Half a century old

I celebrated my 50th birthday in January 🎂.  I got myself a jade bracket (2nd picture), which is of similar design as my grandma's (first picture). She passed away many years ago, and my aunty finally distributed her jewelry to the grandchildren recently.  I got the jade piece as I have explicitly expressed great interest in it, jokingly telling them (my aunties and cousins) that whoever inherited it must sell it to me at “青梅竹马”，“手足情深” kind of price 🤣.  My aunty couldn’t find the gifting list written by my grandma, and she suspects that my grandma had thrown it away as she was suffering from dementia in her final years.  Then last December, before my aunt departed for her 3 months long tour, she finally distributed them.  

After wearing them a few times, one (thin) chain on my grandma’s bracket broke, and one zircon fell out of my new bracket.  Also a 14k plated gold chain that I bought from a vintage shop from Scotland last October began to tarnish, turning rather black at some parts.  I searched online for jewelry repair, and am extremely delighted to have them all fixed!  

Firstly the brand at Isetan Scott that I bought my new bracelet from did the zircon replacement free of charge.  Unfortunately, I had a bad encounter with the service staffs.  The collection date stated was 15 May, but I only got it back today.  Luckily the bracelet is as good as new

As for the other 2 pieces, I bought them to a jewelry repair shop in lucky plaza.  The soldering of the broken chain cost $25, and the plating of the chain is $60.  Again these pieces are now looking as good as new too!  Happy me!!

Now, only my musical jewelry box is one beyond repair.  I bought it in Hokkaido many years ago, and shouldn’t have put it in the check in luggage.  The butterfly was dislodged and couldn’t flutter.  The music couldn’t stop when the case is closed.  The parts that’s working are the winding/the music and the box itself.  Now it shall hold my 2 favorite pieces of jewelry.  ❤️❤️

Wore this chain on my birthday in January.  It was a Thursday, I took leave, bought the bracelet from Isetan and went to Fullerton Hotel for high tea.  


The lady boss at the jewelry repair shop asked about the stones, to which I replied that I don’t really know as I bought it at a vintage shop. Upon inspection she told me the stones are real opal and amethyst, so it’s a good (of value) chain. Here’s a closer look, after plating. 


I intended to write a post around my birthday.  Well, I hope I will get to write about Lynn, who is on jc2 now, real soon.  Many happy returns to myself😍

Creating memories

I've been posting more on IG instead of blog or FB since a few years back.  Attempts to revive my blog had been unsuccessful, cos blog takes much more effort to maintain.  

Today is Sunday, Deepavali 2023, and tomorrow is the public holiday for this festival.  And I have time now, so here I am updating this blog.  I decided to title this blog "Creating Memories" rather than "2 Thurs in Nov'23".  Here's the stories surrounding these 2 days.

2nd Nov 2023

I was half way through my trip in Scotland (from 14 Oct - 29 Oct) when I got a text from WK that his mum got admitted to hospital.  It didn't surprise me as she had a fall the month before and had been feeling unwell since.  On Monday the 30th, I visited her after work.  She was of course much better than when she first got admitted.  Got to know from Juin that it was very scary for him/them the week before, as she was not quite lucid as her blood sugar was not under control.  She developed a fever over the weekend.  With the first week over, she was much better on the day that I visited her.  

On Thurs, the 2nd of Nov, WK forwarded a text from Winny, that she got the bad news from the doctor that the lesion in her liver is cancerous.  With her medical history, I believe none in the family was too surprised.  However, the whole of that afternoon my feelings was in such a mess, it must have been much more terrible for Wk and siblings.  Given her weak state, she can't do any surgery nor chemo, the family has accepted that her final days may have arrived.  

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9th Nov 2023

WK's aunts and cousin from Malaysia came to stay over from Friday (3rd) to Sunday (6th).  I spent some nights (after work) tiding up mum's room to house her sisters.  During the weekend, there were lots of catching up, meals together, ferrying around and hospital visits.  Liling the cousin stayed till Thurs, and continued visiting mum on the weekdays.  It was overall a tiring few weeks, but it finally slowed after the aunts left.  

