Of Purple Flowers and All in them Pots

One of my all time favourite thing to eat is chicken. My 2nd all time favourite thing to eat is rice. I can eat a lot of rice. One of my sister thinks i am crazy to eat so much rice... and the chicken. I can have chicken rice every other day. Rice is the staple food of most Malaysian folks. We do eat a lot of rice.

As my nephew is home this week for his one week break, i'll have to cook dinner else my dad will give me the stinky eye. Some days i don't cook at all for a whole week because i am lazy because i do not really know what to cook. *LOL* My dad is quite a picky eater. He only eat a little... and if the food is not to his liking, he'll eat less. It doesn't help that my mom was a most wonderful cook.

Sometimes i don't have much time to cook as some of my workmates tend to be more annoying and send work late at about 5pm or 6pm and tells me that she needs it now. Doing those stuffs is not like frying an egg. It takes a while to get it done. My dad also prefers to eat his dinner by 7pm. Which don't really leave me much time to cook.

I rely a lot on my oven and steamer. I have parcel Tuesdays and all-in-the-pot Wednesday.. sometimes we do parcels the whole week. If i pace myself properly, i can get some stuffs ready during my lunch break and dinner can be ready by 6.30pm.

Today i decided to cook salty chicken. Salty chicken is easy to cook as i just have to clean the drumsticks... cut a few lines in the chicken thigh and marinate with salt. Then i'll dump them in a thick based pot and cook it without any oil over low fire. This is like the easiest thing to cook as i don't need to stir it or fry anything.

Then i decided to add mushrooms into the chicken as i still have a bag of fresh shitake mushrooms. These fresh mushrooms don't keep very long. Then i decided to dump some potatoes in... and since i needed some color... i added a whole carrot in.

I had some red spinach which is almost dying and wilted because its really cold in the fridge ^.^. So in goes the red spinach too.

What started as salty chicken became a pot of mismashed stew. *LOL* This is my all-in-the-pot Thursday.

I added some chili flakes and onions in the end. Its is considered a healthy meal as there was no oil involved... and we ate it with rice of course :) I was supposed to stir fry the spinach. But everything ended up in the pot. This happens sometimes. *LOL*

So far my dad hasn't complained much yet. One day he's gonna yell at me and say that he has had enough of the all-in-the-pot meals and parcel food from the oven. I think i might have to learn to refine my cooking and cook like a normal person soon.

Do you all cook like this? Do you follow a certain set of rules/recipes or improvise as you go along? I can't bake very well as i cannot follow the recipe properly. My cakes always end up weird and never quite the same.

I wanna show you what we have in our garden and why them kitteh kats love our garden.

 

This is our row of weeds in pots *LOL* They hold only weeds now. When my beautiful mom was still alive, these pots hold her very treasured bougainvilleas in many colors. Our city here is famed for Bougainvilleas. Ipoh is known as the Bougainvillea City.

This pot of weed flowers. Its a beautiful purple. The birds here do a lot of work transporting the seeds. Sometimes we do get a flower or two among the weeds.

I tried hard to have green fingers but its not happening. *LOL* The only other solution is painting them green with my paints :) When you are not good with planting, you get ready flowered pots of flowers.

do not know her name purple flowers

I got these at Tescos last week for 8 bucks. They are so pretty and still alive :) I got a pot of bird's eye chili plant too. It was full of bird's eye chili. I don't know how long these two will survive under my painted green fingers care. *LOL* Maybe over time, my painted green fingers will become green one day. We can hope :)

bird's eye chili

This is Charlie. He's the only kitteh kat here with a name. He's the one with the big mouth from yesterday's WW post which kinda got some of you spooked. *LOL* He was yawning in that picture. He's really a sweet lil kitteh kat. See.. he has a very small mouth when its closed.

Dommy doesn't have that big a mouth.. hehhehehe.. He still have a beautiful smile even with bad toofies. He had a very long shower today as he's beginning to really stink because of the heat. *LOL* He's not too happy about the long shower and the extra long blow drying thingy. But he's light as a feather now and smelling like a million buckaroos.

My mom loves purple flowers. Her anniversary is coming up next week. Dad's been extremely quiet these few days. Its gonna be five years since my mom left us.

Walking on

We are a bit on the lazy side here :) so we are just gonna share one of the pictures we are working on.

I got a lot and a lot of cat pictures in my folders... it is eating up all my disc space :D but i keep taking pictures of them. I am amazed by their ability to keep me trapped with their mew and mews. And they keep mewing to get me to buy them food too. They told me they don't pose for free.

Ahhhh well... its a win win situation.. i think. The cats get fed and i get tons of pictures without leaving my home. Its good practice too.

Now Dom is complaining i am spending too much time in the garden taking pictures of the cats when i should be on the floor rolling around with him. Hmmm...

