Building Strength and Celebrating Dad’s 83rd Birthday

This morning, Mum and I attended our group strength training class for seniors after a 1.5-week hiatus. It has been 3.5 months since we started going to the gym, and I can definitely feel my strength & stamina improving tremendously.

Today, after an hour of non-stop workout, I didn’t feel tired at all. I guess consistency really does pay off. Attending our classes regularly and practising at home have helped us build strength and stamina over time.

During the class today, I saw several attendees in their 60s -70s panting and struggling to continue, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether I will one day be like that too when I am in my 60s, 70s and 80s. But I guess that if I keep up my momentum by attending strength training and Zumba classes, going for my daily brisk walks and lifting weights at home, I will hopefully stay stronger for longer.

I’ve come to realize that staying fit isn’t about doing one big thing. It’s about showing up, again and again, even on the days when you don’t feel like it. 💪

After our strength training class, Mum and I went to tapau lunch before heading home. Our original plan was to eat dinner outside later as it’s Dad’s 83rd birthday today. I was planning to treat him to a nice dinner at a restaurant in the mall.

But at around 1pm, my second daughter, who is in KL, messaged me to say that Grab Food was on the way to deliver lunch to us! 😄

The girls were treating their grandpa to his favourite Nasi Ganja from Jalan Yang Kalsom. Two Grab Food riders arrived — the first with our favourite desserts from Yam Meet, and a few minutes later, the Nasi Ganja arrived!

Since there was so much food and we had only just eaten lunch, we decided to save the Nasi Ganja for dinner. My birthday treat for Dad will have to be postponed to another day.

Although my daughters and I don’t live together now, they have always remembered us with little goodies and treats on our birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. ❤️

Distance may separate us, but love always finds its way home — sometimes in the form of Nasi Ganja and dessert. Happy 83rd birthday, Dad. You are very loved. ❤️🎂

The video can be viewed on my Facebook page.

Our early celebration with dad last week when my younger brother came back to Ipoh.

She Stepped Onto the Ice and Made Mum Proud

Today, I took a 7am private taxi from Ipoh to Sunway Pyramid to watch my youngest compete in Skate Asia. ❤️⛸️

About an hour before her event, I started getting nervous and really kan cheong. I think I was more nervous than she was! 😂 I actually dared not watch her skate because I was so afraid she might flip and fall. Many of the contestants fell, and some even cried. My heart really ached for them. They may have practised and performed their routines beautifully during training, but once they step onto the ice for competition, nervousness can get the better of them and cause mistakes and falls.

Thank God Cass did pretty well. I was literally shaking while videoing her from the 3rd floor above the skating rink! 😂

The moment her event ended, I rushed down to the rink to congratulate her. At that point, it really didn't matter to me whether she won a medal or not. To me, being able to stay calm, not fall and execute your routine smoothly is already a huge achievement.

Then she showed me her gold medal, and we hugged. 🥹❤️

Suddenly, her skates that cost as much as a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, the costume that cost as much as a Melinda Looi gown, and all the competition and training fees over the past 3 years that could have paid for a brand new car… were all worth it. 😂

And what makes me even prouder is that Cass paid for most of these herself — through her part-time job as a figure skating coach and her own savings. She worked for it, saved for it and invested in something she loves.

I am SO proud of you, Cass. ❤️

You have proved your critics wrong. Despite having so many odds stacked against you, you persevered, stepped onto that ice and did it.

Well done, my girl. You are already my champion, but today, you brought home the gold too. 🥇❤️

Super proud of you!! ⛸️🥹❤️

You can watch the video of her performance on my Facebook page.

Dandelion & Flower Tea

Today's TOTD — dandelion roots, red dates, chamomile, chrysanthemum and jasmine flowers, with the  jasmine picked fresh from our garden. 🌼🌿

A few of the ingredients also come with their own little wellness perks:

🌱 Dandelion root — traditionally used to support digestion and liver health, and as a gentle source of antioxidants.

🌼 Chamomile — known for its calming properties and often enjoyed to help with relaxation.

🌼 Chrysanthemum — traditionally enjoyed as a refreshing, soothing herbal tea and contains antioxidants.

