Video: Jing playing with Snowy with Dana monitoring

X'mas Lunch 2008

First, a very big thank you to Aunt Jacq and Uncle Kong for hosting this year's X'mas lunch at their very cosy place. Second, we had lots of great food: pizza, leg of ham, roast turkey, cheesecake (Aunt Jacq and Uncle Kong), otar, chicken wings, satay, fish cake etc (Bro GH), log cake and golden nuggets (Aunt Sherry, Sinclair and Jiajia), achar (Uncle and Aunt Keong), wine (Ben) and salad (GB).

Aunt Jacq personally baked two pizzas and made the cheesecake. The pizzas were tasty and moist with a very light and thin crust. The cheesecake was rich and moist. The log cake was baked by Sinclair and wife and decorated with real gold flakes!

There was so much food that everyone had to 'tabao' turkey and ham back; which contributed to my dinner the day after. Here are the photos.

The party just getting started.
Lots and lots of food!

One of aunt's delectable pizzas.

What a plump turkey...proved difficult to carve.
I always looked forward to the ham. Loved the fatty bits especially. I found out that Cousin Jia also liked the fatty bits!
Ben trying to carve the bird.
My turn to try to carve the bird. No mean task, really. Aunt Jacq was imploring me to 'Love my food' as Charlie Trotter (some famous chef) has taught her.
Aunt Jacq's cheecake in the foreground. Sinclair's golden nuggets at the back.
What a lovely log cake. Delicious too.
It was dad's birthday as well.
Cousin Jing showing off his birthday gift from Bro GH and wife -- the star and stripes necktie.
Cousin Jing's plainly decorated door.
Cousin Alec arrowed to sing a song before he can leave. He chose the Beatles' classic "Yesterday".
Entertaining the teenagers with Uno Stacko.
Dad with my nephew Seth.
Seth with his big present and the X'mas tree.
Seth fiddling with his present from Jing.
Seth dropped by my place to play with the three dogs.

Mum also managed to meet up with her primary school friend, who happened to be living in the same block as Aunt Jacq.

Video: X'mas Lunch - Aunt Jacq singing

Updates: X'mas Lunch at Aunt Jacq's place

First, there will be a exchange of presents. So please get a present at around $10 each.

Second, food wise, my bro GH will be ordering some finger food like otar, satay etc. I understand Aunt Sherry is cooking up curry chicken. Aunt Jacq will be cooking up her evergreen dishes....according to Jing. haha

Dana loves her yogurt

Committed to licking up every drop of yogurt.

Back from China trip

Mum and dad returned home from their China trip last Sat. After receiving them, we went to one of our favourite stalls at Terminal 1 staff canteen which serves excellent salmon. Besides grilled salmon, we got salmon sahimi ($5.50 for a large portion, double than that of say sakae sushi) and fried fish soup.



[Photo deleted as ordered by Mum. Said she looked like a homeless Ah Soh feeding equally homeless canines]

Then it was off to their place with the dogs. Mum wasted no time in getting re-acquainted with the three dogs by bribing them with treats.

Video: Three dogs having dinner

Video: Three dogs standing tall for dinner

Video: Dana Vs Chap-Teh

Funny YouTube videos

Early birthday celebrations for Dad

Dad arranged his own birthday celebrations this year, opting to celebrate (in advance) with many other December babies at the Buddha Tooth Temple.

The celebration started with some chanting followed by blessings from the abbot. The abbot also gave a very meaningful and appropriate talk on the importance to thanking parents for giving birth to us and bringing us up. He stressed the importance of the quality of forgiveness in our uncertain times.

Mum gamely volunteered to go up on stage to play a game with the puppet Harry the Horse. The horse gave my mum a 4-D number: 1-2-3-4! Mum said she has become more confident after attending YAH.

Taking a family photo together with the abbot Venerable Fa Zhao.

On the way to lunch at Chinatown, I took a photo with this 11 year old Collie.

Lunch was fish porridge at Chinatown hawker centre. This stall is very popular. So much so that the owner was very bad tempered.
For the afternoon, we invited Cousin Jing to join us at the Pasir Ris Dog Run. When I messaged him, he said he did not wish to run.

Dana still insisting not facing the camera.

Jing with Coco.

Having a break at the Dog Run.

Mum with Coco.
Big Bro GH and wife and Coco.

Jing with Snowy.

Experimenting with the Furminator. The bag's contents are all Dana's fur.

Me trying to look taller. Jing is not even trying.

After Pasir Ris, we went to another Dog Run! This time at Bishan. Coco had a swell time making new young friends.

Mum and the puppet man

X'mas lunch at Aunt Jac's place

Aunt Jac has kindly offered her place for a X'mas potluck lunch. Please be there at 12pm on X'mas Day.

Since it is potluck, please think of what you would like to contribute. I will contribute my once-a-year salad of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar dressing.