Pumpkin's Diary

'92 | Educator | Singapore

[pumpkinspais]

Goodbye Now

It's 3:00pm on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon. In less than 24 hours I will be on a flight heading to Jeddah. Yes, I am leaving Singapore tomorrow to perform my umrah. I am nervous yet excited at the same time. It's been a roller coaster ride this year...

Allahu.

Only He knows what I went through in the past months. I couldn't continue my previous post as I am at this stage; I wish to move on and put the pasts behind me. I no longer can speak about it. I needed this trip, Allah. May Allah make it easy for me untuk mencari ketenangan. If you're reading this, dear you, dua' kan yang baik baik for me okay? InshaAllah.

[pumpkinspais]

The Coffee Meets Bagel Guy

Where do I start? I haven't been journaling for two months now. My current journal book is filled with memories I've had with him, pictures of him, conversations on Telegram. I could not gather my courage to open it up and flipping over 20 pages of the journal until I land on an empty one. So here I am, simply just the need of letting go.

Things that I'm going through since Ramadhan this year is beyond my control. I can't talk about it to my parents, my family or friends, yet. Partly I'm afraid of how they would react to my stories and judge me for being so blinded by love. Yes, I admit that when I fall in love, I fall hard. I got so blinded that I didn't see the biggest liar was just right in front of me. How did that happen? I thought I was careful, I thought I'd given enough time for me to know him as a person but not, in person.

What I'm about to share with you will blow your mind. The plot twists and the lies. I could've published a novel by now about my story. But since my writing isn't that great, I shall remain here.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

In late February, I downloaded a dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel. It was my first time trying out that app. I thought I was ready to meet someone new after three months of healing from a six months situation-ship with someone I met on Muzmatch.

So I actually met someone on CMB, I thought hey, he seem decent and well conversed. We continued talking on Telegram. I liked him instantly. We clicked. He's funny, intellectual, artistic, respectful, caring and loving. We texted everyday, we talked on the phone occasionally for the first month of knowing each other. We decided to meet somewhere in April. He wanted to go for a pottery session for our first date. I've always loved pottery making. He booked our first pottery class together. We planned on where to dine. La Fez was our pick. I made reservation for two. He wanted to wear matching coloured outfits. He picked navy blue. I remember telling my best friend how I excited and nervous I was. She accompanied me to look for a new navy dress for the date. I really did.

To be continued.

[pumpkinspais]

Hi fwiends, I had a waffle date with one of my girlfriends today at a cafe, Three’s A Crowd. I didn’t know it’s located in Tampines West and it’s been there for awhile now. Had the classic waffle with a scoop of premium chocolate giandua ice cream. Sedap nak mampos, sekian.

During my waffling sesh with Ain, we discussed about our friendships with certain people in our life. That group chats are no longer needed if only one/two people communicate. That we should know when to stop making efforts if they can’t value you equally as much as you value them. That cutting ties with people is okay, if we know our place in their life is no longer valid. That we should be okay with having lesser friends as we choose quality over quantity.

It sucks (idk, not really, 50/50) now that I am 30 with only three friends who have been with me during my ups and downs. That’s all I need.

[pumpkinspais]

Oh my my, last week of school for Term 1! Am i excited for school holidays next week? Maybe. Do I have any plans yet? No. I am so grateful though. Would love to spend the week creating new music, read all those books I bought from Kinokuniya...

So anyhoo, went for staycations with a good friend of mine last weekend. Couldn’t help myself but to return to St Regis Singapore! 🤭

[pumpkinspais]

Sunday goes by real fast! Had Aurora and Adam over earlier today. We ate cupcakes, watched Over The Moon (idk how many times they’ve watched that movie, lol), napped, watched Nailed It! and ate again. They left for home just an hour ago. Currently, doing my favourite thing to do these days, which is reading. Such a warm breezy evening today, I am blessed 😌

[pumpkinspais]

What a fun filling day! I attended Terrazzo making workshop today with friends. I have always seen Terrazzo tiling as part of HDB’s void deck concrete walls or one of those hipster cafes with Terrazzo’s furnitures. The workshop was held at one of those shophouses in King George at a cozy yet spacious workshop studio, The Refinery.

There were eight participants including me! We started out with making a terrazzo coaster.

I chose colourful terrazzo bits! I mixed them into my mixed jesmonite. Then, mould it into a coaster mould. A lot of arms workout though, lol. Seriously sis penat. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Excited for my second masterpiece! A bigger one with colored jesmonite! I loved mixing in the pigments. I like what Iqa’s wearing today, so I wanted to make my based color same as her top, haha. Marbled with baby blue jesmonite.

How supportive the rest of the participants and the conductor, Juliana. Cause i was the last one to reveal my creation 🙆🏻‍♀️

So happy with our materpieces made within 2.5 hours! *flips hijab*

[pumpkinspais]

I revisit my old hobby which is baking! So I have been at it lately. It’s so addictive that I have been baking for families and friends. So happy to see them devouring those cupcakes, the feeling you know, is so satisfying!

Daania, my eldest niece helped me lining up those paper cups on the baking tray. I simply love the aroma of Red Velvet cupcake fresh out from the oven!

