Flight home

Normally when we travel, we go to the 'poor people class' as what che-che calls it. (To her, when I went Premium Economy on the way to JFK coz that was the only cheaper class on SQ 😜. She was so jealous and asked me "why you go on a better class and you booked me on poor people class"?)

But for this recent Japan flight that we just got back, I had booked Business class ticket for myself as it was a short holiday, and also I had just earned lots of miles that I could redeem. It was meant to be my first solo trip when I was going to splurge it all (not exactly all but if you know what I mean) and pamper myself coz I feel I deserve this for 22 years of hard work. 

So when she said she wanted to tag along, I made it known to her that I had already booked my ticket and if she wanted to come with me to the same cabin as me I can help to top up a little for her but she covers the rest of the ticket herself. 

Lounges

SIN - Krisflyer lounge. Been before so it's nothing. And I always wonder how can people eat so much in the lounge and then eat again onboard? 

For the girls' experience. They have never travelled on business class but they have been to the lounge - only when hubby is around. Until it came to the time when they allowed only one guest, I gave up my 'space' and asked hubby to bring them in. Of course I went on separate ways from them, then hubby can pretend he is travelling with two young kids alone and I hope he was a good actor to pretend that he couldn't leave any small kid alone. As they grew older, it's difficult to use the same tactic so the girls would take turns to accompany daddy to the lounge. Poor mummy left alone downstairs, then someone will be so guilt stricken to leave me behind and bring down a bottle of drink for me from the lounge. Haha!  

FUK - this is a shared lounge for 23 airlines. Not as many food choices as Krisflyer lounge for sure

That's all I took coz I wanted to eat ice-cream with che-che. Only spent 15mins here for picture taking and pretend sit in the lounge. 

"You finally came back." Hello! I only went in for 15mins. 

Had to appease and bribe this girl with her ice-cream. 

When I came out of the lounge, I noticed the crew arrived. Was looking around, thinking there'll be no familiar faces but suddenly I saw E, my batchgirl. So excited to see her coz I haven't seen her for so many years. Ran up to her and called her. Out of courtesy smiled at the CS and IFM she’s talking to. I didn’t get a chance to shake their hands coz too excited to talk to her. Anyway, I was even more happy when I knew that she was working in the same cabin as me.   

"Mummy ditched me" 😂. That look on her face whenever she said that to me  

I only have either orange juice or water. Really! Even in Biz 

"I give you extra satay", that's what E told me. I was happy but I wish I can tell her I want even more. Haha! I love SQ satay. 

There was free time after drinks service. IFM came and talk to me. At one time I went to D2L to talk to E. I went to the EY FWD galley to meet her, I saw she has a plastic bag with her, she had the intention to bring some snacks down for che-che. So sweet of her. I looked into the bag and told her she don't need the biz class snacks, she can give her the economy class's peas and crackers. Only to have E exclaiming "I give you better ones you don't want. She so cheapsake!!"  Yah. Coz we never travel on biz. We don't have alot of money k! 

E walked down to pass it to her while I peeked from the curtain.  

Truth to be told, I'm not sure which is solely biz class snacks. From this pic, I know the popcorn is served in economy (we had a whole bag full of it from the JFK-SIN crew). And of course she put in che-che's cheapo snacks. 

One for the memory. She’s still stunningly beautiful. 

Service commenced. Wakeful hours so I better eat and make my money worth! 

Prawn Caesar Salad 

Roasted chicken and orange honey sauce 

 love this kind of view while dining

I was already full but IFM Edwin insisted I should eat the cake. When I declined hot drinks, he offered other drinks. But I really don't drink. Water is good for me. It's always good to cut caffeine when one is onboard, I mean I could have asked for chamomile tea but chamomile tea and water will destroy my taste bud. 

No cheese also.

Orange chocolate cake

I managed to orh orh in the plane for a short while. Probably the last time for me to enjoy sleeping at 35,000 feet so comfortably. Plane landed and I was tired coz I didn't have enough sleep, but I didn't mind coz how many times do I bump into familiar faces onboard? 

