Happy Birthday to you...

Sun 21/09/08

Hi...Remember the wedding me attended recently (Blog entry 100908)? Ok...that very next day me & other half made 1 of our regular visits to her cousin's fmly. It was there that we made a promise to return to celebrate the birthdays of 2 persons close to us. However, the birthdays fell on different dates but very close to each other. Just 7 days apart. And so it was decided that we go on the later date to celebrate both at one go.

That day came. Fri 190908.

That morning, I did my usual check of various aspects of our ole junk. Imagine my surprise & disappointment when the air pressure check on the LHS rear tyre showed a dramatic drop compared to the other 3! On further & closer checking, it was found that a screw had pierced the thread area. And that day was a Friday! Our state's weekend. Most shops were closed.

Not to be outdone, me pumped up the tyre to normal pressure. We got ready...went out to do what we had planned to do that morning & had breakfast. (Note: All that was possible because of the advantage of a tubeless tyre...heheh....) Then we went hunting for a tyre shop that was open on a Fri...

Lady Luck was with us. Found one close by...without the need for a long nor tedious hunt. What's great was that shop had facilities, know-how & materials + tools for carrying out an internal patch...the recommended safest way to patch a puncture in a tubeless tyre of modern times!! Thank God for that blessing...

Soon the patch was done & the wheel & tyre was re-balanced (with proper stuck-on weights as rec for alloy rims) & refitted. And we were ready to roll...RM40 poorer tho. But most importantly, me felt very satisfied & so much safer...

First stop was at Tesco Mergong. To get 2 presents for our 2 bday ppl. Decided that was the best venue cos it would save time (we know the place well...hehe...) since we were running late. Got 2 of the same & had them gift-wrapped by the Cust. Service Dept ppl. That was a free service by Tesco...thumbs up for Tesco!!

Well, we reached Penang at almost 1pm...slightly late but not too much later than as planned. Wished both birthday ppl & presented our "small" presents. The birthday boy invited us for lunch. We, the birthday girl & all in the fmly, were taken in our bday boy's volvo to CRC Restaurant...a surprise for us cos we'd expected just a simple lunch. It wasn't!! Our bday boy had pre-booked & pre-ordered truly sumptous dishes for a great lunch! Yup, even a roasted piglet dish was in the menu...and, believe me, it's been ages since we've had the privilege to taste such a special dish!

Thank you, Unc Lee!! And, a very Happy Birthday to you again!!!

A video clip to share...a happy kid, YL, performing her dance at the CRC bday lunch...

After lunch, it was getogether time & everyone had a long chat...besides enjoying the Hokkien serial being screened on Channel 333 of Astro that afternoon.

It was soon time to take our leave. Decided to leave earlier than usual with the hope of avoiding the usual jam on the way to the Pg Bridge. Nope. We weren't that lucky. The jam started earlier than we'd expected. After joining the queue for a few mins, we decided to breakaway & head for Tesco, Pg., which was nearby...instead of moving inch by inch in the jam.

After spending more than an hour at Tesco, Pg, we made our 2nd attempt to go home again. And guess what? We were faced with another jam on the bridge! Imagine Penangites travelling to & fro across the Bridge having to face this tedious ritual every day....phew!! Thank God me not staying in Pg & working on the mainland or vice-versa!!

Took us more than double the time it normally takes to cross the Pg Bridge! But finally we were free of such traffic...the highway had been troublefree for us so far.

Dinner was at the coffee shop next to Tesco, SP. For a change, we thought. Not a good change though. The "Yee Mee" that I took was kinda a little bit too salty for anyone's taste buds.

Anyway, the best part was when we were back once again in "Home Sweet Home"! Yup, Lot 10 OFH was most welcoming...to its 2 ole but happy inmates!!

And guess what? It poured like anything just a short while after we arrived home...now ain't that lucky? Again.

Yesterday, Sat 200908, was our regular Chef's Off Day. In short, also COD...haha! A happy day. Had our regular 15 sticks of Sate as part of our dinner menu. A monthly feature since our retirement. Our own little way to commemorate each month of our retirement.

The COD ended with its Cine Nite. Money No Enough II was the movie selected. Another one of Jack Neo's products...related to the lives of Singaporeans. True to life in many ways. Not just that of Singaporeans but of most ppl esp of Chinese families. Feel many young ppl would see themselves portrayed so accurately in that movie. Yup, the truth hurts but...that's life, right?

Today? Today is just another day...a bonus in our lives. Not to complain. Am just thankful for another day...

ps. Me almost forgot...remember the old advert in Astro? The "No petrol how to move" one? Yup, our Pg trip to celebrate the 2 birthdays was made all the nicer cos pensions were paid out 2 days earlier than scheduled!! On 18th Sept evening itself! Yup, our "Kay Pa" was kind enough to release funds in view of the coming Hari Raya festivities. But some would say, "Earlier come, Earlier go..."? Well, what can I say...? Earlier is better than later... ? Also, $$ in the pocket is better than none in the bank...? Ha ha...