Monday, April 28, 2008

Phew, made it!

Joined the JP Morgan Race again this year and it was fun!! Though I haven't been jogging for some weeks cos too busy, managed to make it through the 5.6km and I was 40 secs faster than last year!! Hahha! Well, at least got improvement!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Homemaker in training!!

Lately, due to my Mum's condition, I have been helping out a lot more around the house. To some of you it may be no big deal but to me, it is! For one who hardly does any housework around the house other than tidying my own stuff and ironing clothes, suddenly having to handle a lot more things around the house was tough but a good experience definitely!

Every few days, Mum will issue me an orange slip - basically it's a grocery shopping list which Mum details out specifically what she wants me to get since she can't really go out. She's super C - she lists the brand, the size and even draws the item out!! (see above!!)

Saturdays are especially siong for me. Normally it will be grocery shopping and I will bring out my yellow carrier with my trusty green Envirosax. I told Joe that I will definitely become more 'auntie' but I want to be a modern 'auntie'! But having the re-usable grocery bag is quite useful! I can stuff the contents of what 3 plastic bags can hold into one of it and just sling it around my shoulder. Especially helpful to free your hands to hold other stuff.

Mummy will always pre-plan certain important tasks to do around the house too. This Saturday she has kindly informed me that I will be cleaning the ceiling fans!!! =( Last Saturday, I handwashed some clothes and also attempted some frying! It was quite an experience!

After the oil was heated up, it was time to fry the breaded fish fillet. Let me tell you the moment the fish got in contact with the oil, the oil started splattering (check out the oil droplets at the sides!) and I actually gave a loud scream! I'm sure the whole block heard me!

Hmm.... the fish seemed a bit too brown... but sadly the insides were not really cooked. So Mum was saying perhaps we should cut the fish into pieces before frying... anyways we decided to cut up the fish and heat them up in the oven. After the time in the oven, the meaty part still wasn't well-cooked so Mum told me to try frying again now that they are in smaller pieces.. I heated up the oil, dropped the fish in, panicked cos it seemed that the oil was too hot and the fish was going to be overcooked... tried to scoop out the fish back into the plate.. put the plate too close and the napkin caught the flame from the stove and start burning.. I was almost tempted to flung the whole mess onto the floor when I realised that there were newspapers covering the floor and I would be causing a big fire in the kitchen if I did that. So I just quickly used my frying ladle to repeatedly 'hit' the burning napkin and extinguished it... at the end of it, you can say I lost my appetite! I think I will settle for cooking mee sau instead... =p

Yong tau foo from NTUC


Maggi Ikan Bilis Stock cube, place into boiling water, cook the yong tau foo and throw in the mee sau... just like cooking maggi mee but much yummier!!

Wonder what excitement awaits me this Saturday?!

Letters for my Jie Meis



Friday, April 4, 2008

Home Warming by Emilie Barnes

The title to this book caught my eye especially since our nest is already ready and it's time to organise our house warming. The sub-title reads as "Secrets to Making Your House a Welcoming Place." It's almost like a pretty picture book since it features beautiful paintings done by Susan Rios. Though overall the book was perhaps a bit too floral and country for my taste, the ideas conveyed were quite insightful and went down well for a homely person like me.

Love the quote - "Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings." T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

How do you create a home that welcomes people with open arms?
Make it comfortable and cosy, introduce elements that create emotional comfort like soup bubbling on the stove, freshly baked bread, surround yourself with beautiful things, add personal touches that express you uniquely and have a clean and orderly house.

Yup, pretty excited about our nest... shall make it very homely and welcoming =) Leaving you with some beautiful paintings by Susan Rios.


"Breakfast Alfresco"


"Private Time"


"Time With Friends at Christmas"


"Sharing the Gift"