Its been raining and rainy here in Malaysia. Its worse in Bangkok where its still flooded everywhere. Do hope the situation in Bangkok will get better soon.

Yesterday was All Soul's Day and also my mom's birthday. She would have been 69 yesterday. May her soul rest in peace.

It gets quieter on a weekday as my siblings are not able to come back for mass. I didn't attend mass too. I like to walk around the church and listen to the choir sing inside the church. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of my mom on the church grounds. Somehow i know she's near. I just didn't get to see her.

I like the peaceful place where mom's remains are kept by the side of the church. A lot of people came by to remember their departed loved ones. Some still cried. My eyes are dried after all these years but the heart still aches.

She remains a big part of my life and remain close in my heart. She was gentle, soft spoken and kind. She was built with all the good qualities of how a mommy should be.

Remembering with love because we miss her so.. still.

What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from our sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind... 

-- William Wordsworth

The Kindness Of Strangers

Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts and prayers. Dom and i appreciate all of you. Strangers who are friends.

We had a very long night yesterday. I had my hand on his body almost the whole night. Just wanted to know that he's still with me. Silly me. I was afraid that he'll just drift off.

Both of us just tossed around a lot. A lot of tears. A lot to stomach in a day. The thought of losing a family fellow is just not acceptable at this moment. The crying's all done now. Its no point crying and puffy eyes are horrible in the morning. Even your face gets puffed up. We do not want bags under them eyes to be permanent residents.

We had some rain early in the morning.. some cooler air. Thank you again for all the rain that you guys sent to us. We do know some of you are doing some raindances for us :)

Dom is a fighter. He has always been a tough one. Under the curly shell, he is a tough fella. He doesn't make a fuss even when he's unwell. He'll just hide under the table and sleep it away. As long as he's eating something, i am fine. He's handfed most of the time. If he doesn't eat, his legs will go weak.

He is a bit wobbly today. We went for a carride as the vet has advised me not to stress him with walks. He needed help to get up to the car today. He looked at me with those tired eyes. I just lifted him up. I used to just say UP and he'll be up on the carseat in a jiffy. We sent dad to church and we went to see mom there. We asked mom to help him get better.

Overnight he has become a very tired old dog. He used to be so full of life. The life of the party.

I've got both my siblings very worried with my post yesterday. My apologies to both of them. My youngest sister was the one who rescued Dom from the boarders. We adopted Dom as she kept insisting that we should take him. Dom always have a soft spot for her as he knows that it was my sister that got him a forever home. He love her to bits.

Someone told me that an enlarged heart can be reduced or go back to normal with medications and the water out from the lungs. We are hopeful that Dom will be better soon.

I got all these cookie cutters from one our trips. Some are dog motifs. I got them especially for both Piper and Dom as i wanted to make them cookies. I never got around to making them cookies as i am just very lazy. We'll make some tomorrow.

Currently i am reading The Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino. Yes.. the book which fell into the loo :) The book will help us find some balance.

"I had the blues... because i had no shoes... until upon the street,... I met a man who had no feet."
When you begin feeling sorry for yourself... remember that.

Daze Of Our Lives

Yes... it was a daze :) And yes.. we went into hiding since the crooks were out to get us. And yes... we hid very well. And yes... we uncrooked the crooks and now there's no more crooks here. Now i am not making much sense here.

Let me try again. Its been a looooooooooooooooooooOOOOng week since our last post. We didn't go on any roadtrip this time. We just took some time off from them computers and mobiles but we watched a whole lot of tv (which is a bad habit to break too). *LOL* Okay.. this don't make much sense too.

We went on a short hiatus of sorts. Just the furries and me. Dad took off on a short vacation with his friends. We took the liberty to trash the house (shhhh! don't tell my dad) and we left them dishes piling high up in the sink. Both furries and i were just lying on the floor playing dead. We went for some walks and both of them are starting to walk in sync. We ate a lot of cookies and left a lot of crumbs on the floor.

Dom went for grooming (finally) and Piper tagged along to keep him company. Silly Dom was shivering so much when we reach the groomers shop. I had to carry him in and calmed him down on the sofa. He only goes for grooming once in 2 months or so. Usually a crew cut. They will tidy up his nails and ears too. He has his bath weekly at home and that is why he's still not used to strangers handling him.

 

 before

after

Small guy is always well groomed. For a furry, he's quite a clean fella. He don't like to go on sandy places... and he don't like to walk on wet grass or ground. I've never seen him roll on the sunny grass too. Sometimes i think he believes he's not a dog. But he loves the water if you have a hose and spray water all over the ground. But he doesn't like baths too.

 before

after

Oh... we have been sketching really fast. Too fast. Our hand control is out completely and we are in trouble. A cow look like a cartoon cat with horns and a cloud looks like a sandstorm. Its October now... and we have not actually sketched on the sketchbook project yet. Oh bummer!

