End Of May

End Of May ~ Keren Ann

This song is apt as today is the end of May :) My friend Stella shared this song with us few days back. Its a kind of a cool song. I don't know which rock i live under because i have never heard any of Keren Ann's song before. I'm gonna go check out more of her songs... and get her record soon :)

Here's the lyrics...

Close your eyes and roll a dice
Under the board there's a compromise
If after all we only lived twice
Which lies the run road to paradise

Don't say a word, here comes the break of the day
And wide clouds of sand raised by the wind of the end of May

Close your eyes and make a bet
Face to the glare of the sunset
This is about as far as we get
You haven't seen me disguised yet

Don't say a word, here comes the break of the day
And wide clouds of sand raised by the wind of the end of May

Close your eyes and make a wish
Under the stone there's a stonefish
Hold your breath then roll the dice
It might lead the run road to paradise

Don't say a word, here comes the break of the day
And wide clouds of sand raised by the wind of the end...

Don't say a word, here comes the break of the day
And wide clouds of sand raised by the wind of the end of May

If you like this song, go check her out at http://www.kerenann.com/

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? :)

Fraulein

Fraulein ~ Bobby Helms

This is one of the songs that my papa's been listening to a lot lately :) I'm sneaking this to you. Don't tell him *shush*

Fräulein (literally, "little woman" or "little Mrs.", colloquial form Frollein) is used as a title for young girls or unmarried women as opposed to Frau for married women. It is used with the first name or last name (Fräulein Anna or Fräulein Schmidt). courtesy from Wikipedia

Vertigo

Vertigo ~ Vertigo, or dizziness, is a symptom, not a disease. The term vertigo refers to the sensation of spinning or whirling that occurs as a result of a disturbance in balance (equilibrium). (more on http://www.neurologychannel.com/vertigo/index.shtml)

Today is the first time i heard of this word with a spinning meaning to it. The other Vertigo that i know of is an old movie of Alfred Hitchcock.

Medical terms and i don't go very well. Maybe that's why i am never in the medical profession :) But i do know dizziness... and spinning and whirling headaches.

My neighbours daughter and family came back for a holiday three weeks ago. Its been a long time since she is home from abroad. They only have three weeks leave. So in this short span of three weeks, i am sure they would try to cramp in as many things as possible.

They even went on a island holiday with their folks for a week, and that leaves them two weeks to see everyone and eat everything in sight. I am sure Malaysians that are abroad craves the food back home. My sister does.. and so does her husband. Even Stormy, when he comes back for a break, Stormy tries to eat as many nasi lemaks and nasi dagang as possible.. hehehee.. Sometimes if you eat too much too suddenly... you'll end up with a bad tummy ache.

Back to this girl... there's people to see, friends to catch up and everyone wants to take you out somewhere. Today was the day she's supposed to fly home with her hubby and baby. The packing and all the flurry of events these past week somehow set in. She fainted. Vertigo.

Too much stress. Too many things to do in such a short frame of time. Too many people you want to see. But the most important people you should spend time with is your mom and dad.

She got admitted to a hospital and they have to reschedule everything to next week to fly home. I don't know how vertigo is treated. I guess she does needs rest.

You can't possible cramp everyone and everything in three weeks. Sometimes you have to make choices. And just spend time with the ones who mean the most to you. I know there are people who wants to catch up with you.. many i am sure when you haven't been back for years. There's so many things you want to eat. And so many places you want to reconnect back to capture your past. There's only so much that one can do. Choices. We can always choose.

Hope she gets well soon and good enough to fly home next week.

Its getting late and my head is a spinning too now.. hhehehehee.. Bright lights from this screen is either gonna blind me one day or give me a huge migraine to last me a year :)

I learn something new today. Vertigo.

Excuse Me :)

This past few week or was it weeks have been extremely warm. Extra... strange... very warm. It is even too warm to blog. *lol* My brains just melts.

Thank god today we have some dark skies. I guess Nessa and Spiffy's raindance is working :)

I work IN the house and i am sweating like a pig. I pity those that are working outside.. be it in construction, farms, cleaners, garbage guys... anyone who is out working in the hot sun to give us a better world. What would the world be like if nobody wanted to be garbage collectors, nobody wanted to be cleaners, nobody wanted to be taxi drivers and nobody wanted to be constuction workers. And everybody just want to be a blogger sitting in front of a computer like me.

