Tag Archives: Rainy season

Two More Weeks

16 Dec

Gosh, 2025 is coming to an end soon! There are two more weeks left in the year. And what a year it has been for me. As always, there were ups and downs, as well as memorable and sad moments, to mark another eventful year.

For me, the highlights have been my international travels! This year, I visited Bangkok, Halong Bay, ZhangJiaJie, Kyoto, and Osaka. And not to mention several local road trips within Malaysia. A good mix with family and friends, I would say, in terms of activities like shopping or golf, sights, and gastronomic adventures.

2025 saw my golf skills fluctuating up and down too much. I experienced both great games and frustrating ones, whether it was putting issues, chipping challenges, or just inconsistencies in my swing – I have encountered it all!

When the mindset leans more towards treating the game as a social outing, the focus on doing well tends to falter. If I want to play to win, I have to be very disciplined and change my mindset. We shall see.

2025 was also when hubby and I became serious pickleball players. We invested in better paddles, balls, and shoes, thus making our weekly games more enjoyable. When one has the right equipment and apparel, it makes the outing more comfortable and fun. And it’s a great alternative to golf, especially during the rainy season, because we play the sport indoors, covered from the weather in an air-conditioned space!

Thank you, 2025! But it’s time to store these wonderful experiences and memories away soon, and make way to usher in 2026 with a bang!

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Banana-ganza!

2 Dec
Six kilos of banana-ganza

Six weeks ago, we harvested a six-kilo bunch of bananas from the banana tree in our garden. It was an unintentional decision. On that wet and rainy day, a strong wind toppled the adjacent papaya tree, and we were concerned that the banana tree might suffer the same fate. The constant pounding of the rain and the wind had already caused the banana tree to bend precariously, unable to sustain the weight of the fruit and the situation.

So we had no choice but to cut the fruit to save it, despite it not being ripe yet. The other worrying situation was the garden intruders – garden squirrels or worse, the free-roaming civet cat! If we don’t save the fruit for ourselves, these critters would help themselves to a free fruit buffet.

The large bunch yielded five smaller bunches, and it took almost two weeks for them to ripen. We gave some away, ate some, and made banana bread with the remaining bananas. Nice.

The tree is gone now, but fret not, there are several other banana trees in the garden for the next bout of banana-ganza!

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Wet Year-end Challenge, Part 2

25 Nov

It has been raining cats and dogs the past few days. The situation has gotten so bad that several toll gates on the main Plus highway had to be closed yesterday. Several states have experienced flooding, forcing families to leave their homes. A significant annual challenge as we approach the end of the year.

Closer to home, we typically have two issues: a garden filled with backlogged water that cannot drain due to the continuous rain, and an occasional leak in the roof. On the activity front, I have been very fortunate for the last two golf outings.

There were threats of impending downpours only to have the sun peak out, and strong gushes of wind to blow away the voluminous clouds. There was no need to bring out the raincoat, and the leather shoes held up without issues. And the rain came down only after we were all showered and sat down for lunch, for both games! Aren’t we blessed?

As I have said previously, I take each day in stride, and if the weather is unfavorable, it’s best to return to the clubhouse and be safe. If I can complete the round of golf with my friends, we return to the clubhouse to celebrate!

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Wet Year-end Challenge

18 Nov

It’s the rainy season again! What this means is fewer golf games to play because of the threat of lightning and the risk of being soaked if caught in the rain.

Two things irk me if it rains during a round of golf, and it’s not so much the weather stalling the game. It is more about staying comfortable. The number one issue is the golf shoes. No more wearing light summer golf shoes during the rainy season, as rainwater tends to soak through to the inside. The toes get cold and pruned because the socks are wet. Ick. Leather golf shoes fare better, but they will still be uncomfortable.

The second issue is having to wear a raincoat! Wearing a raincoat to stay dry and swinging the clubs is not the best scenario. Sometimes the raincoat can’t even do the job right! Sigh, enough complaints, less said is better. Otherwise, it mars the joy of the game.

Having said all that, so far the few games I’ve played have been completed without any interruption, thank goodness. I guess I have to take things in stride, after all, this wet year-end challenge is an annual affair.

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Golf Shoe Obsession

18 Mar

I have a well-known obsession with shoes, especially golf shoes. My older golf shoes are starting to fail me. The last purchase, a Skechers Go Golf Elite 5, was a disappointment after less than six months of usage. Mind you – it was a second pair after returning the first Skechers that fell apart in less than two months! Thank goodness the warranty for exchange was honored and utilized.

After that episode, I was ready for a new purchase, but it was not a priority when we were holidaying in Japan last October. I wasn’t looking for golf shoes in particular, but I did come across a pair of G/Fore during a shopping excursion in Tokyo. It was the last pair available at an irresistible price! How could I not buy it? The shocking pink color would stand out when taking photos on the golf course, and I caved in on this idea.

