All Smiles - how unusual!

Smiles all the way, although it did not seem likely initially. Alistair has decided views on what he should get for his 12th birthday, including an ear stud. Well, as he cannot wear it to school it seemed the ideal time to get his ear pierced as the holiday had just begun, giving some time to heal before he needed to remove it during class time.

So off we headed to Orchard Road, where we succeeded in getting him pierced and moved on to seek out some clothing that would fit in with the latest fad of his pals. He was a shade disconcerted when we later moved on to my first suggestion, the Queensway Mall, where it turned out things could be bought rather cheaper than he had just paid! Still I had warned him but it seems his friends stick to the Orchard Road places, reinforcing my belief that I am one of the poorer expats in Singapore!

However some four and a half hours later the shopping was complete and we were back in the Condo. I still get tired much quicker than I expect but I suddenly realised that, although knackered and with aching feet and legs, I had none of the usual pain in my belly region. This was something of a surprise and I bored Alice rigid, I am sure, by repeated comments expressing my surprise and happiness at this situation. I am not sure if a butterfly kiss is a regional thing or known around the world, but for the rest of the day I felt that I was receiving such a kiss on a permanent basis.

My weight is now 107 kg and continues to reduce; I foresee the future and it includes me doing things that have been beyond me for years. However the fact that I had five separate hernias that have been repaired does mean that I suspect there will remain certain things that I may (or may not) have done in my youth that will definitely remain outside my exercise plans.