0h oh oh Six

Nipping on our heels is another year... Another season... Another reason... To say we love you guys (this of course is to friends and family, and if you happen to be a voyeuristic stranger, then we love you too). Hope the year ahead is filled with love, laughs, and all the good stuff. Love, TeamWilliams

SILENT NIGHT

Sorry for the silence, the Williams crew has been rather quiet. Sign of the season I guess, when work (NOT partying, we promise!! YES REALLY!!) takes over. We've been up to our ears between trying to pretend to be the keen workers (THAT WE ARE!!), have a lil' fun and plan the big ole Irish sojourn... Little progress is being made. Art is still stuck on Ta an aimsir fuar fliuch.... (and yes, according to the good ole Irish Times, the phrase is still very much relevant, because all the Irish ""weather is cold and wet"", with some snow (!!) though Pete insists that the snow is, much to Art's snow-deprived disappointment, not anywhere near Cork... Sigh) Still, given that, after the festive madness has died down, Art has decided she will invest in thermal-Everything. Because she realises she will die without it, even with Irish whiskey and sitting in the fireplace. (poor tropical baby). She is also investing in a couple of very thick books for her travels, because she intends to use them as weights in case anyone tries to drag her - in her thermals - from sitting in the fireplace. The books may burn, but she figures as long as they are crappy authors, she will be forgiven by the Gods of Fiction and Tropical Sanity). Pete (who has become a tropical baby himself), meanwhile, is preparing for the impending weather by leaving air conditioners on full-blast everyday and braving the balcony even when there is lightning. He will probably freeze anyway the poor (now) tropical B-, B-, (EVERYBODY NOW!) Boy. It is 20 days and counting... Singapore's temperamental december has never felt so good... even if lightning storms have killed at least two trees and one car in the neighbourhood. Anyhoos... as we come to the close of the 365, Happy Old Year...We hope 2005 was as brilliant for you as it was for us. We have a lot to be thankful for - a wonderful wedding, fabulous friendships, two phenomenal families, global-wide support, everlasting encouragement... And Macintosh. Here's to the impending countdown. Live (and re-live) the memories. They make the uncertain future make much more sense. Slainte. Pete & Art...

AND THE (OTHER) COUNTDOWN BEGINS...

Even as most are counting down to 2006, the man and I are crossing off the dates to another big occasion - our first wedding anniversary (how time has flown) and our upcoming sojourn to Ireland. We're due to leave in the third week of Jan and have at least two weeks there, including stops in Dubai (hopefully), Dublin (possibly) and loads of time in Europe's Capital of Culture 2005, Cork (http://www.cork2005.ie), which is where Pete's from. And the whole Williams clan is congregating in Cork to mark the occasion with a real Irish roast, with mushy peas galore. Pete's also put heaps else on the agenda, including taking the boat out on Lough Leane in Killarney, which is absolutely amazing (http://www.killarney.ac/panoramasd.html), though choppy methinks. Then there's Dinis Cottage, Torc Waterfall, Waterford, everything U2, and all this other amazing stuff, including prospect of finally trying my first real pint of Guiness (The Singapore version - brewed in Malaysia, tastes nothing like it, Pete swears). But of course, its going to be absolutely freezing. Try this on for size - Today's weather report from the Irish Examiner, which noted that it would be "a mainly dry day with some sunny spells". But of course, it went on to add... "But there will be a risk of the odd wintry shower towards the east coast. Feeling cold everywhere in the brisk east or southeast wind. Max temp 3-6C (37-43F). Sheesh. There better be a raging fireplace and a LOT of Irish whiskey going around. Still, I refuse to let it put a dampener on our holiday. I'm even continuing to study my Gaelic diligently (read: when I remember), and have gotten as far as Ta an aimsir fuar fliuch, go cinnte. Ta baisteach air anois (which translates as: The weather is cold and wet, certainly. It looks like rain now.). I guess its one of the few phrases I might be using fairly often... Ah well. Slainte Art

TWAS THE MORNING AFTER CHRISTMAS....

