The hubs has gone on a 3 days golfing trip to Batam with his friends and so I planned a meet up with 2 ex-colleagues on Friday. 1 of them whom I happened to bump into when I was at the train station near home, on my way to work one morning. She has moved to a new condo development further up from the train station and takes the train from the one nearer to my place now. As for the other colleague, I've met up with her after we left the family business but not of late and since the 3 of us stay in the west, it was convenient. 

I brought the girl along with me, of course, and met the other 2 ladies at Westgate. After dinner, we had dessert, which was mainly for K. While Joleen took the train back home, SK and us took the feeder bus back. With so much happening at Jurong East now, there is no need at all to venture out further for a good meal over a good chat.

Saturday morning, I did the usual chores and suggested a tea-party with K's 'friends'. I carried her red table to her room where she set up the food, cake and propped her friends up on her stool. It was such a pretty photo moment with the bright colours from all that plastic food, blocks and toys. Lol....at least I made her happy. I was even able to make us lunch! Then it was pack up time, shower and while waiting for her hair to dry, I allowed her to watch some edutainment on the laptop.

Before I knew it, it was time to head out for her ballet class. There was a Malay language festival going on in the CC and so we spent some time there when her ballet class ended. K & I did a craft work each and she watched a traditional dance performed by students too. It is so nice that despite it being catered to the Malays, other races were made to feel welcomed when they reach out to the others to take part in the activities. Some of the volunteers were also from the other races.

I had wanted to do some grocery shopping but was not able to as K was hungry and we went straight home to get tabao.

And today, we took the bus to church. Almost the same time spent as the train journey but I think it's more comfortable because we both got seats throughout although the bus did travel through many places. But K enjoyed it because we passed through Little India and saw the beautiful Deepavali decorations, with her favourite elephants. We took the same route for our journey home.

The hubs came home in the late afternoon and we met the youngest BIL and family for dinner at IMM. They had gone to the relative married to the frenchman's home to get 'advise' on their December trip to Paris/London. Don't ask me what. It still perplexes me what kind of advise they were looking for when everything is available in the www. But since they called, we met them and went grocery shopping at the same time. They sent us home and we lent them our winter jackets at the same time.

And then it's back to the grind. Lol...

Yay...received the insurance payout for my luggage which went on it's own vacation on my recent business cum personal trip. Just take a look at the number of hours delayed. 200! Gosh.

Extra pocket money to spend! Woohoooo......:)

The car, is no more. I first sensed of it when I got home and saw 2 bags full of stuff at the entrance of the storeroom. That's my hubs for you. The suitcase we went to JB with, is still lying at the living room, with only his things inside.

Anyway, I confirmed it when I went to the kitchen and saw an empty lot. It's 1 thing to see the car parked in the lot and of course another to see the lot empty. The feeling of miss starts to trickle in. But oh well, it's just a matter of time. The hubs misses his car a lot more, for obvious reasons. His first .

He got some money back when he sent the car to the yard and the boss there actually offered the hubs slightly more money to have the car's ownership transferred to them because the car is very well kept. Well, except for the engine perhaps. Besides we actually have till December till it's official times up. So there is still 3 months of use in her but at a risk, I suppose.

As I mentioned before, I do not feel a necessity for a car but the hubs would like to get another although his feelings are not as strong as it was. During his recent call to his mother, I overheard the MIL asking the hubs why doesn't he get another car and it just irritates me. Well, looks like we do not have to go out of the way to send her home now! 

Anyhow, the hubs' new thoughts about a new ride is, unless he gets a windfall. :)

It has been an exciting weekend. We started it on Friday morning, meeting the eldest brother and his wife at the bus-stop just across the road, opposite our block. The girl was clueless because we wanted to surprise her, of course, and also I do not want her to be asking me throughout the week.

And so we took our 'adventure' a notch up by taking the public bus into JB! The bus-ride from our place to Wooodlands check-point was pretty smooth and we had wanted to take the 5 minute train ride but didn't have enough time to catch the next train at 10am. So we obediently queued up at immigration and caught the next bus across the causeway. It is pretty much a breeze travelling into JB on a working day. 

This time, we stayed a night as the 4 of us have always talked about. After clearing immigration at our neighbour's, we went straight to Doubletree Hilton by foot and managed to get early check-in. Then we took grab to our usual mall for our usual Japanese lunch. We didn't spend much time there though because the 2 man kept saying we could shop back at the malls near the hotel. But I think I would have bought more from there. I only bought a pair of flats for myself, this entire trip and then of course, toiletries. Anyway, thankfully I convinced the hubs to bring along the trolley bag, the one which went on it's own vacation, and it proved so convenient when we could put the shopping in and not have to carry plastic bags when we have to cross immigration again. The eldest SIL too ended up buying a cabin bag too, although on hindsight, I am not sure if she could have gotten it cheaper from here instead.

And today, K had a very short soak in the pool after the buffet breakfast with the eldest brother and hubs. Whole of 20 minutes because it was so windy at the pool area and the water was cold. We rested a bit then checked-out at almost 1pm. 

It was at the mall that the SIL spent a bit more time to choose a cabin bag while the hubs, K and myself went to the girl's section and ended up buying a pair of platform princess slippers for her. We enjoyed shabu shabu lunch before heading back towards the check-point. We had wanted to take the train back into Singapore but they were all sold out for the whole day! So we went back by the same route as the way we went into JB. 