Coz it wasn't convenient for che-che to take pic onboard. Took pic of them while we were waiting for our luggages.

Conclusion : After these flights, I realised while it is good to have that more exclusive treatment being addressed by Miss Teo; nice bed to orh orh, it's not worth what I spend leh. I don't eat alot when I'm onboard, I don't go for full course meal service, I don't ding dong ding dong the bell to ask for this and that, and I don't really watch 2-3 movies onboard. So will I pay for another biz class trip next time? Maybe not. Unless I win the lottery lor! I’d rather use the money that I can save from it and spend on more hotel stays. 穷人是这样的、没办法我不是富婆。

I wasn’t an angelic crew

Throughout my flying career, I did what I can to help the junior crews. Kind of like paying forward as I met many helpful seniors myself. Of course got the Top 10 tyrants but … really end of the day I always told myself and the junior crew “have a good working attitude”. I do tell my girls too now that lil’ one is also doing her industrial attachment that being humble and a good working attitude goes a long way. 

I had many junior crew who all remembered me as the patient senior guiding them, they remember they did a flight with me when most times I forgot that I had worked with them before. 

But I wasn’t that angelic afterall. I do bully my super nice CS Freddie 😂. Muahaha! It was team flying Then we were assigned a team for a year before they switch us. Sometimes we do get 1 crew who will be in the next team as well. Sadly I was only with Freddie for a year. So fatherly, so gentle then he met a talkative noisy crazy stewardess. 

Why I love team-flying

Perhaps I was lucky I met a lot of nice crew. Ehh….. except for one leading couple, the man is the huge problem. Always picking on us 3 senior FSS. I was the most senior then. But we had the nicest yet known to be a stern IFS having our back. I mean…we 3 got 靠山 and others can see that he and his wife got problem just picking on us even when we do things in black and white. Aiyah! Some people are just crazy lor.. as long as we just do our work (and we were so hardworking k!) IFS KPang can joke with us and do funny things with us even on lull period when he comes down to the galley to see us but when he talks to the couple, it’s all serious no smile. Muahaha! 

The thing about team-flying is we know the styles of our senior crew (except for that crazy couple). Sometimes there’s a slight deviation of things which the senior crew prefers, but it doesn’t get in the way of the meal service or us providing less unprofessional work, we know it without the senior crew telling us. We work hard onboard and then we play hard outstation. 

When one gets a good team, sometimes we also go to someone’s house during our off days or go out together. Nowadays, no more team flying, the closeness with one another is just not there anymore, it’s all just superficial with a “thanks for the flight” and you’ll probably only see them months/years later or maybe not anymore. 

What was the bullying?

I was working in UD JCL then. 

So it was the cake and fruits, Freddie laughed at me when aircraft was bumpy when I was cutting the cake. 好不动就是在那个时刻 at that critical moment when I was moving the cake to the plate or just lifted the cake off. And coz I’m left-handed I usually need to turn the palm logo on plates at an angle suited for me so it remains at 7 o’clock for the passenger. Sorry lor you can’t expect me to cut and plate as a right-hander. I probably would have dropped all the cake slices on the floor. But the weather…oh my … I 流汗💦 very stressed in the cabin. Only my CS can laugh at me while I was smiling to pax and showing him face. 

So when it came to cheese and port wine. Somehow we were helping to dress up the trolley while FS was doing something else. It’s really hard to explain but usually it’s the FS who would do the trolley setup it but coz we all work as a team so all will chip in to setup.  Freddie stood there helping and he was facing the galley, I then saw the opportunity to take my revenge on him and shooed him out and push the trolley. Acting like I’m the senior crew I told him “hurry hurry. Let’s go, pax are waiting.We need to go out now.” I was trying to control my laughter and I’m sure he did see my tricks. Muahaha! He was like ???? One passenger noted our roles were switched and asked why is he standing there instead of me. I replied with a “he’s so handsome and had been hiding his handsome face. So he deserves to be seen by everyone.”  But it wasn’t easy for me, k? I had to plate the cheese while he did the easiest job - offering port and standing there looking handsome and smile. That’s one cool CS I have. He came back and play grouch grouch to me. Haha! 

