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SATURDAY

The exciting weekend started with Zhiyi and I taking part in the Straits Times 160th Anniversary Car Hunt. Everyday, starting from 1st July, we would search for letters scattered throughout the papers and collect them for pasting onto an entry form released only on 16th July in order to complete the missing pieces of a riddle.

Here’s the completed contest form! Can you guess the answer to the riddle?

If you guessed Macs at East Coast Park, you are right! That’s the only place where there’s a statue of Ronald MacDonald facing a bowling alley. After pasting all the letters and having a nice breakfast at home, we set out to ECP with 40 mins to spare (we had to drop in the contest form by 11.30am).

“No problem!” I thought.

Horror of horrors, when we arrived, there was a massive jam and a huge crowd of 6000+ people (according to reports the day after). As a result, we had to get off and walk from the beginning of the park all the way to Macs (about 1-2 km). I can never remember running so hard in my life just to meet the entry deadline. In the process, I ran past a lot of people also rushing to try to submit their entries on time.

“Poor folks I thought,” as I zipped past them. “They are not gonna make it!”

Thankfully, I arrived at the scene on time and dropped my entry form into this big blue box. 5 mins later, I saw people carrying off the box to the stage where the lucky draw winners would be picked. The prizes? 10 consolation prizes of $160 each and a grand prize of a Mazda 6 (without road tax and COE) worth at least $80k. I was fortunate enough to drive a Mazda 6 during my honeymoon in New Zealand and I can safely say that this is one beauty of a car – good looks, good handling and great features! In short, *drool*

My dream car.

Anyway, the event was marred by usual images of ugly Singaporeans, e.g. who persistently argued with attendants despite arriving after the entry window had been closed, a family who lost 2 kids in the crowd, and kiasu people who pasted their entry forms onto cardboard (nice try!). They were promptly disqualified.

The winner turned out to be a lady aged 34 who was in sales and who had just bought a Mazda 3 two weeks before! And the biggest irony? She only submitted her entry form 10 mins before the draw!!! Haha… oh well, so much for zipping past people and thinking they couldn’t make it, though I do pity the folks who had been there since 6.30am despite the rain and crowds.

SUNDAY

This special day saw us celebrate the birthdays of two folks in the care group – Tiger and Jerilee, after church at Fish and Co. next to Park Mall. The food and atmosphere there was great (us being the first customers of the day and having virtually the whole place to ourselves).

Greedy Tiger and Chirpy Jeri. Happy 21st Birthday both!!! Just kidding… about the age.

Yet another picture of the care group eating. And, yes, Changky is around for once!

Zhiyi and her Mermaid Freeze. Notice also how well colour coordinated she is!

And, what are birthdays without the SABOs! Yes, the plural form of the word was intentional. Muahahaha….

Sabo #1: Tiger and Jerilee had to blow out the birthday cake without bending while standing on a chair.

Sabo #2: *PIAK* Snort… Need I say more?

Sabo #3: An impromptu song and guitar number in front of everyone.

Oh, the agony! Anyway, wanna say a big thank you to Tiger and Jerilee for being so sporting, to Merv who wrote the cool sabo song, Zhiyi for preparing one of her trademark sticker cards and buying the presents, and to everyone else who took part in the festivities! I’m really looking forward to the next birthday celebration. Ain’t it great to be part of this family!

Popularity: 11% [?]

Congrat’s to the happy couple who tied the knot on 14th May 2005 after many years of courtship! Look at how happy they are. Need I say more? God Bless you guys with a wonderful lifetime of marriage and companionship! Here’s a photo of the wedding that was held at the Singapore Arts Museum. It’s like a nice and cosier version of Chijmes.

Speaking of a wonderful lifetime of marriage, here’s one woman who has lived it – my dear mom-in-law. On that same night, we took her and dad out to Fish-and-Co at Park Mall to celebrate her XXth birthday (not revealing! Actually dunno… ha!). The waiting time was long due to the popularity of the place and the fact that it was a Saturday night, but the food and ambience was worth it in the end. There was even this one-man-band singing and playing a guitar on stage who must’ve sang over 5 “Happy Birthday” songs that night.

Finally, to top off the hectic Saturday, we rushed for yet another birthday party at Christie’s condo near Bukit Gombak MRT. Alas, due to rain, we had to have the gathering indoors and hence miss out on a glorious opportunity to see Elaine, the birthday girl, demonstrate synchronized swimming to the happy birthday jingle. Here are some excerpts from the event (and checkout that ahhhbsolutely fahhhbulous house!).

I learnt tonight that junk food and ice cream can actually constitute a full meal.

The pillars of our church are founded upon these group of great and untiring leaders.

Girls always insist on having one photo without guys (we take up too much photo real estate).

Two language books and “A Brief History of the Human Race”.

Popularity: 9% [?]