BBQ Picnic once again!

Yes. I wonder why. Why is that it always rain when we BBQ?

I can't recall a time when it didn't.

31st August 08 (Sunday). We decided to challenge Mother Nature again.

Venue? East Coast Park. The beach area right in front of 7-11 - in case we need to make an emergency exit.

All was well when we met up at 3.30pm. Sunny. Breezy. Great sign.

We enthusiastically set up the mini BBQ pit and laid out the mats - oblivious to the looming, gloomy skies. All efforts were focused on checking out the food supply and setting up the pit.

Before long, history repeated itself once again...

From sunny skies to looming dark clouds. From breezy winds to annoying drizzles. And here we went again.. transformation in progress - T-shirts and utensils in hand, in exchange for raincoasts and umbrellas.



Although we managed to save the fire (in our pit), our mats were ruined and our bag guardians (wanlin and JacQ) had to transport huge trash bags filled with all of our belongings to somewhere safe and dry. Whilst the rest of us "basked" under the pelting rain, anxiously thinking of the next steps while trying to protect the food as well - Is the rain becoming smaller? I think so. NOOOO!!!! How? Run? Noooo!!! Let's stay put... Hahahha...

After a long tussle with Mother Nature and receiving weird glances from rushing passer-bys who wanted to hide from the rain, the pain-stackingly made food were ready...

Yum yum...



What a fight. We managed to finish all the food and drinks around 7.30pm - just as the sun was setting. Here's a salute to all the challengers who battled against the rain once again...

25th...

It's that dreaded time of the year again when you totally loathe double digits and when reality hits you real hard... time has no mercy and is slipping you by with every passing second, every breath.

How many years have passed since I was 18? I rather not count.

How many years have we known each other? God. I rather not tell.

And just how many years have I been sitting here, whining my life away? I rather not recall.

Truth be told, age to me is nothing to fear about. Not now. Not at this stage.

But someday i will.

Someday when no amount of make-up will help. When no amount of comfort will do. When my limbs no longer listen to my command (well, it happens sometimes even now...).

But hey! I'm still in "now".

So I shall not brood over "someday" too much.

Reaching 25 is hardly a milestone for me. Just another usual day in my usual life.

But it was great receiving sms-es from frenz and fun catching up with the gang the weekend before to have a "August babies" dinner @ The Ship. Honestly, when I first heard the restaurant's name, I almsot flipped. I was like "HUH? The sheep or the ship? We eating on a ship?".

Yah... very duh of me.

Anywayz, it was kinda funny when 2 guys started ordering and drooling over their "3 little lambs", the smilies duo who eventually managed a very "stressed smile", and the "hidden duo" who seemed far too conspicuous.



We even got our long-time pal back in the gang! Hooray!!!!!!

Phew! No uninvited guest.

After dinner, we ventured to the cafe just outside Borders. Just as I was ordering Tiramisu, our dear Ms. Tan suddenly blurted out "Why you order Tiramisu?? The Tiramisu here is not nice! I tried before!"

Totally oblivious to the poor waitress standing there...

And she repeated once more...

To save the waitress from any embarrassment, I just re-affirmed my order with her. That's when Ms. Tan realised and almost "died" on the spot while Wei Siang, Wanlin and I just exchanged glances with one another and stared at her... HAhahaha

As for Akong? He was busy explaining to the little girl why we called him "Guai bei bei" (weird old man) and also trying to convince her that he's not.

Soon after Lenus and Oon returned from the loo trip, we knew why Ms. Tan had vervently disregarded the tiramisu... they had 2 slices of cheese cake for us...

Awwww... that's so sweet...

So after that whole episode, Wanlin and I got our pressies...

My precious Agnes b. passport holder (^ 0 ^)/ Luv it!



And Wanlin with her porter bag...



Should have shot those demos that Lenus did to show Wanlin how to use the bag.. Simply hilarious...

Ahhh~ what a 25th...

Natsu Matsuri 夏祭り 08

It's that time of the year again! After much await, 23rd Aug came and gone. And yes, before we realized it, the annual Natsu Matsuri 夏祭り(Summer festival) was gone.

The sad thing about this year's celebration was that it was a rainy day again and the stalls and performances had to be shifted indoors instead - losing much of the summer festival atmosphere.

But well, since we were there, we might as well just make the best of it. :)

Just look at the queue!!!


When we finally got in, Adrian and I went on our separate ways to queue up and get changed into our yukata. After an approx. one-and-a-half hour wait, i finally got into my yukata (which I bought from Uniqlo japan) with the help of some Japanese obaasan. Arigatou gozaimashita!


I could hardly walk in a normal fashion when i was in my yukata. Small steps had to be taken so as to avoid tripping. More importantly, I had to sit real upright in my yukata as the way it wrapped around your body kind of "forced" you to do so...

After filling our stomachs with some Japanese curry rice and sorts, we decided to take a stroll around the compound. We came across the central stage at the open field and lamented that if it hadn't rained, the stalls would be set-up outdoors, just beside the stage and dancers/ performers would be leading the crowd with their choregraphed moves... if only...


Just as we thought the performances were cancelled and were about to head home, we heard cheers and drums coming from the assembly hall. We decided to hoop in for a peek and discovered that the performances had been shifted indoors instead!


Following the instructors in striking pink yukatas (such as the obaasan below), Adrian and I decided to join in the traditional dances and move along with the crowd...


Before long, the dances came to an end, and it was time to end the festival. With much reluctance, we slowly packed our stuff and ready to head off with the rest - but not before a shot with Tuk...


Hopefully next year's celebrations will be on a sunny day, so that we can relinquish the outdoor celebration atmosphere once again.