Sugar and Spice and EVERYTHING nice!: January 2009

where parties and feastings have ended but about to begin with another round of feastings but maybe not so much parties. "Parties" would be spent on the roads like a wild goose chase. Rushing to relative A's place then to relative B then to relative C so on and so forth in the melting heat and then time spent asnwering the same old questions, "When getting married?" or "When having first child?" and "When having next one?"

*Sigh*

As I grow older, I begin to dislike CNY more and more. The rushing around. The answering of same old questions. The heat. The crowd. =( All these, I detest.

Oh well... at least Thank Goodness. The mad house at work has ended. At least, CNY can be spent without the need to think and ponder over work issues.

At least, visits are only on the first day... 2nd day, my family and us are going to Sentosa. More heat. More crowd. But at least there is no timeline and no need to answer questions.

Next week, is the start of my classes for my last and final year.. I find the timetable quite stupid actually. Start next week before CNY and then students cannot enjoy the CNY coz of all the assignments and online tests. And worse, lessons are affected the following week and got to do make up classes on Saturday. Makes more sense to just push back the lessons and then the semester ends a little later lor.

Anyway, there's nothing I can do. Just go with the flow and do what I need to do and graduate.

Mad house is over. But along the way, I just realised there are just people who knows how to talk and talk and bug others everyday and assume they know everything! Basically, "Talk Big" and still claim credit for the minor role that they have done.

So clever, you come and do la. And not sit there comfortably and hor bug others and take up space and then say "I am there to ensure the tour sub-comm do their job as efficiently and expeditiously as possible."

Give him minor minor role nia ma and he make so much noise. Buay tahan.

It's been a long time since I last wrote anything. And it's no wonder as I've been so busy meeting up and catching up with friends and also to celebrate the holidays, I think I haven't really gotten a good rest though I was on leave!

Since it's too long to write in details of everything that I've done for the past few days, I'll briefly summarized it.

My leave started from 26 Dec but I've been busy since Christmas eve!

Christmas Eve...

View of our parish church from across the road. Church of Christ the King. As per our tradition, we go for Christmas Eve mass. This year, Cindy joined us and we decided to go for the earlier mass at 8.30 pm instead of the midnight mass. Too late and too tiring especially for hub who has got to work till 6pm! We met up for a quick dinner at AMK hub and proceeded to CTK to "choop" seats and to wait for Cindy. But as we were early, we had some time for cam whoring.

Father Stephen Yim (the priest who baptised and married us) and Hub. I took such a nice clear shot of hub and the priest but when it was hub's turn to take for me, the only shot was blurred.

Bleh!

Although late, but still...

Merry Christmas and May the Lord Blesses you and your family! From the both of us.

Christmas Day...

It's Christmas! =) And my Nokia phone of 19 months went kaput!!! And because it's Christmas, only 2 singtel branch are open. Hub and I decided to go to Com Centre @ Sommerset to fix my phone. Thing is, after changing the SIM card as I suspected that it was SIM card problem the silly phone still does not work... sigh.... I need to get a new phone. But still under contract so now got to wait. =(

Hub won a $100 voucher from Metro from his company dinner not too long ago and he's itching to do some shopping. I have a $70 voucher from Tangs that I redeemed from Citibank waiting to be spent. What better way than to go down town to see if I can fix my phone and also at the same time see if we can pick up anything?

Thing is.... both of us did not know that Tangs and Metro were both closed on Christmas! End up, we bought nothing but it was an experience to be in town on Christmas. Orchard Road was closed!! We can walk freely on the roads!! First time in my life walking merrily on the busy road of Orchard without the fears of cars!

Anyway... we bought nothing, except for a box of Marks & Spencers biscuits that I'm getting for a friend as Christmas present and a brand new SIM card that still does not work in the Nokia and I have to rely on Hub's old old Motorola phone. Thank God his old phone is still usable else, how am I going to surive without a phone especially when the week that I go back to work is the week of the dreaded Mad House 2009!

Boxing Day...

