~{nilheadimage~=142025~}
Just two days ago, I wrote a pretty miserable ~{purplepost~=1262~;text~=review of the month~;target~=june~}. It was all true. June sucked.

But as another week rolls by (it's now Day 35 of the MCO), I also feel the need to acknowledge the good stuff.

So here's a list of good things. Also all true.

1. We received our second vaccination appointments this morning. They've been brought forward by three weeks, so we're due in on 9 August. The reason for the advance, of course, is the general ~{link~= https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national/malaysia-s-latest-covid-19-r0-climbs-to-1-05-health-dg-expects-new-infections-to-rise-if-non-compliance-continues/ar-AALBSUq?ocid=msedgntp ~;text~=surge~;target~=surge~} in covid numbers Malaysia has experienced over the past couple of days. Anyway, the fact that we have a date presumably means they have a supply, so that's good.

2. We have a longer neighbourhood walking circuit (which involves heading out just after 5 am, and includes picking up second breakfast on the way back); and we have a slightly shorter neighbourhood circuit that can be combined with shopping when necessary. Both have birds aplenty; the shorter one has cats. Here are some of my favourite things from the short one:

~{nilimage~=142030~;dir~=H~;alt~=temple~;caption~=I like this tiny, tree-based temple. It's busier than usual at the moment, presumably because people are staying closer to home to worship. The smell of incense as we go past is always uplifting~}
~{nilimage~=142033~;dir~=H~;alt~=cat~;caption~=Poor photo, because it's just from my phone, but we love this guy. He's always on his roof of a morning, and we look forward to seeing him~}
~{nilimage~=142032~;dir~=H~;alt~=house~;caption~=Another of the neighbourhood's fine houses~}
3. On Saturday we tried a new local route, which actually took us past a market and a theatre/cinema we didn't know about. The market looked too busy for comfort, and the entertainment venue is closed, of course. But hey, new is new. This route is dog-infested, however. Ghastly animals. Bring your large umbrella, and be prepared to be fierce.

~{nilimage~=142024~;dir~=H~;alt~=kpmarket~}
4. ~{link~= https://www.facebook.com/IndahHouseKuching ~;text~=Indah~;target~=indah~} are getting into low-carb! I do my own ~{purplepost~=1093~;text~=cauli lemak~;target~=caulilemak~}, but nicely different was their cauli-and-tapioca-leaf combo. I love tapioca leaves, but generally can't be bothered to prepare them, and this set also includes delicious ayam rempah (spiced fried chicken), two types of sambal, and a salad. It did us two days. File under Order Again.

~{nilimage~=142027~;dir~=H~;alt~=ubicauli~;caption~=The second half of the feast: cauliflower and tapioca leaves, and sambal pucuk, supplemented by tempeh rendang~}
5. Balcony time... In the early hours of the morning, when it's still dark; in the later hours of the morning if it's an early-walk day (or a full-on rainy day); and in the evening. Those chairs were a great investment.

~{nilimage~=142036~;dir~=V~;alt~=balcony~;caption~=Rainy Sunday~}
~{nilimage~=142035~;dir~=H~;alt~=clouds~;caption~=Balcony cloud-scapes~}
6. Miscellanea:

~{nilimage~=142026~;dir~=V~;alt~=totems~;caption~=I can't be sure, but I think these totem poles are recent~}
~{nilimage~=142034~;dir~=H~;alt~=text~;caption~=Now we're so confined, our local supermarket has become much more useful, and I recently discovered it sells chicken-you-don't-have-to-fight-with. Brined and baked ~{link~= https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/baked-chicken-breast/ ~;text~=like this~;target~=bakedchicken~}, it's really good~}