Mid autumn festival at Chinese Gardens

Went to the Chinese gardens on Sunday evening after we realised that my dad could not get back in time for us to use the car on Sat. So spent the evening playing mahjong of which i lost $32 after 2 rounds. Thankfully, i fought back on the very last game with a 5 'fan' win and recouped $40. =D

So.. it was a trip to the gardens for a stroll and it is about a 40 minutes drive to that place at Yuen Ching road,i think. Had a wonderful evening with my mom, girlfriend, bro, sis-in-law as we strolled about, admiring the lanterns and chatting away.

We reached just after sunset and at first, the entrance fee of $12 was a bit too hefty in my view, nonetheless, it was all worth it as we were treated to a fantastic performance by a troupe from Sichuan on acrobatic acts, fire-breathing and face changing (變臉). Trying to embed it in my blog, if successful, hope all will enjoy it. Still very amazed at how he would be able to change it instantaneously and i was staring at him all the time. One minute of performance would have required 20 over years of training.

The face changing master was extraordinarily quick with the change. And after some changes on stage, he came down to the audience where he dazzled everyone by shaking hands and changing his 'face' instantaneously without warning. The following clip is while he is on stage.



After the face changing master, is the fire breathing master. Amazed that this guy can hold so much kerosene? or any other fuel inside his mouth or, i dont know where. heh. A handy man to have when having BBQ, that is for sure. the conversation would probably go like this:

me: 'hi, could u toast this mash mellow for me pls?'
fire breathing guy: 'sure! Booooooooooooooo!'
me: 'wah... think you BBQ-ed my hand too!! AAAHHHH!'

Except that the food will be spluttered with his saliva too ..... bleah! =P

After my bro's wedding dinner...

Just had my bath. A pretty tiring day out for me, having only took an hour's nap in the afternoon. It was more of coordination during the dinner, taking notes of this and that, chatting with relatives and friends. I guess having a big family = lots of catching up, 10 aunts and an uncle from paternal side, an aunt and 4 uncles from maternal side plus many cousins and nephews and nieces too. About 11 tables for relatives and not all the kids came along.

It was a cosy and fun affair though. =) as all were family, with close friends. So it was walk, chat, organise, check the amount of wine and liquor left etc. And i was the emcee of the night.

Actually, am waiting for my hair to dry somewhat before i sleep, but i do feel that wedding dinners are a good time to get together and have some laughter. Many are asking about when will it be my turn, of which i replied rather candidly: 'not in the near future' =P

Wedding morning...

Woke up early this morning at 445am to collect the bridal car from my friend's condo, a VW beetle with a pair of cute teddy bears in front. Pictures are not up yet, but it looks very nice. Drove back home and together with my brother and gang went to pick up my sis-in-law.

After some fun and games, finally got back home at 720 for ceremonial rites. Rather tired, and before having breakfast, it was more driving to send bride maids back and stuff. just got back and its now 6 minutes past 10am. Really sleepy already, but everyone is asleep, thus i have to keep awake cos relatives will be coming soon. =P

So posting up more photos of Gourami..... to stay awake. xP

Busy preparing for my brother's wedding on Sun

Spent yesterday and looks like today helping out in wedding preparations(#1). Doing this and that, but finding time to to do up the pictures for the gourami experience.

My flat has become a busy meeting place, with relatives poping over to send their congrats etc, and sharing of stories and catching up with one another. Definitely a joyous occasion and it seems that wedding preparations do take quite a bit of effort. But i guess it would be fond memories for all involved (#2), especially for my bro and sis-in-law, in later years.

Feel older now, more so after the Gourami experience, where it would be a good guess that i am the oldest of all participants(which accounts for the slight advantage i feel that i have over others...the 4-9 extra years of experience as the youngest is only 19 or 16? hmmm). Well, i felt young again then when i was mixing with everyone there, with their fully charged energy of youth and fun. Back to reality, did discover that other than being slightly older, i do have a more conservative or traditional character. Nonetheless, very glad that the gouramians had taken me in stride and walked side by side(#3).

