Darn to Margate, well actually not - but to the beach anyways...

I had an idea last week as we walked to a certain hawker. What I thought would be a great family day out. Was I right? Here's telling.

So first up though is baby Jude.

Where is he?

He looks very relaxed, very calm and sort of chilling.

But where is he?

Ahhhhhh he's in his new pirate tent at the beach. Yep all part of my plan. Get a tent so he can lay down and chill whilst we all enjoy ourselves on the beach. A wee little beach I happened to walk past on the way to Lagoon Hawker last week - a pace that got my juices flowing.

Well at least baby Jude is happy with  my choice!!!

What about the other two.

Hhmm well I could leave this one up to you to decide, but I think they had a SPANKING time.

They/we loved this place.

Small, secluded and shady (not that kind of shady - I mean under a tree - PERFECT!!!

Looks beautiful doesn't it.

Then you pan back and there's all the sh*tty ships blotting the horizon.

It's OK Singapore don't get a hang up I know the importance, but still...

Come on...

Paradise found if you love tankers!!!

We had a picnic on the beach.

Thai Lemon Chicken, Roast Pork Belly Noodles, Crunchy BeanSprouts, Thai Style Chicken Feet (Yucks!), Steamed Chicken Rice and a few refreshing beverages along the way!!!

Damn nice.

Really loved this today.

Thanks family.

Love these two photos - above and below.

Yes I was being slightly arty.

Jude in focus and my other two blurred.

But if you know my family you can still so tell that that is Amy and Ollie in the background.

That's why I love them.

Two great snaps of Jude either in deep thought mode, or deep pooing mode, with his brother and sister a mere few yards away, and in the bottom of the two photos notice they are actually staring on intently.

Holes and Castles now being made.

Well actually to start it seems regal chairs were order of the day.

"Ladies and Gentlemen -  I introduce, Lady Amy, who is best friends with Pink (clearly), originating from Margate."

"Ladies and Gentlemen - next is Sir Oliver of Chelsea. Big lad this one, we had to put another couple of legs on the chair after Amy had sat there. Big lad. Hold on is that is Dad's shoes he is now wearing!!!"

Then for some reason human burials start to happen.

Ollie - "I Woke in the hospital after an operation and I could not feel my legs... I called the Dr quickly!!!"

Dr replies - "Yes Ollie bad and good news?"

"Bad news is we had to amputate your legs!"

"But the good news is, the guy in the next bed wants to buy your slippers!!!"

Amy's turn.

She has even lost her hands.

Very cute Amy- Boo.

Just in case you can't float on the sand, phew thank goodness you have your life-jacket on.

Could have been quick-sand I suppose.

Wow you are indeed a fast-thinker for a 5 year old - SORRY 5 and a half year old.

Someone stole my hat???

"You lookin' at me?"

"I said are you lookin' at me?"

Ahhhhh Bob De Niro now you are doing films with Stallone that involve two old wrinkleys boxing each other your time is up. 

Here comes Jude. Kinda scary looking.

My 'gangsta from another mother!!!"

It's the Wiggles and 'Rolling Down the Sand-Dunes", although I also think Amy just got bit on the bum by a crab.

Final few is the walk home.

Promises of 32 degrees and major thunder and lightening storms, that we luckily escaped today.

A beautiful day of family, friends and sunshine.

Then mother nature lifted her Komono as we walk to get a taxi.

What's that saying; "Every cloud..."

Well with some of the sh*t happening to family Kennett at the moment, I only hope that this is a sign.

Please let EVERY cloud have a silver lining for us at the moment.

That truly would be so beautiful.

What a truly wonderful end to a gorgeous day!!!

Thanks as always family and friends and family of friends - you know who you are.

Polishing my shotgun right about now...

Gong Xi Fa Chai

My darling Amy ready for school today, but also potentially ready for the nightclub.

OMG.

To all you boys out there - I have rubbed down my bat, polished my shotgun and sharpened my knives. You have been duly warned.

Amy you are truly beautiful.

My Princess.

XXX

Laughs, Beaches and Lion Dances...

How long have I been here?

I don't think I have ever shown this.

I know I have shown beautiful sandy beaches, waves a crashing on the shore, kids playing the sand, a palm tree or two type thing but not this, I am certain.

You just look up from where you are on the East Coast and BOOM.

Ships everywhere.

Singapore is one of the busiest trading ports in the world, blimey in the shot below you even have an aeroplane coming in to land at Changi.

There are ships everywhere. Some delivering, some receiving, some servicing - but always loads. Whether you look straight ahead as I have here.

Look to the right as I have here.

Notice beautiful sandy beach and waves a crashing.

Or to the left as I have here.

They are everywhere.

