- Celebrating the Big 50 - most notably, going with a bunch of friends on a road trip to Malaysia. We went caving, stayed dormitory-style in a lodge in the Malaysian highlands and ate and ate in Ipoh. We also had assorted birthday celebrations throughout the year.
- Ticking items off my travel Bucket List - most notably, visiting Chartres Cathedral and Monet’s divine garden at Giverny. I was happy to be able to take my Mother on a mini-pilgrimage in Paris, where we met up with my sister and Brother-in-law. Spending time with family was a big item on my to-do list this year, so I was also happy to go with my cousin to Japan. I’ve not had time to blog about it yet!
- 2018 was also the year when the homes of my childhood/young adulthood moved out of the family. My Grandmother had died a few years ago and this year, my mum and her siblings wound up her estate and sold her house. Then, a few months later, my parents’ apartment was handed over to the developer after the en bloc sale was finalised. So we had a massive clearing out to do, unearthing lots of childhood possessions and memories along the way. We cleared the stuff out of the apartment but now some of it is sitting in boxes on the landing!
- All the cats survived the year, although poor Marlon was ill for some time with first a bad wound and then a liver complaint which led to him getting daily saline drips, poor thing. He also got to eat the good quality premium cat food to reverse his weight loss so it was not all bad though.
- I didn’t get to read much last year as I was too busy organising holidays (I went to Malacca and Penang during the year, in addition to the Road Trip, France and Japan) and clearing house. But I was very pleased that I finally managed to finish “Gene” by Siddhartha Mukherjee, all 500 pages worth (excluding notes and the index). It’s a subject I’m not familiar with - learning about Mendel way back in Sec 3 really doesn’t count. Now, at least I am a little more informed about the science and promise of precision medicine, gene therapy, etc, and the ethical dilemmas and challenges ahead. In addition, I read Philip Yeo’s biography, “Neither Civil Nor Servant” and ESM Goh Chok Tong’s biography, “Tall Order”. On a less serious note, I read the “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy! And saw the movie too! Yes, I’ve decided I’m a fan.
- I was also too busy to do much serious baking during the year but I am pleased that I managed to bake gingerbread men (recipe thanks to Sally’s Baking Addiction) and rolled out fresh pasta for the very first time (my technique needs improvement).
- I’m also pleased to say that whatever I tidied up during my “Konmari” phase (clothes and books) has largely stayed tidy. Although I still have the remainder of the “paper” category to complete, overall progress on clearing out my piles of old bank records, bills etc has been good.
- And of course work was quite busy too :-)
At this point, I don’t really have any firm plans for 2019. Work wise, it is shaping up to be a very busy first quarter. Then I’ll be busy with organising an event in early June for this charity I’m involved in. And clearing those boxes on the landing has to be done. So maybe it’s a good thing to leave much of this year unplanned, giving myself more time to potter around, meet up with friends, read a good book or two, count my blessings and just enjoy what each day brings me.
Photo by me, taken in the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
