Some slightly artsy shots of Chinese New Year from China Town

Have to say I was a little disappointed today.

Off we went to China Town to enjoy the Saturday of Chinese New Year - not a dragon, or lion dance in sight. Roads were closed due to engineering works. Half the stalls were shut. Restaurants were closed, causing those that were open to be packed and slow at service.

Anyways we enjoyed ourselves with a short walk round. We ate a lovely late lunch at Fatty Weng's restaurant on Smith Street - yes that is absolutely true, Smith Street, Chinatown. Go figure. It is the only Street in China Town to be named after an Angmo or Westerner. Apparently Sir Cecil Clementi Smith - seemingly a popular chap who was Governor of Straits Settlements between 1887-93. He tried to remove secret societies and was also a Chinese scholar. No wonder he had a Street named after him, and of course bags of crisps!!!

So without a great deal to photograph I have resorted to artsy fartsy ones in and around the area. 

Nice though...
Especially if you like red and yellow.

One cutey of baby Jude with his Chinese hat on. 

Very cute matey!!!

The last photo today is of the Indian temple. Yes this is in China Town. 

Perfect harmony, neighbours in fact!

Sunday Sunday... whoopsy no it's not it's Friday, Friday... (Also sorry Version II now with more photos!!!)

CNY - Chinese New Year is upon us.

Year of the Horse is a matter of hours away.

So we have a lovely extended weekend ahead of us. What shall we do? I know how about absolutely NOTHING!!!

(Sorry Grant this is why we couldn't come yesterday - kids were going spanners having such such fun already at the water park, and I could not drag them away - that would have been bad parenting!)

So here we go - an unexpected one and some just beautiful photos. Unexpected as we found out that the water park playground was now open at Gardens by the Bay - again well done Singapore. Brilliant place. We were originally only going for lunch.

Enjoy family and friends.

My three - the intrepid travellers begin the journey.

(Thanks Jerrry for the buggy - as you can see Jude loves it!)

Artsy Fartsy - love this one. A beautiful plant on the way lunch.

My gorgeous babies - although not so much babies any more.

And my Mary and, I suppose now, our actual only remaining baby - Jude.

I love this. As I said it is Chinese New Year weekend. Even Guinness is getting in on the act. Happy New Year from the 'black stuff'. Miz you should have been here. In fact when you come in April let's follow our London tradition and come to Satay by Bay for a Guinness.

My beautiful girl. Nuff said!!!

For any future suitors out there, just to advise I am applying for my gun license so I'll be ready when you boys come a knocking. 

Nice shot from Mary - the kids and me.

Nice shot from Ollie, the girls with Jude and I.

My little munchkin.

Oh no is he looking and pointing at the beer? Yep he is clearly part of me!

How cute is this - mwah Jude you are a handsome little thing!!!

My monsters again - love these.

I said to Amy just smile don't pull a funny face.

One above is funny - check the missing teeth - great if you are using a straw though.

Some very close up close ups a coming now of my three beautiful kids.

Up first is Amy-Boo.

Now the handsome Ollie.

Now the cute and chubby Baby-Jude.

Off to the water park for FUN FUN FUN.

How old are you Oliver Kennett - you look like an 18 year old.

Amy going crazy at the water park. No costumes as we had no idea this place was open. So off she goes getting soaking wet in her dress. Never mind all is good. 

Ollie you're OK, but Amy don't get ANY ideas of careers involving 'poles'. Despite how good you look on there. Ha Ha!!! Daddy will explain when you are a bit older!!!

What an absolutely cool place. And guess what - it is FREE. 

UK you could learn a thing or two here.

We had a blast and it cost ZERO.

Sleep tight son, sleep tight. Sweet dreams. ahhhhhh....

Man down, man down.

"I don't care!" says Amy, "I am practicing for my future career!!!"

"Oh no you are NOT!!!" says me.

OMG - kids this one is truly amazing of you both.

You look wonderful.

Very handsome and very beautiful.

Beautiful Baby-Jude.

Inappropriate mate!!!

So this little girl wanted to take her Dad to the fountains. What to do he clearly thought. I know, I'll strip down to my skin tight pants and go and play with a load of little kids. Wrong Man, that is just WRONG!!!

Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh...

Jude clearly thinks his Dad is a clown - look at the giggling little munchkin.

Eye to eye and he thinks this is so so funny.

It's the way I tell 'em, baby Jude. 

Mind you, he was the only one laughing...

Walking back home the sun was setting. A beautiful sunset kicked in over the city skyline, and in front of that were all the silhouetted kites flapping in the evening breeze. Beautiful!

Sorry Amy, Daddy is very naughty.

Love the look of COMPLETE surprise though - he he!!!

A wonderful day.

We went for lunch.

We stayed all day.

We had lunch and dinner at the hawker. We spent hours at the water park and playground. 

We walked there and back.

We had a lovely day - ALL of us.

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth and a new pair of knickers...

Off we go again with our mates - The Blowers - for a delicious lunch and fun packed afternoon at the hawker on lagoon. Similar to last time to just some snaps of the 'difference'.

My two clearly enjoying themselves, having such fun, a day by the beach, sandcastles being built, running around in the seaside air... NOT. MineCraft it is then...

"Mwah, cute baby Jude. Hello mate it's Daddy. I'm taking your picture..."

"Hell Dad!" says he...

