First TCM massage + back to exercise after break + dinner @ Galv & Joan’s

3/1/24 Weds: Joined Metabolic Plan class and my stamina really went down a bit after returning from holidays sia haha.

Decided to cook garlic ginger soy sauce chicken with scallion as part of the dishes for dinner but to think I mistook the “half cup” of water and Chinese wine” for the usual drinking cups we use so I poured in so much more than the half a cup of standard measuring cup’s amount lol! Potato “came to the rescue” by telling me to turn up the heat to allow more of the mixture to evaporate before he added the starch to thicken it.

Still glad the “sauce” turned out very nicely~ nice enough to drink even haha. The seaweed, carrot and tofu soup went quite well with it too I thought.

4/1/24 Thurs: Did resistance cardio starters this morning with coach Gerald… lots of plank and core work which was good but tiring haha.

Came home after work to baked salmon and broccoli with black pepper and salt, and also carrot and lotus soup Potato cooked! The former tasted slightly bitter because the lemon was left in the oven for too long we thought but the soup was very nice on a rainy day.

5/1/24 Fri: Did my fasting blood test this morning at 10+am and I was quite hungry afterwards… bought the chicken pho ($6.40) for lunch and it’s still good as the last time I had it, albeit chilli was pretty hot.

Went for my first TCM massage at Long Kang clinic. Masseur AP did my back and leg massage for me. She said they only recommend 刮痧拔罐if the person has “dampness” in the body, and I did, but because I did feel giddy after拔罐before, she only did刮痧on me. 背部很快出痧, some darker areas and a lot of pimples, which she said were toxins in the body. *她说我身体湿热、叫我不能喝冷水，少喝姜水, which I do every two days now lol. * I have very tight neck and shoulders, left hip and my right upper back has a lot of accumulated toxins too apparently. *Good thing she said my spine’s not crooked because I thought there’s a chance due to the uneven-ness in my hips.* My body, especially the neck, was much more relaxed after the massage~ nice. *She said I looked like I’m 28 or 29 lol.*

6/1/24 Sat: After the first race meeting of the last season at Kranji, I came home to Potato’s version of “Jajang myeon” haha. There was not enough udon, so he used spaghetti instead. The taste was not bad, but not close to authentic Jajang myeon since he didn’t add black bean sauce, but the sliced king oyster mushroom was a great addition to the dish hehe. *I’ve decided to get a new ergonomic pillow to see if it helps with my achy neck.*

7/1/24 Sun: Been half a year since we saw Andre, MM, Luke and Liv because they went to Sydney last June. Luke’s turning three soon and much chattier now and the 11-month old Liv showed a bit of her“小姐脾气”over dinner lol. MIL bought咸水鸭from Toa Payoh for dinner and it tasted good.

8/1/24 Mon: Reformer Pilates class with Chisa was cancelled last minute because another student could not make it to the group class haiz.

Cooked hot soba with scallion, king oyster mushroom, bok choy and lentil for dinner tonight. I don’t know where the “fragrant” smell that reminded me of dishwashing soap came from in the dish, but it probably was from the soba that MIL passed us… *I tossed and turned for more than two hours at night. Had been finding it hard to fall asleep these two days… maybe resuming my classes at Evolution Fitness studio will be helpful because that means less screen time for me.*

9/1/24 Tues: MCP had Division lunch at Poulet at Causeway Point. The prawn Alio Olio I had was not nice though.

Back to Aerial Yoga class after two or three months of break~ we did simple flow tonight and while doing those stretches, I did find myself a bit more inflexible than before LOL.

10/1/24 Weds: Joined in Yin Yoga and Sound Bath class and Wheel Yoga class. Was very happy with my split hehe. *It’s weird but since a few days ago, I suddenly don’t feel “weak” or that out-out-breath anymore. It’s like going back to the days before I had the panic attach last May. Wonder if it was the doings of刮痧… will monitor.*

12/1/24 Fri: *Slept okay with my new ergonomic pillow, albeit the sides were a bit high I felt. Good thing it sort of stopped me from drooling because of the structure lol.* Went to Koh Dental to re-do my upper right molar’s amalgam filling that fell out. Dr Koh did “warn” me that because the pocket was there for about a month already before I did the refill and sealed it up, so there could be a chance that bacteria is trapped inside and can cause inflammation. If it happens, my tooth could ache and then I’d have to do root canal treament omg. *My upper right wisdom tooth grew halfway out too!*

Finished my last breast massage session with Sherlyn and the massage did not feel painful at all this time~ I think it’s the first time I felt this way out of six sessions I had… good.

Potato whipped up delicious Japanese curry rice for dinner~ shiok on a rainy day! *My right calf had been aching since this afternoon… the kind of ache after cramps. Hope the pain subsides soon.*

13/1/24 Sat: Got back my blood test result this morning and I heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing all were good, including keeping my LDL level in check these five months. It’s also the first time I’d see my ferritin and haemoglobin levels in the “acceptable range”… at least it proved the iron tablets worked for me and there shouldn’t be any bleeding elsewhere.

PotaTOHs went to Joan and Galvin’s for dinner and meet-up with the rest because the couple will be flying to Perth for two years after CNY for Galvin’s Masters programme. We would most likely be cat-sitting Coco for them for a year until Josh and Tiff’s place is done up by early 2025. *Hopefully Coco is obedient haha~*

14/1/24 Sun: Potato cooked my favourites for dinner hehe~ stir-fried Chinese spinach, tom yam chicken, king oyster shroom and enoki shroom in tom yam paste and carrot soup with egg and onion in pork broth!

15/1/24 Mon: Attended Pilates Reformer with Belinda at the new studio today but another student and I almost couldn’t find the studio because the signage weren’t even up yet haha. It was a smaller space at The Hilford and much colder too. Had some good stretches after some challenging reps.

Tried Greendot’s minced meat noodle for dinner and it was not bad. Potato liked his usual herbal soup noodle dish. *Got a little bit frustrated when the battery for TV remote died but Potato went downstairs to get new AAA batteries right away... very nice of my hubby to pamper the ginna wife haha! <3*