18.5.2026 Monday - new kitchen

 

Sam must have read my mind or my blog, because today she prepares dinner for us in HER new kitchen for us (with new chairs). Admittedly it would need several more rounds of dressing up before it gains the hominess we want, but for a start it is a nice place to eat together. The young people are chatty, talking about their work, and laughing out loud (I notice that the space is a bit echoey, the surfaces are too hard)

I also notice that my batteries run low rather quickly these past two nights, I think it must be because of the evening swims before dinner. I like this routine and will continue them, especially if Sam joins me to exercise. 

At work, the new girl starts on her first day at her first job. We have a chat about the probation; how it is also for her to assess us, about benefits; trips, seminars, etc, I sense her confidence and feel that she will ask if she has questions, and later she will comment if she has an opinion. Belinda is buying us breakfast in view of this little interaction; she paid us a compliment 'how well we interact with our min-ions'

17.5.2026 Sunday - I feel a little sad today

 

.. but I am not sure why. I feel better after my gym workout and a few laps at the pool. I need to exercise more frequently, I need to move. I even miss walking not to mention running and sports. 

The new kitchen is completed, in as far the building works is concerned. But Sam and I have a bad habit, we slow down and slack off when it comes to the final push, as a result the final outcome, the desired product sometimes take longer than the construction itself. 

16.5.2026 Saturday - pickleball and then nothing else

 

15.5.2026 Friday - Ruth Asawa

Watching a film clip about this designer who worked everyday, who was sidelined because of her race; interred during WW2, not allowed to teach but nonetheless succeeded in becoming an important artist in the States. 

 

4 of us have a good design discussion about the hotel project, the 2 women had put in a lot of thought and arrives at an interesting solution. My phone call at lunch time is not so productive and I start having some doubt about this young man, perhaps reacting out of concern that we might that over the lead, which is never our intention. 

Freddie helps Sean with his housing meeting, and having done my day's work, Sam picked me up earlier to get her old photo re framed before heading to our Mother's Day dinner. 

 

14.5.2026 Thursday - fruitful, and I walked to the office

 Back at work after my trip, I immediately clear several easy deadlines; a synopsis for my talk in October, framing some questions about work split, speaking to George on zoom with Freddie. 

13.5.2026 Wednesday - eating meals in a different place but with the same person

 

12.5.2026 Tuesday - fishing for lunch