In the extreme heat, we are contributing more to the hole in the ozone by keeping our aircons blasted to full. Our electricity went from more to most.. hahahhaha.. We are trying not to switch on the aircon in the afternoons and keep the bills to a manageable number. Now we switch off all the lights that are not in used. As my dad said.. the electricity bill alone is 1/3 of his pension.

Today is not as warm as yesterday. And it is surely not as warm as some parts in India and some other parts of the world.

Dommy is lying on the floor on most days. I even sprinkled water on him.. *lol* Sometimes i give him an ice cube to lick. I pity the dog next door. Forever chained to the gate in the hot sun. To guard the house. Heartless souls. I sometimes hope the owners become dogs in their next life... hahhahaahhaa.. yes.. weird things run in my head.

I don't mean to judge people. We cannot tell people what to do and how to run their lives and expecially how to take care of their dogs. Stormy even suggested that i ask the owner if they wanted to sell the dogs. They kept the dogs to only guard the house or to bark when there are strangers outside the gates. Why would they want to sell them to me? They will just get fresh dogs after i buy these two.

Dogs are hardy creatures. But there's only so much that they can take. Its a dogs life.

One of the dogs got loose today and came out through the gate. She is so thin. She came happily to my side of the gate and i drop her some biscuits. She chomps down so fast like she haven't eaten in days. But i know the owners do feed them. She ran laps in my garden. And checked out every nook and cranny of the garden. When it was time to go, she went back to her home. Enough said. Even a dog knows its way home.

We try not to be judgemental of others. We are not without sin ourselves.

Without You

Without You ~ Motley Crue

This is one of my favourites too from the noisy years :) Kinda found out that i have some same taste of music with some of my online buddies.

I guess you were a rocker chick Emila. Because you love all the rock bands that i do too :) We were from the noisy era. Spiffy too. Even as a yolk.. he sure can party! Well.. Nessa's not too bad too with her head-banging and dancing in her clogs :)

We had a small party at Emila's home few days back. *LOL* I guess virtual parties are possible now.

But all the night-time partying at this age is sure taking a toll on us "young fellas".

Love and Loyalty

Poodle. When the name poodle comes to mind, we will usually picture the cutesy dogs in dog shows. With balls of fur here and there, primmed to perfection. Trotting down the aisle in the dogshows in their perfect coat and fancy ribbons.

The Poodle is a breed of dog which is highly intelligent. They come in three different sizes, kinda like your drinks at McDonalds. Small, Medium, Large.

Our poodle Dom however is no schmancy pancy dog. He is just like any other dog... happy but curly. He is not all fancy like a showdog. He is just.. normal. Like the dog next door.

Dom came into our lives two years ago. We adopted him from a boarding house. He was actually a dog to keep mom and dad company. My mom didn't actually liked the look of him when we went to the shop to visit him. He was all scrawny but happy. He was running up and down with his other doggie friends and his brother Moet. We just wanted a small dog to keep in the house. So its easier for mom and dad to care for him.

His time with mom was short-lived. Mom only got to know him for 3 months. Then she went on her way. But in the final months, his relationship with mom went from better to better. Mom grew to love him. Then he made the ikea chair in the hall his. The chair is still his.. but its all worn out now...

Well.. it started with.. no dogs in the house... and then.. dogs are allowed in the house.. but not on the furniture.. then it went to.. only 1 furniture.. not all the furniture. Then it was no dogs in the rooms... then it went to.. ok.. only once in a while when its warm.. hehehe.. but no dogs on the bed. Yep.. we are still at that.. no dogs on the bed :) He has his own bed.

He is a highly intelligent dog actually. Very protective of the family and his boundaries. Very obedient. And very loyal too especially to me. Maybe its because i am the hands that feed him. He follows me like a shadow. Even when its really warm in the afternoon, dad calls him to his room.. where its cooler... he will only go to acknowledge dad.. and comes back to sit with me in my work room. Sweating and lying on the floor.. hehehe

Sometimes i feel guilty seeing him lying there waiting for me to play with him. He can sit there the whole day waiting for me for breaktime.

Yesterday i went out for a good 3 hours. And when i came home, he was so happy.. it was like he hasn't seen me for months. hahahhahahahahaa.. Why would i want to trade his love and loyalty for anything else rite? He has taken over a good part of my heart. If i don't have love, i do however have Dom :)