Getting ready to receive bombs

I am counting down.. I have 3 good friends (so far) which will be getting married this year, and from August onwards, I will have to prepare for the good things to come.

First thing first.. I must make sure I got the ‘baju’ ready right?  and me with my ‘special’ situation, I won’t be able to go shopping.. now I start to classify Princess and myself as ‘Siamese Twins’ that cannot be separated… How am I going to go shopping for clothes with her?

So, my other option is shopping online… and I came across many many reviews of this online shop named Malaysia Online Boutique – Irenelim Fashion and what good is that they are giving out Free dresses for bloggers and website owners!!  This is a good time for me to go about it, and I have glued my eyes on one of their item…

I am also very sceptical when come to online shopping as I always afraid that the shops do not carry the size I want… and this I found it here… *keeping finger cross that it is not sold yet*..

So, anyone want a free dress? Go and get from Irenelim Fashion!

My bad 'half' day

Today, seriously not my day!!

I was out from my house at 10am today, and supposed to go to one of the client's office to collect cheque in PJ.  While I was driving there, I received an SMS from him saying that he is NOT in the office!!  Due to this, I canceled another client's appointment and make a U-turn to go back work.

Then, I remembered my mum asking me to pay her mobile phone bill (another havoc coz by the bank for canceling the wrong card) as it was already suspended.  Went to Pearl Point and the shop only opens at 11am!!! and I was there at 10.40am!

Received another call from the dispatch of my supplier, saying he was waiting outside my office, but no one there! When I told him I am at the mall waiting to pay my bill, he says he want to leave and will only be able to come back tomorrow!  So, I told him to wait for me, and I went back office to collect the stuff..

After that, I went to my office's condo (which will be starting the reno tomorrow) to pay the maintenance office of renovation deposit, but can't find the check in my folder!! So, I left for office again... guess what, when I got back to office, I saw the check in the folder!~!  See la, what a waste of my time!!

I went to office, clear up some stuff, and leave office again at 12pm to meet one client, and since earlier the one that I am suppose to go collect check says I can go after lunch... Went all the way to Jaya One, after collecting some sample from one client, and SMS the one that I am suppose to collect check... and the reply?  I am not in office now, will only be back after 3pm!!  OMG!!  I was like, what I am suppose to do at 1.10pm in Jaya One?

I went for coffee in Starbucks, and while there, received a call from the contractor asking the status of the renovation starting date... I left Jaya One after SMS my client telling him to leave the check at the reception, and will collect it tomorrow instead and F1 to the banks (Public Bank and Maybank).  Also F1 to the condo as I have to catch the clerk before she cabut after work.

Done all, and I am back office fully exhausted and feeling wasted most of my time today! 

But nevertheless, I 'compensate' my bad day by going shopping for a swimsuit for Princess!  Stay tune, as I am going to bring Princess out for her first swim very very soon!!!

Ok, now after I press 'publish post' I hope the after hours will be 'peaceful' till the end of day.  Tonight I got a steamboat dinner with my relatives!

Restoran Ban Huat, Sg Buloh

If you are also a reader at smallkucing, you will have noticed that this little boy has been patronising this restaurant for a number of time.  This time while we eat there, of course it is through the recommendation of the kucing besar la..

We make a date, and with another family we were there as early as 6.30pm with a SMS direction from mama kucing.. I know Sg Buloh by the main road, and only went to the outside area but this restaurant is quite deep into Sg Buloh New Village. 

When I arrived, everyone was already waiting, and food have been ordered…

The food served on that day…

I would say that the food served is nice except for the veg.. but one thing for sure is that don’t come to this restaurant starving, as the cook and chef are really taking their own sweet time to cook up the dishes. 

Well, of course… the pricing is very reasonable as all the above dishes, we only paid RM75 (if I am not mistaken, coz I am not the one that foot the bill)…

Ask me if I will go there again?  of course… and I will eat a little snack before going… muahaha…those who stay near there, give this place a try.. it’s all nice just to be prepared to wait…

*maybe the slow cooking, therefore the restaurant will look ‘full’ of customers”  - marketing gimmick… muahhaa..

