one year has zipped past

pretty ridiculous how 2012 has flashed by. and contrary to what mr mayan has predicted.. we are all still around, happily making last min shopping dashes in preparation for the festive indulgence.

I'm glad to be around to enjoy fruits of my hard half year labour of doing up my house and to be able to spend more time with my family especially my papa and mama who have been the most wonderful parents...scooting around to get my appliances.... chauffering me to and fro my new house when I've got heavy stuff to port over and the most recent.. rented a mini van and being my escorts cum driver for my photoshoot. love ya loads. muacks.

Haven't got time to catch up with my dramas at all.. which I do miss...just sitting down and living the lives of the tv characters.

Still managed to grab some stuff for xmas exchanges amidst my disorientedness. Groupon really ought to open another outlet for collection man.... the queue is way too long!

Oh by the way, ES missed expiry date of the groupon we bought for a shoe rack on 21 Dec...and on 22 Dec when I collected my own stuff, I tried my luck at charming the counter guy on whether I could still collect the shoe rack as well, although it was under ES's account.

To my very pleasant surprise.... he said I could coz there was still stock for the shoe rack! and I sheepishly said I didn't bring along the print out...and to my another very pleasant surprise, he said he just needed ES's email and he could print it out for me. woohoo. I love GROUPON!

HAHA. We had called the hotline earlier and their advice was for us to write in to Groupon to appeal for a refund which is gonna be a long, long, process.

So here's our shoe rack. :)

Merry Xmas mina san!

Little Erik is born! 21 Nov 2012 - 2.15pm

Sean is a big brother now!

It's amazing how many RIPs and how many new babies are born into this world every second.

I was having a challenging day at work and was really sitting at the edge of my seat the whole day, wondering what could make it better.

And a whatsapp message from Becca with little Erik did it. Little Erik came just in time for Xmas.

Abit hard to believe how emo I was when I saw the picture. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and broke into a smile. Thank you little Erik.

What's the stress when you see your little ones..or your besties' little ones in action. So people, I need the young ones' pics keep flooding my whatsapp! come on over!

I've been a little less zen and oppa kancheong style these few weeks with all the things building up on my reminder and todo lists.

Bestie's wedding coming up in 6 days.... Mr Murphy visiting my new house.... wedding shoot coming up on 12 Dec (babu took leave to be my maid that day! touched!)... and food tasting and what not....

I'm enjoying the process but at the same time, could not hide my kancheong style sometimes.

I find out more about myself everyday, through every experience in life. It's a neverending self-discovery process and I drop my jaws in awe at discovering how crazily stupid, smart, blur, bad at maths, creative, negative, positive, patient and energetic I can be.

It's about the neverending process of finding out more about my husband as well. For sure I know that I'll be bickering, quibbling and quarrelling with him for the rest of my life. Stamp, chop, confirm.

R.I.P. Dr Tay

I felt a thug at my heart when I heard that Dr Tay passed away.

Dr Tay was my family doctor since I was young. I remember him as a friendly, soft spoken and grandfatherly figure. His rates were affordable and we could always trust him to give a second opinion.

When I moved house in P6, I started seeing other doctors nearer to my new place instead. My dad still went to him for high blood medication now and then. The last he saw him, he said Dr Tay was so weak from his illness that he could hardly hear Dr Tay's voice when he spoke. He just had a major heart operation then. As pale as he looked and as weak as he sounded, he was there as usual to see patients.

What we heard was his deteriorating health condition since 1 year ago, from the nurse who is also his wife.

As everyone shared the inspiring speech of the late Dr Richard Teo who regretted living his life in pursuant of wealth and riches, I want to remember doctors who became what they do for their passion and lived their passion for saving lives till their very last breath.

Thank you for your healing hands Dr Tay. You'll always be remembered.

W.I.L.L.

I learnt one thing today and I'm sure about it.

Never believe in weather forecasts.. Especially Singapore's. I diligently checked the forecast which told me 5-8pm - thunderstorm in North East area... made me abit apprehensive about jogging home. Just before I handed my fate to NEA... I decided to forecast it with my own eyes at my office rooftop garden.

