Officially the Maid!

I am. That is....

Maid left early this morning for the long festive holidays. She will be gone for 9 days. Not only I have to cook, clean, wash, iron....I have to be with my boys 24/7 as well!!! You see...boys' mid-term break just started as well (yes...a very short half term of school as they had to adjust to accommodate the long Muslim holiday). So pardon me if my mood is not too good for the next 9 days!

Have warned boys about being good and needing to minimize mommy's work load. They better make their own beds and make sure they put all dirty laundry into the basket. Baths have also been temporary stopped. I don't want them splashing water all over the bathroom....and they better shower with the shower-curtain properly drawn. As for meals, will only make simple stuff like one-pot rice, porridge or simple grills. NO frying stuff!!! I don't wanna mop up all the grease in the kitchen.  Errrrrr...but so far, we have been eating out today. Went out to Ah Yat for dim-sum brunch and will be going to the Ranch Market for dinner this evening. :-)

Start cooking tomorrow lah. 

So Wasteful??

I'm sure all of you have read about the CHINA milk contamination with melamine.

As a result, many consumer products were withdrawn from supermarket shelves...products such as Oreo Cookies,  Oreo Wafers, White Rabbit Candy, Mini Cornetto etc etc...and the list goes on. 

As I had recently went to Makro, my larder was stocked to the brim with Oreo Cookis and Oreo Wafers. (I usually buy the individual packs for convenience as boys can bring them as snacks to school). So with the advice from the health department, I got RID of all my stock. 

And guessed what I see in the newspaper the following morning?

BIG FULL PAGE ADVERTISEMENT

This....after I've THROWN everything away!!!!

Orovo Health Supplements and More

Just completed the orovo review.
What is Orovo?

It's a health supplement company with a difference. Not only it strives to provide premium products at affordable prices; it also has a profit-sharing program that can provide a path toward financial security. With the current turmoil in the financial markets, perhaps this could be an alternative way for many to build a nest egg. What's more? You can even look good while doing so...with Orovox and Epuri! I hear they are GREAT products!

Some Updates on the Boys...

Errr....this post has gone "TERGENDALA"....as my sisters think my boys might chance upon this not-so nice post about them...too much "PRIVATE" information...

So....I've deleted liow

More Kids?

I was kinda worried a few days ago. Not only was I late, I had persistent dizziness for two days. I kept telling H that he better not have gotten me in trouble! He was like "What trouble? It's not that we have 11 kids already, and I can't afford another one!".

Well, my P did come. Texted H to tell him. He was a tad disappointed. He had a dinner with two friends that day,  whom announced that both of their wives were 6-weeks pregnant. H said that he could also be announcing that he would be a father again...but that was not to be. He was like "No Madison?" Donno where he suddenly find the name Madison. Maybe too engrossed with our trip to NY?

H commented that I looked soooo happy when my P finally came. 

Aiya....how like that?

I am too far and away from diapers, bottles, night-feeds, etc etc. 

Of course the idea of a little girl is nice. But NO guarantees...and knowing us, probably will be another BOY! 

I am really afraid of going through the baby-phase again. The night-feeds, the rushing back for baby's naps, the filled-to-the-brim baby bag, bottle sterilizing, the ZERO-freedom. 

Not only that....I don't live in Malaysia. How about confinement? (H said "your mom can come for a month!"), plus where would I deliver? 

Most expats fly out to Singapore to have their babies. As I have previous 2 caesareans, the third will probably be a caesarean as well....as with surgeries, mostly likely will have to do it in Singapore too. 

Who will look after the boys if I have to be away? They have school and all.

Really ask mom to come and stay for a month or two?

I really don't know....

Scared. Scared. Yet I think H wants a daughter. 

How? How? How?

Happy Birthday to me....

Like so pathetic like that...wishing myself

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Another birthday....another year older.... 

I still think that I am "sapp-patt-yiaa-yee"!!!

Everytime I say that, H will comment with a simple "Okay, hun. If you say so!". 

You mean I am not???????

Heheheh

What are we going to do?