It's such a soothing and aromatic tea, with strong notes of chamomile and chrysanthemum. I absolutely love it! ❤️

I'm feeling like a tea connoisseur now, brewing a different combination every day. 😂🍵

I Ran Over My Parcel

 I ordered a sofa-cum-storage box from Lazada last week, and yesterday the parcel finally arrived.

The delivery guy apparently just dumped the parcel on the floor of our porch. I wasn’t home at the time because I was out with my parents. After picking my mum up from the physiotherapy centre, we went for lunch and then came home.

And this is where things went horribly wrong. 😭

The box was almost the exact same colour as the floor of our porch, so I didn’t see it at all.  And the parcel was quite flat - the storage box is collapsible. I drove our SUV straight over the parcel! 😱

There was a huge bump and a horrible sound, which gave all of us a shock — especially my dad. I immediately looked into the rear-view mirror and saw the parcel.

My heart just shattered. 💔

I quickly opened the parcel to see how badly it was damaged. Thankfully, most of it was still okay, but the cover of the storage box was partially broken. I used some plastic adhesive tape (same color as the storage box) to straighten the sides and put it back together, but it still looks a little crooked now. 😭

And I’m especially sad because I really love this storage box! It’s bright red, so it looks cheerful and pretty, and it can hold so many things. I use it to store all the blankets for guests. Best of all, it looks like a mini couch, complete with cute buttons. 

Now I’ll have to order another one because I really don’t think I can live with that crooked cover. 😂

But honestly… I’m still blaming the delivery guy for dumping the parcel right on the floor! If he had placed it somewhere more visible, I probably wouldn’t have driven over it. I also blame myself for being blind  😅

I bought the sofa storage box here > https://s.lazada.com.my/s.ZdcYwf?c=q&t=p-iGHhJuc-s2G269a1

Can you see the dent and damage from the picture?

A Whole Lot of Pandan Leaves

Our neighbour has an entire garden filled with pandan plants, growing right on the ground. The pandan leaves are almost like wild weeds — so green, thick and incredibly luscious! 

So whenever Dad needs pandan leaves for baking or cooking and our garden doesn't have enough, he often asks our neighbour for some. A few days ago, our neighbour generously gave him a whole bunch of pandan leaves.

Dad then spent practically the entire afternoon in the kitchen washing, chopping, blending and squeezing the leaves to extract the pandan juice. To do this the old-fashioned way, he blends the pandan leaves with some water, then pours the mixture into a muslin cloth and squeezes out every drop of juice. Talk about labour intensive! 😂

He then stores the pandan juice in the fridge overnight. By the next day, the water and the concentrated pandan essence separate naturally. Dad pours the pandan water into another container to use for cooking, while the concentrated pandan essence goes into the freezer. That precious green essence will eventually be used for baking cakes and making pandan kaya. 💚

Dad is 83 years old, and this is the only method he knows. But I have to admit, there is something rather satisfying about doing it the traditional way. No fancy gadgets, just pandan leaves, water, a blender, a muslin cloth and plenty of elbow grease! 😆

I also kept some of the pandan leaves to make pandan tea. Sometimes I brew them on their own, and sometimes I mix them with flowers, green tea or black tea. The aroma is absolutely wonderful, and the tea tastes terrific! 🍵🌿

And we don't waste the pandan pulp either. After Dad has squeezed out all the juice, we put the leftover pandan pulp into containers and place them in our cars and bathroom. They make everything smell so fresh and naturally fragrant. Apparently, pandan is also said to help repel cockroaches, so that's another little bonus! 😂

From one big bunch of pandan leaves, we get pandan juice, pandan essence, tea, natural air freshener — and hopefully fewer cockroaches. Now that's making good use of a gardenful of pandan! 🌿💚

Pandan leaves + rose tea for mum; pandan leaves + rose + jasmine + blue pea flower tea for me.

My pandan rose jasmine blue pea flower tea. So aromatic.

Freshly extracted pandan juice before separating the water from the essence.

Pandan pulp as air freshener for our bathrooms and cars

Big bunch of pandan leaves from our neighbor.

