17.2.2026 Tuesday - Lunar New Year

No-dig planting - bags of soil with perlite and coco-fibre on top of a foot of compost from the garden

What a strange first day of the Lunar New Year - we do nothing traditional; there is no immediate family to visit so we prepare the planter beds for Sam to plant more vegetables. Sara and Rudy, and Sean drop by to wish us Happy Lunar New Year (amah as well) and the two go off, Sean stays behind to accompany mom after I cycle to the office. I do miss my quiet moments in front of the computer with my morning cup of instant coffee. 

16.2.2026 Monday

 

15.2.2026 Sunday

 

14.2.2026 Saturday

 

13.2.2026 Friday - growing together and also apart

I give Shane a hug as he sits at the kitchen table, I am not particularly close to him but he has grown into a lovely young man, and the moment warranted a hug. +-

We have our Wee reunion dinner at No. 40 tonight - Khoon sees the renovation for the first time, as do some of the nephews. I don't think that they have much of an attachment to this house, Pam's kids hardly spend any time here. Shing is curious as usual, he wanders arounds and looks at the rear garden as well - he is genuinely a hands-on person. During dinner, there is a lot that is said (questions asked and answered) and much more which is left unsaid - tonight's dinner is a rare occasion because I am at the table. There are many more which I (we) have not been invited to, they have their reasons for not even inviting me. In return, I will organise and plan more dinners like this in the future, especially if Pam is in town. 

The highlight of the evening, I manage to replicate (somewhat) my grandmother's nyonya chap chai

 

12.2.2026 Thursday -

 

11.2.2026 Wednesday -