SSO

Seems like forever since I last stepped into Esplanade going for SSO concerts with Che-che. Has it been that long? 2yrs plus? Started when she left for US until now, when she started working it was difficult to find time. Think recently this year che-che has been going with her friends who also appreciate classical. While I’m happy that she has companion apart from her old mother, I’m sad that I lost a companion. Thus I was elated when she jio-ed me for one of Hans Graf conducted concert. 

It’s not our first time to concerts conducted by maestro Hans Graf. He came on just about the time che-che and I were more active in attending SSO concerts.

This May, SSO honor the tenure of Hans Graf (as he concludes his term as Quantedge Music Director 😩 with 3 farewell series that will keep his loyal supporters busy for 3 weeks.

Saw Lynnette Seah, the previous Co-concertmaster in SSO, 我的偶像 

Queuing up for this before the concert

Wristband for autograph and photo session after the concert

Hans Graf Farewell Series: Scheherazade

Programme includes: 

(1) The Rock, Op. 7 (by Sergei Rachmaninoff)

(2) Violin Concerto No.2, Op.61 (by Karol Szymanowski)

I    Moderato - Milton tranquillo

II   Andantino sostenuto

III  Allegramente - Molto energico

IV  Andantino - Molto tranquillo 

(3) Scheherazade, Op.35 (by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov)

I    The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship

II   The Tale of Prince Kalendar

III  The Young Prince and the Princess

IV   The Festival at Baghdad; The Sea; The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock

While queuing for the autograph and photo session I told the girls I thought the last three pieces were more lively. Then they said the first of the third piece - The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship - was played slow by SSO. It’s suppose to be faster. 🤣 as if I know. Che-che gave me that look “you nvr hear this before?” Ok, I think she’s more well versed in classical pieces than me now. Always go in concerts blindly 🤣. I’ve never heard of the tracks before or maybe never paid attention when it’s in the background. 

A mummy’s love ❤️

Altho I secretly want to toughen up my girls and don’t make them rely on me, I couldn’t help but I thought of her when Mr Thunder got so angry and started raining heavily . 

At that time, rice is cooked, I popped the dishes into the oven to keep them warm. 还是去载我的大宝贝。反正有空时间。

还是这个妈妈好 😬

不只是我. Daddy is the same. He always say don’t bother “big girl already” blah blah but he makes an effort to send che-che to work. Chey! He doesn’t practice what he preaches. He dotes on his nottie girls. 

Woke up feeling so 😵‍💫

What the heck is going on? Old age problem? 

First I suddenly had a headache on Saturday, had an early night after that. It was slightly better the next day. Could it be due to the bad interrupted sleeps for the longest time? I scared my hubby wants to harm me 🤣🤣. Those sudden nightmares he had, sudden outburst in the quiet nights shocks me, his long arm reaching out and trying to grab/scratch me. Who is it? Please own up. Who’s the one giving him the nightmares?? Maybe it’s ME 🤨🤔 ??

Then on Monday morning I woke up feeling dizzy, that usual feeling when I get up too fast after looking down, just that it was the whole day!

Sat down for 10mins and took my BP, I didn’t want a false reading (when I was in the clinic) again. Normal leh…. 

On Sunday, I planned to go the gym the next day coz the next few days will be busy, nah…aunty dowan to suddenly faint or die inside the gym. Or maybe aunty just lost too much blood last few days and haven’t topped up with beef? 

Lil’ one kapo came into the room to see what I was doing in the room. I took her BP. Wah! She was screaming “so tight! So tight!”, must be so nervous that her BP shoot up. So funny lah that girl 🤣.

“Doctor, my MC not accepted by 3 bosses”

Aunty dizzy or not still no choice must do housework. Additional task for Mondays - wanted to procrastinate scrubbing floor mats until the next day but cannot tahan to see the mats on the shower stall floor. Stood up after scrubbing the mats and felt even more dizzy. And I wondered how I managed to cook dinner 😂. I didn’t dizzy-ly giddy-ly threw in more oyster sauce or sesame oil right? Anyway I chose to steam two dishes, stir-fry veggies and deep fry chicken - easy dishes so can’t possibly unintentionally poison my family

@ 9.40pm - after cleaning up the kitchen and my shower. Still normal leh…so why keep feeling light headed the whole day? 

Choy! Not vertigo please. I still want to go on roller coaster rides before I grow even older and heart cannot take it anymore. 

