the first rainy day since i've been back, and expecting a languid day in bed with a book, we were out, out and out. last stop was for dinner with my uncle and aunt, a cousin (of a different aunt. my mater has 13 siblings) and his girlfriend, and parents, at maxwell road, where shima, of goodwood park fame, runs a scaled-down version of a small neighbourhood yakiniku establishment, plastic chairs and roadside seating and all. very bizarre, and i would rather go to goodwood park anyday, though this is much easier on the pocket, by about half the other. the yakiniku platter is almost the same save for absence of scallops. like the goodwood park restaurant comes with freeflow of sashimi and softshellcrab maki and tempura, also much reduced in variety compared to the parent restaurant, but not bad at all. being at maxwell road i suddenly had, and still have, a craving for guotie at neil road, and teahouse later. i miss teahouses. my aunt and uncle are taking my little cousins to batu pahat to see fire flies. i remember how much i loved the last time, and that was nearly 8 years ago, wasn't it? my aunt asked me to go along, but i thought perhaps another time, perhaps next year! if all of us are back we can organise a big firefly trip! shall we shall we? *beam*