Deepavali to Christmas

We sent our visitors off safely in the taxi to the airport on Tue evening and realised we only have one more visitor booked in for this year. We are really looking forward to Adrian joining us for our first Christmas here in Singapore. He arrives just after we get back from Nepal.

On Thursday we went back bird watching to Bidadari. The slasher was in operation so there were few birds about, but we did spot a raptor and took off into the longer grass in an attempt to get closer and identify it.  That's when we came across a big black snake. Thankfully it had heard or felt us approaching and was heading away, rather than towards us, but it certainly put the wind up me and I will not be so careless again. The other thing I have discovered is that stumbling around in the long grass is the worst thing for my knees; by late afternoon they are both painful and swollen. I've had to resort to anti-inflammatory drugs for the first time since we began training.

In the afternoon MAE Social Committee took the members to lunch at Bishan. Approaching the Mall I heard the first Christmas carols of the season. Talk about roll from one festival to the next! It was a Jessica Mauboy Christmas album of all things. Then we had our last meeting for the year, I will offer to relinquish the position next year and encourage another new staff member to take it up as it was a good way to meet other staff from different branches. While I was at the meeting Eric was left the task of researching online for an outlet for self inflating sleeping mats which we need for the trek. I picked up a good deal on one last week but there was only one left in stock at Mustafas. As a result of his time spent we went shopping on Friday morning and came home with his mat.

Getting those tax returns done was a good idea. It really wasn't that hard once I got started, spent a lot more time thinking about getting it done, than in the actual collation. Thanks to the agent in Darwin it is now done and dusted for 2012 and I can stop thinking about it as I swim laps of the pool and try to keep count at the same time.

On Monday the trekkers climbed Bukit Timah for the last time in 2012. We walked further than ever before and completed it in record time so gave each other a pat on the back. But after that effort we didn't commit to dancing the night away with Judie, one of the (younger) members of the group who was celebrating a birthday. 

Peter with candles on Hash Brown

 Birthday Girl

 Summit for the last time in 2012

Instead we went to the Line Restaurant at The Shangri La in town with the staff from our branch and also Punggol.  It was where I had arranged the End of Year function and was a spread even Ron would have been impressed with. I think he would have especially enjoyed the chocolate fountain. 

The Christmas lights in Orchard Rd are already in place and look pretty impressive. The Light-up and Switch-on Ceremony was held on Saturday night at the outdoor atrium of ION Orchard, one of the biggest malls. Besides the festivities the event is also a Charity Fundraiser. 

A number of our colleagues are leaving Singapore as their contracts are coming to an end. One thing that really amazed us when we arrived was that no one leaving the branch had left a box of 'trash and treasure' for us to pick through. So after a sleep-in this morning we had arranged for Bala (the chap who helped us collect the red sofa) to pick up Eric and they went around to Trisha's place. They loaded up Bala's van with bookshelves, airing rack and iron, kitchen stuff and general paraphernalia that a new person can make good use of. At home it now feels a bit cramped but it is only for a few weeks and we have scored a microwave and a good desk chair for ourselves for the cost of hiring Bala.