And all through the house Not a creature dared stir, not even a mouse; The hosts treaded tenderly and with utmost care, in hopes that the hangover cure elves would soon be there; They wished they were still nestled all snug in their beds, with no pounding whatsoever going on in their heads; But throb their heads did, their stomachs both tender, thanks to the overly zealous party that was their year-ender; It went rather well, no leftovers in sight, and all the beer had been quaffed off with might; The turkey was finished, as was the lamb, and gone was the curry that replaced the ham; All the presents had been opened and given away, for the kids it was the high point of the day; Still some stuck around till wee hours playing Taboo, it seemed at the time like a fun thing to do; Twas a good night, we think, based on what we remember, but we don't think we'll drink again at least till September. Where's the aspirin? Slainte Ps: Stay tuned, pictures of this bash of the year to come.

DECK THE HALLS...

Merry merry Chrissy from Team Williams!! Slainte.

TAGGED

Good lord... We've been online for all of less than a couple of weeks... (or something, yadda yadda) and we've been TAGGED... by http://www.whywy.blogspot.com by this weirdness meme . She got tagged by lingam (http://lingam.wordpress.com), who was tagged by... Okay so you get the picture.. We for, erm, two, who are great fans of the game tag - albeit the version in which you actually get off your seat - are flummoxed, but will comply to the game rules anyway (because we are tired, grumpy, tt'd and easily amused. APPARENTLY.... ""The rules of this game as they stand: The first player of this game starts with the topic five weird habits of yourself, and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Dont forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says You are tagged (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours." So... our five weird/strange/quirky habits... 1) Pete first.. by his own admission... compulsiively polishes anything with chrome... read ipods, inanos, i-polish-anythings... 2) And he cuts up raw garlic and eats it with a slice of good cheese (and I partake, often. I even offer to chop up the garlic... and yes, yes, we know) 3) I compulsively buy toilet paper... I can walk into a supermarket not needing anything and I will almost certainly buy a 20-pack... But honestly, can one ever have too much?? 4) I cannot resist nuts. I hate candy, I hate chocolate, but i'll eat them for nuts, and I'll even forgive nougat as long as its nutty. The australian kind that's "hard" with almonds is my favourite. If one is left, I will wrestle. Please send liberally. 5) We roast anything. Chicken in curry masala, cauliflower with sprinklings of chilli powder and tumeric, spinach.... name it, its been there. Pete has a 100 per cent success rate. I'm pushing about 50 per cent and still trying to get last month's muckamania off.... Ah well. so there. Slainte Pete and Art

THERE SHE GOES...

So... Most would have met the lovely maid-of honour during our wedding.... who waited, alas, a few short months (well, 10) before entering the institution herself. Check out the blog for the drama (www.gnatweds.blogspot.com) We had the honour of playing roles at her recent wedding (after I survived a 23-hour non-stop record flight from Hong Kong to London THE WRONG WAY AROUND, arriving back in Singers the morning of the wedding... I am still debating the logic of the ordeal, but I flew business, which was rilly very nice.. so not entirely complaining... plus, the customised cocktails were brilliant!). Pete was behind her invitations and wedding favours, and I, well, just drank loads of wine and made everyone do the cha-cha and make unplanned toasts... ah well. But backtrack a week... She had a lovely civil ceremony just before I left - just close friends and family out at sea on The Rising Tide ( and vows taken to the tune of the sunset) It was very beautiful, and, if I can be a little selfish, a lovely way for us to relive the vows we made. Here's a sampling. Here's lookin' at you guys... And, just so you heard it here first.... Sam, Ling and Elaina will all be wed before 2006 is through, apparently ... I must have the biggest bridesmaid drop-off rate in history.... Slainte Art.

