Passion reignited

My nights and days are spent thinking about it... What on earth am I talking about you'd ask... event managing, that's what! I didn't think it was that serious, but here I am, spending any extra bit of possible minute thinking about it.

2 years ago, we organized marriage renewal where 22 pairs renewed their vows infront of children, family and friends. This year, our precious group of youth would like to say thank you to their parents during Mother's day by organizing candle-light dinner for all parents in our church. The noble idea of this came forth as many of these couples have not, and will probably not have the chance to go to restaurants for nice and quiet dinners alone.

The youth are going to organize, set table and chairs, cook, serve, entertain, babysit etc etc during the night. It's a big task for them; many of which are first timers at this game - but it will be so much fun!! I'm so excited just thinking about it. Yes, yours truly is in charge (my youth reasoned that though I'm a mom, I won't have anyone to dine with, and they need my help anyways, so there goes my appreciation!) - but hey, I'm not complaining... Aside from baking, organizing this kind of things has always been my joy! And to do it with a limited budget - BRING.IT.ON!

There's about 60 couples to cater for in 2 weeks time! Anyone with ideas (especially low or no cost ones) - feel free to throw it in!

Take me home country roads...

Went back down the dusty road again for a "instant" trip last weekend... Missing the solitude terribly even before my feet touched back to where I'm suppose to belong....

wishing I can just simply submit my letter, pack my bags and disappear to the ends of the earth...

Oh... and this was the reason I went back for the instant trip... It was well worth the long, bumpy, straining journey... Majority 473 - I'd like to think the "3" was my mom, my bro and I :) Photo courtesy.

It's been a roller coaster ride...

it's been emotionally draining at work these few weeks.... not so much of what, who, when... but more on a personal side.... i am rendered speechless most of the time, when others "assume" that their action is in the best of my interest... which means i am not a good judge of my own ability? it's quite degrading too... as people think that i am in need of "sheilding" so I don't burn and collapse... don't really know what to say and how to say it... but truly, alienation is a bitter cup. Poeple say - hey, just be yourself and be happy - but then, what is being happy when it's all a show? that people act that all is well and in the process, being actors and actresses and not revealing the truth... indeed William Shakespear was right when he said "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players"... entah lah... but so demoralized lately... i could live with demoralization, but that being done by dear ones makes it too hard to bear....protecting, but in the end, destroying a trust.... i really don't understand the logic... more of these days to come... much much more.... just have to endure it i guess... kalau ikutkan hati, mau ja p mencederakan sesuatu untuk kasi lepas stress - boleh ka?

Chocolate Cravings....

Because I've not updated this space for ages....

Because I need to show that I'm still alive and kickin'....

Because today is a Moan-day (hey, this is the day especially made you'd say - yes, yes, I know!)

Because we all love chocolate....

Because choc is supposed to make us happy....

Because we need to be "happy" on a Moan-day...

And just because... Hehehe... berapa banyak because la....

OK, here's a very special bake... I don't really favor baking layer cakes because it takes ages, but I will still bake it on request. My first time baking this Kek Lapis India was last Hari Raya when Ms. Bestie requested for it. Believe it or not, I didn't even taste even a bit of the cake (talking about big faith!!). But she loved it (YEAY!). And so did her sister-in-law (double YEAY!).

Recently, her SIL had a craving for this cake (the little one in her tummy craved for it, la). So, though she was in Bintulu, she requested that I send over the cake via bus. So I got busy busy happily. This is an... expensive and rich chocolate layer cake... lots and lots Cadbury bites (no cheating... this cake calls for Cabdury, so Cabdury it is!)

I used the chocolate rather "sparingly" (yes, yes, lokek I know), but then this much is really enough to bring out the chocolaty taste... Normal process... put the mixture and layer with chocs... over and over again...

And here's a baked layer... Yeah, a bit burnt :P opppssyyy!

I just realised I didn't take the photo of the completed cake... hmmmm... oh well... there's always a next time right? :)

Anyways, once again, with my super confidence, I didn't taste even a bite of the cake. And off it went to Bintulu to satisfy the little baby... and satisfied was the Mummy :)

And for a moment, the world seems at peace.

