A Different Kind of Business Trip: Shanghai Part 2

I woke up early to use the gym. I was told that the swimming pool is on the same level and wondered who would swim in winter. 

There were... bcos it is a heated pool.

I hit the gym and could only use the elliptical bcos of the lousy ankle. There were 3 of them but only 1 working properly. Chey. 

The gym is huge but empty and I am not sure if the other equipment were working properly. 

All done. 

Then to the buffet spread! Very nice. A good spread and alot of food. 

I headed to the office, met some colleagues and was treated to a good lunch, like dome royalty. My China colleagues are very hospitable. 

Then it was more meetings before moving to the annual party. The party was held on a cruise! It would have sounded like a super grand and expensive affair if that had taken place in Sgp. My China colleague assured that such in China is very affordable. Wooooo... 

I had checked the weather forecast before the trip and the weather was comfortable despite being winter. I didn't bring my heat tech, they are all nicely washed, folded and stored away and I really hate to disturb them. All I brought was the winter jacket, that I haven't washed from the Tokyo trip. 

The party ended at 9ish and it was almost 10pm by the time I arrived back at the hotel. Again, I traveled like some royalty, with private car back to the hotel. 

For all my work trips, I rarely stayed the weekend bcos I want be home with family. This one is different. My China colleague has asked that I stayed over the weekend, mentioning that she would bring me to the site and then some sightseeing. I did that. 

The sight visit was short and then she brought me to "I don't know where" actually. Lol. But I felt like a tourist and didnf mind being one. 

We had dinner before heading home. Lol at the size of the pig trotter! Oink, oink.

My flight was on Sunday 1.50pm. My colleague again very nicely brought me to the famous CBD area before I headed to the airport. 

This trip, I definitely felt more like a tourist than to go for work. 

Getting home was easy. The flight was crowded but still good. 

They served us ice cream this time. Hoho. 

The trip was all good. The weather was nice, and it wasn't a work too hard trip. The only issue was that the house was messy when I arrived back home at almost 9pm on Sunday night. Mochi's litter box smelled so badly but yet seems to affect nobody. Zzzzz. 

Mummy Lim

A Different Kind of Business Trip: Shanghai Part 1

I haven't a chance to visit our China's office as China is under another colleague's charge. Not that I am keen to travel for business to China, I never thought traveling for business is fun. 

It was their annual New Year party. For the last few years, it had been virtual bcos of covid and I enjoyed attending the virtual party. With things returning to normalcy, China has planned for a large scale physical party and I had the honor to be invited. 

I have visited China 2x. Once for leisure back in my uni days to 九寨沟 in Sichuan and another time to Qingdao for recruitment. I have never been to Shanghai or Beijing and couldn't remember much from those previous China trips too.

The intention was a 4-day trip. I chose to take an early flight, hoping to head to the office and meet some colleagues. Ended up, I had to go directly to the hotel bcos some calls got moved, making it senseless to go to the office. 

I fretted over the 手礼. I mean, what is there in Sgp that isn't in China? Apparently, Bengawang Solo pandan cake. 

Bcos CNY is around the corner, I also managed to grab a few tubs of CNY goodies. 

Maybe bcos it was an early weekday morning flight or there are too many flights to Shanghai or not many people are traveling to China yet, anyway, the flight was very empty. There were maybe only 30ish of us. The 1st segment of the plane was half full. In my segment, there were only 5 of us. It was this empty. 

Bcos there were so few passengers, we received so much attention from the air stewardesses, who stopped to chit chat. It was so weird. Pls leave me alone. Lol. 

Bfast!

Landed!

I was happy bcos the flight was good; I stole a nap and the weather was great! It was in the mid 10s on the day that I arrived. Zaky was so jealous and said that it wasn't fair that I got 2 winters. Hoho. I was told that I would be enjoying nice weather in the few days that I would be in Shanghai. Just the week before, it was super cold. Ya, I no need super cold. 

The immigration was a breeze. I was very well taken care of and a car was arranged to bring me to the hotel. I started calls in the car and continued at the hotel lobby. The room wasn't ready until almost 4pm and I had to comfort myself. 

The room was nice. I was at Marriot Shanghai Riverside. I think 5 star. Hoho. No, I didn't have time to use the bathtub.

The calls continued to 7pm and I realised that the room uses solely warm light and I had trouble reading my notes, even with my glasses. Old already. 