自己人 gah-gi-nang

So I’ve left the company 22 years. Resigned in April 2002, cutting short my jet setting lifestyle. Sad! 

When che-che was still a baby and toddler, I would have left the company 1-3years prior. Then I recognised alot of people onboard. Junior crew who came up with toys for che-che and setting up the bassinet etc.. I recognised more leading and chief crew. Then coz I was always in the poor-people class, the most senior person to serve us would be the leading crew. I’ve had IFS who would wave to me from the JCL cabin when we boarded and then come over to talk to us during the flight. Then when they checked the PIS, they took note of hubby who is a PPS so they do come round to make their introduction. There were incidents too when crew referred to PIS before they know I’m an ex-crew from their senior crew. I’ve overheard them telling another crew “Mrs Ting is an ex-crew.” We do get special treatment, we used to board first coz we were parents with infants/young children then when we had no infants/young children we board as PPS or just remained and waited for our row to be called and board then. 

Then over the years, as the girls grew up, the senior crew also one by one retire and leave the company. 

Now, 22 years later. (I would have been a CSS or IFM if I stayed on) the CS/CSS are people just around my time or more junior than me. Staff number 54000 or 55000. I’m in the 52000 range 🤭. I get some senior crew recognising me or some who don’t. But it’s ok, I don’t ask for recognition. 

My last flight from Japan, returning to base, I bumped into my basic batchgirl. Woah! It was a very happy surprise to see her and I ran up to her to say hello while they waited for the aircraft. I’m sure she did mention to the crew that I was her batchgirl then coz after that the IFM kept coming to talk to me. I didn’t mind seriously coz it was too short a flight to sleep BUT I DID EVENTUALLY 😂 and love to chat. I can’t watch movies onboard, I think I just cannot tahan my eyes glued to the screen that long. I’m sure he came over and chatted with me when he was free, load wasn’t that heavy anyway. Asked if I was the “Lily Teo” that Victor and Prem always talked about. Haha! So common name but sorry I’m always known as “Lily Ann Teo” in SQ. Perhaps that’s why one CCE/T came onboard once and mistook me for someone? He kept talking to me also…makes me wonder if I was on appraisal check then. 

E came and talked to me too. So it was really a pleasant flight.

Somehow although I know we use our money to pay for our flights, it feels really weird when the 自己人 come over and greet me as Mrs Ting when hubby is around. When he’s not around, I don’t get salutations coz not recognised customer mah. But still get the good service SQ is reputable for. Or maybe coz I’m an easy passenger.

I think in another 10 years, probably won’t run into familiar crew coz all left the airline. 

Feed my monkey 🐵

All che-che wanted was peanuts so I asked batchgirl for few packs to “feed my monkey”. Actually as I was standing in the EY FWD galley I saw she already had some snacks from JCL in the bag. She came to my seat first and we went to the galley together coz we wanted to take pic, I didn’t want to take at my seat lah! 

She showed me what she wanted to give her but I told her we have too many snacks in the luggage bag and at home, really just the peanuts will do. And she burst out laughing, “aiyoh! All these? (pointing to the peas and crackers) are cheapo peanuts leh! she likes?” Yah, coz we poor people so we have cheapo acquired taste.👅 Usually when we get the peanuts for drink service, I'll pass my greedy girl mine. You should see that wide smile on her face and her puppy eyes rounder. Second round drinks I'll ask for 2 more packets and then pass it to her, but it seems like I'm always the greedy one to the crew lor!    

