July

was the month

(ang ku kueh)

- The apartment directly below me started renovation work. The noise was unbearable. Luckily, heavy continuous drilling is permitted only from 9am to 2pm Mondays to Fridays. I still have the peaceful weekends.

- I actually miss having an office to go escape the noise.

- I accepted lunch dates from anybody who looked for me. Including all those private banker types who are still flogging dubious structured products. I really need to get to know a better class of people.

- I went to shopping malls which I never thought to go to. So far, I have covered Vivo City and Jurong Point. Both were big enough to occupy me for several hours. But when one is not actually shopping, it makes for a very empty experience. I wondered why I loved gallivanting in my (much) younger days.

- I visited old neighbourhoods that I don't usually go to. Like Joo Chiat and Alexander Village. I got reacquainted with long forgotten snack foods like ang ku kueh.

- Mother is still ominously quiet. Maybe my sister is right - the old woman has really forgotten about us. Or she is too busy consorting with unsavoury Chye-nah people who give her time of day because they have design on her money. Neither possibility is good but I value my peace and sanity too much to find out what's happening.