Living and feeling alive

Image from www

Yes, I've been slacking again but I will no longer apologise for the long lapses in posting here.  As I've said before, I don't write for clicks or likes.  I keep this blog for me, my immediate family, and anyone else who happens to chance upon it.

Even if nobody views it, I'm still going to keep at it.  Why?  Well, why not?

I started here twelve years ago and have enjoyed writing/sharing whenever I needed or wanted to do so.  It has sometimes been my go-to if I needed to give "air" to my feelings.  It is almost like having a friend who just sits and listens without judgement.  Perhaps this is the reason why I won't let it go. 

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Anyway, the first half of 2024 has been very eventful.  I have been busy just watching life go by.  There were, incredibly, ten deaths (family and friends).  It certainly does make taking stock of one's life uppermost in one's mind.  

With all that being said, I've just been slowing down to enjoy each morning, each day, each moment, and each memory made.

Being alive, is indeed, a grand thing.  

24 December (Eve and Anniversary)

Image from Pinterest

The much-anticipated Christmas eve is here.  Are we ready?  Have we bought all the gifts?  Wrapped them yet?  Christmas menu finalised?  So many things to remember!!!

And the eve is also a wonderful day for us as it is yet another anniversary (done and dusted).  While we have lived apart for some years, we have always found the way to be together for our anniversaries and also Christmas.  

Somehow this year has been the most meaningful for us.  We have moved surreptitiously into the golden years (so to speak).  Life is slower, kinder, quieter even!   

Bless our love, Lord.  Keep us close to You.  Send angels to watch over us.  We thank you for everything.  🙏

Stephen Felix Grosse, Thank you for everything. I love you.

 

Of who matters

Image from Pinterest

 

I used to think that I would never leave KL.  I believed that it would be where I would spend my retirement years.  It seems that we don't really know the future and can only speculate about it.

As it turned out, I moved to Singapore upon early retirement.  It was not an easy move and more out of necessity than desire.  Somehow, it has turned out to be what would be an amazing journey of discovery about who I am!

On my way here in 2012, I was filled with trepidation as this would not only be a change of environment, it would also be a change of lifestyle.

Thankfully, I negotiated the steep learning curves and found the plateau of being contented with it all.  

I have changed so much.  This I am certain of because I no longer have the same interests.  It is much like a *before* and *after* Singapore timeline.  

Here in Singapore, life is almost constantly revolving around Stephen.  And as we age, it really doesn't matter where we are as long as we are together.  I am grateful and blessed to be in his life as he is to be in mine.  

Image from Pinterest

A month ago!

 One of the rare invitations received this year!  

Rare?  Because we replied YES!

B.A.P. Unión is a beautiful training ship. 

Milestones

 

My online calendar alerted me that it is the anniversary of STEEST (my old blog).  Old blog and old story there only for the very curious people who can check my last post.

When I couldn't resurrect STEEST, I created SFGEMS.  This is the beauty of learning to let go and then moving on to other things.  In a way, SFGEMS began as a continuation of STEEST but as providence would have it, SFGEMS was a new milestone for my life in Singapore.  

STEEST was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18 September 2008. 

SFGEMS was born in Toa Payoh, Singapore on 18 July 2012.

Co-incidentally, my granddaughter was born on 18 March 2019.

It was only this morning that I realised the number 18 appearing for each milestone. I began blogging on 18 September.  I started SFGEMS on 18 July and my granddaughter arrived on 18 March.  

For those who believe in numerology, it probably means something.  To me, it's just a random observation that I made.

Just like the image above says 

"Writing is seeing.  It is paying attention".

Best friend forever

This post is not for diabetics!

Image from www

 

I cannot say it enough. 

I am blessed to have Stephen as my best friend and husband. 

Each morning is a reminder of how he cares for me when I have my coffee, made by him before he leaves for work.  Seeing to the everyday little details that make me happy.  Even buying the snacks that I like so that we can each have our cheat days.

While I am not earning any more money since I have retired, I have not felt short-changed at all. I had thought that I would have to change my spending lifestyle drastically when I stopped working but everything that I have needed or wanted is handled by Stephen. 

Even for the things that he doesn't understand like my multicooker or air fryer. His motto is "as long as you're happy".  

I am happy.  And I'll say it again, greatly blessed, highly favoured and deeply loved.

11 years and counting?

Image from WWW

I haven't been as faithful, as I intended to be, with regard to writing consistently.  I've learnt to forgive myself for the lapses, though.  I am my own boss so who's checking?

Besides, I realise that I've just been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak!  I am busy everyday with doing something.  And there is never a dull moment for me.  I don't think I have ever reached the "I am bored" stage.  Perhaps the long gaps are good as it means I've been offline and not sitting in front of the computer.  

Anyway, this blog is my go-to place for depositing my thoughts and memories.  I like the idea of it being a bank of sorts.  An account created to drop an assortment of things I feel, see, experience, and observe. 

Whatever it is, an anniversary is always something to celebrate!  

