Siang is back in JB with her little daughter. They were back since the previous week when i was still in the US and hence missed one weekend to meet up with them. They are back for a relatively short time this year (departing on coming Wednesday), and the past weekend was the only weekend that i had in spending time with them.
Siang's daughter has grown up a lot for one year. She is rather tall for her age (6 years old), probably inheriting the gene from her parents who are both very tall as well. The little girl is getting prettier each year, and everyone who sees her could tell that she is a Japanese.
The whole group of friends met up on Saturday afternoon for lunch. After that, we went to the Thistle Hotel (where Hyatt Hotel was located). We booked a room there for one night. The room was with two super twin sized bed, joined together to make one big bed with one big blanket.
We chatted for a while in the room while i shared with them the Hershey's chocolates i bought from the US. Later, Siang's little daughter went swimming for a while before we headed for dinner. After dinner, we went to buy sweet corns for supper.
Ting and Carol couldn't stay overnight, while LF missed her flight back from Penang and would postpone her return to Sunday. So only Siang, her daughter, Sui, Min and i spent a night in the hotel. We slept on that one big bed side-by-side, and it wasn't really comfortable as we couldn't really toss and turn at all.
Frankly i didn't sleep too well, as i wasn't really used to sleeping in a static position, and i was feeling very warm in the middle of the night. I was perspiring under the blanket, but since we were all sharing one huge blanket, i couldn't push the blanket away. Finally when it was near dawn, i couldn't take it anymore and got myself out of the blanket and slept on top of it instead.
Anyway, it was a fun experience, and since Monday would be public holiday in SG, it didn't really matter, as i would have one more day to rest.
On Sunday morning, we woke up rather early at around 8.30am. After getting ourselves prepared, we met up with Carol at around 9.30am for breakfast. We had dim sum first, and then proceeded to have kuay tiao kia as second round of breakfast. Yes, we stuffed ourselves silly that morning. I've never ate so much in one morning before. Siang's daughter was amazed at our appetite!
We finished our breakfast at around 11pm. We then went back to the hotel, and Siang's daughter went swimming again. Ting met us at the hotel again before we checked out. We then stayed in the hotel's cafe to chit-chat until 3.30pm+.
We all went to Siang's home after leaving the hotel. While continued our chatting, we also waited for LF to arrive in JB. At around 6pm+, we met up with LF and went for a Thai dinner. Siang did not join us, as she would be having dinner with her family. Finally it was time for everyone to go home after the dinner.
It was a weekend spent on eating and talking. It may sound dull and even unhealthy to many people, but it was actually relaxing and enjoyable. Nothing beats spending quality time with your closed friends.
Siang's annual visit from Japan was the most looked forward event for our group of friends. What made this year even more special is that it's our 20th anniversary.
Uh huh, we have known each other for 20 years! Can you imagine that? This group of friends have walked with me through more than half of my life. Some people do not even get one of such friends, but i actually have a whole bunch of them, 6 to be exact.
We have known each other since primary/high school. From young little girls to young ladies and now mature women; from single to married to becoming mothers or going through separation/divorce (such as me); from students to fresh grads to experienced professionals; from falling in love and falling out of love... We share with each other our happiness and sorrow, our success and failures. We have always been there for each other, despite the physical distance. We may be miles or even oceans away from each other, but we were never really apart in our hearts.
For more than once in my life, whenever i was faced with adversities and felt as if i was unable to carry on, they gave me strength to press on. If my sadness in life is the failure to find true love, then my definite happiness is to be blessed with true friendship. These friends were and will always be the ones whom i know i can rely on, whom i can trust with my life and know without a single doubt that they treasure me as much as i treasure them.
Happy 20th anniversary, my friends! Thanks for being there for two decades. Let's stick around for many more decades to come!
Labels: friendship