Nothing much ...just go out for a quiet family dinner.

Where?

Donno yet.

Update later...

Need Comfy Shoes

I really need to buy a pair of comfy shoes for my impending trip to the States. I foresee there would be Walking. Walking. And More Walking. Not to say that I am a spoilt brat....but I really have not done much walking lately. My driver usually drops me right at the doorstep of my destination, thus minimizing the need to walk! 
I know. Talk about laziness to the max!
Which makes finding the right pair of shoes very important! 

Not only it has to be comfortable, it has to look good as well. I can't exactly look like a bag lady walking down New York's 5th Avenue, can I?

So. I was thinking. Perhaps I should check out the various designs at Beautifeel. I'm sure they have a size and width that fits my very pampered feet!

Updates - 23 Sept 2008

Looks like I've not been very hardworking with my posting lately......collating everything under "Updates".

Aiya...better than nothing. Right?

Painting Class

Started on my painting class yesterday. Actually wanted to do it much earlier but didn't want to join a class full of strangers. Class is conducted by a local artist at one of the student's apartment in town. There are 5 students in the class, which is just the right number. Not too crowded, yet not too quiet.

As I had previously painted in Bangkok and KL, I had to bring some of my work to show the teacher in order for him to have a rough idea of my capabilities. :-)

Brought a half-done acrylic painting of water lilies to be corrected....had to re-do the flowers with oils now. Took 3 hours just to paint over two flowers. Next thing would be the lily pads... then the water. Still lots to do. 

Will post a photo when the painting looks a little more presentable. At its present state, it is somewhat a disgrace. :-D

Greedy-Pigs

I remember I used to be able to eat alot at buffets. Alot as in able to eat my money's worth. (What to do? Kiasu mentality what) But these days....find that I can't really stuff myself anymore. Do you think that there's anything to do with age? 

I remember piling my plates high with food, and have multiple servings too!

Those were the good 'ole days!

These days....really can't eat that much. Went to the Four Seasons for Sunday Brunch...didn't eat that much, yet felt sooooooo bloated after the meal. So sann-foo/ sing-kor. Pay so much for torture! 

Worse. Don't eat that much, yet pile on the kilos much faster than ever.

Is age really a factor???

US Trip

Still have not booked our NY hotels. Still waiting for last minute deals. The room rates are really so ridiculously high. Even ciapalak 1* hotels are over USD 200. H kept on reassuring me that he will SORT it out, and to leave the booking to him. So...leave to him lor.

Was hoping to meet up with KC in SF, but the weekend we are there, he will be in Boston. 

*sigh*...next time, I guessed.

But definitely will meet up with HT. 

Bowling

We (H and I) have been going bowling lately. As we didn't want boys to come along, we had to smuggle out our bowling balls from the house. Heee heee... 

Aiya...don't want boys to come along as they always fight and do all sorts, and we end up screaming at them rather than enjoying our game. :-D

Am not very consistent with my game....score ranged from a low of 116 to a high of 195. H was more consistent. Hovering around 178 - 189. 

He was like egging me to go bowling again yesterday....to try to achieve a score of 200. 

But was suffering from dizzy spells ....thus gave it a miss. 

Perhaps we'll go tomorrow....

Later....

Thai Night

Decided that today was to be Thai Night.

Basically, it just simply means that we are eating Thai food for dinner. Home-cooked, that is. 

Did I hear you ask "Who cooked? Maid or you?".

Of course I did.

Here's what I whipped up.

Khao Kapit (Belacan Fried Rice)

Moo Wan (Sweet Pork)

Kaeng Kiaw Wann Kai (Green Curry with Chicken)

Tod Mun Pla (Fried Fish Cakes)

Tom Yum Koong (Prawn Tom Yum)

Phak Phad (Fried Vegetables)

Khao Niew Mamuang (Mango Sticky Rice)

Didn't take photo. I should have!!! But then again, my dishes have no fancy decoration so nothing much to see either.

