Eat with your Family DAY???

Do you spend time eating with your family every day? If yes, you will agree with me that the annual 'Eat with your family day' is redundant. Agree?

To start off with, perhaps I am one of the luckiest ones who is able to head home straight after working hours on most days, and get to eat home cooked food almost every other day. Hence, I do not really see the relevance of such a day.

Well, ultimately, what is the objective for setting aside such a day for everyone to eat with their family?

Yes, I do agree that most working personnel do work late into the night and settle their lunches and dinners outside, forgoing the nutritional value of home cooked food in exchange of convenience. By the time they reach home, they would be so tired that they would head straight for bed. So, doesn't this explains the decreasing (in fact, low!!) birth rate?

Even for myself, surviving now without a domestic maid, most of my time would be spent on washing clothes, cleaning up milk bottles etc etc. By the time my back melts on my bed, I would drift into slumberland, almost immediately!!

Yes, I do agree that work is just one important aspect of life and it would be sad to have one spending a large proportion of his life working, without development in other aspects of life. But, well, in such a competitive world these days (topping up with inflation, retrechment every now and then), it is definitely not easy for us to work towards a more balanced work-family type of life.

This year, fathers are encouraged to head home and cook at least 1 dish for the family. Definitely not an easy task to achieve since we were only given half an hour off work earlier. Then there was the first ever Family Day out in Singapore on May 24, a Saturday!! What difference does it make since majority of Singaporeans are already on a 5-day work week?

Well, perhaps we may want to ask for more family time but can we? Politically, economically and socially...just a thought on my end...

A Different Mother's Day

Like Joyce Cheng (Lydia Sum's daughter), Mother's Day this year was definitely much lonelier...

Remembered how we used to surprise Mum with gifts, dinner treats etc and she would scold us for splurging unnecessarily on her. Well, we never regretted it and glad that we cherished whatever time or days Mum had last year...

Sprang her another surprise at the hospital. Brought along a 'We love you Mum" helium balloon and a mango cake from Bakerzin. Greg's Mummy and Mummy Barney brought Greg and Gine to the hospital, hoping that Mum would recover soon and we could celebrate more Mother's Days with her. Unfortunately, Mum was too weak, not even had the strength to reprimand us this time...

This year, we could only visit Mum in the temple and silently wished her a Happy Mother's Day...sob! sob!

A poem which Greg's Mummy has penned for Mum, to share with everyone.

A Whole New World

Have not had this feeling for a long while. No inspirations, no motivations for the past 2 and a half years...

Had a new start for my career after my HK trip. Not really a new job since it was a mere transfer. However, it was definitely an entirely new environment.

Got to know more people and no longer living in my own 'comfort zone'. Guess it's always good to get out of that zone at times, especially for someone like me who practically cannot stand mundane chores and repetitive jobs! (Sometimes, really wonder why I never get tired of my hubby since I face him every day!! :P)

Anyway, gave myself a bit of time to settle in and adjust to the new working culture. Do miss my ex-colleagues and was indeed touched when I read Barlalee and Barlyson's blogs (haha! felt as if I really said 'bye bye' to this world). Guess we have to look ahead and move on in life, sometimes.

Just glad that I do not have to suffer any more back pain and backaches in the new office (aka no more back stabbing!!!)... At least, no one in the new office acts as if they are the victims, crying and acting as if everyone in this world is against her!! (But in actual fact, they are gloating over the office politics that they have ignited.)

Super fast paced and everyone just get their jobs done, within the shortest span of time...

Spectacular View of Hong Kong - From the Victoria's Peak

Tired and almost collapsed from an entire day of walking, or perhaps I should say, window- shopping (since I did not manage to purchase anything).

Started the day trying to locate some shops selling baby clothes at the industrial park. Shucks! No luck! The shop and factory outlets were closed down, almost 2 years ago! Count on the list given by friends and other sources...

Then pop by Ladies' Street which was supposed to be a popular shopping district - Well, more like the pasar malam stalls that you can find back in Singapore.

SOHO - Sounds like an interesting and classy place. Ooooohhh...lots of up slope and I could feel the strain on my knee while I was walking. Anyway, wide variety of restaurants but nothing fanciful.

Hong Kong streets are definitely crowded and cramp. Buildings are also dilapidated, was wondering why unlike Singapore, they do not have SERS programme or even en-bloc sales so that new buildings can be built...

Anyway, after a tiring day, Hubby brought us to Victoria's Peak. Took a tram up and it was definitely worth it!! Decided to hang around at Pacific Coffee before we finally said our good bye to HK!

Sit cable car, See Buddha, Eat McDonalds

Yup, that was what we did on our 2nd day in HK!

Took cable car to 360 Ngong Ping where you can see the gigantic Buddha statue. Decided to stop at beneath while Hubby climbed up thousand and one steps to reach the Buddha! Thank goodness I made the right decision as the way up was definitely too steep for me, having to carry Gine up as well!!!

Gine in the cable car, on our way up to 'see' the Buddha

And Gine has been ranting 'Sit cable car, see Buddha, Eat McDonalds' ever since we paid Buddha a visit that day!!

Hey, but don't remember eating McDonalds after we came down from the hill top!!???? Hmmm...probably Gine was looking forward to that, afterall.

Hong Kong Disneyland (Day)

Woke up earlier than usual. Though it was only 530am, it was already quite bright in HK.

View from our hotel room

Breakfast at Chef Mickey, Disney Hollywood Hotel (Wide variety and reasonable price - SGD$20)

Went back to Disneyland again (since we got a buy- 1(day)-get-1 day-free package). This time round, we concentrated on taking the rides and were glad we had taken photos with most of the Disney characters last night, as there was a queue for almost each and every character.

Gine in her Minnie Mouse cap (well, she still thinks she is Minnie Mouse)

Unfortunately, Gine did not enjoy most of the rides. She loved the Autopia most, where she could get behind the wheel (steering) and drive the car, as if she was in real control of it...

Gine simply refused to get out of the car, even after the photo shoot

Mummy Barney had a good time, shopping around for gifts. Though the things were not cheap, Mummy Barney simply could not resist the temptation and got a "weird" look from Hubby (who had to look after Gine while i shopped frantically)...

When it was time for the spectacular parade, as usual, Gine fell asleep (always missing out on all spectacular sights and performances). Grouchy from Snow White and Seven Dwarfs pointed angrily at her and Mickey even spotted Gine sleeping soundly in my arms, from the top of his castle...

Gine after her nap and refreshing bath at the hotel...

Hong Kong Disneyland Fireworks Display

Absolutely impressive!!!

Though crowded, we managed to watch the Fireworks disply, comfortably throughout! Rather emotional as it started off with the song "A Whole New World"! Well, hopefully so for me in my career...

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Gine was already so exhausted at that time that she fell asleep just seconds before the fireworks started!

Also brought back some memories for Hubby and myself as the fireworks synchronized to other Disney songs from "Beauty & the Beast" (used one of the theme songs for our wedding dinner), "Little Mermaid" etc...