I met up with 3 lovely ladies; Cindy, Jenny and Novia for a good good lunch at Regent Hotel, Baslico. We had such a good time, eating, laughing, chatting and shopping! I really love such time, I felt as though we are "Tai Tai" and have all the time and money in the world for such relaxing pleasures!

But it was also at this time, that as we were all sharing about our family, I begin to realise my father is not as bad as I kept thinking about. True, he ignores us. But, after listening to the ladies, I'm begining to feel... hmm... he's not as bad as I kept imagining him to be....

Actually, I must say I am quite amazed at myself, though I was in town for the past 2 days, I did not burn a big hole in my pocket! All I gotten for myself was just a Muji Pencil Case! =P I think I really must have overspend a lot in KL the other time, hence, now that I'm back in SG, I did not get anything much too. I think also with the impending recession and the need to get a new phone, I'm finally learning to control a tiny teeny bit.

Weekend after Christmas, 27 Dec and 28 Dec 2008...

Poor hubby has to go back to office to work on Saturday. His turn to be on Saturday Duty. I woke up when I felt like it and then continue to laze around in front of the sofa to watch the HK Drama, 溏心風暴 1 , Heart of Greed 1. I've already watched the 2nd of this drama and was furiously chasing part 1. Very addictive as usual!

The part time cleaner was supposed to come too so I basically spent the whole day chasing drama and only moving my ass for dinner at the nearby coffeeshop in the evening.

Sunday, we wanted to go to Holy Spirit for mass but we missed the bus that will get us there on time and we had no choice but to go to CTK for the 11.30 am mass. It was kind of a God arranged thing coz, we got to know this French Intern student on the way to Church! He just arrived in SG for a week or so and was on his way to Church. We've not been going to Sunday mass at CTK for sometime already and it was on this day that we went as we missed the bus that we got to know him and attended mass with him. Nice guy. Rather shy but nevertheless quite cute too! I got to meet up with Emma, been ages since I last met her.

We had lunch with him and Emma at the nearby coffeeshop after mass and Hub and I went to town again. Desprate to spend the vouchers we have.

Finally, hub manage to score for himself a pair of Dockers Pants and a Polo tee which will see him through CNY and after that he still has $20 remaining! Will just see what else to buy and spend it too. I walked round and round Tangs a couple of times but still find nothing to buy, end up, I just get the Clarins Sun block that I've been using. Got free gift some more lei. Day and Night cream with the purchase of the Sun block. Not bad la, free wan ma.

29 Dec 2008...

Hub was too lazy to go to work in the morning and he also wanted to skip the weekly meeting. So, he took the morning off. We went for a leisure brunch and then he had to go to work while I continue to stay home to enjoy my HK Drama.

30 Dec 2008...

The day that Jeff, Emma, Hub and I arranged to have a feast at Katong and East Coast! But poor poor Emma, she had a fall on Sunday before coming to mass and that fall is quite serious! She tore her ligament! Poor thing can't walk much and hence, she can't join us for the feasting. =(

Jeff came to pick me at about 12.30pm and as I had not eaten anything yet. Our first stop was to Ya Kun @ Bugis. Bugis coz, he need to meet his clients and also the best place to pick up Hub as he was working in the morning.

First stop was to get coffee and bun. But the place was packed and we decided to get Popiah first. Who knows when we reached there, we got Otah and Popiah as well!

Otah. I find it nice coz it's spicy enough.

Popiah. OOOhh.. I love it! It has enough garlic and the chili tastes special. Skin's egg skin. Not the usual popiah skin. Plenty of turnip and even can taste prawns in it!!

Tau Pok Pau.This I find normal. I'm not fan of tau pok. But the mince meat and sauce makes it very nice and savory.

Banana Pie. We had this while we were drinking Tong Shui. Tong Shui's not very good. Hence, did not bother with photo. The banana pie is good. Crust's very fluffy and the bananas inside were still hot and whole. Not like those mash up bananas.

