Cold no more

He kept super quiet about it. This week Monday, the doorbell rang, and I kinda ignored it as I was in a meeting, and then few hours later, he came in carrying a super huge package with..."Black+Decker". Haha - He said that this is a V-day present, Bday present - all combined. I said - this is belated Christmas present, no??

And... it is a ... heater. 

We are quite late into investing in one, but still, for the first time this month, we saw the temperature rise up to 21.5. But, the heater's life-span to serve us this winter... is almost gone. The temp has been going up slightly, but steadily. Morns and nights are still brrrrr... but apart from that, it's that really nice weather and temperature. We are transiting into spring. 😍

And yesterday - I realized, I am growing old. 

He: Eh, how come you also have stomach?
She: Eh, what do you mean? You mean my stomach "pok out"?

He: Yah - I thought you always no stomach.
She: What do you mean. If I fat, then you don't like me? 

He: To be honest, I dunno, cos I never see you fat before. 

She: What? You 90kg I also stay with you. 

He: Haha... You want to eat "ice-cream"? 

She: Ok. I go buy. 

And this conversation happened after I drank beer, ate Fish n Chips, Wings, Calamari. :-0

All the nonsense mundane rumblings and the 心情 on a Friday evening. :)

And we had chocolate ice-cream after that. 😍

Growing old = stomach pok out. 

I discovered a PCN-alike

I must have been feeling some levels of stress, and yesterday, woke up at 6am. Friday's conversations were still etched in my mind, and so, because it was still so early and cold, I decided that the best thing to do, would be to read. 

I finished Educated, and decided to read "A Gentleman in Moscow". This year, I will aim to read 12 non-work related books. :) And I cannot believe I started my first few pages in bed, at an unearthly 6am. 

As I journal about the weekend, I also feel much better already. A weekend to recharge, recalibrate, realign is very needful. In fact, that's why a sabbath is so absolutely necessary. It is also about trusting in God, when I have done all I can in the week. 

I found a most amazing running connector yesterday. :) Yay, so happy, as I discovered a newly opened PCN, very similar to SG's PCN. I was actually thinking that maybe a round around the mosque would suffice, but as I found the running connector, I decided to just explore. It led to ADNEC, and I thought I could just run on and on, and maybe I will reach Mushriff. :-p. I will certainly try it one day. 

The morning runs really are very helpful for me. I listened to a Chinese sermon yesterday, and today, the Economist. Most runs will see me end at the beach, the tracks, or at Rihan's LD, and the best part of the run is the end of the run, with the stretchings and with listening to some really nice music, or WA-pping good friends. 

That feeling is usually one of thankfulness and simply joy. 

Spot Rihan - it's a speck in the distance. :) And this really feels a little like the PCN in Singapore. I met a few runners and some cyclists too. 

And, the expressways above me at one point, with paintings of skies. Haha, it feels nice to enter such a space. And also, with flamingoes and Wu Guis. 

And one of them, staring at me. Haha. The back is the actual beachfront, which is an extension of where I usually cool down. :)

Extension works in progress.. it would be great if there's really a full connector all the way to town!

I ran all the way until the end of the beach and where it started to join the highway. 

I think I can still run on; I saw cyclists continue the path, and if I do, I will reach Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). I'll do it next time and then loop back to Rihan. 

And the "vaccination" slogans are starting to appear everywhere. 

And along the running trial are all sorts of motivations painted. :-D

There was also "No Pain, No Gain", etc, etc. And as I keep stopping to take pictures, I am just so happy with my Saturday mini-adventure. 

The weather's also gotten slightly warmer - like 1 - 3 degrees? :-D

Mornings and nights are still terrible, and this past week, there was wind, sandstorm, fog. The good thing is that I think the worst is over, and possibly, it's gonna get really nice with a little more warmth, very soon!

冷

The common theme throughout this month is - 冷。 

It's just cold, and reports say that this year's the coldest Jan ever here. And I woke up 1 night to Steve rumbling through our packed winter clothes, for heat tech and a wool jacket. 

The problem is that it's almost cold 24-7, except for a short window in the afternoon, when the sun shines most intensely. It's cold because it's just cold outside, and in the house, there is no heater... so the temp in the house goes down to 10+ too. And so everyday, I am decked in long sleeves, and in jackets, in sweaters. Haha.... some days, it is more tolerable than others, and there was this one night, I just couldn't sleep, despite being wrapped in layers, and having socks on, and under the comforter. 

Still, I am genki. :)

This morning, was beautiful. It was 13 deg, and I went for my run. It was a misty morn, and I am decked in UA long sleeves and tights. And boy, I just ran. The place was foggy, I can't see a lot in front of me, but I met neighbours and runners, and we were all running around the mosque. Saw the mosque shrouded in the mist, saw the early risers and joggers, and... it was just something to relish. I ended at the tracks, looking at a lone Japanese sprinter, and many kids having their track classes. (The kids are all shrouded by the fog)

This week, I had to content with some emotions. And especially, on Friday. I started a new year resolution to journal and had bought a small journal book for that. Each day, I write a page, covering my key prayers, work highs and lows, my learnings, my fitness and activities, my food intake, and my 心情字数。 And of course, I have the oura ring to track my sleep. I just wanted to be more conscious of how I live my life, and how I calibrate my thinking and my devotions. It's really great. :) I have kept at it for 15 days. Continuing this discipline. 