Its a mixture of feelings for me, all in the mix includes: the excitement of my brother's wedding, the disappointment that we probably will not make it to WSC but we will still be completing the solar car as much as possible and finally and some what occupying my mind most of the time, the wait for an answer from Shell, of which i hope will be a positive one. =P

Newspaper delivery boy

As my parents and elder bro went to Taiwan to settle some wedding stuff, i had to take over the responsibility of delivering newspapers when my parents are not around. So for the past few days, since Sunday i think, have been waking up at 0415 every morning to deliver the papers.

Thankfully, i have the help of my younger bro(blessing #1) and am also grateful of yongxi, who had agreed to help out in delivering the papers since Tues (#2). Thus i am finally driving and getting better at that as i have to drive every morning to deliver papers in Chai Chee and also driving to NTU. The first part is easy, but driving to NTU or back at peak hours was VERY challenging. Came back via BKE/SLE/TPE at 1800, thinking that it would be better than taking the PIE. How wrong i was, the expressway was rather packed and most importantly, without knowledge of when to keep left so that i can proceed to SLE from BKE, i had a challenging time trying to cut into the lane so that i can go SLE... else would have ended up at PIE cos i no skill. Thank goodness yongxi was helping me look out for the car behind (#3).

Both my younger bro and yongxi is now asleep. will be turning in soon too, but i think it has been a long time since i blogged so ... writing out thoughts.

Driving to school is so much faster (30 mins via PIE) than taking the MRT, furthermore, get to drive them (yx & kx) to places for dinner and stuff, pick them up and send them home. Would be nice to have a car to drive around, but will only have the car till Friday as my parents will be back by then so no more car liao. Oh well... still have today's toto to look forward to. =D

a long week ...

Finally got down to blog, after a pretty tiring week. My god grandmother passed away last Friday, and i went to the wake everyday except Monday. Met up with my god brothers and sister, not to mention the aunts and uncles whom i seldom meet since we shifted out of Bedok North. Was closer to my god mother and the 2 younger brothers and can still remember my god grandmother pretty well.

She passed away at a ripe old age of 81. =) Overheard my mom chatting with her sis on the fact that i wasnt able to attend my own grandparents' funerals (I was only 3 when my grandfather passed on - too young to know anything, one can only join in if above age of 4 and i was undergoing chemotherapy during my grandmother's funeral 2 years back, so couldn't attend too) but was able to attend both my god grandparents' funerals. i guess this is fate ba. Now thinking that my grandmother's funeral would had been a very grand affair, as she has over seventy direct next of kin. Missed my grandmother quite a bit, i guess that's why i took to wear her ring. She left 2 rings actually, one for each daughter-in-law, and my mom randomly picked and obtained the gold ring while the diamond ring went to my aunt. I guess i could call it luck, cos i dont mind wearing the gold ring but definately NOT the diamond ring cos its obviously for ladies.

i guess family affairs are starting to take centre stage in my life, although i have spent more time with family and friends, it never seems enough. Coupled with the fact that everyone have their own work and play to balance with, its harder to meet up nowadays. my holiday over the past 4 years is almost over liao.... hiaz... time to relearn how to balance work and play pretty soon. Lucky for the 4 month extension of holiday due to the solar car, but i guess i will be pretty broke by then. =P

Celebrating Mom's birthday

Very happy to be celebrating mom's birthday today. Though it is only a simple eat out dinner at Fisherman's Village, it was quite a happy event for me. Think the main reason would be that i am sitting there, enjoying the meal with my family. It was quite cooling but a slight drizzle prevented us from sitting under the stars and enjoying the salty breeze beside the sea.

What a different experience it was as compared to last year. Can't really remember much though, probably near the end of a chemotheraphy cycle ... or going chemo soon ard this time last year. Cos i did remember to ask the Doc to schedule my chemo dates after birthdays, public holis and stuff.... so that i could actually enjoy them with frens or family.

Wow!! 1 month to go before my trip to Europe, 2 more months before my 1st anniversary of being in remission. heh heh... its great to be alive!! =D