Funniest was previous flight, che-che wants four more packets of popcorn. Made me ask crew coz she doesn't want to ask. The crew came with bags of ‘😱 omg! Why so much?!’  First at the galley when I asked for four more packets they wanted to give more, then I joked with them “wait. I’ll bring my bag here. Open up your cart and airlarda and empty everything in my bag.” They wanted to give more but I said it’s ok. In the end I went back with more than 6 in a bag. Then almost at the end of the flight, LSS Nora came up with another bagful of popcorn. The passengers next to our row looked at us, must be thinking “typical Singaporean, suaku first time traveller ask for so many things”. Che-che and I had a shock when she came by and we looked at the amount of popcorn inside 😂 and a few other goodies. Point is, I know aircraft back to SIN and will replenish  drystores but surely we will get sore throat from the heaty snacks. 

 x28 of delicious salted caramel popcorn 

I didn't know there's so many varieties of snacks. Coz I always orh orh, even if I step near galley on long haul to stretch or go toilet, I don't notice what they display on the galley top. 

So timely

As if Sugi Bee knew I was heading to Japan, they sent an email on 13th 10pm informing their promotion. 

Coincidentally I just posted on this earlier this month. 

Wow! That’s a good deal! 

I bought 5 (x2 mango, x1 grape and x2 yuzu) at tax free price of ¥ 12,900 (S$109.64) and as a member I get to choose my free gift (ranging from honey lozenges to energy drink to dunno what. I chose Manuka honey). S$110 only leh! I would have to pay $60 x 5 = $300 in SIN !!!

So tempted to buy more but the large luggage is already filled up 😣. It would be difficult to buy at year end when we have x4 person’s personal effects. 

Let’s track

Let’s track how many photos I’m going to add into my phone. 

It’s 9.52pm now and will be heading to the airport at 10+pm. I’ve deleted some holiday photos over the years which I found are duplicates. I haven’t gone through all albums. 

Now my camera roll stands at 28093 
iPhone storage : 198.54gb of 256gb used
Photos storage : 107.66gb

I’ve deleted as many un-used apps for now. I hope I don’t have to start deleting more apps again. I do hope I will also try not to have duplicates in my roll. 

Let’s see how I’ll do for a one destination 6D5N trip. A red eye flight today, I think I won’t take much right?  I’ll track and update this as I go along my trip. 

Late night supper

It was by chance that I found out the BK opposite our house closes at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. After that I routinely became hungry past midnight. Haha! 

The first time we went into BK was around 1.15am? The second time I went with the girls today is an early 12.59am 🤣. The girls came on their own in between before. 

Even Takagi Ramen is opened 24hrs! 

Wow! We have food opposite us opened, we have bread, snacks and drinks vending machines in our compound to stuff us FULL. 我不胖才怪！

New packing

Packed all the sports attire and the comfortable sports bra. Aiyah! Who cares if the Japanese are the most decently and respectful dressed peeps, I’m not Japanese I’m a tourist. On the day that I’m meeting Mio, I’ll wear the jeans and top I wore onboard enroute to SIN and I’ll wear it again for the flight back. I’m meeting Mio in the middle of the trip, so I’ll have ample time to wash the clothes and jeans after every use. 

It’s the hot spell in Japan now, worst in FUK where I’m heading. It’s superbly hot and flooding wet in most parts of Kyushu. Last July, we had train disruption from Hiroshima to Fukuoka. We were drenched even with umbrella, worst when the shoes are not waterproof. 

I bought a new pair of Skechers walking shoes coz I threw away my old smelly pair. That new pair gave me blisters in US, it wasn’t as comfortable as my old shoes. 

Not sure if we will use or we may end up slipping down on the roads with it, but I’ll bring the waterproof boots to cover our shoes. Bringing disposable raincoats too.  

Wanted to bring neck fan - Coolify but ….. I’m afraid it might get confiscated as I’ll be bringing the small fan I bought in KL this March. The fan needs to be with me together with my portable charger on board. So yah…. 

Final packing list for a 6D5N trip

1) 2 sports top

2) 2 sports leggings 

3) 1 nicer top

3) 1 shoes (just incase my shoes keep getting wet and can’t keep dry. I’ll need one for the flight home)

4) 3 undergarments

5) 2 socks

6) 1 home clothes 

Just pray hard there’s dryer in the room. If not ….I have my way to dry stuffs which I did last July. 

