Tag Archives: Raining

Of Rain and Fireworks

10 Nov

Deepavali, or Diwali, the Festival of Lights, fell on Sunday, and Monday was a replacement public holiday. The extra day off disrupted my usual weekend routine, especially with the loud fireworks display in the distance. The night before Deepavali, fireworks went off past midnight, when I was comfortably in bed, ready to call it a night.

My routine of counting sheep before going to Slumberland was interrupted because the fireworks went on non-stop for a good half an hour! I kept track of the time and realized that fireworks during Chinese New Year earlier this year were shorter in comparison.

While it is great that people celebrate with such gusto, I do not share their enthusiasm because my sleep was definitely affected. It took me a long time to finally fall asleep, and I woke up feeling grumpy the next morning. Hrmph.

On Monday, it rained towards the evening. But it did not deter the merrymakers at all. There was still a fireworks display, but it was shorter than the previous two days. I had to tune the noise out and force myself to sleep because I had a golf game the next day and needed to wake up at 5:30 a.m.!

The monsoon season has kicked in. Typically, it rains from the afternoon or late evening until past midnight. For us golfers, such conditions are tough to weather (pun intended). However, such conditions don’t seem to discourage the fireworks displays on a very wet Deepavali! Bless those people.

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Feeling Uninspired

5 Nov

While the haze has subsided, the rain has come on daily; there is no reprieve. Planning a round of golf has become a challenge.

Last week, I arranged to play golf with my friends on Tuesday. The night before, one friend was concerned about the weather because Google showed her an 80% chance of rain on game day. Well, I do not blame her for being worried. Driving so far for golf, only to have the weather derail it, is not what golfers want. However, my iPhone showed only a 40% chance of rain! We took a chance.

The game, or rather, my game, was terrible (I am on a downtrend, remember?), but the company and pace were enjoyable. It was a good catch-up session. Fortunately, we completed our round before the rain came.

This aside, over the past week, I have been feeling very uninspired, which is why I’ve delayed blogging. My mind has been sluggish, and there is nothing worth sharing. My golf game is struggling, and the weather is no better. What is there to shout about?

I need a break! I hope I can find a window to refresh my mind, play better golf, or even go away to recharge and revive from the current uninspired situation.

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Guardians of the Green

28 Oct

The haze has dissipated with the constant rain over the past few mornings and evenings, which is a relief. However, my mind still feels cloudy! Hahaha. I also missed my journal entry yesterday—boo.

I have, of course, been playing golf, but so badly that I am beyond comprehension of my disability. It is now confirmed that I have a phobia of my home course. Whatever the reason, I am not enjoying my golf game at my home club. And I don’t think it’s a downward trend because I fare better at other golf clubs.

Last weekend, I played in another tournament at my home club, and unfortunately, I caught the flu. We played in the rain, and the combination of heat and cold really took a toll on me. At one point, things got quite strange.

At Hole 16, my flightmates and I were ready to take our approach shots when we saw three stray dogs lounging lazily in front of the green. Yikes! What is this, a pack of Guardians of the Green protecting it? Do we even try to strike our balls? What if we hit them?

The dogs were so relaxed that our approach shots did not faze them. They were so nonchalant, like nothing happened. It was the first time I had seen animals on a golf green, not moving despite balls flying in. The Guardians of the Green were doing their job well, and I could only manage a double bogey. It was a surreal moment.

The dogs did not even move when I approached to take pictures!

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The Haze Goes On!

20 Oct

The haze hasn’t let up, and I’m feeling hazy from it (pun intended). Honestly, I have lost track of time and forgotten what blue skies look like. It doesn’t help with my vision when everything looks so dull, devoid of color and clarity.

There are days when the sun looks like a bright orange salted egg in the sky. It’s quite a sight to behold, although not a healthy one. However, on Sunday when I participated in our club’s Interclub game, the sun was a pale version of itself. When will the situation improve? The haze seems to go on and on.

Hazy lazy days!

The home air purifier has been working overtime lately. On bad days, the purifier’s PM 2.5 gauge can range from an eye-popping low 100s to upwards! And this is indoors; what more being outside. Pretty mortifying. There’s nothing much we can do except wait it out patiently. Only time can tell. Sigh.

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I’m Back! Part 2

13 Oct

Last week, when I highlighted the various problems I encountered during the two-week hiatus, I missed two more. It is hard to recall so many problems when there were so many to begin with; it’s not fun to be reminded! Hahaha.

