Sunday, Sunday...

A lazy morning with me practising some new dishes for lunch and posting on the blog.

Went well, recreating a VERY famous local dish - but check the other site for that of course.

In the afternoon one Jude had slept off we go to Dani and Simon's for a late lunch, a Skype to Australia to say hi to Craig & Katherine and the kids and an all in all wonderful time!!!

Thanks to Dani and Simon and Fae and lovely to see Craig and Katherine remote, and Dave and Jacqui in the flesh. Kids fest too which was ACE.

So a few photos to celebrate today - we had a blast - now home and about to sleep off the amazing food - from Fae's Xmas sushi and trifle (OMG - a whole bottle of port in it - amazing!), to beer bum chicken, halumi cheese with rosemary, bloke's salad, etc etc. Just wonderful - but I shall be posting food on said food blog dear reader...

Simon and Edwin - this is a belter Simon, a keeper for sure! Man that lad is big, and I don't mean Simon. Phewy!!!

Yummy Dad - I love your fit thingy wristband. Sort of tastes like chicken???

Thank you Craig & Katherine and Granny Fae for the lovely presents for Jude.

I know he loves them, although I am not 100% certain why his new bird toy goes here???

I think he read the manual wrong!!!

Kids going crazy in the trampoline as always when we visit - you'd think it would tire them out a little. NAH!!!

DODGE BALL!!!

Final couple of shots from the day of my Amy in the pool messing about.

Fun Fun Fun - what a lovely afternoon for us all.

Thank you again Simon & Dani. Aaaaaaaah!!!

As Slade once said "It's CHRISTMAS"

So to all on this fine day in Singapore a VERY happy Christmas to all.

To all my family and my friends across the Globe Joyeux Noel.

We love you all.

Thank you to all my family and friends for the wonderful gifts - happy recipients of which you will see in a short while. 

Up whilst still dark this morning, one because Jude was up and needed a feed/nappy change and of course we had two others eager to get presented-up. 

Happy Christmas Mary, Ollie, Amy and Baby Jude (No1 for you and us with you).

We're all awake and off to the front room.

What the...

It looks like santa ate the cookies, drank his cognac, and the reindeers clearly ate their sugar and drank their milk - WOW says Amy.

Santa is a mind reader or what.

Amy's special Santa present that she wrote and asked for was some fake flowers...

Er some what...?

Not barbie?

Not some cool clothes?

Not an electronic game?

Nope some fame flowers!!!

And that is exactly what Santa delivered against - bless him and bless Amy.

The tree in fine fettle with the presents beneath.

I know war you will ask - why the upside down umbrella.

Well my friends it will NEVER snow in Singapore right - well if it does I am moving to Thailand.

So we bought a tree that snows. Literally little polystyrene beads get sucked up the trunk and then snow over the branches - very Christmassy despite being 30 degrees outside at 7am - ha ha!!!

Group shot - my kids on Christmas Day - very nice kids, well done.

But see some slight signs of dribble in the corners of their mouth...Yep it's now present time!!!

Let the opening commence.

Lucky buggers had gifts from all corners of the Globe - England, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, USA - quite amazing really luck things.

Love these books. 

Uncle Darren and Aunty Claire sent one each for Ollie and Jude - personalised.

So in the one above for Jude on the title page "My book of nursery rhymes for Jude Kennett".

How cool is that!

Dresses from Philippines - thanks so much Borlas family.

Happy Christmas.

Happy campers all round.

I didn't mean you were round babe, just that we are ALL happy. Cough Cough.

Yes yes sleepy eye. but still very happy and about to embark on constructing a load of Barbie playhouses for Amy. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

OMG - she's in her new heels!!!

How many monkeys can you spot in the photo???

Not sure if what Mary and I did was a good idea...

Yep Ollie gets a Playstation 4.

Funny was that I had to really piss him off on Saturday so he would stop following me round, so I could buy the thing. Now he knows why - ha ha!!!

From Hello Kitty to ballerinas (very apt Miz and Yuko).

To the England family here is what you got them both thanks so VERY VERY much.

A HEAP of Barbie play house stuff - I am out of shot constructing the next house and car - more to come Amy.

And Ollie with his box loads of goodies too.

All so VERY lucky.

All of us missing everyone not here with us.

