Christmas down south

Saturday the 23rd
So we boarded the Aeroline bus from 1 Utama. The waiting lounge is quite classy, with long black sofa benches, a tea-making area, LCD screens, automatic sliding doors. Left at 10am sharp on Saturday morning. And we got one of the newer buses! Yippeee. Happily awed at the amazing leg space - my legs could not stretch and touch the front seat at all, that's how much leg space we had! And they had a huge LCD screen at the front of the bus, so those of us sitting in the middle and back part of the bus didn't have to squint during the movie session. A good ride, although it took about 6 hours due to jams along the PLUS highway and the long immigration queue entering Singapore.

Halfway through the ride, my mum jabbed me out of my sleep to look out the window. Next to the PLUS highway, houses were flooded up to their windows and there were lakes where there wasn't supposed to be. Oil palm trees looked like they were planted in swamps. A motorbike or two with a few lonely figures stood staring at the huge masses of water at what used to be dry land. I think the hardest-hit by these floods would be those in the agricultural sector, and I truly pity the poor farmers and estate owners. It was quite a sobering start to the holiday, noting that while I traipsed happily from a rather dry KL to a drizzly Singapore, there were people in the same country who had lost all their worldly possessions and income sources, and were helpless over this supposedly merry season.

Anyway, me being me, I forgot all of it when waiting in the long queue at immigration. When we finally arrived in Harbourfront, we quickly got off the bus and caught a cab (a Premier Mercedes one at that) to my sister's apartment in Orchard Road. Then, all of us jostled to bathe in the bathroom before rushing down for our hair appointments and running back up to the apartment to make up for the dinner. Finally ready at 7.30pm, we walked next door to the Grand Hyatt hotel (thank goodness it's just next door) and gosh, is it grand! They had 3 weddings on the same night, and the couples' pictures were flashed on LCD screens around the hotel, directing guests to the right function rooms.

Since my cousin's wedding is the main purpose of the trip to Singapore, I'm obliged to write a bit about it. There were roses everywhere, really nice deep red roses arranged in tight clusters along the bridal walkway and on the stage and on every table. Everything else was simple, understated but classy. Each table had its own waiter. And, the food, cannot be faulted, at all. It's one of the best wedding meals I've had. At the end of the dinner, the waiter handed us a paper to ask us to comment and rate his service. How could we complain - since the waiter had efficiently de-boned a fish to my amazement, attended to our every need, and efficiently taken care of one of my little cousins who had thrown up at the table? No wonder the wedding dinner cost a bomb, since it also came with 2 nights' stay at the bridal suite - which I heard is real big and luxurious.

We weren't around for the morning tea ceremony, so a video was shown. The bridegroom had to drink an assortment of sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, etc liquids, sing and dance around a broomstick, wax his legs, and guess answers in order to claim his bride. Then we also got a glimpse of the beautiful new apartment when the bridegroom carried the bride all the way in to the bridal suite from the white bridal car. The camera works were quite good, and everything looked like it went well :)

After dinner, since many relatives were around, we hung out around Orchard Road for a while, before the aunties and little children begged tiredness. We gratefully clambered back to the apartment too.

Sunday (Christmas Eve)
Got woken up at half past six - totally ungodly hour for a holiday. But managed to snatch some minutes of MTV Asia (been really a while since I've watched tv) in between jostling for the bathroom. We went out to meet the rest for prawn noodles in Pek Kio market (yes, this is a must-do pilgrimage everytime I'm in Singapore). Unfortunately, the auntie told us that the bad weather means she doesn't have $8 prawn noodles to sell, so we had to settle for the $5 ones. Prawns not as huge, and no separate little "kuali" for the prawns, so somehow, the experience was not as I'd hoped.

Then, 9 of us squeezed into my uncle's Rexton and headed to Suntec City. Shopped, hung around and finally met somemore relatives (making 12 of us) to sit down for lunch at Tony Roma's. That place has freezing air-conditioning, so all of us had warm water (so boring). The baby back ribs, mmmmmmmm! We had yummy Caesar salad, a full slab of their signature baby back ribs (finger-licking good!), some chicken dish (so-so), and their famous onion loaf (nice). A cousin brought along a Christmas log cake to celebrate my sister's birthday - first time I've ever had a log cake, realized it's merely a very nicely-decorated Swiss roll.

By the time lunch was over, it was about 4pm. When we got out of the restaurant, we met throngs and throngs and THRONGS of people. So we decided to head back to the apartment and jostled our way back to Orchard. My sisters and I bathed and headed out to meet my uncle for dinner (on the way we wanted to eat fishball at the Tangs market but to my utter amazement, Tangs was closed from 5pm on Christmas eve and the entire day on Christmas!). My mum went with my aunties to another aunty's house for a chatting festival cum slumber party.