But I resisted wearing the new shoes because it rained constantly towards the end of last year. I didn’t want my pretty shoes stained with mud. I was in a fix! To wear or not to wear?

I decided to buy another pair of golf shoes to resolve my predicament! And save my G/Fore shoes from wet mud, dirt, or grime. Hahaha, silly or obsessed? For the record, I wore my G/Fore when we went to Vietnam, and it’s still looking clean and pretty after that trip. Phew.

New golf shoes!

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Monsoon Season! Part 2

17 Dec

The threat of the monsoon rain last week did not materialize drastically to affect the golf games when I hosted a visiting friend. We were most fortunate to take in another two games. In total, we played three and a half rounds, the half being the first game that lasted only nine holes due to the downpour.

While it was fun to be playing so many games in good weather, the game performance went from bad to worse. Hahahaha. Could it be we were talking so much? I do admit the tennis elbow did act up now and then. Sigh. However, it’s not like the course was hard to handle – it’s my home course, and I play there week in, week out, three times a week!

I do notice that when I talk and laugh a lot during a round of golf, I don’t play well – the focus is not there. Oh well, it was more for the company, which was great. And we were fortunate the weather held up for the bonding time.

I’m glad I could host my friend for several games, rain or shine, and she has plenty of good memories to bring back when she leaves Malaysia. I look forward to future golf games with her on her next return trip.

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Monsoon Season!

10 Dec

It has been a wet month as we wrap up the year. We are facing a second phase of the year-end monsoon rain. Last week, the weather had its moment and washed out an afternoon golf game when I hosted a visiting friend for a round. We completed only nine holes, which was a blessing in disguise because my tennis elbow was acting up! Bummer.

Three days after that wet round, we played another afternoon game. Thankfully, Mother Nature was kind to us despite the rain forecast. We completed the game in good weather, with only a slight drizzle that did not disrupt the momentum. And somehow, the tennis elbow pain was manageable. Phew. The weekend games after that were also fortunate, without any threat of rain or pain. 

However, this week may not be as good. The Weather app on the iPhone shows rain forecasted for the whole week. Golf will have to take a backseat if the forecasts are accurate. We will find out.

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Abundance

26 Nov
The towering papaya tree in our garden

The papaya tree towering next to the frangipani in our garden has been fruiting in abundance! Whee. Maybe the rainy season has contributed to the spurt and growth. This means we will have papayas again after a dry spell.

In the early stages, we put up nets to protect the fruits from the garden squirrels, and it worked when there were fewer fruits. However, as there have been more fruits, the netting protection could not cover the whole lot. So, hubby resorted to covering only the bigger fruits.

Two days ago, one rascal managed to eat a fruit on the tree. Ugh. So, hubby placed a trap on the ground to snag it, using the half-eaten papaya as bait.

This morning, the rascal was nabbed! Yay. We will relocate it to another area. Hopefully, it will stay away and won’t return to help itself to the abundance of fruits available.

I look forward to having papayas again from the garden.

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Pickleball Anyone, Part 2

19 Nov

We play pickleball once a week now. I find myself looking forward to it more than my regular golf games. Uh oh, does this mean I have lost my passion for golf?

There are various reasons for this new sentiment. It is the end of the year, and we are facing the rainy monsoon season! Golf is not enjoyable when the round is interrupted by rain and thunder. Then we have to wait out the rain. By then, the body has turned cold, and the momentum and mood are lost. Ugh.

It is even more unenjoyable when the siren does not go off, and collectively, everyone wants to continue playing in wet conditions. Ugh. I find wearing my raincoat to play very uncomfortable, but needed to stay dry. Then there are other challenges – wet gloves, slippery grips, heavy shots, and soggy fairways. The list can be endless! Ugh.

As pickleball is an indoor activity, covered and not subjected to crappy weather, it is a better option than golf, especially during this time of the year. And the best part is I can play with my left hand without aggravating my tennis elbow! Yay.

So, if I play less golf, it’s okay because I have an alternative activity to sweat instead of being a couch potato at home and perpetually glued to my iPad Mini.

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Timely Rest

8 Oct

I’m officially taking a break from golf. Typically, on Tuesday, I’d have a round of golf. But with the tennis elbow injury persisting, it’s best to rest.

The last game on Sunday was not a good outing. There was no distance upon tee-off for fear of aggravating the elbow, and it was a domino effect for subsequent shots, taking more strokes than necessary. Sigh, it wasn’t the best, but I didn’t let it get to me. I told myself I merely wanted the exercise.

Separately, the monsoon season has started, and it rains almost daily. Remember the game last Thursday that was a washout? So, a little less golf to get a timely two-week rest might be the right thing to do. Why two-weeks? Ahh, find out on Friday! Stay tuned.

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