Update (Part 1)

My third semester turned out to be the busiest by far. Study took a backseat as wedding preparations became our chief priority. As such it is only now, during the Christmas break in Oxford, that I have time for a much prelonged update.

To elaborate on Yolande's previous entry, I'm pleased to say I successfully carried out two 'dummy proposals' before popping the question for real the next day. In Chinese Garden I asked "Yolande Lim, will you... ...have breakfast with me?", offering a Subway takeaway bag from behind my back. Later, outside the Japanese restaurant, I asked whilst revealing what looked like a ring box partially concealed inside my backpack "Yolande Lim, will you... ...take this gift as a token of my affection?" before pulling out the rest of the long bracelet box to give to her. The night's stay at Sentosa Resort was also kept a surprise with the cooperation of the staff working at the Spa, until we returned later to the hotel to check in. I had pretended to be 'blur'about how to get to our destination, which fooled Yolande into thinking we were going to visit the Merlion. When we suddenly alighted the bus outside the hotel, she was shocked and very pleased. I also managed to inadvertently scare witless the lady behind the hotel reception desk by popping up suddenly after crouching down to retrieve my documents from my backpack. It was during the Hungry Ghost Festival, and the lady had imagined Yolande was talking to thin air whilst wearing a shocked expression on her face. I nearly brought forward the proposal to that night on account of a shaky weather forecast, but chanced the next morning at the beach, where the proposal had to be rushed somewhat due to the unbearably hot sun! However , it all turned out brilliantly in the end, although the engagment ring turned out to be too small despite being measured and adjusted based on Yolande's own ring. With some pressure on Yolande's part, the jewellers conceded to fix their mistake in time for my family's arrival in Singapore.