My uncle brought us back to his sister-in-law's place to celebrate my cousin's birthday. They booked the function room and the BBQ pit at the condo. Unfortunately it was raining, so we settled in the function room. The condo is one of those high-end ones called Shelford-something-or-other in the upscale Bukit Timah area. We took a look into the apartment (a 2-bedroom) - me being professional me sized it up as about less than 1,200 sf. Price - you wouldn't believe it - they bought it for SGD$720,000/- *gag*. For that kind of money, you can get a really large condo with a fantastic view of the majestic KLCC here.

After spending the entire day eating (yeah this trip seems to be more for my tummy - guess that's what happens when the trip mostly involves relatives), my sisters and I finally traipsed back to Orchard. Being too full, we couldn't even try the mocha shake that I wanted from McD's. I showered, packed, settled down to watch "Love Actually" on tv (really good movie that), heard the countdown shouts from downstairs at Orchard, and snuggled into bed.

Monday (Christmas day)
Got up early to bathe, do some last-minute packing and eat chicken pau that my sister bought from 7-11 downstairs (the pau was quite good for a 24-hour store). Then as I was about to step out for my 1-hour trip to the bus stop, my uncle called and said he's coming with my cousin to take us all for breakfast. Yippee! We went to Harbourfront's McD's and had fluffy pancakes for breakfast (yum yum!). Then I boarded the Aeroline from the same building and headed back to PJ alone.

After days spent cooped up with the family, I relished the time alone. I finished the book I was reading "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (great book, I'm going to see if I can find the movie that Scarlett Johannson acted in), watched a bit of "13 going on 30" (great chick flick), and found KF waiting for me when the Aeroline stopped at Menara Axis :) He whizzed me off to have dinner with his relatives (bak kut teh in Setapak) before I finally settled home after a long eventful weekend.

Another long 4-day weekend coming up. With more relatives and more meals and plenty of house-cleaning. KF's due to move in to the house this Saturday! So you see why my days are so filled that blogging's the last thing on my mind? (Haha, yes, I brag a bit).

Wishing everyone a very merry and joyful time of the year and a fantastic happy weekend - it's not every year we get 4 whole days to celebrate the beginning of another year filled with prospects and opportunities and stories to tell.

Hang in there

Getting a new house ready is blardy stressful. Not helped by the fact that I've no more leaves left (already running on advanced leave) and that stress levels are running high everywhere, trying to get things ready on a self-imposed deadline.

Through this process, I've learnt a few things. Among which are :

1. If you can't manage events, you won't be able to handle the stress of moving house. The good thing about going through this process is you realize that you can either bend under stress but not break, or that you're just not cut out for these stuffs which is when you start screaming at everything.
2. Paint colour doesn't really look like what's in the colour chart.
3. Plumbing works are messy.
4. Interest-free installment plans are a godsent.
5. Some contractors are very neat, punctual and reliable. Some others just make your life difficult and mess things up.
6. Expect to blow your budget (maybe by about 30% - 50%). Because somehow or other, you'll want your house to look pretty and comfortable. And somehow or other, your original budget won't allow that. Because somehow or other, prices of furniture and everything else just continues soaring higher and higher as the weeks fly by.

I could go on and on, I really could. I'm glad the process is coming to an end soon because I think the next bend I make will definitely make me break. Emotional Pilates is not something I can do long-term. I'm looking forward to the finished project, so that I can finally enjoy the finished product and say goodbye to the thoroughly burdening renovation process.

Tagged by Nat

1. Are u photogenic?

Wah, why start off with perasan question?! No, I don't think so!

2. What time do you go to bed?

I like to be settled in bed latest by 11pm on weekdays, read for an hour or so before konking off.

3. What was the last thing u did before this?

Switch on my computer.

4. Who's the one u always meet the most?

Specifically take time to meet - KF. Whether I want to meet or not - family and colleagues.

5. Who's the person u'll call if u need help?

KF or mummy.

6. What's on ur mind right now?

What to pack to Singapore ah?

7. What do you prefer? American Idol/ Malaysian Idol?

Fear Factor.

8. With whom do u wanna be with to have fun?

Good friends.

9. Wat movie do u wanna watch right now?

Flushed Away.

10. When was the last time u went out?

Wednesday night - to Macy's at Ikano to order curtains.

11. What do u hate the most for now?

That work is spilling out of my nose.

12. What do u do everyday besides eat and sleep?

Wah, u think I live on agong's money ah?

13. Colors that make u happy?

The new light green colour in our new master bedroom ... the new paint in our new house.

14. Most favourite thing in ur room?

My Pooh bear.

15. Miss someone?

Too busy to do that.

16. Plan to buy sumthing?

Yeah, stuffS for the house, new pair of shoes, new handbag, and if I had an extra couple of thousand ringgit, I'd get an Ipod, a new Sony Ericsson handphone, ... aiya, I always plan to buy something wan ... whether I buy or not is another story.

