God really really loves me!

Today is an extremely blessed day..

Frankly, when I was in Singapore, I hardly felt that my prayers were answered. It always felt that no one "up there" was really listening..

Only until I came here to Scotland that I really started to feel that God actually does answer prayers and that the someone "up there" was really really listening and watching out for me. Maybe because I am now physically further north and therefore closer to Heaven? I dunno..

I recently started to feel that Heaven and God may actually exist as entities and that perhaps Heaven works like erm... a call center or maybe a bank. At different periods in your life, you get a different angel to answer your prayers on behalf on God and at times of great emergencies, these angels put you on hold and then run to God to ask him what to do.

I know it may sound a bit weird and perhaps even somewhat blasphemous to Christians and Catholics alike out there, but I seriously do feel this way because sometimes, I feel that when I pray, I get someone compassionate who goes, 'Uh huh," or "I see," like a caring friend. At other times, I sometimes even wonder if anyone is actually hearing me but then still my prayers get answered.

Last week, I prayed very hard for Chubby Hubby's books to come early so that he could have adequate time to study for his open book exam. I also prayed that my story book would come early so that I can get it before I actually leave Scotland to fly home. Both prayers came true.

Today, I prayed for good weather, but I gather maybe the trees desperately needed water after a relatively dry spell, so it kept raining. The funny thing was, it would be raining buckets while I was in the car, but when I got down to take pictures, the rain would stop and mild sunshine would come out.

Today was extremely blessed because we didn't have any car problems at all when we drove in the mountainous, peopleless region of Inverness, Highlands. Our car tyre only gave way when we had reached a fairly populated town just a few miles outside of our home on a relatively not so busy road.

Better still, whether by luck, or whether some kind soul helped call the police when he saw us stranded on the road with a flat tyre, a policeman (PC 794, PC Aspole) came to our rescue pretty quickly. Then came along the RAC (emergency rescue) van, and the nice RAC fella Scott helped us change our tyre. And best of all, our spare was pumped full of air and still in great working order.

You would wonder why we didn't change it ourselves. We could change it, but the bolts were just too tight. But I really really thank God because we didn't get stranded on some human-less mountain range, on some dirt road, in the pouring rain.

Instead, it ws great weather, and all the help came Just In Time.

It's a great day today... I truly believe that I am extremely blessed... Guardian angels do exist... in many many different shapes and forms...

My wedding pictures in Sugarland

One of my good friends Esther got very shutter happy today, snapping many many (think like 443 photos?) pictures of all of us, considering that Nickie is leaving us soon for her new home.

Really nice day today we had, having lunch at Birds & Bee where I acquired 2 little bridesmaids, and then dinner was at a nice restaurant by this little miniature loch-lake-pool. Today was really a "dress-up" day, and the girls made Larry and Kelvin wear formal wear... in the end, they turned up in suits... -drool- Wahaha! In fact, I think everyone looked really really good today...

Despite the weather being cloudy, I am very pleased to say that the pictures turned out rather nice!

I still can't believe how her SLR can make plump ol' me still look acceptably good...

Gonna miss the days here with everybody.... I know I shall see them again really soon, like maybe at the end of the year, but still, I am going to miss everybody...

Nickie says I am being really annoying, because I intentionally feign sniffs and sobs in front of her, or right beside her ear, but I am suspecting she calls me annoying because she is afraid she would start crying if I do.. Then again, maybe not.. Nickie is a strong babe...

Once again, thank you Esther for such nice pictures... Thanks a million million million!

Also, thanks a million to all my dearest dearest friends who made my stay here in Sugarland so much more livable...

Hugs and kisses to Larry for being so nice even though he is often the butt of my jokes... I just cannot tahan, I love to attempt to goad Larry into a reaction because he is so often stony-faced, what Nickie calls, "Sai-Been" or Shitty Face. Thanks for being so dressed up, for being our "driver" today and for being my make-shift "Ah Gu Kia".. Love ya lots lots

Lots of love to Nickie for always being there to answer the door whether or not I knock on the door. Oodles of cuddles for Nickie because she is the one who has to put up with my crazy tantrums here and for spending hours with me gossipping about people at the expense of her exams and homework..

