The closest we'll get to having everyone in the same country

A belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone!

I can’t believe it’s already 2012.

Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula Sunset

Yorke Peninsula

Lighthouse in the distance

Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Island

Taking in the view

At Moonta

Moonta Jetty

Sunset at the jetty

Full set of photos here: Click

Camera: Smena 8M
Film: DNP Centuria

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

You’re still sorely missed. So many things have happened since your last birthday. Today’s day 468 since you’ve been gone. Have you met Pastor Henry up there yet? We got the sudden news that he left us whilst away on a mission trip to India. I told him to give you a hug when he sees you, did you receive that hug?

Dad & Mum

I was so shocked when I received the news that I made a call to Mum. And then I felt sad that his family had to go through what we went through when we lost you too. Not something I would recommend others to experience too. It feels so surreal that he’s gone. I mean, I wouldn’t say I was especially close to Pastor Henry, even though he’s watched me grow up in church and all. But he was somebody that I’ve known my whole life. Like, whenever I’m back in Singapore, whenever I go to church, he was there. He was always there. Now, he won’t be, it’s just— … Sigh. To me, at the moment, it just feels like he is somewhere else, and we just haven’t spoken in a long time. Maybe it’s because I didn’t get to attend his funeral? For you, your funeral was the thing that really told me that you were really gone. Everything just sunk in. That was it. This is real. The pictures, the flowers, the coffin. All real.

I finally got my driving license. And I have since started driving around to uni and to the shops and whatnot. Kinda wish you were still around to teach me about cars. Surely you would have had some tips on how I should properly maintain my car. Right? And now, whenever I see one of those classic Volkswagen Beetles, it reminds me of you. At times I would wish I could drive a manual, so that I could get one of those Beetles. But then again, it’s too complicated for my simple brain to handle. Haha.

How have you been, Dad? Are you watching me from above?

This year is suppose to be our last year of lectures/classes for our course. Next year comprises of mainly clinical placements. You know, after studying what I’ve been studying these few years. There have been times when I’ve wished I had this knowledge earlier, because then, I would have attempted to do something with you while you were still with us. Even like with swallowing, if I knew what I know now, maybe then, I could have been able to do something to make the last few months you had with us better. I would have known how to help you eat better, how to feed you better.Or even before that, when you were only just mildy aphasic, what I could have done to help you communicate better. All the things I could have done. Studying this course can be depressing sometimes.

Did you know, Dad. Since you’ve been gone, every time I go for one of our family dinners at grandma’s place. One of our relatives never fail to tell me to work hard at uni and make sure I return to Singapore when I graduate because you’re no longer around and so I should return to keep mum company. Almost all the kind-hearted advice would end with ‘… You know, because, your dad isn’t around anymore…’ Seriously, I think they’re way more worried about things than Mum is. Mum’s all chill, whilst everyone else seem to be freaking out, just mildly. Haha. I can understand where they’re coming from, and why they’re worried though. But, sometimes I just find this really amusing.

Honestly, Dad, I had so much in my head that I originally wanted to write in this post. But then now, I can’t even recall one. Next time, I will make little notes somewhere to remind myself. So that when I actually sit down to write you something, I will have my little points ready!

Love you too,

Elaine

Cakes and such

Um

Sash again

Passed by the Brown Dog Cafe a million times, but never stopped to try it.

They have a little outdoor place for people to bring their dogs. And they seem to have their fair share of regular customers. And they apparently appeared in the papers because Masterchef judges, Gary and George, were apparently ‘spotted’ there.

I used a lot of ‘apparently’s in this post.

Sash with her drink and food

Lamb Cutlets

Eggs Benedict

All day breakfast at Grind It. Super noms. Where have you been all my life? Why did I only find out about this place now?! I want to go back there again. So many things I want to try. And the staff there were really nice and friendly too.

Tags

For the housemates

11/11/11

It’s Pocky Year!

I was watching this documentary on Bill Cunningham last night. And I love how down to earth and humble he is despite all his achievements. I also love the fact that he is still using a film camera.

At Eggless

The special Halloween menu for the night

My main purpose that night was to try their peanut butter pie thing. Eggless changes their menu monthly, and it was the last opportunity for me to try it before they changed their menu. And when we got there, they had this whole special menu thing for Halloween!

Ghosts and spider webs hanging from lights

I like how the whole place was decorated for the occasion and even all the staff was dressed up. Those who came dressed up got 10% off. We obviously didn’t, I wasn’t even aware of the whole Halloween thing going on at Eggless (I just wanted that peanut butter pie thing!)

Get served by a zombie, pirate, mummy, vampire, maid and umm... a surgeon?

Sash's Bloody Waffles

My peanut butter pie thing

We were warned that the spiders were not edible when we were served our orders.

Sash trying to eat her spider which was attacking her chocolate sauce

My peanut butter pie thing is called the peanut butter pie thing because I can’t remember what the exact name was. Hehe. It was yummy though! It’s like a Reeses’ peanut butter cup in a cake form! And the waffle was good too, I like their raspberry sorbet

We were given lollies when we got up to pay, and the boss advised us against dressing up as mummies because it can get pretty warm under those layers of bandages. Haha.

French food

Had snails for the very first time. I think they taste like button mushrooms? Haha.

They had to remind you that you were in a French restaurant/bistrot

The waitress who was serving us had a French accent and their pork fillet with prune and brandy sauce was really good!

Pictures with the grown up girl

Pictures with grown up girl 2

Adelaide and their restaurants with cake charges. This place was going to charge us $3.50 per plate if we had decided to cut the cake there.

Birthday girl making a wish back at her place

Group picture

Happy birthday, Jun!

Birthday surprises are always fun. When you’re the one involved in the surprise. Haha.

Birthday macarons

Making a birthday wish

The birthday macarons

The surprise involved dinner, then a movie, then stalling for time whilst waiting for midnight to come. And then realising that the candles were in the kitchen where the birthday girl was. But everything worked out in the end! Surprise success?

Speechies, yay!

Dinner by the Torrens river.

Slow cooked beef with paste somethingsomething, sugar snap peas, beet root relish and parsnip chips

Bday girl with her crab linguine

AA's hairy raspberry

Dessert came with a 'Happy Birthday'

Here on I present to you a morbid story…

Happy family portrait. Note not-very-heart-shape heart around them

More playing with food

And then the heart got smudged

And then...

The end

So tragic. This is why AA shouldn’t be allowed to play with food.