Boys absolutely could not take any spicy-ness.  So they only had the Khao Kapit, Moo Wan, Tod Mun Pla and the Phak Phad....plus the Khao Niew Mamuang.  |When I made the Tod Mun Pla, I had to divide the fish paste into two portions - one with, and one without the curry paste. Did make the vinegar sauce to go with the fish cakes, but seems like nobody used the dip other than myself. 

Everything was quite tasty....(if I must say so myself, :-D ).

Actually, when I cook, I don't feel like eating. So dinner today not really that enjoyable...not because my cooking sucks. It's just that after all the cooking, tasting, smelling etc...come dinner time, really like soooooo full already. 

So how like that? 

If I cook, I don't feel like eating. 

If I don't cook, we don't get to eat a variety of foods (at home, I mean. Eating out doesn't count). 

How like that?

SF. Here I come!!!!

Have not been blogging lately as I have been pretty busy checking out hotels on the WWW for our trip to the States......"Our" meaning just H and I. 

:-)

Mom will be flying over to babysit the boys while we are away. She is really good!!!!

We have a really tight schedule...we fly off on the 9th. Will be visiting San Fransisco, Las Vegas and then New York. 

Actually, H wanted to take me to New York....as I am the "swa-koo" who has not been there before. But couldn't get SQ redemption tickets to NY, so flying through SF instead...and then via Delta Airlines. Have to say that New York hotels are blardy expensive. Surfing the net...and saw that there was a USD 200 hotel room that has to SHARE bathroom. So cialatt!!! No. We haven't booked NY Hotels yet. Will wait for last-minute rooms. Hopefully, that would be cheaper.

Will be staying in a little boutique hotel in San Fransisco. Since we already visited Alcatraz, and other touristy places during our honeymoon 12 years ago, we won't be doing too many touristy stuff. Thus, this trip will generally be EAT, DRINK, SHOP and BE MERRY. And yes....to meet up with my dear old friends HT and KC who now resides in San Jose and San Fransisco....

Oh! Actually, we will also be celebrating our 12-Year OFFICIAL Anniversary during this time too. :-D

Will post more later....now I wanna go watch my Stargate SG1 Season 6 Finale.... which we will of course continue to watch first series in Season 7!

PERFECT Gift

I have just found the PERFECT gift for H.

Yes. I know his birthday had come and gone...but there is still Christmas, which will be here pretty soon.

Wanna know what it is?

A Slingbox!

It's a cool device that redirects live AV signals from a cable box, satellite receiver, or other AV source right to a PC.  This means H can remotely view all his favorite shows on his PC anywhere!

Great gift, huh? And what's more? 

It doesn't cost that much either! 

Too Many Digital Photos....

Ever since I got a digital camera, I tend to take more photos during our holidays.... Okay NOT as much as my sister, but still quite a number. And you know what's the biggest problem? I have great reluctance in deleting multiple shots of a single scene.... especially shots of my boys in slight different poses. I wanna show-off their various cheeky expressions but yet can't exactly develop ALL of the shots into photos either. It would cost a bomb!!! However, I think I may be able to solve my problem with a digital frame. I can show off the very many different shots of my boys, and yet only have one space-saving frame. What do you think? Good idea?

Updates...14 Sept '08

More Baking...
Baked Nigella's Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake on Friday morning...as I had a friend over for coffee and chit-chat. Have to say that I was quite pleased with the overall result. The cake was moist and lemony. Not too sweet and not exactly soaking wet from the lemon syrup. It was just right.

And on Saturday, as I had S2's friends over, I made Chocolate Cupcakes from the recipe that D gave. I have to say that I panicked abit when the batter looked toooooo watery. Was afraid that the cupcakes wouldn't rise. Worse when I put the batter in the little papercups, it was more than 2/3 full. Luckily, the cupcakes did rise quite nicely. The results were quite good. Cupcakes were soft and moist. Only thing is that I must use better quality cocoa powder in future. Could taste the "not so nice" cocoa taste. Otherwise, it would have been perfect.
Yeah. I know my decor NOT nice. Didn't bother to smoothen the chocolate topping. Kids won't really care how it looks also.