Reading blogs via Google Reader

Recently, due to the unavailability of my home internet connection, I do my blog hopping in office.. however due to the time constrain, I noticed I am unable to blog hop all the blog list I have.

I remembered earlier Chinnee told me that she had the Google Reader to help her read all the blogs, and I am now using the same as I can have the list of all the blog posts listed one by one than me going clicking around.

The only set back is that, I maybe reading the blog post, but did not leave any comment as I won’t be able to click into individual titles to leave comments (if I do that, then it won’t make a difference for me).  I am now more like a silent reader than an active one that go around commenting blog post after I read to mark my arrival.

Therefore, if you don’t see me commenting, please forgive me but don’t forget me ya.. I am around but just not able to hop to your blog as often.  Now with my home connection is back, I hope I can resume my blog hopping activity soon to the fullest. 

Another reason that I use Reader is that Princess nowadays seeking 101% attention from me, and the minute she sees me walking towards the desktop or laptop, she will start to ‘scold’ me!  She will wailed and want me to leave that place!  So, I use reader, as I know with that, I won’t missed any of the blog post this way.

So, my dear friends… my silent absent is now explained, and I am sure one day, I am able to comment and mark my appearance again in your blog..

Please don’t forget me, and do come by even if you don’t see me commenting in your blog ya… Thanks..

I have categorise individual blogs and it will be easier for me to read it that way… 

Off Chiffon Cake

Due to the fact that I am unable to use my wireless service at home, I am unable to post this earlier.  As I have earlier mentioned, I recently joined Learn2Bake club in FB and each month we were given some nice task / challenge to do.  The creator of the club is very nice that she will give us tips and also recipes that you can use.

We were given pandan chiffon recipe, however being not so hardworking side of mine, and chocolate has got more ‘fans’ in my home, I tweet the recipe and make a chocolate chiffon instead.

Now, the recipe as below:-

Ingredients for Egg Yolk Batter:
• 4 egg yolks (always use large eggs, room temperature)
• 80gm caster sugar (adjust to your own sweetness)
• 130ml water
• 40gm chocolate powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 80gm cooking oil (Vegetable oil / Canola oil / Sunflower oil)
• 150gm plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

Ingredients for Egg Whites Foam:
• 4 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 85gm caster sugar

Method:
1. For Egg yolk batter: Whisk egg yolks with sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the batter looks a bit fluffy.
2. In another bowl, sieve all dry ingredient together.
3. Pour the dry mixture into the egg yolks and hand whisk to mix. Add cooking oil and mix well.
4. To prepare the egg white foam: Preheat oven at 170~C / 325~F. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites at low speed until bubbly, then add in the cream of tartar until soft peak.
5. Gradually add in sugar in a few batch until it finished while continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold the beaten egg whites foam into egg yolks batter in 2-3 batch until it is well blended. Do not use the mixer to mix, use a spatula to gently fold in.
7. Pour batter into ungreased 9"inch or 22cm chiffon / tube cake tin. Bake in preheated oven at 170~C / 325~F for 50-60 minutes or until the skewer inserted to the centre comes out clean, then it is cooked.
8. Immediately invert the cake once taken out of the oven and let it cool completely before unmoulding it from the tube tin. You might want to use a palette knife to loosen the sides of the tin to loosen to the cake.

And I have obtained my chiffon to almost perfect..

I will still continue to bake chiffon and try other flavours even though the challenge is over.. :D Any volunteer for guinea pig?

Bak Chang Festival

Last year, I blogged about the type ‘dumpling’ my house had, and you can read the difference of both the Cantonese and Hokkien dumplings HERE.

This year, my aunt was here a week before the Duan Wu Festival, and she beat us to a surprise which she alone ‘cooked’ up another 4 types of dumplings this year.  We had the alkaline ones with red bean, the same old Cantonese and Hokkien ones and she made us the ‘Nyonya’ dumplings too! 

The Nyonya dumplings were wrapped with peanuts, sesame seed, and some sweet melons (which I only ate 1, and the rest was given away).  This year, this is the hit among all the others..

Like last year, I am overly busy savouring my dumplings, and I keep forgetting to take some photos of the ‘finished’ products except the alkaline ones.