Which still bemuses me why a lot of locals and friends want to be in the high floors of the condos down here so that they have a sea view. What flipping sea. All I see is steel floating. So unless you are a 'boat spotter', would you really want this as your view - I have a tree view, thank you very much!! Ha Ha!!!

Off to second home. My family.

Our second dining room - at Lagoon Hawker again. AGAIN, yes I know.

It's just a great place to be all together.

The kids.

Amy clearly very proud of losing those teeth and having her new ones growing back already.

Ollie like some gunslinger in a Western ready to 'draw' his iPhone when I am not looking!!!

(You were spotted and photographed Ollie)

One day Son all this will be yours.

Oh dear, baby Jude taking a liking to refreshing beverage far too young.

He's even dribbling if you look closely.

Well who's his Dad, hmmmm enough said...

Still very cute though.

Nice one of my Mary and Baby Jude - although the little bugger is still staring at my bottle of Tiger. He He!!!

I told Jude a little joke, thinking he would not get it in a million years.

Well bugger me.

"Dad, Dad, stop it that was so funny, he he..."

"Seriously stop to Dad, that's too funny, he he he..."

"Oh dear calm down Jude, calm down, phew that was funny though, made me giggle..."

"Phew deep breaths, come on Jude, I don't want to give me hiccups..."

"Yes, yes getting there, I can do it, just don't think of the punch line again..."

"Oh no, HA HA HA HA, too funny, HA HA HA HA HA, Dad stop it"

"Oh boy so funny, ooooops I think I wet my nappy...."

"Mum!!!"

I love these two above and below of Amy and Ollie - big bro and sis.

She's always following him. 

And I HOPE he always leads her!!!

Lucky enough to then have Dragon Dances at the hawker - all related to the final few days of Chinese New Year and religious significance to keeping bad spirits away etc.

These guys are so talented. Really I should have taken video to show how they step in and over the poles they are holding to make it look like the dragon is chasing the ball the front guy has. Amazing stuff, albeit the drums and cymbals are bloody deafening.

Artsy dragon.

The more aerobics, this time way more risky as these guys are up high, on tiny platforms big enough for one foot, and then carrying each other as they jump back and forth.

Absolutely fantastic - and again yes, followed by drums and cymbals - phew!!!

Check this out - these guys are somewhat off the ground and the top guy is actually standing on the bottom guy to show the lion as if on its hind legs.

"You tokking ta me?"

"I said are you tokking ta me?"

Beautiful costumes.

Drums and cymbals - ahhhhhhh!!!

Final one for today - leaving you with a great shot of the dragon.

Hoping this brings us all and all of you and your friends and families a very prosperous and safe year of the horse - Gong Xi Fa Chai

The 5 stages of beautiful Baby Jude waking up... Need I say any more - nope, nuff said!!!

Happy Birthday, but Sad Anniversary

That time of year again, when we come to celebrate the birthday of the lovely Naoko (Nina), and then sadly the very next day we have to commiserate her passing. It's still as tragic today as it was then.

Here she is as I think we will all remember her, beautiful and smiling. This in Australia, I think in Ollie's bedroom.

A different year for us this year with baby Jude joining us too.

As I said before we are strong again now, we're moving ahead, we're moving forwards. The kids are growing up. They are growing up in to the most amazing little adults ever, and I am just so very proud of them and I categorically know that Nina would be too.

This year we did not go for the big 'party' but rather kept it small and kept it to family. Not a decision I made alone, but in consultation with my Ollie. It was such a lovely time we had, and we had the meal in one of Nina's favourite restaurants - Hai Tien Lo, at The Pan Pacific. Bloody nice in fact.

We ate like Kings and Queens - more of that on food blog. But for example we had; Foie Gras and Roast Duck, Pork Belly, Suckling Pig Skin, Rack of Lamb, Scallop and Prawns, Foie Gras Fried Rice, Wagyu Beef etc.

We just got back and I wanted to share a couple of photos for you all to see the kids. How happy they are despite this tragic remembrance day. Thanks to my Mary, and of course our family and friends across the Globe for keeping us together and for keeping me sane. Love to you all from us.

We still massively miss Ni - Mum, Sister, Daughter, friend, my Wife. She will never be forgotten, not ever. What I wrote all those years ago now, still rings so very true.

She calls our name and we come running, We have lost the voice we listened to, And there's a stillness now the rains stopped falling, And there's a sadness like we never knew, But we still see the shining of things. We love and miss you desperately Ni.

The new look Pan Pacific - have to say very impressive, absolutely beautiful in fact.

Ollie building up his hunger levels.

Sorry re the photo quality but Mary forgot the camera so we had to resort to iPhone.

Hey you get the picture.

My two nut cases.

Amy now very proud of her missing teeth.

Love you guys!!!