Amazing what you find.

This bike is clearly VERY old, and I don't think it has been moved forever. 

Flying Pigeon is the name of the bike maker.

But, the relevance, check the tyre maker name.

Yep it is Oyama. Nina's (Naoko) maiden name. Isn't that amazing. Miz/Yuko/Haruko, it made me smile to see this. Quite incredible.

Amy goes off with Ollie to play (I think the batteries had ran out). I call them to check how they are. 

"Ah Dad, Amy was rolling and she has got a hole in her pants and scratched herself." Says he

"Is she OK? Is she crying?" Says me

"No she's fine, but she wold like to talk to you." Says he

Anyway long story short and all. She comes back to show me her bum wound. Me thinking it is going to be a tiny little nick, with a tiny little hole in her nickers. Nope - check these out. Holy cow there is more hole than nicker Amy. So day off school today as her bum is sore and she cannot sit down. She even had to eat breakfast standing up. Bless.

And add to that the below.

Yep another tooth casualty.

Yep another lost one too - again we think swallowed.

Another note to 'tooth fairy' as this time she caught me putting some money under the pillow, so we had to message the real tooth fairy. Luckily Mary has the number, and this morning a very special envelope was there with $15 in it - PHEW that was close!!!

Lovely days with our mates - thanks The Blowers, love your company very much!!!

So my Sis sends me this...

Haruko, I hope you don't mind me sharing this...

My darling sister in NYC sent me this email recently. Stark reminder. We know it is coming. We have chatted together as a family. We get what she is saying. We agree with what she is saying. We are planning a family dinner only this year, not a party as usual. Does it mean we don't miss her, does it mean it is all over and in the past for us - hell no - we miss the lady massively. But we have moved forwards. Jude joins us. We are a family again. We are strong again. 

But we still miss you like crazy - our Naoko Oyama.

"As it is obviously on both our minds, the anniversary is yet to approach us again. I'm not sure how you're feeling but this time around, for the first time I feel a bit different. There is just a tiny sliver more of acceptance and peace in me... just a sliver. I definitely feel an increase in my sister's presence somewhere near me. I used to be a lot more doubtful, and in denial, but this year there is more hope of believing in her soul. I notice Ollie smiling more in his pictures, I see more joy in all you guy's pictures, perhaps the birth of Jude opened up a new chapter for you, Mary and the kids. And I feel as if my sister is OK and happy with that."

Love Haruchan...

Love you Sis - thank you so so so much.

All our love Bri, Ollie, Amy, Mary and of course now baby Jude xxx

All I want for Christmas is my ...

It's happening so fast.

My baby girl is growing and growing.

Look what happened yesterday.

Yes, she lost her first tooth.

And literally she did lose her first tooth, ha ha. So panic set in that she would not be visited by the tooth fairy as she had lost her tooth. Mary then SMS'd the 'tooth fairy' to ask if he would still come even though the tooth was nowhere to be seen. The 'tooth fairy' responded saying "Of course Amy will be visited, I know where to get her tooth."

Wow - amazing, he was telling the truth as this morning we looked under her pillow and look what she found. Amazing.

I looked in the mirror and said "Thanks tooth fairy!!" Cough, cough!!!

Our Pier re-opens at Tanjong Rhu

Well done Mountbatten MP, Mr Lim.

We used to have a sports bar, restaurant, meeting, drinking place on our pier on the river at Tanjong Rhu. A little mecca called Cosy Bay. A great place. Closed for 5+ years now. I found out last night that there had been complaints from neighbours that they did not like having a bar there. I also heard it was due to increase in rents.

Well what ever the reason, to was truly a shame that it shut in my eyes.

But last night from 2000-2130 Mr Lim opened the pier again. Free wine and pop for the kids, with a band. Well done Sir. A lovely amble up from our place to watch the music and to meet Mr Lim and say thank you. Thank you for the party and thank you for the ongoing help with baby Jude and Mary's 'Singaporean situation'. Objective achieved - we all met and we all said thanks!!!

So the pier is again now officially open. You can picnic, drink and just sit there now, but there will never be another Cosy Bay it seems because of the neighbour complaints.

First up though sorry to Roy, Karen and Phoebe as we could not come to the birthday 'for the adults'. Here is the reason why. Mr Kennett Jnr was zonked. Baby Jude here dreaming of Village People and YMCA songs clearly.

2015 just me, Ollie and Amy take a wander leaving baby Jude asleep with Mary. A lovely cool, breezy evening along the river. Can't believe I am saying that. Cool and breezy, ha ha!!!

There is the pier in the background of the kids.

Live music kindly provided by the band that play Insomnia in Chijmes. 2 week break from work freed them up. Amazing voice on the lady singer, you should have heard their rendition of ACDC.

Above and below;

Thank you Mr Lim, MP for People's Action Party Mountbatten District.

Fingers crossed what you are doing to help us pays the dividend.

Front row seats.

I think some wine kicked in just about now, as the lady on the right jumps up and starts to dance.

You know the type of dancing 'yep as your Dad would do...' Ha Ha, classic.

Home time kids - but before we go let's grab the blow up thing at the entrance and 'kill it'.

Night night what was Cosy Bay - now Tanjong Rhu Pier.

Good fun for out little party.

Amy why are your eyes shut so tight?

Oh I remember; "Dad I need a wee!!!"