Dear Diary,

It's my third month at MCYS already. Today, we had a special lunch at the office in light of christmas. The three SDOs (Social Development Officers) prepared a home-cooked lunch for the entire unit: Fried curry-beehoon, warm french baguettes with lemony chicken curry and fried chicken wings. For dessert, they had brought carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and cheesecake too. It was very simple food, but made with love and lots of goodwill. :-)

Given that they had informed us last week about the lunch, I had ordered a special chocolate mousse cake over the weekend for dessert too. So it was a real dessert bonanza at lunch. I had taken a real gamble ordering it from a bakery near my place 'cus I had never tried that cake before and didn't exactly trust neighbourhood bakeries very much either. But the cake has converted me... The rich, fresh chocolate cream with generous bits of longans and plenty of fruit on top took me by surprise. They didn't stinge on the chocolate at all. I was glad.

Frankly, it was a matter of reputation for me. This was the first main food contribution I've done apart from the regular "updating" of the communal snack table in the middle of the office. Whew!.. Good thing.

And there was so much food left that I was given 2 packets of beehoon and a pack of chicken wings to take home... Oh well, I shall just pass it to my brother and mom, let them have a go at it and tell me what they think. There's still a third of the cake left too; for the others who didn't come to the office today.. Ting Wei, Mag and Simha... Oh well, they'll have it all for them tomorrow.

Anyway, tomorrow, I'm coming to office an hour earlier 'cus I need to leave an hour early too. Too bad I can't join in the celebratory "christmas" CGM (Networking Session) organised for tomorrow night. I'm leaving the country at night to Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur to be exact. It's our annual visit there to my Mom's family. I can't wait to see them. I miss them so much. My parents were actually there over last weekend too to attend my Mom's younger sister's housewarming prayers and celebrations. I'm so proud of her. She happens to be a widow and she has stood the test of time and all the troubles that come with it to stand tall in society with a successful business and re-build a house for her and her children and the memory of her husband. I'm so proud and happy for her.

I can't wait to meet all of them. Even my cousin from the US has come down already, with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Kriya. My mom had gushed that the kid is cute and very approachable and chubby.... Oh my goodness, I cannot wait to meet her... :-P I can't help it, I love kids...

Unfortunately, I am not close with my Dad's family as compared to with my Mom's family. It's just a natural occurence 'cus a person will only be close to where there is warmth, goodwill and genuine love. Well, that's a story for another time as when appropriate.

'Til the next post, bye!....