the good news is mika is found! apparently megan didn't give up finding her and brought her food container downstairs when her friends met her for a chat at the void deck. so she just went around the neighbourhood and shook it. the way they do at home when its feeding time. believe it or not, she really appeared.

like omg! what i heard was she smelt like rubbish and had a cut on her mouth. honestly we've all given up hope on finding mika again. or her returning on her own. so it is such a miracle that she's back :D


this morning went to the temple and gave offerings to my late cousin. I learnt that he loved ritter sport chocolate - white whole almonds. and laksa. and honestly, like I've said before... I still cannot believe that he is gone. today is exactly one month since he left us. and we're all remembering him in our own ways.

mum could not bear to use the dried food like dried scallops, mushroom & black fungus that he last bought for her when he came back from china. and just now she asked me to help her play some cassettes. which I learnt that my cousin actually took the trouble to manually record for her because he knows that she doesn't know MP3 and computer stuff.

so... one lost and found. one lost and remembered.

4 days to my trip with jer to hanoi (: trying to pack some stuff. opened my luggage up so I can throw in anything in these few days when I come across them. so looking forward to it :D let's hope it'll be gd weather all the way!

and having take part in the bridal gift thingy ytd makes me feel happy for my cousin as well. at least a wedding will brighten everyone's mood. 13 dec. carlton hotel!

the first time since eons mths that jer & I stepped into town tog. besides, he was previously busy with projects, then exams. for a long time we pretty much just had dinner, watched some movies at his place, and roamed nearby. so its like a first quality day tog and it was great! :D

there is this slim chance (due to a few factors) of a business opportunity that got jer & me daydreaming for a bit. if it indeed does work out it'll be like a dream come true. but still. its too early to tell. need to keep our feet grounded & iron some stuff out. but gosh! if it really works... its going to be something totally new altogether.

it'll be something we wanna do tog. and seeing how my client quarrels with her husband (who is outstationed in vietnam permanently) every other week. I told jer that I can't stand long distance relationships. marriages are already complex enough, the long distance really strains the relationship. I rather uproot my entire life and move with him rather than weather the storms here alone & go thru all those communication problems.

and... way before marriage, the process of getting married itself is troublesome enough. helping my cousin send the bridal gifts to his fiancee's place today makes me even more determined to 'simplify' the matter. his dinner will be on 13 dec, so happy for him!

things happened and change in such a short time. I was arranging a dinner with shuyi & soonhui because I'm flying off next week and they're the only ones free now since they don't have exams. and just one day ago we were watching movie at Vivo & passed by the pet shop, almost going in to buy a brush for dear lil' Mika.

and the next morning she was gone. nowhere to be found. she wasn't scratching & meowing at Jer's door like she does every morning. she doesn't come running furiously when the food is laid out. neither did she when we shake her food bottle. she is just gone! windows were closed & door wasn't even opened since no one left the house yet. so the only way was...

the rubbish chute.

which they did hear her playing around there the night b4 she disappeared. we tried all methods & asked everyone we could but she is still not found. in the 3 months (yes, it felt like we had her for ages) she was at jer's place, she's sorta like become a part of the family. and now... I really dunno wad to do. hope for the best or prepare for the worst.

gosh. like what jer said.

curiosity really killed the cat.







so sorry for cancelling last minute sy & kor... I'll fix another one, promise!

the minshan asked me out ytd but I already had my family day planned long ago. so when she asked me out for dinner again today I felt bad to reject her again. two days in a row leh, how can?

haha. so its dinner with her at JP later! even though its at JP but I still look forward to a gal's night out. yay! maybe I can find sth for my cousin's wedding dinner. and the pair of black heels that I need since damn long ago. u have no idea, the agony of not having your staple black heels. the outfits just seem so wrong sometimes. keke. noooooo. its not my excuse to shop. my black heels worn out that time & I havent been able to fing sth suitable since. maybe minshan can bring me 'luck' later?

have a great week guys! I'm counting down to my Hanoi weekend with Jer *cheers

was at Ion for most of today's afternoon with my own family. been planning this trip down to town since forever becos I know my parents seldom step into that territory. and I'm glad that they enjoy it - the food, the 'sightseeing' and the update of orchard they had.

