My Hometown, Bee Pee

Am back from sending the boys to my hometown to their grandma and grandpa. It was a real nice break at my hometown although it was a short 2 days. Didn't get to do a lot of stuff but it was nice being home, doing nothing, just relaxing. It is also good we didn't do much stuff as we have left the memory card of my Nikon at home while we cart the camera along. We couldn't take any pictures of our trip. Darn! So here is a pix I got from the net of Tasik Y which we went for our morning walk, this is a must for all our trips there. Many things have changed since I moved to KL in the University days. This park has been upgraded tremendously, with a big extension to the side and facilities added. It is now a favourite site for many, especially the elderly, to have there morning or evening walks, including my mum. There have also been many changes in terms of shopping places, such as Carrefour and a few other malls. There is also standalone Mac Donalds building when during my time at home there was none. Many improvements, it is now almost like a city. Too bad we would not be able to find well paying jobs there or I wouldn't mind going back there for good. Will be going for another quick trip there this weekend to fetch them home and then it will be Chinese New Year before we go back there again. When we have more time, we will make sure to visit Minyak Beku, the beach not too far away from BP town, maybe during CNY.



Looking back this 2010 that is coming to an end, I am surprised how fast it went. I am at least happy with one thing, I did continue to blog as I said I would. It has been more than a year and I have managed to write up something almost every week. Other than this small achievement, I do not think I have accomplished anything significant for the year! Resolutions never really work, so I should just quit making them. So the coming new year, I just wish for God guidance in everything that I do and in any decisions that I make. I also pray for the health and safety of all my loved ones. May all of them have a great year ahead, with God's grace.



This will be one of those short portings, I got lots to do and too little time to spare lately. Hopefully things will improve soon and I will have more to say.

As Korean as it gets...

I had little to do with anything korean until some 8 or 9 years ago when they first aired a popular korean drama on TV. The rest is history. I am now a korean drama junkie! Gone are Hong Kong dramas from my routine, now only Korean guys get to fit into my tight schedule. I am even willing to sacrifice my sleep time to watch them online through my (sometimes pathetic) streamyx connection at home. My korean vocabulary has also expanded, e.g. Annyeong Haseyo, Sarang Aeyo, Bianeh, Kencana.... to list a few (ahemm..). I have tried learning to read korean and they have a very unique system. Really interesting but steam ran out...

My hubby never understands my obsession with Korean dramas, I think no men would. But one thing we do share is our liking for the most famous korean food that all korean drama junkies must know from all the episodes of korean dramas... the wonderfully spicy and sourish pickled vegetables, the one and only Kim Chi.... So we have tasted Kim Chi bought from supermarkets and they are extremely expensive. So we have been researching how to make own own kim chi and finally, last week, I rolled up my sleeves to try making it.

I got my recipe from here. Firstly, you need to soak your chinese cabbage (napa cabbage) with water and sea salt (2 table spoon) for 12 hours (overnight) in the fridge. Make sure all leaves are soaked in the salt water, weigh it down if you have to. Then, next morning, rinse the leave and shakes off access water, out them in a large bowl. Add in some minced garlic and ginger, more sea salt, some sugar and as much grounded dried chili powder as you like. To add more colour, I added shredded carrot and a few stalks of spring onions cut into strips. Mix them well in the big bowl, use gloves (I just bagged one hand in clean plastic bag). Pack them all into a glass container/jar, pour in any water from the bowl into the container. Make sure the water covers the vege, leave some space in the jar as there will be some gas being produced during the fermentation. Leave the jar on your kitchen counter (away from direct sunlight) for 2 days. After that you can keep it in your fridge and take portion to consume when you like. I tasted my own kimchi and I didn't have any upset tummy, so I am pretty happy. The taste is also pretty near to the ones we bought from the supermarkets. So I am confident that I can repeat this process with improved results next time too. This is how it looked like.

School Holiday, Christmas and Year End Coming.

Almost the end of the year and the school holiday is around the corner. We are planning to take the boys to their grandma in Johor for a week or so. I think they are both big enough to not pin for their mommy and daddy for 1 week. I am sure Grandma and Grandpa will keep them entertained, plus we will bring along their PS2 to occupy their hours. So my fingers are crossed. We will be driving them down the week after next and then go fetch them back a week later. My worry is more for our little princess, she will miss playing and fighting with her brothers. Hopefully, she will not be too hard to handle (for MIL) while her brothers are away.


My eldest is getting his result for Standard One soon. Apparently, he is amongst the top 3 in his class and will be getting an 'award' this coming Friday. Guess we will find out what position he got in his class then. I promised to get him a PSP only if he gets No. 1. Too demanding? Not really, my son has not work on his studies at all. He seems to have the lazy gene in him who knows from where. He didn't even flip through his schools books when he was having his exam, so getting something without working for it shouldn't be awarded. That was what I tried to make him understand. Regardless, he will still get what he wants under the Christmas tree (there goes more money!). Kids nowadays are expensive!


Talking about Christmas presents, it is about time to start shopping for them. Looking at the wish lists from the kids and their dad, I think we will be spending several bombs, so there goes the year end bonus. Not to mention, new school uniforms and supplies for the 2 boys going to primary school and also my little princess at the kindy. More money!!


We have got a number of activities within our BEC in December too, so it should be a busy month. We should also be doing some short trips and activities to keep the kids happy in their holidays. I haven't got everything planned yet, maybe a picnic at the river side, swimming at the pool, going to the parks and a short trip to the beach. It's going to be tiring for the parents come school holidays.

Blowing my top

The day begun as usual, the office day was nothing out of the ordinary. But I was furious when I got home to find the dog had dragged my clean laundry to the floor, again! I have punished her numerous times but she just wouldn't learn. Then the kids are also a bunch of trouble makers too. Fighting and snatching things from each other. I blew my top, more than once today.

This is one of those days that I really want to get away to be by myself. But alas, it cannot be. I don't have much of alone time anymore since the kids came along but that's part of family life. I am also having a headache and not feeling all that well. So God, please give me the strength.

It's time for bed for the kids. I think I will let the hubby handle them for awhile upstairs while I steal some alone time to update this blog. With some period of quiet time by myself, I can quickly collect my thoughts and look at things in different perspective. Hmmm, I will make sure my hubby make some alternate arrangements for drying the clean laundry so that the clueless dog cannot reach it. I am going to plan some activities for the kids, preferably something that involves physical movements for tomorrow, since it is a public holiday (Deepavali). These kids get extremely naughty when they are bored. Then there is also the weekend. Maybe swimming, playing at the park, shopping (involves walking), dunno yet.

Oh yes, just read the news that the two by elections were won by BN, just as I was expecting. So I am guessing the election is coming soon with BN having great confidence with these two wins. I was telling my hubby that the mass media is pretty important especially in rural and remote areas. These are the only means of information from outside for them, forget about Internet. It is after all a democracy (to a certain extent) and the people of Galas and Batu Sapi have spoken. Accept that fact and move on.

Tomorrow is a brand new day, Happy Deepavali to all that are celebrating. I conclude with a prayer for this nation: Lord, please provide the people of this nation the wisdom and courage to choose their leaders wisely. Please bless this country of ours with peace, harmony and fairness to all, justice to the afflicted and hope for the despaired. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ your Son our Saviour, Amen. Peace to all.