Actually....my kids NOT real cake-eaters. Everytime I bake, most of the baked goods goes to the hired help. For example, out of these 12 cupcakes, S1 ate 2, S2 ate 1, friends ate 2, gave them 2 to bring home...and the remainder 5 all went to the staff. 2 for the guards, 2 for the maid and 1 for the driver.
H?
He doesn't like cupcakes.
If I bake exact same recipe but in a loaf or normal cake tin, he'll eat it.
But in cupcake form?
He won't even touch it.
SIOW, I know.

"Swa-Koo"
Literally translated to "Hill Tortoise" .... or rather "Hillbilly".
Was actually referring to my two boys.
Decided to bring them to have Teppanyaki for dinner. I think the last time they had teppanyaki was at Benihana at Pattaya....yonks ago. Doubt that they remembered what teppanyaki is.
So...made some calls to the various Japanese restaurants. Though many serve teppanyaki, not that many cook it in-front of the patrons. And I wanted my "Swa-Koos" to experience the REAL teppanyaki experience.
Where did we end up then?
Nadaman at Shangri-La Hotel.
Ordered a Sirloin Steak Set and a Seafood Set.....Nope. Didn't bring camera. So no photos.
When the chef was cooking our dinner, my S2 was like "take picture. take picture". hahahah....so "Swa Koo"......"hiong har chai choot saang saeng!".
Yes. They enjoyed dinner tremendously...even asked that we go there again today!
GILA lah....

Too Modern?
Went out to the mall this morning with the three boys...and bought this tealights-sculpture.
I first saw it last year...when my friend, EL and family came over for a visit. She bought one of these. I thought it looked kinda nice. So when I was at the mall today, I popped into the same shop to see if it was still there...it was. And I decided to buy it. Can't remember how much EL paid but I paid about USD 44/- for it.

When I brought it home....I tried to put it at different places in the house....somehow, my woody ethic Chinesey-style of my living/dining area just didn't seem to be able to accommodate this modern looking tealights-scupture. At the moment, it's just sitting atop one of my cabinets. Maybe I have to shift this upstairs to the NOT-so-woody upstairs living area.

Maids!
Maids all the same one. The longer they worked, the more "indispensable" they think they are. It was my maid's off-day on Saturday. Usually, she goes off on Saturday, 4 pm and is expected back at 4 pm the following day, so that she could make dinner on Sunday night. Since we didn't have much going on yesterday, I told her she could go after washing up after lunch. She came to tell me that she was leaving at 1.50 pm. Nevermind.
And then she said that she'll be back at 7 pm.
Not asking permission. TELLING!
Of course I made noise.
Then she said 6.30 pm.
What's the diff??? Blardy half an hour only.
Summore we (H and I) were supposed to try our luck to get last-minute tickets to watch George Benson/Al Jarreau live!
Geeeeezzzz....Of course I was upset. So, after that, I was still "ngamm ngamm chamm chamm" and was telling H that I need to have proper talk with the maid when she gets back.
H's remark was "NO Need to talk to her anymore. If she does it again, just fire her".
Aiya....easy for him to say. He's not the one having to train a new maid.
Yes. At the rate that we pay (the locals pay their maids approximately USD 50, but we pay about USD 100), definitely there are people willing to work for us....BUT. BUT. It's such a hassle to train a new maid. Don't you think so?
So what do I do when the maid came back this evening?
I asked her lah..if she still wants to work. She said YES. And proceeded to apologised blah blah blah. Told her what's the use of apologising if she continues to do what she is doing?
WE, the employers have to change our plans to suit the maid??? Where can???
I gave her long grandmother story about what H said....about NOT giving her another chance.
Painted H to be the NASTY guy (actually...he is! Apparently people fear him at work...cause he is sooooo nasty! He is also nasty at home! Towards me!!!!)
So she better buck up.
Or be out of the door.