Yesterday we had to wash and clean up the house before my dad arrived back home. Dom and Piper.. my partner in crime were no help at all. The just continue to play dead and snooze away.

Dad is finally home yesterday bringing home a lot mangoes, pineapples, poms, an assortment of nuts and lot of clothes for the kids. He had a very good time and hope to go again end of the year with his siblings. They were all talking about it this evening and planning a trip soon.

Tomorrow is my uncle's birthday and we are going to have a surprise party for the old man. He's gonna be 71. I don't even know what i'll be making yet. Hopefully it doesn't get burnt and hope it will be edible. My aunts are all great cooks. My mom too. Me... i am a temperamental cook.

I guess we better head off to bed now. Here's my mom's favourite song to end this post. She loves the raspy voice of Louis Armstrong. She only loves his version of this song.

What a Wonderful World ~ Louis Armstrong

Wordless Wednesday

A Family That Eats Together Stays Together

A family that eats together stays together. Most cultures have a belief that families should always eat together. There was a rule in our family that everyone had to be seated before anyone could dig into the food. Before that, the youngest of the young would have to invite everyone who is older than him/her to eat. Then the 2nd youngest and so and so. It was a rule since my grandma days. It is quite a sight to see everyone asking everyone to eat.. hahahhahahaa

When i was little, dining tables used to be smaller. I remember my grandma's dining table which is a round marble top with pretty sturdy wooden legs. I had my first birthday on that table. Grandma was holding me while i was right smack on the table with my siblings and cousins surrounding me and my cake. The antique table is still around. My aunt is having it in her house. They still have their dinners on that small round table.

In our household here, we used to have a rectangle dining table which sits six people or more but we only had six chairs. It is also the same table that my mom used to chase us round and round with a cane when my sisters and i tipped her balance on some days. It was like a game of chase because my mom never got to us *LOL* We are pretty smart and run into the rooms to lock ourselves in any chance we could. But mom being mom never really wanted to whip us with the cane. She only wanted to scare us by chasing us with the cane.

One day our rectangle dining set went away and mom finally got her dream dining set which is a round dining table with matching chairs. The table can be opened in its center and extended to a larger table accommodating more guests in the house. I call it the "James Bond" table because it has a hidden side to it :)

I know that it was her dream set because she wanted it for a very very long time. I remember her face glow with pride when the dining table came into our home. Her needs were always shelved to accomodate our needs first. My mom was most patient to get to her dreams. Her needs were very simple.

Personally i prefer a round dining table. Its the nearness of family members when everyone tries to get themselves stuffed into the tight circle to have a meal that keeps them all together. Families should always try and eat together once in a while. With our current hectic pace of life in the city, meals are never eaten together. People grow more distant and families fall apart.

CSN Stores contacted me recently to host another giveaway for you guys. Everyone loves a giveaway sometimes right? I know i do :)

Here's how you can be in the running for this gift certificate of USD65.00 valid at any of their online stores. To enter to win the gift certificate go to any of the CSN websites and leave me a comment on this post on what you will get if you win!

This giveaway ends this Friday night at 11.11pm (Malaysian time) and I'll announce the winner on Saturday morning.

  

Footnote: There may be international shipping charges in the case of Canadian addresses.

Anne

Our roadtrip from last Sunday morning. After we dropped Piper and Dom off to the boarding house, we went on our way to Penang. Penang and Malacca are both my favourite towns in Malaysia. I can never be bored of both places. There's always so much to see, so much to eat and so much to be photographed in both places. If you are a first-time tourist to Malaysia, don't forget to visit both towns. They still have the old town charm. Both towns whispers stories to you when you weave in and out through the alleys. There's always something to discover there.

St Anne at Bukit Mertajam

Before we get to Penang, we stopped over to see Anne. Anne as in St Anne's Church in Bukit Mertajam. The St. Anne's Annual Novena & Feast Day Celebration starts on the 23 July - 1 August 2010. We are usually a week earlier.

The old church which is now the chapel

Shrine at the top of the hill

We have been coming to St Anne even when my mom was around. It was always happier when she was with us. But as the years wear on, the final years of her life, she was not able to go up the hill to pray at the shrine anymore. It is quite a steep hill. She sits at the foot of the hill and wait for us to come down. I am sure my mom was with us last Sunday.

This is where my mom used to sit while waiting for us to come down from the hill.
This lady is waiting for her kids to come down from the hill too.

Both my sister and i will usually come home from Kuala Lumpur, do a pitstop in Ipoh to pick my parents and Boy to go straight to St Anne. I am usually quite clueless with strange roads. I get lost all the time. My sister however is very smart with roads. We depend on her to get us there each year. Strangely each year we seem to take a different route to St Anne. The roads keep changing. But if you head for the hill, you will always reach the St Anne's Church. There's only one hill in Bukit Mertajam.