Look at that fine looking red velvety moist cake texture and cream cheese frosting! Sedap gila okay.

Of course, my cupcake monsters are always ready for cupcake “tasting”, haha.

Yesterday, I baked my classic devil’s chocolate cupcake with Nutella Frosting (my first try!) I actually wanted to experiment on the frosting. I am sursprised with how good it turned out.

Fresh out of the oven!

Frosted! And ready to be chilled over night! Though my sister in law wanted more of these cupcakes, so I sent her two flavours via Grab Express last night. Thank god for Grab!

[pumpkinspais]

Long weekend it ain’t fun without staycation. Had an amazing quality time with my girls this weekend!

Running towards our weekend hipster hotel. This was this afternoon before heading down to The Moon (our fave cafe in Chinatown) which was three minutes on foot from the hotel.

Hearty brunch + card games, cause we can, lol.

My dear friend Ain, got us a Valentines gift, a comic book titled One Date Wonder. So humorous!

Our ladies night last night at The Projector to catch the movie Promising Woman, so damn good.

So glad my weekend’s well spent with my ladies and to celebrate them I made them Red Velvet cupcakes too, so that’s something. I rarely bake cause I’ve been too busy with work. But yeah, I made time to make cause my bestie loves my baking too much. I hope she can sleep well for the rest of her life.

What a fine looking smurfs, haha.

[pumpkinspais]

Aurora made this for me while catching up on a quick rest also waiting for them cuppies to be ready! Obviously long hair and big dress is me and the flower one is her. With “I love you” on the side. Ah, blessed her heart and mine.

The long awaited long weekend is finally here. So excited to having these kids over for few days cause it’s public holiday. They were so stoked to bake some family’s all time fave chocolate cupcakes today!

[pumpkinspais]

I watch this music video whenever I feel like I am losing hope. To be able to be part of the MV is what it makes it even more meaningful to me. 

[pumpkinspais]

I love doodling plants and writing words with them. The words are song lyrics from my favourite songs.

[pumpkinspais]

Light To Night Festival

First live concert of the year! It’s been a year since I last attended a live music performance. So glad I got to experience live orchestra with my girls last weekend at the Victoria Hall. Light to Night festival seemed different this year, with corona cases keep rising up, there’s not so much to check out during the week of the festival. However, Orkestra Sri Temasek was phenomenal! I recorded their last act, it was beautiful. Here to listen.

Here’s one with the ladies after the concert in front of the Singapore National Gallery. We wanted to have supper but most makan places were closed as early as 9pm. Hais covid, pergi berambus can 🙄

[pumpkinspais]

Evening at Aramsa

Last I had great spa days when I was in Bali in March last year. Bestie surprised me to a belated birthday spa treat today. I couldn’t express how contented and satisfied I am right now. She got us both a Balinese full body treatment. The ambience, the service, truly remind me of Bali spas. 😍

[pumpkinspais]

Blinds Fixed

Let’s admire my newly painted walls! They used to be in my favorite color, baby blue. I’ve decided to give my room a whole new look for this Eid. The next thing I needed was a block out roller blinds. My room is often exposed to the sun and natural light. Don’t get me wrong, I love waking up to it! But sometimes during the day in the after noon, I just need a cool and a pitch black room for a good power nap. 

IKEA has a 120 cm blinds for only at $45. I spent two days on IKEA’s website browsing for blinds... and other good buy. Which reminds me, I have more than ten screenshots of furniture in my Google photos. If there’s one thing you need to know about me - I hate unnecessary screenshots in my gallery, I’ll delete them before I go to bed. 

[pumpkinspais]

Alien Brew

Alien Brew is a drink consists of two main ingredients. Coca Cola and Vanilla ice cream! Sounds familiar? We adults, we know it as... coke float. So this happened, my nine year old niece shared to me that coke float (she thought I never tried or heard it before) is a very well known drink in America... coming from someone who'd spent the whole afternoon reading recipe books in the library. Meanwhile, her five year old brother diligently reading books on trains. It was the second weekend of Ramadhan, I promised Nia and Adam a trip to one of the biggest library in Singapore. They were so stoked.

Nia: Bibik, have you tried Alien Brew?

Me: What Brew?!

Nia: Alien Brew, it’s so easy to make! I want to make it for iftar later can?

Me: Can! Where do we find Alien-food-like? Can we use something else in the brew? 

Nia: We just need a bottle of coke and vanilla ice cream, Bik.

Me: It’s coke floaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat lah.

Nia: But the coke can’t float, Bik. 

oke float no more, let's call it Alien Brew! 

I suggested Nia to customize party cups with her drawing. She liked the idea and hand illustrated some eerie aliens with an endearing little grin. She added speech bubbles with her version of alien languages. Then, added A L I E N  B R E W at the bottom of the cups. Wow. At this point, that should be a great brand name with a great backstory, eh?

A delightful smile. Nia has been into cooking, making food and serving them on a tray since she was only three. She’s determined to prepare Alien Brew drinks for the family. She actually added gummy bears as topping on our drinks. Very sedap lah. If you are wondering why are her glasses so huge? That’s because her old glasses were broken, she sat on it. My sister in law got her bigger frame so that Nia won’t sit on her glasses again. Lol.