Oh yeah...and another thing. She's also gonna be gone for 8 long daya over the Raya holidays. I expected her be gone for only 5 days...and she didn't bother to tell me the dates that she will be gone until I asked her..... 28th Sept to the 6th Oct.
See lah? Really toooo much lah.
Again, we have to scramble to find someone to babysit/supervise the boys on Sunday, 5th Oct.
We've bought tickets to watch Diana Krall performing live at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
And Monday, 6th October would be a school day....thus we need to have the boys in bed earliest...so the babysitter/supervisor needs to stay quite close to our house.
Geezzz....

Maids! Can't live with them. Can't live without them.

V's LapTopper

Here's the LapTopper that V asked me to buy. It must have been her lucky day...cause they don't have any permanent shop nor stall. And normally, I wouldn't know where to find them. However, just not long after her SMS to ask me to buy it, I was at the mall and so happens that LapTopper had a temporary stall.

The print on the fabric..

The LapTopper as seen from the top...
(Yes. It has a handle so you can carry it anywhere)

LapTopper ...with my MacBook as Prop

When H saw it, he asked "you mean you are going to carry that all the way to Melbourne?"

Yup!

Another Way....

Remember I wrote about a possible baking venture?
Errr...well, I don't think that would come into fruition.
The friend whom "ordered" the cupcakes from me did not revert with any feedback whatsoever. I guessed the cupcakes were not exceptional nor satisfisfactory? 39
Not only that...she did not even remember to return my oven tray. Had to text her to remind her to.
Well, time to think of another way to earn some moolah. Perhaps I should try my hand in futures trading. At least, I don't have to sit and wait for a cupcake order to come my way. Neither do I have to slave all day in the hot kitchen. I can do all my online trading in the comforts of my air-conditioned room!
:-)

S1 in Secondary School....

For those who is not aware, my S1 entered secondary school when the new school year began 2 weeks ago. He is now in Year 7. Yes. Seems abit quick. If we are still in Malaysia, he would still be in Std 5 till end of this year... but as the cut-off date for the British system is end-Aug, he is one of the youngest in his class.

Although the secondary school shares the same campus as the primary one, it is still quite a major change for him. School uniforms are different....and he now has a tutor, and numerous subject teachers. He is also required to change classrooms for different subjects. Worse...as there are many different subjects, there are two timetables instead of the usual weekly one.

He is allocated a locker ...which unfortunately seems to be too high for his reach. He came home after the first day complaining that he had to JUMP and JUMP to open his locker. If this is going to pose further problems, I might have to write in to request a lower locker.

Music tuition, i.e. in his case the Alto Saxophone starts today. It's a continuation from last term. Somehow, there were alot of missed class last term (not due to S1's fault...just that there were alot of holidays on his tuition days and other school functions) and he has not progressed much in this. Hopefully, this year will be better. Not too sure if he managed to have a saxophone loaned from school. If not, I will have BIG headache. BTW, V... Sure you don't use the saxophone that often, right? Can we please borrow it?

As for MFL (Modern Foreign Language), he has decided to take up Mandarin and Japanese. He had quite a number of merits from the Mandarin teacher in the first week. His comment was "I managed to name all the body parts", which I retorted bluntly "if you don't know the body parts, I will KILL You!!!". Correct or not? For a person who studied 2 1/2 years at Puay Chai, and then going for classes twice a week for the next 2 years; should be able to name the body parts in Mandarin, right?? The Mandarin is quite basic...but at least it will lead to proper GCSE examinations in time ( I think! I hope!). From what I hear, as part of the Mandarin program, the kids will go to Beijing for two weeks during the Easter holidays ...which the parents have to pay EXTRA , of course!!

Remember I mentioned that S1 had a joint 11th birthday party with his friend, TL back in PJ? (Their birthdays are one day apart)

See how much they've grown!