My clothings on the right, che-che’s on the left. All packed into the compression bag. With just my 2 sports top and 2 leggings I can make 4 sets of clothes and they dry fast so…

Luggage weighs 16.73kg. Luggage in luggage without contents is 7.52kg

Too much S&T (sick & tired) aka distractions

I seem to have attention problem. I tend to do things halfway or not halfway and then get distracted and start doing other things. Maybe I’m a non-diagnosed ADHD? 

I can be doing my iMovies when I need to find details and go into Safari. Then I get s&t  typing drafts in my blog. Blog entries always in draft. Let see how long after I get this post posted out. Draft in point form and suddenly things I think of 

Trying to act busy … if I had completed at one go 

Maybe should delete my FB and INSTA app for time being. 

** written on 12th July but published on 3rd Sep 😂 tho it’s still dated 12th July 

Prelude

A prelude to our trip in a day’s time. Gruen effect or not, Donki has always been a favourite with the girls.

Rows of neatly arranged products

Part of the food section at 10+am. Not ready yet I guess 

Snacks

My teriyaki chicken lunch. Getting ready to eat more Japanese food for the next few days

Now that I have a prelude, wait for my post on postlude Japan trip to Donki, Meidiya and J-Mart. Haha! Do t ask me why but we always do that one day after a Japan trip

OMG!

If you’ve noticed a huge number of posts springing up since last year. It isn’t because I was that free to post everyday, but I was trying to extract posts in my Facebook to put into the blog and all earmarked under “On This Day (*respective day*)

I haven’t been checking daily for the last 3 months in FB? I might have to wait till 2025 to re-check again when the Memories page pop up. Sigh…. You know the good thing about FB is that we can just type whatever we want and post immediately, more often for me is really rubbish posts, hilarious posts about the girls. The posts about the girls are just so so precious, it serves as a reminder of how funny, silly, cute and not forgetting irritating my girls can be. 

Posting in a blog takes up longer time and effort as I need to draft my words nicely (not that nice tho coz not in perfect English) if not it’ll be filled with lotsa #%^*!!. Many times too, I do link my posts here and there. Posting in my blog requires me to do some reading up from other sources for some information. So yah….

Although we can simply draft an entry on the phone as I’m doing now, it will be much easier if it’s done on a laptop as the speed to right-click is faster. The next question is how often do I get the chance to sit down infront of a computer? 

Oh well, good luck to myself to update my blog entries, my memories before my brain fails me. 

我很茅盾咯！

The strange thing about people is when we get so used to something, we get so sick and tired of it. But when we haven’t been there or used it, we miss it. 

I don’t think it was that long ago since I had uncle wanton’s shredded chicken noodle. Since I made an appointment for my lash resurrection at Parkway, it only makes sense that I made a trip down to his stall. 

Packed laksa for dinner as most times I’m there they’re closed. 

Katong has the best food! Reminds me of when we went looking for condo in the east before Che-che entered primary school. Hubby asked is there any nice food? Coz to him the west must have been serving Michelin rated food. 

When I stepped into parkway, also felt long but it wasn’t that long actually. Was here last on 10th May when I came for my lash perm. Changes in some shops. No more florist n photo shop opposite Watsons, one less optical shop at the corner and now replaced with Beard Papa. 

They’re selling this. Looks so familiar, I think this is the one that che-che likes - dinosaur crispy egg puff 

Always wanted to be alone coz Che-che tags along lil one tags along I always can’t do what I want to do. But now.., at parkway without a bookshop here, there’s practically nothing I can do here except to get some JPY just in time for our coming trip. A stroll in supermarkets. Oh well! I really can’t complain as long as I have time to be alone. 

Reminding self

After our outing at Ngee Ann City today - 10th July 2024.

Was driving out from the carpark lot and then I told che-che I must remind myself to pick Aricia up. I think she was puzzled and I continued that I’m so used to turning left the moment we leave the carpark ramp at Taka. If I turn left means I’m heading home. Then I burst out laughing that I forgot to pick her up from school before. Maybe she forgot about this? Coz I was sure I saw her shocked face from the rear mirror 😂. I’m sure I would have told her about it when I came back for her then. And lil’ one was the panicky one who reminded me “what about Che-che? U forgot to pick che-che up.” 