I had in-room dining. 

Also finally found time to admire the views. My room was located in the correct angle. I 赚到. 

I am not sure what bridge is that but it changes color. 

Sleep wasn't difficult. Everything was good except that when I logged on to the WiFi, many of the apps like WhatsApp, FB, IG, etc. wouldn't work. It was quite painful, like I was going through a social media detox. 

Mummy Lim

Surrender to Toilet Washing

For a couple of years after Daddy Lim and I got married, we were living on our own in a 5-room flat and yes, we handled the household chores ourselves. Given that it was only the 2 of us and we were usually out of the house, there wasn't a lot to do. I also realised then that didn't mind laundry, vacuuming and mopping. My greatest nemesis is the toilet washing. 

This was short-lived bcos we got a part-time auntie for housework when I was preggy with Nana, then a helper for about 2 years before Popo came to stay with us. Oh yes, I didn't have to do much for housework since then. I know I am fortunate. 

Come many years later, the housework has once again fallen on my shoulders. My preference hasn't changed but in the list of dislike, I would now add on bedsheet changing, especially now that there are 2 more beds in the house. 

Since we shifted, I am amazed at my ability to see hair on the floor. I am also constantly wondering who is bringing dust into the house. Lol. Why is the floor feeling sticky just after a couple of days? I know that the ants, lizards and cockroaches (hopefully not) would sneak their way in. I hate lizard poo poo. Zzzzzz. 

Speaking of the ants, we have a colony that appeared very quickly. We had been sticking the combat ant trap and the ants are moving their route and base to avoid the traps. I feel like I am losing the game. Auntie S said that ant gel works better. I shall try. 

Back to the housework, I handled most of them well, except for the toilet washing. It had been 6 weeks since we moved and we were out for 2 weeks. We have not once washed the toilet. Hohoho. Daddy Lim almost offered but gladly retract his offer when I told him that I have found an agency for part time helper. 

The helper came last Wednesday for 3 hours. I have listed out the tasks with toilet washing and the standing fan washing as the priorities. She was done in slightly more than 3 hours and I am totally amazed at how clean she has scrubbed the toilet floor. I wouldn't reach this kind of standard even if I spent 3 hours. It is definitely $$ well-spent. She has helped to change my bedsheet. Like hotel siol.

I am very pleased. It was an absolutely right choice. No more toilet washing. Hooray!

Mummy Lim

The Ankle

I think the injury must be quite bad. 

I sustained the sprain (I think) on 21 December 23. It had been almost coming to 3 weeks and there is still some swelling. However, it is already so much better than the earlier days. 

It didn't feel like I had a significant fracture. Like I mentioned, I could still put weight on the ankle after the injury and walked somewhat romantically down the white slopes with Daddy Lim. While I had to limp and walk much slower for the remaining trip, I survived very well, clocking 10k to 20k steps a day. Towards the end of the trip, the family agreed that I was already walking faster. 

I know I should visit the doctor and maybe get an x-ray. It was mad crazy on the day we were back and then Daddy Lim and I hit back to work immediately the next. Then it was the new year's super long weekend and I didn't want to wait long hours at the clinic or A&E. 

Did I see a GP? I attempted 2x! The 1st was whitecoat (online) in attempt to get a referral for an x-ray. The online doctor said that a physical GP needed to do an examination and asked me go to a clinic. Ok lor. 

We have always joked that JW is ulu, but its ulu-ness is nothing compared to BP's ulu-ness. There are only 2 panel clinics in the walkable vincity. One of them has an evening clinic. I went that same evening that the whitecoat doctor turned me away, only to see that the clinic had ceased their evening clinic. Zzzzz.

I made it to the same clinic the next morning and had a shock when the shutters were opened. It is basically an antique! I walked to the other walkable clinic, only to see that their doctor only come in at 10.30am and had no choice but to turn back. 

The staff manning the registration is one of the you-know-you-better-dun-give-nonsense middle age lady. I was joking to myself that the doctor is probably pretty elderly. He came at 9ish and he is very, very, very old. He looks much older than popo and I have to give it to him that he is still working at this age. 

He asked when did I sustain the injury and I replied him 3x, without knowing if he got the final correct answer eventually. Lol. He did an examination and said that he didn't think that there is a fracture and asked me to come back on Friday if the pain still persists. I don't see how the pain will disappear in 2 days. At parting, he advised that I shouldn't walk too much. Lol. So funny hearing that after all the walking during the holiday. 

