10.8.2026 Monday - roadside dining

 Today is a good day for work, FL shows up to update me about the housing project. Sean joins us to prepare for tomorrow's meeting  for this project. The other FL and I had earlier planned to meet to discuss the hotel and the new masterplan project so we continue the design discussion with GW joining us as well. GW has another project to discuss; the house on the hill. We break just before lunch with way forward for these projects - the whole day's work done in half a day. 

It is not a good day for SY whose mom passed away this morning. Sam and I pay our last respects after pickleball. She was only 70 years old. After the wake, PS suggested that she joins us for a drink while we eat a late dinner. We have not been to this place before - they moved the tables to the roadside, onto the car parking lots next to a backdrop of giant yam plants (alocasia). A simple meal of fried rice, stir fried kangkong and an omelette for two finished with langsat. Talking about travel plans and garden lights, about pickleball and dinner on Sunday; traffic sounds and a soft breeze fill the gaps in conversation. 

9.8.2026 Sunday - working from home

Sam's forehand is getting better, and I think she gets the hang of the flight of the ball now. She is strong so her drives are powerful, surprising some men expecting girly pats. We do a typical Sunday couply thing; go for breakfast after 'exercise', followed up with a bit of shopping - flower pots for the office garden. We buy some sewing supplies as I plan to fix the elastic of my shorts this weekend. 

We have mom early this Sunday, so we return home to sit and River Cottage on telly while I work on the KD house. Later that evening, we are treated to a nice dinner by Andrew and Helen.

8.8.2026 Saturday - little gifts

 I like coming into the office and finding little gifts on my table, left for me by unknown persons. Usually it is food, other time it is cough mints when I was coughing, today it is inhalers from Thailand. I try and guess who this person is, but I usually get it wrong.

I got it wrong this time as well, these were from Rachel.

7.8.2026 Friday - a compliment and a new project

Our postponed meeting is replaced by a late breakfast at Kenny Hill Bakers, I have not been to this location. I like it. I like the sweeping low rise housing with commercial outlets on the ground floor. Fortune favours the brave, and sometimes it favours the fat, dumb and happy. I get a text from a client asking if we can work on a new project with them. Answer - yes. They pay us a compliment, and although there are some non-standard conditions to the proposal - I think we can work through them.

Brian has much on his plate; being a parent is not easy, I could told him that (if he had asked)

 

6.8.2026 Thursday - meeting postponed

the view in front of Baba Low's

Sam and I fly into KL for a meeting with a potential client tomorrow, but she cancelled while we having an early dinner. The client is under the weather, no choice but to wish her a quick recovery and replan our meeting. She enquired if we flew in especially to see her. She has been referred to us by another client, so we thought we had better make an effort. I tell her this. We decide that we will meet her and visit the site next week. Time to make alternative plans. Not difficult as I always have plenty to do.

5.8.2026 Wednesday - symmetry

There is an email from a young student looking to train with us for a year, her family name and address reminds me of a former house mate in Geelong, also an architect. So I ask him. She is his second daughter. I ring him and we chat about his expectations, her intentions and logistics. She will stay with relatives, if everything works out. I tell him that the young people in our office are good at guiding and nurturing young graduates. 

I'll leave it to the young lady to contact me, and if she does train with us there will be a symmetry starting from the time when we looked out for her father when we shared a flat in Geelong, and finishing with Sean mentoring Alena for a year. 

4.8.2026 Tuesday - going forward

Looking forward to this morning's meeting, we have new information and ideas to share with the client; way forward in an exciting new project. The engineers have been proactive as well; following up with site planning and we conclude in good spirits.

The afternoon meeting is more dreary, reminding the builder about his responsibilities and so forth, but the journey is enjoyable as I have not had a chance to chat with GW for quite a while. 

A good workout and swim to end the day, Sean joins me at the gym and we head home to dinner with my mom. I give my mom my beer nuts, she enjoys them but cannot name them. She's happy today. I think it's because she is having dinner with us - Sean fetches her a drink to wash down the peanuts which she cannot name. She is from a wealthy family, used to the good things in life; home cooked meals, servants, treats and snacks - maybe she's happy to relive those days.