Thursday, February 07, 2008

RATs! No Camping


Well it was an over-zealous plan anyway...

While the Chinese folks are celebrating their Lunar New Year of the Rat for the next fifteen days, the three of us were cycling our way to Pasir Ris Beach Park in late morning.

Donna from Just Me was right. Wifey had not recovered hundred percent from her recent gooey experience, but she was determined to have the day at the beach anyway.

We had to stop several times along the way for her catch her breath. Fortunately it was not because she was out of breath, but her tired legs. More tired than usual. We did not take chances either, her Ventolin inhaler was on standby.

We stopped by Giant Hypermart in Tampines Retail Park for our early lunch at 11:00AM. Our gamble for an open stall during this festive period paid off when both the Halal food-stalls in the whole Food Court were open. The only ones open today. Phew!

Grabbed a few snacks and bottled drinks from the hypermart, then off to the beach park.

Once at the beach, the crowd of mostly Malays and Indians were picnicking and camping out already.

Rows and rows of tents lined the seaside. Children everywhere having their most fun time of being young. The atmosphere was ecstatics to say the least.

We picked a spot on the grass under the shade of the big rain tree. No pitching a tent, but just a mat. No overnight camping this time.


Facing the sea in front of us was a group of Indian men playing an entertainingly funny game of cricket.

Flying tennis ball bouncing off trees and dodging off crowds, the game became quite unpredictable... it stopped abruptly when the ball flew into a coconut tree and refused to come down. A good 20 minutes intermission... until they got the ball back down.

Behind us were colorful, screaming-happy children playing at the large playground.

People-watching was our time spent quietly on a mat, Wifey laid down, head on my lap while we munched potato chips and eat strawberry wafers.

Never thought the mixed taste of sucking on sour-plums that Wifey bought and drinking Pokka's Lychee Tea was so tasty.

The day was bright and sunny. Hot as it was, but under the shade with a constant sea breeze was a perfect cool reprieve. It was the perfect day for us, for everyone there.


Our Son has become quite an expert flying the kite nowadays. Thanks too to the no-frill, easy-to-fly plastic kites that were on sale with 50% discount today. Fun-filled and pure-satisfaction to see the kite soared so high all by his own efforts, for just $3.00 investment with his own money.

We left at 4:30PM for home. Giving ourselves time for a refreshing bath and getting ready to go out for some seafood dinner. Old Bedok Walk was our pick.

We made a wise choice because all the Malay and Indian Muslim restaurants were open when we got there. There were many families having dinner out just like us, nonetheless, we did have to wait for our table. We were the early birds to dine.

There were many Chinese with large families having dinner too. Knowingly so, since the majority of the coffee shops throughout the island are Chinese-own and are closed for several days for the celebrations.

This place has been our family's haunt all these while, but strangely it was our first time ordering from this restaurant, the first in the row.

It was not disappointing either, because the food was great, the helping was large and the price was competitive. It made into our family's list of food haunts today.

The whole day was perfect. It could not have gone better... now to stick on medicated plasters onto Wifey's sore thighs before I go to sleep...

Lunar New Year


Wishing all my Chinese Friends,
A joyous & prosperous
Lunar New Year!

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Thank God It's...


The morning bus was truly a pleasant ride... fast and airy. Simply because there were not many passengers aboard these two days and speedily the bus moved bypassing the many stops since there were no rush-hour commuters waiting.

It is the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year. A 2-day public holiday that sweetly dates itself on Thursday and Friday... in time for the weekend, a long... sweet weekend!

Oh the possibilities of what my family and I can so are endless.

The factory car park was deserted just like on Sundays in the business district. Not a soul in sight, it seemed. The mood to work was as dead too.

The office was barren, just like the eve of Christmas last year.

The only difference was the common canteen was closed, so I had to gulp down hot Milo from the vending machine by 9:30am when my stomach started to demand for food... the routine time for breakfast at work.

Our usual break time gang was reduced to only my Engineer and myself. We had a scrumptious lunch outside at Swenson's.

I had my most favourite dish the Chili Fish Pasta while she had Crayfish Pasta in tomato sauce. My treat.

She volunteered to come to work today to support of the Production line, knowing that she would need to rush back to her family in time for their traditional Chinese reunion dinner.

She need not do so when I received a call at 2:30PM from my manager, informing that we were allowed "unofficially" to leave early off work. Heaven!

The ride back was just as pleasant. The sun was out and sitting on the upper deck with barely no one else was a nice change... looking out as the bus speedily took me home.


To the beach! Is what Wifey and I have in mind with a possibility of overnight camping there too. All three of us are going to cycle to Pasir Ris Beach Park first thing tomorrow morning, before the sun is up. Yes!

I feel like it is Friday, and yes, I Thank God Is... Wednesday!

Hope you have a great week ahead and a wonderful weekend too.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

My Many Thanks


I was pleasantly surprised to receive a message from Deejay of Simply Sassy the other day.

She had nominated me for January 2008 The Perfect Post Award for my Wake-Up Call given out by Petroville.

I would like to thank Deejay for her kind thoughts and everyone for stopping by to read and hopefully enjoyed my post.


I am honored to receive this award and will not seem proper if I do not share it with our dedicated Mynah... when it comes again to do its job in the morning... without which, I am left with nothing interesting to write about.

Thank you one, Mynahs and all.