Food

It's not CNY yet and I had my 2nd lo hei at Tekong Restaurant@Changi Point this afternoon. For our Malaysian colleagues, today is the last working day before the new year. We understand that there are flooding in most part of Johore and wish them a smooth journey home.

With all these lunches and dinners, how do you expect me not to put on weight. Gosh! I am getting heavier. Gonna eat less at my reunion dinner and the new year 5th day working lunch. In between... house visiting with buffet lunches and dinners. Who needs to go marketing? Yes we do for it's our tradition to stuff our fridge full to welcome the new year. That's an auspicious sign of abundance. Anyway, there isn't much space left. Kiasu lah....

Share your joy

Wet wet wet! It rains throughout the last weekend before the Rabbit hops in. Cooling and nice but I sympathise with those stallholders. I reckon the Tiger gave his final blessing to both me and Margaret..... recieved our bonuses finally. Hehe... We couldn't ask for more for most of our simple wishes are fulfilled. ROAR!
Let us not forget the elderly and the less fortunate around us. Give a little bit of love, warm and money to bring a smile on their face during this festive period. A small donation to any place of worship will do too. Share your joy. May the God of Fortune shower his blessing on you and loved ones in the coming new year.

Happy Birthday Margaret!

Happy Birthday to my dearest wife. May she be blessed with happiness and good health always. We celebrated her special day with a lunch at Himawari Japanese Restaurant @Alexandra Road. We had a la carte buffet. The food, ambiance and service were good. It's value for money.

For we had another important function to attend this evening, we had no choice but to celebrate early. Guess all of us enjoyed the lunch and that matters.

Lo hei

No doubt lo hei is a cantonese word but yusheng is a Teochew-style raw fish salad for the new year. It is a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor. Some would consume it on the Renri, 7th day of the CNY.

My friends and I had lo hei at a Japanese restaurant recently. Yes, Japanese yusheng with wasabi sweet sauce. Ridiculous. Tossing up good fortune before the new year? I would take it as a celebration for the lucky year and may it carry on to the next. Nian nian you yu and you yu you sheng!

P.S. Btw, I love the Japanese yusheng and would bring my family there to lo hei in the Rabbit Year.

On or off?

Seriously, I do not have enough time to do my own thing. The next best thing is to apply leave for a day or two. What the hell am I busy at? Oops! Sorry, I can't reveal. It's a good break from my work especially this CNY period.
The Lo-hei dinners are not firmed. For the ex-HHG, most of them are okay with the date and everyone is waiting for each other for a proposed venue. As for my ex-secondary school mates, it is worst. So far only 2 responded with an okay with the proposed date. Guess all of us are busy during this festive period. Headache lah.

Need volunteers

Are the days are getting shorter? I just find time passes by so fast since the beginning of 2011. We are near the end of January. Next weekend would be the last before the roaring Tiger departs. There are lots of unfinished work privately and I hope to get it done before the Rabbit hops in. Luckily, working life is unexpectedly a little relax which allows me run errands in the evening and weekend. OMG! I have forgotten about Spring cleaning to welcome the Lunar New Year. Any volunteer?

CBP Huat Ah! Celebration

Those blessed with a little fortune recently at my workplace hosted this dinner at the Suntec City last evening. I cannot ignore but to like them for they are a bunch of lucky serious jokers. When it comes to work, the workplace becomes a battlefield. No matter what, all is well in the end. That's the beautiful thing here. Talking about off office hours, all the crowns in the world cannot be compared to them. They are simply hilarious and likeable. Most importantly, luck is on their side especially on lottery. Somehow I got a gut feeling that someone in here would strike big especially in the coming Singapore Sweep or Grand Toto draw. We keep our fingers crossed. Huat ah!!!

Thaipusam 2011

Blessed Thaipusam to all Hindu devotees

It's definitely a call from above asking me to join in the celebration every year. Don't ask me why for I cannot answer you. Mysterious. I felt the chill watching them trance dancing to the beat of the drum and the rythme of the music and chant. The devotees carrying their kavadi danced like proud peacock along the route to the temple at Tank Road.
May I take this opportunity to pray for good health always. Hail Lord Murugan, the Indian God of War.

Reunion dinner

Reunion dinner is a happy occassion but somehow I feel it's incomplete with the passing of my parents.They would observe each and every of their children to see how we were doing and more so on their grandchildren. In the latter years, their movement and action got slower. Yet their eyesight didn't fail them. Neither were their brains. Sigh........ miss their warmth even after all these years.

This is the 2nd year where we were totally on our own. We should thank our sister for organising the reunion. It's back to Jumbo Seafood Restaurant @ Demsey Road. For everyone is busy, guess this is the only opportunity where we brothers and sister gather and dine. Well, the bond among us can never be the same especially when we settled down and have our own families. Whatever, I pray that we'll have more happy and meaningful reunion dinners to come. May our parents bless us all.