S1 and his Friend, TL

Joint 11th Birthday

Baking Venture????

friend asked if I could bake her some cupcakes for her son's birthday. At first I declined...but then thought later "why not?", and called her back. She wanted to have 30 cupcakes for the kids to decorate. I thought "okay...I just have to bake and make the butter icing. No need to decorate" so I told her that I would charge her about USD 0.55 per cupcake, which works out to be approx USD 16.50. I tell you...this amount just enough to cover costs. Cannot make money. Just the butter alone costs about USD 6/-. The 30 paper cups USD 2.20....as they are those free-standing ones No need the cupcake tray. I told her that if (a BIG IF) anyone wants to order cupcakes from me, they cupcakes would costs USD 0.85 for plain glaced ones, and from USD 1.10 for plain butter-icing ones. Otherwise no point. Right?

When I was filling the batter into the papercups, it seems there might be insufficient batter. I was kinda worried that the cupcakes might be a disaster. Lucky they were quite okay.

30 Cupcakes

Since the kids were going to decorate the cupcakes, made a batch of butter icing and then gave them some colouring. Packed some sprinkles and flowers for the decor too. I wasn't sure if she had another birthday cake or not, so decided to write the birthday greeting on an old cake board from S1's birthday last year (of course I washed it!!). The idea was for the kids to decorate the cupcakes, and then stack it up on the cake board and thus serve as a "towered" cake with candles and all. Well, she did buy a birthday cake, so I don't know if the cupcakes were stacked at the party or not.

Cake Board and Butter Creams

After the 30 cupcakes were out of the way, I thought I'll experiment! I had a punnet of organic strawberries and half a bottle of Knott's Berry Farm Strawberry Jam in the fridge. So I used them. I dumped cut strawberries and the jam into the batter. Mix them up and scooped them into my paper cups. At this point, the batter looked really fluffy and good.

But look what happened to the strawberry cupcakes....

Ugly Loooking Cupcakes

But surprisingly, the cupcakes were really soft, moist and very very yummy. As it was already very sweet, I decided whipped cream would be better as the topping, as opposed to others.

A decorated Strawberry Cupcake
Cannot see the ugliness liow...

I don't normally eat my cupcakes.....or if I do, it's just one...to see the texture, and how it tasted. But these Strawberry Cupcakes were really really yummy. I wallop FOUR today!!! Die..lah. Need to starve for the next four days!!!

I had some jelly and Hershey's Strawberry Syrup in the fridge; which I used together with the cupcakes to make trifle. Layered the jelly, cake, syrup and whipped cream in individual plastic cups. Plastic cups because they were for the staff (maid, security guards).

Homemade Trifle

Jumbled...

This post is of various topics...

One More Chance
A few days ago, I posted that boys will be in Separate Bedrooms from now-on. Well... it didn't happen. When S1 came home from school that day, he announced that he will give S2 "One More Chance". A couple more days later, I asked S1 again about separate bedrooms....and he said "S2 had been behaving quite well. So I think I'll continue to sleep in the same bedroom with him".

So?
What do I do?
I let it be as it is. I didn't push nor insist that they get separate bedrooms....although I really want the bickering/finger-pointing/screaming/fighting/blaming to stop.

I feel that many-a-times, I am in a push/pull situation. You know what I mean?
One one hand, I want them to have their own rooms, to be responsible for their own individual items, to have own space, to minimize the bickering....

BUT on the other hand, I feel that they really have a closer relationship in the same bedroom. At times, I hear them chatting nicely in the dark.....after I've put them to bed. (Yes. I eavesdropped. But it was really good to hear them. Put a smile on my face.)

I've been scanning some old photos (pre-digital!!!!)....and I find them soooooooo cute when they were younger. I know I said before that I will NOT put photos of my boys on my blog in fear of various reason. But I doubt anyone can recognise them from this photo as they've changed so much.

From Cuties.....

......To Monsters

See! You also cannot recognise them, right????

Of course the short one is S2 and the taller one is S1 lah. S2 now is short-sighted one...so of course the one-eyed one lah!!!!

Fishies...

Wanted to write about this months ago. But didn't upload the photos from phone until this morning. Went to see Dr. Fishies over at Kenko in Pavilion when I was back in KL for a couple of days in June (stopover from my Macau trip with the gals). Am told that the little fellas can work miracles on my "diseased" feet.

