A gorgeous bouquet delivered on a rainy day
After some 20-odd days (I’ve honestly lost count already) of this Circuit Breaker, I’m starting to enjoy this new normal. Just in Punggol alone, there are fewer cars on the roads, no speeding trucks heading to and from construction sites, the air even seems fresher as there’s rain almost every single day (sometimes even 2 or 3 times a day). And while our incomes have definitely taken a hit, expenditure has gone down as well. Once bubble tea stores were told to close, I’ve not had a single cup. For some strange reason, the bubble tea chains are all paired up with food stores I don’t usually buy from so I can’t bring myself to order from them just so I can get my bubble tea fix. GRAIN, for instance, even has something called a ‘bubble tea surcharge’ if you decide to just order KOI (under 4 cups) and not get any food from GRAIN:
Thanks for helping me save money 
1) A Legitimate Excuse To Be A Homebody
When it’s not raining, the weather is so very hot. There’s nothing I want more than to stay home where I have an unlimited supply of iced water. In the past, I’d be called “lazy” if I turn down invitations to meet up with my pals outside. Now, I’m being the model citizen.
2) No Real Lockdown
Initially I couldn’t understand the G’s rationale for not having a proper lockdown (like what China, and even Malaysia, had implemented). Now it appears that the Circuit Breaker measures are working and community transmission numbers seem to be decreasing. While the total number of cases may exceed 20,000 in the coming weeks, largely because of the cases in the FW dorms, in the rest of Singapore, we are beginning to see the result of making mask-wearing mandatory, WFH, closure of schools and non-essential businesses, and all the safe-distancing measures.
I’m glad I can head out when I really need to and many food stalls still remain open so I can get my nasi padang, bak kut teh, MOS Burger, etc.
3) Time To Experiment
Actually there’s just so much time! If you want to write a book, go jogging every morning, or play video games till the wee hours of the morning, now you can! For me, this has been an intense time of cooking… almost daily.
And because I can no longer head out to get a cup of KOI bubble tea as and when I’d like, I’ve started making my own. I love KOI’s Yakult Green Tea and have managed to get the taste right with Pokka’s Honey Jasmine Green Tea plus Yakult Ace light. See? The color’s even similar:
Attempting to recreate KOI’s Yakult Green Tea at home
That was yesterday’s version. I got the taste down pat. However, I’m missing the golden bubbles. For today’s attempt, I cut up a slab of ai yu jelly I got from the supermarket and included it in my drink. Alas! It ruins the taste. Now I’ve got the texture (somewhat) but not the right flavor. I’ll probably make some konnyaku jelly next and not add any flavoring then cut it up and include it in version 3.0 – so wish me luck!
4) Really Awesome Streaming Sites
This Circuit Breaker has allowed me to catch up on all my favorite Korean dramas and more. If you enjoyed ‘SKY Castle’ and loved watching the tutor ‘Kim Joo-Young’ played by veteran actress Kim Seo-hyung, you’ll enjoy ‘Nobody Knows’ in which she plays a detective who tries to find the murderer who killed her best friend when she was still a schoolgirl. You’ll even notice two actors who acted in ‘Descendants of the Sun’ and one from ‘Hotel del Luna’. 
My fav site is VIU – http://www.viu.com – where most of the Kdramas we love are available for free.
5) There Are Still ‘Essential’ Deliveries
Last week, I got to review some delicious crabs from 8 Crabs. And FARM Florist also sent over a surprise bouquet. Such a glorious burst of color. And there were even some plants I’d never seen before:
Thank you, FARM florist! 
And to all who are reading this, go ahead and use the FARM florist promo code ‘LOVE10’ for 10% off. Their website’s over at www.FARMFlorist.com.
If you’re thinking of getting flowers for your mother for Mother’s Day, aren’t you glad that florists are actually still operating for deliveries?
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Another month to go before the Circuit Breaker ends. We’ve got this, folks! Jiayou!