and by popular demand, Charlotte takes a break from her matronly duties to provide a few selected updates.

Why only a few selected ones? Because there are only a few to select from.

Pardon the corn. Back to the pop...

... geez, I embarrass even my own self!

My birthday came and went uneventfully. I still appreciate ALL you darlings (not you, xk) for the well wishes, and forgotten birthday cards and belated birthday presents *wink wink, nudge nudge*. But sincerely, I was really touched by all the sms-es from far and away. And although my mother called three times (I'm not sure why... to make sure I properly turn 22?) and my grandmother made me call her, and my aunty called to wish me and then to ask me why Lionel is not a practising Christian, you've got to love my eccentric family on my birthday. And not just because they give generous ang pows and birthday presents. (My mother sent me 2 cards... one of which was blank. Maybe I'm supposed to save it for next year).

I had an extremely quiet birthday by all accounts. Lionel, who wanted to take me out to Belgo's for garlic mussels (say "Mm-mm-mmmmm") was hotter than the radiator on Sunday, and his fever took a turn for the worse. So, guess who ended up playing Florence Nightingle to a sick, sick boy? My godmother came around with a H-U-G-E chocolate walnut cake to make up for it. No one touched the cake till Tuesday, and even though 8 of the remaining healthier Emperor's gate occupants took a big sinful slice each... there is still more than one third of a cake still sitting in the fridge. On my birthday itself, Tao bought a delightful PURE CHOCOLATE cake from Pattiserie Valerie for me... and sounded all the more delighted when I told him I don't eat chocolate. How very gallant of him to break his low-carb diet for my birthday. We had a small (well, quite small) birthday session with the MSoc Comm and juniors in the JCR, with quite a few "who's birthday is it???" hilarious moments. That night Lionel, Lu, Yue and I had a small feast in Bugis Street. Then we came home. I put Lionel to bed... and promptly fell asleep early. On my birthday! Yes, I am growing old!

So there... I've just spent my first week as a 22 year old nursing Lionel back to health. His fever has transited to flu to cold to cough and now to sore throat... and I swear one moment I'm trying to warm him up in an attempt to arrest his cold and the next moment I'm boiling loads of barley and herbs to cool him down and lower his temperature. It's a miracle I'm not sick myself yet. But pumping myself full of vitamin C seems to be doing the job.

Alright Charm, Sher... you've got your update. And just for kicks... guess what else I got for my birthday? A HUGE pair of pinkish, flourescent greenish, yellowish fluffy shoes! They're called silent slippers for walking silently around my room. I don't know why...