On the way home

You are not forgotten. The days still belong to you. It has been an exciting Tiger year. Thank you so much. Time to cool down and relax after all these months of overnight work. And it comes at the right time too.
Of course our work is still on going and we were told to take it easy. How easy? To the easiest form that is beyond words. I am glad that I am able to spend quality time with my wife especially on weekends. Overall for the lunar year, I have a healthy balance between time and money.
Two more weeks, it's goodbye to the Tiger and hello to the Rabbit. Till then........

Wound update

It's been more than a week and the condition of my wound has improved but not heal. The surrounding area started to itch. Guess that's part of the healing process. I made a blunder last evening by eating a plate of rojak. Prawn paste!!!! OMG! By the time I realised it, the plate was almost finished. The next best thing is to pray that it's a vegetarian rojak with artificial prawn paste. I couldn't lie to myself when the food taste so good and real. Argh........ pray that the wound would not be infected in the next few days. No seafood and ROJAK!!!!

Reunion and gatherings

OMG! The Class of 1979 - Reunion 2011 is in March. A date has yet to be fixed. Someone has nominated me to be one of the organising committee members. I am afraid that I have to decline. Simply too busy with my work. The hotel structural works will reach its peak by then and we have to hand over the shopping centre by June. No matter how busy, I am determine to be there. Yes, by hook or by crook.
As for CNY 'Lo-hei' gathering, there should be two coming up. One with my ex-secondary classmates and the other..... Hong Hiao Group i.e. my ex-colleagues. I would be shock and surprise should they give it a miss this year.
Whichever gathering I attend, there's gonna be fun, fun and more fun. The joy of meeting good old pals.......

Crazy

Hooray! We started decorating our office for the CNY. You wouldn't believe my colleague bought a 1-footer God of Fortune at Bedok and placed it on his table. A crazy little thing we did in the evening. We managed to get 4 numbers and started placing bet on it. Haha... great fun and simply enjoy working with these jokers. Hopefully with rich rewards too. You will never know for luck is on our side. Huat ah!!!!
It's 2011 and a new year with a new phase. We are casting the 1st slab for the Hotel project tomorrow. Work wise, it's only so-so. There was a dramatic change last month. In terms of dollar and cents, it's kaput. Life goes on and we rally ourselves to move forward. It's not easy but we have to for the sake of the project. Well, like what I said.... I have a crazy bunch of colleagues and that counts.

Handkerchief

It's long overdue. Margaret and I brought Roger down to Robinson Orchard. Bought him a long sleeve shirt, a pair of leather shoes, socks, etc. Just when we thought he had enough, we were shocked to hear that he needed handkerchief. OMG! I last possessed one was more than 25 years ago. Who the hell need handkerchief when tissue papers are easily available at every corner. But it takes an elegant dresser to carry one. What's more.... let's save the earth. Well, he had a box of three instead.

The blame continues

My right leg hurts when I walk. Went to consult my doctor and was given a day to rest. Haha.. the 1st medical leave of the year. Last night, I was blaming the housekeeping and the sumptuous lunch. But I found another good thing to blame this morning. Yes, the bloody bad feng shui of my office at the basement. Remember my earlier blog?
If I am not wrong, I was sick twice last year and didn't even take a day off. Anyway, Dr Koh dressed up my wound and it should heal in a day or two. An advice from a friend..... 'Kevin, remember NO SEAFOOD for the next few days'. Luckily CNY is still some time away. I am not worrying about my wound but the SEAFOOD. LOL.

Stumble and fall

It's not my day. I fell down at my workplace this afternoon. Who or what to blame? Due to poor housekeeping, I stumbled upon low lying cables and tripped. My slack was torn at the knee level and I sustained bruises on my right palm and knee. Or blame it on the sumptuous feast given by my colleague. A crocodile meat lunch party to celebrate his winning streak. Simply ate too full and became clumsy..... Still, I am thankful and appreciate his invitation despite the suffering I am in. It's just my ass luck. Sucks!

Preparation

Chinese New Year is just a month away and it's never too early to start preparing for it. My brother Roger has already bought 3 long sleeve shirts and 2 pairs of trousers. The butt of the joke is that one of the shirts is so tight on his tummy that Margaret burst into laughter when he tried it for us to see. No doubt it's right for him to buy a 'L' size without trying but not with a slim fit cutting. No big deal, just pass it to another who can fit.

The many First

The many first for everyone today. First day at work, first day going to school, etc. And my good colleague... went to Singapore Pools to collect his prize. The same one who hit the jackpot twice few months back has strike again. The first win of the year for him. Congratulation!!!! As for me, I had the first ice jelly of the year at Redhill Hawker Centre. Well, I am just as happy. Hope that I will be smiling all the way to the bank on Wednesday. You must be wondering why. The first Big Sweep draw of the year lah. Huat ahhh!!!!!!

Welcome 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011.

Our children are out celebrating the New Year with friends which they should. I would worry should they lock themselves in their rooms during this festive season. Study hard, work hard and play hard. I am most happy to see them enjoying themselves especially in their young adulthood life. So long as they don't go overboard, I would encourage them to rock 2011 away. Wait a minute, bet Margaret would start nagging at me after reading this blog. Gosh! What a way to start the new year. LOL.