Just thinking could it be hypoglycemia? After I stopped keto years ago I still don’t deliberately add sugar in my drinks. And I don’t intentionally stop sugar coz outside food sure will have sugar. Things that is beyond my control, I control. I either drink water or no sugar added drinks now. Just a week ago I ordered a wintermelon chinchow drink from a bubble tea shop, I wanted no sugar but staff said cannot control the sugar level. Ok lah 死不了, body won’t be sensitive to sugar like on keto days, coz I have sugar introduced into my holy body. I was wrong! At home I drank my drink and within half an hour I had a bad headache!!! 这么夸张! Kept telling myself it could be coincidence. Really I don’t know, I’m not going to put myself on the laboratory 🐀 test. So maybe my body now is used to a lower sugar level? Maybe that explains the dizzy spell? Maybe I have excuse to eat up a huge bottle of Nutella 😬? But honestly, I still do sneak in chocolate, or have a small slice of cake once in a blue moon. So I’m no longer holy moly. That sudden headache also made me worry if I’m diabetic or otw to being diabetic. 

My cause for worry about me being diabetic

When I was pregnant with che-che, Dr Teoh says I have gestational diabetes although bro says the numbers are not there yet. Think Dr Teoh being the cautionary Dr Teoh just wanted to control his patients’ health. Seriously I dunno coz I threw those medical reports away to check on it now. Same thing with pregnancy with lil’ one. Studies state that those with gestational diabetes may end up having Type-II next time. 😳. So yah since I’ve learnt to control my sugar intake BUT I STILL LOVE DARK CHOCOLATES! I L❤️VE OPERA CAKES!! Keto days was really healthy. I shouldn’t say it was a dieting method but a way-of-eating. Finally opened me eyes to see what I’ve been feeding my body with. No wonder so many illnesses in the world now with C being the 2nd common disease in the world.  But to maintain this kind of way-of-eating is hard unless I’m a single lady, I don’t have to cook 3 different types of meals to suit 4 people. Talk so much rubbish. So story line is I’m afraid of getting diabetes. 

Conclusion :

Whatever it is, I felt slightly better the today. Not that dizzy anymore, but still not that 100% usual me. 90% maybe. The dizzy spell is a mystery.

Petit plaisir

 🎶 The Paris Musette • La vie joyeuse 🎶

Needed a deliberate borliao indulgent moment to get away from the shits in my life. I could have whisked my 🍵 matcha but decided to do something different. Strangely, I think coz of the shits happening, I just wanted something PINK. I had to do something pink, I think pink will 📈 my dopamine instead of green. Not sure if it’s proven that pink is suitable for what I needed mentally, but heck if Lily says it’s pink then it’s pink. 

Not doing a big thing but just a cup of lychee tea. Oh well, the tea leaves are not pink in colour. Tea will not be pink but at least it’s not green. 

You must be wondering all I need is to steep the tea for 5mins, how can it take my mind off things for a short time? The answer is - taking photos of the steps. That will delay the simple task. Finding a nicer space in my not-so-nice house without any random things in the background. Sigh…I don’t have any nice background and now I’m thinking if I should spend the money to buy a stupid useless small collapsible photography backdrop box 😂 so I can have a cleaner background to my useless borliao photos 

Oh! The packet is pink！

Faites-vous plaisir

P.A.U.S.E 

Focusing on the present 

Tout en sirotant mon thé noir et en grignotant des litchis, j'ai terminé ce goûter par un délicieux macaron.

盛り付け

Doing borliao things again 

Relaxing before the storm - cooking dinner

Again, another of my ‘why rebottling the yoghurt when I can eat it from the original packaging’. Yup! Another of one of those shitty days again. 

Hokkaido cream stew

 Bought this last October and haven’t used it yet 😂

 Time to cook this now on 21st April 🤭.

Hokkaido Stew Cream mix.

• Product Type: Japanese creamy stew roux blocks.
• Key Features: Made with 100% Hokkaido fresh cream and natural cheese.
• Serving Size: One box makes approximately 10 servings (5 servings x 2 packs). 
• Ingredients: Contains vegetable oil, flour, sugar, milk, salt, and pork extract.
• Price: Typically retails for around $5.00 - $6.00 SGD for a 180g box.
• 
  

In my last post in October I was puzzled with the different potatoes. This time decided to try Mayqueen potatoes. 

Liquid - I only put in 700ml instead of 1200ml. And it turns out just nice. Can’t imagine how runny it will be if I had followed instructions to the tee. 