Let me share with you, what are the ingredients you can find in my homemade ‘bak chang’ be it the Cantonese or Hokkien ones..

From the left… Fried shallots, glutinous rice (fried), black mushroom, salted egg yolk, mung beans, pork, lap cheong, lap yuk, dried shrimp, chestnut, and dried oyster…  Geng mou?

And here the way we ‘boiled’ our dumplings.. presenting you..

Charcoal Stove and Pot 

And last but not the least, the alkaline dumpling with red bean filing..

The Final ones…

The leaves…which are now what left..

Blogging brings me great friends

Today is Friday, and I am supposed to work… but last week, while I was working, my goggle chat ‘sparks’ out, and we have a mission to do on Friday, coz one of my VIP will be in KL, and she is one that very dearly to me through blogging.. she is my FIRST!

This morning, I went to office earlier, and told my boss that I will be out for lunch, and will not be back soon.  I chop chop finish all my work, and when I received a call from her at 12.30pm informing me that she has arrived, I speak louder so that my boss know that ‘everyone’ is waiting for me, and he asked me to leave at 1pm.

SMS smallkucing, inform her to wait for me and I shall arrived in F1 style in 20 minutes.. SMS another ‘hantu’ so that she can wait for me somewhere since we both don’t know the way.. gedebak, gedebuk, I arrived at smallkucing sharp sharp at 1.30pm… muahhaha…

And of course we all convoy to this ‘pontianak’ house for the ‘mission’ event!!  It’s big I tell you, that we have to be in prepare for 1 week!

If you don’t know who are the VIP, hantu and pontianak that I am referring, please stay tune and I shall revealed it in the end of the post… let me share you the food we had for ‘lunch’… A GREAT spread!!

We have… Fried keow teoy mee, ondeh ondeh, lo mai fan, fish curry, fried rice, coca-cola chicken (and mind you, all the above are home cooked).. besides, we also have keropok, watermelon, cake which are not in the picture…

We sit and yank and yank and yank.. till only about 4pm before I first take a leave coz I still got to come back to office to work.. and to compensate my understanding boss, today I worked till 6pm before I left the office and back home bringing my Princess to the Park.

Now, do you want to know who were I referring? or you have got your guesses right?

Me, Mummy Ling, Claire, Smallkucing… and one that wished to remain ‘unpublished’..

The little mission was a fun one, and we must say big big thank you to Mummy Ling for her host, food and all the mess we did to her house!

And Claire, thanks for the goodies too! :D

Smallkucing usual ‘balik kampung’ style, and I want the ondeh ondeh again…

and to the one that wish to remain silent, please cook more of the coke chicken for ME!

Anyone else want to host us next round?  We bloggers should do this kind of stuff often ya.. :D

Leaving the child with maid

Princess has no sign of rejection with the maid, and she show 'excitement' every morning when she sees her kakak enter the gate and will wave for her. Of course, during those times she knows mummy will be going out, she will refuse to have her kakak carry her.

I seldom leave Princess with Kakak if I go out beside going to work. I even took Princess to the police station despite I know how troublesome it will be. Read about it HERE. However, someone once came to my face telling me that I should start to let go, and leave Princess at home to be taken care by Kakak and I should be lucky that Princess and Kakak get along.

Well, I do let Kakak have her fair share of caring of Princess (i.e. time that I want to blog, play Bejeweled, FB, bake or even doing some work) however I will want to be with Princess at times I am out shopping or meeting friends. I am still in my very own opinion that I should self bring Princess up than leaving her to the maid. I am not in the opinion that my maid will really 'teach' her the right and wrong.

And in my heart, seriously .... I pray everyday to GOD for my Princess not turning into a moron like my twins cousin!! Each day I drive to pick them, and after scolding for not being prepared, I keep deep inside myself that please GOD, spare my Princess turning into such a moron! and I hope GOD hears me EVERY weekday!

I rant about how bad the twins were few days back, and frankly I feel bad having to rant it in my blog as I know beside you my beloved blogger who constantly hop over to my blog, my family members are reading them silently too. By ranting it on the blog, I basically setting a bad impression of the twins but seriously, I can't take it any further.