Too Old for Late Nights, Never Too Old for Zumba!

As I’ve entered my 50s, I find that I don’t really enjoy going out at night anymore. I’ve come to prefer a “boring” life that revolves around daytime activities. 😂

I’m usually in bed by 10.30pm, whether I can actually fall asleep or not. Sleep has been elusive for me for the past two years, no thanks to perimenopause. And I’m usually up by 5 or 5.30am, thanks to my fur kid. 🐱

So when it’s time to attend Zumba class with Mum at 6.30pm, I sometimes feel so lazy to dress up, get in the car and drive to the gym. Honestly, I’d rather be forest bathing in my neighbourhood. 🌳😂

But after every Zumba class, I always tell myself: No regrets! I enjoy every single session 101%! ❤️

One whole hour of non-stop, no-break fitness Zumba feels like someone has put an oxygen mask over my face. 😂 Every part of my body gets moved, stretched and worked. I leave the class feeling so much more alive.

The coach’s moves are super-duper fast, sometimes complicated and definitely high intensity. There are moments when I’m thinking, “Wait… what are we doing now?!” 🤣 But somehow, I just keep moving and trying my best to follow.

So, will I continue going to evening Zumba?

A resounding YES! 😆💪

Sometimes, getting myself out the door is the hardest part. Once I’m there, I’m always glad I went. 

You can watch the video on YouTube or Facebook 😊

Have you tried Dutch Lady x Tealive’s new packet milk?

The other day, I spotted two new products in the chiller at 99 Speedmart — Dutch Lady x Tealive Signature Matcha and Dutch Lady x Tealive Signature Milk Tea.

I picked up the Matcha flavour to try. It’s RM2.60 for a 250ml pack with a cap.

My verdict? The matcha notes are nicely balanced with the milk, but it’s a little too sweet for my palate. 😅 Since I hardly ever drink packet or canned drinks or flavoured milk, I guess I’m just more sensitive to the sweetness.

I found a way to enjoy it, though — I added it to my plain yoghurt, and the tartness of the yoghurt helped balance out the sweetness. It actually worked pretty well! 😂

Next, I’m going to try the Signature Milk Tea. Let’s see if that one suits my taste buds better.

Have you tried either of these two new Dutch Lady x Tealive packet milk? What did you think?

16 August 2026 - Dinner

Today, Dad surprised us by announcing that he wasn't cooking dinner. Instead, we were going out to eat! 😄 Mum and I couldn't have been happier because we really don't want him cooking every single day. At 83, it's tiring to be preparing meals almost daily, and he deserves a well-earned break too. And this means no post-dinner cleaning up for me, yay!

So off we went to Dad's favourite tai chow restaurant, Sam Poh in Tambun. Even though there were only three of us—and we're all incredibly small eaters—Dad still ordered three dishes: stir-fried garoupa fish slices with ginger and scallions, salted egg yolk baby French beans, and claypot tofu. Everything was delicious, but there was no way we could finish it all, so we packed the leftovers home for tomorrow. 😋

Speaking of food, my youngest daughter told me today that UM has been providing free lunches to Foundation students since the start of her programme last month, and it will continue until September. It's nothing fancy—just a rice box with rice, cucumber slices, and a packet of curry, which I think contains chicken. Interestingly, no cutlery is provided, so everyone gets to enjoy their meal the beloved Malaysian way... with their hands! 😂.  Sorry no photo of her lunch box because this girl forbids me from posting her photos.

53 & 80 - Fun Things We Do Together

Another group strength training class at the gym for Mum and me today! 💪😊

I'm the youngest in the class because it's specially designed for seniors aged 60 and above. Luckily, I'm allowed to join whenever there's an available slot. Every class at the gym—morning or evening—is always packed to the brim.  Today's class was so packed that I was right at the back, in front of the door.

It's so heartening to see people of all ages making fitness a priority and putting in the effort to stay healthy and strong. Age really is just a number when it comes to looking after ourselves.

