Lately, I have been playing golf more regularly, and with pickleball added to the mix, my weekly routine is quite packed. On a positive note, the wet weather has cleared up a little, and we were able to find windows for several uninterrupted rounds in cloudy conditions, which was nice. But it can also become hot and unbearable! Not easy to have everything go perfectly all the time. Sigh.
On a different note, the activities have stressed my body to the point where it has not had enough time to recover. I recently went for a lymphatic and sports massage instead of the usual aromatherapy massage. And the therapist told me my legs are overused! Dang. It makes sense now why they hurt all the time! Finding the right balance is challenging. Or is it age catching up with me, requiring more recovery time? It is definitely food for thought.
Perhaps it’s best to pace out the activities and not be a heroine, pushing myself to the max. Otherwise, the sports once loved and being passionate about will no longer be enjoyed, right?
The last two golf outings have been a blessing. I would say Mother Nature scored zero versus golf games that have racked up two wins thus far. The score is now Mother Nature-1 and Golf Games-2.
We had really good weather both times, cloudy and cool until only the last three holes when the sun decided to make an appearance. Now if only we had planned that Kampung Kuantan trip a week later. Oh well.
Despite such niceties, days when we are home, the house feels like an oven! And on a couple of occasions, it rained more than cats and dogs. I won’t complain because golf can go on without interruption, and I’m thankful.
I tee off again later this afternoon. Maybe golf can pull ahead with another good weather outing? We will find out!
The old saying, time flies when you’re having fun is so true. Suddenly, it is May already. Last week, I had a packed schedule of activities. Amazingly, I could even pull it off with the horrible weather that we are experiencing.
Every day, without fail, it rains, making it hard to plan a round of golf, whether a morning or afternoon game. At least, the pickleball games are indoors, and whether it rains or shines, we are not affected.
Strangely, the daily downpour has been very localized, at least for us as far as golf is concerned. It may rain at home, right before we leave, but be dry at the golf course of choice. Like yesterday, for example. Luckily, we were able to finish the afternoon game in good time, although it rained a little, but not heavily enough to stop the game.
I guess when time flies by so quickly, the weather shouldn’t be a deterrent to having fun. We have to learn to circumnavigate the situation. This week, the same busy schedule is in place again; rain or shine, the fun continues!
You know you ARE getting old when on that special day, you end up seeing the doctor! In my case, it was actually the dentist (the doctor is another story, another time!). Yesterday was that milestone day, but it didn’t feel special. I had to see the dentist as soon as possible because the filling in the back molar tooth fell off.
Actually, it was the second time. There was a small gap from two weeks ago when a tiny piece fell out. And the irritating gap has become bigger with this new mishap. I even started a food storage in there!
A day earlier, the latest unfortunate incident occurred when I was eating some fruits after dinner! How terrible is that? Not from biting on something hard, but a soft fruit. Duh.
A year older these days is not something to celebrate, although age is just a number. Of course, there was the usual birthday trip (we went to Ipoh and Damai Laut for golf with friends last week) and dinners to celebrate, but this year, nothing too fancy or extravagant.
Nevertheless, I had my fair share of cakes this year, and I even bought myself a present! Why not? And I’d like to think, although older, not necessarily wiser. It’s too much for the brain cells, mine at least. Hahahaha. As long as I’m healthy and stay healthy, this matters more than gaining new knowledge and wisdom. Dinosaurs cannot take things for granted and must prioritize health above all.
So here’s wishing myself a very happy birthday, and stay healthy!
We decided to take a break from everything, especially the stress of worrying about when my DIY pinball machine package will arrive.
At the start of the week, on Monday, we escaped to Ipoh with some friends for golf, and I did not have the chance to post anything until I returned.
The following day, we continued our getaway to Damai Laut for two more rounds of golf. The small group was enjoyable, the weather was lovely, and the food was delicious. Having the buggy on course for all three rounds, the golf was not tiring at all. What more could we ask for?
Interestingly, we had shopping opportunities in Ipoh and Sitiawan, and we were happy to contribute to boosting the local economy.
