Checkmate

May!! That was my last entry... aduinakkkkk... ages ago!!  Meant to update every now and then, but when I think of the "work" involved - especially since I like having lots of photos, I become lazy.  But I thought, I'd update today :)

It's creepy when it comes to July / August, a lot of death will be occuring.  I'd hate to connect it to the Chinese's 7th month (i.e. the ghost month), but somehow, the timing is always that way.

Google tells me that Benjamin Franklin said - “Life is a kind of Chess, with struggle, competition, good and ill events”.  In chess (not that I play the game...), then the king is being checkmated, the game is over.  Over the past week, 3 lives had been checkmated.  Game over for them.  One, an old lady from the LongHouse we frequently visit for mission trips, another - a young girl; 15 of age - Leukemia and the last one - a mid age Korean missionary (in her own way) died after being hit while crossing the road.

The black king has been checkmated; the game is over - courtesy Mr. Google

The later 2 was more of a shock to me, but the last one, had the biggest impact.  Eunice had come to Sarawak to learn English - but also was called to reach out to the Ibans / Natives.  So she had been with us in the BM ministry since Day 1.  She then brought over her 2 nephews since pre-school age and raised them up as her own.  Their parents were (as are still) in Korea.  She had thought the 2 nephews - James and Daniel, to be humble, to love the natives as their own, to be faithful in serving.  The 2 handsome now young men were serving in our music team and on some weeks, eventhough it weren't their turn to play, they still came faithfully.  Eunice's English was bearable, but her Bahasa :D was.... "interesting".  We always tease her faithfulness despite the language barrier.  And faithful she was until the end.  She was crossing the road and a high speed car knocked her down.  She went into coma for 3 days and died.  Checkmate.  Oh what loss!! Oh how much our heart was shattered in disbelief at her passing!!  Oh, what pain!!

I guess, our lives are really - just as the bible says - like a flower quickly fading; Here today and gone tomorrow, A wave tossed in the ocean, Vapor in the wind.  When God says "it's time, mate" - it's time.  Checkmate.

The inside of a Checkerboard cake

On a happier note - I made this checkerboard cake early August for someone's birthday.  Ideally, a checkerboard cake pan would be the best thing to have while attempting this cake, but despite's my mate's wholehearted search, alas, it the pan eluded me... to which, I needed to do it manually. So, I baked 2 cakes - one the normal butter cake and the other, choc cake.  Then, slice the duo into half and cut into 3 sections.  Let the photos do the talking now...

This is how it should look like - clean.  This is an extra layer - which we all gobbled up of course.

Step 1:  Slice into the thickness that you want - or bake them in thin layers - whatever you find more convenient.  Then, cut into 3 segments.

Step 2:  1st layer.  Place the outpart on your cake board, ready some cream (or jam if you wish) - to act as glue - slater on the inside.

Step 3:  Put in the opposite colour in the cavity, slater on some more "glue"

Step 4:  Fill up the last hole with the opposite colour.  Then, slater more "glue" on top of this layer, before proceeding

Step 5:  Layer 2:  Repeat process, ensuring colours are opposites.  Noticed a layer of "glue" before I start the next layer. 

Step 6:  Last layer - repeat same process as layer 1 and layer 2

Your cake is now complete.  You can leave it bear (what a mess though :D) or you can frost it of course.  Here's mine after being crumb-frosted. 

And this is after I frosted / deco it with sprinkles.  This was a cake for a guy, so I really couldn't be bothered with flowers and what not.  Just sprinkles.

 Now, there is a reason why the pan sold are round and not square.  I should have gone with the "norm" but no.... instead I decided to use my fav square pans.  If you use square pans, you will end up with sections in the cake that looks layered and not checker la!!  So, please, do yourself a favour and don't be too "smartass" like I was :D

See?  Layered instead of checkered!

Alrighty... super long post.  Anyways, alang - alang update, I'll just add in some more :D  On weekends, sometimes I get crazy and will bake and bake and bake (with my brains trying to think, who to give it to!).  The same weekend I was baking the checkerboard cake, I was also invited to buka puasa at a friend's house, so I baked her a choc cake.

Kerajinan melampau - I baked some coconut blossom apam as well.

Was supposed to bring the whole batch for Sunday morning refreshment in church.  But this little culprit gobbled up more than 1/3 of the yield!  (about 90 pcs).  They are really small so it was really easy for him to keep popping them in his mouth.

