Dogged December

It has been an extraordinary 2020 for sure, which will come to a close in a mere count of hours.  And I do mean extraordinary in both memorable and unpleasant ways.  Work was full of pressure in the last quarter of the year and 婆婆's sudden departure in early October really shook me....  Not to mention the travel bans which meant that we can't meet our family members in Indonesia too.  What an extraordinary year it has been indeed.  On the flip side, we experienced what it feels like to be partially "locked down" and saw a totally different face of the place we live in.  The travel bans imposed by many countries also affected livelihoods everywhere and shows how important it is to remain open and connected always.  This is also a watershed year that brings about the New Normal.  Masks are the norm now, working from home, schooling from home, online shopping and food deliveries too.  Of course not forgetting going about in smaller groups as opposed to big gatherings last time.  Oh yes, what an extraordinary year 2020 has been.

Cloudy East Coast - Galaxy Note 9

There was still a bit of pressure at work, continuing from November.  But this week has been a lot more relaxed and I'm so thankful for that...  

Attending to Last Minute Change Requests With Lindsay by My Side- Galaxy Note 9

In early December, the missus and I visited Gather at Raffles Hotel.  It is a minimalistic dainty café serving crepes, galettes, sandwiches and coffee.  If you prefer a heavier brunch menu then you should visit their sister café, Ronin in Hong Kong Street.  The crepes are pretty and the coffee is good.  Perhaps we should come again some time later. 

Plain Crepe - Galaxy Note 9

Great Coffee - Galaxy Note 9

Gather's Minimalist Interior - Galaxy Note 9

Nearer to home, Spruce has set up shop in Phoenix Park.  They have taken back their old spot.  This is one development that I really liked.  The family loves Spruce's food and drinks.  We were quite disappointed when Boufe closed shop sometime in mid-2020.  Fortunately Spruce came to fill up the void.  

Wonderful Brunch at Spruce Phoenix Park - Galaxy Note 9

There were also some issues in my parents' house that warranted some visits for me to check on my sister.  Fortunately she's getting on OK while I arranged for some minor repairs in my parents' house.  

View From My Parents' House's Balcony - Galaxy Note 9

I also went on a family cycling trip again, this time with Lindsay.  Since she rode with me on the child seat, it was a satisfyingly tiring ride; I burned more than 2000 calories in 4 hours.  And we certainly loved the views from East Coast Park.  

Cloudy Sunset in The East Again - Galaxy Note 9

Linc & Lind by The Sea - Galaxy Note 9

Lincoln also asked to go to Snow City which we obliged on Christmas eve.  However I didn't join in the fun and sat it out as I was having a cold (still am, now).  So I just explored the Kinetic Garden in Science Park next door.

Snow City Main Entrance

Science Park Kinetic Garden - Galaxy Note 9

I also got myself a small reward, a limited edition Seiko 5 Sports Naruto & Boruto watch.  I went with the Sasuke Uchiha model.  The watch runs on Seiko's 4R36 caliber, which is, while not my favourite, I acknowledge to be strongly reliable, comes with a day date complication and very affordable too.  The accuracy is about ±15 seconds per day with a power reserve of 41 hours.  My favourite calibers from Seiko are 8L35 and the Spring Drive 5R66.  Unfortunately both do not come with the Day complication.  And they do cost an arm and a leg.  In any case, I'm very happy with this Sasuke Uchiha model.  

Seiko 5 Sports Naruto Edition - Sasuke Uchiha Model - Galaxy Note 9

The missus and I also made a trip to Tiong Bahru market for lunch at Tiong Bahru Yong Tauhu.  The missus preferred the Bak Chor Mee while I'm fine with both with a slight inclination towards the Yong Tauhu.  It was an awesome pocket friendly lunch.

Simple and Delicious Tiong Bahru Yong Tauhu - Galaxy Note 9

I have also started gaming again on my Nintendo Switch.  Tried out the Fire Emblem Three Houses and man, I was instantly hooked.  This is the best Fire Emblem game I've ever played so far.    

At Gram Vivocity With The Missus and The Kids - Galaxy Note 9

Hopefully when January 2021 comes, I can have many better chances to secure new opportunities on the work front.  Phase 3 has since started 3 days ago and hopefully with more crowd and more economic activities, things could change for the better.  

New Year's Eve Dinner at My Parents' House - Galaxy Note 9

Linc Playing With a Sparkler at My Parents' House - Galaxy Note 9

Well, here's a closing shot my last entry in 2020 and wishing for a prosperous & bountiful 2021: 

The Moon Has Been Exceptionally Beautiful This Past 3 Days - A7R3 + Batis 2/25

~ Photos Taken With Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Sony A7RMk3 + Zeiss Batis 2/25 ~