After our workout, we headed to our favourite kopitiam for a well-earned brunch. Mum ordered Lam Mee, while I had a keto version by replacing the noodles with crunchy bean sprouts. Today I ordered something sinful: caramel egg custard, an Ipoh kopitiam culture and a dessert that's not widely sold anywhere else except in Ipoh. So yummy, smooth and sweet.  I will compensate with a 40-minute brisk walk later.  I also tapau some roast chicken breast for lunch later to make sure I get enough protein for the day.

Strength training creates tiny tears in our muscles, and that's how they grow stronger—but only if we give them the nutrients they need. That's why I always try to have a protein-rich meal after every workout to help repair and build muscle. Here's to getting stronger, one workout at a time! 💪❤️

You can watch the short reel on my Facebook page 💖

Stories, Laughter and Homemade Yogurt

One of the things Mum and I do every day now is share stories with each other.

Mum tells me stories about her younger days, while I share with her about my life back in KL over the past 35 years. Through these conversations, I am discovering a side of Mum that I never fully knew before.

Apparently, Mum was quite a “hottie” in her younger days 😂 She was beautiful, intelligent, kind-hearted, and very well-liked by her teachers and friends. Many men admired her too — her admirers included a prominent doctor, an engineer, and today I found out that she even had an Olympic swimmer from the 1960s pursuing her and this man recently looked for her on FB and added her as friend 😄

These storytelling sessions have now become our favourite pastime after lunch and dinner. While we wash dishes and clean up the kitchen, we chat, laugh and exchange memories.

Mum told me that before I moved back to Ipoh, she hardly talked because Dad is a quiet man who doesn’t say much. She talked so little that whenever she did talk, she would sometimes cough non-stop. Now, she can talk and talk and talk… and she doesn’t cough anymore 😂

I guess laughter, companionship and having someone to share life with can be so healing.

And speaking of Mum’s love… here’s her homemade yogurt that she makes specially for me in the pressure cooker. ❤️

It is honestly the most delicious yogurt ever — made with fresh milk, a starter from my existing store-bought yogurt, coconut cream, and pure pandan juice from the pandan leaves in our garden.

No added sugar, full of natural goodness, with the lovely fragrance of pandan and creamy coconut.

Ingredients for santan pandan yogurt.

Kept in the pressure cooker in yogurt mode for 6 - 8 hours in low heat.

Santan Pandan Yogurt in the foreground for me and soy milk yogurt in the background for mum who's lactose intolerant.

One of the Best Kitchen Investments I've Made

My Tea Of The Day is a beautiful blend of chrysanthemum buds, osmanthus flowers, blue pea flowers from our garden, red dates, and goji berries, all gently simmered in my new glass kettle.

Dried flowers, herbs, red dates, and goji berries taste so much better when they're briefly boiled rather than simply steeped in hot water. Simmering brings out more of their natural sweetness, aroma, colour, and flavour, making every cup much more satisfying.

I love this kettle. Once the tea is ready, I just press the Keep Warm function, and it keeps my tea at a perfect 40°C, so I can enjoy warm tea throughout the day without having to reheat it. There are 20 functions in dual language (English & Chinese) to choose from on the panel.

As someone who drinks tea every single day, this has easily become one of the best kitchen investments I've made.

If you're a fellow tea lover, I highly recommend it. I bought mine from this Shopee seller 👉https://s.shopee.com.my/Lm8mEnU9G

Breakfast and TOTD

My breakfast today is mum’s microwaved low-carb cake, 2 half-boiled eggs, half an avocado, a handful of walnuts, groundnuts and almonds, plus some pressure-cooked chickpeas. It’s a wholesome low-carb, high-protein and high-fiber meal that keeps me full without snacking in between meals 💪

Mum’s low-carb mug cakes are my favorite. She makes it with coconut or almond flour, extra virgin coconut oil, a little honey, sugar-free cacao powder, milk, a pinch of salt and baking powder. Simple ingredients, but super yummeh! 😋

My Tea of the Day (TOTD) is a liver-loving tea with dandelion roots, jasmine buds, rose buds and red dates — a fragrant and comforting herbal blend to enjoy with my breakfast. 🌸🍵

Back in KL, Saturdays and Sundays were usually our eat-out days with the girls and their dad. Here in Ipoh, life is much simpler and slower-paced. We mostly enjoy home-cooked meals and only head out to restaurants or cafes when my brothers or daughters come back to visit, or when relatives and friends drop by. ❤️

Different seasons of life bring different kinds of joy. Sometimes, happiness is found not in fancy meals outside, but in a simple breakfast prepared with love at home. 😊

My 25-Year Journey with PCOS, Insulin Resistance & Hope

I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) in 2001 when I was 28 years old.

