New Found Interest

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I must admit I am a woman who doesn't know how to save lots of $. In the past, I spent a lot on buying clothes & shoes. Now that my wardrobe and my shoe cabinet is full, I felt rather guilty of spending on myself, cos, non of my family can benefit from my spending except myself.

Recently, I have been doing a lot of online research for simple cooking and baking recipes. I was very inspired by this young housewife who had been making so much nice food for the family. The love she has for her children is all shown in her food. She posted lots of simple recipes and lovely pictures on her blog (http://www.wokkingmum.blogspot.com/). Next, I found myself diverging my spending on other things: blender cum grinder, electrical mixer, mixing bowls, baking tools and ingredients, fruits, ice-cream, etc.

I started from 0 knowledge, like a dummy following every step of instructions. I have made mango desserts (yes, I love mangoes), cup-cakes, pandan cakes, milk shakes and sandwiches. Since I don't have much opportunity to cook lunch or dinner, I thought it will good idea to 'master' on some desserts. My upcoming trial will be cookies, honeydew sago, huat kueh, ice cream, sorbet and many more.

Due to my mum's "school of thoughts", I have been feeling scared of messing up the kitchen. To her, as long as you do anything in the kitchen, the kitchen will end up in a mess and full of grease, which you will have to spend few hours cleaning up from ceiling to floor. Whenever I tried meddling with some food, I felt being "watched" by her. She will always said that I am clumsy and takes over whatever I am doing. This stress made me paid a big price - till today, I still can't cook a simple meal. To overcome this, I told myself, I must start getting into the kitchen and dirty my own hands.

Well, this interest has been getting stronger. Hope this way will reduce my spending on clothes and shoes, thus benefit my family more with nice yummy food.

Jia You!

Rainbow

It has been thunder storm for these few days. Seems gloomy... For a very very long time, I had not seen a real rainbow.

Few days ago, after a down pour in the late afternoon, I finally got to see a big beautiful rainbow appearing in the sky. It is a pity that my house is not facing in the direction of the rainbow, no wonder I haven't been able to catch hold of it. It was at MIL's house that we could see so clearly, the wide view of the whole rainbow.

This was the first time that both my boys saw a real rainbow. At first, Aron was a little taken back and he ran in to the middle of the house, far away from the window. After a few more glimpse, with running to and fro from the window to peep, he kind of got use to the "strange image", and finally settled down with much ease.

Asher is the braver boy, who can accept the "strange image" in a very short time. I think he fell in love with it, that he actually said a prayer, out of his own initiative. (Well, he has been sent to an Anglican kindergarten school, that is why he know about praying). As per his request, I closed my eyes (peeping at him secretly), put my hands together, just as he did. Aron followed.

Asher said something like this: "For the beautiful rainbow, thank you. I hope to see the rainbow again, with the sun and rain, Amen." For the moment, I felt touched. Asher has grown to become appreciative, for something that is not material, something that he cannot own, something that he can only see from a distant. This is just pure appreciation of what he thinks is beautiful to him. I am so proud and thankful to have such a sweet boy. I just hope that this kind of appreciation will stay with him for a long time.

Soon after the rainbow disappeared. I was feeling a bit down, I did not know when I could see the rainbow again. It just gave me a very blissful feeling and a belief that nature can be so beautiful.

To cover up my little sadness and dissappointment, I taught the boys about the seven colours which form the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Asher drew and coloured it as I guided him through the sequence.

Yesterday, for a second time, we caught the rainbow again, after another storm. I told Asher:"See, because you said your prayer, that's why the rainbow appeared again." Not that I have belief in the religion, but it is a good way for Asher to continue to express his appreciation and have faith in things that he wanted to happen.

So, the mummy holding the 2 boys, stood by the window, looking into the sky, for a long time. This time, we tried to catch every single colour and enjoyed every moment of togetherness. Of course, this is also one of the most enjoying moment of motherhood.

Asher said the similar prayer again, followed by Aron singing the prayer songs he learnt in school, which amused the grand-parents and everyone else in the house.

While I appreciate Asher's sweetness and gentleness, Aron's cheekiness and all his funny actions would also melt my heart.

Cupcakes & Mango Sago

Two days ago, I suddenly decided that I must make some food for Hubby to try before he got back to work (his MC was going to end soon). Since he was still staying at home, he could try my food the minute it came out from the oven - freshly baked. I tried my 2nd attempt on the cupcakes again. This time, the look was better. But the taste, I gave myself 6 out of 10, cos not so spongy as I expected. However Hubby had given me a lot of face, while I was still baking the cakes in batches (as I only have one 12 hole tray for my mini cupcakes), he had stuffed many of them into his stomach. Asher tried a few of them while Aron refused to eat after taking a bite, when he realised there were chocolate chips in the cakes. Aron is not a kid who likes chocolate chips and creamy cakes.

I also made something more refreshing on the same day - Mango Sago, after reading thru the recipe, I thought it was simple enough for me to start as my first dessert. Well, with my 2 mothers who don't take dairy products, I had to prepare 2 versions of Mango Sago, one with milk , one without milk. After tasting, my boys didn't appreciate the dessert, so the adults had more shares.