On Thurs morn, I got a text from Wee San on the family group chat.  I thought it must be about the Taiwan trip for the extended family in the last week of Nov.  I was so shocked when I read her message that her Dad (eldest Uncle) was hospitalized and is in critical condition. I went to visit him that night after work, and the big coincidence is he is in the ward next to WK's mum.

For the past 4 days, I've visited him daily.  His condition has not improve, so tomorrow (Monday) and the coming days will be crucial still. On Thurs, he was on strong antibiotics, but by Friday, he's already on blood transfusion.  Although he seems better yesterday (Sat), he doesn't seem good today, so yesterday could be due to him being put on tube feeding, as he needed that (IV drip not enough nutrients) due to the blood transfusion procedure.    

  

It is a rather emotional affair for me to visit my uncle; I learnt that while I was "accompanying" him, he and I are taking separate journeys.   His body is constantly fighting a hard and painful battle; while he is drifting in and out of consciousness, he may know now and then that I am there, but I am hardly the person that he craves for or depends on in this extremely difficult time.  Yet for me, I needed to go daily, because I am not ready to let him go without going through his (could be) last journey with him.  My heart goes out to my dearest cousins, who needed to work, to take care of him, to feel so much sadness and burden.  For me, all I can do is to sit there and feel sad and defeated that each and everyone of us has to go through this final path.  

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This post "started" all because I was doing housekeeping of my photos this afternoon.   I thought that I wouldn't have a photo of my eldest uncle, but to my surprise, I found this picture of us celebrating this year's CNY and Wee San's birthday at my place.  

Below, I've also added WK family CNY gathering this year too.  Both pictures are on my IG, but this is a special post dedicated to the old folks and both families going through this tough time.  I do not know what's the best wish to write here, so I shall end with saying I love you all.  Cherish all good memories.    

 

Random photos

Going to celebrate 中秋this year at our new house / balcony 

I Learned to bake butter cake !

Went Bintan in July with my BFF after pandemic 

Finally my hello kitty family has a proper “home” in my new home !!


Attended Li Xing and Adrian wedding in May .. how the kids have grown !



CNY 2022


And final photo of this post - Deepavali 2021 (last yr).  Hope to catch up with more post

Soon ! 

Hello blog

Wow, it had been more than 2 years since my last post !! 

I moved house and i permed my hair, and Lynn is in sec 4!

Working from home part 1

Setting up my home office.  Went TPY Courts 10 mins before opening hours, there was already a short queue.  It was hot to stand in queue, so I waited nearby. By 11, the queue has built up to more than 10, so I gave up.  Walked to nearby furniture shop, and saw 2 folder tables on display outside the shop. One small round one, one big square one. The owner (uncle) was in his shop, busy screwing (some furniture) away. He quoted me $48 and $68 respectively.  I called WK to come help me select and carry home. Then uncle brought out a small rectangular one.  Then I realized that he was screwing this table in his shop. He told me he sold 10 such tables yesterday, then he continued screwing somemore- the wooden tops to the metal legs.  We bought the rectangular one ($48 also). By the time we left, he has finished another one.. 

I wonder how much lost revenue (shop closure) he can cover from selling folderable tables..

I think I will be posting some more about working from home, so I shall call this post “part one”

Her cooking classes

She started home econ classes in school, which is probably one of the most fun thing for secondary school life :))

She cooking's, errr... edible...  Actually some of the bread and cookies were not really....

Guess what's this:



In the last week of term 1, she texted us excitedly:


The answer was: Curry..



WK had been sending us random pictures of her, probably due to Facebook memories..

CNY ang bao go green

Finally I tried DBS's cashless ang bao this year!

Firstly, my sis gave me these "ang bao papers".  There's explanation in the news, on DBS website and on this paper that a lot of papers are wasted every year to print new notes.  The QR code "ang bao papers" are much more environmental friendly because the paper used for printing these are more "green", and the volume needed is much lesser.

Next I scan the QR code with Paylah or Paynow (I used Paylah) to load value.  I tried my first piece with a young colleague.  I typed a personalised message for her, which she can read as she uses Paylah to receive the money.





Then I loaded a few more pieces, out of which 3 are $6.  At the end of the new year, I didn't give out the $6 ang baos, so I cancelled them.


I gave the $10 to nieces and nephews who are adults.  Both of them (JJ and Lixing) redeemed the ang baos! Cool!!!