Wishing you all a VERY Happy Christmas with much love from us all,

Bri, Mary, Amy, Ollie and Jude xxxx

Amazing days

Apologies now to family Kennett/Oyama/Pan as there are very limited photos here today of Ollie and Amy. But for a valid reason as you'll see unwind throughout - we have just had a wonderful family day out on Sunday. 

Both of my two ended up with friends the whole time having fun. So no opportunity to take some snaps as they were gone gone gone the whole time.

Ollie was with Joe.

Amy was with Alice.

Those that could not walk away have got the limelight for this blog.

And here he is - baby Jude now at 4 weeks old and drinking on his own - yep he clearly takes after his Dad. Not speaking, not sitting up, not walking - but yes drinking!!! That's my boy!!!

Mwah - baby Jude you awake and do your cute face - bless you.

Here comes Blowers - woo hoo - 4 kids in and still in the zone for a 5th.

Check the confidence and the 'ride a bike' skills of a seasoned Dad.

Ahhhhh Mum and Son - VERY cute!!!

Jude mate a secret - if you get eye contact the world is your oyster son. 

"Nah Dad I'll just stare in to oblivion and look kinda cute!!!"

"OK mate your choice!!!"

OMG it is indeed the Rutherford's who happen to be here at same said venue for a wee celeb!!!

Pia - hopefully Steve does not have the same issue as the right antler!!!

Did something happen???

Moving on half an hour or so.

Let's get the party hats out - or maybe not it seems.

Nice look Blowers!!!

Nasal-floss???

Back to normality - Mum and Son - so very beautiful Mary.

Beautiful photo.

And there we go again - back to the "who the hell..."

Like a hobbit on steroids with a wilted reindeer...

Nice again - like a flipping game of ping pong this.

John and Cath - lovely...

Baby Jude - kiss kiss kiss!!!

Then the hawker started a little game for the kids - flick the M&M in the mouth.

Guess who won?

The it all goes sort of pear shaped.

What was that film.

Everyone starts to sleep - look at poor uncle John.

Luckily Ollie caught him 'mid-flow' and 'John is back' - woo hoo!!!

Well for about 2 minutes...

What a lovely day - thank you ALL!!!

Oh dear River Safari - very low marks for you today

We had read that the boat ride at River Safari was now open.

Ollie finished his panto yesterday so it was out first day together as a family for an age.

The kids really enjoyed it last time we were there, albeit it it only lasted about 3 hours of entertainment as it is over pretty quick, especially as the boat ride section was not open then.

I now have my new camera too - so wanted to push myself with some new snaps of what we had already seen before.

Sounds like the perfect recipe doesn't it...

Hmmm!!!

I think I will take their advice though and do that booking on line, that will clearly save a lot of hassle there, especially with baby Jude and it being quite hot today.

Thanks River Safari for that advise.

If only you meant it.

So when we get there and go straight to the turnstiles with our printed e-tickets to be told we had too queue to get our river boat ride time-slot, as you would assume I was rather perturbed.

Actually I was VERY f*cking p*ssed off having just walked past the queue that is snaking back as far as the eye can see, and was happy in myself that I listened to their advice and booked on line.

I sent Mary and the kids ahead and marched off to the queue back and circa ONE HOUR later joined my family again to 'enjoy' our day at River Safari. Not a good start. River Safari not impressed with that at all. What a waste of an hour, you should have some other scheme for allotting the times.

But we were booked in for 1530 - the time now after my hour queuing is 1100.

We then started to meander through the exhibits.

So here we go. But please bear in mind I am not a happy camper at this stage. And I am pretty certain event the animals are against me today.

Turtle decides to pack off for the day and go to his mates fancy dress party. Theme for that is women. So he goes dressed like the photo below.

"So who did you go as?"

"My girlfriend. She's Me-Shell!"

Alligator Gar Fish looking fairly menacing it has to be said.

Razor sharp teeth, rows and rows of them.

Hmmm just like the queues at River Safari.

Pygmy Crocodiles - very cute.

Shame they don't have pygmy queues at River Safari.

Although Amy did like these little things so wanted a photo of her with one in the background.

Worldly infamous Tiger Fish - check those teeth out.

And beautiful markings all down it's sides, striped just like a tiger or also like the rows and rows of queues at River Safari.

Beautiful Amy again - posing here in front of the Mekong River exhibition.