17. Are you satisfied with your life now?

Yeah, although less work and more pay would be good ... hahahaha

18. Do you like seafood?

If they didn't send your cholesterol levels sky high, I'd eat them every day!

19. Breakfast or dinner?

Breakfast, especially on the weekends when the family goes out for dim sum - yum yum!

20. Like chocolate?

Yes, especially expensive dark chocolate - hahaha ...

21. Do you have a laptop?

No.

22. Wat's ur favourite food from fastfood?

Ayam Goreng McD

23. Cats or Dogs?

Puppies.

24. Salty or sweet?

Salty then sweet.

25. City or country?

City for life, country for holidays.

26. Is kissing normal for ur age?

Hah!

27. Are u athletic?

In my dreams.

28. Favourite bands for now?

Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, Soul Asylum

29. Do you own ur own cellphone?

Who doesn't? This survey is starting to sound like it's made for 7-year-olds ...

30. Wat do u wear to bed?

T-shirt and long pants.

31. Ever had a crush on teacher in highschool?

No la, girls' school with only female teachers, how to crush worr ...

32. Coke or Pepsi?

Neither if I can help it.

33. Sugar or spice?

And everything nice.

34. Can you use chopsticks?

Okay, this survey is made for 7-year-old non-Asians.

35. Do you care about getting good grades?

I used to until university, kakakakaka ....

36. Have u ever fallen asleep in class?

Who hasn't?

37. Get a job or ask ur parents for money?

Get a job.

38. Is your mom strict?

No.

39. Do your parents gip u enuff privacy?

Okay la.

40. Do your parents trust you?

Yeah.

41. Would u ever wanna lose ur bestfriend?

Now I'm really starting to think this isn't worth my time.

42. Does your bestfriend get on your nerves?

*sigh*

43. Do you make friends quickly?

Hello ... at this stage in life, you network, not make friends.

44. Do you tell ur mom everything?

No.

45. Wat do u and ur parents fight about most?

What I want to do and what they think I should do.

46. If u love sumone and he/she rejected you, wat will you do to him/her?

Throw something at him.

47. Can u sing or rap?

Yes.

48. If u had one wish, who would u make ur wife/husband for life?

You know who lor (aiyo, I'm starting to act like 7-year-old already)

49. Wat do you think of this survey?

If not because I was tagged, I wouldn't do it ... hehe ... no offense ah, Nat ;P

Almost there

When "cleaning" the house :

1. In a clean pail (preferably red), mix 5-colour beans. These beans consist of red beans, green beans, rice, tea leaves, and salt.
2. At the appointed time, step into the house and throw a huge handful at the first wall you see. Throw it high and hard.
3. Then proceed inwards from the halls to the rooms from front to back, throwing to every corner high and low. Visualize the beans "cleaning" the house.
4. Once you've finished throwing at the rear portion of the house, walk straight out and lock up.
5. Come back again at the appointed time to sweep the beans up. Sweep from the back of the house to the front. Bag the beans and throw them away. Your "cleaning" process is complete :)

This morning, while "moving in" :
1. We filled a heat-resistant glass with red-coloured water and some oil. Topped it with a candle wick and lighted it.
2. At the apppointed time, walked in through the gate and the main door into the house.
3. Walked in and brought light to every part of the house, while calling out lucky Chinese phrases. Visualized "lighting" up the house. Switched on the lights as we went.
4. We then put the light glass at a part of the house, and began moving stuff in i.e. a box of clothes and a chair.
5. Had a mini-breakfast in the house. Then by 7.45am, we went off to work.

December 21 = technically our move-in date. Because it's good to move into a new house on the new year. New year because today is "guo tong", the Chinese solstice festival day.

The kitchen cabinets and curtain tracks will only be installed this weekend. All furniture will be moved in over the week. And we've to do some cleaning before we get to move in properly next weekend. Luckily next weekend is a long one :)

The next time I post, it'll be with pictures :)

Renovating a house is a whole lot of work.

Work is a whole lot of work.

Christmas is so close, but this is the first time in a very long time that I haven't felt that Christmas cheer. Just now when driving back from work, a couple of radio stations were playing Christmas songs and I smiled, remembering how happy the season makes me, how I love the carols and the mall decorations, how I used to relish buying presents.

I'm just swamped with work. And a whole lot of things to think about.

This weekend will be better, I hope. Spending Christmas down south in Singapore with the family, splat in the middle of Orchard Road. With a grand wedding dinner in a 5-star hotel in Orchard. A plan to visit Tony Roma's and taste the famous pork ribs. The pilgrimage to Pek Kio market to eat the orgasmically-delicious prawn noodles. Long bus rides with nothing to do and not being able to do anything anyway.

By New Year's, everything WILL be a lot better. When we can quit handling contractors and really revel in the idea of our very own home. It's coming along so prettily, albeit some errors here and there - nothing we can't live with or without.

And now, back to work, while waiting to download some Christmas carols to get me in the year-end mood ...