I also have the way the twins being brought up as an example to avoid my Princess being in the same situation. The twins do not have their parents to be around (coz of money making) and leaving them 'spoilt' by the grandmother and maid. In this circumstances, I think Parents is a very important 'model' in the child's life.

I can see there were too many good upbringing examples when one is taken care by the parents (NOT the Monetary), and very very rare occasion I see 'bad apples' when the child if fully taken care of by the parents. BUT on the other hand, those who are care by either grandparents or maid is hardly good either...

I am lucky that I got just a 'daily' maid but not a full time one, and this will also let me have the 'evening' with Princess all myself... :D and Princess, if you ever come to this blog when you grown, please BEHAVE! :D

Last Friday and today....

Last Friday, I was totally upset in the morning. It's a routine every morning for me to travel from my house to USJ, and to Serdang before returning home. The whole journey will be approximately 40KM drive each day, and will take 1.5hours to complete include the traffic.

I have to always get up at 6.55am, and leave my house latest at 7.10am with Princess to avoid being stuck at the USJ entrance (will reach before 7.30am). From that entrance to the house, it will take another 10 minutes. Sometimes, I will just stop at the Petrol station or the roadside to buy breakfast (but I can't do this everyday having to carry Princess) just to spend extra time and not reaching my aunt's house too early.

Nevertheless, I will still be able to reach there at 7.50am (Beginning of the year, the twins requested for 7.50am coz they were late to school for 3 consecutive days due to the traffic). Till a few months back, after the traffic settle down a bit, they wanted 7.55am (this means, even I reach there before time, I will have to 'WAIT" for them to get their A** out from the house).

They will not be considerate on people waiting outside, or you are having a baby in the car.. NO WAY! They will just make you wait till they think they want to get out! REASON BEING: THEY DON'T WANT TO REACH SCHOOL EARLY!!!!!

Then last week, my aunt left for Nigeria, and these twins getting worse! From a 7.55am to 8.00am and last Friday, they only put their ass in my car at 8.05am!!! Now, you may ask, what a big deal of that 10 - 20 minutes!! but IT IS!! coz each time I waited, my car engine is running and there will then be petrol consumption and I call this wastage!

The maid will not come open the gate for you to enter the house no matter you are early or late, and that I have to wait in the car with Princess. Sometimes, I even 'nurse' Princess in the car just to make sure that she don't fuss later during the journey.

Anyway, back to last Friday, it was totally unreasonable for them to make me wait for almost 30 minutes outside the house (even numerous warnings given, they just kind of those kids that 'heck care')!! I was furious and reprimand them not to make any noise in the car as I am also having headache!

Well, they say I am being 'bossy' for not allowing them to talk, and it's their 'RIGHT' for talking! Frankly speaking, I don't have any good words that I can put in to describe the twins as they are being very disrespectful, no manners, no sense of talking to them. They are also demanding and they will tell my mum "My parents paid you to come take us, you are my driver"!

Indeed yes, the parents (who somehow or rather think that earning the maximum is equally best than spending time with them ) paid my mum a fee as 'guardian' to take care of the kids, however I don't think we should go through this kind of agony each time we go pick and send the twins! We are relatively close, and how can the twins call my mum (or myself) the 'driver'!

Despite the twins, my mum still have to take the mother of my uncle to hypermarket on groceries shopping (which my mum thinks it's OK since she already in Subang) on occasion when my aunt is not around. ( my aunt has to spend a minimum of 6 months in Nigeria together with my uncle in order to fulfil the 'expat' requirement).

During the journey last Friday, I was being called a 'bitch', slurring the 'f' word on me, and even calling me a retard! My goodness... now, do you want to know how old is the twins? *they are 14 years old* an age which I consider is able to think and speak, and behave!!

If you ask me if I have told my aunt about their behavior? I will say, YES I did.. however it won't enter to my aunt's ear coz she will always tell me that the tiwns are still 'small' and not 'grown' yet! So, at the age of 14, still consider not grown, can I know at what age is consider 'old' enough? And if you want an example how disrespectful the twins can be? EACH MORNING THEY ENTER THE CAR WITHOUT GREETING ME AS THOUGH I AM INVISIBLE AND THE CAR MOVE ON IT'S OWN! I think even I enter a cab, I still say 'hello' to the driver... AND IF THE TEACHER WALK PASS AND GREET THEM, THEY JUST WALK STRAIGHT! I remembered back those days in school, if we don't greet the teacher, we will be punished!

