21.6.2026 Sunday - Father's Day

Today starts like a typical Sunday for a couple who has been married for more than three decades - we go market shopping (for fish and a pumpkin; for tonight's dinner). But instead of the usual breakfast at a kopitiam, Sam and I go for a hit of pickleball first. Until she got hungry, about an hour later. 

Today is Father's Day, there isn't a great deal of fuss - I don't encourage these types of celebrations. They are so fake. I appreciate that my children wish the best for me, and do their best for me when I ask for help. And that's enough. 

I rarely ask for help, what I'm able to manage without troubling them stays with me. I don't usually complain, there's no need cloud their day especially if the problem has gone away. Perhaps after a long time has passed, I might talk about it if I feel there is a lesson to be gained by recollecting a problem or situation or a person's behaviour. 

 

20.6.2026 Saturday - oral exam

19.6.2026 Friday

18.6.2026 Thursday - managing one's own time

Some of our friends said yes, only to rescind when the time comes; citing work commitments and family duties - my first reaction is anger at their lack of accountability. On thinking further, I decide that perhaps they simply do not have control over their own time; they have bosses and spouses to take into account, and that I am the fortunate one, having Sam to collect me for a late morning swim and a nice lunch after that. 

17.6.2026 Wednesday -

 

16.6.2026 Tuesday - some projects are for training

These are some sketches from our conversation about a housing project, with Fiona and GW - I said I know how to detail the stairs so now I'm recording it on sketches before I forget. These are also useful for someone to take on to produce CAD drawings and model in 3D. We have many people on this small housing project, too many for the fees earned. However, I see it as a way to learn to work with other people; it trains your temperament and your management skills. It also hones your own skills while learning from others more experienced and finally, these projects are good for training our young team members. 
 

15.6.2026 Monday - so it seems that Wednesday is a public holiday

 I should relax and not worry about internal deadlines - once I have assigned the work let them decide when and how to deliver. 

14.6.2026 Sunday - Tris and Tiff

 

13.6.2026 Saturday - Astrid and Ariel

 

12.6.2026 Friday - Victor

newbie passes the test

 

11.6.2026 Thursday - good outcomes

 I wrap up Juney's bread that Sam made for her, in a nice cloth Japanese-style because Jowie is coming to get it. I ask for a lift to the office and she obliges, we have become close friends over a short time. Even Yoshi is becoming more animated and talkative during our dinner outings. 

This morning, I sit out the housing meeting, and leave PH and Freddie to cut costs with the consultants. Over lunch they tell me things are coming to a focus but more work is needed, Freddie volunteers to go to next week's meeting if it takes place.

In the afternoon, we have a good discussion on how to proceed with the hotel project - it seems easier than what I expected. There are no real ego problems, just keen to get the project moving, Leong is a good fit for this project, and he seems to like the design architect.

10.6.2026 Wednesday - air-well not courtyard

 Some of my worries about this project is cleared today, Sean draws up an nice pictogram for the findings, it will be very useful for tomorrow's meeting with the client and the design architect.

9.6.2026 Tuesday - setting a high bar

I start the morning thinking that we have things sorted out for one project, only to have the client change the brief again. I get upset for a few moments, then I decide to work out some options with JY who is unflinching as usual. I tell the guy - ok, I will have a try. He says - ok, thank you. As it turns out, we are able to tweak the layout a bit to give him what he wants - which we do not really know until he tells me - ok, please proceed with submission. Lesson: do the work first, complaining does not work (for either party), sometimes the results are better than before, and it trains us to be more resilient (my colleagues can learn by example).

13K steps after pickleball - 2 people say ok but does not show up; not acceptable - I need to speak to one of them who routinely comes in late. I am not upset for long, as we go for dinner with our young people - they are happy chatting away - they are at a good place. And so are we.

during dinner, Jowie mentions that the young man seems very caring. I agree - he 'rescued' a little fish, who was kept in a little jar on a grocery shop counter. brought it home to a large tank, Sara says that 'Blobbly has started nesting bubbles. Someone is happy. 

8.6.2026 Monday - anxiety

 

7.6.2026 Sunday

 

6.6.2026 Saturday

 

5.6.2026 Friday -

 

4.6.2026 Thursday - cooking with Sam

When we first moved into No.34, I did a fair bit of the cooking as Sam was busy with the young Sean and Sara. My dishes were simple, similar to the Asian dishes I cooked when we were in Uni. Sometimes mom would supplement our dinner with a chicken dish or a fried fish - passed to us when we collected the children after work.  

In the intervening years, especially after Sam stopped working, I only cooked on special occasions; on weekends or for birthdays. At those times, I would cook western meals; a pasta, a roast, a loaded salad - which I still do on the weekends, nowadays at No. 40. 

Tonight after our swim, I cook a simple tomato sauce pasta in our new kitchen. It is a quick meal; easy to prepare, full of nutrients and tasty - Sean wonders if anchovies were the special ingredient in this simple dish. It isn't. I used fish sauce to boost the umami, and added chick peas for extra protein. 

3.6.2026 Wednesday - drawing with Sean.

 

2.6.2026 Tuesday - today is Eng Hooi's birthday

 

1.6.2026 Monday - Day 3 of working holiday

Started the day early - I decide not to put off calling a client, I know it is a public holiday but I thought I would see if he would reply. He does, clarifies a few things. Instead of getting upset about it, (it was his fault) I decide to treat this as a way to improve the scheme's efficiency, for me to speak to PH closely about a project, and get a project out of it. 

After that mind clearing, I arrive at a few solutions which PH agrees to develop - things are looking positive already.

In the evening, Sam side-lines me and cooks the entire roast lamb dinner for EH's birthday - we eat in the new kitchen and chat about this and that. 

 

31.5.2026 Sunday - Juney leaves us a gift

 

We ask her to continue to visit and stay if this 'travel' arrangement suits her; coming in from the sticks with her two dogs to stay at No. 40. She sleeps downstairs on the timber bed, her dogs in the tea room barking occasionally at strangers walking by. She leaves the house spotless, and some snacks and drinks for 'our next party'. 

30.5.2026 Saturday - cleaning up

 We call off the pickleball and decide to have breakfast together instead and spend a long time, sharing food and stories about each other. After that, I start Day 1 of my holiday work - got some troubling feedback from a client, but am able to get help from PH. One of the benefits of having partners at work as well as at home. 

To take my mind off work, Sam and I go shopping for a new jet cleaner; we do not really need one (we are not that clean) but she says it would help her with the gardening, so we got an economical one which one can use for up to 30 minutes before the pump overheats. This is OK we tell the shop assistant (we are not so hardworking). 

These excursions remind me of the ones we go on during university days - armed with a simple itinerary which we over complicate with hours of aimless wandering about and debate about which sandwich shop to get lunch from.