Just how thoughtful Japanese are. Can tear along the perforated strip and make a smaller box

Makes packing so much compact

*****************

Since there was some leftover the night before, I had it as a soup for my lunch. Using the Japanese garlic spread I have at home and toasted bread. What a simple yet satisfying meal!

I will cook this again, once I finish the last cubes I will look for a Thermomix recipe and do everything from scratch.

Just another day .....

Just the day I need a perk-me-up. I decided to whisk whisk whisk. With this music playing in the background. 

Now charging my battery 🪫 before I start prepping dinner. I'm forced to drink one cup coz I needed to finish the milk, Next time I need to find milk that comes in 100ml pack.

#iwantmy🍵#

Finally posted these

Finally! Months later, my solo trip blog entries are up. 

Editing took so much time, I hope I didn’t miss out anything. I can’t seem to change the fonts for Part 1 and kindda gave up. 

Link is here, just click on it. Enjoy!  

Solo trip : Part 1

Solo trip : Part 2

Cooking for one

Che-Che has been busy meeting friends for the past two weekends, this weekend included. One person less to 烦吃什么, I told hubby to just pack our dinner and I’ll cook for lil’ one. I had to clear out the soup and ‘1yr-old ?pasta sauce.’ OMG! 我的妈啊! That’s the problem I face when only one person eats a certain item, and I can’t possibly cook for just that one person without cooking for the other 2 fussy people. 幸好 I vacumn sealed the soup and pasta sauce so they can last longer. 

votre dîner! 

soupe à l'oignon française et pâtes aux pétoncles

When I’m free and in a better mood and freezer ada space then I’ll bulk prep whatever thing.

TO-DO LIST OR MY DREAM LIST 🤭 

- tomato based pasta sauce for lil’ one

- pesto sauce for che-che?

- cabonara pasta sauce for che-che?

- mushroom soup

- chicken soup

- French onion soup

先交代我的后事

The sun has made one round and it’s time for the cleaning of tombs aka niche. Aetos were called to direct traffic, this year we were directed to a carpark even further away. Walked under the hot sun to the columbarium. 🥵 no joke man! I was walking even slower coz every minute under the sun (with the umbrella) aka oven heat made my feet melt to the ground and I couldn’t walk fast. 

Honestly speaking, usually my SIL and J will do all the 拜拜 preparations all these years. I wouldn’t even know what to do, what to buy. 

Observed other families, all come in big family so 热闹. When I was younger we had to 七早八早 go to the cemetery. Then there were definitely more than 6 people. I don’t think I did much there, I was pretty useless 😂 maybe just help to put things down as instructed by the adults. Anyway I’m just glad we don’t have to wake up before the sun rises to go to the columbarium now. Since both in-laws passed, the ones that usually go down is just 6 of us. Our family usually come in full force, SIL and J. Son J sometimes come along; sometimes don’t. This time alone only 5 of us as Che-che already made arrangements to meet her friend. E and L don’t go, maybe only once or twice they went to the temple (?). It’s the same when we have to go to the 神台 in the temple. So yah, the grandkids paying respect to in-laws are just mainly 2 or 3 of them that’s it. 

That got me thinking when I passed what I would want my kids / family do with me. Long time ago I said I like 富贵Nirvana where A is in. Lovely place, chanting music playing. But that condo resting place is damn expensive. My girls will probably not be bothered to do all these stuffs then pay money for what? Then they will long forget their mother. Randomly in the car, I blurted out to hubby and lil’ one. When I die, just throw me inland. Don’t throw me in sea. Yucks! Altho when I die I wouldn’t know if they’ll throw my ashes into the drain. 

Two options in Singapore for inland scattering :

1) Garden of Peace at CCK 

2) Garden of Serenity at Mandai 

Throw in garden and hopefully will have a flower plant. If this life time I don’t have green thumb and kill my plants, at least when I die hopefully a plant can grow 🤣 above me.  

Better prepared this time?? Haha

Flying off tonight and doing last minute 想来想去 if I had missed out packing anything. 

Toilet roll! I know it’s dumb I’m not doing a backpacker holiday but … the toilet paper roll is so thin in the hotel, there’s basically no toilet paper in the public toilets. 