St Anne has granted many prayers. Especially for couples that pray for children. On one of our visits there, i saw a couple holding a very small baby and running up the stairs to the chapel. Both grinning and very happy. Their prayers were answered. Its is a very holy and peaceful place.

New church of St Anne. Minangkabau roof and lots of natural light flowing in. 

If you want to visit St Anne's one day, here's the link to their official site. http://stannebm.org
It is a very beautiful sanctuary for prayers.

And off we went to Penang after visiting Anne :) Tomorrow hopefully.. to be continued.

Each year i take photographs of this same place. Here are some of our old pictures of St Anne. Boy is home. Goodnight people. Have a great weekend ahead.

The Pretty Giveaway

The weekends are here! I was writing this post earlier but i got side-tracked and ended up watching too much tv. Yes. That has become quite an addiction lately.

My weekends are for sorting out stuffs in this old house. We have accumulated so much stuffs that we don't use anymore. Cupboards are kind of falling apart in some places. And beds are getting thinner and thinner too. I feel like i am sleeping on springs sometimes :D

Over the years, we have given away some of the old furnitures which are pretty sturdy compared to the new furnitures now. My parent's old wedding bedroom set was given away quite sometime ago to a new family who were just moving into the neighbourhood. I can still remember the shape of the bed and the drawers on the left and right with the funny knobs. There was a glass panel where the headboard is and inside the glass panel, my sisters and i used to keep a lot of stuffs. It was like a parade inside.

The bedroom set comes with an awesome vanity and a cupboard (which is still around). I call it the awesome vanity as it is really awesome. I haven't found a vanity quite like that shape and pattern till today. It comes with a tri-fold mirror and the whole mirror can be folded back down to keep it safe and clean when its not in use. Its a weird shape vanity that you keep at the corner of a wall. It fits perfectly in a sharp corner. Now i wish we didn't give it away. That was my mom's vanity.

But with all things old and new, we have to give something up to make space for something new. Changes are good. They are necessary be it for life or work.

CSN Stores contacted me recently and offered me a giveaway on my blog. They are one of the top 3 online retailers of home and office goods. They have a huge range of stuffs for our furry friends too.

Here's how you can be in the running for this gift certificate of USD60.00. To enter to win the gift certificate go to any of the CSN websites and leave me a comment on this post on what you will get if you win! This giveaway ends next Thursday night at 11.11pm (Malaysian time) and I'll announce the winner on Friday. 

We'll do an old fashioned way of drawing for a winner :D Now we got to get back to our very springy bed and sleep. My sister is coming home with PP tomorrow and we are going to head off to see Anne. I'll tell you more about Anne when i get back next week.

Footnote: There may be international shipping charges in the case of Canadian addresses.

A Family Ghost Story

My father is quite a lonely man now. Since Boy went off to college, part of my father's life became empty. Boy was his life. Everything he did was for Boy. They did spend quite a lot of time together last time. My dad drove him everywhere. He was his responsibility and he did a wonderful job. Grandfathers always love you more because they have all the time to love you and nothing else to worry about anymore in their winter years.

My mom passed away suddenly without sickness and without a goodbye. She just left in May 2007 without waiting for us to be home. Sometimes we all wished to have one more day with her to say our goodbyes. But that is not quite possible. Well.. maybe possible.. if you have read Mitch Albom's For One More Day. It is quite a touching story. I shall spare you the details.

I have been watching quite a lot of tv this past week. Yes yes.. tv numbs the brain and sometimes makes you stupid. *LOL* But Glee was on and it is my favourite show. After Glee, i was channel flipping and For One More Day movie was on Hallmark channel. It was a good movie. Quite emotional and sappy. At least he got to spend one more day with his mom.

Sometimes when loved ones leave suddenly, we get affected in a weird way. We get angry with the departed for leaving without a goodbye but sometimes it is for the better. It would be worse to watch a loved one breathe their last breath.

This morning, i woke up to find dad home from his morning walks with his friends from the park. He came up to me and whispered. "Guess what.. i think your mom came back yesterday. I smell her presence in Boy's room". I rolled my eyes and almost fell off laughing away. He said.. its trueeee... i can smell the ointment she uses. I can even smell it in my car.

Then i took him to Boy's room and showed him the air freshener that kinda smell like my mom's ointment. We both laughed about it. And i took him to his car and showed him the same freshener i hung in his car. Then he told me... he was actually spooked. *LOL* Poor dad.

In our culture, we do believe that the departed comes back sometimes for visits. My grandma used to tell us that when big celebrations are about in the house, our departed loved ones will come back sometimes as butterflies or moths. I believe my mom does come as a bird. She's usually in the garden chirping away. She used to tell Boy that when she is dead, she wants to be a bird. To be free and fly everywhere.

