Richard Lau's birthday proper is 14 July. We celebrate it with him on 15 July instead.
What happens today?
Today being Tuesday, we joined the walking group to walk in MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
After an absence of 2 months, I felt I am not physically fit and have slowed my pace a bit.
Luckily for me, Goy Soong Ngee wasn't feeling up to speed either, as he has repeated gout attacks. Today, Goy has another gout attack and was unable to join us for the walk. He turns up later to join us for the lunch.
I walked with Bee Kok, Sin Peng, Kong all the way to the Ranger Station. It was a tiring walk for me, for I have not regain my stamina due to the lack of exercise during my two months being away from Singapore.
Upon reaching the Ranger Station, I washed up and drank my water to recover from the loss of fluid during the walk. We were there only for fifteen minutes before we proceed to walk back to the car park.
The return journey I was with Bob Lim, and we reminisced about our time in London in 1971.
On 1st May 1971, seven of us, operators (Myself, Matthew Ho, Jonathan Tan Hiok Khern, Lee Khet Shiong, Joseph Lee Seng Hwee, Peter Neo and James Teong) arrived in Heathrow Airport for our training on the then BOAC's Boadecia Computer centre. We were there for five and half months. The systems programmers were already there and they took care of us on our arrival.
The Systems Programmers were Bob Lim, Andy Leong, Johnny Lim Thean See, Vincent Then and Daniel Ng Hark Chye.
On arrival we were lodged in Hounslow West Hotel, the proprietor being Price. That story later and I will revert back to present days.
By the time, we reached the end of the walk, I was already feeling very tired and unable to move my legs much. At the reservoir, a group of students from an International School were learning to row their canoes along the shores of the reservoir. I took the opportunity to slow down and took a picture of the "canoeist". Bob Lim being fit, walk on ahead.
Slowly and painfully I make my way back to the car park. I freshen up and joined Alice back at the car. Alice was anxious that I will not be able to catch up with the rest of the drivers, who have driven on to Tiong Bahru Hawkers Centre.
Instead of taking the CTE route, I u-turned at Lornie Road, and drove toward Queensway.
I arrived at Tiong Bahru Hawkers Centre at the same time or slightly later than the group.
Today, the people who were walking and joined us for lunch are: Sim Tiow Seng, Sin Peng and his wife Jackie, Young Lee, Ivy Cheong, Bee Kok, Goy Soong Ngee, Johnny Kwek, Lilian Kwok, Harry Tan, Doris Phua, Kong, Boon Chai and his friend Phua, and of course, myself and my wife, Alice. Bob Lim and his wife, Betty did not join us for the lunch.
Goy joined us for the lunch, though he wasn't able to walk due to his gout attack.
After lunch, Alice and I went to the fruits whole seller opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza to buy fruits for our home. I also bought three kgs of rambutans. I am not suppose to eat sweet stuff and rambutans is in the list of no nos, as the fruit is sweet.
We then went to visit Ah Cheng (Alice's niece, who is dying with cancer of the nose and is not expected to last long). Alice went up to her room at St. Assis Home for the Chronically ill.
I did not go up, as I do not wish to look at Ah Cheng again. Her tumour has grown bigger and she is now totally blind and her eye is affected.
I waited at the multi storey car park for Alice and was about to read the papers, when she called.
We then left for Thomson Plaza to buy provision for the home ( a carton of fresh milk, and other products). FairPrice Fines is now in the plaza and is the main anchor tenant. We also bought a coffee cake for Richard Lau's birthday.
At 7:00PM, we drove to pick up Richard. We went via Grange Road and River Valley Road, thus bypassing the ERP gantry in Orchard Road. With Richard in the car on the way to Wo Peng Restaurant at 476, MacPherson Road, we have to pass through only one gantry. This cost me fifty cents to enter Orchard Road area.
Wo Peng Restaurant food was okay and quite reasonable. The chef is Julian Tam and the Restaurant Manager is May. We had two dishes of vegetables ( sweet beans in egg whites and prawns and bak choy in salted eggs and century eggs gravy), noodles with prawn heads, and starter dish was crispy fish skin served with a light gravy.
The chef, Julian Tam is also the owner of the restaurant introduced himself to us and we have a photo taken with him. I also got May's assistant to take a photo of us with Julian Tam. While the candle was lit, Richard makes a wish and I took a photo of him just as he blowed out the candle. During the dinner, Richard brought along a bottle of champagne, and a bottle of red wine. The Neos (Kim Hing and Bee Hong) were invited but they were not able to make it to the dinner. Richard loves wine and intended to share the red wine with Bee Hong and Neo.
After the dinner, I sent Richard home and we went home ourselves for a well deserved good night rest .
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