We celebrated Christmas this year in a not so ordinary way but still traditional Noche Buena and happy moments were not missed. We started our preparation from the afternoon of December 24; yeah right I am too productive that I still worked in the morning of 24th. I reached my house at around 2 PM and went off to the grocery "Sheng Shiong" right after our late lunch. I committed myself to cook Beef Kaldereta and Carbonara, everything went well but I have to change our plan to be at Pastor Rey's place by 6:30 in the evening, a quick call to Pol to inform him that we will move it to 7:30, he was upset by the way, not with the changes but with other stuff that I can not mention =). 7 PM already and I was not yet done cooking the pasta, I hefta leave my place before everyone gets mad at me, we packed a portion of Beef Kaldereta and Carbonara sauce, just enough to share with our friends for Noche Buena at Pastor Rey's home. I phoned Ate Claire to inform her that I was not able to cook the pasta and being kind hearted she is, she volunteered to cook the pasta,, thanks Ate Claire.
About 8 in the evening when we(JJ and me) arrived at Pastor Rey's home after a while Pol joined us. With all the cooking and preparations made, I was starving by that time already. Ate Claire served us a dinner, I thought that it was the Noche Buena already, foolish thinking it's not even midnight =).. anyway, I pigged out in the Leche Flan I think I finished half of it. We are nearly done with our dinner when Jana and Buen came.. I want to tease them and just in time Earl gave me a call and he is on his way to my place, good thing he phoned me, I asked him to join in our Noche Buena but he's too shy,, he only gave me his wonderful gift..had a chit chat then he took off to spend his midnight with other friends from Tampines.
Seems the clock has stopped turning, we are all waiting for the time piece to strike 12. I guess that is the way it is, the time slows down when you are waiting for something,, Pol was at sleep, Jana and Buen were busy with the FB.. JJ is doing nothing,, Nanay Nora is watching TV… I asked Ate Jen and Pastor to start the Scrabble marathon.. Everyone was stuck for about 3 hours.
Finally, its midnight, time to devour the sumptuous food in the dining table.. We prayed for the blessings given to us and sang Christmas Carols, everyone had a blast as we eat and reminisce the good ole times. We took off after the Noche Buena.
When we (Pol, JJ and me) reached home, Kuya Jason and his friend are enjoying the videoke. I am not a good singer but for the spirit of celebration, I can't help but sing.. with my very supportive best friend and ever challenging cousin I believe that I have developed the singer personality within me.. from the score that started at 22 going to 92 I believe I did well. We enjoyed the videoke too much that we forget that the time is running.. we ended at 6 o'clock on Christmas Morning. ... Bed Time..
9 O'clock.. I wake-up to prepare for the Christmas Service in our Church; JJ is going to talk to his Dad so it's just me and Pol attending the service. We came late, took some photos, meet our church friends and tasted all the food brought by our church mates.. I love the Kare Kare and the Palitaw with Sago,, t'was my pick for that banquet. Game's followed, Pol has won a shirt, I never had the chance =(. We left the church past 2 in the afternoon; we are late for our Pulau Ubin camping.
Since we're running out of time, I went home to pick-up JJ and bring our camping stuff while Pol met Jeff at Orchard. We reconvene at Orchard Ion after 2 hours and rushed to Tampines; all three of us are excited to discover the things that Pulau Ubin can offer. I made some silly things in the MRT to overcome the boredom..
We bought KFC bucket meal at the Tampines Bus Stop for our dinner in the camp, who says we can not have instant and delicious dinner in the camp? We continue our journey.. Took the bus going to Changgi Village.. Again the battle between diet and starvation is on and we lost it, we had our early dinner at the hawker center in Changgi Village.. but JJ had ice cream and fruit juice alone, pro'ly he does not want to loose his fight.
7:30 in the evening when we reached the Bump Boat Terminal going to Pulau Ubin. We are thinking that there will be no way for us to reach Pulau Ubin that night. I told Pol and JJ that if there'll be no other passenger coming in by 8:30 then we will be camping at East Coast. I prayed. We are blessed the Bump Boat captain asked us to pay half the price if we will charter his boat.. We are off to Pulau Ubin.. in a private boat hehe.
Christmas has not ended yet….
About 8 in the evening when we(JJ and me) arrived at Pastor Rey's home after a while Pol joined us. With all the cooking and preparations made, I was starving by that time already. Ate Claire served us a dinner, I thought that it was the Noche Buena already, foolish thinking it's not even midnight =).. anyway, I pigged out in the Leche Flan I think I finished half of it. We are nearly done with our dinner when Jana and Buen came.. I want to tease them and just in time Earl gave me a call and he is on his way to my place, good thing he phoned me, I asked him to join in our Noche Buena but he's too shy,, he only gave me his wonderful gift..had a chit chat then he took off to spend his midnight with other friends from Tampines.
Seems the clock has stopped turning, we are all waiting for the time piece to strike 12. I guess that is the way it is, the time slows down when you are waiting for something,, Pol was at sleep, Jana and Buen were busy with the FB.. JJ is doing nothing,, Nanay Nora is watching TV… I asked Ate Jen and Pastor to start the Scrabble marathon.. Everyone was stuck for about 3 hours.
Finally, its midnight, time to devour the sumptuous food in the dining table.. We prayed for the blessings given to us and sang Christmas Carols, everyone had a blast as we eat and reminisce the good ole times. We took off after the Noche Buena.
When we (Pol, JJ and me) reached home, Kuya Jason and his friend are enjoying the videoke. I am not a good singer but for the spirit of celebration, I can't help but sing.. with my very supportive best friend and ever challenging cousin I believe that I have developed the singer personality within me.. from the score that started at 22 going to 92 I believe I did well. We enjoyed the videoke too much that we forget that the time is running.. we ended at 6 o'clock on Christmas Morning. ... Bed Time..
9 O'clock.. I wake-up to prepare for the Christmas Service in our Church; JJ is going to talk to his Dad so it's just me and Pol attending the service. We came late, took some photos, meet our church friends and tasted all the food brought by our church mates.. I love the Kare Kare and the Palitaw with Sago,, t'was my pick for that banquet. Game's followed, Pol has won a shirt, I never had the chance =(. We left the church past 2 in the afternoon; we are late for our Pulau Ubin camping.
Since we're running out of time, I went home to pick-up JJ and bring our camping stuff while Pol met Jeff at Orchard. We reconvene at Orchard Ion after 2 hours and rushed to Tampines; all three of us are excited to discover the things that Pulau Ubin can offer. I made some silly things in the MRT to overcome the boredom..
We bought KFC bucket meal at the Tampines Bus Stop for our dinner in the camp, who says we can not have instant and delicious dinner in the camp? We continue our journey.. Took the bus going to Changgi Village.. Again the battle between diet and starvation is on and we lost it, we had our early dinner at the hawker center in Changgi Village.. but JJ had ice cream and fruit juice alone, pro'ly he does not want to loose his fight.
7:30 in the evening when we reached the Bump Boat Terminal going to Pulau Ubin. We are thinking that there will be no way for us to reach Pulau Ubin that night. I told Pol and JJ that if there'll be no other passenger coming in by 8:30 then we will be camping at East Coast. I prayed. We are blessed the Bump Boat captain asked us to pay half the price if we will charter his boat.. We are off to Pulau Ubin.. in a private boat hehe.
Christmas has not ended yet….
