post christmas 07 / commonwealth stopovers

This year's Christmas dinner at Gene's was a pallid affair, with slightly less agreeable food than last year. The food from Meidi Ya was upscale - the excellent stuffing - but the desserts from The Nectarie sucked rather badly. En exercised his infant right to budge in loudly at all times...

Then Dor realised we forgot to pick up the $50 sushi - hence the mysterious pesty caller - so the rest piped down to Liang Court before 10 while I washed up and finished up The Incredibles alone. Anyone who thinks supping up a trayful of steep sushi at 11 AFTER A FULL COURSE Christmas dinner is impossible should have seen us go at it that night...

Nothing much else to remember by except maybe the nice, indulgent and sleep delaying long chat with Wee and Merv on places to tour and visit before the stupid US currency jacks back to life while Dor slumbered like an empress on the newly vacuumed rug.

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Am getting the rest and chilling time I need this month before the lousy madness starts anew in about a week's time. Been shopping like a retail whore - mountain of clothes from Zara and FCUK and FINALLY that pair of soft cool loafs from Italy at HALF PRICE! - but strangely not up to binging as much as I used to. Could it be age, or just priorities...

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Stay-overs at Grandma's flat are always like welcoming micromini getaways. Discovered the simple humanly functional joys such as breathing - been holding my breath and panting since starting in this fucking department half year ago - and walking slowly while taking in the foliage and shrubbery.

Loved dining in the morning at Ikea where it's quiet and deserted and still peppered with interesting characters (first words of specky skinny stick man clunking overfilled tray to seated wife and 2 daughters with fill-in-your-own-expression-and-tone look: You seriously expect me to take 4 trays of food back here by myself while you sit here? Is there any logic?)

From Grandma's flat to Vivo is such a breeze, though took a wee while for that breeze to blow my way lah. Dempsey never looked more invitingly near and enticing. Will be damned if I don't try that direct route to IMM one of the days.

Suddenly all roads lead to and from Commonwealth Drive... Yummy.