Looked bright though clouds seemed looming.

Brought all my gears so worse come to worse if it pours, I'll take a bus home which is on my bus route home anyways.

Go Go GO!! Mega packed up and I was determined to beat the clouds.

I'm now home and dry after 1 hr. It was even a cool breezy jog home.

I applaud myself for that moment of decisiveness and positivity which won me some great cardio workout.

Believe and it WILL happen!

arms around you and me

A short week next week. That's every working adult's motivation.

A cooling and well planned weekend I thought. 

Visited MIL in NUH.. she's having chest infection and been there for a week. Hope she gets better.

Met up with Cedric to choose the laminate for my platform at my masterbedroom. I LOVE choosing such stuff.. it's like playing in real SIMS.. difference is that real factor is incredibly high @ 101% and I don't have to beg friends to give me special ingredients to complete my quests and to get simoleons. 

Caught Looper at J8. With the CCL, J8 has became ES and mine's fave movie place. So accessible. I love LTA.

Today was a pampering myself day. Did my facial and had a haircut. Had a wonderful homecooked meal warmed up for me when I reached home. Love u okasan. 

I think I'll miss my parents so much when I move out. The thought already can drum up my tear glands.They are the most wonderful people on earth and I'm so thankful to have them. 

I look forward to seeing them safe and sound at home at the end of the day and at the start of each day. Thank you. Please stay healthy and happy. 

On that note, I hope to will my strength to my MIL to fight that horrible infection. I wanna lend my strength to ES also who's been tired shuttling to and from the hospital. 

And of coz, I need to update on what's playing for mochi. 

Been listening to Christina Perri and her voice is simply awesomeness. One of her best songs to me, wonderful melody and mood. I wanna send this song to ES.!

ARMS

I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart
But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start

You put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
You put your arms around me and I'm home

How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around?
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown

I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home

The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved
I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone

You put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go...

I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home

I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth
And I've never opened up
I've never truly loved 'til you put your arms around me
And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go

I hope that you see right through my walls
I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling
I'll never let a love get so close
You put your arms around me and I'm home

You put your arms around me and I'm home

疯狂世界

As ES predicted.. it really got better. I'm beginning to like my work though I have to get used to the fact that it's operational...operational...operational... so it's lots of approving of investigation cases, case files and so on. Most might even be so redundant and repetitive that you'll curse and mumble under your breath... wondering who came up with those regulations.

Nonetheless, it's all for public good and it's good to see some immediate results of your work. You gave someone chance and he immediately rectified his vehicle to prevent future occurrence to endanger their workers and other motorists. how cool is that.

I was grumbling about how hard it was not to see andrea 2 cubicles away to my right, buddy 2 cubicles away to my left, Jo at my 8 o'clock position.

Now, I see Roger to my left, Kevin at my 8 o'clock, and someone from appeals to my right.

Both guys are jokers and they really are simple funny guys. No bitching, no politics, just lots of good fun.

I'm started to appreciate the silence when everyone's rushing to reply to MP appeals which are stamped. URGENT. But it's alright, I'm getting used to the hardworking silence. I'll just entertain myself with my music from my iphone.. speaking of which, I need to get new speakers! my x-min dieded on me...I dunno why, sigh

It's unbelievable how busy MPs are. They are definitely paid high for a bloody good reason. People appeal when they are fined for illegal parking, forgetting to buy licences for off peak cars, driving a car on public roads without insurance and road tax. ?!!....  and many of which are recalcitrant offenders making the appeals. Senseless world.

Thanks for keeping me gainfully employed.

F1 duties for the next 3 days!! Hope I'll lose some weight from the standing!

Oh...  Renomission updates. My new dining set. Bought it from picket and rail @ 1299. Yummilicious.

Contented weekend

weekend was like a flower. I love flowers.

This weekend was well spent. I've got my dose of much needed exercise at bukit timah hike and cycling at the Punggol Waterway. Visited Putri's new abode at Punggol Sapphire and also had enjoyed a yummy homecooked dinner with lots of TLC courtesy of mama san.

