5.9.2026 Saturday - SHIFT conference

 

4.9.2026 Friday - 11:30 am and there is no one in the office

 

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.