Preps

Left office almost on the dot yesterday. Replenished my cosmetics stock @ Parco while waiting for my honey. Then we headed to Rochor to get some CNY stuff before rushing back to Yishun.. to the market. Yes, it's the Chong Pang wet market I mean...
Bought most of the ingredients needed for tomorrow's reunion lunch. It's our 1st time preparing for a CNY eve reunion meal.. sis & SIL will bring a dish each though. In fact it felt good... reinforced the feeling of being a married couple. But by rubbing shoulders (in the real sense literally!) with so many aunties did make me wonder: Err... am I getting there liao?? Hmmm....

Didn't have time at all to clean our place for the past weeks & let alone having the mood to decorate. Tonight will be spent doing some last min spring cleaning, changing the sheets, sofa cushion cases & decorate a lil because daddy is coming home tomorrow for 2-3 hours, to have reunion lunch at home. Hopefully it'll go as planned & we're all keeping our fingers crossed.
It's stressful but do enjoy the sibling's unity. Like we're working on a highly important mission: planning the timing to meet in the morning/split into 2 groups - 1 to hospital, 1 at home prepping lunch/ensuring food will be served once they return/escorting him back to hosp/etc..

Will be rushing for a 2nd session @ my in-law's thereafter.

Unwinding

Guess who?

Us lah, of coz... tis the closest I can get so far. Now then I realise I dun really know my own & Vince's eyes exactly.. & there're so many to choose from! Also many hairstyle, clothes & shoes... this how we usually are dressed on weekends.

Maybe will try again later.. another us in office wear, us in a makeover, us in .........

My thoughts

Feel a lil better these few days.

Believe the TLC+support I got from hubby helps a great lot. & the talk with boss has (to my surprise) a contribution too... not forgetting my friends, colleagues & dear san-mei who are around to cheer me on.

Still making daily trips to the hospital... & all the worries & anticipating for the worst have taken its toll. Also trying to spend more time & be more patient in listening to mum. Guess she needs to let it out after every visit to papa. It's physically & emotionally rather straining, taking into consideration she's Not a Woman of Few Words even on normal days. But we know it's certainly not ez for her. We all think she's being stronger than we've expected her to be.

On a positive note :
1) we (the siblings) have become closer through this,
2) I appreciate my honey more after seeing what he has gone through with me,
3) we really thank God as at least my dad managed to walk me down the aisle, looking healthy(which is a misconception). It's a mere 1 mth+ that daddy deteriorated drastically.
4) Vince & I have done our utmost in being with them at the final stage of his life which has left us lil or no regrets - brought my parents for 2 holidays just months before he's diagnosed, having them to stay with us, providing them a very nice environment for living... though it's just so short for daddy. I know he's happy to see we're married blissfully. That day, when I was having a heart-to-heart talk with him, he praised his new SIL & told me to cherish him. I will, papa, watch my temper & nurture our marriage.

Like every1 tells me....... life still goes on..... but definitely it'll be very much different when the day eventually comes.

The past 2 weeks have been pretty difficult and tiring for us as we have been running between NUH and Home. Almost all our free time after work, weekends and all the P.H. were spent in the hospital with my Father-in-law. In fact, Kel has been rushing to NUH even during her lunch break so that her dad could have someone to lunch with. She would also ta-pao a variety of food so that my FIL could get to eat a little of everything.

During this strenuous period, we really need to depend on the strength provided by the Lord. So far He has been very gracious to us and I believe He will continue to be. I just wanna make sure that Kel gets to spend all the time she has with her dad so that she will not regret it in time to come. As for me, I will continue to be the supportive Hubby that lends her the shoulder to cry on and accompany her to the hospital while I can.

Tis Christmas & New Year

This Christmas... err... should be last Christmas... was a small scale 1 as.. some reported sick (actually me too!), some gotta work...

Despite being very ill (headache, heavy flu wif lotsa phlegm which later led to eye infection), I was the chef du jour for the very 1st time... wif my hubby's help. Used to be done solely by mum every year but all of us just want her to rest more.

Not much food though - bubur itam (izit how it's spelt?!), fried chicken wings, nuggets, potato wedges (sedap wif our homemade garlic maiyonnaise!) & some contributions from my sis - sandwiches & fruit salad. Not really in a mood & great form to cook but since I've taken up the task so gotta keep my promise in order not to make my mum worried. But as you can see... almost all are deep-fried, heaty food huh.. me definitely not afraid to die ya.

every1's so bloated... perhaps except my sis...

after exchanging presents

Daddy's been hospitalised since last Wed. It's a rather stressful time as we're worried that my mum will over tire herself wif the everyday travelling & long hours out, with her current state of health. And we've been busy wif the daily trips too. The most tedious is not really the visit but the travelling part. Even spent our whole NY's day wif daddy @ hospital.... I just wanna spend as much time wif him as possible. However I'll not be able to do that if I dun have a supportive husband & I'm truly thankful that I've 1 who's 100% supportive.. Vince's never ever shown any reluctance in burning his weekends & public holidays in the hospital. He's always so encouraging, so understanding, so participative...! Very happy that I get to accompany daddy yet still enjoy our couple-time, literally wherever we are. Without him, I really can't imagine how I am to go through all these.

Had a quiet but intimate countdown @ home just with my hubby. But my dear honey had to rush to the loo just a few seconds into 2006 as he's having a stomachache! Of all the timing right?? While he's working hard on the bowl, I discovered (from daddy's bedroom window) fireworks shooting up in the sky far far away from 3 different locations!! From 3 locations u know! It's a real pity that my honey missed the impressive scene... & I got so excited that I was prancing between the window & the loo to tell my hubby what's happening! Ha!

But anyway think I'm 'born' to see fireworks & meant to watch them alone. I frequently (read as: many times!) see fireworks when I'm in KL & Bangkok when, from what I know, there's no special occasion. Don't ask me why fireworks then but I just get to see them! The best 1 was the 1st time... was in KL in my Ritz Carlton guest room & I heard some 'popping' noises.. being worried, I was searching for the cause of the noise until I drew the curtain & looked out of the window & there a spectacular view of fireworks was displayed right in front of me..quickly went to switch off the lights & enjoyed the aerial show on the couch. Oh there's once when we were in KL, same hotel.. that's the only time we watched it together. So can say that I'm rather sensitive to the 'popping' sounds of fireworks.

NY eve... just reached home.

Counting down. Toasting to the NY... me with a self-invented cocktail & hubby with beer. My cocktail tasted great! Just poured capfuls of cinzano, raspberry vodka, lychee syrup, green lemon juice & coconut milk into the shaker & voilà! Boosted my confidence to mix other cocktails the next time round ;)

The 2nd day of NY. My honey & his brand new & fav Oakley-Ducati sunglasses.