We had our Valentine’s Day dinner at Alkaff Mansion.  An otherwise perfect night was nearly ruined by Alkaff’s malfunctioning billing system – we were made to wait for over an hour for the bill.  Before we got back to the car, I whipped out the ring box and proposed to Joyce.  Enclosed in the box was a note with these words :
 
“One Ring to rule him all, One Ring to mind him
One Ring to him enthrall and in love’s passion bind him”
 
Joyce accepted.

Like walking into a lingerie shop alone (not that I’ve done that before, whether alone or not), I find walking into a jewellery shop on my own rather intimidating.  First, it’s not the place guys go to alone (what would a guy be doing in a lingerie shop on his own ?).  Next, guys are alomost absolutely clueless about the stuff being sold (why should the average guy know anything about lingerie ?).  Then, you feel like the sales staff are always eyeing you suspiciously (either suspecting that you are there to rob them, or sizing up your economic worth).

Unfortunately, I’ve had to visit jewellery shops on my own a couple of times in the past month in search of the perfect engagement ring to propose to Joyce.

Fortunately the sales staff have been very helpful in assisting me with the selection of several quality (read "expensive" *bleah*) diamonds.  Today, I went back to the shop to pick up the diamond (which had to be delivered from another outlet and) which I had mounted on a temporary ring to give to Joyce on Thursday.  I figured that since I wasn’t entirely sure about the size of her ring finger (despite numerous attempts to innocently get her to try on rings), we could revisit the shop after 14 February to get the diamond mounted permanently on a ring of the right size with a design that she liked.

Today a friend and youth leader formerly from church (I say “formerly” because he has been missing for some time, probably engaged in some other divine pursuit), sent us a “a stern warning from our Lord Jesus” via e-mail.  It said :

“Dear All, Hear the Lord’s stern warning for you and me this season ! May we reflect on our lives and repent !  He who has an ear, let him hear !” 

This was followed by a verbatim reproduction of Luke 12 : 35 - 48 (parable of the watchful servants),  which I thought was very meaningful, since it merely repeated the words in Luke 12 : 35 - 48.

I thought the reply of one of the teens was absolutely hilarious, and quite apt :

“wei where haf u been ar ?”