Oh. I forgot about the 5k deposit I wrote to my carpenter for carpentry works. The full sum of carpentry is $14k but I believe I'm getting good value for money. haha. Cedric's gonna be so stressed..

Renovation vocabulary time!

Carpentry works in my hut includes stuff like kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinet, wardrobes in master and guest bedroom, hanging overhead cabinet, tv console with feature wall and raised platform in my master bedroom.

I think the amount of money spent on carpentry is necessary, given the limited space of flats. Even though so... what fits in my wardrobe now can never ever fit into my new wardrobes though. That's a scary thing I'll have to deal with when I move in.

Nothing boastful, but I'm glad that me and ES unanimously decided to fix ceiling fans in all the rooms. Having visited Putri's home today seeing all the standing fans taking up very precious floor space and the heat in some rooms without fans at all, it reassured me that my decision was right to minimise dehydration in SG's weather.

I'm really excited at how my new home will turn out. It will not be perfect, nothing is. But I guess it'll be pretty close to my dream home... or rather to a dream home which we can afford.

Another piece of good news.. I'll be going on a short holiday to genting, malacca and maybe Penang with ES and papa and mama san. Looking forward to that and lots more. I'm so so deprived of my once a year long haul holiday. It's a saving money year where I'll just have to subdue my urge to travel for the well-being of my bank account. Focus focus...chanting.

Till then, back to work first. Happy Monday all.

works in progress. focus. do not disturb.

I Love SG.

A closing post for the weekend.

Will be a busy but hopeful week ahead.. I've very kindly volunteered myself for as a volunteer for F1 so pls do not date me on 21, 22 and 23rd of Sep. But if you miss me, you may try to spot me at taxi stands, MRT stations or bus stops around the race area. mochi shall marshal you safely into all modes of transport!

Sharon san scolded me for being as crazy as to volunteer to burn my weekend. The things I do for the citizens of singapore. I love SG. * not the SG that Jo talked about.*

Spent 2.7K at balestier in 2 hours shopping for lights. My neck was aching so badly from looking up at all the lights that I actually FORGOT about taking pictures.....can you believe it. I couldn't. So now, it's left up to our imagination as I list down my damage.

Dining lights - cowbell style

Toilet, service yard, storeroom lights - simple round with stainless steel casing

Main door entrance lights - squarish one with frosted glass

Corridor lights - a track of 4 spot lights - love it

Kitchen lights - rectangular shaped lights

bedrooms and living room lights - attached lights from 4 ceiling fans.

Yummy. Can't wait to see how these beauties light up my house. :) 

Caught this magnificent view of Gardens by the Bay from MBS. Truly amazing piece of land sculpture art in the tiny red dot. I can never get sick of this view, can I?

thanks to Andrea.. kope the keys of the room from DnD organising comm to freshen up before the dinner.

Casual event photography by Mochi

Happy long weekend peeps.

I'm getting a little tardy in upkeeping my blog... *oh no no no..*.

Was busy reading up on all the photo hosting sites to see which calls out to my needs and pocket.

The winner goes to Smugmug and I paid $60 for their Pro package to host my pictures and was busy playing around with it. After a long struggle, with inputs from various tomodachis, I've decided to keep the URL to azukimochi.

This name somehow has stuck with me over the years and is so close to my heart. It didn't seem possible for me to experiment with other names anymore.

http://www.azukimochi.smugmug.com/  it shall be! Come drop by for updates on my portfolio.. gimme your comments!

I'm into Casual (Event) Photography and trying to build up my portfolio in that.Though I've received comments from friends that I do have some flair in photography and should consider going into maybe wedding photography etc, I've never really seriously considered it. Reason being I love photography as a hobby, my way to destress and relax. I enjoy editing pictures too and it's super therapeutic for me, minus the finger and wrist aches from overclicking in PS.

I didn't want the profit making and rushing for deadlines part to kill my passion for photography. If you know me...I'm the epitome of casual-ness...if there's such a word. Yea, so I've been thinking how the ideal situation should be. To be adequately compensated for my efforts but yet be able to find my preferred niche and have fun in the process.

