A Joyful National Day!

A few days ago, I was telling Rebecca that I was feeling down because she and her family had been invited to a relatives gathering on National Day (Morning till night). I was not invited and thus was feeling down as I would be celebrating my long awaited public holiday (which so happened to be National Day) bored and probably alone.

Little did both of us know, while I was sending her home after dinner on Tuesday night, her brother called to tell me the good news that Aunty Bessie had called to invite me along! Yay!

I arrived at the Block 85 market slightly earlier the next morning, so that I could eat the delicious nasi lemak, before heading to Rebecca’s home. It was a happy time chatting with her family members, especially since last week when her parents approved of Rebecca and I getting married. Indeed, things have never been the same since then. Yippee!

With the 6 of us in total, Uncle John and I took a bus there, while the others took a taxi. It was a good time of sharing and getting to know each other better through the 40 minutes bus journey. And I sensed a greater openness, now that I have received Rebecca’s parents’ blessings to marry their daughter. I just can’t express how relieved and thankful for God’s hand in this!

The gathering began with an afternoon BBQ which was rather draggy, though we were thankful coz the sun wasn’t blazing with all its might. At times, cloudy skies can be a good thing! =) I am a person who can’t stand extreme temperatures, be it too sweaty or shivering cold. 23 – 26 degrees Celsius is most suitable for me.

There were quite a lot of different kinds of food and I helped out a bit here and there - fanning of the fire, going upstairs to get cleaning cloth, cooking the food over the charcoal (which isn’t really as hot as typical BBQs, maybe due to the occasionally strong wind blowing in this condo).

It was a good time of chatting with Rebecca and her sister Evelyn. I even took a photo of Evelyn holding and posing with her orangey red tiger prawn! Rebecca liked the noodles, whereas I enjoyed the chicken satay. I snapped away on a few photos using my mobile phone camera too!

After the BBQ, Rebecca, Evelyn, Uncle John and I took a stroll around the condo surroundings… and I was amazed at how many facilities there are in this condo! There was even a huge exercise corner specially catered for the senior residents! All sorts of exercises, which I have never seen before, but it isn’t too difficult to recognize that these are more targeted at the senior citizens staying in this condo.

Unlike most other condos which I have seen, this condo does just have a mini basketball corner; it even has a unique corner for skaters to skate onto boxes and ramps! The best part about this condo is that it is superbly windy! I love the wind and you will know what I mean, if you stay on the 2nd storey for years! There is also plenty of strolling places in this condo estate!

After that, all of us when to play badminton with the younger cousins. I was quite terrible at hitting the shuttlecock with my backhand, whereas my front swing is still not too bad… though still slow. What to do… It was been 6 years since I last held a badminton racquet… must less even hit a shuttlecock!

Returning back to Aunty Bessie’s house, Rebecca and Evelyn decided to rest for awhile, while Uncle John and I went for a swim at the pool downstairs. This is the first time I am swimming with my prospective father in-law, but I played it steady, as if I was swimming with anyone else.

The pool isn’t really that great, but it’s still longer, wider and deeper than my own condo pool. It really lacked water massage therapy areas though. Uncle John and I swam about 10 laps; chatting in between laps, before we went for a bath. I felt so refreshed after a quick shower, especially after being around charcoal ashes at the earlier part of the afternoon. I felt clean!

Coming back to the house, we watched a comedy DVD titled ‘Kung Fu Mahjong’, which was rather hilarious and made most of us laugh on our butts! Thereafter, we proceeded to watch the National Day Parade, which we also had the privilege to watch the paratroopers, helicopters, fighter planes, lights and fireworks from afar!

Indeed, this condo is really a great place to live and I really enjoyed the fellowship with Rebecca’s relatives (Mum’s side). I am just so thankful to be invited to join in the cohesive fun and laughter together! It really made my National Day feel like an actual celebration, even though I am not at the Kallang Stadium.

Through this experience, I learnt that a celebration like National Day would be best to be celebrated with a few families of relatives, instead of just ourselves alone or solely with our own family. The mood is just different when in joining in fellowship with others! Praise the Lord!

As before, Uncle John and I took a bus back, while the others took a taxi. It was another simple chatting between us, before we alighted and went our separate ways back to our own homes. With the blessings from God and both sides of parents, Rebecca and I hope to get married by the end of next year!