28.3.2026 Saturday - reading a story

In which the female character reminds me of Sam - not in the way she behaves or speaks  More in the way people respond to her;  inviting yet out of reach, friendly but with boundaries. Young men fall in love with her slightly, despite knowing that nothing will happen, some admitting only now - decades after they first encounter her. 

27.3.2026 Friday - clarity and a lesson learnt

 Last week, I met a young builder PC, who was building our house extension. I found out that one of our client had invited him to tender for a project we designed. I like and trust this client, and trust his judgement in dealing with people. 

This morning, I discover that PC knew my father, who was his team manager when PC was playing State level basketball. This is a nice surprise, and confirms some ideas I have about finishing of our renovation project. We meet for breakfast and talked about his trip to Perth with my dad in 2006, about how my father was exhibiting symptoms of dementia even then. Despite its label as a 'city', Kuching is actually a small town where most folks know each other - Sara's boyfriend is the son of one of Sam's gym friends, and Sean's girlfriend is the daughter of one of my high-school friends.

 

26.3.2026 Thursday - lunch with Jiayan

 I enjoyed today. 

430am up to start the drawings for our Taiwan installation, which is due for construction in May. In July, we visit the completed structure and attend a design conference courtesy of the contractor. Fiona has agreed to join us, so it will be a good experience for everyone. 

900am discussion with our apartment builders, I like these two project managers - proactive and good in their coordination of works. We settle the nagging queries related to roof steel, it seems that this is all I have been doing in the past months; resolving roof framing... 

11am meeting Dr Lau about a potential project; the overall configuration is deemed viable with only final sizes and layouts to do. Jiayan and I have a good chat over lunch. She paid for my drinks which I thought was very kind of her.

25.3.2026 Wednesday - getting ready for the seaside

730am SY texts early to say he is ready for breakfast, we were meant to meet at 830am with TTY to finalise our drawings for our Taoyuan installation. They both meet with the contractor, and he briefs me on the time lines and deliverables, etc - it all sounds very exciting. Something to look forward to in July. 

230pm Fiona and I meet with the Chung Hua Middle School No. 1 principal and the chairman of the school board, Richard Wee. My uncle.

It seems like we have a project, 2 projects in fact - a library renovation and upgrade to school hall and entrance. I'm glad that we met on 'site' and spoke to the end users. 

The library renovation will be funded by a donor, a fellow architect whose father left money for this purpose. Timely then, as I informed our clients that we will not be charging any fees for the school projects. 

24.3.2026 Tuesday - setting the tone

Thinking about our latest project, drawing things up and testing it with our team. George in particular, he will update the perspectives, he and I have been working together for many years, since he was my diploma student. I have good people that I can depend on while I get other aspects of our work done - a sketch and a phone-call and we are set for the rest of the week.  

23.3.2026 Monday - K2

It is still a public holiday, I go for a long walk to test my ankles (they hold up) and wait for Sam to join me for breakfast at Rock City Cafe. 
 

22.3.2026 Sunday - Yoshi makes onigiri

 R

21.3.2026 Saturday - books

 

20.3.2026 Friday

 

19.3.2026 Thursday -

 

18.3.30206 Wednesday - Bali again

 SL rings to say 

17.3.2026 Tuesday - a slight shift in habits

I sense myself getting ready to let go of sports, perhaps squash first since I am only playing with one person on a regular basis. And it is not a though we are playing the standard version of the game, only condition-games for the exercise. Tennis I enjoy because I get to be outdoors, pickleball because it is quite social, and Sam is starting to play so that is something we can do together. Swimming I can still do regular and enjoy as a way to end the day. Running is the thing I want to get back to, it will be the final gauge of me returning to total fitness. 

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. 

8.3.2026 Monday - early start to move closer

 An early walk to the office, to complete a cardboard model that young Declan started. Then I have a coffee with AS to discuss PD defects and solutions. Freddie takes me to the meeting with Teck, who has many questions which we are well prepared for. We reduced the hotel rooms to allow Ember to have a loft for cigars and whisky. After our briefing, he leans back and says ' this is not too bad'. A compliment I know, but I prod him - 'not bad only? (in Hokkien). He laughed and agreed 'good la, many things settled - I want to start construction soon. 

Today is a good day for me because I am able to draw and confirm most of the planning issues for this project, which I run through with PH for his agreement. 

7.3.2026 Saturday - Yoshi and Jowie

New friends met through other friends of Sam, whom I warm up to quite quickly - a funny Malaysian-Japanese couple who met because of the Japanese husband poor pronunciation of Kota Bahru (his intended destination) which was mistaken for Kota Kinabalu. He was duly transported to KK, where he met his future wife who was the landlady of the tour guide Yoshi had befriended. 

6.3.2026 Friday - laksa party

The end of a week full of meetings, today we meet with Uncle Richard and his committee to discuss the way forward for the temple stage building. The design is generally accepted though we will have to work more closely on the planning and usage. Meetings with busy people are often chaotic, Fiona and I gently guide them back on track as they wander off. There are several points of debate but we have a way forward for this project. Next we arrange to meet him and his school committee. 

For this meeting, we were 'rewarded' with some mandarins and Hokkaido egg tarts (fresh).  

 Sam cooks a nice laksa dinner for our friends and Sara's gang to celebrate her 30th - who would have imagined that we have a 30-year old daughter...

5.3.2026 Thursday - Sara turns 30

 

4.3.2026 Wednesday - Samantha plays pickleball again

 

3.3.2026 Tuesday - school is still out

 Childish

Indecisive

Power hungry

2.3.2026 Monday - Kung2 arrives in Kuching

 

1.3.2026 Sunday - a kindness

She reminds me of Ellie (whom Sam calls Ellie Bellie) so if she had decided to stay with us, I was going to call her Bella. She seems sprightly and friendly despite being cautious and keeping a steady radius while assessing me. I sit down by the bin, and give Sam a fright when she looked out the window. She thought I had fainted on the road, but no - I am just going out for a walk when Bella distracts me. Sam puts out some food for her, and will try to entice her into our garden.

Yvonne buys us lunch at Wonderboom, we have never been - it has nice food and very pretty. Our lunches with these two are always full of laughter; at ourselves, about our mutual friends, but all with kindness. I have time for them, there are two more of Sam's cicaks; Yasmin and Ileana. It is getting harder to get all 4 in one place at one time - much like playing Sudoku

 

28.2.2026 Saturday - Sam likes pickleball

 

27.2.2026 Friday - a long walk in Kampong Baru

My quick walk took longer this morning, through Kampung Baru, and back to the apartment in a roundabout way. Along the way, I met traffic (both foot and vehicular) - I'm glad that we don't live and work in KL.

I treat Sam to a latte and do a bit of work before heading to Yut Kee for brunch; tasty but expensive. I think we both have had enough of the city, as we make our way to the airport. We treat the trip as a little reward for ourselves, and a lunar new year celebration with the relatives.