Dance audition

The rascals dancing their way into my heart... Perhaps we'd like them to put up a dance performance during the wedding? :P

Masak masak for real

As a little girl, I used to love playing masak masak with my kindergarten friends. I'd be the good little wife who cleans and cooks and waits for her husband to return home from work. It's fun, I thought.

I must have been out of my mind then. When it's for real, it's anything but fun! It's not easy to set up a home, my dad told me recently. What words of wisdom, I realised, after only a few sessions of real life masak masak!

A very unsuccessful hunt for a HDB flat over 11 months.

Decision to squat in my sister's empty flat in Bukit Panjang in the interim. Imagine having to mop away 7 years' of grime! It's a seriously back breaking job...

The kitchen sink, washing machine, and fridge.

Using our washing machine for the first time to wash couch covers!

Door bell's ready to be rung by friends! And perhaps also sales promoters...

Coffee on the go, a way to survive the "ordeal".

Here, we salute our parents, especially the mums. You're the true superheroes! We've lots to learn from you.

Monkey see, monkey do

Oh no, not Xingmin and I! We're definitely not monkeys! It's the 2 rascals...

Monkey see...

Monkey do...

Hands and foot

Clearing up

Well, looks like all mess can be cleared up. With great determination... and lotsa grumbles!

Hmm... I wonder what state Xingmin's room is in right now?

Mussing up

Tomorrow I'll awake to a Friday morning, and I'll drag my reluctant feet to work. After all, who looks forward to going back to work after a week's leave period (aside from Janice of cos)?

So, you ask, what did you do while you were on leave? Enjoying yourself?

Nothing much, I'll say, just mussing up my room...

过大礼 - our way

过大礼 - a term which caused Xingmin and I to draw a blank when we first heard it.

A frantic search through the internet later, we're a little bit wiser about our Chinese wedding customs. Here, we'll attempt to provide a summary which I suspect will come in useful when it's our children's turn to be married:

- 过大礼 literally means "performing the rites"
- aka the betrothal, it's when the groom and a matchmaker (traditionally an aunt from the groom's side) bring betrothal gifts (娉礼) over to the bride's family
- usually takes place at least 3 days up to a month before the wedding, on an auspicious date chosen by both families
- the betrothal gifts (representing fertility and prosperity) are packed in even numbers ("好事成双") in a multi-tiered wedding basket and may include (depending on dialect group):

• 红封利是 (amount determined by the groom's family, usually contains the number "9")
  
• "price" for the bride (娉金)
• jewellery for the bride eg. the dragon-phoenix bangle or 四点金
• 2 pairs of dragon-phoenix candles (to be lighted on morning of wedding)
• western and chinese wedding cakes
• 2 bottles of brandy
• at least six tins of canned pork legs or a whole roast pig
• even number of oranges ("生果")
• dried food items placed in 贴盒 such as seafood (abalone, sea cucumber, shark's fin, etc.), mushrooms, 发菜, candies, fruits and nuts (四京果 - longans/lychees/walnuts/peanuts, lotus seeds, lilies, red/green beans, red dates, etc.)
• a pair of coconuts ("爷子")
• 2 tins of tea leaves ("多子多孙")

Of the gifts, a portion (in even numbers) is to be returned to the groom's family (回礼) and this includes:

• a portion of the 娉金
• the pair of phoenix candles
• 2 bottles of orange syrup in replacement of brandy
• head and rear of roast pig
• a portion of the oranges
• a portion of all other gifts
• a pair of trousers for the groom

This is done to indicate the groom’s family is overly generous, the bride’s family is not greedy and that the two families will share their good fortune.

So many details to take care of! To quote Xingmin, we're "so glad we only have to do this once."

Here's how our simplified 过大礼 went...

"It's (roast pig) here. Wow. Quite big... 10 over kilos... I think it's the pig that's going to carry me instead!"

"We're bringing over 18 oranges..."

"You can use the stickers when handing out the Bengawan Solo gift cards..."

"Keep the DOM and drink next time after you deliver your baby..."

Make a guess what both families had for dinner that evening?

Girls just wanna have fun

It was a night out with Pei Shieen to celebrate her birthday...

Making merry with food and wine.
Capella, CHIJMES, 14th Nov.

Shieen, thanks for being there for me through our SGH years, being a constant reminder of my status as a daughter of Christ. I pray that you'll continue to grow ever closer in your walk with the Lord, and may you experience His blessings richly in your life!

Happy birthday.

Dressing up the MTB Part II

"$120/m."

"$180/m."

"This one, $280/m and that one $360/m."

"You like? I give you special price. Best price in town!"

Is it my imagination or the fabric business is good business? I mean, if a lady buys 2 pieces of fabric, 3m each (for full length dress), that's easily >$1K out of her pocket! Wow... But I seriously suspect the true reason why we were quoted such high prices is partly due to: (a) my mum not speaking very good English and (b) myself carrying a camera around for quick snapshots.

Conclusion drawn by the retailers:
Tourists from China = Lambs to the slaughter.

Where fabrics will stop you in your tracks with their lustrous richness and vibrant colours.

Spoilt for choice.

An enthusiastic model with a ready smile for the camera.

Nonetheless it was still a visual treat looking at the different colours and designs, and I thoroughly enjoyed the feel of the soft fabrics. Most importantly, my mum found a couple of pieces that she liked. Looks like her hunt is finally over!

Food glorious food!!!

If anyone wonders why the bride-to-be is unable to drop the excess pounds before her big day, here is my excuse...

Scene:

Haematology Pharmacy
Singapore General Hospital




Crime:

Excessive workload, the evidence speaks for itself. I mean, we actually ran out of tote bins for the chemo orders, and... and... how can there be so many prep labels for the weekend?!?

Victims:

Yours truly and a few other unfortunate souls who have gone absolutely balloons.

What happens then? Stress relieving binging sessions are the most therapeutic...

A little of everything...
M Hotel, 6th Nov.

Different sources of simple sugars.
Halia, Botanical Gardens, 7th Nov.

Meat fest!
Grill-Out, Sunset Way, 8th Nov.

'Nuff said.

Dressing up the MTB Part I

My mum's someone who likes to be well prepared, so much so that she bought a dress for my wedding way even before Xingmin proposed! :P

Now she figures, hey, one dress is not gonna be enough. She'll need at least 2, one for the customary and church ceremonies, and the other for the banquet. Thus begins the hunt for the elusive beautifully elegant dress...

At the dressmaker's at Bukit Timah Plaza.

My sis taking the opportunity to alter her dress.


Mother & daughter looking so radiant!

It's all about the fabric, my mum says. Has to be very nice. We tried out various combinations with what was available at the dressmaker's but somehow they don't look quite right. Looks like we'll have to make a trip down to Arab Street for another round of fabric shopping soon!

Enough about fabric, it's makan time!
Cafe d'Orient, Sunset Way, 3rd Nov.