The weekend of eating, drinking, driving and being Madonna

The excitement of the week was not my birthday, not X'mas parties, and definitely not the snow.

I got my first Canadian credit card! Big deal you think. It is a big deal. I have been complaining for over a year about how backward and inefficient the banks are here, and how stupid they were giving loans to people who can't pay but not giving a credit card to someone who can! I have been charge ridiculous transaction fees for over-using Internet and ATM banking. And I am fed up having to carry cash with me everywhere I go. Thank god for Amex Global Transfer, and bless WendyBendy for alerting me to this programme.

In other news, I have had a fabulous birthday weekend. No patio drinking at waterside bar, but the next best thing. My old team at work took me out to dinner at Peridot, and G took me out to Madeline's… both scrumptious meals that reminded me of the fine dining days back when. These days, it is more comfort cheep and cheerful which suits me fine, but it is nice to indulge once in a while.

My girls here had our annual themed X'mas party… Madonna was definitely in the house! Everyone made an entrance with their Madonna outfit and corresponding song, bearing a kris kringle that 'Madonna would like'. Besides a few moles on the wrong side of the face, it was the best bunch of Asian Madonna's I've seen!

 

(bad photo of me being a few drink shades too pink, and this is as much of the costumes the girls will let me post)

A lot less exciting but worth a celebration nonetheless, was the fact that I finally sat my road test for a licence here. I'd be pretty peeved if I didn't pass the test, but given that it was the first time I have ever driven in a snow squall, the Pass came more as a relief than expectation. This is just for a normal car licence. I still need to sit all my motorcycle tests next year once the snow season is over!