Muacks Muacks to Esther for taking great pictures, providing lots of sound adult advice and for mothering everybody by providing much needed comfort food and comfortable environment and TV for us whenever we need it.

Also, thanks to Kelvin for coming to dinner in a nice suit which he then ruined with perspiration because we decided to do silly things like climb a mountain in formal dress and high heels...

Alamak.. the things we do!!

PS: You won't be seeing their pictures here because I must respect the privacy of my friends and my hubby... Don't worry, you will see these people if you are lucky enough to be included in my list of people to invite for my wedding. Otherwise, sorry ah, you can wait until the cows come home, but you won't see a thing!

From Steam Trains To Steam Cars

Possibly only the Scots are the ones who are able to actually create something like the Steam Engine that uses immense volumes of water and coal and yet runs insanely slowly.

Never will you see something so inefficient in Asian countries where a total of 3 persons are required to be in the car at the same time in order to drive the silly thing that runs at a max of like 16 to 20 miles per hour. One person for the gear, one person to shove the coal into the boiler and one person to manuveur the steering.

And oh, there is no air-con and no means of a radiator or cooling system to be seen. Just a bunch of gauges and knobs to lower the pressure when required.

We saw steam trains, and now then there are steam cars. The only vehicle that we haven't seen steaming is the steam ship, which of course Scotland doesn't lack (think Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine).

As usual, another bunch of enthusiatic people, although this time, not so old.

You're a really useful engine!

On the little island of Sodor is where Thomas the tank engine and his friends live........

On the not so little island of Scotland is a place called Bo'Ness where steam engines masquerading as Thomas and his friends reside. Haha!

I had the fantastic fortune the other day of getting a completely free tours both in front and behind the scenes of the various steam locomotives that have been decommissioned from public service but which have since been lovingly restored by a bunch of 60 year old volunteers that enable the steam trains to start working again, giving joy rides to adults and kids alike.

Come Monday, the Lions will be headed to Bo'Ness for "A Day Out With Thomas" (hopefully, the weather is beautiful and there will be few people).

It was a completely chance encounter that we landed up in Bo'Ness the other day. In fact, we wre quite supposed to be headed in the opposite direction to find the other missing Nessies in my collection. Funnily, we ended up at another "ness" instead.

Mr. Alex King found us wandering around his station looking rather lost and offered to take us around the station and even took us to the offbounds parts restoration and manufacturing warehouse which is usually off limits to the public due to it being an absolute trip hazard.

It was absolutely educational and entertaining because we saw trains built in 1928, 1955 etc. We also saw the various parts of trains that were currently undergoing restoration to make it suitable for use. It is absolutely amazing as to the number of parts required that has to be fabricated from castings and moulds since there are hardly any companies that still sell the parts. Many of the train cabins, boilers, roofs, pipes etc were rusted through, corroded, or simply unusable. So these had to be recast and moulded in other to restore the trains.

In the words of Mr. King, "We started merely with a few picks, hammers and a couple of eejits (that's scottish for idiots) with a passion for steam engines". Today, they've got a whole station of trains that run every so often, but because the entire place is run by volunteers, they cannot afford to open everyday due to the lack of manpower. Which is an absolute pity if you ask me.

Currently, its just this handful of old men who average 60 years old each. Children and grandchildren of theirs alike all dislike this job because it is a dirty and thankless job with hardly any propsects financially. Thus, this is likely to be closed down within the next decade or so unless some new blood comes in to take over.

So, if you are headed to Scotland for a holiday, hopefully you will catch a ride on these steam engines at the Bo'Ness Railway before it disappears.

Trust me, there is a lot more to see than just the Harry Potter train in Glenfinnan!!!

Another of my eligible friends got married!!!

Gawd! I am getting damned old lah I think!

All my friends are getting married... and worst, he didn't even tell me!

I must admit that I am feeling a bit sore about it... I mean, duhz, we are friends for like so long! why didn't he tell me? Was he afraid that I would get jealous and upset and cry?

I feel even worse that he didn't tell me, because now I really feel upset and wanna cry...

Oh well, I guess I will have to shelve my plans about getting my eligible friends to introduce to him already.

Oh well, congrats dearest John... I still can't believe that he didn't tell me...

Inuka is NOT leaving!! YAY!!!!!!!!!