Come Saturday, the elder twins even requested my mum to drive to Subang coz they wanted to have a haircut in Subang Parade!!!!!!

*********************************************

This morning, I left the house only at 7.30am (partly due to is school holiday) and I took the slowest drive to USJ ever...and guess what, when I reach the house at 8.10am, I will still have to wait for another 5 minutes before I can see the twins out from the house. And then come the running in and out of the house looking for some thing (which is very common on Monday) before we can really take off at 8.20am!

Now, I am taking another approach, which rather that I 'teach' the twins by scolding, shouting or even fighting with them, I will take my own sweet time in my drive. I don't care... 皇帝不急，我这太监急什么？

The only reason is I hope I can send them to school on time, and now since they don't want to reach school early, I won't have to be responsible if they are late coz the later I leave the house, the heavy traffic is...

Today, I arrive the school at 8.50am (comparing to the usual 8.30am) and tomorrow, I will just do the same... I only wish that the Twins father will no longer need to be based in Nigeria, and they will not be studying in the current school anymore so we can be 'release' of this kind of 'responsibilities'.

To my humble opinion... 子不教父之过!

and how I wish, the twins can be at least half comparable to one of our beloved blogger's 2 wonderful sons!! Frankly, I really enjoy reading his blog when he mentioned how wonderful his 2 sons are!!

When a single mother like me got sick...

I am also stressed up!!

I was down... hit by the flu bug...but being a mother, and single handed-ly caring for a little toddler who is now very demanding, is a real good challenge.

I didn't have enough rest on the first day when the bug hit me, as my little Princess was also not sleeping well. I was worry that the bug will also bug her, but I am glad that she was OK, despite a bit of sneezing and cough (nothing serious)

On the 2nd day morning (which is yesterday) after spending nearly 2 hours at the doctor, came home with some 'drowsy' medication which will make me feel super sleepy, however my little Princess seems to be happy that I am home on a work-day and she refused to follow her kakak even I want my 'beauty' nap. And despite being sick, I still have to 'drebar' the twins to and fro school.

I think those who have met me and my little Princess, knows how 'koala' can the girl be, and last night, she just had a different behavior which add on to my 'suffer' and 'pain'. She will take her nap on an 'extraordinary' position for half an hour, and wake up crying first.. follow by loud wail... and scream!!!

I was just so so sleepy, that I tried the 'no eye see' method and turned my back with her. BUT BUT.. this don't work! she cry even louder!! and she keep tapping on my back wanting my 'attention'.

In the end, I gave up.. I got up from bed, carry her and with her baby language (which I hardly understand) I seriously don't know what to do. At that moment, I am thinking will be just drop dead due to the tiredness :p And I keep asking her what she want.. and her reply? "wa ug wa ug wa... "

I am at the point I don't know what to do with her, and I cried... I was totally hopeless (with no one at home) and when I cried, I saw a little hand over to my cheek and wipe my tears away.. The other 'crying' sound stop immediately.. and she pointed to my bed..

Sometimes I wonder, do my girl understand my emotional part too?
She stop crying when she sees me crying? and she knows it's her who make me cry?
Her action of 'wiping' my tears is nature born since I have not cried in front of her?

With that immediate action, my heart melted... in total melting...

I hug her tight, and put her to bed again, letting her latch on... and we both sleep through the night in 'peace'. She no longer wakes up middle of the night crying, and me? I had a good rest too!

This morning awake with most energy recovered, and just some 'wanton' making going on. I am glad I survived this 'mini' hurdle again... :D When I posted my 'health' status over my FB, I got many of you giving me the 'get well soon' wishes, and deep down in my heart.. Thank you! :D

And someone buzz me on FB asking me how am I.. 'you' know who 'you' are...

and someone SMS me if I got food at home and need any delivery...

Family and Friends, you guys and gals are just way too sweet to 'sayang' me! TQ TQ!!

"rolling tears of joy"