3.9.2026 Thursday - everyone is getting ready

They are getting ready for the company trip; we are spending the next 7 days together, attending a design conference, taking the train to Taiping and Penang to see places and meet friends. There is a flurry of work as we try to meet small deadlines before we leave; drawings for a rain screen, a car shade with garden, for a housing scheme, others are printed to be re-submitted, for a cost meeting with SEDC. Even I find myself coordinating details with the engineer before leaving for home on the bike. Instead of cycling, I carried it on the pedestrian bridge - it is still too hazy to cycle for long periods. 

2.9.2026 Wednesday - true colours

we have been invited to speak to students interested in doing architecture

I finalise our withdrawal from a project, I feel relieved especially when later in the day I find out that a mutual friend has worked with him before. This friend has been given our drawings to quote to continue this project, I don't mind if he does but he tells me he is not going to. 

In the evening, I have wings on my feet as we play pickleball with Kok and Jowie, Sean has improved beyond the good doctor. We play for an hour rotating our partners after each game, I am happy with my recovery.

1.9.2026 Tuesday - wake me up when September comes

Still hazy but I still walk to work, the air quality is poor many people are wearing masks. I don't but I think I will tomorrow. I start a few new habits; writing in one of the B5 sketchbook; private things to clear the mind, and to remind myself, trampolining and KB exercises Day 2, some new eating habits. I will do this in September, by the end of the month I should see some difference in myself. 

HP tests the new OKU toilet layout and JY approves, Melvin is full of confidence and aims to finish the resubmission before our trip, Leong tells me he has a potential new project (in a very prime location), I speak to George; his client has paid us. 

On that high note, I tell PH my plans about Lot 49 - he does not catch on immediately but agrees that if we are not treated with professionalism then we should withdraw. So I tell the man to let me know when he can chat, he tells me he is busy and will call me. He does not. So after lunch I text him and tell him we will be withdrawing from the project. He reacts with mild surprise, perhaps this is not an important project because he does not call or text me to discuss. Tomorrow, I will send a formal email and end things with him. 

To continue on the high note, I plan pickleball sessions for us including one on Friday with Eng Hooi. I take 7 things off my list of things to do.

1. PD awnings
2. Lim's kitchen
3. Toorak roof 
4. call Jeff
5. front canopies - do the party walls stick out?
6. Sam's photo for website
7. Victor's testimonial
8. BSC L&E - call Ma
9. check HP's drawings
10. Au's garden walk
11. bring a plant to the office
12. P.1 fees - call CK
13. start the masterplan
14. Theatre submission
15. PH's ex building chart
16. SEDC costing
17. Henry's Revit

31.8.2026 Monday - National Day holiday.

 Kuching is still hazy, so I exercise at home; 3k on the trampoline and 6 sets of KB squat-curl-shoulder press-triceps extension. It is a good home work out. Today, there is a cook-out at No. 40, Marc asked Sam for an opportunity to cook for us before he leaves for university on the 9th of September. We happily consent, I have time for him and also his mom was a former neighbour at No. 40. She was from the 8th house along our row; a large extended Hakka family with many sisters; married and unmarried under one roof. 

Jowie is itching for a game and asks if any of my gang is interested, only Sean is available. The 3 of us have a good workout, I really enjoyed the drills, and the 2-on-1 games. I think Sean enjoyed himself as well. The whole place is packed with players on a public holiday, this is the first time I have seen the corridors packed as well. 

Another first is lunch at the Hunan cafe near Gala; food is good, Sean treats us and I think we will be back. 

Dinner is a full house; our children and their plus-ones and puppies, the Sias (both sets), the Lims, Joan, and her cousins from France plus little Astrid. My tomato sauce is too acidic, I over-cooked it - but the idea of an oven-roasted veg with cooked tomato sauce with a little pasta is a good one. I will trying this recipe again.

His parents think he has a bond with us, normally he does not socialise with adults. Yes, I think we do have a bond with young people; we have time for them.

30.8.2026 Sunday - mind cleared but haze remains

 By the time I come of my morning shower, my problem with a difficult person has been solved. On the way to pickleball, I run through the matter with Sean who thinks that I will be alright. 

my ankles are holding up, and I am playing ok but not a full speed yet.

In the afternoon, we move the fridge into the new kitchen and place the timber step in place. It sounds like a small matter, but quite momentous for Sam who will finally have her larger and airier cooking space. 

In the evening, I take some time to mend Socky; a rabbit sock I made for Sean when he was 6? out of 2 old pairs of socks. So Socky is about 26 years old, he recently had an accident with Pau, so I offered to mend him. I used one sock this time to give him a new head and muff for this neck, re-attached his eyes and ears, and gave him a new nose. We have always assumed that Socky is a boy, but by the end of the 'operation' I realised that I have also re-aligned its gender - and Socky is now a girl.

29.8.2026 Saturday - haze

We play pickleball in the morning, it is not so hazy although by 8 a.m. you can see it creeping in. Freddie joins us today, I have asked him to come back for more. Last night's dinner reminds me that I am fortunate to have all these young people in my midst; their energy and innocence, bright and happy with life. And to top it off they are good friends with each other, Roosh shows up as does RF and Marcus. They have a good time playing UNO, I don't get it but Freddie tells me that when he was that age, that is what they did.

I have a niggling problem which I cannot solve, it stays at the back of my mind and spoils the day. Sam and I have a nice lunch and spend some hours at the office, out of the haze and in the air-cond. 

28.8.2026 Friday - farewell party

 Let's what I got up to yesterday: (15 out of 30 items done, which means that I have to be more efficient or have more hours in the day). 

1. 49 - updated the client about the planning status; took me 15 minutes although it has been worrying me for days.  
2. campus render - Ty tried out using AI, I have asked her to do a proper one. This task is not done, it has been delegated.
3. Library meeting - met the school folks who were pleasantly surprised that we are doing this pro-bono. I thought they had known. In any case, there is a little toilet project to be done; Nicole can help do that.
4. Sim is leaving - we did go the airport after our dinner to send him and SW off to TianJin. Sam says she feels a little sad, I try to feel excited for him.
5. Joseph's Letter of Appointment - I go to the office early to print and sign the letter, and send it to George, who got the client to sign it (but neglected to tell me until I asked at dinner time).
6. get lunch stuff for Friday - Sam help me buy. As she was dropping the groceries off at the office, we were returning from our library meeting, and the Fukadas came by with prawns for the laksa..
7. BSC L&E - call Ma - he gave me an update, which simply means more to do today.
8. MC's RWDP - AI issued.
9. Fiona's minutes - reviewed when I was having my kopi break
10. Au's garden walk - commented, but she is still busy with my stuff so it looks like I am updating the skp.
11. tell Beko to bring a pot back - done. the pot needs to walk to the office for me to cook laksa this afternoon.
12. ask Lau about the Simon's signature - he showed me the forms on Simon's table; I realised that there are several candidates; 2 former chairpersons and a secretary. 
13. ask Aziz about 22 semi-Ds - he was on leave, but Sam and JY sorted things out in a good and efficient way. JY has a philosophical way of seeing it - 'at least they agree to pay'.
14. sports hub - can we submit? Sean told me late in the evening that it has been submitted, Ty helped. Sean is a good mentor in the office.
15. swim today - I did after shelling prawns and a gym workout, when the rain stopped.

I got 2 assurances about a fee payment from the client's office, so that is a nice way to end the day.
Sam and I go for an IZAKAYA dinner, we will go back soon.