So funny, I kept reciting “pick Aricia pick Aricia pick Aricia” when turning in the huge Ngee Ann City’s basement carpark to the barrier. The moment I reached the top, Che-che from behind said “remember to pick Aricia up.” 

They have a forgetful mother. 

I’m the biggest procrastinator & imovies stress - 10th july

As at 10th July 0222hrs I managed to finally get my action going. 

1) Finished the graduation bouquet - my style

The reason why I had been pushing back and thinking of what to gift her (again) was because I was rushing through as many iMovies I can from the May’s USA holiday. 

I can simply buy her flowers but she doesn’t really like flowers as much as I do. But we can’t go empty handed. Even thought of re-using the crochet bouquet I brought over to US 😂. 

So why is my bouquet so simple without the huge flower bouquet paper? Coz there’s no way I can buy just 1-2 pieces of paper. Moreover, I don’t even know how to wrap the thing

Looks like pinwheel. 好像在骗小孩子. Honestly I thought my house is like pasar malam with all the rubbish craft things BUT … I can’t bloody reach far in the scrapbooking box behind, I can only put a foot down inside and how to balance inside? You all should see the tons of snacks the girls bought! 2022日本零食还没吃完美国2023又买回来。Then we went Taiwan in 2023 Dec with che-che and they bought more snacks. Come back from USA in May 2024 with more snacks and …. we’re heading to Japan this Sunday 🤣🤣. Oh that’s not all, we have snacks from German Market, Donki, Korean mart. 我的家真是因有尽有。If only eating snacks can 填饱肚子，give us another round of CB we surely can survive at home. 

Really weird lor! I can only reach for this small pouch of scraps scrapbooking papers and a Tinkerbell scrapbooking set

Tinkerbell lost its sticky backing 😂. Come on Tinkerbell, why do you have to do this to me? I really have to keep it simple coz I can’t decorate it any more without anything. Oh well! I think the money-face girl will appreciate this more. I pray that it doesn’t fall apart on the day I present it to her. Haha! 

2) Rushing through to clear iMovies. 

3) Haven’t finished planning itinery for the upcoming Japan trip in 4 days time. Honestly not much planning to do, it’s mainly thinking where to do a day trip. Saga is the only prefecture we haven’t been to on Kyushu. Itoshima, Nagasaki (again), Kagoshima (again), Chiran to see the kamikaze planes? It’s easy without hubby around coz he always say we’re honouring the war. ??🤔

4) Haven’t packed the bag. Making it simple this time 

5) need to colour hair again. I just did last Thur and yesterday - Tuesday, only 5 days ago. and I see white strands again. 我的天啊‼️ why my hair grow so fast? 

6) haven’t even go thru the brief pointer-form itinery che-che did for the year end trip. Wah….no wonder I see they plan itinery is so relax. Compare theirs and mine. Ok, I really shouldn’t complain if I am going to pass the baton to others. 

Now you wonder why I always seem so busy right? It’s not only the manual houseworks but all the nitty gritty things too. 

Time to move on?

Why am I still holding back when her hubby has already moved on? T has already moved out of their marital home and now in a nice pretty retirement place. 

I was trying to clear some disk space in my phone for the upcoming Japan trip in any possible place. When I came to my contacts, I came across Velda’s contact. 

Missing her. My memory is bad but I do remember her beautiful cozy home and her herbs garden. Told myself that I will have herbs if I have a garden or place to put pots. I’ve lost that zeal coz there’s no way I’m putting consumable plants outside. I also rmbr her home is near Hampton Court Palace where she brought me. Pity I didn’t have time to return and see Hampton Court Palace properly on other trips. 

And now .. I’m no longer that young 20+ lady anymore. I hate to think that when I get older, my friends are getting older too. Sooner or later,  my friends will get lesser and lesser. Really have to make time to meet with my friends locally and overseas. 

My trusty che-che

Ehh…. Maybe so except for itinery planning where she will practically drag one around to the places, somehow forgetting that her parents are getting older each year and not as feeble as before. 

