16.3.2026 Monday - some new plans

 

15.3.2026 Sunday - cooking dinner two nights in a row

Another day torn between working or stay home and watch movies, play with Halia, finish travel sketches, start painting, planting seedlings, swim. Or simply nap - I am only truly relaxed when I started cooking at No. 40. Sam has taken Dan and Lyn for a river cruise, Sean is finishing his workshop while Sara is traveling from Matang with Rudy and Val. I am all alone, but happy for a few hours roasted vegetables, cooking pasta and making a shatshuka.

 

14.3.2026 Saturday - personal projects on the weekends

One of San2's kids is surprised that I am 60(2) - my health is getting better. The physical health is better than my mental health, I should give myself time off. I will work harder during the week, so that the weekends are completely free from work. From next week onwards I won't take work home on the weekends. I am constantly torn between resting, and doing some work.

Perhaps I'll leave my Friday evenings free to complete whatever I want to do at work, and leave it all behind when I shut the door. 

Spend weekends doing more of these, nothing at work is that urgent actually... 

Dad is still here, Rudy's family invite us all out for lunch. Tonight I cook at no. 40 so that Sam can have a break, she's still coughing. I cook a simple home style Chinese dinner - sardines with onions and tomatoes, a cabbage and carrot omelette, and my Nyonya chap chai (I think I'll soak the tang hoon separately and add in before serving). Lee Siong shows up, CK brings him along with Tay&Suan and Sim&Wah2. Dad enjoyed the attention, I enjoyed the youthful company. They seem less guarded than our usual dinner companions whom I have not begun to miss yet. 

13.3.2026 Friday - the new kitchen is coming along

I feel a bit listless today, so work isn't going as well. I'm not as productive as usual. 

There are one too many to coordinate: one is getting out of a completed project - I pave a way for her. It is better for her to focus on upcoming projects. Another isn't learning as I had hoped - I decide to work more closely with her, and not set her aside. She'll be a personal project. 

12.3.2026 Thursday - solving problems one at a time

 

11.3.2026 Wednesday - happy team

 

10.3.2026 Tuesday - getting carried away again

I get carried away with sports and my ankles are suffering, the right one especially. I do not enjoy the squash games, because my movement is still not 100%. I tell myself that I am happy to give up this sports if I am able to move with ease (and perhaps start running again). Here I am talking to myself - during my early morning walks; I am glad to be able to walk without pain so I do it - wake up, out the door, 30 minutes without ear pods etc just thinking and planning the day, and the week.

One of the mentor's role is to set a good example at work and in society, another is to test the student's limits and help her achieve them.