I made my dad watch the repeat of the movie For One More Day this morning on Hallmark. He did enjoy it :) He mentioned that if he had watched it with me yesterday, he would be more spooked this morning *LOL* I do have quite a funny dad.

The reason why we are given parents in this life is, we are given second chances to make things right. When we grow up and get caught up with our own lives, sometimes we forget about the ones at home who is old and waiting. A phone call brightens their day. A visit makes all the difference. I am one of the lucky ones who can work at home and spend my time with my old dad. Not everyday is sunny and bright. Yes.. we have some differences. And yes, i am not one with the most patience. But yes, we have good days too.

When i was little, i was quite a sickly child. Most of the time, my mom and dad would sit by my bedside when i was sick to see if i was still breathing. Sometimes, my dad will stay up and sit beside me the whole night till morning. He taught me the Kookaburra song and i guess i was the only one who sang it with my dad. I don't know if my sisters remember the song.

We are given second chances. So make it right. Don't have many regrets in life. When all is gone, don't hope For One More Day.

Wishful thinking... but it would be nice to see mom again.. even for one more day. Even though loved ones never do leave you and are with you in spirit and thoughts. It would still be nice for the one more day.

Its Been 3 Years...

Its been three years since she left us. She is with us everyday of our lives and more. In ever loving memory of my beloved mom. May her soul rest in peace.

Comfort

Comfort food. A familiar scent. Simple easy inexpensive food which are usually comforting to one. A reminder of a happy childhood perhaps.

The most comforting food are usually cooked by a loved one. Usually a mom or grandma. Well.. sometimes daddy or grandpa.

When i was staying on my own in KL, the one thing that i missed most is my mom's cooking and of course her beautiful self. Each time i come home, she'll cook many things for me. Even an egg that she fried would be like heaven in my mouth.

I live for simple food. There are hundreds of things that my mom has cooked that still live in my memory because they are my comfort food. The scent.. the taste... the yumminess.. i can remember them like i've just eaten them yesterday.

Basically, i am not a very good cook myself. I meet more disasters than successes while cooking. Poor dad and Boy are my guinea pigs now. Dommy is not complaining much.

It used to be my younger sister when i was in KL. I'll come up with funny stuffs for her to eat for dinner. Sometimes it could be just 2 slices of bread with some tuna in them.. with a touch of grilling in the oven (i miss my oven).

My colleagues were my other guinea pigs. I would make muffins that are as hard as rocks.. but they will still eat them.. and try not to choke. *LOL* Sometimes when i get lucky, they will get to taste a better cake... but i hardly get lucky when it comes to cooking because i never follow instructions.

Never a stickler for regularities.. i don't know why i keep buying recipe books and never do follow one properly. I will choose the shortest recipe... with the least ingredients. Don't even try to tell me about making rendang tok. When i saw the list of ingredients, i just ran the other way.

When you don't really know how to cook very well like me, you must at least know how to make a good soup. Chinese basically drink lotta soups. Soups are good. Comforting on a rainy day and good on the tummy too if you are not feeling too well.

Since i work from home and am just a few steps from the kitchen, i usually boil my soups at 3pm in time for dinner. The soups takes about 3 hours to boil in slow fire. And i double-steam my soups like some gungho cook *LOL*

Double steaming soups the old way like how my mom used to do. Double steaming is good if you are at home to keep at eye on the stove. Double steaming seals in the liquids and the essence of the soup. Nothing gets lost and the soup is super delicious :) It is called "dan tong" (in Cantonese) meaning steam soup.

I'll share some nice soupy soup recipes with you if you like.. soon. But the recipes will not have exact measurements. *LOL* Look out for it ya :)

Maybe.. just maybe i should try cooking the rendang tok one of these days. How wrong can i go right? But my aunt says it took her four hours to cook it the last time. And she was at the stove stirring it all the time. She did mention it was tiring. *LOL*

I think i'll just stick with simple comfort food. Below is the double steaming soup. Its called The Old Cucumber Soup.

pekaboo pot.. i see you ^.^

the old one

Thanks for following my long windy story today. Boy is going to bed. Time for me to sleep too. Goodnite.

An Hour & Seventeen Minutes Late

A Special Wish for Mummy and Kamala.

When Mother Reads Aloud

When Mother reads aloud, the past
Seems real as everyday;
I hear the tramp of armies vast,
I see the spears and lances cast,
I join the thrilling fray.
Brave knights and ladies fair and proud
I meet when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, far lands
Seem very near and true;
I cross the deserts' gleaming sands,
Or hunt the jungle's prowling bands,
Or sail the ocean blue.
Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud,
I scale, when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, I long
For noble deeds to do-
To help the right, redress the wrong;
It seems so easy to be strong,
So simple to be true.
Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd
My eyes, when Mother reads aloud.