today we were on the train bound for Marina Bay to take the west bound train back home, and just before our train reaches City Hall, someone let off a gigantic fart. and by that I meant the 'overpowering' of it and not how it sounded when it came out. God. by the look of everyone's faces in the cabin, everyone caught a whiff of it. and I swear the people who filed out of the cabin moved doubly faster. it was super smelly man! I wonder what did that person eat. gosh.

anyway, I'm like getting alot of sudden impulses lately. I have an impulse to restring my necklaces. to make earrings. to pack my room.

but making jewelry has always been sth that I wanted to do becos I rather I make sth I like than look around thru tons of shops to find sth that really catches my eye and yet, withdraw from buying becos of the price tag. making jewelry is fun but often u have to buy beads in bulk. cos when you buy it in smaller quantities, it ends up being more expensive. of cos, one may say its ok, becos its sth I like and not found in the mkt, since whatever it is I made it & I like it.

because 'cost' is often a factor to consider & I'm not buying to make and sell... I usually end up just toying with the idea and drop it. and there was a time when I bought beads that I like and kept them. but combining them is such a chore. becos they make look pretty on their own but when combined, it looks either too messy or just wrong. lol.

so my conclusion is: don't make them myself. just buy simple, classic jewelry that won't go out of style. and maybe invest in a few gd pieces next time. spare myself the trouble and my eyes the stress of poring over beads & clasps :P

this week sorta flew by becos I was on course for two of the work days. some course which I will not name in case it makes me 'google-able'. but it was pretty useful and reinforces what I learnt on the job. and let's just say I met some interesting people too!









long overdue photos from the lunch meetup I had with my FYP gals - Minshan & Joyce. realised that only of food & not us :X I havent taken pictures of myself for a long time. heh.

anyway, it was a good catching up session after a gloomy week. hope we do it again soon! :D

and, now its like less than 2 weeks to our Hanoi trip. I am so so looking forward to it! hope it'll be nice cool weather, no wet spells or anything. keep your fingers crossed for me too. hehe.

entwined amongst all the meetings, course & emails... also comes yr end plans. few weeks back Jer & I sorta have sketchy plans for a cooking session at his place. invite a few frens over and carry on that Wii session or any other group games. that will be when his folks are away :P

then after rejecting his sis' godpa's invitation for a few times, I am finally able to make it for his X'mas dinner. usually catered nice food I heard. by nice it also hints 'sinful'. so there, the pressure of starting my exercise is GREATER.

and interestingly, on the same night the invitation was extended to me, another came from dear yuen teng. sorry gal, I know you're very early. but lately the timing doesn't seem to work out between me & you. maybe our 八字 crossed. lol. still... my 23rd is free for u!

which also means, to my dear nan hua frens... I may not be able to join our usual xmas eve gathering. I hope we can work sth out, I do still wanna meet u guys! maybe the new yr's weekend? :D after ur exams we can talk abt it!

hooray to the oncoming year end plans! catching up, partying, nice food, new clothes too! *winks

sometime back I noticed jer keep saying he was very hungry in the mornings becos there is no breakfast. his family is like a DIY kind of environment in the morning cos everyone gotta go sch or work. so the next thought that came to mind was it would be nice if I can make breakfast for him next time, so at least... he goes to work a happy man.

and I was again reminded of the fact that Jer is a much better cook than me. but every girl would think its sweet to cook for their bf or husband. I know I don't have to cook fantastically or as gd as him (which I can never achieve that) to make him happy, but then... I also want him to eat food that he like right?

my thoughts about this 'breakfast' and 'cooking' thing came about when I was reading this Food Pornography Blog today. it wasn't as gd as I thought, I imagined a blog full of sinfully delicious pictures of food. but still, its different in its unique way too - the blog is more about familiar, homemade food (not fine, gourmet food) that warms one's heart to see it. the husband sometimes packs lunch for himself and the wife, and slips in little cards with messages for her.

so sweet right?

so... SH have to learn how to cook better (all the while been helping around doing little things, both at home and at Jer's) and doing more in the kitchen. besides baking muffins, I was never really involved in cooking at home even though my mum did 'train' me how to do simple dishes like frying vegetables, etc. All 'agar-ation'.

oops. never to late to learn right? but the question is how. I guess I can only start at my own home, during weekends. learn chinese first. then the rest can wait.