I have to be very honest and say that I function best in outdoors.. in the company of the children, sun, sand, sea, greenery, flowers.... nature! So you may infer that I'm not allergic to heat and physical activities...eg. chasing kids to get perfect shots which would form precious gems down your memory lane.

So if you do know anyone who just wants to be part of the whole event.... without worrying where the camera is or avoid having to dash around trying to capture the candid moments while trying to ensure food is ready for guests... can contact me!

Close friends referrals and contacts preferred at the moment.

Rates are not applicable at the moment as my focus would be just to build up my portfolio. Selamat Hari Raya!

Jurny @ Botanic Gardens!

bosco version of 天若有情

Sometimes I really don't understand why I'm so hooked onto HK dramas. More so for this one. I can only find one word to describe the ending... 慘. or maybe two... 超慘.

I spend hours during my weekend to only end sunday sobbing and crying my eyes out when bosco died....yes, after 20 episodes of my precious youth.

Not to mention my swollen, dehydrated eyes as a result of the tragic end to Bosco as 許sir.

The playing of 月亮代表我的心 in the background at the tragic scene made his passing even more epic as he fell helplessly from his bike. urgh. yes. wearing the blue helmet Hailey bought him. They hardly started their relationship and just as it was timely to begin.... dam. it was the end. 慘

Ya... monday tomorrow. Wake up mochi.

Grazing @ Rider's Cafe - 51 Fairways Drive

It was much raved about by JY. He said the dining experience was really enjoyable, watching horses and ponies strolling in the stables as you savour every drop of the rightly cooked poached eggs on the sourdough.

I decided to steer them off course, away from our usual chinese sit down zhi char style family dinner. 

We woke up bright and early to graze at Rider's Cafe. JY was not entirely wrong. The ambience was great and relaxing, with the exception that not many active ponies in sight. Yes, I guess they'd rather hide in their air-conditioned stable in the smoldering heat. Most importantly, everyone enjoyed themselves at something..  the food, the phototaking or the unexpected dessert treat by ES at Marmalade Pantry next door. 

My verdict is that the food is not fantastic and if you don't drive, it's not really quite worth the effort. You might need to wait awhile to get seats too if you don't make reservations in advance during weekends. "In advance" I mean like at least 1 week in advance. I did a walk-in since reservations were full. And I was lucky to get a seat in 3 min! 

Well, I had a backup plan to go Picotin just nearby as well as recommended by my colleagues. Though I need not execute the B plan this round, I'll make it my A plan next round. :)

Blackstoned Eggs Benedict Set at $16.

Bananas and Bacon French Toast

Yummy family picture

Rider's Cafe

A horse was taking a walk..with us.

Rider's Cafe

Can you tell my okasan can't wait to start on the ginger pudding dessert at Marmalade Pantry?

Start of Reno Mission - 30 Jul 2012

Cedric was so nice. Cedric is my contractor, my phua chu kang.

Yesterday, he brought us down to Hafary again, to confirm the tiles for one last time and to make the payment. Payment equals no more changes. I must be one of his most troublesome and most fickle minded customer, choosing different tiles at every visit. We visited Hafary 3 times and 3 times I chose different tiles!

I think secretly he must be pitying ES for marrying such a hopeless decision-maker. But as a professional, he was very patient, accommodating to my whims and fancies. Yep, me and my fantasies of my dream country house. :)

Totally country style furnishings are definitely not practical in Singapore's weather so the challenge was how to find the balance.. injecting subtle country elements into a modern HDB home.

Casa Clementi

The auspicious date has been fixed. 30 Jul - Start of Reno Mission!

Chinese food

sunday.

celebrated mama's bday at Taste Paradise at Ion. Seriously, one of my dining pet peeves are chinese restaurants like those in town area especially. Ding Tai Feng, Crystal Jade, Dian Xiao Er, Taste Paradise.. any restaurants serving chinese dishes... They are my arch enemies for overpriced chinese food.