And because Noel and I are carnivors and can't live with those apam alone, I made Chicken Mayo buns as well.  Phew!! All in ONE Saturday!!

That's it Mates - my update for now... Let's hope I don't wait for another 4 months for the next update.  Take care!! 

Dear Eunice, you might be gone - not sure if you can look down from above - but know well dear sister, you have left a legacy not only for your nephews but also for us to follow.  I miss laughing with (and at) you in tambourine class.... We will miss you dearly.  Rest well dear sister.

Caught unprepared...

Last night a colleague was caught unprepared when her mom passed away unexpectedly. She was only 57. After a short series of "can't-be-so-serious-sickness", she left. What a sad, sad day... our hearts were so broken, what more to say her and the family... Karen, if you're reading this, am praying for strength for your whole family... for Amberly who didn't get to meet her Wai Po, for Ah Bell who will not have a play mate during the day time, for your lil' sister who's so far away, for your brother who will not have your mom there for the set wedding and especially for your dad; who had lost his life partner. My heart goes out to all of you...

Really, life is short. I sit and ponder today.... I guess I will never be prepared to loose either my mom or my dad.... ever.

Dear God... what can I say... how can I thank You... I'm blessed as it is to have my parents with me... but I'm not ready and I guess, I'll never be ready to lose them.... please give us some more time to be with each other on this earth....

p/s: Photo courtesy Jenkay's Collection... thanks Jane for this perfect photo of the 2 of them.

Adios Amigo...

Last Sunday night, in the midst of busy-ness, came the call saying Uncle George had passed away. We spend few hours in SGH on Saturday when we got an emergency call saying that he vomitted blood and was admitted. He never regain conciousness. 20++ vehicles escorted him back to his resting place in Taee on Tuesday morning.

Ask any one of the family of his / her memory of Uncle, and it will be this - him riding on his scrambler. Since small, I've always been fascinated by him and his ride when he comes over to the house. From far we could hear his scrambler and excitedly we'd exclaim "Uncle George is coming!!!"I couldn't help but weep when Boy; his youngest son rode it from their kampung home to the church for his farewell.

Adios Uncle.... I hope you're resting well now, away from the pains, limitations and the waste of this human body. I'll miss your deep comforting voice, always calling me Mei Ling and Ngui Cis, your tall towering height.... I'll miss you and I hope we'll meet again one sweet day.

It's July peeps.... half a year has gone... have we lived our lives to the fullest, enjoyed and cherished and loved our friends and each and every single one of our family to the best that we can? have we stopped to smell the roses? have we said that long awaited "i love you"? have we done our task and assignments like there's no tomorrow? have we.... ?

Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu

I stand by my comment that comedies / sitcoms of today don't stand a chance against those of yesteryears. It just lack the essence for being truly funny. More to being lawak bodoh - an insult to our Intelligence.

One of the comedies that opened my eyes to the different loghat in Malaysia during my younger days was Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu. So much so, that when I attended Uni in Mainland, those loghat didn't surprise me anymore. And their lawak in the sitcom were truly lawak berkesan!

It's then with great sense of loss that I read in the news today that one of the actor has passed away yesterday. Known as Pak Uda in the series, his signature senget-sebelah-wrongly-button checkered shirt will surely be missed.



http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/6/20/nation/8935091&sec=nation#13085371193101&if_height=637

Contradicting

This will be the most contradicting entry I will every make (I think)!

On one hand, sadness fills my heart as the last of my grandmother's generation (the youngest sister) had passed on to Pearly Gates yesterday. There's been a lot of talks that went round saying that no one will take care of her during the Gawai break since everyone will be going back to their own kampungs. Well, she knew better and left earlier to make life easier for everyone. She's one who's got a wicked sense of humour and she still have it even in her death- her funeral will be on Gawai day. Haha. The joke is on us as now, no one have the heart to proceed with their plans of Gawai in kampung. Tabik to you Nek Su!

On the other hand, talking about Gawai, my heart leaps with joy! YAHOOOOO!!!!! Can't wait to set my Out of Office notification and be gone with all those nasty customer e-mail! YIPPIIIEEEE!!!

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.

Menoa siti siang belama

Had the honour to serve in the services during the passing of a well known Iban leader just a few days ago. This song immediately became a fav and became one that I'd want to be sung during my funeral service.

Apparently, this song was chosen as it was translated by a dear friend of the deceased. How nice to think that they both now udah betemu ba penyangkai serga.