What I did during my weekend

There's something about that first breath of air or first step on Singaporean soil that always gently nudges some of my rusty patriotic synapses into life. Perhaps it's because we always come back to Singapore around National Day when you see hundreds of flats proudly flying the moon and stars or strings of those colorful triangles bearing the stylised lion's head. But it soon had my brother and mother going full force on why Singapore's so great and me marvelling at how identical all their trees are.

My cousin is turning three in a couple of days. My mum and his mum are the only ones who seem to understand Baby. I have to usually take a minute or two after he's finished talking to translate it into English, which naturally makes me look very stupid so I have to thank him for his patience.

Most of Friday was spent waiting at the hospital. Thankfully my grandma came through her op with flying colours. She was even lively enough to complain about the waiting time. Eight hours is absolutely ages - I guess there was much to discuss about the earlier cases that went in.

Saturday was spent on Orchard Road, more or less. After my brother ended up with the funniest IC picture ever and my grandma was discharged, we headed to Swenson's where we ate ourselves sick.

Then, in accordance with tradition (everytime we come here we have to hit one of the big bookstores) we stopped at Kino. I went in with the intention of buying a novel of sorts and came out with The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning French. The lady in the line behind me asked why The Idiot's Guide. Mum and I figured that since it was a third edition, they must be doing something right.

A little more shopping that afternoon came up with a pair of trainers and a top. I've been horribly brainwashed by Weng and this whole branding thing. I resolved not to get anything Nike when I walked into the store, but came out with a pair bearing the all-famous swoosh. They were just so pretty.

Last night was the piece de resistance of our trip. We tried a seafood place and found ourselves being entertained by a live band. Quite interesting. They called themselves Revival, and aptly so because a couple of songs in, a grey-haird man who looks like your run-of-the-mill 'I have a mehsaydiz and a lollex' uncle took the stage to belt out a two Elvis hits, accompanied by his favorite dance move - a quick study in epilepsy.

There was a brief interlude when a Tamil guy got up in the heat of his nationalistic pride and proceeded to perform a self-written song (in Tamil) that seemed to involve and extraordinary amount of nurnurnuhh and lalala. I'm not familiar with the language so I really couldn't say.

After the National Day song, that darling senior citizen came back out in a white and gold spangly Elvis costume!! Talk about entertainment value!! Oh boy, do we know how to have fun!!1! Unfortunately it was getting late and we couldn't stay for the encore.

Anyhow, the haze really doesn't seem to affect anywhere else except for KL. We could almost see the wall of muck rearing its ugly head a little past Nilai. It seems to cling to this city like a bad cough.

While my dog proceeds to dash around the house making sure absolutely everything is in order (I can hear her panting up the stairs), I'd like to introduce you to Ashley The Runaway Pig. My Aunt thought it was funny so she bought it for me.