All in all, we had fun. The SIL enjoyed herself and I'm sure K too when she saw the pool. She was so excited when we went to check it out before heading back to the room to change. The eldest brother is now contemplating a 2-night stay .....lol.

The hubs had a very early work event yesterday and only came home slightly before we had to leave for the girl's ballet class. While he was away, I brought the girl to 2 fairly new playgrounds within walking distance from our place. We managed 2 because she woke up so early and had been disturbing me until the skies opened up. 

After the playground, I signed her up for abacus class and she will start on the 1st Saturday in October. Ballet class will remain as it is in the late afternoon. And then we went home. I was able to wash the balcony before bringing her out, which really explains how early it was, and so came home to put her laundry to wash and mop the house.

She took a short nap and as I woke her up to prepare to leave for ballet, the hubs returned home. Poor him. Such a long day for him. We took the bus to the train station,which is only 1 bus-stop away, where I walk to every morning because I didn't want the hubs to feel 'inconvenienced' because of the car situation. We arrived rather early for ballet and after the lesson, took 2 trains and a bus to reach the Victors'. They had invited us over for their younger girl's 11th birthday. We arrived slightly late but was still ok.

The girl enjoyed herself with all the other girls making slime and made 3 while I made 1. We got to bring them back so that was the goody bag. It was nice also catching up with the other ladies and the hubs with the man. It has been a while.

We left at 9ish and took a grab cab home.

And today, the 3 of us were back on the train then bus again for the journey to church. The girl, who usually doesn't have to walk much because of the car, developed blisters. But she soldiered on with the plasters. It's all an adventure to her because she has been in the comfort of the car ever since she was born!

After church, together with the eldest brother and wife, we took a bus at the wrong direction and ended up somewhere for lunch. That much for an adventure. Lol. The eldest brother is also no longer driving but has been so the early part of this year and yet, they are very comfortable with public commute. The eldest brother has been driving at least 30+ years of his life so if he can manage it, we shouldn't be missing it so much.

The Victor couple came by in the evening with their younger girl and we had dinner nearby our place. While they came, the girl and I were napping....must have been from yesterday and all that walking. Lol.

The hubs has decided to let the car go.

It happened on the evening we touched down, when the hubs decided to send the SIL back home after dinner. The car experienced some problems on his way home and for the rest of the week, he was commuting to work and back home by public transport. He did send the car to the workshop at the end of the week and we did get to use it during the activity filled long weekend. 

However, the hubs felt that the car was not right again on his way home on Wednesday evening and this time he decided this is going to be IT. He is not going to waste anymore money fixing it already. We were supposed to dine out because the hubs had wanted to buy a new pair of working shoes but he changed his mind when he felt that the car wasn't stable and thankfully, he was able to get home in it.

I had to pick the girl up from school yesterday and today, the school is closed again and it is the hubs turn to take care of her. At the same time, it is the girl's follow-up at the hospital so the 2 commuted by bus, just like the previous time. I guess because there is no longer the use of the car, the hubs brought K straight home after the follow-up. Otherwise, he would always detour to his parents'.

The weather was so good that the 2 had a very good nap and K didn't want to go out even when I reached home. It is a Friday and we usually eat out the the nearby malls. But we eventually took a bus ride to IMM for dinner and to finally, look around for a pair of shoes for the hubs.

Although I got the girl to start early on the gifts she wanted to make for her teachers for this year's Teachers' day, she still didn't get to give it to them the day before school closed for that 1 day. Perhaps it was because of my business trip followed by the holiday, there was no one to follow through with her.

The girl decided that she wanted to make bracelets again for her teachers. As usual, I helped her knot them up when she finished each design and then helped her packed them. We had bought some beads when we were in Melaka. As she was 3 bracelets short, I made her do them during the long weekend.

Initially, she was wasn't keen on it anymore because in her own words, Monday will not be Teachers' Day anymore. I told her that 'it is better late than never' and thankfully, the eldest brother said the same thing to her when we met on Sunday.

I asked the hubs this morning if he reminded her to give the teachers the bracelets but he too forgot. When I checked her bag when they came home in the evening, I am glad to report that she has distributed them except for 1 because the teacher did not come in today.

Teachers in childcare centres spend more time with our blood. Indeed they also need to be well looked after.

K's school closed on Thursday for Teacher's Day. And since the hubs and I just returned from our trip on Monday, the SIL offered to come over to take care of the girl. So she stayed over on Wednesday evening and the girl, went to sleep with her without even asking.

The eldest brother joined us in the evening when we had dinner at the club. 

With my body or mind still adjusting to the time zone difference, I slept 12 hours on Thursday night to Friday morning.

Firday morning, we went marketing at Jurong West and had late breakfast. The Victors invited us for dinner as well as a 'private' tour of their new home. Lol. I really like their new home. Smaller than their previous but cosy and more 'modern'.

I think I clocked in another 10 hours or so of sleep on Friday night.

We had a lunch invite to Janice's new home yesterday and after that, headed back to the west for the girl's ballet lesson. The hubs had wanted to explore Tampines hub but thankfully we didn't. There simply wasn't enough time so we spent the extra 15 minutes exploring the new community centre that the girl's ballet lesson is held at. Incidentally, they even have a bowling alley there!

And today, we had Indian fish head curry as the eldest brother treated us for lunch, in celebration of the SIL's birthday.

Tomorrow onwards, it is really, in the girls' word, back to normal.