Work has stalled for several days on my little Japanese restaurant. Not intentional, but a good stall because there’s work at the office that is more important than DIY projects.
I have not been in the office physically for long durations ever since the pandemic started. Occasionally, I go in once a week. But in the two weeks, I was in the office daily to work on a digital publication for our client.
I even reduced my weekday golf games to focus on this project, playing only on Tuesday. And after the game, I head for the office. I must say it has been a welcome busy with my energy directed towards layout formats, grids, fonts, and such instead of tiny sushi, chairs, and accessories.
The publication finally closed yesterday. And I have a little break from today onwards, so perhaps I can go back to complete project number six by the coming weekend without any interruption.
After six years of using the TaylorMade stand-bag, it is time to say goodbye to the bag. The bag was part of the goodie bag gift when I entered the National Finals of the BMW Golf Cup International Tournament in 2014.
Used and worn out until the BMW marque has disappeared
Although I also have a cart bag from winning in the qualifying round that same year, the BMW cart bag is rather chunky and heavy. So it has been underutilized. With the current situation with the pandemic, and especially during the CMCO phases, I have been walking and carrying my golf bag more than ever on days when I don’t use the golf buggy. And a stand-bag is a better choice, being lighter, over the cart bag.
My new bag, a Japanese brand, Fidra, is super light-weight. I am sure it will serve me well as the TaylorMade bag did.
Project #6 started well two weeks ago but has slowed down because of circumstances. Number one being my golf schedule. Last week I played four times, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I would have played on Sunday too if it wasn’t for the rain and the course was closed. Then I also had to work.
I should be thankful that we are getting design work from our clients, and I have been going into the office daily with hubby. Even on golfing days, after lunch, I was in the office instead of staying at home. So in between the golfing days and the office, there was hardly time to focus on the DIY set.
And by the time we get home, prepare dinner, eat and clean up after that, there’s no more energy left. It is too tiring to sit at my station to concentrate on the set.
Well, the first floor of the main structure is up, and my little Japanese restaurant is starting to look good with what I have managed to complete so far. I’m just saving difficult tasks for later when I can sit down without interruption and focus.
Furniture and decor pieces are done! Itty bitty pieces
Yesterday was a public holiday, and it threw me off. I thought it was a Saturday because we played golf when in fact, it was a Thursday. It did feel like a Saturday but a fake one though.
Today I will be going into the office to work on a publication design. Yes, I finally have real work to do, and it’s a welcome change from just cooking and cleaning.
And tomorrow being the real Saturday, golf is in the plans. I think I am playing too much golf until I have lost track of the days.
Last week, the CMCO phase was enforced, and there was confusion as far as activities are concerns. Initially, I thought it would be a blanket ruling, and no golf allowed because the situation now is very different from the first CMCO period. The sudden steep spike in Covid-19 positive cases in the country is worrying so much so, the authorities decided to reinstate the CMCO to curb the contagion.
Well, golf is allowed but back to the single-buggy single-player ruling. However, if hubby and I play at the same time, both of us can share a buggy because we are from one household.
Contrary to this option, we can choose to use the golf trolley or carry our bags if we play at the Hills course of our club. So far, I have had a mixture of the single buggy, shared buggy, and golf trolley games the past week. I anticipate the same again for this week’s games.
Hopefully, positive cases will decrease and the CMCO lifted by the end of the second week. We can only hope. Until then, golf rules for social distancing remains as is.
Just when we think the pandemic situation in the country is under control, things have taken a turn for the worse! Cases are on the rise, and the government has just announced that the CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) will take effect for three states by tomorrow until 27 October. Oh, dear.
Schools are closed, parks and places of worship will also be closed during this period. All sports activities, social, cultural, and wedding receptions are also not allowed. I guess this means no golf for the next two weeks!
Sigh. We were anticipating this measure to be taken when there was a sudden spike in Covid-19 positive cases recently. When will this ever end? We are back to square one on our fight with the virus.
Now that M2 has arrived safely and undergoing her quarantine, we are back to just the two of us at home. And so, the routine is back to normal; in other words, I’m playing golf every other day again.
And in between this routine, it’s the DIY projects that keep me busy. Oh, project #4 was completed a day before her departure, and project #5 started soon after.
#4 – The cafe without lightsNight mode of the cafe
Over the weekend, it was our first time doing a really short anniversary trip. Just two days and a night away, given the circumstances of the pandemic and protocols to contain the spread.
We decided to visit Malacca again after the last trip there to check out the Husky cafe with M2. This trip, sans M2, it was simply a round of golf at A’Formosa Golf Resort, food and playing tourist at Jonker Walk.
The front of Aava Hotel. The back entrance faces the riverfront.The lobby, breakfast room and waiting area. Room was big and comfy.
We stayed at Aava Hotel which was very strategic and within walking distance to the attractions. On Saturday evening, after golf and checking in, we explored the street market on Jonker Walk before and after dinner. People were all masked up and it wasn’t too crowded.
Pre-dinner was Cendol and SatayLovely anniversary tapas dinner
The next day, we even had time to do a morning walkabout again after breakfast. To our delight, we stumbled upon a morning antique market. Not as big as the night attractions, it was very interesting nonetheless. Some of the items on displays brought back memories of things both of us had seen or used when we were young. Lovely.
Colorful rickshaws on the road!
By eleven, we checked out and bade Malacca goodbye, to head for lunch in Seremban. Unfortunately, the famous Beef Noodle at the market was too long a queue, so we opted for something else instead. Oh well, next time…
Clay pot Loh Shi Fun
Next stop was Seremban International Golf Club (SIGC) for an afternoon round of golf before going home. It was windy, the fairways were hard and the greens were horrid to putt. Then it rained. Haish… we had to wait out the rain for about 20 minutes before we could resume our remaining seven holes.
All in all, the trip was short, sweet and very enjoyable. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be far and foreign or exotic but doing what we enjoy most together is best.
It’s that time of the year again to celebrate our wedding anniversary. This year, it’s supposed to be a special milestone because it is our 25th silver anniversary!
Alas, flying off to somewhere far and exotic is out of the question. It used to be we would traverse the world for significant wedding milestones but not this year. With the pandemic still raging on uncontrollable, it is best to shelf any big plans that involves flying.
However, we did go away on a short local self-drive trip for some golfing fun rather than sticking to our weekend golf routine. And when I say short, it was just 2D/1N. The shortest trip for the most significant milestone!
Happy anniversary, my significant half! We have had an amazing journey for the past 25 years. I certainly look forward to the next 25 to come. And we will weather through this weird and trying year together.
The tail-end of DIY Project #3 has been very systematic and easy. I guess working on the little pieces ahead and allowing them to dry with time helped. Then once the wiring was done up for the ground floor, and the first floor installed, it was a breeze from that point.
Lights in place for the ground floor
The last two hurdles were the bed and room chair but I was patient. In between my golf days and cooking, I got these two done up without any procrastination.
The final touch now is drilling a new hole for the wiring in the living room. The original hole is inaccurate when the side table that has the wire for the lamp, is placed over the hole. It does not align to the living room sofa and table that are already in place.
Old hole (red circle) and new hole (purple circle) for the wires
Well, when the drilling is eventually attended to, I can proudly say this set is truly complete. Good job!
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