Our trip in Jan - hubby told us “don’t need to pack tissues. They have it on the table.” Then lil’ one and I were paperless-shocked when we realised there’s no tissue on the restaurant table. Whatever they had there is not suitable to wipe ourselves after reliving ourselves. But we weren’t so dumb afterall, we did pack a few packs of dry and wet tissues just that it wasn’t enough for our trip. We were in the supermarket anyway, things are cheap there anyway. 

This trip, packed a (1) toilet roll and 省吃俭用吧. When toilet paper is provided in public toilets then we use theirs. If not, at least I have this. Plus if my menses were to come during the hols I’ll definitely need more. Sigh…..why why why? Speaking of which, I remember long time ago I was complaining to my friend that my menses had to come when I was so looking forward to onsens, she said would take something to delay menses when she goes on holidays. Uhh…I don’t like to take things unnecessarily lah. Now I found out it’s called Norethisterone. 

(2) the leg sticker to relief my calf tiredness. I’m not climbing mountains but I’m sure going to walk a lot more than what I would do in SIN. I usually buy these in Japan, use some and bring home the rests + one to two extra boxes. Since I saw these in the drawer, pack lor! 

(3) Oximeter. I should have a blood pressure machine lah but … duh if only I bought the wrist one for travelling. Why oximeter? Coz when I wanted to test hubby’s O2 level in the high altitude places we were in, he couldn’t slip on my Apple Watch 😂. 

Health matters 

Slightly better sleep last night. I don’t know if hubby pinch or tried to scratch/grab me coz I put the pillow standing between us. For HBP - I’m reassured for now. Just hope it continues this way, and holiday will lower my cortisol in some way. Don’t want to rely on medication, hope not heading in the same direction, so now need a proper healthy diet when I’m back. Haha! Actually I will coz I’ll need to go vegetarian for a week after my trip 🪷.

Medication

Dropped by GP to get altitude medication - Acetazolamide for both of us (hubby didn’t want to go to his GP to get medication 🤨) as well as extra Soden for lil’ one. She ran out of that after her last tonsilitis treatment.

Honestly I didn’t know about such thing exists until MH asked me if I brought it with me. I told her “ehh…too late.” 🤣

Consultation with Dr Tan

Before he saw me, the staff took my blood pressure. 

Numbers shocking or not? I was rushing into the clinic so was breathless. Crossing fingers that I’m ok, but with the few measurements at this high number it’s quite concerning right? 

But I only managed 3hrs sleep before I was woken up from sleep and couldn’t sleep for the next 2hrs. I think I only managed another 1.5hrs sleep after that. 

He said “so after you have climbed up. You need to continue eating then you climb again.” I burst out laughing “I’m not climbing and I’ve reached high enough no need to go up higher anymore. I’m not so clever.” He looked at me so serious lor! I think doctors have no sense of humour.

Packed medication in lil’ one’s carryon, risky to pack in checked luggage. 

High altitude drink

We bought to drink in our Jan trip. So I think should insists hubby to buy more. We had 3 bottles extra which we didn’t drink so he packed it for this trip. 

Hopefully I’m an expert now in managing him. Aiyoh! I really have to pray hard he’s ok. 

Essential oil 

I always pack Breathe Again with me on every trip. It was in a way helpful for me, and when someone in the group up to Yulong Snow Mountain experienced dizziness I offered her Breathe Again. She said she felt much better and the smell is nice, ok I dunno if the lady was just being tactful. It helped me coz this dumb dumb girl (me) wanted to act smart …… spaced out oxygen tank usage on the way up to 4000+m then the moment I stepped out of the gondola - 😵‍💫 Dizzy 😵‍💫. Haha! Immediately squirt O2 and sniffed my Breathe Again

This trip I check and realise yes it does help in high altitude. I had to pack eucalyptus globulus coz hoping can ease hubby heart palpitation. Aiyoh! And he refuse to get medication here, you think eventually will I get HBP coz I’m so worried for him? Hopefully he will feel better this trip. Torlong 观音菩萨 bor pi bor pi him. 

Anyway, it was nice of him to check on lil’ one even though we were not there for her tonsilitis. He double checked on the antibiotics and soden I asked from Dr Ang last trip and reminded me on when to give it to her. I pray hard she don’t need lor! Before we left, I asked him what else can I do to prevent her from getting tonsilitis or to prevent flare up apart from the consistent gargling throat with salt water. “Vitamin C with zinc and probiotics to build up her immunity.”

Yah lah! That flimsy girl lazy to exercise; lazy to move her butt. I thought I was lazy she’s worst than me. Everytime must drag her to the gym with me, if not she will not go on her own. Another job to do - need to do some research. 

