that makes two extremely satisfying long days i've had out: on wednesday i went to bedok to collect the new spectacles that poach had helped me pick out. (as i told poach, what i need are dark, severe frames to disguise my frivolity and mislead those who don't know better to imagine that i am actually smart and nose-to-the-grindstone and those dreadful things you were meant to grow up to become.) it was early yet in the day, so wandered around bedok central and bought a pair of jeans from a neighbourhood shop. a little hungry after that, and went into bedok library and swept an armful of children's books into galilee and read e.l.konigsburg and betsy byars over a chicken wrap. then went down to town again to collect my long-awaited isserlis/mustonen cd. now in the centre of town, so the obvious thing to do was to walk to wisma where i bought two tops and a skirt from southaven. next to voyage de rita. nothing was eyecatching, but a red camisole from the previous collection that i had considered buying was now off 30%. naturally grabbed it too. and then it was back to plaza sing, where i got two pleated skirts from o.a.m.c. (yes, i never seem to get tired of pleated skirts!) before baker's inn chocolate cake and then homeward-nel.

went to dhoby ghaut on thursday to meet addy during her lunch break. (she's studying melayu at a school near little india) there was only an hour and a half to spare, but a good time all the same. could not entice her to zao the rest of the afternoon and go shopping with me, decided i hated orchard lib and didn't want to lug a bag of library books around town, so went to queenstown library to get richard peck and karen hesse. on the way, tried to raise julian to see if he wanted to meet at jurong library after work, but the boy was working from home (!) i begin to think we're star-crossed library goers. karen hesse lives up to her reputation, but i still don't like queenstown. decided to call desmond instead to see if he was able to nip out for a tea break at anchorpoint. what with one thing and another, it ended by me meeting him at the hospital canteen, which suited me: i suppose i was just jumping at the chance to see the inside of ah, and i swear i liked it even more than i thought i would. shared a cinnamon bun, decided to go to the sso "sax and the city" concert the following night, then he was summoned to attend to a case. i eyed the rush hour traffic and decided i didn't want to stand all the way home from queenstown to hougang so went in search for a lift from cousin-in-law (ariel's dad.) i hoped he hadn't already left the hospital or was on call, but he said he would be wrapping up within the next hour, so i settled down with a book happily. the traffic at 6 had thinned out and it was a smooth ride all the way home, just in time for a yakiniku dinner.

more such days!