How To Assemble a Billard Table

TMS Sports club decided to get a billiard table for the office to let everyone chill out after work. It was an exciting day for all. The club was planning to rent the table, but after some quick calculation, it made sense to actually buy a second-hand table... LOL.

So, I help them to negotiate with Mark of Billards Direct and he allowed payment by installments. That week itself, they came and installed in our office. See the following photos :)


The legs were installed to the base of the billiard table first. It had to be brought into our office in several large pieces.


After installing the legs, the table was placed upright in the allocated space ensuring enough space to cue the balls.


The interior mechanism of the billiard table, seldom view by all, collecting the pocketed balls and directing them to the proper tray to be reloaded again.


Another view of the billiard table's interior.


The mechanism were aligned to ensure that no pocketed balls would get stuck.


Damien looking on as the table was being adjusted.


View of the billiard balls and the coin-slot.


The heavy slate playing area was aligned and laid on top of the table.


The final piece of the pool table, lining and side cushion, being brought over to the table.


Took 4 person to carry and position the cushion on the table.


The cushion top being align to the billiard table.


The cushion lining's hinge were screwed in place.


The covers of the cushion lining were removed and the top was fastened with screws to secure the top to the table.


Finally, the covers were placed back on the cushion lining and ready for play... :-)

Fresh and Strange Longan Fruits

What? Never tried the longan fruits before? You dunno what you have been missing! The longan fruits are sweet and absolutely delicious! It is one of my favourite fruits. But the thing is... I have never seen a longan tree before.... :-) In fact I have been walking pass a longan tree day in and day out and I did not realised that it was a longan tree!

Yesterday, I was handed a bunch of longan fruits and I did not even realised what it was... LOL. The fruit's skin was green and the skin was hard and felt thick. The longans that I am used to seeing are brown in colour and the skin soft and easy to peel to get to the fruit inside.


Photo of a bunch of longan fruits I am used to seeing in the fruit market stalls (linked from Wikipedia).


The fresh longan fruits, which I did not even realised was longan.


The longan tree was very tall and the fruits was hard to reach.


A branch of longan fruits.


I packed some to let my colleagues try.

When I had finally gotten to taste the longan, it was not what I had expected. The skin of the fruit was thick and tough to peel. The meat of the fruit was fleshy, but lack the sweetness and juiciness usually associated with the longan fruit.

In any case, it was an experience to remember. Maybe the fruit had not yet ripen, hence the green skins... LOL. Maybe next year when longan is in season again, I will wait till the fruits is properly ripen :)

Motorbike Ride in the Wasteland of Batu Gajah

Two weekends ago, I took the family back to Batu Gajah for "Qingming" or "Ching Ming" Festival. My wife's family members were gathering for Qingming. Qingming is essentially the honoring of ancestors or ancestors memorial day, where family members gathered together to visit, sweep and clean the tomb and grave sites.

During the visit to the grand parents' kampung (a small village), I took the opportunity to take the kids motorbike riding around the old tin mining "wasteland", which practically surrounded the whole kampung.


The "wasteland" of Batu Gajah. Made me feel like I am playing my Fallout 3 game... LOL.


Another pix of the "wasteland" that only scant of vegetation can survive.


The boys (Jordan and Joel) happy as can be to be able to ride on a motorbike... Hahah.










The kids had a grand time. They wanted more but unfortunately, it started raining and we had to head back. When we reached the grand parents' house, we managed to catch an ice cream seller on motorbike. Needless to say, they two boys were screaming for ice creams.


After the ride, back at the grand parents' house, Jordan and Joel had a popcicle each as a reward for behaving.

In the end, it was ice-cream for everyone.... including the grand parents... LOL.