The biggest and saddest thing in our week was the funeral, in the UK, of the close relative we're mourning.

On Tuesday morning we bought yellow and purple flowers to match the spray the family had sent. And at the end of the afternoon, we watched the webcast from the crematorium. At least that made us feel we were part of it, there in spirit with the rest of the family. It all went off without a hitch, a fitting tribute to a much-loved person.

Otherwise, there is little to report.

We've been at home a lot, and our walks have not taken us far afield:





Today is Chap Goh Mei, the 15th and last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. It's primarily a Hokkien celebration, and revolves around lanterns and firecrackers. In Malaysia, though, there's an added ritual, in which unmarried women traditionally write their names and coordinates on mandarin oranges, and throw them into rivers or lakes in the hope that their potential soulmate will pick them out.

Of course, Spikes, in its usual grindingly tedious fashion, has put the kibosh on a lot of this, and the oranges will have to be thrown digitally this year...

But nothing can stop the moon, which was huge and lustrous this morning, or the temple, whose illuminations we've been enjoying over the festive period.