Archive | November, 2015

Another Wedding!

16 Nov

I enjoy family wedding dinners whenever there is an invitation. It is more for the people than the food honestly. Two weeks ago, we were just in Penang for hubby’s cousin’s wedding dinner. Over the weekend, the latest honor goes to my side of the family. However, it is not a cousin but a nephew!

The groom is my First Aunty’s grandson, my cousin sister’s son. So this makes him my nephew, to simplify matters. Unlike the Penang occasion where we went through the Tea Ceremony because of the cousin hierarchy, we were not required to do so this time.

Mom has nine sisters (Mom ranking number six among the aunties) and five brothers, and I have a ton of cousins! Over the years when a happy occasion comes around, the whole clan comes together for the happy gathering. It would be a boisterous time seeing all the aunties and uncles, and catching up with all cousins who showed up.

As time passes, most of my older cousins are married and this created a lengthy lapse in meeting up. Then last year, came the turn of the last few younger ones and the family gathered for two more wedding dinners. It was wonderful. With this latest occasion, marking the third within a year and the first of the next generation, it was a great time for everyone to once again come together and make merry. Until the next occasion…

M2 was able to attend this time!

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A New Scheme

13 Nov

There is a reason for M2’s new found efforts to do well for the exams. I initiated this new rewards program after the mid-terms disappointment, that one another story by itself. The new scheme worked out well for the 3rd exam of the year and she was totally motivated. So we are hoping for the same results or better for the year-end finals.

It’s very simple, really. Since we have stopped going for long family vacations, trips are no longer the incentive, the last one being the Great Road Trip Adventure under the Carrots Reward Program in 2012. Also it’s just odd to travel afar so soon without M1. Maybe next year…

Anyway, it’s all about what you do is what you get.

For every ‘A’ achieved, my payout to M2 is twenty dollars; a ‘B’ would be ten and a ‘C’ nothing. But if a ‘D’ is obtained, she has to pay me back a twenty. I think this scheme works out well as M2, at 14, is old enough to understand the meaning of working hard to be rewarded besides appreciating the value of money.

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Such a Pro

12 Nov

I must say I am such a pro when it comes to Candy Crush. I have progressed very well in the game, reaching Level 1266 two days ago. I sit at Level 1269 now. M2 shakes her head and roles her eyes every time I update her on where I am.

The last several chapters, I have been crowned champion. From a Crazy Cobbler, Miso Master to Cosmic Commander and more, I hold these trophies high. 

And at the last chapter, Bonbon Bistro, another feather in the cap!   

 

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Oh No! Not Again

10 Nov

Just when I thought I was managing my strickened pre-molar well, the filling of my bottom left back molar fell off! The victim of the bread incident, remember? And I think I may have swallowed the filling. Super sigh…

I wasn’t even eating something hard, I had vermicelli noodles! Unbelievable. How to preserve the teeth so that nothing falls off, cracks and buckle under pressure? 

Maybe I shouldn’t eat… Hmm.

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Chat

The Russian Killer

9 Nov

When you see a name like Svetlana, one would think ‘Russian’ then ‘spies’, ‘KGB’ and all the intriguing spy plots. Typical stereotype profile. So when you have a fish name Svetlana, it is no different. 

M2’s pet Betta, Svetlana has been labelled the ‘Russian Killer’ because  hubby’s Finney and M1’s yet-to-be-named-Betta were all bitten by her! Their demise was quick and in succession. My Bubles survived the attack thankfully. For how long more, we don’t know.
It looks like we may have to buy another batch of Bettas and pray that Svetlana won’t take them out.

Tough being a fish with a Russian killer around.

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Exam Week

6 Nov

This whole week M2 is facing her final exams, postponed to this week because of the haze two weeks ago. She has been hard at it, I can see the efforts and determination. Every night after dinner, she would sit at the dining table pouring over the books.

She has also woken up every morning at 4am, an hour better than what M1 used to do, to try to cramp in some last minute studying. This I am not sure works but I can see the efforts. I was never like this even when facing the biggest exams in my life!

I hope all this will not be in vain. Today is the last day.

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Chat

Tired of Michael

5 Nov

I listen to Michael Buble in my car all the time. But sometimes when I get tired of him, I switch to Jacky Cheung or Sam Cooke. Pretty lame music choices but they are soothing. And definitely way better than the radio that constantly has annoying chatter and cackles plus advert interruption. 

If I want to drive to work daily, at least it should be pleasant and pleasant ambience, music in other words, is important.

Now my six CD changer in the car has gone kaput. So I am only using the single CD player. Hence the same music all the time. Sigh… unless I change and it is quite a bother to do so.

Last week, I rediscovered my iPod Mini. The first generation model and the first of my many Apple devices. And in it, I loaded 932 songs which would be ideal for the car! It’s pre-Michael days and so many genre and choices.

But alas… the dinosaur device can’t hold water. Its battery simply cannot last. Double sigh…

Thank goodness I found my other device, the iPod Shuffle and with 124 songs in it and pre-Michael days too, I am pretty much spoilt for choice. So yay, no more Michael for the time being until I get tired of the 124 songs.

  

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We Couldn’t Resist

3 Nov

We were supposed to leave early yesterday but the lure of Penang food was too tempting to leave the island without savouring it. It feels incomplete to be in Penang and not eat, you know? So we ended up at Restaurant 113 on Lebuh Melayu for Duck Meat Kueh Chap. Needless to say, it was good.

We also ordered Tiger Char Kueh Teow and Lobak from the shop on Carnarvon Street, perpendicular from where we were. These people delivers even though we are one coffeeshop away and facing a different street!

After the satisfying breakfast, we bid Penang goodbye. And already making plans for a return soon.

 

This time I made sure the prawns were visible!

 
 

Lobak

 
 

Duck Meat Kueh Chap

 
 

Duck Meat with yellow noodles

 

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Chat

The Wedding

2 Nov

We actually drove to Penang over the weekend to attend a cousin’s wedding dinner. As the invitation came our way many many months ago from hubby’s uncle, we readily agreed. Unlike the last time where we missed out (we were in Bangkok) when the same uncle invited us for his daughter’s wedding, this time we made sure we would come for his son’s happy occasion.

Penang is always a lovely place to return to especially for the food. We had to have the obligatory Char Kueh Teow on Saturday night for dinner. But time was not on our side and there wasn’t much opportunity to eat other stuff because on Sunday morning, we were busy with the traditional tea ceremony.

By the time the morning session was over with a light luncheon served, we rested. Come evening, a light cocktail took place before the dinner. So there was no time at all to sneak in a street food.

The banquet was held at E&O Hotel, a lovely colonial place. The bride and groom were lovingly radiant and it was good for the old generation to meet up. Occasions like this are running out as most of hubby’s cousins were married.

Dinner ended late as always with Chinese wedding dinners. Thankfully we stayed another night before making our way back to the city today.

   
 

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