FA LA LA LA LA

Sorry for the not-so-festive silence... Been up to our ears in very unChristmassy, well, shite (am I allowed to say that?), with a Santa that turned out to be, hmm, Father Friskas. (google Singapore, kpmg, nkf, and you'll see what I mean) But, that said, the countdown begins! Its all of 4 days to Christmas. And my true love said to me: (sing along now!) FOUR ecologically assimilated elephants THREE pine needles TWO butter chickens (who needs turkey??) ONE........... Chick-en Rice............ TWO pratas, THREE Tiger beers, FOUR ice kachangs AND.....................................(altogether now!!) a C-urry under the tree..... Slainte. Art

CAN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES

Okay, I'll admit it from the outset. I made a slight error in judgment when it came to picking the tree we are having for Christmas. Fine, it wasn't a slight misjudgment - more like a 2-foot mistake. Two feet being how much shorter the tree was supposed to have been. At least. Armed with my complete lack of spatial perception, I decide to take it upon myself to wander among the most recently imported Noble Firs and what-not-xmas-elses - while Pete was at work - at the friendly nursery around the corner from the house to find us perfect Season greenery. I partially blame the nursery. I mean, trees in the open look A LOT smaller than they are! There should be a warning! Plus, the lovely lady, who remembers me from my previous adventures there with Pete, was convinced that the tree I was eyeing was similar in size to the last one we got (of course, at that very moment, I completely forget that the last time we bought a tree was when we had a house double this size with a much higher roof... One forgets sometimes! Sigh.) So, in a moment of weakness (and stupidity) I point to one that looks somewhat shapely, seemingly a foot taller than me, which seems alright (another thing I blame is the Brits taking us metric... how am I supposed to know what a foot is??), and say, okay, That One. By the time I have the key in the lock, having gleefully sms-ed Pete that I have "sorted" le tree, I am convinced I have made the perfect choice. Until this morning. Having been safe at the office, I was blissfully unaware that the forest had moved in. I take Pete's SMS that he is "fighting with the tree to get it into its stand" as jest. I mean, it can't have been that big... After work, the sweetie takes me to pick up a couple more ornaments for this "fairly large" tree. We buy at least a dozen more baubles and a dozen elephants... I'm touched. I love elephants.. and there's a little bit o' Indian so I'm thrilled... I'm all excited... And then we get home. Okay. It was a little bigger than it had looked in the nursery. We venture to dress it in semi-darkness. And Pete's very encouraging - maybe it won't be so bad. He does a lovely job with the elephants (Its meant to be a Merry Curry Christmas!)... We're still quite encouraged because when you look at the wee reflections in the baubles, you can still see the house.... Then we turn on the lights and the living room disappears. Literally. It is big. Very big. Too big. We are now fighting foliage to get in and out of the balcony. This is what happens when you send a woman to do a man's job. Take heed. We shall prepare you slowly.... Or perhaps we'll just get it over it. Welcome to Williams Woods. And yes, it is much much bigger than it looks. Let the Season begin. Art

FLOUR, FLUOR, FLUB, FUB... VICTORY!

Excerpt from this month's newsletter from Bull Frog (that's our local pub - sits outside our usual supermarket in Novena Square, providing much... er... nourishment after exhausting grocery runs)! Its written by the good ole' people who ensure the beer is cold and the fries are hot WHATS IN A NAME? Last month I set a word game. I reckoned that about 41 words could be formed from the word BULLFROG. Actually there are more. The entry with the highest number of words past my score would win a jug of Tiger beer. Well, my 41 words were as follows...Burl, Blog, Blur, Bog..... Rub, Rug (truncated) TEAM WILLIAMS came in with 54 words which in addition to mine contained words such as Bo, Boll, Bourg, Bur, Flour, Forb, Fou, Frug, Fub, Fug, Gor, Gul. Well rather than look some of those up or argue about possible dubious ones, the fact that they got Flour (how did I miss that!) and Fug makes them the winner and earns them the jug of Tiger. Well done Pete and Art. Yay Team Williams!! I knew we were destined for fame and fortune (even if it is one jug). For the record, the complete list of our words follow: Blog, Blur, Bo, Bog, Boll, Bourg, Bug, Bull, Bullfrog, Bur, Burg, Burl, Flog, Flour, Flu, Flub, Fluor, Fob, Fog, For, Forb, Fou, Foul, Four, Fro, Frog, Frug, Fub, Fug, Full, Fur, Furl, Glob, Go, Gob, Golf, Gor, Grub, Gul, Gulf, Gull, Lo Lob, Log, Lour, Lug, Of, Or, Orb, Our, Rob, Roll, Rub, Rug. Yes, they all exist!! (some are old English, but, hey, its verifiable). And yes, I guess we do have too much free time on our hands... :)

