I thought it would be a quiet celebration to mark my birthday this year, having to stay put and all. But I was wrong! Hubby treated me to an early birthday dinner; then there was that golf game and luncheon with all the golf buddies.
The best part was the unexpected delivery. The girls surprised me with a dairy-free cake, or rather six slices of different flavors. Delivered a day early, they planned with hubby without my knowledge. A lovely but unexpected surprise indeed that made the birthday all the more special despite the circumstances.
Another year older, another year wiser, so the saying goes. This year, the birthday celebration is very different. Both of us are homebound, like 2020, unable to travel anywhere beyond our state border for a birthday getaway celebration. I supposed it’s okay. Better to be safe given the current pandemic that we are facing.
I have lost count of the number of CMCO extensions. And despite several extensions to curb the spread, positive cases are on the uptrend. Very worrying, so it is better to stay put.
The only thing different this year compared to last year’s birthday celebration is the MCO status. Last year, we were under MCO lockdown and had dinner ordered online and delivered. M2 was back then too.
This year M2 is not back yet, and M1 is still in the US, and we are under the CMCO phase, which allows dining in at restaurants. So hubby took me to dinner last night but not today itself. Today will be a round of golf with friends followed by a one-meter-apart-seating luncheon that I anticipate will be a boisterous occasion. So much for a quiet celebration!
I reflect on my life and am thankful for what I have and what I have achieved. The most important thing is I am healthy–save for my occasional Endometriosis issue–and able to do the things I love and be with friends I enjoy. A different celebration is, nonetheless, a happy birthday celebration!
A lovely Japanese dinner to celebrate my birthday!
Lately, I have been eating a variety of things that I’m not supposed to. And because of the lack of willpower to stay disciplined, I suffer the consequences because of my Endometriosis.
Chocolate is one food I cannot resist. I find that regular milk chocolate does not bode well with my tummy. But dark chocolate is okay, and I find myself indulging almost every night! My waistline has expanded as a result of this weakness.
Dessert is another food I cannot resist when it comes to sweet tooth indulgence. When hubby made some coconut pandan jelly recently, it was hard to resist despite knowing I am courting trouble. Like milk chocolate, my tummy cannot agree with the coconut milk ingredient. I’m just wondering whether it is my Endometriosis that’s giving me problems with this natural ingredient?
Jelly is something that one does not eat a piece only. You have to have several. So when the intake is more due to indiscipline, the tolerance level is compromised, and pain will kick in soon after. Sigh. It’s a balancing act to maintain without suffering any painful consequences.
I have not talked about my Endometriosis problems lately because there haven’t been any, thank goodness. You could say it is under control. But any pain experienced is purely diet-related and self-induced. Meaning, if I eat things that I am not supposed to, I will feel the pain.
Recently, I went back to drinking coffee with sugar added. If there’s milk, it’s just courting trouble. So far, I must say it’s manageable because I don’t gulp the whole mug in one go. I take my time sipping, and it works out okay. I’m glad because I do have an urge for a nice cuppa once in a while. But with the added sugar, it’s a setback as far as weight is concerned. Perhaps I should drink my coffee black. Hmm.
Coffee aside, cheese is still one food I cannot handle, although I love cheese. It’s too heavy and creamy for me, and I will be all bloated and upset in the tummy. You can guess by now pizza is off my menu. Eggs, especially hard-boiled eggs, are off my menu too. Besides these, onions and beef are also food that I try to avoid.
The current coffee grounds for the French press
It’s a balancing act to manage the intake and not push my luck. Sometimes it’s hard, so discipline is essential to a happy lifestyle and healthy tummy.
Bread and scones have become such a regular feature on our menu ever since hubby picked up baking last year. So much so, it can be boring to eat the same thing daily. Even he gets bored baking the same stuff all the time. That’s why we get cakes once in a while but only for special occasions.