and another more impt thing is... GET SOME EXERCISE REGIME GOING GAL!

got myself a kate spade wallet with the help of a kind sponsor - the boyfriend :D and my client who gave up her commission to gimme a better price. its an orange-red half-fabric half-leather wallet. yay hay!

and I have some loots from a short shopping spree while waiting for the boss. velly affordable!

note to self: potential beauty products shopping spree at JP today after work

:X yes! I've looked over some reviews and found some products worth experimenting. the more affordable ones first, then when I return from vietnam I can try the big brands in the DFS. wahahaha. this is how you expand your dollar ma...

not really used to the 'new' hairstyle. 'new' because its not entirely new, just a slight different cut. i think i nd to start blowing my hair again. I am still contemplating the color job for my hair. only concern is the maintenance after that. when the color wears off it may not look as nice. and its not everyday you have the 50% promotion too. help! to color or not to color?!

well... back to work these few days and gotta adjust & juggle the load of me being away + my boss taking part in the subaru challenge. it isn't alot of work. I was pretty free most of the day, its just that I have to spend some time making clear I know what's going on since I was gone.

had a gd catch up and spent quality time with jer on my monday. my few days away with my family means I didn't spend my weekend with him and it felt great to see him! :D

ever since last week I've been planning for this haircut. and I'm glad I went today. got the same hair cut but in a steeper slope and a less 'structured' fringe. so... it gives a more angular look I would say.

and I am suddenly very interested to get hair and beauty/skincare products, to splurge on pampering myself! I need... new foundation and maybe primer! anyone got gd one to suggest do lemme noe... :P

also, thks for you guys who've been asking how I am, and showing me concern since it happened. as you can see from my previous entries, the last week or so was agonizing and a emotional one at that. its never easy to lose someone so close, so as much as I like to get over the loss and look on the brighter side... I realised I am still quite emotional about him. my other cousin re-posted an album of the new yr photos they took at our house this year and said she 'loves us all people'. the happy pictures of my relatives at my place was very heartwarming and yet... when I spotted my late cousin in the pictures, my stomach just flipped.

what I want to say is, I am trying my best! maybe I will never get over the loss, but I will be trying to my best to accept the loss and remember my cousin for everything he have done. and this blog will be my outlet to vent... luckily, I am the type that once I pour out my thoughts, I'll feel better after talking about it :P

so I think I'll be coloring my hair end of this month, but I need to do it somewhere between 3-6pm to enjoy the 50% discount... I need to plan my time and go there early from work to do it. looking forward to the change!


P.S: you know what? I need pictures to brighten up this place!

back in my own home since this afternoon, after the cremation/wake. it was, as expected, a very emotional morning. kept having flashbacks of everything kor did and said. and I still cannot get over the fact that I never got to thank him after getting my first job. the treat I was supposed to give him will never materialize.

it is painful to see him in the casket, not looking like the kor I respect and love... The emotions were too overwhelming. I wanted to quickly get over with the cremation so he can be laid to rest properly. but I really could not bear to see him go like that. he does not deserve this sudden departure at all...

I managed to get through the last night rituals without tearing at all. but this morning I lost it. the closing of the casket opened the floodgates. I was not part of the ceremony because only immediate families were, which means my cousins' kids and his sister's family. I couldn't bear hearing my nephew do the last ritual before we leave, calling out to his daddy and following the instructions of the priest. sometimes I wish I don't understand teochew so I can't understand what they are saying. but then again, even if you don't understand, it is not difficult to tell from my nephew's sobbing.

my xiao yi did not drop by today, and the truth is she did not even take last looks at him throughout the wake. but you can't blame her... its because she could not take it. my poor aunt was unable to even answer my other cousin's question as to who got her the nice pouch and phone. I had to tell him for her that kor kor bought it for her in china and got her the pouch too... he is this thoughtful to these aunts of mine.

but life has to go on, now that he's really really gone. I will continue to miss him and remember what he did for me and my family. and in future tell my own kids, how this great cousin of mine... took care of us since young. bought me my vitamins & cod liver oil, bought me storybooks and read with me, picked me up when I was lost...

during one of the many conversations my mum had with him about asking him not to buy so many things and spend his hard-earned money on us... my kor said to my mum that '三姨只有一个, 为什么不可以?'

kor 也只有一个, 永远不可以被取代的