~ poem adapted from The Moral Compass by William J. Bennett

5th September 1965

On this day... on the 5th September in 1965... my parents were engaged to be married. Hanging on a wall beside my table is an old photo of both of them in their best. Papa is in a white shirt and a thin tie with a karipap styled hair. Mom.. my beautiful mother is in a cheongsam which is in different shades of brown and gold.

The photo is in black and white. But i know my mother's beautiful cheongsam because it is still around. A dress she wore 44 years ago.. is still in very good condition. I think my mom made her own cheongsam for her engagement day.

When we were little, we used to love to open her cupboard and look at all her beautiful clothes. I especially love this cheongsam as the material is beautiful. But none of us could fit into it now. When my mom was married, she was thinner than all four of us when we were at her age.

While we were having dinner yesterday, dad mentioned that tomorrow is his and mom's engagement anniversary. We always celebrated their wedding anniversary but never about the engagement anniversary. Now that mom is gone, we always try to take him somewhere on their wedding anniversary so that he won't be sad.

My parents are like siamese twins. They go everywhere together. They even go to the dentist together and give each other moral support. They have been in love for a very long time. Since they were in their teens. It took my dad a long time to adjust to normal life without her. He's still coping and he still visits her every single day at the church without a miss.

My mom is a very beautiful woman (too bad none of us inherited all her good looks) She is like the Asian Sophia Loren. When i look through all her photos from her past, i always think that she is still the most beautiful.

Cherish the ones that you love. Life is indeed short.

Bak Chang Day

Today is Bak Chang Day. (Bak Chang means Pork Dumpling in Hokkien).

Duanwu Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival (or Tuen Ng Festival (in Cantonese pronunciation) is a Chinese traditional and statutory holiday. It is a public holiday in China and Taiwan, where it is called the "Duānwǔ Jié" and a public holiday in Hong Kong and Macau, where it is called the "Tuen Ng Jit". In English it is also referred to as "Dragon Boat Festival", after one of the traditional activities for the holiday. (info from Wikipedia)

I call it Bak Chang Day because the festival is associated with Bak Chang. You see a lot of Bak Changs hanging around in households and many will make the Bak Chang yesterday itself or much earlier. Lots of exchanging Bak Changs too from one household to another.

Lots of auntie auntie were buying last minute stuffs at the market yesterday to make the bak chang. It was like Chinese New Year. They were excited and chattering about like little birds. *lol* As clueless as i am always, i didn't know it was going to be Bak Chang day today. (i wasn't called a banana for nothing)

My mom used to make one of the nicest sweet smelling Bak Chang's ever. I never did find any other Bak Chang close enough to hers. She used to make a lot of Bak Changs when we were little. We'll have it for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper. After a few days of eating Bak Changs, you'll even start dreaming of Bak Changs falling on you. *lol*

It is a very tedious affair. She'll wake up real early and get all the stuffs ready. Lay all the stuffs on the floor in bowls, plates and the glutinous rice in a big tub. She needed to sit on the floor because the strings to tie the Bak Changs were hanging on the door handle. hehehehe

When we woke up, we all all surround her like a surround sound system... and play with the stuffs. I never like the black eye peas (not the band Black Eye Peas) so i'll always have special orders. I'll tell her i want this and that.. and no black eye peas. Mom will wrap it up and tie a small string to indicate that is my order. After a while, we will start to disturb her to let us try to make our own Bak Changs. She'll give in and let us try. Usually we get too greedy and pack too much in the leaves. When we try and fold it back, it will burst! *LOL* Then she'll shoo us away.

I never did learn how to make Bak Chang when i grew older. Mom stopped making Bak Changs when we were older. It was way too tedious. And there's not so many of us around to eat it too.

Since today is Bak Chang Day or Duānwǔ Jié, i'll share with you what we have for dinner. Its not a feast but its our usual stuffs plus the Bak Changs i bought from the auntie in the market. That is me trying hard to keep up with traditions. Maybe i'll even attempt to make Bak Changs next year if i hear the aunties chirping a bit earlier about Bak Chang Day *LOL* I got to go consult an expert cook of an aunt first :D

Tadaaaa...

fried fishes

stir fried ladies fingers and kacang botol

old cucumber soup

bought Bak Chang to substitute rice

Mundane stuffs but its already a feast for the three of us. I think one of my sisters will be salivating over this food. *LOL*

Happy Duānwǔ Jié to those that are celebrating :)

Ops! I almost forgot.. i found this on Youtube this morning from The Star. If anyone is attempting to do this Bak Chang... here's how...

Callistemon

Callistemon or Bottlebrush
Bottlebrush is a small but spectacular evergreen tree or shrub. Of the family Myrtaceae it is well known as Callistemon or Bottlebrush Tree. It is easy to grow and loves warmth, moisture and sun. Bottlebrush is native to Australia mostly growing in moist soil in open or woodland sites. (info from http://floridagardener.com/)

This particular shrub/tree was planted by mom and dad few years back. They will usually buy a pair of every plant they have. When we bought it, it was about 2 feet tall or less.

