The one about the Compliments of the Season...

Well, December has once again proved to be the busiest month of the year. I've been swamped both with work and personal matters that blogging has taken a back seat recently. Apart from the measly few entries, I haven't had the luxury of boring the cyberworld with my usual drivel.

Needless to say there'd been a lot of activities and photos but with our internet connection affected by the recent earthquake in southern Taiwan, I'll have to do a round-up of 2006 sometime much later.

First some news update for the Christmas/New Year holiday season -

Today, Saddam Hussein was executed after his appeal failed. That ends that story.

Just before Christmas, Johor faced massive floods with heavy downpour that saw as much as 35mm of rain in a day. The clean-up and repatriation works are still on-going.

Time magazine named me (and you all too) as their "Person of the Year". It was their tribute to consumer driven websites such as YouTube, Friendster and obviously all Bloggers who have shaped the future of communication through the internet.

On the personal front, we had a great Christmas - we had Christmas Eve dinner with Jo's family while Mum had Aunt Florence, Uncle Gilbert, Aunt Sooi See, Lionel, Geraldine, Priscilla and their families all over at our place for a pot-luck dinner the same night.

On Christmas day itself, Jo and I had people over from lunchtime till late. Geraldine treated the whole family to lunch at Parkroyal, so Mum prepared her famed Spaghetti Laksa for us before she headed off for a well-earned buffet lunch.

The week that was passed by swiftly, with lots of errands to run and a few urgent matters to settle before the onset of the new year. We had our usual Christmas pot-luck with the gang at our place on Friday night. The theme was decidedly Christmas with traditional dishes such as Roast Pork, Mulled Wine, Roast Chicken being prepared and served. We had a gift exchange session after and the kids - Ethan and Naomi had a ball.

Finally, here we are. On the brink of another new year. I look ahead with eagerness and trepidation alike. So much to look forward to yet still many insecurities left behind. The year 2006 has been a long long year for me. I still vividly recall over a year ago, when we were in Singapore and i spoke to my mum over the phone as she broke the news that she had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon. The months to follow had been a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing mum go through her operation and recovery period, then her 6-month long Chemotherapy sessions.

Well, almost a year to the day, on 27th December, mum went for her follow-up colonscopy and the doctors have reported there and then that it was all clear! Thank God for getting us all through those times and we continue to pray that everyone stays healthy through the coming years.

Another spot of good news. Mum has been asked to re-join the teaching staff at the Convent Light Street kindergarten and will start her teaching term with a small class this coming January 3rd. I feel it was best for her to be back on her feet and doing something which she loves and does well. I sensed a feeling of well-being with mum since she came home from her medical tests and recently from her meeting at the school. I thank God once again for the blessings which He has shown us this season.

So, tomorrow night we have a dinner planned at May Garden and later off to Soho for the countdown. Whatever state I'm in at that very moment as we all scream out "...3...2...1...", I will stop for a moment to be thankful for health, happiness, friends and many other little blessings.

So let's just drink from the cup o' kindness and look ahead to a great 2007.