On top of the terrible golf and eyesight problem, I was experiencing unusual stomach cramps! For no reason, my tummy acted like a washing machine, churning and twisting; it was a horrible experience. And as if my misery was not enough with the tummy and eyesight issues—golf games aside—I felt a tooth aching terribly too! My goodness, why the sudden onslaught of so much physical pain? What did I do to deserve such top-notch agony?

Well, the week has passed, and some of the painful agony has subsided. I have also reduced my iPad addiction. The eyesight problem is persisting, though; likewise, the terrible golf. Maybe the haze is abetting my misery? Or reduce my iPad time even more? We have had some rain, and this has eased the stuffy discomfort somewhat. As for the terrible golf, I am sure it is just a passing downturn, and I should play better in my upcoming games.

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I’m Back!

6 Oct

After a two-week break from writing, I’m back! Did the break help me in any way, health-wise? Apparently, no. Hahahaha. There were so many problems!

During the self-imposed hiatus, I played some golf with the haze enveloping the atmosphere (a die-hard golfer can sometimes be an irrational human); I went away with friends for short breaks for more golf, and I acquired more physical pain.

There was only one good game, which was the highlight. During the past few weeks, we had some rain, and it washed the haze down, but not enough. So, while out on the golf course, my eyesight was blurry (definitely due to the haze), and my eyes hurt; this sensation affected my golf game. My eyes hurt so bad, I ended up seeing an eye specialist!

To top off the misery, I played horrible golf except for that one exceptional game. And I pulled a back muscle from goodness-knows-what I did. After a bout of anti-inflammatory medication, painkillers, and rest, thankfully I recovered from this problem.

Maybe taking a break from writing is not such a good idea after all. I felt brain rot as I spent more hours—too many—on my iPad Mini, mindlessly playing my games. They were addictive, and unfortunately, an activity that also contributes to my eye issues.

So, in conclusion, I should keep writing to keep my mind alert, be more disciplined to reduce my addiction to my iPad games, and also minimize my outdoor activities. My overall well-being and eyesight are very important, and I should take measures to ensure no further deterioration in all aspects of my health.

Spectacular sunrise at the Cameron Highlands golf course where we played two rounds over two days

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The Haze is Back!

11 Aug

It’s an annual thing – the haze is back! This morning’s last-minute golf game was played in a hazy environment. I was not supposed to play, but my original appointment was canceled. And since there’s nothing on the plate, why not just go for a round of golf?

The sky was pale and almost colorless; not a spec of blue could be seen. Thankfully, it was breezy, and this helped with the biting humidity and heatwave. I hope this hazy situation won’t drag on. Then again, having constant rain is no better for ardent golfers! I guess we have to deal with it in stride.

Perhaps I should focus more on pickleball, an indoor activity, for the time being, over golf, outdoors and under the heat, and now with the haze back in town. We shall see.

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Week In, Week Out

9 Jun

The days that go by feel so ho-hum. Day in, day out, week in, week out, it feels the same. Too monotonous the routine that I can go about it like a robot on repeat. There is not much excitement happening.

The desire to play more golf has seeped out of me with the unpredictable weather lately. We can get nice weather for one nine, and upon crossover, the weather goes downhill, that is, too hot for my liking or raining cats and dogs in a worst-case scenario. When this happens, the golf goes down with it. Hahaha.

Over the weekend, I played in my club’s monthly medal tournament. During the first nine, I played so well because of cloudy, cool conditions. All my shots were spot on, and I was one under my handicap at the turn. The back nine, sadly, was a different story. Too many strokes over. Sigh.

The sun came on full blast, and needless to say, the will to play good golf melted under the sun. It’s a lesson learned to continue to build my mental strength to overcome the heat and adversity of uncontrollable situations.

So, I’m taking a break from playing in the sun or rain for the remainder of this week. Perhaps next week, when I tee off, I will have a better mental approach. We shall see.

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Extended Weekend

2 Jun

It is nice to have an extended weekend with two replacement public holidays on Monday and Tuesday. But it throws the momentum off. Monday felt like Sunday, and Tuesday felt like a Saturday! It’s a weird feeling.

I played golf on Sunday and Tuesday, and Mother Nature had a little fun with us on both days. We gave up the last three holes when the rain started for the Sunday game, while on Tuesday, playing at a course outside and with five holes left, the rain came down in a fury and we didn’t have enough time to find shelter. I was soaked to my underwear. We decided to wait it out and did manage to complete the game.

The extended weekend saw many holidaymakers travelling. Some even took leave from work to stretch the holiday break. We opted not to be part of the crowd, hence, the golf and eating out because I deemed the home kitchen closed! Heheheh.

It will be quite some time before we have another long stretch of holiday break. So, making use of it and being happy about it!

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Too Much Activities

26 May

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?

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