Testing the waters

February 23, 2026.Reading time 6 minutes.

My husband and I had a four-night, five-day stay at Tanjung Jara recently. It was the longest holiday that we’ve had, locally, in a very long time. We usually do two nights. By the third day, we are ready to go home. And, the last holiday was only for one-night in Malacca, which we thought […]

It takes time

February 2, 2026.Reading time 6 minutes.

I went to my temple in SS3, last Tuesday. To do prayers for my eldest brother-in-law. He passed on 1 January. Brother-in-law number 1 was not well for a while. At least not after he had a major heart surgery on 8 March 2023. Recovery was slow and involved many hospital visits. Over that time, […]

Pongal and others

January 26, 2026.Reading time 6 minutes.

I visited my mum for Pongal last week, not at her condominium, but at her final resting home. Pongal was an important celebration for my mum. It marked the beginning of the Thai month, which I, for the longest time thought, was the first month of the Indian calendar. Mainly as it falls in January, which […]

Happy events

November 17, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

My husband and I were invited to two graduation ceremonies. The graduates were my nieces, number 4 and 5, brother number 2’s daughters. Coincidentally both sisters had their graduation in early November. One on the 1st, the other on the 13th. 1st November was niece number 5’s big day. She got a First in Mechanical […]

My mum’s celebration

October 20, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s Deepavali today. I’ve been thinking about my mum for a while now. How excited she got at every Deepavali. It was her celebration. She said and reiterated how Deepavali was the main event in her life. Not Ponggal, Thaipusam or even her birthday. Nope, it was Deepavali. From childhood, all through her married life […]

Conversations

October 13, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

I’m not a talker or so I tell myself. I considered if that was true. I do talk. I ask questions. I engage in conversations. At work or rather when I used to work, I was vocal and I was heard. As a journalist, I asked or shouted out questions, depending on the situation. One-on-one […]

Thinking of my Booby

September 22, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

My days are quite full. I try to only do things that I can and want to. And, in amongst all of that, I think of my mum. I do. In the morning, during the day, when I go to bed. She’s permanently etched in my head and heart. Next Saturday, she would have […]

Taxes, aging, death…

August 11, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

Nothing is certain but death and taxes. Aging is also certain. If we don’t get hit by a bus or die instantly from a heart attack. Thanks to modern medicine, prolongation of life, the process of living longer is more certain than not. No so certain is the quality longer life offers. Aging is inevitable. […]

Pickleball tumble

July 28, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

I’ve felt dizzy, nauseas and sweaty, before. Singularly and all at once, at various times. But not quite like the way I felt at pickleball the Sunday before. I was all three plus blurry eyed, unable to focus and in agony. My wrist throbbed. Everything spun. Sweat ran down my face. And I was shaking. […]

Nice HTTYD experience

July 14, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

Niece number 3 recommended the live-action movie of HTTYD. She gave it her personal thumbs-up, must-watch, sure to entertain, five-star rating. Hmm. I was sold on her enthusiasm but not so on the movie itself, at least not immediately. Only because I wasn’t familiar with the animated film series or the characters. She had reminisced […]