Mom had a kinda faraway look at that time... and told us... i wonder if i'll get to see this plant grow big and huge. But the time it grows, i'll most probably be gone. Then we assured her that it will grow fast. Just for her, it will grow very fast.

When i came back into the house, i show mom this comic from Peanuts.

I asked her the same question too. Why? Where are you going? Then we both had a good laugh over this comic.

The bottlebrush did grow fast.. and huge. It was planted beside the drains. The drain water kind of speed the growth. It is indeed a spectacular shrub. I can't really call it a shrub because its huge.

She loved it. Her bottlebrush provided lots of shade. And it brings a variety of birds and bees and lots of butterflies. Our garden is like a mini aviary. In the afternoons, sometimes we have quite an orchestra from the birds. Big and small and tiny and minute. They just play on cue. hehhehehehee

Mom's bottlebrushes still provide a lot of shade. And its beautiful. No maintenance at all and it even dances in the wind. It brings many butterflies. It reminds me of my beautiful mom too.

Here's our bottlebrush.



This bottlebrush does look like the bottle brush we use to clean babies feeding bottles right? :)

I remember

I remember the time i lie on your lap at the doctor's clinic... when i was sick. Your lap was the most safest and comfortable place to be. Sometimes i will lie there longer, so you will stroke my hair.

I remember the time i lie on your lap and you will clean my ears. All of us would line up and wait our turn to lie on your lap to have our ears cleaned.

I remember the time you took me to the hospital to see some doctors. In the heat of the sun, you fainted. Before you fainted you told me to hold on to your bag and to May's hand. You did faint and they put you on a bed to rest. May and i waited for you to wake up again and we went home after that.

I remember you cooked me noodles with chicken breast meat each time i had to rush off for tuition. You were afraid that i will be hungry. But i always told you not to rush to cook just for me. But you still did. And that is why i always remembered my noodles with the chicken breast meat.

I remember the time you and papa stayed by my bedside when i had asthma. I was wheezing and wheezing away, both of you with worried faces. I always think that i was going to die. But i braved on knowing that both of you stayed up beside me all night.

I remember the first day you took me to kindergarten. You went on the schoolbus with me. I was very proud while i was on the bus because i had you by my side while the rest of the kids went alone.

I remember the chats we used to have in your room when i come back for holidays. We will talk and talk and sometimes we will bitch about papa. *LOL*

I remember papa driving us back to Taiping when grandma passed away. You were crying non-stop in the car. And papa played the song Leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver.

I remember the time you cooked my favourite chicken. When i told you i really love the dish, you will cook it again very soon.

I remember the time that you told us to read... and always read. Because empty vessels makes the most noise.

I remember the time you teach me to paint waterfalls. You always helped me with my art. You should have been a great artist yourself.

I remember the sad face of yours each time we had to leave to go back to our own lives in KL and to work. But you always told me to fly. You always told me to find my own dreams.

I remember the time you saved me all the glass bottles. Washed everything clean and packed it in newspapers. Just because i told you that i wanted to paint some bottles.

I remember the time you gave papa a good shelling when you came back from Taiping to find me with a huge bump on my head. *LOL* Papa didn't even know i fell off my bicycle and had a huge bump on my head for 2 days.

I remember the time you held my hand at Dr Chew's clinic... when i had to get my head stitched back from falling off a chair.

I remember the best nasi lemak you made which we all took to Teluk Batik to eat.

I remember the time you bought a red flowery cloth and made two identical dresses for sis and i. We look like twins. But i love that dress.

I remember the time you gave May and I each a teeshirt from our childhood. You kept it safe as a memory for us.

I remember the time when i had to secretly give you my report card to sign because i failed.

I remember the time you nagged me to sit straight. You were afraid our bodies will be crooked and we would be an eyesore.

I even remember the time you told us not to shake our legs while we eat or else all our wealth will go away.

I remember you always as my very graceful mommy. Soft spoken and never a harsh word for the world.

I remember. And i remember you. Happy Mother's Day Mommy.

Our Long Weekend

We have been a bit quiet over last weekend as it was mum's anniversary and labour's day weekend too. My sisters and kids were back and so was PP. The household was overflowing with people... hahhahahaha... We achieved about 300+ pictures on papa's new camera. And all the kids had a go at papa's camera except papa.

I love it when all of them come back. Even for short weekends. We will go here and there and spend a lot of time eating and eating and talking. People and kids will be in and out of the house. Coffee is made... and more coffee.. people still walk in and out. Kids will go here and there.. and it feels like when i was a kid.

