Getting the old one off was fairly easy, despite the lack of space behind the loo. Here is the offending item

For a few heart stopping moments (S.O would have teased me mercilessly) I thought I'd got the wrong bit, but no - this is identical (ha). So, it's just a matter of "popping off" the old one and "slipping on" the new....

Good to the last drop! Could have been a smidge more spicy, but pretty good. A bargain at the price.

Securing a replacement valve was pretty easy and the part was available at a little hardware place on West Coast Rd (but at S$14.90 seems a victim of inflation).

Having made the transaction I was about the head back to the Schloss when I came across a small hawker centre and a stall that sold laksa. If you've never had the spicy seafood noodle soup flavoured with coconut milk, you're missing a treat. A S$2.50 investment in a spot of lunch, would set me up for the day. Here it is in all it's glory. Not a huge portion, but enough to keep me going until dinner.

It doesn't seem so long ago that I fixed this loo, but the cistern valve has given up the ghost again. I blame all the muck stirred up in the mains water caused by the various construction projects up and down our road. No matter the cause, the thing needs fixing and rather than mess around, I'll swap out the whole thing.

The shop that I opined about (I think I opined - I may have waxed lyrical, but can't recall) a couple of years ago has gone. The collection of shops in the mini mall has gone as Ginza Plaza was redeveloped into West Coast Paza (opening soon). No worries I know a couple of other places just up the road

Here's another picture of the Axioo (note the BBC iPlayer on screen - I'm listening to the Goons while tapping out this missive).

The PC works really well as our second system and lives in the .. er .. living room. There are a couple of gripes - the sound quality of the inbuilt speakers is poor and the 3 cell battery that comes as standard delivers only around 2 hours uptime, but on the whole, it was well worth laying out the "moolah".

I knew there was something I forgot to mention - "we" bought a new PC a couple of months ago. It's OzDJ's fault - when he gave in to temptation and bought his HP netbook. I'd been eyeing up a couple of candidates myself and was leaning towards the MSI Wind. It's an Atom powered jobby with 10" display. It sells for around S$800 for a system with 1Gb RAM, 80Gb HDD, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth etc..

Then I discovered that a local, Singaporean, company called AXIOO sold an OEM version. When I found a vendor (in Sim Lim), my interest was piqued. They sold a system with 160Gb HDD, 1Gb RAM etc. for only S$730.

There were little or no negotiations required with S.O - she sanctioned purchase at the first request (more of a beg - really).

The flu must've done something to my frail old immune system because about 2 weeks ago I started with "a slighty uncomfortable" earache. Sadly it didn't disappear so yesterday I went back to the doc who, after our standard exchange (which resulted in him almost wetting himself - we only did it 3 months ago, surely he knew the punchline..) prescribed more antibiotics. Zinnat this time (Augmentin last) - it's a cephalosporin y'know.. Zinnat. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing? 20 years ago I would have just taken the pharmaceutical and be done with it; but now I scuttle home, log on and find out exactly what cefuroxime (or 4-(carboxyloxymethyl)-8-[2-(2-furyl)-2-methoxyimino-acetyl]amino-7-oxo-2-thia-6azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-4-ene-5-carboxylic acid to the cognicenti) is and (more importantly) what are the anticipated side affects.

Okay, okay, okay I know that the phlog hasn't been updated recently but ther've been gazillions of things to do. I went to Perth (the Australian one) straight after coming back from Korea and imported a vicious Antipodean flu virus that laid me low for a week. Since then, we had year end and yet another reorganisation which leaves my job in a precarious position. All in all we live in turbulent times.

To cap it all, the apartment block is being painted (a legal requirement every 6 years here in Singapore. I don't mind the painters gossiping loudly (it drowns out the afternoon piano practise that one of our neighbours diligently follows EVERY afternoon); no, it's the sound of the cradles they use. The blessed things are hoisted and lowered using electric motors (here's a thought.... Where are they plugged in??) and there is a LOUD clatter whenever they change position. It must be some kind of "meaty" braking system, that is released (or engaged) and it "CLACKS" randomly. Arghhh! They won't be finished until mid December - oh joy.

Burp..

Oh yes, that was AMAZING! See what an excellent job I've done in dismantling the chicken. It's a pretty neat feat using Korean chopsticks that are metal, long and flattened. It's a bit like eating with deformed knitting needles, but, as you can see, I managed.

Now for a little nap....