We parked beside Church of the Holy Family and we went in to say a short prayer at the adoration room. I did not expect to find a Mother Mary Grotto so near to the adoration room hence I said a short prayer there too.

Mother Mary's Grotto. As I was saying my prayer there, I felt myself swaying... the kind of faint feeling. My prayer recently revolves around marriage, family, work and studies. The most recent addition to the list is "having a baby". I have countless fears and worries on that topic but I decided to offer it all up to her and God. And at that instant where I begin to pray, I believe Mother Mary heard me. I felt a deep sense of assurance from her as I was saying my prayer. And the moment I opened my eyes, her face seemed life like as though for that second, she was truly alive and looking and praying for me too!

It made me believe even more that offering all my worries and fears to her was right, that she heard me and that she is praying for me as well.

Nativity Scene. Very big. Very life like. I can't capture all the figures in it... not enough space in my camera to get it all down.

Life size Holy Family. Hub and I held hands as we said a prayer in front of the statues of the Holy Family and we lighted the electronic candle after we've said our prayer.

Ah.. before I go on and on. Catholics light candles during official church services, such as Mass. This is to indicate the special solemnity of the occasion.

The lighted electronic (more tacky yes, but also safer as it does not pose as a fire hazard, moreover, this is located just outside the main church by the side! During weekends, there's will be so many people, the lighted flame can easily catch fire!) candle (also called votive candles or vigil lights) from us, as a sign that we are praying for something for ourselves. Or we can also light one when we are praying for someone else for something.

I'm not quite sure what Hub prayed for. But as this is Holy Family, I'm pretty sure he prayed for our marriage, our family and also for a healthy offspring somewhere in the near future. At least, that's what I prayed for.

"...candles were lighted when the Gospel was read, not indeed to put darkness to flight, but as a sign of joy."
~St. Jerome~

After all the food we went home. Gosh. So full that we both skipped dinner. Though I did eat a little late that night.

And my sister was asking if I want to order anything from Old Navy. Initially, I resisted... But I saw a nice dress and working top. Hence I decided to get both. But the dress is OOS and in the end, I manage to get a working top and 2 nice Tee shirts for myself. I have't bought Tee shirts for a long time and I only have 3 for the weekends that I am wearing almost every week. I really do need some new ones. Moreover, it's so cute and not to mention cheap! Each of this piece is less than $10 USD!

New Year's Eve...

Early in the morning, I finally decided to go and get my stiff neck treated. I've been living with the pain for the last 2 weeks and it got worse. I had to get the chinese sinseh to do something about it else I will never be able to go back to work on Monday. After the treatment, I instantly felt my neck much better, at least I was able to turn my head almost 90 degrees to the left and right! I met EM for lunch in town as I need to pass her her purchases from Vitasence. Had a great time chatting and catching up with her. We had lunch at MOS Burger and then tea at Ah Mei Cafe.

Then it was time for me to leave and to meet my Godma, Godbro and Hub at Novena Square. We had dinner at curry flavour before going for the Thanksgiving mass in Novena Church at 10.30pm.

Though, I did not acheived much for the past 1 year. At least, I am 1 year closer to graduation. At least, I hope that my marriage has grown stronger with the various trials that had happened. My faith has back slided though as I've not really been nurturing it. Nothing majorly bad had happened to us as well. All in, it was a pretty Ok and smooth year and for that, I give thanks to the Lord.

But during the homily, Fr Simon Tan said... "Faith is simple". He shared that when he was young, his parents were poor but everynight, his mother will light a candle in front of the picture of the Holy Family and pray. Come what may, his mother will continue to believe and pray.

This strike me as something very powerful.

"Faith is Simple"

Hub and I are making a change in our lives. We are begining to light a candle at the altar everynight and after that, we say one "Our Father", "Hail Mary" and "Glory Be". This is a start for us. We've not been praying together nor individually for a long long time....

New Year's Day...

Met up with Clement & family and then we had dinner and tea at T3. The little princess is the happiest, being able to run almost freely at the carpeted and air-conditioned place! We, the adults took turns to run after her and just chill out.

