Stuck trying to redesign the site. It’s the same old problem as before, not quite knowing where to start. So here is a post I typed while back home in Malaysia.

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This is August, still a young and playful puppy. Heh, he’s a friendly little fellow, following one in and out of the house until he gets shooed and locked out. I’m still a little unfamiliar with his characteristics (every breed has their own behaviour).

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There is something nostalgic about sitting under a fan looking out into the road and hearing the pitter patter of rain droplets against a stark, white sky. It brings about a temporary respite from the heat, even making the stickiness from the humidity bearable. It reminds me of what it used to be like growing up in a tropical country.

I like the new house my mom has moved to. It doesn’t have all the automatic memories I’d get walking into the old place. It had its quirks, the placement of switches and all the old expectations. The new place is like a breath of fresh air, not as big as the old one, but seemingly better in every way. Everything is just one step apart, and I no longer need to traverse long distances to get from the kitchen to the living room to the pavement outside.

I miss the readily available herbs and plants/trees that my mom used to grow. It’s been reduced to potted plants but it’s still pleasing to the eye. Definitely less work to maintain. Heh, it is an ideal place to stay in, slightly cozy. The new place is much cooler than the old one, where I’ve stayed for 18 years before starting my studies in Melbourne. The first year coming back it felt strange to step into my home again, and subsequent trips back itvjust feels like you never left.

Heh, already replaced a few dead light bulbs for mom. Not quite familiar with the streets and how to get in and out of the area, but I will slowly remember everything. I feel like Melbourne is where I semi permanently belong now, having grown used to the lifestyle, the way things work, the availability of various food and fresh produce, my good cups of coffee… but everytime I come home I have fond memories, tasting dishes that I can only find in Malaysia that taste as they should. Time is unimportant while I’m here and I’d very much like to enjoy my experience for the next few days that I’m here.