And.... I became friends with a German lady. :) We have been neighbours for a while, and she struck up a conversation with me recently, and we chatted more. She's a teacher, and has 2 lovely kids, and is one of the ladies around my area into cycling and sports. So... yay, next week, we would be going to try Aerial Gymnastics. She sent me the below. Ahahah, so exciting. I had actually penned it down as one of the things I want to do this year... and so, it will happen, next Sat. :) In shah allah. 

This morning was beautiful too. I spent time listening to a sermon on Mark, and then read Educated. It's gotten more and more exciting. The thing is... circling back to the cold, I am still cold. Haaaa. so I have to read in the balcony, and with the sun rays on me. And I feel better. :)

Beautiful Saturday indeed. 

Chopped it off

And I... chopped off my mane. 

It's been weighing on me for a while, and I really like the swish swosh as I run, or the varieties of styles, including plaits, spiders and buns. But... some days, i feel it tugs too much at my hair roots... and so, while ideally, I'd like to have cut it in Singapore, I just decided, to snip it off on Wed. 

And so, that's it. The fastest hair cut, wash, dry ever in my life, at the most expensive price ever too. About 30 mins, at about $100 SGD. 

The haircut was done by a razor blade. I do not know if that's the norm here, but the lebanese hair dresser made me stand up, used the razor blade to cut off the hair at my back, and it was done, in a matter of minutes. She asked about my fringe. I decided to do that too... (always never learnt my lesson that fringe is difficult to maintain), and so there the razor blade goes again. :-0

I sure... look forward to the usual pampering haircut feel in SG, soon. 

The Befores, Afters

And from the back, before - after

雨。温暖。

It rained... it was so lovely, and I was just missing the feeling and smell of rain, and the whole of 4th Jan was a wet and cloudy one. 

I love it. I was soaked and drenched as the rain came down while I was running round the mosque. I paused my Runkeeper. I was at the bridge intersection, and the rain started as little raindrops. :) I paused. Took some pictures of the sky; and some cracks of light were trying to shine through. It was just a beautiful morning. 

And so, I decided to run around the mosque, one more time. In the rain. 

The rain drops came down a little more furiously, and at one point, I just felt it was so good to feel the rain pelting down on me, soaking me up. The shoes got a little heavier, and with each step was that smackish feeling onto the ground. And then, I had to run faster and harder, as I began to feel colder. 

It was just such a lovely feeling to "run/dance" in the rain. :) This is perhaps the first rain since... March? 

And, I was really feeling quite cold. It wasn't just the rain. It's been the weather... considerably colder this month and the last. I have to be decked up most days, even inside the house. Winter brings about a nice, cosy feel. So, even if I were cold... I'd enjoy it. 

And, I had a nice hot bowl of white fungus red date soup after lunch. :) 好温暖。好舒服。

The night sky has covered the Rihan area. I bought more notebooks for journaling and work. Looking forward to more intentionally spending my time wisely, and visualizing what each end of the month will bring. And - spent the last hour practicing 听海。It's also one of Alice's faves. :)

Tomorrow, will be the start of a new work year. I've marie-kondo-ed the necessary, and I look forward to another good year ahead. 

Crossing over

I hear that it's been raining non-stop in Singapore as the year crosses over. :) I miss the smell, and the feel of rain. I saw a video of the downpour in Bishan... the bleak skies, the rain just pouring. 

In contrast, it is so sunny here, 7hrs away by flight. :)

Kenji decided to snooze and bask in the sun, right now. 💓

Crossing over into 2021, it's about new year resolutions again. 

I am still thinking about them. 

This morning, as I ran, I closed my eyes at a certain stretch and ran, and imagined what end Jan will bring about, what end Feb will bring about, and by 1Q 2021, a few tangible areas that I think I can see myself having done. :) 

A constant journey of preparation, and then the understanding and wisdom, and the paralysis of pessimism - all these I listened in my first sermon of the year yesterday - by Dr Ravi Zecharias. 

This morning, it was about the Son of God, Prayer, Kingship, by Pst Tan. And prayer being able to discern God's timing in my life, what His plans are unfolding and how I can move in partnership and alignment. :) 

As I ran and closed my eyes, I wondered if I had lived well in 2020. Have I, in Dec 2020, lived better than Jan 2020? :) Had such a long and good chat with YF yesterday afternoon, it was all so familiar - the encouraging of each other in Christ. :)

Especially in 2020, with less going out, with more time spent alone, I had started to take more pictures too. They capture that moment of brilliance, that moment of soul and emotion. 

The last dusk. The new dawn. 

The close of 2020. 2021 beckons.