The Old Days: Looking back .... and anticipating the future!

Block 557

Early morning veiw from loading/unloading zone

(while waiting for the children)

My family has been staying in the above executive apartment since 1994. Our unit was quite spartan, as my wife and I were quite cash strapped at that time. We did very basic renovation - installing lights, electricity, heater in the master bedroom, added cabinets and water basins in the kitchen, getting basic furniture sets for the hall and beds for our rooms, and a tiny window unit air condition unit in master bedroom.

We rented our unit from 1997-2000 when we were away in United States for my further studies. The house was in a mess when we returned. We have to do some minor renovation (added more buildin cabinets and wardrobe for our daughter's room, bookshelves and desk for our study room, repainted the whole house) a few months after we returned to Singapore. It was only about 1-2 years later that we finally changed our worn-out sofa.

Our dwelling place is about 20-30 minutes' drive or over 1 hour;s ride by MRT to city centre (where I worked). During peak hours, it is not uncommon for the drive to take up to 40-50 minutes. And don't be misled by the word "executive", our apartment does not have any swimming pool or gyms facilities. My wife used to walk my 3 children to public swimming pool nearby (probably took about 20 minutes) for swimming lesson. There is a exercise park nearby (just 1-2 minutes walk away), which I only started to appreciate and utilize only just 1-2years ago.

Looking back, life was rather hurried - I was preoccupied with works, fetching kids to school, and endless upgrading of my working skills. There was not much time for leisures. My favourite past time - watching movies - had come to a near complete halt. I am a rather private person, hardly spend leisure time out of works/family circle.

Things started to get better with time. I moved from safe enclave of public hospital and ventured into private practice in 2004. It was tough in the first few years, having to do night calls and seeing emergency cases in the middle of night/wee hours of the morning. Even my young children were apprehensive of ringing of my handphone! By 2008, the company I worked with was taken over by a new management. The work flow/coverage was revamped, where we only covered for our own patients at night (instead of the entire group). I have better work-life and monetary returns from then onwards.

I was the last person to learn swimming - only managed to take up swimming lessons a few years back. Tried Tai-Chi for a few months, but finally gave up over one year ago. It was not that Tai-Chi was boring, but I had found it hard to catch up after missing a few lessons consecutively (for holiday, conference etc). Then, it dawned on me that I had put on excessive weight over the past 2 years. To counter the onslaught of obesity, I started doing some brisk walking together with my wife - in the park or park connector near to our executive flat, or in Mac Ritchie nature trails.

We bought a 4 bedroom unit in a condominium at Dakota Crescent over 2 years ago. We rented out the place initially, and finally decided to move in just 2 months ago (end of July 2013). My wife and I decided that it is probably time to pamper ourselves with some degree of luxurious lifestyles. After the usual hassles and headaches of renovation (adding built in wall cabinets, TV console, study table etc), we finally moved in officially 21 July, with the help of moving company. I must say the moving company was quite professional in carrying out its jobs.

And how is life in our new place? It is simply superb:

- my wife and I have been swimming almost daily in the lap pool, and sometimes indulging ourselves with jacuzzi / steam bath

- it takes a mere 15 minutes or so to drive to my work place, and to my boys' school

- hawker centre is just a block away; though the food can be quite pricey at times

Of course, we missed the companionship of our neighbours, who have helped in watering our plants (when we are away), decorating our door / corridor during festive seasons (Chinese New Year/ Moon cake celebration), and leaving a bench in the corridor in front of our unit (for us to sit/rest), and attending to my family members in time of emergency. We also missed the convenience of shopping for groceries, stationery etc at the Yew Tee shopping centre.

Well, as people always say, "you win some, you lose some"; we can never have them all!

Packing all our belongings

Getting ready for the move *by mover company* @ 21 July 2013