We ordered a steamed fish, Peking duck, stir fry kailan with garlic,  braised tofu and some black pepper chicken at a price tag of 279 bucks. The food wasn't good and portion was pathetic. I was hungry but didn't dare to take another piece of fish as it means depriving others of it. 


Not that the food was great anyways. For 50 bucks per pax, I expect the food to be meant for the gods. No. All I ate was half a piece of tofu, one slice of chicken, ALOT of kailan (coz it wasn't nice hence nobody wanted to eat it), a tiny piece of fish, one rolled peking duck skin and rubber tough peking duck meat fried with bean sprouts (ya..the cheapest veggie on earth). $50.


I was so dissatisfied and so was ES. We went home and shared a cup of nissan black pepper crab noodles which cost only $1.35 but satisfaction level was sky high.


I don't like the idea of paying crazy prices for lousy chinese food when I can get 100x better, more accessible chinese food at zi char stalls for 1/3 the price.

Not to mention the horrific traffic jam out of the mall on a friday night.

Not my idea anyways and I didn't pay for it. But still, wanna complain.

Blinded

Jason Mraz blinded all of us during his tour of Love is Four Letter Word concert at the newly opened Gardens by the bay. He used a different guitar with every change of song. And this was complementary to his amazing vocals and music. Not like some performers who use such gimmicks to cover up for their vocal incapabilities. Mr Curiousity and Details in the Fabric were surprising but thumbs up choices. I'm yours-Definitely oversung and abit stale in my opinion but still a crowd catcher. My personal favourite is Unfold! Somehow everything about the song screams out to me. LOVE IT.

I shall not mention the human traffic standstill at the end of the concert except that there's definitely room for improvement. It was an awesome night by the bay. Thank you Jason!

Gonna laze the sunday away as I was totally crushed by the late night after the concert and a whole saturday of shopping for the house renovations. Knocked out at 8pm last night till 8am this morning. shiok.

I'm staring at the headlines of TNP with two SUNs on the cover. Steph Sun and Sun Ho.

A controversial week as I see CHC goers professing their loyalty to their church, pastor and religion, all over FB and papers.

This is natural human pyschology to seek reaffirmation of their beliefs and choices. It is a way.. to ease their insecurity and that's how many people deal with uncertainties in adverse situations.

I'm a free-thinker. But ever since I witnessed how my bro turned for the better after my SIL brought him to church, I believe religion has its goodness and it works on some people.

Reading the comments sprawling all over media (not that I want to read but it's really ALL OVER) by some CHC members made me wonder if this goodness experienced by them has blinded them. So much so that the simple and straightforward values of what we have been taught in school about right and wrong, has gone down the dumps.

As much as it might seem confrontational now because we're right in the heat of the issue, we are not doubting your faith and sniggering at your 10% contribution to your church. It is the expression of unjust we feel at how your loyalty has been made use of for some illegal agenda. If I contribute 10% of my bloody salary (that's alot to me. not that we are paid very well in the first place), I jolly well want it to be used as how I've been promised. Simple.

Loyalty is one but I'm afraid their wait to see their pastor walking out of court innocent will not materialise.

Are these blinded people disputing the results of years of investigation done by CAD, or just refusing to believe what they fear might be the truth? To me, this is a clear case of fraud, and in a more emotional sense, betraying peoples' trust in them. This is unacceptable. Period. It is black. No room for grey.


I am very curious to know though, what could be the compelling reason for him to betray his followers' trust, emotionally and monetarily, pumping millions to support his wife's stardom.

Love for a woman? He's not even using HIS hard-earned money. He urged followers to wait to hear 'the other side of my story'. The story better be more earth-breaking than my TVB dramas. 

I'm really rubbing my hands in anticipation to see how it unfolds. Pun unintended.

