Thanksgiving 2023

It was totally fortuitous that we opted to have Thanksgiving dinner at Tilly's at Katong, along East Coast Road. We were a party of eight and sat outdoors across two tables along the side of the restaurant. It was sheltered along the five-foot way and there were blinds to block out rain; the rain belt didn't get to us till much later and even so, it was a light drizzle instead of a full-out storm. 

Our mains needed 20 minutes in the oven. Sure thing. We'd just have drinks first. Conversation is never stilted with this group. We had a round of prosecco to mark the occasion, then it was pints of tasty Guinness all the way. Tilly's terms itself as an 'Irish bar and grill'. It lives up to it — does a good pull of Guinness and loads of decent food. 

Thanksgiving in Asia doesn't require turkey. Heck, Thanksgiving dinners even in the US or Christmas meals with people who are foodies also don't require turkey. Tonight, we were all very happy with beef and Guinness pie, lamb shepherd's pie and pork sausage toad in a hole pudding. Our mains came with sides of mash, and charred cabbage; we ordered more of those and added chopped slaw. Dinner was a very happy affair. We were full but not stuffed to the point of indigestion.

I hadn't seen these friends for a bit either. Or rather we haven't gathered like this in a group since February! We see one another separately in various permutations on various occasions, but not often since we have rather different schedules. I see the ones with dogs slightly more frequently. Hahahah. The friends have been traveling for both work and on vacation, and if they're not active on social media, I've been demanding for travel photos (scenery and the sort) so that I could travel vicariously through them. Heheheh. They very kindly obliged. 

Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.

~ Luke 6:38, Douay-Rheims