However, in the blink of an eye, the four days flew by, and we are back home to our usual routine and extreme heat. This morning, I decided to cancel the DIY pinball machine order because there have been no further updates on its status, other than that the package is packed and waiting for delivery. Hrmph.
I have been waiting for over a month since placing my order on March 22nd. And each time I inquire about its status, I receive repetitive messages stating that my order has passed the stated delivery date, information I already know and don’t need to be reminded of constantly! Initially, I tried to be patient and understanding, but it has become increasingly frustrating. Moreover, the urge to build and craft is gone, especially with the wait. Sigh.
So, I am glad we took the break to forget about the unfortunate non-delivery and do the right thing to end the wait and move on.
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?
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?
Last week, I thought it would be business as usual after the festivities, holiday breaks, and travel. But one week in, I misread the situation.
My activities (pickleball and golf) are affected by my scheduling and health issues. No big scare, so nothing to worry about; just my annual medical check-up. It was deferred from last year, and the follow-up appointment needs to, well, be followed up.
Now, my doctor is very popular at the medical center. More than half the patients at the waiting lounge are waiting to see him. On our last visit, after waiting more than four hours, we couldn’t wait any longer; hence, we rescheduled the appointment for today. And there are 50 patients ahead of us! Yikes.
Is it normal to have 50 patients ahead each time? No, usually there are about 30 ahead of us. The situation is not business as usual. The good doctor had been on leave. And upon his return, all the appointments piled up, ours included. Oh well.
The situation calls for practicing patience, so we have to be patient patients. Hahaha, so lame.
You know the holidays are over when routine kicks in once again. The girls are back to work, and our weekly activities are business as usual. I did not realize we actually took a five-week break from pickleball. With the festivities and long holiday stretches towards the end of last year, and our recent New Year trip to Chiang Mai, that is quite a stretch!
Last week, we played our first pickleball game for the new year, and it felt good to sweat despite the cool air-conditioned court. There were nine of us, and two courts, at two hours each! No wonder everyone worked up a sweat. Hahaha.
The weekly golf games have also resumed. This year, I’d like focus on participating more in events organized by our club, such as monthly medal games and tournaments. It will be beneficial to build my mental strength by competing in these games rather than just playing casual matches with friends. It doesn’t mean fewer social games, but more club-organized games. A busy year ahead, and I’m looking forward to it.
Last week, we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for three rounds of golf. It was just the four of us: hubby and I, along with two friends. The weather in Chiang Mai was excellent! I’m glad we chose this destination over Jakarta for our trip when we were deciding where to go.
The temperature was around 14 to 15 degrees Celsius every morning, which made it wonderful to play in such comfortable conditions. By noon, when we finished our game each day, it was still cool. And being buggy to the ball on the fairway for all three courses, we hardly broke a sweat.
At Alpine Golf ResortChiang Mai Highlands and Summit Green Valley
We played at Alpine Golf Resort, Chiang Mai Highlands Golf & Spa Resort, and Summit Green Valley Chiang Mai Country Club. All three courses were enjoyable, yet challenging as well. And for the first time, after-game foot massage was unnecessary for the whole trip! Amazing.
The highlight of the trip was definitely the food—there were so many palate-pleasing gastronomic delights! Then again, on this trip, we ate at Michelin-level restaurants, something we never did when in Bangkok. Somehow, Chiang Mai’s cuisine has more finesse and flavor than the options in Bangkok. However, this is unfair to say because I have yet to visit a Michelin-level restaurant in Bangkok. Can’t compare apples with oranges, right?
At Ekachan Ethnic Thai CuisineWantan noodle choices and Vanilla Coke!At Baan Landai Fine Thai Cuisine
Anyway, besides the two Michelin-level restaurants, we had noodles in a roadside shop and food from a food court in Nimman Square. To cap off the wonderful trip, the shopping after golf was so satisfying! I cannot recall the last golf trip being so relaxed and carefree. I have added several new golf shirts to my wardrobe.
Doi Suthep templeWat Rajamontean
All in all, every aspect of the first golf trip of the year was excellent! From the company, the golf courses, the sights, to the food and shopping, I am blessed to kick off 2026 with a memorable start. More to come? Definitely.
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