Unfold - Jason Mraz

Hands in Line
Arms close to my side
I'm fighting tides
Of an ocean's undertow
And I figure that I might not make it
I'm taking empty but seldom speaking
And the words retreat
Yeah, they breath in histories
Still at ease
And the story's untold
And my arms unfold

My hands are high
And I'm holding on, I'm holding out
And I figure that I
Figure that I just might make it
And I'm waking empty but seldom sleeping
And the words repeat breathing histories
Into stories untold but I unfold

See now quality is what you see now
In the corner of your eye
And don't be surprised
If you hear the bells ring
As they form from the sky
They sound bong, bong, bong, bong, ba da
Yea yea bong, bong, bong,bong ba da yea, yea

And I'm always holding on
And I'm already holding out
Said I'm holding out your side
And I'm holding out this time
Cause I figure that I, and I figure that I
Just might make it and I'm
Waking empty but seldom sleeping
And the words repeat breathin histories untold
But I unfold 

Monday blues post

Was just scrolling through the activities on my runkeeper. Not a consistent jogger at all.. some months twice or thrice...some months can be dry till none. Well, at least I have my kickboxing once a week then. Now that classes have ended, I really gotta get back to my jogging routine.

My new workplace to home is actually only 7km. Very manageable distance. Been jogging a little more last week but think I shall space it out abit. My heel spurs seemed to have subsided a little but the funny thing is that I don't feel the pain when I'm jogging. Doc said that nobody knows how heel spurs come about but it could be due to over-jogging or over straining certain ligaments or muscles, just like tennis elbow condition. It usually comes and goes so not a big concern. My ONLY concern is that due to the protruding heel bone, I have to refrain from wearing covered shoes to work as the pain comes from increased friction of the heel and the back of the shoes.

Cheemonology. Anyways, better be safe than sorry.. I'm gonna space out my jogs.

Once past 30 years old, you'll expect weird little funny friends, illness, pains, aches come knocking at your door.

Ya..staycation is fine. but not permanent resident k.

stay true to who you are

... a motto that resonates strongly with how I'm feeling now.

the changes in people I work with affects me the most... as expected since i'm a feeeee-ling person.

starting all over trying to accustom myself to making small talk with new colleagues, getting to know peers better is a forgotten chapter which I've never revised in 5 years. Time to hit the books. 

I figured out today (in my really lethargic state...where my eyelids felt like they weighed wanton) that people I would be able to get along with, will come by naturally. I'm a sociable person by nature and I just need to stay true to myself and not become someone I am not. 

At the end of the day, one will never regret staying true to yourself. If that gets you like-minded friends, you know for sure they are REAL friends. But if it doesn't, at least you know you're respecting yourself as a unique individual. 

Life goes on. 

Coincidentally, Lenka's my latest addiction on iphone and her song tells the story perfectly.

The Show - Lenka

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle

Life is a maze and love is a riddle

I don't know where to go, can't do it alone

I've tried and I don't know why

Slow it down, make it stop or else my heart is going to pop

'Cause it's too much, yeah it's a lot to be something I'm not

I'm a fool out of love 'cause I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle

Life is a maze and love is a riddle

I don't know where to go, can't do it alone

I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment

I'm so scared but I don't show it

I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down

I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show

The sun is hot in the sky just like a giant spotlight

The people follow the signs and synchronize in time

It's a joke nobody knows, they've got a ticket to the show

Yeah, I'm just a little bit caught in the middle

Life is a maze and love is a riddle

I don't know where to go, can't do it alone

I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment

I'm so scared but I don't show it

I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down

I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show

Just enjoy the show

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle

Life is a maze and love is a riddle

I don't know where to go, can't do it alone

I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment

I'm so scared but I don't show it

I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down

I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show

Just enjoy the show, just enjoy the show

I want my money back, I want my money back

I want my money back, just enjoy the show

I want my money back, I want my money back

I want my money back, just enjoy the show

A.fresh m0chi

I'm so putting on weight at my new work place. But then again, I do a fair bit of exercise everyday to get to work now.

