Tag Archives: Rainy season

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 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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Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0, Part 2

19 May

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!

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Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0

12 May

We have been experiencing some rough patches of weather lately. As you know, it rains every day, and planning a golf game is difficult. Last week, my friends and I decided to play a morning game, as the pattern seems to be rain and thunderstorms mostly in the afternoons. So, we took a gamble and booked an 8.30 am tee-off at Royal Kampung Kuantan Club.

The drive to the golf course was just under an hour, and we arrived an hour early. It started to drizzle as we got out of the car. Since we arrived early, I decided not to register ahead but wait for the situation to improve. Hah! Wishful thinking.

Water, water everywhere! Same spot, inundated within minutes.
Flooded within a short time

The rain started coming down heavier than ever! Bummer. Pretty soon, the whole golf course became flooded, with the fairways blending into the nearby pond. From the golfer’s terrace, the putting green fared no better. Long story short, we waited for three and a half hours during the downpour. Mother Nature decided it was not a day for any outdoor activities! She goes one up against golf.

Lunch was crabs with mantou, prawns, baby squids, and Lala bee hoon

The rain was relentless! It was too heavy to get to the car, and too early to go off for brunch. Finally, when there was a window, we managed to get to the car and drove to Kuala Selangor for a comforting seafood lunch. It was the least to cap off a washout outing. I think golf needs to take a backseat for the time being until the weather improves.

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It’s May Already!

5 May

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!

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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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