One day, hubby decided to venture beyond these items, and he made jelly, coconut pandan jelly, to be specific! My, oh my, the jelly is simply delicious. But the process, to me, is very tedious because every layer has to be precisely measured. Such patience he has.
The evenly layered coconut pandan jelly with the evenly measured jelly powder
Whether I like it or not, subliminally, I think DIY project number 13 or 12A is a jinx. I have not sat down at my little workstation to work on it for almost two weeks. Then again, I have been busy with house chores, office work, and of course, golf games.
Four more DIY sets are waiting in the queue, and it’s a long wait. Thank goodness I have stopped buying more DIY sets from my favorite online shopping site. I have to be more disciplined and forget the superstitious number attachment. Otherwise, I may hold off finishing the set, horror of all horrors to even think this, and jump straight to DIY project number 12B. It will be a first for me to abandon a project midway.
Two years ago, after months of serious searching, I finally found the perfect teacup to use with my Nessie and the Deep Tea Diver tea gadgets. And coincidentally, the glass cup is a whale-themed one, perfect for me who, once upon a time, carved Whales (besides my Gnomes and Citizens of Gigglesville). These days, there is hardly any carving done because I ran out of wood.
Anyway, the teacup comes with a ceramic lid and spoon and just nice to keep my tea hot. However, these days I hardly go into the office because of the pandemic and MCO restrictions. The glass cup and the two tea gadgets are left unused. Pity.
Once in a blue moon, it is okay to have a cheat bake day. One can only eat so much bread and scones, and after a while, it gets boring. The palate needs a new taste to jolt its senses.
So I was craving brownies, but hubby dearest did not want to make them (from scratch) for me initially. He said there’s too much sugar involved, and brownies are bad for both of us.
I was persistent, and in the end, we picked up a ready-mix box instead. I figured, what I don’t know (as in how much sugar in the ingredients), I will not fret too much when I eat the brownies. I even feebly suggested I make the brownies, but hubby–knowing my sad baking skills—baked the tray of brownies for me. Sweet, rich, and very yummy, it was a job well done!
A piece each time to keep the tummy happy everyday!
Just when we thought the situation was going well for the little birdie we rescued, things went awry. We had our usual weekend golf game, and as always, I would check with the halfway hut attendant who adopted our feathered rescue on its well-being.
Initially, little birdie was cared for by him, but he gave it to his brother because the brother wanted the bird. And since brother dearest had a birdcage, he agreed.
But he questioned the decision of leaving the birdcage outside the house. Brother dearest explained that it was too hot inside the house for the little bird. And if hung outside, it’s not so warm and more comfortable.
Unfortunately, this proved to be a terrible decision as the birdcage went missing the next day! The little birdie was bird-napped! Dear, oh dear.
While I am mildly upset, I’m just appalled at the fate that has befallen our feathered friend. I hope whoever swiped the birdcage is a true bird lover and would provide for the little birdie with just as much love as the attendant and his brother.
The progress for the latest DIY project has been at a snail’s pace. Could it be due to the superstitious stigma of the number 13? I should refer to it as 12A; then there won’t be all these clouds of doubts or distraction.
But I have to admit, the pieces of this set are very tedious and minute. And I find myself feeling intimidated having to make all those minuscule fruits and vegetables. Sigh. So I have been procrastinating, hence the slow progress. The Chinese instruction manual does not help. Luckily, I managed to download an English PDF version of the manual to cross-check.
Every day, I try to get a piece done up, even if it is at a snail’s pace. Something better than nothing, right? Also, this set is very different from all the others that I have completed.
There are more hands-on steps required, as in painting up pieces of furniture and accessories. Things like the display racks and cabinets need either a paint job or sanded down for a worn look. Vegetable stalks, as well as their display wraps, also require painting! So much work.
The eye-boggling step for the display wraps involves untwirling the paper rope to spread it open before painting! Unbelievable and a real test of patience. With so much effort put in, I’d like to customize the set to my liking by changing and omitting things. We’ll see how it goes as I progress along.
Angieneering 
Remarks