24 December and ANNIVERSARY THOUGHTS

Edited image from Pinterest

After all is said and done, I think that we have done pretty well.  Life hasn't always been kind to us but we're survivors and we've found the right balance for a good way of living.

Image from Pinterest

I can't think of anybody better to have spent this pandemic with!  My life has been easy despite all the difficulties many people face. We've found comfort in each other but more importantly, we've found contentment.  We are so blessed.  I love you loads, BabyGrosse!

Of love and miracles

There are so many unexplainable things that have happened between Stephen and me.  For example, songs long forgotten and no longer popular that we both liked when we were young and recalled when we began chatting. Then there are also the people who are mutual family members and yet our paths never once crossed during our childhood.  We hadn't the faintest idea that our future would one day collide.  We never imagined that we would be anything more than just friends.

I always like to think that somehow, we were meant to be even if we didn't set out to be together when we first met.

We were from the same yet different worlds: similar yet contrasting backgrounds; varied yet closeted exposure, diversified yet limited lifestyles, and the list goes on.  Yet, we kept moving forward and towards a life together.

When I saw this image and the words that were in it, I was enthralled as it totally encapsulates the love we have.  

This revelation was not something thunderous or mind-blowing but made possible by the tiny little things that have somehow become the very fabric of our life and love together.  

It is a miracle.

 

22642 days

It's my birthday today!

How many days since 21 March, 1959?

It has been 22642 days since 21 March, 1959

That's approximately 743.86 months or 62 years.

A reminder for me!

And just like that....

Where did all the time go?

It was January when I last wrote in this blog and almost half a year has gone by.  I haven't been busy nor did anything keep me away from writing.  I was just putting it off for no apparent reason. Sometimes that's how it should be.  We should move according to the beat of our own rhythm. 

When we returned to Singapore in the first week of January, we hadn't expected to see the Covid-19 mania overtake the world and the lives of so many people.  Since its inception, nearly everyone has been in some kind of quarantine or was in lockdown mode. In Singapore, we called it the Circuit Breaker.

Initially it was just something we thought would come and go but as it stands now, we were all wrong.  Nobody could have known how it would dominate headlines worldwide and been such a topic on everyone's mind.

Anyway, I decided to sit and write a bit today after such a long absence because my online calendar reminded me that SFGEMS is 8 years old. 

And just like that, it also means that I have been here in Singapore for a little over that same time span.

Life, now, is basically easy-going.  I'm just enjoying the quiet time at home.  Of course, my day is punctuated by whatsapp messages and video calls but overall, I am on my own which I thoroughly enjoy.

Thankfully, the other person in my life and space (my better half), makes all this possible.  I am mightily blessed.

24 December 2019 -Estd since love began

Yay, another year done and dusted!

Mission accomplished!

And now to fully immerse in the celebrations!

Images from Pinterest

A hattrick for March 2019

Image from WWW

Goal 1 ~ First time that I had lived in a hotel for two weeks; fourteen days of almost doing nothing!  Bliss!

Goal 2 ~ First time I touched sixty years of age.  Yes!  Six decades on this planet earth.  It was nice to have celebrated my birthday in beautiful Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Goal 3 ~ First time becoming a grandmother and welcoming the arrival of our grand-daughter, Cayla Gail Cheow.  Stephen and I are overwhelmed by everything about her.

I told Jared and Gwen that this is the best gift ever: a gift that will keep growing and growing.  

Image from WWW

We had breakfast with this view nearly every day.  Except for the morning of the day that Cayla Gail was born.  She is more important than food!!!

I do miss it.  I also miss the buffet spread even if I'm not a breakfast person.  I did enjoy the wide selection of local and western delights and being spoilt for choice with fruits and breads galore.  

And after breakfast, we usually return to the room and I always choose to sit by the window to enjoy the view and just feel thankful for all the blessings in my life.  I would usually read a bit while Stephen would wander off to the sauna or gym.  

I took this picture. 

For my birthday dinner, Stephen took me to the Club Lounge.  Just us, because I'm not a party person and I like things quiet and simple.

We chose to sit by the window looking at the setting sun.  This was a moment of bliss for me.  As I took in all the ups and downs in my life, I could see that it has led me to this particular place in time.  I am feeling contented with all who are around me and with me.

There weren't many people, at any one time but it made the ambience quiet and romantic!  I would like to go back again with the children.  The setting is so elegant and the food was absolutely delicious.

While not a drinker by any stretch of the imagination, I did indulge in this Singapore Sling.  I had never ever tried it even after living in Singapore for over 7 years now.  I decided that I like it very much and had two!  Heck!  I'm sixty only once!

And then, stepping out on the balcony, we had this magnificent and glorious sunset for an unforgettable and fitting close to my celebration of 60 years of living.   

I took this picture.  God's masterpiece.

At the end of any day or year or milestone, we need to reflect on all that is good in our lives.  We also need to be thankful to the people who love us, unconditionally.  

Thank you to God for an absobloominglutely unforgettable celebration of love and life.  I am so blessed.  I am so very blessed.

Guess what?  We're going back to KK again, soon!!