Dr. Fishies inspecting my Left Foot.....and then my Right Foot

It was quite geli at first. But after awhile, you kinda get used to it. When we (went with mom) there, there was a group of ladies who came and try. Aiyo...they were sooooo noisy. Screaming and giggiling. So blardy irritating. Wanna slap them man. Cannot tahan the geli-ness, then just leave lah. Create so much ruckus. Oh Yeah.. Chef Wan was there at the same time too. Think he also cannot tahan those ladies.

I only went once....so don't really know if it works. The fishes kept on nibbling with my leg and top part of my feet rather than my soles...which is the more problematic part. Mom said that the fishes probably have problems chewing on all the HARD SKIN on my soles, and of course would prefer the softer skin... :-)

The manager mentioned that they have private rooms which can have the fishes TREAT your WHOLE body. Errrrr... I think NOT!!! Too many protruding parts and crevices that I don't want the fish go near!!!!

Karaoke-Mad

We got invited to tea/dinner by H's colleague some weeks back. Yes. We ate alot...BBQ for tea and then a proper sit-down dinner. The belly went KABOOOOOOM that night. I made some cupcakes for the kids.... It was quite last minute.

Came back from lunch to make them. We had to be there about 3.30 pm. There was insufficient time for cupcakes to cool properly. Thus, instead of making butter icing, I just used glace.

Nice or Not?

Yeah...I know they all look kinda plain...

This friend had a very canggih Karaoke machine. It works just like in the Karaoke joints. Have song book with the number codes. Input number codes into the remote and voila! The song you chose is on the TV.

We were really on the roll... Although both H and I did relinquish the mics to other guests....both of us were sort of hogging the mic most of the time Heee heee... S2 did come and join us and sang quite a number of songs too. S1? Busy playing the Wii, and did not have a care despite the LOUD singing! Hahahah..

Even after all the other guests have left...both of us. No..actually 3 of us were still out on the terrace singing. Summore we were LOUD. Heeheheh...wonder if his neighbours came to complain about us. We were so hooked that we actually wanted to hunt down this machine!!!!

Family Day

H's company did have a family day on the 26th of August. It was held at a local theme park. Though there were thousands of staff and family, I didn't really knew anyone. H said that it's more for the working staff. Basically, he went to show face....congregated in the Huge Hall, waited for H's boss to make a speech, some performance by local artiste etc. We stayed till about noon only. Boys did enjoy the rides but mommy and daddy were kinda tired. H "bribed" them with DVDs and PS2 games... so persuading boys to leave the park early was not a problem....

Juggling Act in the Hall

Meeting Teachers

Will be off to school later in the afternoon....gonna meet both the boths tutors. Will post if there's anything interesting...

Fat. Fat. Fat.

Went to another farewell last Thursday for a fellow countrywoman returning home.....and what do we do at farewells here?

We EAT, of course!

And naturally, the foods that we eat are all rich and fattening.

What did we have?
Thosai, chapati, nasi briani, mee goreng, dhall, lamb curry, chutney, chicken curry, fish curry, putu mayam, gado-gado and some other stuff....

As for desserts.... let's have some pictures (errr..taken with my phone, so not so clear lah..)....

English Trifle

Pecan Pie

Some Malay Kuih

Chocolate Cake

Plate of Fresh Fruits

Another Type of Malay Kuih

Another Chocolate Cake

My Espresso Cupcakes

Another Malay Kuih
So, you say lah... FAT FAT or not?

Lease Negotiation Done!

As I mentioned before in my previous post, the lease of my rented home expired in August. Since there has been some changes in the housing allowance provided by H's company, we decided that we should be the one negotiating with the landlord rather than leaving the task to the HR department. Well, we are quite happy with the negotiations. Though we will not be getting new Moen faucets, we managed to have the maintenance/ repairs and electricity (capped at a certain amount per month) to be included in the monthly rent. As for the guards, H's company will continue to pay the security company directly. Hopefully, this arrangement will be kinder to our pockets. :-)