Quick one

 Just realised I only had 1 blog post in November.  Quick catch-up:

1. End-September, I was officially out of the project I was in.  Almost everyone in the team was envious of my escape haha.  There were various tasks the bosses insisted I had to finish though.  Oh well, that's over now.

2. I was sad to hear of Nancy's passing.  I traced back and found we had been commenting on each other's blog since 2015.   That's a long 9 years... feeling as though I have lost a friend even though we have never met.  My comment on her last blog post has disappeared but she won't disappear from my memory.

3. I have been going through a very trying period at home.  I didn't blog about it because it was (and is) ongoing and sensitive.  But I shall as I want to record this.  My goal is to be able to look back at it one day and say:

    Oh that was a terrible time.  

    I'm glad we are out of it already.  

    And we never want to go back.

Silly hats

What my girls were up to at Ah Mah's birthday...

JE: I have a hat

SE: Oh that is really chic

SE: I want a hat too

SE: There! Now I'm fashionable too!

JE: Copycat...

Entrepreneurship Carnival

SE's school held an 'Entrepreneurship Carnival' (translated loosely to 'Karnival Suka Ria' aka 'Fun Carnival' which has quite a different meaning!)  recently.  It was supposedly to give students a chance to run their own business.  Well maybe so for the more senior students. The ones in primary school basically had a good time haha. 

It was open to others and JE insisted on going.  Oh well, so I took time off work to take her there.  SE had gone off earlier at the usual time via the transporter.  The place was bustling!  There was music, petting zoo, haunted house and all kinds of stalls.  First, some shopping... 

Let's buy this

Then it was time for SE's shift at her stall.

Yes, that is a good choice

JE wanted to paint a bag.  I had planned to just wait, but got into it as well.

Blobby done by me. Frog by Mummy

It was so fun that we left some for SE to do.  We basically did the 'creatures' we play with - Blobby, Monkey, Piglet etc - and whatever else came to mind.

I shall do Little Yellow Dog

 Overall, totally enjoyed ourselves!

Ah Mah's 80th Birthday 2023

Ah Mah is 80!  Now same octogenarian rank as Ah Kong who turned 80 last year.  A special occasion for a special person, so we wanted a memorable event.  Booked Copper Mansion for a course dinner. :)

Private room

Can choose songs and sing

Some pics of the more photogenic food....

Thai lemongrass pork skewers

3-season platter (yes 3 and not 4 haha)

Roast duck

Italian-style prawns

While the food was decent, we agreed it didn't justify the 2k bill.  The place was nice though.

Ah Mah, Ah Kong and the grandkids

Whole family

Happy birthday to my dear mother, and here's to many more to come!

Latest Eggdogs

SE did well at her last exams.  For our record, she got 'A's in all subjects.  Hers being a private school, we expect there to be an emphasis on making students can score - by fair means or foul!  SE thought she didn't deserve some of her 'A's.  One was a paper where the teacher practically gave them the essay to copy.  Another was she happened to study the right thing.  Putting all this aside, still, definitely an excellent effort.

The eggdogs apparently appear whatever the results.  :)  As before initially, here and here, these are the little creatures which are drawn at the end of the papers...

Eggdog on the Maths paper: Eggdog don't know its angles 

An apologetic Eggdog

Eggdog has high standards, coz this paper was an 'A'!

My far is this one below.  One of her teachers noticed these creatures, and wrote his own response.  Love it when teachers interact like this!

The Eggdog who studied last minute

 

Haircut

Took a before and after haircut shot of the girls.... this Upin/Ipin mural is on our way to the shop.  The girls always want to have hair as long as they can get it.  The previous round, both girls ended up in tears after their haircut.  The ladies at the shop were pretty shocked at their super-unhappy customers!  

Actually JE liked her layered style after a while.  SE remained totally displeased... 

 

Before

After

The haircuts were barely noticeable this round especially for SE.  I'm sure the shop ladies remembered the tears previously and took care not to upset their customers too much.  Not worth my money also haha.

Lantern festival

The kiddos are big now (how time flies!) but they still wanted to play with lanterns this year.

Hehehe

Just lighting lanterns and taking a walk round the neighbourhood.

Us and our lanterns

Why not, as long as they want to!

 

For the record, we had dinner the previous day at Ah Lye Fish head (not as good as we remembered).  And mooncakes from sis and gin-and-tonic from bro this night.  We tried to leave early to join hubby who was home alone.