NIL AON GHAEILGE AGAM! AN BHFUIL BEARLA AGAT?

In the name of cultural understanding (and the ability to subtly communicate with the Man in the presence of company - "I am bored to tears, lets please leave. Now!"), I have decided to... *drum roll*... try and pick up a wee bit o' Gaelic. Of course, that sounds a lot easier than it is because: I cannot for the life of me find an Irish Gaelic book - all of them are Scottish Gaelic - so I attempting to teach it to myself with free software from a website called Before You Know Ithttp://www.byki.com/Default.html, which is not a bad site, because, while basic, if you press a little button, a nice-sounding lady pronounces the word for you, which is absolutely vital... because The language is not phonetic!! (neither is the word phonetic but that is besides the point). Try this on for size: Pronounce An bhfuil - a word you to ask a question, like Is... ?. Before you get your toungue in a knot, it has neither the sound of a b, h or an f in it. It's pronounced An Will. ???? It might explain why the only things I can commit to memory, apart from a couple of basic phrases, are bear (bear) and bo (cow). Oh, and fion (wine, pronounced fi-on) and aran (bread, pronouced a-rawn). Which might explain the title of this post. Nil aon ghaeilge agam. An bhfuil bearla agat? - I do not speak Irish. Do you speak English? But no, I cannot pronounce it, and I'm not even going to try without the help of some fion. Art

MID-AFTERNOON MUSING

Okay, so we created this blog... And now, of course, the challenge is to get friends and family to come check out what we're up to by visiting it ever so often, and leaving their thoughts on it and so on, which we really hope they will do in the days/months/years to come. It was, after all, created entirely with them in mind. Of course, some lazy people also create blogs because it means that they can pour their hearts and souls into it, and upload pictures the ONE time, instead of having to individually email everyone they know (which, of course, is ENTIRELY untrue in our case. Really.). But even IF that were the case for us (which it isn't. Really), it would not be working too ideally because... Some people want us to email them everytime we blog a new entry. Some people want us to call/sms them everytime we blog a new entry. Some people would like us to email them our blog entries whenever we update. Hmm. Lucky for us, you seem to have no problem surfing on over (Thank you!!), and besides, we're fantastic at keeping in touch in any case (aww, come on, don't be shaking your head), so none of this is relevant anyway. Slainte. Art

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

Now that we're almost over that Napa hangover... almost.... Pete's reminded me that there's heaps more on Calif we haven't shared. Even if you're not going to wander over to flickr.com (where our sets are public), we figure we'd put on a sampling. San Francisco was absolutely phenomenal. You have no idea how much that city pulsates with fantastic energy. Best birthday ever... Half Colorado, half California. New family & old friends... and my ID got checked!!! I could have kissed the bouncer. From Napa to Muir Woods, where Jessie and Miikka (see good lookers in pix) so sweetly took us, and Berkely, Oakland and Presidio, and Fabulous things to check out - The Stinking Rose <http://www.thestinkingrose.com/> (can one ever have too much garlic??), to the San Francisco Brewing Company (which we sorta accidentally discovered ourselves), there was not a dull moment. In fact, we were completely upset we so wrongly thought four days would be near enough... I think we could be there four months, or four years, and still find things we never knew we never knew. Art

CALIFORNICATION

We will admit - we are not quite LA people. In fact, we never figured ourselves for California people in general. Until we got to San Francisco. And we went down to the Valley to play. Stick our nose in their business. Twas good. So very very good.

