Firstly it was the first day of the first long weekend that's marking the end of the year. We have a three-week holiday weekend (and next weekened too, is another long one), so I was already in a very upbeat mood when I woke up!
To add to the upbeat-ness, the weather was chilly and breezy with short spurts of downpours, which I loved!
Just as the hubby and I were enjoying our breakfast and some tea, watching the beautiful weather outside from our windows, I decided that it was time to tick off my "Before-30" list. I made this list in 2006 - it had 10 items listed in there and I had completed pretty much all of it except the one last elusive thing-to-do - "learn cycling".
I had tried a couple of times to learn cycling over the last few years but wasn't too successful. I would kinda get the balance but then I would fall or ram into a tree and then lose all interest in pursuing it any further. But today, I decided that it was time to set it all right.
Instead of finding a bike rental spot, which is what I usually do, I decided to get myself a bicycle which I can practise riding on any time I want. The hubby dear did some research and figured out that there was a cycle shop right on our street!
So the hubby and I took a short walk, went to the cycle shop, I picked up a bike and the hubby insisted that it would be his gift to me (yes, he did score a few brownie points on that one)! Then we brought it back home but didn't pursue any cycling right then, thanks to yet another downpour that took place.
Instead, we did some reasonably extensive grocery shopping at the newly renovated, huge NTUC in Bishan (which somehow I really like). Once back from the shopping, I decided to bake a cake! Yeah, a chocolate cake!
After successfully baking some yummy chocolate cup cakes which were then topped up with whipped cream and thick chocolate syrup, making it as rich as it could possibly be, well... we ate it all up!
While we relaxed after sufficiently stuffing ourselves with chocolate cake, I noticed that the rain had stopped and decided that it was probably a good time to test out the new bike.
So the hubby and I went to the nearby HDB block and I started out to try cycling with some good guidance from the hubby. After about an hour, I seemed to have gotten the hang of it and after about 2 hours, there I was... cycling left, right and centre! Sure, I could be a lot more confident and less panicky especially during tough turns, uneven grounds etc., but I can now officially cycle!
And with that I am now, officially, all set to turn 30 (about 8 months in advance)! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
I love that I could finally completely ticked off the list! The feeling is OH-SO-AWESOME!!!
Just as we were getting back home after the cycling expedition, there was another round of very strong chilly, breeze. The hubby and I spent some minutes outside doing nothing but enjoying that lovely, lovely, weather!
To celebrate the fabulous achievement of finally being able to cycle, we went out to Clarke Quay for dinner.
And that's when we unexpectedly got caught in the Christmas Eve crowds and cheer! The ridiculous traffic jam and the never-before-seen crowd at Clarke Quay (oh, also the never-before-seen-bizarrely-dressed crowd) were quite fascinating!
Close to midnight, we noticed that the crowds were automaticaly merging towards the central area near Clarke Quay, right next to where we were having dinner. And just at midnight, there was this uproar - cheers, screams, whistles, party poppers, foam sprays and a fantastic welcoming of the Christmas day! There was no count down or even a big clock giving the time, but the crowd just took it upon themselves to create a huge wave of vocal welcome! It was amazing and I couldn't stop smiling!
That was the perfect end to a perfect day!
It was perfect for the beautiful weather, my new bike, my first baking expedition and the successful chocolate cake, the fact that I can finally bike myself, a completely ticked-off Before-30 list, spending an entire day with the hubby - not just watching TV or working on our respective computers through the day but spending a whole day together - shopping, cycling, eating, chatting, walking and enjoying the breeze; and last but not the least, being part of the wonderful Christmas welcome cheer!
I felt terrific - absolutely on top of the world!
235 more to go.
Congrats! :)
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