Hello from tropical Singapore! After three hours of sleep due to the Takes Forever Process of finding the cheapest (and most efficient) way to travel to Heathrow, I worked for a few hours, went back and finished up my packing and made the beginning of my trip out of the cold and into the hot. I was a little stunned that I fitted everything, including a spare duffel, into my tiny unexpanded luggage, which was a shocking 12.7kg when weighed at the bag drop-- contrary to all the times when I make the limit by the skin of my teeth or try to smile my way through. As I hugged D goodbye, The Chocolate Robber appeared from nowhere and tore up the stairs into the flat, so the busy man has some other feline company* whilst rushing on his projects.
At 630pm on Friday, I landed in Changi airport after a most comfortable flight due to ample legroom as I managed to secure front-row seats by the exit. I also literally conked off the moment I sat down, and had to be awoken by the kind lady next to me lest I missed my meals-- most strange behaviour exhibited by myself given how I love being wide-awake and bushy-tailed whilst flying. As they opened the airplane windows after our 'night flight' and served us breakfast an hour before landing, the sun was shining in the sky and I couldn't help smiling to myself. Zipped through the automatic customs for citizens in the gorgeous Changi Airport**, and boy did it feel good to be home! After picking up more presents for my father at Duty Free, I spied my luggage on the conveyor belt, ran towards it, and then my brother mysteriously appeared out of nowhere whilst my parents were smiling. Oh yes, I'm home. And I couldn't be happier, although a part of me does wish D could be here too***. Then there's been food, food and more food, with loads of Chinese New Year goodies everywhere and me going, "Slow down, I can't eat everything at once!" Haha. I happily unveiled dresses and lipsticks for my mother which she was happily trying on, and hugged my cats who were meowing away to some most lyrical chorus whilst dancing around the room, true to their elegant nature.
This morning I showed up unannounced at the SPCA (where I spent six years of my Saturday mornings/afternoons) and it was awesome to meet up with my friends there and see their delighted faces, whilst giving as many hugs as I could to all the gorgeous animals there. This post was half-written whilst I was in Brighton, and I'm filling it up as I lie on my bed and hug my familiar pillows, whilst reminding myself to buy fatter pillows back in Brighton. . .
*Since he thinks I am a cat.**The airport is so pretty and with so many shops and food that people go to the airport for fun*** Even though I kinda think that if he goes house-visiting with me during Chinese New Year, everybody will think I'm married and won't give me red packets (containing money)-- oh the perks of being young and unmarried!
I always feel an inexplicable sense of restlessness on Sunday evenings. Actually, I start getting bored and then restless if I'm indoors between 730pm and 10pm everyday, before getting either insanely productive or wildly creative. No idea why, but the restlessness then degenerates into sleepiness; and the problem is intensified on Sundays. It's been this way since I was a wee child. So this Sunday, I found my fake fringe. Rather than to look in the mirror and snip off my bangs the way I did back in August, I played with a fake fringe instead, which I bought to pretend to be a stranger when D was due to visit in Cambridge one Friday. Set a location to meet, wait from the bookstore opposite and ambush. Okay, I play too many jokes on people but can't help that. Anyhows, I decided to sweep the bangs sideways and Play Pretend again. This time, continuing on my weekend theme of Russian Spy a.k.a. Evelyn Salt. No idea why but it keeps running through my head. Huge fur collar over the existing slip I was wearing, pale pink lipgloss, and vintage perforated white leather gloves later, I was feeling it. "Are you playing dress up?" he went, all amused, "I saw you prancing in front of the mirror!". Fine. I thought he was busy writing music and didn't notice, all happy with new toys. So I put on more clothes and we went for a walk, telling D I am his new girlfriend (since he insists I look different again), still feeling like a Russian Spy. It must be something in the stars.
The other shots here are that of the Full Moon nights. I love to light a few candles-- this time I've got a big red 'bomb' candle from Habitat and vanilla-scented tealights. You have to love sales, or you'd go broke from purchasing candles. Pillar candles at the end of their lives are good 'tealight holders', whilst the flat gets scented with a mixture of frankincense, black pepper, ylang ylang and sage.
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This was another of D's Breakfasts on Wednesday before I left. He's always asking if I have to go to work "so I can cook you breakfast". These basil mushrooms were wicked. I feel very very very lucky because it is one thing for a man to treat you to fancy meals, and it is another for him to prepare them himself :) Although he loves to joke that I'm with him because he can cook since I'm a greedy girl.
The night before I left, he even went out in the cold to get extra ingredients so he could do the lamb Moroccan-style. I had no idea he was planning on something so elaborate, because he was dead exhausted from working so hard. There was roasted lamb marinated with Middle Eastern spices served on a bed of cous cous with dried fruit, dressed with spiced Greek yoghurt. On the side was a three bean, tomato, shallot, spring onion and white onion salad drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice; as well as a dollop of humus to go with the pita bread.
Off to bed now. . Hopefully we'll see a Singapore post up within the next few days. . I do suspect I might be so busy over here I'd end up conking off when for days when I get back to the UK! Catch up with your blogs soon, and thank you as always for stopping by xxx