ART'S FIRST SNOW

First stop for our real vacation: Denver Colorado. I think one of the main reasons we were so excited was being able to meet the Lancasters - Pete's cousins from his Mum's side. Especially Maureen. Of course, things only got better when the day before we jetted in, the news reported a possible freak snowstorm the next day. Needless to say, I was considerably more thrilled than people who actually lived in Colorado, who were completely taken by surprise that the weather was turning so early <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/10/national/main930518.shtml>. Sorry. Tropical baby. The coldest thing i've experience is the sucky aircon in the office. It was freezing by the time we went to bed, after a big family dinner at Liz', and I woke up that morning trying to "listen" for if it snowed. Okay. I know now. Snow doesn't make a sound. Ah well. I was completely ready to be disappointed when I pulled back the curtains at 7am.... and everything was white!! Ran straight out - in my jammies - and dove into the ground to make snow angels and pelt everyone with snow balls. I confess that I also walked around garden catching snowflakes with my tongue, which I am absolutely unashamed of as I have since been informed that it is di riguer first-snow behaviour. Bliss. Of course, Pete was freezing. As were most other normal people. But I didn't want to leave the outside and was contemplating breaking into the neighbour's frontyard to use his snow to make more angels. Again, di riguer first-snow behaviour. It was a great leg of the trip. Of course, we headed up to Boulder <http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/>, a beautiful University town that is home to the flat irons, and Sarah and Berrick, two more of Pete's cousins, and the next day (thank God) managed to find an Asian bistro that served half decent Chinese/Thai food. Thank god. If anyone had offered me another fajita or a burger, I would have died. Then it was to Fort Collins to hang with Frank & Jill (also cousins), where we cooked up an Indian feast with spices we brought with us all the way from Singapore. Pete (now better known as Ravi) set the bar ridiculously high with a rendition of his butter chicken (though he ended up having to settle for whipped cream because we could not find normal cream ANYWHERE. ha) Next day... we headed into the Rockies. Got up to 11,000 ft and made mini snowmen. It was utterly mind blowing (and completely made up for the fact that we then had dinner in a restaurant that only had fajitas and, sigh, burgers). The icing on the cake, literally, was the little surprise birthday party the family had for me when we got back... I couldn't have asked for more. Art