Before and after meeting them, I was still busy chasing my HK Drama. Finally watched the last episode late at night too!

2 Jan 2009...

Another makan and chatting session. This time was with my Godma and Bro Daniel. We met up at Raffles City, had ramen for lunch and we proceed to occupy space at MOS burger coz we wanted Bro to taste the very nice Ice Milk Tea (which he has never drank before!). After sitting there for 3 solid hours, we went to Ocha Ocha for more sitting, eating and drinking!

The very night, Hub and I went to Chinatown. We had porridge, frog legs and raw fish slice for dinner at the coffeeshop opposite CK Departmental stall. We've wanted to try the food there for the longest time but we've never been able to do it as it's always soooo packed. But as we were early, we easily found a place to enjoy the dinner.

Took a walk round Chinatown. Most of the stalls have already been set up selling the usual CNY things. Strange is, there were quite a few empty stalls this year. Probably as the economic is not doing that well, stall holders did not rent many units this year.

The things are all the same la. Not much difference. I bought my favorite Muah Chi and other than that, we did not get anything at all. Oh! As we moved along, we ended up in OG and Hub got a long sleeve shirt for only $25! Good deal as it was of good material and the orginal was almsot $90! There was a 70% off sale ma.

I did not expect to go to Chinatown, hence did not bring any camera. As we went before the official lights up ceremony, we can't really enjoy the lights but I can't help but feel that there are also fewer lights as compared to previous years.

Though it was before the official lights up, Chinatown is still quite crowded but not to the extent where we got to squeeze through. We could walk easily through from place to place. Of course, there CNY mood was not that festive yet as it's still about 3 weeks to CNY but if we were to go too near to CNY then it will be too crowded and it will make walking about a very tough and unpleasant experience. I really hate to squeeze past people and stalls and risk being stepped on my toes anytime.

I guess, this will be my first and last trip to Chinatown for this year. My first week back to work will have the Mad House occupy my time. The following week, hub's lessons would have commenced and after that, mine. No other good time to go, hence just as well we go early early too!

And I got to know that my mom fell and sprained her foot yesterday from her colleagues at the bakery. She has already gone to the sinseh but is still painful, the sinseh said she had injured the nerves and big veins... whatever that means. Had a long chat with her and she decided to go to Chinatown to this old man to get it righted the next day.

3 Jan 2009...

Another trip to the TCM in the morning for me. He corrected whatever nerves and veins inside for me as I can feel that my neck is not totally right yet. Can hear lots of cracks and creaks as he massaged and pulled.

My mom also has an appt with the TCM in Chinatown. The old uncle is good so she has to limp there. I've been going to see him ever since I was a child... I sprained my legs very frequently as a child. Hub says it's coz I'm naughty. Whatever it was, this old man is very skillful la. One look and he can say the issue. He took a look at my mom and commented, the bone is out of alignment. Serious lei. The sinseh my mom went to previously only say the vein. Big difference!! This uncle now very very old already... also not sure if his son got learn his skills not... else after he pass on, who can we go to? I remembered this old man righting both my ankles (multiple times) and my right elbow when I was a child and once on my knee a couple of years back. Ya... will limp all the way to him in Chinatown. He is that good!

So all in, it was a day of cracks and creaks for my mom and me la. She had to get her bone back into position and I had to get my neck veins back in position too.

My boss started to text me about work matters in the afternoon...I don't really mind la as he is a nice boss. But I can imagine the first day back to work will be totally maddness already.

Went for Sunset mass in Holy Spirit and then we had prata for dinner. Was suppposed to be eating light food so as to detox but end up, Prata and Prata House. Some kind of detox mann.

4 Jan 2009...

Lazing and to recupurate and to get ready for first day back at work tomorrow. Am supposed to be giving some thoughts to some work matters... but I haven't got round to doing it yet. =( And it's already coming to 6pm. A few hours more, will be bedtime and then it's Back. To. Work! =(