2008 ENDS...2009 BEGINS...WHAT WILL IT HOLD????

New Year's Eve Day was Doug's last day in Singapore. Neither of us could believe that five weeks had gone by so fast. Truly, days go faster here. Is it because we are doing things outside our normal day-to-day routine or could it be because we don't hop in a car to get every place we want to go...or could it be the weather? I don't have the answer to that, but I do know that time goes by really, really fast here!!!

We decided to pack in a few last minute sight seeing things on this day. We found ourselves at Arab Street. This area is a place where there are lots of "shop houses" (old row houses made into businesses) that is absolutely lovely. We've found that the shop owners have such a stock in their place that they are anxious to tell us about their wares and to explain the meaning behind many of them. It's a real culture experience to here to Arab Street.

This is a picture of a "shop house". You can see they are two level. Some shops are two levels for the business and some have their homes in the upper level.

When we were walking off the beaten path we stumbled upon this sidewalk cafe. The chairs were so beautiful. It was very hot...but the locals are use to the heat and sitting outside is just something they do!

I love this fencing at a mosque we saw as we walked in a neighborhood.

Being an island, there is very little room for homes and most of the space is used for high rise apartment type complexes. Often times the ground floor of the high rise building is used for businesses. We were walking through a complex and came to this very barren area on the ground level...I love the look and the shadowing.

At one of the MRT train stations, Dhoby Ghaut, there is a wall of art. We've gone by it at least 50 times while Doug has been here and we finally stopped today to take a picture of it. It is very unique...and being blue...Doug loved it!!!

When we went downtown to see the Fireworks for New Year's Eve we rode the bus. I took this picture inside the bus, looking outside. I thought it was unique seeing the inside of the bus and the taxis and cars on the road outside. This was about 10:30pm and wasn't very busy yet....but it would soon change as thousands and thousands and thousands of people went to the Marina Bay area to see fireworks and welcome in 2009.

Before the fireworks started Doug and I began playing with the different settings on our cameras. We figured out we actually had a setting for "fireworks"...how fun!!! So, the following pictures are some I took at the fireworks display. The pictures do NOT do justice to the display...it was truly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I found myself crying...now, some of that was the beauty of the fireworks, some was because I was in Singapore for a New Year's Eve event and quite a bit of it was because I knew my time with Doug was coming to an end.

After the fireworks were done, Doug and I walked home. I really don't know how far it was, but it took us about 45 minutes. We were walking with many others going home from the fireworks also. One thing struck us as we walked home....neither of us are usually out on New Year's Eve as we prefer to be home and be safe...however, it was interesting to see the large number of families out to see the fireworks...and people just walked so orderly, no one was pushing to get past you...it was quite nice!

So 2008 has passed by, and 2009 has arrived...I've pondered what I hope for 2009. I don't like New Year's resolutions, as I often break them within days. But as a new year begins I do hope to cherish family and friends more...after being away for an extended amount of time, I think I have a new fresh perspective for 2009.

I hope to grow my relationship with my son, Zac. He's been having a maturing period in his life as he has left high school and been living with his Dad. I spoke with Zac today just before midnight in Iowa...he walked outside a party and talked with his Mom for over 30 minutes...I felt truly blessed as he told me about his plans for the future and even offered up an apology on something that has been between us for a while now. I was amazed to listen to him and hear how he is making decisions while looking at how his decisions will effect the future and not just today....I guess my little boy is really growing up!

I hope you all will look at 2009 with a fresh perspective too. There is much going on the world that is doom and gloom, but we don't have to live that way. We can, instead, look for the good and the blessings and focus on those instead.

Happy New Year to you all!