My grandma and uncle's house is just a stone's throw away. So we are always walking up and down. It feels like Chinese New Year too.

I kinda have very mixed feelings this weekend. Thinking about mom... and waking up every hour hoping to see that she was home to visit us. And maybe we could probably spend a few moments to chat. She was probably home but when i open my eyes every hour, i didn't see or feel her around :(

When my mom was alive, she was always afraid of ghosts. Even though she never saw any before, she was always afraid to bump into one. And so sometimes, when dad and mom were talking about dying and all those stuffs, they will tell each other not to spook the living one.

Stormy and I on the other hand, would tell each other that we'll trip the one who's living if one of us should go first. hahhahahahahhaaa.. It will probably be me who will have the liberty to trip Stormy :D

We got mom some white eustomas with purple forget-me-nots on Saturday. Uncle did two very nice bouquets.

I had nice time talking with my sisters... and kids too. All of us were lying on the bed chatting.. trying to fit as many as possible on the bed. Kinda like frying fish on a wok.. hahhahahahaa.. It was a tight fit on the bed.

We had a small prayer for mom on Saturday night. Just us with papa. And some aunts and uncles with some kids too. We sang a few songs. Boy and ZS strummed on the guitars. Papa is ok. He's coping better this year.

We bought a cake for Nickolai. Celebrated his 14th birthday yesterday. He's a tall handsome guy now. How fast they grow. I remembered when he was a round ball at 3 months. We used to call him Bola. Now he's thin and very tall like a stick.. hahhahahahahaha.. But still good looking as ever. A heart breaker definitely.

We choose to remember mom with happy thoughts this year. All of us attended her mass on Sunday morning. We sat at the last row. (So we won't get scolded for whispering sometimes) Rachel fell asleep halfway through the service. Some of us however had a tummy ache. Must be the cold air from the aircon in the newly refurbished church. When we sneaked out to go to the loo, May opened the wrong door to go out. (It was the door to the confession box) hahahahhaa.. I pulled her away quickly and drag her to the side door. We went to visit mom after church and took a few more photos at our usual spot.

Joe got married this Saturday too. We all went for his registration. The service was a bore at the Chin Woo hall. The speaker spoke too much.. hahhahahhahaa.. must be a long time since he talked. He even talked about the weather and tried to drag the service to be longer and longer.

The aircon guys came and serviced the aircons. Now our aircons are cold again. No more sweaty hot afternoons.

We ate a lot this weekend. We took them here and there to try all the new spots we found. There were a lot of smiles on our faces this weekend.

May was the last to leave the house today with PP. We lost our smiles after that. Now i know how mom and dad felt when we go back to work in Kuala Lumpur everytime we come back for short weekends. The emptiness.

Now the house is all quiet again. Each of us back to our stations doing our own things. Dommy already sleeping and dreaming of chasing cats in the garden. I miss everyone now. Back to just me and my computer and Papa with his computer and Boy with his studies.

Come back soon ya. Home is where the heart belongs.

2nd Anniversary

All For The Love Of A Girl

All For The Love Of A Girl ~ Johnny Horton

2nd Anniversary

According to the chinese calendar, today is my mom's 2nd death anniversary. The actual anniversary is on the 3rd of May. We will have prayers in the house then.

I visited mom yesterday. Yellow lillies this time. The uncle florist was very nice. He did a very nice bouquet for just 10 bucks. Today i didn't go, as it was Easter. I hardly go with my father to church. Usually i go alone when there's less of a crowd to just visit my mom beside the church. I am not a Catholic but i believe there's a God. Mom and Dad are Catholics.

I don't like to go church especially on Mother's Day. Cos i don't like the feeling that i don't have one anymore. And they usually play these songs that make you really sad inside. I am just strong on the outside. I am like a cookie crumble inside.

Chinese believes when the dearly departed leaves this world, they come back sometimes as butterflies or moths. That's what grandma tells me when i was little.

And true enough, on some anniversaries of grandma and grandpa... we usually see a black moth in the house.

Today, i saw two fleeting images of a black & brown butterflies/moths. In a way, it sort of kept my heart happy that mom is back. It was just very random... and i just caught the sight of the moth at a restaurant.. and when i was standing outside the house.

I know she'll be back for a visit somehow. Everybody has their own way of dealing with their feelings of their dearly departed. I just like to deal with it my own way.

My papa... he loves to play all her favourite songs... especially on these anniversaries.

I don't like to talk about how my mom passed away anymore. People still want to ask why and why. That sometimes anger my father. Usually i try and changed the subject when he's angry with these people. When a person is dead, let her rest in peace. Asking about the whys and hows are never going to bring them back. If you want to a filial son or daughter, do it when they are alive. Not when they are dead and long gone. That's my take on life. Live life with less regrets.

This poem is a very meaningful one.

"What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from our sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind..."

~ William Worthsworth