by gentle powers

unworthy and deeply grateful

mummy's day out

the tribe are vay excited about visiting KL. batu caves! strawberry farm! genting highlands! durians!

me, i am a simple gal. gimme air-conditioned comfort in a nice cafe with a good book.

booking nightmare

agoda.com

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incommunicado

finally! instructions to the key box!

but the box is empty!

and finally! we get in! 2 hours late!

but the wifi doesn't work

and the towels are damp

then the neighbors move in

past midnight

with a toddler

with

cabin fever

gal power

there's zuris, and there's anothersoles.

women's apparel with what women want. (although sometimes we still want heels) 

ten thousand rivers and a thousand mountains*

two middle aged gentlemen buskers 

gustily singin' their hearts out

(quite melodiously too!)

fierce guitar riff

and a sharp rhythm on the box

i'm back to my salad days

and i'm not the only one, i tell you!

*万水千山 at Ghim Moh market

40th christmas on orchard road

blobs of cloud suspended with little balls. 

distinctly unappetizing, i'm afraid.

this charming man - marian keyes (2008)

there is chick lit that's painfully ill-written fluff (better not mention who) and there is solidly entertaining chick lit (debbie macomber and katie ffordes). then there is really clever treatment of quite serious topics pretending to be chick lit (that's marian keyes). 

if you enjoy Rachel's Holiday for her writing from the inside of drug addiction (as i did) you will enjoy This Charming book for her writing from the inside of dark relationships and alcohol addiction. in addition to her really effortless unexpected wit.

festive looks... not

the season has been rather muted this year, owing to HOM and my preferring home to the crowds and therefore having limited opportunities to hear carols on loop and my not being able to summon the energy to climb to the top cabinets where our (highly curated) christmas decorations are stored and to the fact that we got rid of the (dilapidated) tree anyway years back and have no wish to acquire a replcaement.

but if J1 and J2 and partners are coming home for christmas i find myself wondering if i should do the maternal thing and prepare the home to look more festive. decisions. gah.

delicioso

my proud new acquisition from the saturday market. and if you think it bears some philosophical resemblance to this i would agree with you although i wish it was less symmetrical.

33

in the bring-your-own-tote age, what impresses a girl after thirty-three years is a man who can whip a shopping bag out of his gym bag when she decides on a whim to grocery shop. that, and various other things, still makes her heart go pitty-pat-pitty-pat. 

she is thankful for years she hardly believed she would get.