Heard the news recently? Inula, our friendly locally born Singaporean polar bear is not moving anymore!

I am so glad to hear it! I was so afraid that Inuka's mom was going to die in the 1/3 of a year that I am gone from Singapore so I specially made a trip down to the zoo, just in case it was the last time I ever saw him.

I am so glad that the zoo decided to listen to the opinion of the public and allow Inuka to stay. Apparently 67% of the public hoped to see Inuka remain in Singapore, from a poll done recently.

On a more serious note, I can't believe how the Singapore Zoo could actually seriously consider sending Inuka away from Singapore to go and live in Germany where his dad came from. Inuka is Singaporean for goodness sake! Simply because he is now a misfit in the zoo's ideal of a Tropical Rainforest theme, Inuka being a polar bear therefore has to leave? What on earth are we signalling to the younger human Singaporeans of our generation? That we must all fit into this glove that has been set out for u, and that we would have no place in this society if we were deemed as a deviant misfit? Is there no longer freedom to be different?

And if a polar bear in the Tropics is unsuitable and an obvious misfit, then isn't a green polar bear in Germany a misfit as well? Is there then no place for poor Inuka?

Worst, isn't it completely cruel to tear Inuka away from his birthplace shortly after the death of his mother? Think about it. If we applied the human emotional aspects to Inuka, our Singaporean polar bear, then consider this.

You spend the last few weeks of her life with your mother. Happy, content. You see that her health is failing. She is steadily growing weaker and somehow you know that her time draws near. One morning, you wake up and seeing your mother still asleep, you gently nudge her as you always do. Unlike every other time where she opens her sleepy eyes and yawns a huge yawn, this time she remains motionless. Her body is still warm, but slowly and surely, it is growing colder and stiffer.

Then it dawns on you. Mother is dead. She has gone to the nether regions to leave you alone. You turn to your best friend for comfort and your guardian for advice. Instead of offering you a comforting shoulder, they tell you, it is time to leave.

"Leave this place," they tell you. "Go to your aunt in Germany, you will be happier there." You are surprised, in shock even, and without further ado, they take your silence as consent, and without your knowledge, you are packed off in a cab, onto a plane, with no friends, no comfort, thrown into a distant land, unwanted, unloved and perhaps even forgotten.

Poor Inuka, that would have been his plight in distant Germany if the plans of the Singapore Zoo had gone through.

Thankfully, Inuka is now safe, home where he belongs. A green polar bear in a tropical garden zoo!

It All Started With A Kiss....

My dearest Best friend Tinkie Winkie recommended to me that I ought to watch "It All Started With A Kiss" or 恶作剧之吻, following my unhealthy fascination with Wu Zun.

I am glad to report, my dearest Tinkie, that my education with this drama has almost come to an end, because I am going to watch the last 2 episodes tonight.

Funnily, even Chubby Hubby has taken up watching this drama with me. He treats it as having an education in promoting youthfulness, so as to be able to clue in on what the younger generation is talking about.

Personally, I think Joe Cheng is not very handsome leh. He looks much too much like Wang Jie to me, while Chubby Hubby thinks he looks like Huang Ping Yuan.

Haha! Ariel Lin also a bit on the plump side, all that baby fat... constantly reminding me that I also have lots, except that my fat is probably not so baby-ish.

But still, despite the apparent lack of eye candy, I am still very upset over the previous 2 episodes that I have been watching, where Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng) introduced Bai Hui Lan as his girlfriend at Xiang Qin's (Ariel Lin) dad's restaurant.

I mean, so rude leh!!! Bad enough that you bring your new gf to the restaurant of the girl who likes you, then you rub it in by telling the dad that his daughter is stupid and clumsy.

I just wish that Zhi Shu would just admit to his feelings and tell her straight in the face that he likes Xiang Qin very much and that he would rather put up with her stupidity than to marry that Miss Bai...

I cried like crazy when I saw Zhi Shu tell his mom that he wished for his dad to know his girlfriend, Miss Bai. can you imagine if that happened to you? I would wish the ground would just swallow me and let me vanish on the spot. Painful, miserable and yet must pretend that everything is alright.

Anyway, just 2 more episodes! Sincerely hope that Zhi Shu will marry Xiang Qin...