i miss Atah

“Atah, everyone says I’ve lost weight. I’m still 52 kg lah. Maybe I lost fat or look real tired. Arrghh… haggard, must be…”
“Lost weight? OK no worries, come back and I’ll see if you’ve really lost weight. If needed, we’ll fatten you up.”
“Okie, that sounds good.”
“Have you eaten dinner? Or are you still at work?”
“Nope, I just got back. I’ll probably make some sandwich.”
“Sandwich? Go buy some proper food.”
“Lazy lah… I’ll eat and then sleep.”
“Lazy… Make sure you eat something ah?”
“Orh. See you this Friday, Atah!”
“Yup, see you soon.”

mein super Bruder

“Dingbatz! The interview wit TI was perfect. They say they would hire me but got 2nd interview in US. So glad!”
“Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!”
“It was grueling. Got grilled technically by 3 diff ppl plus lab session to check hands-on skillz somemore!”
“Wahlau! So if dapat, u kerja kat mana?”
“Kat Erlangen near Nuremberg. This means I will haf known both TI Tucson teams.”
“Woo! Dekat that glorious town for that salty yummy sausages?”
“Yes bebe. U can load up on that when come visit me.”
“Yum yum yummo! When will you start? You coming back for holidays first or not?”
“Dunno yet. Still got the 2nd interview wit Tucson ppl but wonder how big is dat. But will talk wit big boss soon.”
“Cool, how do you feel about this one? Do you like it?”
“Absolutely. I mean got grilled for 5 hrs plus, I known I can do it n they too. Job’s interestin, ppl are cool. Today’s grill team is Russian, Hungarian n Dutch.”
“AhGeo, me very happy for you n si beh proud of you :)))”
“Thx suyinobadak! It was great to hear them say, “We can certainly get u up n ready for the job”! Heh Tues Bosch interview pulak.”
“Excellent! Viel Glück for your interviews k? Hee…Gute Nacht, mein lieber super Bruder!”

rememorari

“Your Waigong used to chop a mountain-ful of small onions when making this. He also used belly pork with a lot of fat. Do you remember?”
“Yeah…”
“This is the Eng Chun Hokkiens’ style of preparing meat rolls.”
“Did Waigong’s recipe included crushed Marie biscuits as well?”
“Yes, I’m making them as he taught me to and now I’m teaching you.”
“Orh… nice.”
“Each time I make this, I remember him, I remember your Waipo…”
“Orh…”
“This is my way of remembering…”

love seeks the good of the beloved

Ah Tan and Ah Chan’s simple church wedding was a celebration steeped in tradition, meaning, love and beauty - the splendid sunny morning, the lunch tables strewn with rose petals, the chinese character for love which was embroidered on the back of the priest’s chasuble; the guests who each had their own “how I knew the bride/groom/couple” stories; Ah Tan’s beautiful gown with the gorgeous train; Ah Chan’s contented grin which never once left his face; Isaac, the very-determined little ring bearer; Patricia, the precocious flower girl often lost in a world of her own; the quiet happiness emanating from Ah Tan’s mom…

Fr. Simon’s wedding sermon had me in awe, especially when he reminded everyone that love is a decision of the will. The wedding had also coincided with the first day of Triduum in Advent, adding significance to the beginning of a lifetime’s journey in love for the celebrated couple.

Tansterrrrrrr!! My partner in crime of nearly ten years, sister high witch of sampat-ism, fellow unlicensed pig farmer and irreplaceable bosom buddy of clandestine adventures… I’m missing you loads already! Take good care, have tonnes of fun, feed Ah Chan well and don’t OD on nachos and burritos, okie? I’ll see you soon in summer with enough curry-flavoured Maggi Mee to last you till Christmas!! Till then, we heart Skype!!

tie a knot or two

The count thus far is three, still a long way from matching last year’s tally. First up in July, there will be emcee duties with Rashid for Rose and toAdie’s wedding banquet followed by another special bridal shower to organize. November will see a whirlwind wedding weekend with two weddings back-to-back: Siew Fong and Kok Foong’s followed by Yvonne and Siew Leong’s.

Ah Tan and Ah Chan are getting married!! *sommersaults and cartwheels* It was only slightly more than two years ago that their kisah cinta mula berputik with that extended holiday in magical Bangkok. Feels like merely yesterday when Ah Tan asked me if I knew a certain Ah Chan from USM in her new lab or when she waltzed into the flat on cloud nine one moonlit night to tell me that Ah Chan had just confessed his feelings for her.

As crazily delighted as we are, it is a mixed bag of emotions as this also means that the pair will leave Singapore for good soon; plus the fact that Ryan’s not around to attend the wedding together with us. As Hema lamented recently, the time is ripe for everyone in the gang to go chase their dreams. Oh wow, what a year this is turning out to be. So much to celebrate and yet so many farewells. I am saving the tears for the year’s end but for now, there are just so much to do and so many things to be happy about!! Tanster is getting married!! I still can’t believe I managed to keep the announcement secret for a week plus without keeling over from the excitement!!

Atah jokingly warned that I will be hitting my quota with their wedding, so no more bridesmaid duties in the future unless I want to do the honour a total of seven times to break the curse of never becoming a bride. Yikes, seven is a lot… I think I’ll stick with two!

awesome threesome

my favourite cousins of all time: Wen Shei, Sing Rui and Sing Min, the Purple Pink Panther Sushi (PPPS) fanclub trio

the botak fella

Recently back from his month-long romantic sojourn in Bavaria, Germany, Ryan made us yummy kartoffelklosse (potato dumplings) with pan-fried chicken breasts for dinner while the rest of us made sesame breadsticks, garlic bread, toasted tortilla with hummus dip, pumpkin soup, bok choy with feta cheese pie, Sindi-style tandoori chicken drumsticks, tiramisu, butterscotch layer cake, lychee martinis and lemonade!! True to tradition, the gang got together for one great eat-till-you-burst makan before he returns to Mauritius to begin his new job as Round Island Warden with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, a childhood dream reclaimed.

Notre ami aimé Sheik Fadil Ryan Ramjan, we are going to miss you dearly!! Ce n’est pas au revoir, ont se revoyent pour le Makan Marathon Mauritius in a year’s time!! Kap ou pas kap?