Cookbook Novel

Picked up this interesting book at the library cookbook section. It writes like a novel and reads like a novel. In between the writes, simple everyday recipes, explained.
Japanese food is all about presentation. To feast the eyes and the palate. Taking time to savour every morsel. The secret here lies in eating slowly. To chew slowly where enzyme in the mouth can fully process the food and the stomach time to register before it gets over stuffed. All this happening while the eyes is feasting of the exquisite presentation of the dainty dish.
A refreshing and entertaining new way of presenting a cookbook explained.

Pendant

While browsing for something exquisite to present my niece's 10th birthday gift, stumble upon this. So cute and apt. Watching over her, keeping her safe from harm, as she faces life's challenges ahead of her.

Constantly.

An elderly gentleman told me recently, "The secret to staying young at heart, feeling youthful, with a boyish charm yet respectful, is to be constantly in love." I wonder how true is this. And how? To stay constantly in love.

Positive View

Thinking of having something light, healthy and affordable? A sweet savoury bun and a glass of soya milk? It'll cost more now with the incease in the soya, flour and now butter price. On hind sight, it's a Blessing in disguise. Have we not been complaining that our eating habits and sedentary lifestyle is plaguing many with diabetes, hypertension and heart attack?

Now is the time. A time to rethink . A time to cut back and be selective. Eat well Eat less.

The world is only This big but the population is ever increasing. Sharing is Caring.

Scentsation

Article in Urban of the Straits Times. More and more women are giving up fragrance. Quote"Many people said it bothers them that fragrance has an effect on other people, that they are trying to be considerate by not overcoming others with scent."
"If I am wearing my strawberry lotion and the person next to me is wearing her apricot soap, then together we smell like a fruit salad gone wrong." Unquote
One man's meat is another man' s poison.
Besides, fragrance is creating havoc to the human race sending the wrong signals with the wrong scent. Had always a whiff of Anis anis on since I got aquainted with this light and floral fragrance in my twenties. Then came marriage and roomate started sneezing every morning just as I fill the room with me scent. The perfume bottles had to be kept away.
It has been a while. Now it's the cool refreshing scent of the soap, body lotion and deodorant that swirls round and round me. Hopefully, my combination of scents is not choking others around me.

Barrel of laughter

"Doesn't she gets offended, everyone calling her Fei Fei?" quizzed daughter ,10. Precisely this rotund lovable her that made her special in the entertaiment circle. Loving her was easy, for she loved being her. Body and all. Her ever ready barrel of laughters. When she first appeared in the English sitcom, I was impressed. By her ability to pick up the english language and speak with such a Lydia twang. I will miss her laughter.

Majority

Always the best, the smartest, the brightest, the wealthest are being given the accolade. Have they all forgotten, it's the huge majority of

the ecomony class, that keep the plane flying

the middle class's spending that keep the ecomony going

the blue collar workers that keep the production running

Only with the collaboration with the majority that the best, smartest, brightest, weathiest can make a difference and excel.
MDD was really upset, in a talk....."places will still be available for slow learner to enter after 'O' level"

Huh!!!...

Ear plug

After years of knots and tangle mess, I have invested in a bluetooth ear set. The good news is, in years to come, wearing a hearing aid would be just another piece of F & F. Plantronic bluetooth, the sales personnel assures me, pairs very well with my Motorola. Besides can be used to skype as well. So far so comfortable.

Passing

Ah Meng, the orangutan that has draped her arms over my shoulder some 20 years ago on my first visit to the zoo. I am glad I did plucked up enough courage to sit beside her. With no avail I have been searching for days for that faded photo. She has left many, a lasting impression of how so like us orangutans are. She will be missed.

Week that was

My last week has been spent mostly at waiting rooms and cafeteria. Observing the nurses, doctors and patients. At peak hours, before 8am, busiest and most effiicient must be the coffee makers. They listen to all the combinations of a simple cuppa of tea/coffee/yinyan(mixed). Thick/thin, carnation/evaporated, sugar/no sugar, hot/iced. All this while their hands are busy maneuvering the steaming cups and boiling pots.

With the consultation of the nephrologist at sgh, dad now add one more appointment card to his growing pile. At point blank , dad was warned within 6 months if nothing is done, he would be on the dialysis. Immediately medications were prescribed and once again the dos and dont's were reminded. Back home, a nephrologist was consulted for the last one year, but the nephrologist there has been opting a wait and see attitude, as he believed that nothing can be done.

Will be seeing alot more of dad now, but wish it was for a better reason.

Woosh.... and we are back. Back to norm. It has been a wonderful 4 days. Meeting up with uncles, aunties. and cousins. A very crucial time for us to be together as MIL is slowly retreating into a own world. Alzheimer is slowly taking her away from us.

Had a Popiah party at BIL's. My favourite. First, the smooth skin, followed by a leaf of lecttuce, then top with bangkuang, bean sprout, slices of lap cheong, slivers of prawns, a sprinkle of shredded egg omelette. Crab meat would be a delightful addition. Finally a dribble of hoisin sauce and chilli sauce to taste. Rolled up all the delicious and hmm.....an explosion of taste!!

Next, SIL threw a poolside barbecue of everyone's favourite grillable. Freshest from the sea to the land. Conversation gets better with the free flow of wine.

Lunar new year, gives us a time to forgive and move on. As the year passes, we should be wiser and mellow. After all we are only here once.

Looking forward to the next Lunar New Year.

Meeting Up

Come tomorrow, the yearly pilgrimage begins. Our yearly get-together with my inlaw's family clan. A night of traditional cuisine, small chats and mandarin oranges. Though many, meeting only once a year, everyone makes an effort to strike up a conversation on "safe" topics. To liven the occasion, 5th uncle would offer each a glass of wine, and continue filling up till the hums turns to loud dins. MIL, not a person of many words, would busy herself all through the day and till late night, baking cakes, Carrot, butter and chocolate cakes. Her satisfaction, is to see all 'Made by Mum' keropok, cookies and cakes being whisk off as it comes off the cooling rack. With families getting smaller and international, this traditional come together may soon be lost in transition.

Sting - Fragile

First heard it at the Science centre omnitheatre on the fragile rainforest.
At $600 a ticket, I'll have to give it a miss to feel Fragile, Standing so close to him.