OH, THE SOUTH

The sign says it all. OH, THE SOUTH, originally uploaded by teamwilliams. For no better reason than because Pete had to attend the SND awards, our annual vacation this year started in Houston (which is, really, about as interesting as watching grass grow). And we got really sick of fajitas by day three. Okay, okay, it was not that bad, but it was close. I did get new boots, though. Yay. There are more pictures on flickr, but here's a taste. Jackie and me pushing the buttons of the men in blue (who, predictably, had stopped for coffee and donuts). They were not complaining. Someday, perhaps, I will show people the video. Or perhaps not. Catching up with long lost cousins from Houston. And yes, more Mexican food. The best part about heavily polluted cities? Gorgeous sunsets. The day of the awards dinner. Of course, we're not physically at the awards. Nor are most of the other attendees. It was dry. Dry dry dry. Not a drop of wine. Unless you bought it from a cart parked outside the banquet room. Cart vs skyline bar. Cart loses. Skyline. Houston at a glance. All we need to add is a picture of the ballpark and a postcard of Nasa, and you can say you've seen it all. Really. He bought it at the SND auction. Good cause though: for Katrina victims. Doesn't change the fact that it's pink. Next change... Colorado. Art.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Please bear in mind. This were from at least, what, three or four years ago? And yes. That is a long time. Hokay... Back to School. Okay lah, despite the fact that its look like this (non) ex-St Patrick's boy and (non) ex-Katong Convent girl have been guzzling out of the fountain of youth (filled, as it were, with Hoegaarden) This one was from somewhere in 2002 or 2003... After the copius amount consumed at Kelly Khoo's Back 2 Skool birthday bash, I think it would be safe to assume that no one who had some semblance of fun remembers. Actually, I reckon Kelly may not remember this was her birthday. And of course those were our own old school uniforms. No really! Really!! (thank you Katong Shopping Centre http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/life/ref/mall.html ) If you'd put up with a story, the place was built in 1973 (and looks older). Before I was born. Pete was then, erm, well, it would be safe to say he had been born. Okay, okay. Just been born. Sort of. Hokay.. Bali. It was 2002. Gorgeous padi fields, amazing sunsets, and fabulous food. But completely deserted. It was weeks after the blast shattered the lifesource of the island. I have to say I am mighty sick of all this terrorism crap. I know that it has been happening all over the world, for a really long time, and every incident results in ridiculous devastation and the senseless killing of innoncents. And it is hitting closer and closer to home. Just as Bali seemed to be recovering, horror struck again. <http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/bali.blasts/>. We're hoping that our friends, like Rekha (on the right), who got hit hard the last time, are okay, and busier than they were the first time stupidity (qualification: this is NOT a slight on Australians) hit the island. We're really fortunate, I guess, that the many times we have been to Bali seemed to have been without event - short of a pretty bad tremor that followed in the weeks after the Tsunami. RANDOM STUFF I'm getting pretty good at this posting pictures thing, so while i'm on a roll (which will likely end by the time I log off), here are a couple of random shots I hope someone out there finds entertaining. The man. In his element. Clearly. And yes, I married him. Art.

AND SHE SPEAKS...

As the one between the two that appears to have more trouble keeping her mouth shut, or her digits still, I guess it is only apt that I should begin with the ruminations... and the rambling... Life's been good to us... According to the friendly guys at http://calendarhome.com/date.shtml, it has been all of 306 days since we got hitched... (that's 7344 Hours... or 440640 Minutes... or 26438400 Seconds). It feels longer. Am only kidding... The days just seem to stretch on and on because they are so filled with fun, love, excitement (and because I work a day shift but the boy works the night). We haven't been the best at keeping people abrief of the developments in our lives, thanks to our super-hectic, uber-demanding lives... So here's the update: We're still overworked, and underpaid. Otherwise, I guess we can't complain. We have a roof over our heads, salmon on our plates, beer in our glasses and real nice matching cowboy hats from our recent (yeeeee-haa) trip to Houston (look out for pix in an akan datang post). Life couldn't be better. Okay, so it was best we start with a bit o' good ole history... There be much to catch up on... In the next post, I'm going to vaguely attempt to put up a couple of pix you might have missed from the early days... If you know us, you'll appreciate the humour. If you're a stranger, I hope this flies as vintage voyeurism. And if it doesn't, then I have absoultely no clue why you're still reading. Slainte. Art.

AND A(NOTHER) BLOGGER IS BORN

So... We have finally done it. Pete and Art have abandoned their reservations (and, apparently, good judgement), and in the name of convenience, sanity - and unclogged email accounts, have taken their lives online. Why? Not least because their combined family, as well as circle of friends, has quickly grown into a semblance of the United Nations (including, I believe, some non-member states... Or did Aruba join when they were not looking?), so this is probably the most efficient way for everyone to stay in touch (and keep tabs on them). We shan't discuss here Pete's previous disdain for blogs (but wwwhhyy??), or Art's unsuccesful attempts to previously create one (her blog is still ridiculously empty because she can't decide whether she really really really wants to publish any of her 70 posts... except the one slamming this one female (woman doesn't cut it for this one) she met for being a shallow, uninformed, disgrace of an Ind... argh... okay, perhaps making that public ain't such a good idea. Ah well... So, welcome to life as TeamWilliams... We hope you enjoy the ride, at least as much as we do.