We remembered days of sitting in Bangkok feeding the huge silver catfish from the river side.

"I believe I can fly..."

I wish I bloody could have done to the front of the queues at River Safari.

The Elephant Trunk snake, gasping for air as he spends about 80% of his time under water - exactly how I felt at River Safari today.

"So Mr Monkey how are you today???" says I.

"OK thanks mate." says he.

"So can I ask what you think of River Safari as you actually live here...?" says I.

"Rassssssssppppppppbbbbbbbbbeeeeerrrrrryyyyy!!!" says he.

Kind of says it all!!!

This pygmy alligator has even taken to rock-climbing to get away from it all.

"Do you think anyone can see me?"

"If I don't move I might get away with being a famous film star..."

"Yep Rock Hudson!!!"

The red pandas trying to disguise themselves as a door-bell.

"Oh man I am just so depressed, I just heard how Brian and the family got treated."

"I wish I could panda to his needs, the poor guy!!!"

"Nah sod him, I'll just eat some more bamboo."

After our trip the pandas I had to walk all the way back to the start to collect the buggy as we were not allowed them in the exhibit as it was so busy. Grrrrrrr!!!! Mary took Jude for nappy change with Amy and we sent Ollie to the restaurant to find a seat for lunch.

We stood, we stood, we stood and finally got a table and four chairs - say 30 minutes later.

My gang sit and reserve the seats whilst I go to order and collect the lunch - it is 'fast food' after all. In fact Chinese fast food as we are in the China section with the pandas. Errrr hold on a minute do you define me standing in another of your sodding queues for 1.5 hours to get some ramen and some cokes acceptable fast food. Yep folks. 1.5 hours standing in a queue to get some lunch. Try that with 2 kids and a baby - nicely done River Safari, nearly at 3 strikes and you're out.

Off to see the Squirrel Monkeys.

"Shit I think Brian might have just seen me..."

"Don't move Roger, just don't move, I think he is walking away..."

Even their toilets confused me today.

I went in for a pee and saw this on one of the doors in the Gents loo.

Either a squatter toilet is within, or you can do some ski jump practice in there!!!

The pirahna had a tear in his eye for me - seriously look at his eye - ha ha!!!

These guys were trying to get a kettle to replace them, so they could go off down the pub.

Come on think about it, a kettle is also a water otter.

Actually joking aside these were cool today, and we watched them for ages as they were playing with bits of scrap like the couple of snaps below.

"If you think I'm sexy, just reach out and..."

I mean come on seriously some sailor back in the day must have consumed a SERIOUS amount of rum to think that this was a Mermaid.

Cute and Cuddly perhaps...

These guys were like...

"Nigel shhhhhhhhh, Brian's here with the family - look just don't get eye contact OK, I hear he is really upset about all the queuing today!!!"

"If I just lay like this, I am pretty certain he won't see me."

"Well it is Christmas and I could just pretend to be a YuleTide Log."

Away from the maddening queues and hordes this place truly is tranquil and so very beautiful up here on Mandai Lakes. Stunning in fact.

3rd strike - the long awaited river ride. Woo Hoo here we go. Can't wait. Kids got front seat to be in splash zone. Giggles, well worried and nervous laughter type giggles.

They look happy.

We're off after another 30-40 minute queue despite being given the 1530 slot. 5 minutes later we had finished the ride. The splash zone was not enough water to have really washed your hands with, let alone the promised torrential weather expected in the Amazon that we were pretending to ride through. Every animal was like "sod this, it's too hot, I'm gonna lay in the shade..." So sorry River Safari not that impressed at all, after all that hype. 

Potentially one of my 1st 'poor experiences' as Singapore usually do it so well!!!

Funniest thing after when Amy was asked so what did you think of that?

"Boring!!!"

Classic (I think they did like it though.)

"Oh no, it's them. They actually got on the boat ride. OK if I just don't look round, they'll be past me..."

"Shit he saw me, run away, run away..."

And to be honest that is how it really felt today my Howler Monkey friend.

Such a shame, as I have a tarnished view now of River Safari and will tell all as us such.

River Safari - sorry to say but I am not certain you will be seeing family Kennett again.

A day that started at 10am on arrival at yours, and concluded at 4pm - but of which I spent over half that time standing in queues.

You may like that - I don't.

Jurong Bird Park here we come!!!