player, Michelle Wie? Hubby shared the news of her injury with me last Friday.

It sounds very similar because I do have a bone spur and the symptoms sound about the same. I am pretty sure her description of ‘nerve entrapment’ is akin to my ‘tiny bumps along the vein’.

But this is where the similarity ends as I did not do all those medical check ups and treatments like she did.

If a professional like her will not play the remainder of the season to get well, me being an amateur and without any treatment should rest until the end of the year too to fully recover. Something to really think about.

So how did I play on Saturday? Like a cow, like a chicken, like a novice… you get the idea? It was worse that those rock bottom days in the middle of this year. Sigh… and super sigh.

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