Maple glazed salmon, garlic mashed potatoes & sautéed asparagus

That's what I cooked for supper last night.  Hard to imagine, but I'm cooking quite regularly these days.  I pretty much stopped cooking for several years.  Didn't have time for it and rarely had enough food in the house for it.  Those that met me in recent years cannot believe that I cooked gourmet meals and baked exquisite desserts years ago.  It seems moving to Singapore has brought some stabilization to my life and, yes, I'm cooking!

Now that jet lag has subsided - it took a week to get back to normal sleeping! - I've also started running or walking in the early mornings.  Mornings are quite lovely here.  The air is cool this time of year... sometimes there's a slight breeze.  It's only around 28 degrees or so.  And people are out and about... young professionals on their way to work, aunties and uncles out for their walk or meeting friends for Kopi, grandpas and grandmas walking with babies in their arms, young mothers playing with their children by the pool, people running and biking, women buying vegetables and fruit in the markets, groups meditating... and groups flowing through their tai chi routines.  I have come to like my morning exercise.  I feel a part of the city's life. 

One morning I got caught in a torrential rain storm.  Within minutes I looked like I jumped into the pool with my clothes on... water dripping into my eyes from my hair.  As I made my way home, I crossed the community square... and there was a guy hosing down the concrete tiles... in the torrential rain.  I'm really not sure why.  He was a foreign worker, and some think it could be because his boss wouldn't let him do otherwise.  At least it's warm rain.

One of the highlights of living in Singapore is access to shows and events that we wouldn't have access to at home.  We went to the Rocky Horror Show last Friday night.  My daughter and I were 'virgins' (Terry was not but he saw the movie - phhtt!), but there were people in the audience who knew what to do.  Some were dressed up as the characters in the show... or just wearing wacky costumes.  Some knew when to shout what and we caught on pretty quickly.  And there was the dance... that was pretty easy to follow too.  We weren't allowed to throw rice or water, but someone in the audience threw toilet paper...at the right time.  It was great fun and all three of us were dancing and singing at the end having a blast.  Then... the most amazing thing happened.... the show received a standing ovation!!!!!!!!!!!  This does NOT happen in Singapore.  We've been to some outstanding shows... and no standing ovation.  Terry said it's only the second time he's witnessed a standing ovation in Singapore.

Later in the weekend Terry and I had our 'date day' and went to the Botanical Gardens.  If you're ever visiting Singapore, I highly recommend it.  We strolled around for three hours and it was beautiful and peaceful and zen-like.  It's a happy place.

So things are cooking here on the other side of the world.  I almost have my weekly (daytime) activities finalized.  Although the art course I was going to do is S$900!  For eight classes.  I kid you not.  Needless to say, I kyboshed that.  Maybe I'll end up in a tai chi class with all the aunties and uncles instead.