I have often been told that because she travels so often so she knows how to get from one place to another. I beg to differ, feels that as long as one can read english and one is daring and observant and willing to open mouth to ask for help, it does make travelling easy. (Also, it’s not like she’s been to so many countries.) Then again, she possess the ability and curiosity since young. Whenever we travel, I always need to get two maps; two brochures, two of everything because being inquisitive as she is she loves to look at maps and observe the things around her. One map will definitely be destroyed and crumpled with the constant flipping it open and close (Yup! At a young age of 5-6), so the other serves as for me to scan once we get home.  

Orientation

Her sense of direction is as good as mine if not better. 

Travelling with her alone

Last July was the first time I travelled with her as a young adult with 2 luggages. If not for the ‘intend to buy a lot of rubbish and snacks home’, one luggage is definitely more than enough for us. 

Anyway during that trip she was smart enough to suggest to me ‘leave Aunty Mio’s gifts in the snacks luggage so we don’t have to open it until we meet her at the end of the trip’. Then we were travelling from cities to cities by Shinkansen and moving in and out from different hotels. That made a lot of sense. 

Her being alone in the US

Tho it wasn’t for a very long stint in the US, her being independent and directional smart I was assured to leave her alone. 

She went on two overnight trips with her friends and trusted that she can take care of herself.

On the way back

On the way back we had pack up stuffs to lug home. And she was smart enough to suggest to me that we can fill up one luggage, even estimating the possible weight increase one may get in the airport. We weighed our luggage in the room and stopped at 2-3 lbs short of the weight limit. My goodness! It weighed exactly in the airport. That goes to show the weighing scale is tampered with at the airport. 

Once after that we fill up the other 2 luggages and then finally the last luggage before dumping the rests in the 2 extra bags we have

Welcome ! Welcome !

Had her SIN uni friends over (5th July), not all came. Only 3 girls came, guess the rests are working? 

Last week (28th June) she went to friend’s house in Sengkang and I told her she can have her friends to come over. We always welcome their friends to our home with open arms, at first she was saying that we’re at home and hubby works from home so often. I don’t see any problem, i explained it’s not like they’re young kids running around the house and screaming to affect daddy working. And if she feels we’re interrupting them, we won’t be running around the house and screaming. 

No baking. This is not the baking clique. Actually I do miss both K and V over coz you’ll hear their laughter and giggles over their baking. It’s all for fun and own consumption anyway so who cares if the bakes look horrible. 

Preparation

As usual che-che will always say we don’t have to prepare anything but us being the traditional hospitable people feels we need to prepare something or at least have something at home.

Honestly we are not short of snacks. We have snacks from Taiwan, Singapore, US, Japan, Thailand 🤣. We do have canned oolong tea but I wasn’t sure how many are coming so it won’t be enough. 

Hubby was also thoughtful enough to ask me what to buy when he went to pack lunch. He bought 2 1.5litres of green tea and a packet of honey wings. 

Left the rest of the house to the girls 

I hid in the room, helps that lil’ one had to work from home too on Fridays so everyone were in their room. Girls are big enough, they went out to have dinner. Well, thanks to the small mall opposite us we do have meal choices from foodcourt to fast foods to restaurants. 

She brought out the strawberries and blueberries I prepared after they returned from dinner. 

Washed the berries in Thieves vegetables wash in the afternoon 

So glossy looking. Another punnet of strawberry left in the fridge - all cleaned as well so che-che can top up when it runs out

@ 11.05pm : Prepared honey wings for them. A small pack of 11, I don’t know why it’s so weird only 11 😂 but we don’t have anymore honey wings left. There’s a pack of buffalo wings but it looks ‘ice burnt’ so not preparing that at all. 

So now my question to lil’ one is why she hasn’t invited any of her current friends over during school hols? 

Fruit honey

Came across this Sugi Garden Honey in Kumamoto (2022). Tried and loved it then when making payment realised we have it in SIN. I’m a member with one stamp on my card. Haha! 