Walk to bus stop - Get on bus - Climb up the double deck stairs - Sit for 35min - Go down the stairs - Alight -  Cross the overhead bridge - go down another flight of stairs - trudge through carparks - check out roosters and hens along the way - if cute, snap photos - continue to aruite - stop - fish for coins to buy tehC - cross the road - scale over another huge heavy vehicle car park - open the gate - climb up a ramp followed by another short flight of stairs - say HI to security guard, yes, i'm finally in the compound - open doors to side staircase to building - take stairs to 2nd floor

I burn quite a lot of calories during lunch as well. Thanks to the blazing heat and walking to the coffeeshops around the area. while eating also perspire..so double burn? I think so.

I foresee it'd be abit more bearable soon as I end my normadic lifestyle shuttling between 2 offices lugging my laptop. 

Life afresh.refresh.

NS hut - opening ceremony 23 May 2012

What a feeling. To sign a load of papers to authorise HDB to wipe out 10 years worth of CPF accumulated through sweat and hard work. Coughed out 82K in total. Amen. The process was chope chope..all done in half an hour.

In exchange, we were proud owners of 20 keys to our first asset... maybe the only one coz the insane price of just enslaved us to it.

negatives aside. we were...or I was (ES was still in disbelief) pretty excited as we chiong down to our new place to open sesame. My Otosan had everything prepared and drove us down. Arigatou ne.

Before opening and entering the house...... gotta zoh gang k. 

Step 1: Prepare outside the house. Pour salt, rice and water into a NEW small basin. Drop the pomegranate leaves into the mixture. 


Step 2: Prepare outside the house. Prepare 5 oranges with paper plate, a metal container for burning the incense, lighter, 3 joss sticks and some incense (just buy a little.. not too big a packet. just tell the uncle at the shop your purpose and he should be able to advise u). 

Step 3: Pray, facing the sky with the joss sticks. Poke the joss sticks into one of the oranges. Leave it outside the house.

Step3: Burn the papers in the metal container. Ensure all well burnt before opening the door.

Step 4: Knock Loudly on the door and you may shout, Huat ah... or I am coming in now!!

Step5: Open ALL the doors and windows in the house. Sprinkle the water mixture along with some rice using the leaves at all corners of the house. Using a small hammer... yes, a hammer, hammer all corners of the house.. along the corners of the rooms and floor... and walls as well. This is suppose to cleanse the place and to announce our arrival and start of renovation. Done!

preparing all the barangs...didn't know gotta prepare so many things! 

20 keys to our new hangout.

our hut. literally. 100sqm.

our kitchen

before living room

raw and naked floors...

Bay window at our master bedroom.

View from our master bedroom

another view of our master BR...really no space to work with man.. the aircon  ledge window is the space killer

the air con ledge. 

the common toilet.... super huge compared to master BR toilet..dunno why.. 2 cubicles style lor.. omg. must transform

View from our service yard 

View of kitchen from service yard

service yard

living room

the corridor.. HUAT AH.

successfully crossed 31st

I'm either low maintenance or easily contented. or maybe both.

took vesak dayOIL on my bday to just hang out in empty malls during off peak timings. Nowadays, being able to walk around without anyone within 1m radius in town is a luxury. I was totally enjoying it. 

The itinerary was packed but fruitful. We had bday lunch at Putien..one of my fave restaurants, followed by my bday treat at Starbucks... free drink and cake on the house for bday members.. love starbucks. We then feasted on the dessert-cup cupcake which ES painstakingly carried precariously all the way to prevent marring the beautiful design on the cream. Cupcake is really all about the delightfully beautiful sinful cream isn't it. The good thing was that the cake tasted as good as it looks! 

My present was a gorgeous scrapbook starter kit. ES did up the FIRST page.... which gave me great confidence that the following pages I'll be doing would easily outshine his. haha. We then went planet traveller to buy a neck pillow and handpicked flowers for my MIL whom I share the same birthday with. 

It was in short, a very aesthetically pleasing birthday. Beautifully designed cake, butterfly design scrapbook, pretty wrapping paper, lovely flowers and a very handsome husband.

Love the wrapping paper!!

where it all began... watching post NDP fireworks at marina bay where we first held hands. ooooo.haha

couldn't take my eyes off these fluttering creatures... 

handpicked bouquet for my MIL. think all taureans enjoy looking at beautiful things and are good at colors and design in general.