When death comes knocking at the door

I feel as if 20 years have been added on to my life all of the sudden. Rose and Rumi's mother was called to be with the Lord yesterday evening. That's after their father was called home about 2 years ago. All of the sudden, the decisions on what to do with the body, the transport arrangements back to Betong for the body and the family, the coffin, the ceremonies, the ministers etc fell on young shoulders.

This morning, we planned to take out the body at 8am and transport back to Betong ASAP. We waited and waited and waited for the office door to be opened - who knows we were waiting at the wrong door! note to self: For Kuching SGH, the "correct" door is Pejabat Forensik.

When we discovered the right door to the office, they couldn't find the deceased name!! How can it be? Then we suddenly spotted the daugther's name; who was supposed to be the claimant listed as the deceased! Goodness Gracious! note to self: If the person passes away at the hospital, the relative have to follow to the mortuary to "check in" and "check out".

Then came the "should we inject?" question. For the body to "last" - we must pay MYR300; and that will last for 3 days. They decided, no need. But when we went to see the body, because she died of internal illness, most organs has rotten out. So, MYR300. note to self: MYR300 is for 2 liters - not MYR100/day.

When I came out from the office, I heaved a sigh of relief to see my father there. With he not directly involved with church anymore, he rarely gets involved but I thank God he came. Such relief to know that there's an older person, who knows what to do and gives advice is present among us.

The body was dressed by hospital personnel and transfered into the coffin. note to self: a really big durable plastic helps as lining for the coffin. We had a small prayer outside the mortuary before the body and family left.

All these while, I've always said that I'm getting older. But while doing all the arrangement, it dawned on me, that REALLY, I AM. Before this, all I had to do was to be present there - at most was to lead the services. But now, I have to be part of the team who decides, arrange, and participate as key persons. The transition from the older generation to us, I must say, ain't easy. God help us.

Mango Fish

Just simply because I have not posted anything... gastronomical for ages, and also because I've took photos of these with a possible blog post in mind, I just have to do this entry :)

This is Mango Fish from our fav seafood place at TopSpot (I think the name of the stall is ABC?) - yes, fav but I don't know the actual name of the stall because we just call it as Ah Seng (the boss's name)

One sweet day, Noel (as usual, he's the culprit of me trying new things!) requested for me to cook this at home. Cracking my head (as usual), an image of a well known thai sauce appeared in my head (scary huh?). So I went hunting for the sauce and got it (albeit the bottle way too big for 1st trial!). Then got the fish and the mango. I just had to deep fry the fish (I used red talapia here). For the sauce, super easy. Slice thinly shallots and mango, fry 1/2 of the shallot, pour in the thai chilli sauce till boil, dump in mango and remainder shallots. Voila!

Despite the lack of green (as deco), the fish came almost near the benchmark of our fav spot! And it got Noel's seal of approval too :) Pay attention to the bottle of Thai Sauce - that's the secret to this dish!

Since there's still quite a lot of sauce, I decided to cook this for our CNY eve dinner as well. And though CNY has long gone, here's our CNY reunion dinner spread, just as a feast to our eyes at this point of time! :) And oh yes... all these were for 5 adults and 2 children only! Pigs! Haha! (don't worry, we still had leftovers, which we happily ate on the next few meals)

See the mango fish at bottom left? :) Yes, yes, we had 2 fishes for the dinner! One steamed, one mango. And we had steamboat and kangkung belacan (I had to wash the kangkung over and over and over, due to my phobia of this yummy vege!)

Our dining table is too small!... So we had to put the food at the side counter! Hahah... Grilled lamb, lamb shank stew (this was given by a church member to my dad), prawn and honeydew salad, grilled 3-layer pork, beef curry, sambal sotong, satay (and the condiments).

Give that mango fish dish a try... it's really worth yummy!

Compromise

Do you see green flowers? Or green tall grass?... Or both?

When do we draw the line to say - enough!! no grass allowed in the flower beds!!! Or do we say, let the grass grow to fill the flower beds along side the flowers else the bed will look too empty?!

Give and take? Where do we draw the line?

Watch out that no one deceives you - Matthew 24:4