Omg! The place I wanted to go

 This popped up in my Instagram 

Immediately I recalled that this is one of the place together with Frauenfeld and (if possible on another day) Schaffhausen that I KIV-ed I should visit when I was still flying. 

I never got the chance coz I wasn’t guaranteed a ZRH flight that often, and when I did I was studying. So no sightseeing. And then …..🤰🏻 👶. 😭

When Che-che came along and I tagged on hubby’s trips to Switzerland 🇨🇭 , I end up bringing her somewhere else. When mom joined us, I planned a trip to Schaffhausen.  

Wish I have the chance to go back 🇨🇭 one day. There’s just some unparalleled magic in the country that makes me want to be there.

BP monitors + BP

Went to buy a new BP monitor as the one we have at home is spoilt. We haven’t been using it recently until I needed to check on myself, after that high BP recording during my health checkup, to make sure I’m not falling into there and needing 💊. With the trip coming up, I wouldn’t want to suddenly collapse overseas. 

We were using this HEM-7600T blood pressure monitor

I love this coz I didn’t have to deal with the cumbersome tube, just kiap this sleek designed monitor on arm and press the button. It’s so compact that it’s so easy for storage. And most importantly it records into my phone seamlessly together with my Omron body composition weighing scale. 

When I tried to use it, it just wouldn’t inflate after few tries and changing batteries. Dunno where lao huang (漏风), anyway I think it’s time the thing spoil coz hubby bought it quite some time back in 2019 or maybe 2020.该坏了 coz warranty is over 🤣. 

At Guardian - lots of selection with the simple bulky ones that cost less than $100. But I knew what I want, get back the same tubeless monitor. However before I picked that up to the cashier I noticed another machine - HEM 7383T. Afib. WTH is that? Didn’t want to linger around longer as I was googling what is Afib, so walked out of Guardian. (I think that day’s CCTV they will see this suspicious woman walking in and out 3x) Sat down for lunch and made some comparison, I prefer to make a better researched purchase. And of course the cheapskate me had to compare prices in Shoppee and Guardian and Watsons. I can get it $1 cheaper in Shoppee but that is without shipping fees or maybe it’s free shipping. 重点 is I can’t get it the next day, I need to check my BP these days to make sure I’m ok. 

So why are two monitors running a promo at the same price? 

7600T : UP $233 now $169 ($64 cheaper)

7383T : UP $219 now $169 ($50 cheaper)

Why is 7383T UP cheaper? Is this 7383T an older model compared to 7600T? Or is it due to the more intelligent system so more ex? When is manufacturing/ launched date? Lots of questions, so that means researching via Google, reviews in Google and YouTube. 

In the end I settled for 7383T coz of the Afib function. Heck the inconvenience with the tube. We anre old folks liao, so need better detection. Especially so for hubby who has high BP. 

OMRON BP HEM-7383T

Is it necessary to have this measured? 

What is AFib?

To read more, click on this —> What to know about atrial fibrillation? 

🚗 🚗     HOME    🚗 🚗

Back home did my measurement. 

Hmmm….. dystolic is considered high? 😮 Tho my BP is not hitting the roof like the other day - that was freaking scary. 

So now I need to relax, too much stress, need to avoid the stress source 😬

Took a break from housework

to get myself more tired. Crazy! I just needed to get my mind off things. Hoping to lower cortisol and lower my blood pressure. 

So funny. While I was doing housework the man went to gym. I went awhile later after he came back. 

@ 1.36pm

Walking to the gym takes me less than 3mins but jam this music to get my adrenaline going first. I always play this when I do my gai-gai at Marina Bay. Speaking of which, I should go back one super early morning after I’m back from my trip. 

At the threadmill I switched to this video. I change about with running and walking videos but all with Switzerland scenery 😂. Makes me forget I’m exercising coz my eyes is concentrating on the video. I wish I can secure the phone at eye level tho, my neck is painful from looking down for the whole 1hr 10mins. 

When I used to ‘cycle’ before my knee problem, I’d watch the cycling videos.

I was just getting warmed up

Feels a little better to sweat it out. But I’m still reeling in anger over mxxxx, something that bxxx mentioned. Bor daiji cwer daiji. Want me to get a mental breakdown is it?

Stomach growling in hunger, actually was hungry more than an hour ago. 

Had a late lunch.