There were more praises for the Mango Sago than the cupcakes. MIL finished most of the "no milk" version, while my Hubby finished all the rest of the "with milk" version, without leaving a spoonful for me, despite of the soury mangoes. For a man who hates sour taste, I don't know if the dessert was really that good (I added sweetener) or he just wanted to show his full support for me. I felt flattered when my sis-in-law wanted to get the recipe from me. For this dessert, I gave myself 8 out of 10. The only thing that spoilt the taste was the soury mangoes which I got the fruit seller to select for me, I would not trust this fellow again. I already told him that I wanted to make dessert on that day and instructed him to pick the sweet ones for me. But still I got some really sour ones. The fruit seller still dare to put there "gurantteed sweet". I went back to the fruit stall the next day, and wanted to give that fellow a good scolding. He was lucky that he was not there. But I still complaint to his colleague. Well what else can I do...

Afterall, I am quite satisfied with the food I had prepared for the family. Lets see what other simple recipes I can try for next week.

Maybe for the future gathering with friends, Mango Sago will become my signature dessert.

Hubby's Pain

Its coming to the end of 2nd month of 2009 now, hubby already had his 3rd surgery in the year. This surgery was related to the 2nd one. The healing wasn't very good, and the stupid doc said he "might" need to go for further surgeries, depending on the comfort (or discomfort) level after healing. I am really doubtful about the doc's skill and professionalism, feel like stranggling him.

Each time after the surgery, I saw the pain and discomfort that hubby had to go thru, I sensed his depression and frustration even though he didn't really show out (he is not the kind of man that has much expression of his emotions). The pain that he had to endure during the toilet businesses and the discomfort you could see in the way he walk, sit and sleep. Plus the mixed feelings he had of having 10 days MC after every surgery. Happy that he could rest at home, but worried that his work piled up in the office, & bored that we could spend so much time with each other in the day (without children around), but doing nothing together.

He would just spend time on his work via email, surf net or watch tv, while I couldn't think of anything we could really spend quality time together. So I ended up keeping all appointments which I had made prior to his MCs. While I felt bad about leaving him at home, to enjoy myself outside, I thought it would be better to keep my spirit high and come back home to cheer him up after that.

When he flew too often and spent the rest of the time playing with our sons, I complaint that he wasn't focusing on me. Now that he stayed at home with 20 days of MC, I had no idea of what to do with him, except to help him put on the bandages after his shower.

Valentine Day had just passed, we didn't had any celebration, not even prepared any gifts for each other. In the past, I would be disappointed. But this time, I felt relieved, cos I couldn't think of anything to give him either. Men, especially, straight and simple ones, usually have very limited things to give. It makes it worse when he doesn't tell me what he wishes to get for his present.

For now, I just wish hubby could recover quickly and comfortably, so that we can have a craxy night of celebration by going to disco and dance till our butt drop, which we had never done before. Well, that is just a thought.

Updates

Hi, I am back again! I am still alive.

Its been a long long time since I last blog. I think my friends had given up checking out my blog already.

K, this is what happened to me for the past few months:

Nov - Dec, 08:

Was busy planning for family holidays and the sons school holiday programmes. Managed to enrol the boys into the holiday art programme in Mandarin Garden. The artworks are rather impressive. Pictures in the following sites:
http://picasaweb.google.com/diane.neo/08HolidayArtProgram#

Went to Bali first in end Nov and then to Genting, KL in Dec. In Bali, as my boys are rather timid, they didn't really had a 'wow' time with the sand and the waves. In fact, Aron burst into tears when 1 big wave gushed inshore unexpectedly while he was fidgetting his feet in the shallow water. One afternoon, Aron made a scene by throwing his biggest tantrum at the resort lobby, while I struggled carrying and pulling him out to the street, till all the guests and staff were watching us. Guessed I must have become the star of the day in the hotel. The 2 places that the boys enjoyed most were the resort swimming pool and the game arcade in the nearby shopping mall.

By the time we got home from Bali, my 3 months old Myammese maid decided to quit, leaving behind whole lot of housework and laundry for me to settle, I suddenly got demoted to maid again. To catch up with my mum's stardard of cleaniness, plus bringing my children around for their holiday classes, as well as to settle the Xmas gifts, was indeed too much for me to handle. However, I still have to drag myself to Genting with my family in Dec, and ended up having very bad flu and high fever there, which not only I had spread the virus to all the people in the family, but it also cause me to have sinus problem until today. To add more pity, after 1 month of waiting, the maid whom I originally selected right after I sent back the Myammese maid, decided not to come and work. How, re-select and wait again lor. I couldn't get any assurance if the maid would arrive before CNY. That means I had to be prepared to slave through the period.


Jan - Feb 09:

Thank god, my boys finally got back to school. But my poor hubby, probably had offended the "Tai Sui", had been facing lots of blood from the beginning of the year. He had 2 different surgeries within 1 month at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, after his high fever which I had spread to him. First, it was a ear infection, which was a day surgery. Then, he got an acute piles inflammation, just 1 day after his 43th birthday, which he ended up going to A&E and warded for 2 days. He is still enduring the pain and occassional bleeding until today, 9 day after the surgery.

Currently, I have a new maid from Indonesia, who just arrived few days before CNY. I am not sure if it was a blessing, as there was a drama happened in my family. My mum discovered she lost $1k of the Ang Bao she collected. She and the maid agent questioned the maid, and the maid denied she had taken it. I had also quietly checked her belongings and all the possible places that she could have hidden the $ in the house, but to no avail. So there is no evidence of theft on her. It could also be possible that my mum being old, blur and forgetful, had misplaced it or mistakenly given away to other people. While I really do not wish to be maidless again for the time being, I have to continue to keep a close watch on this maid.

Just keep my fingers crossed, hope that everything will be smooth sailing for the rest of this year.