I didn’t bring this card last July coz I didn’t buy any anyway. Not sure if I should buy some this July. 

I love yuzu so bought this flavour, grape and mango way back in 2022

The huge 1000g bottle cost ¥2916 (non member price ¥3123) which works out to S$24.49. It costs 3x more in SIN at S$60 (Takashimaya) The 500g bottle cost ¥1620 (S$13.60) member price but costs S$33. I guess I have a better excuse to stock up now. 

OTOT

Own time own target. Do what I really want to do just for 3hrs, eat what I want to eat without accommodating to any of the girls. 

Collected my repaired pochette bag and got a new strap to match the colour. Wah…looks like I went shopping. Wanted to repair my wallet but I think I’ll hold first. Ah nia needs to save money first. Just as I was leaving the boutique, staff says he likes the bag I was carrying. Vintage ah-di, this is vintage liao. 

Verdict. Beautiful! Just as new as it left the boutique 22++ years ago. Which boutique? I have no idea where I bought this bag 😂 $455 poorer so this can last me another 22++ (I’ll be 71yrs old. Maybe I should pass to my girls) years. 

Staff kept looking at this bag and said something is missing. I had to show him how to slot the strap in. And he kept whispering to the staff next to him. So the guy told him it’s the older model than the other older model. And then I burst out laughing and told him “it’s the old old old old one.” 

Haha! I think when I bought this bag, ah di not born yet. When I was about to leave the boutique, he told me he likes the Damier Sarria Mini I'm carrying. Haha! Another vintage bag. 

So nice right? But I’ll remove this strap coz I use the longer one to sling. I convert this branded bag into my casual crossbody bag. 

Dropped by Kinokuniya since on the same side as where LV is and flipped through books. Dunno why see the recipes like so shiok, intending to do it takes much more mental persuasion effort. Lazy is the word. 

Since I don’t have to give in to what they want to eat, I got to eat what I want to eat. 

Yay! Ordered the yutiao. It’s so nice..I kindda forgot how restricted I was and what I would have missed if I continued keto. I mean yah..I feel so much better with keto but I’m missing out just too much food in food haven Singapore.

Wanted to order this initially but it’s too much so ordered yutiao in the end. I love this eggplant dish. So when did I love eggplant? I never had eggplant before or maybe I was fussy when mom cooked. But I had a taste of my first eggplant in Abu Dhabi. Where incidentally the LSS says she loves eggplant so we had eggplant almost every day. Muahaha! Yah! The time when we had a super long stay in Abu Dhabi and we had restrictive movements so we mainly stayed in hotel and there was a kitchen for us to cook. Ok, I only know how to wash plates I dunno how to cook. 

I want to eat açai but I’m so full now. Strange coz I ordered yutiao instead of eggplant just to make space in my stomach. 

Walked past Warabimochi Kamakura and it’s opened! I joined the queue but when I realised I won’t have enough time to get to lil’ one’s workplace I left the queue. Well, I’ll need another trip on my own another day. 

On This Day - 2nd July #Reminders from FB#

2nd July 2015

幸せ！

****************************

2nd July 2015

Her funny sleeping pattern. On Tuesday - kneeling. Today - crossing her leg

***********************************

2nd July 2014

My Little Elsa

2nd July 2011
We're only going for dinner n grocery shopping. Look at what lil' girl (our Aunty the ah-soh) insist on bringing out.

**********************************

2nd July 2011

The girls r really excited. Had been eagerly waiting for today, kept bugging me when we're leaving the house. 

I gave them the go ahead to get dressed - in their swimsuit. I think abt it, I laugh. They think their swimming lesson is going to be playing water.

***********************************

2nd July 2010

Rainy weather, Aricia got into cheery singing "There was a day when we got wet. And rainy was the weather. R-A-I-N-Y etc..." (to BINGO tune)

Athena is moody over her schoolwork and started singing "Everyday must do work. Do work, do work, do work. S-T-U-D-Y, S-T-U-D-Y, S-T-U-D-Y and study everyday. I ended with a "Yay O". *mummy mood spoiler*