I was given some pretty strong pain killer but my worse pain is over. I got better sense than to argue with the lady and obediently took the medicine. It is still sitting on the kitchen countertop, untouched. 

Did the pain go away on Friday? Of course not! But the pain has really improved a lot since New Year's day. The swelling has gone down loads and mobility increased. My ankle wants to do better for 2024 too. Hoho. 

I couldnt wait to go back to my exercise regime. I didnt (and was too lazy to) exercise during the 2 weeks' holiday and rested the ankle after that. I did an upper body weights hit on New Year's day and was panting like mad. Then I went back to the gym, about 4x so far, but could only go on the elliptical machine. It still hurts when I hop/ impact on the ankle. My fitness level plunged like mad. I couldn't even do the usual set on the elliptical on the 1st visit. I was worried that my heart would beat so fast, beat out of my chest and run away. 

I also did my 1st WWF ride on Saturday without my clip shoes. My ankle couldn't fit with the ankle guard and I can't twist my ankle to unclip yet. Luckily, I already went back to the gym or would have been dropped and died at Mandai. Lol. 

I still duno what is wrong. I hope that if it is a fracture, it is healing well. Hoho. 

I am trying to walk properly but still limped unconsciously at times. I get an almost nightly ankle massage from Daddy Lim and that is the nicest. Hohoho. It makes the injury worth it. Haha. I want to go back to the gym classes so bad bcos I am so sick of the elliptical. Zzzz

Mummy Lim

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We had a cooling Christmas this year, having spent it in Taipei. While it wasn't white, we had also taken in enough white sights in Madarao to leave us happy for a while. Did we countdown? Of course not, the ramen museum and Shibuya made us very tired. 

While we saw many Christmas trees and they were everywhere, Christmas Day itself didn't feel that Christmasy. Bcos we were not in Sg, we also missed the chance to gather with family and friends on Christmas. 

The SHSS Christmas gathering was fixed on 30 Dec. Many of us were traveling in December and we thankfully found a day where all can make it plus were able to book T-junction. Yes, we needed plenty of space bcos Christmas gathering is usually full attendance and the kids expect games that are physical and active. 

Needless to say, the Christmas gathering was a success. We had good food.

What we did differently this year is to include a worship segment, led by the kids. 

They singlehandedly did the song selection, chord finding, practice session to the actual worship session. Kudos to the kids! They were a little shy, a little awkward, but off to great start as great worship leaders! 

I also shared my testimonial, hoping that this plants a little seed in the kids' heart, that they could find God and build their own relationship with God. We had a lot of fun with the old pictures. 

Once the games started, it was a crazy mess. We had to drag the kids back for present exchange and then for photos. 

Christmas gathering is a tiring affair. Luckily it only happens once a year. 

Did we countdown on New Year's eve? I was in bed by 10ish. Lol. Tired siol. I needed to recover from the Christmas party. The kids were all busy on New Year's day. They met for laser tag and dinner. Daddy Lim and I went to run errands. Remember that I mentioned how Daddy Lim isn't worried that nobody gift him bday/ Christmas present? He treats himself well. His... I duno what.. present for himself. Zzzzzz. 

Complete with new app, strap, pick, stand, tuner. Zzzzz. He started thinking that maybe he wanted to play electric guitar again after visiting Auntie TL's house, when the kids were supposed to prep for worship. Uncle K owns multiple guitars. The uncles started trying out but only he got tempted. As I am typing in my bed, I am ironically on top of the 2 other bass guitars that are stored under the bed, growing mushrooms. Zzzzz. It is OK, if $$ can buy happiness, we should. Lol. 

Part of errand running was this. Dangerous. 

We didn't have extravagant meals on New Year's Day. It was just the 2 of us. 

We also survived the 1st day of school. I got reminded the night before that I have to do braiding again. Luckily I didn't lose my skill. 

We had bfast, which also meant that I was involved in the prep. 

All ready for 1st day of school/ work. 

Lucky Mochi got to lie around, no school/ work for him. 

I headed to the JB office for the day and was back by dinner time. Kids came home and we went to a nearby kopitiam for dinner. Kids were famished. Like how I was when I was a teenager, recess and lunch time was for catching up with friends and not eating. 

It all worked out. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mummy Lim