Edmund leans towards...

KOVAN.

He finally got to see the Kovan unit today. I saw the flat without him on Saturday. The renovation and condition of the Kovan flat is much better than he expected.

I'm pleased with the flooring, kitchen, toilets, built-in cabinets. It's well-maintained. It's nicer than any flat I've gone to see in Sengkang. The owner supposedly spent $70K on the renovation!

I know most people say the golden rule of buying a property is location, location, location. But you cannot really put a monetary value on staying close to your parents and the time saved not having to fuss with the renovations of a house when you only have 2 months renovation time to shift in before the wedding.

Since time isn't really on our side, we're going to start negotiations for both the Kovan and Sengkang flat. However, our 1st choice is swaying towards to Kovan.

At the end of the day, we recognise that it is God who chooses the PLACE for us.

To stay in Kovan or Sengkang?

We've been doing most of our home searching in Sengkang as I prefer the corridor and lift lobby conditions of a newer town compared to an older town like Kovan.

As of today, we've shortlisted 2 HDB units (they happen to have the same block number) in 2 different towns.

Kovan:
- 6 floor corner 5-room
- Well renovated, in move-in condition
- no great view, not windy
- MRT 15mins walk away
- near parents, additional $10K grant
- will take me more than 1 hr to get to work by public transport
- lower valuation (than a Sengkang 5-rm) but owner asking for $39K cash

Sengkang:
- 14 floor corner 4-room
- needs a lot of renovation
- great view, windy
- MRT 5mins walk away
- not very near parents, no additional $10K grant
- express bus to work just downstairs
- valuation not out yet

It's hard when you're not comparing apple to apple! Feel torn!

Friends

I wish Edmund and I had more common friends that we are close with. Unfortunately, coming from different (busy) churches, it's kinda difficult.

Today, I got to meet and hang out with the young adult leaders that Edmund works closely with in ministry. Ah... we had so much fun playing Taboo in the dark using mobile phones as torches! I think Edmund's probably the oldest and me the 2nd oldest in the group. I forget my age sometimes! ;p

Relationship meme

Took this relationship meme off Pearlyn's blog! I took out and changed some questions!

How long have you been together?
♥ 1 year and 11 months

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
♥ 2 months

Who asked whom out?
♥ Edmund asked me out (of course! ;p)

What's the age gap?
♥ Edmund is 4 years older than me.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
♥ Church issue

Did you go to the same school?
♥ No. He's from RI, ACJC & NUS. I was from MGS, NP & Curtin.

Who is smarter?
♥ Edmund

Who is more sensitive?
♥ Edmund

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
♥ Ichiban Boshi

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
♥ Hong Kong (with my family)

Who has the craziest exes?
♥ He's had more ex-es. I don't think any of them were crazy! He says they were all very godly girls!

Who has the worst temper?
♥ Me.

Who does the cooking?
♥ Neither of us currently. I'm quite sure he's the better cook! I tell everyone that my dish-washing is better than my cooking!

Who is the neat-freak?
♥ Edmund. He's a clean-freak!

Who is more stubborn?
♥ Me! But he's more persistent!

Who wakes up earlier?
♥ I think he wakes up a lot earlier than me... to do QT.

Where was your first date?
♥ Great World City. We had lunch at Crystal Jade and he was horrified that I didn't want to order any vegetables to go with my fried pork chop noodle! HAHAHA!

Who is more jealous?
♥ Edmund

Who eats more?
♥ Edmund. He can eat a lot of rice. I wonder where it all goes to!

Who does the laundry?
♥ He does more laundry than me.

Who's better with the computer?
♥ I think it'll be me!

Who drives when you are together?
♥ Edmund. And he always opens the car door for me! (My new colleague was so impressed!)

House Hunting

By Edmund

Housing hunting...let me see where to begin...

Well, initially we wanted to buy a nice re-sale in Sengkang. Some of those who heard the choice of location said, "Alamak, why so far away?" =P

We had to balance between being near to Sue Ern's parents (Kovan) & also being accessible to Woodlands (where Sue Ern is working). Sengkang is 3 NEL stops away from Kovan & has an express bus that takes about 30-35 min to Woodlands.

We have kinda lost count of how many Sengkang flats we have seen & how many days we spent viewing houses. Our estimate is about 40-45 flats =P Our poor agents (Daniel & Ivy) have been working very hard these past few months because we had very specific requirements yet low budget =P

We wanted to buy a 4-rm, since it's the most affordable. (We both would feel castrophobic in a 3-rm =P) But with the prices of 5-rms going south nowadays (due to 5-rm owners wanting to downgrade quickly in this economic situation), we thought it might be wiser to get a cheap 5-rm in the long run. We almost closed the deal for a 5-rm we liked. But alas, it was not to be =(

But now our thinking about location has somewhat changed. Well-meaning married friends (with families) tell us it really pays to be near parents cos parents can help take care of baby in future, we can borrow their car etc. And it makes sense, since job locations are more likely to change than parent's locations.

So, our current preference is to find an affordable 4-rm near Sue's parents. The catch however is that Kovan's 4-rms are definitely more expensive & probably requires cash above valuation. The spirit is willing, but the cash is weak =P

So, looks like God has to part the Jordan again!

"Thus far has the Lord helped us" - 1 Sam 7:12

Months

Today is our 23rd month together. We are less than 6 months away from our wedding.

Edmund's 23rd month anniversary card to me...


The past 2 months have been marked by house-hunting. Need a miracle from God!

MIA

Friends overseas have been asking why I haven't been blogging.

One thing is work. The other is something that was introduced by my sister... the Korean reality show "We Got Married".

I like the Alshin couple best and here's one of my favourite episodes that Kara also put up on her wedding blog!



Since I'm not going to have "nao men" for my wedding, I'm considering going the "western" way where the groom doesn't see the bride in her gown until the church doors open and she walks down the aisle! A lot of my Perth friends do that! Not sure whether Edmund and I will succeed! Ha!

This is another episode that I like! Watch out for the cow-mooing part!

Flyer

Edmund wanted to propose to me on the Singapore Flyer on my birthday last year but he couldn't get me on it! I didn't know he was intending to propose. I just refused to allow him to spend 60 bucks on the ride for both of us since none of my friends who went on it felt it was worth it!


Today we celebrated Edmund's elder brother's 40th birthday on the Singapore Flyer. 14 of us were allowed to have the whole cabin to ourselves! After the ride, we had dinner at Seafood Paradise! My camera battery went flat shortly after boarding the flyer so all the nice shots are with the rest!

Our wedding bands

During free staff lunch today, Yen and I started talking about her very pretty wedding band.

When I got back to office, she sent me a link of a famous Indonesian photographer. While looking through his portfolio, I found something I could try...

Here's my VERY amatuer version of it...

Exercise begins

I'm terribly inactive. I don't like to exercise. I never liked PE in school.

I struck a bargain with Edmund that I would start exercising 6 months before the wedding. (It's in my to-do list for the wedding!) If I want to count 6 months to the date, I only need to start exercising on 12 Mar, but after talking to my colleague, I decided to start it earlier! ;p

My colleague who is getting married 2 weeks after me told me how she used to hate exercising. However she got addicted to it after realising she was more alert and alive at work after she started exercising regularly.

Since I felt so stressed, sick, and tired in my 1st 2 weeks at work, I decided I had to exercise to help myself at work!


So far I've done my time on the threadmill on 28 Feb, 1 Mar & 3 Mar. I REALLY REALLY hope I can keep at it! Based on past experience, it's not very hopeful. But maybe, just maybe for the sake of my work health and wedding, I might just make it! ;p