What prompted me to see a gynaecologist was how suddenly everything changed. My weight shot up from 42kg to 47kg in just one month, I started getting acne on my chin, and my periods came only a few times a year. I just knew something wasn't right.

After an ultrasound scan, my gynaecologist diagnosed me with PCOS. It came as a real shock.

Looking back, I suspect years of work stress and unhealthy late-night meals may have played a part. At that time, I was working as a PA to a prominent Dato', and my job was incredibly stressful.

Being the health geek that I am 😄, I spent countless hours reading and researching everything I could about PCOS. Instead of relying solely on medication, I decided to make major lifestyle changes. I adopted a very low-carb diet and exercised consistently every single day, come rain or shine.

One important thing I learned is that PCOS is commonly associated with insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

True enough, despite eating very little sugary food, exercising regularly and following a low-carb diet for years, my HbA1c was still 6.0 when I had my blood test in February 2026.

Since moving back to Ipoh, I've cleaned up my diet even more. I've eliminated about 95% of junk food, including chips, ice creams, biscuits and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The remaining 5%? Well... life is too short to completely give up the occasional slice of cake, ais kacang, or my favourite kuih! 😊

I also believe that my chronic insomnia, brought on by perimenopause, is one of the biggest reasons why my HbA1c has remained stubbornly at 6.0. Unfortunately, even taking magnesium bisglycinate twice a day hasn't made much difference to my sleep.

This year, I've added several new habits to help improve my insulin sensitivity:

1. Strength training
2. Zumba
3. Daily brisk walking
4. Taking apple cider vinegar + lemon juice after meals
5. Eating protein and fibre before carbohydrates
6. Continuing my habit of not sitting down immediately after meals (OCD me mop the floor and clean the kitchen after every meal)
7. Cutting back even further on carbohydrates, including bread and oats

My next blood test is in September, and I'm really curious to see whether all these lifestyle changes have made a difference.

I'm hopeful that my HbA1c will improve, but at the same time, I'm trying to stay realistic because quality sleep continues to be the one piece of the puzzle that I haven't been able to fix.

Until then, I'll keep doing what I can—eating low-carb meals, practising intermittent fasting whenever possible, staying active, and hoping that one day, I'll finally enjoy a full night's sleep.

As for strength training and my daily brisk walks... I know they'll remain my faithful companions for the rest of my life. 💪❤️ 

Nuts, seeds and legumes are my only snacks now. No more chips, ice-creams and biscuits. 

Nourished by Love

Yesterday, Mum and I had our Zumba class at 6.30pm, which meant we had to eat an early dinner. Dad, being the super caring dad that he is, cooked a big pot of porridge for us so we could eat it for both lunch and dinner.

His porridge is always incredibly delicious and packed with goodness. It had just about everything in it—roast pork, chicken fillet, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, corn kernels, fish balls and dried oysters—making it a wholesome one-pot meal. To make sure we had enough protein before our workout, he also steamed some fresh garoupa fillet.

In the morning, Mum harvested fresh Thai basil leaves and blue pea flowers from our garden and made another batch of homemade pesto. She blended the basil with roasted cashews, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Himalayan pink salt and fresh lime juice. One batch was frozen in silicone ice cube trays for future meals, while another container went into the fridge for me to enjoy with my eggs in the morning. ❤️  

Our delish one-pot loaded meal.

Thai basil and blue pea flowers harvested from our garden. There's surely something for us to harvest every morning - lady's fingers, jasmine flowers, moringa, figs, lemon grass, water spinach, Malabar spinach, or chilies.

Homemade pesto using Thai basil, garlic, EVOO, lime juice, Himalayan sea salt and roasted cashews.