Meat Or Poison?

I encountered a situation last Sunday that perfectly illustrates the saying one man's meat, another man's poison.

Both KT and Hubby were not well last Sunday. Lillian and I had to buy dinner for them. One asked for porridge while the other demanded for nasi kandar to speed up his recovery.

That's how different people can be.

Rash Promises

Haha. This should teach him not to make promises he cannot keep.

A Little Ray of Sunshine

. . . crept into my bedroom this morning, shook me loose from the clinging web of slumber and brought a cheerful start to my day with his dimples and smiles.

How I love my Grandson! He is my sunshine.

My Super Healthy Breakfast

Not only is it healthy, it is also super delicious and doesn't require cooking! My favourite kind of food.

Yummy!

It is the same no-cook refrigerator oats recipe but this time I did not use Vitagen. Instead I used yoghurt and multi-grain soy milk that I mixed together with organic rolled oats, chia seeds, dates, dried cranberries and manuka honey.

I popped the mixture into the fridge overnight and just added the walnuts the next morning. I think it tastes better with yoghurt and soy milk, not so watery and with better flavour.

Lunch At Lunarich

Today was one of the few times when I had to go for lunch on my own so I invited Esther and Ee Pheng along. I was given the honour of choosing the venue for lunch because they know that I often do not get to be adventurous with meals when eating together with Hubby.

On our to Gurney Plaza, we passed Gurney Paragon and I was reminded of the lovely thin crust pizza I had with Baby Sis and Jewel. So we decided to go to Lunarich for lunch instead.

We ordered a Smoked Salmon Salad, a Piccante Di Salami pizza and Spaghetti Con Cozze e Pomodoro, spaghetti with mussel in tomato sauce.

Clockwise from left: Smoked Salmon Salad, spaghetti and pizza

The salad was very appetising and the thin crust pizza was as good as I remember it from my last visit. We shared everything, finished everything and left fully satisfied.

The next eatery I want to try at Paragon is either Ben's or Angus House. Now my mission is to persuade Hubby to go there.

Better Late Than Never

My Senior Pastor is a great motivator and he delights in stretching us just a little bit more in order to help us improve and advance.

I, together with a few other leaders, have been given the honour and privilege of preaching a few times a year in church. The last time I was given the opportunity to share, Pastor Gideon requested that I incorporate an altar call at the end of the message.

I dutifully did so but no one responded. Not even when Pastor Gideon took over after I have handed the service back to him. I was really discouraged and, to a certain extent, devastated.

How can it be? Didn't the message speak to even one person? Was it all logos without an iota of rhema? Is it even logos to begin with? Or am I merely sharing human wisdom at a purely carnal level?

PTL! God was ready with an antidote that is well-suited to neutralise the enemy's poison of doubt and discouragement.

The next Sunday, a sister came to me and said that she was convicted by the message. She went back and reconciled with her mother who is 89 years old.

Or is she 98 years old? Cannot remember already.

Anyway, when she told me that it gave me great joy and fresh motivation for my ministry in sharing the Word of God.

The next time round when I give an altar call in obedience to the Spirit of God it wouldn't matter whether anyone or no one responds. That is between them and God.

My responsibility is to hear from God and speak His Word in season and trust that that Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11, NIV).

Shocking Pink Tootsies

Where nail polish is concern, I have always gone for the tried and tested, safe colours but yesterday I finally ventured out of my comfort zone.

Originally I had chosen a nice deep purple that I have used before but suddenly, in a capricious moment, I rashly decided on a shocking pink instead. It's a very youthful bimbo-ish colour but who cares? At least, I am not painting one nail one colour which seems to be the trend nowadays.

When the pedicurist painted the colour on one of the nails of my little toes - I always say my pedicurist should charge me less 'cos my little toe nails are really tiny and they only use up a teeny weeny bit of nail polish - I almost chickened out but then I thought, "Better that I indulge in this harmless bit of foolishness now than I do it when I am eighty."

And this is the result . . .

The colour doesn't look that garish after all

A closer look

Hehe, I went all the way and had some nail art done on the big toe nail as well. Nice?

 When I sent a photo of my newly done nails to 'Bee her shocked response was, "OMG! Why so JENG JENG? In case you don't know, "jeng jeng" is our description for something garish, to the extent of not being tasteful.

My reply was, "Hehe. 56 year old wearing 16 year old colours. Before it's too late."

She graciously replied, "Haha. I see I see."

I hope she understands 'cos I may have more spur-of-the-moment ridiculous antics up my sleeve.

Getting Careless

Lately my once-a-week maid is getting careless. First she almost burned a hole in my new CNY cheongsam. Thank God! She lifted the iron in time to prevent further damage.

Then I noticed that the sole-plate of my not-so-ordinary and not-so-cheap non-stick steam iron was stained with some unidentifiable brown streaks. I decided to observe her at work and saw her placing my steam iron on the metal iron rest.

I have already told her that she must stand the iron upright on the table because I don't want the metal iron rest to scratch the non-stick sole-plate. Cannot obey instructions.

Anyway, the sole-plate was not scratched but the heat from the iron caused the four rubber knobs on the iron rest (isn't that a stupid place to place a non-heat resistant material) to melt (slightly, not completely)and stain the iron's sole-plate.

Now I've to find a way to remove the streaks without damaging the non-stick surface of the sole-plate.

Maybe that's why some employers buy the cheapest and most basic iron, pots, pans, etc for their maids to use. They don't know how to appreciate the good things that make their life easier.

And as if all that is not bad enough, this week she destroyed Hubby's T-shirt. It's a free T-shirt given to him by a developer he worked with on an iPhone app; one-of-a-kind and he has only worn it once.

Smudged!

I must be extra vigilant. She seems to be on a destroying spree.

Librocubicularist

I've finally found the word to describe me. I'm a . . .

There is nothing I like better than to curl up in bed with a good book

It's been a long time since I've had a good read. One that doesn't tax my mind. Guess it's time for a trip to the library to borrow a few good novels. 

20,669 days old

Today I am 20,669 days old. 

Which is 2,952 weeks and 5 days.

That's 56 years and 215 days, including 14 leap years*,
or 56 years, 30 weeks and 5 days.

In other words, that's 680 months.
Therefore, I am 56.6 years old.

I was born on a Sunday, my last birthday was a Sunday
and my next one will be on a Monday.

Can you believe it? After living all these years I would have thought that I have lived at least 100,000 days. 

What is man's life compared to eternity? We have jolly well be prepared for it 'cos that's where we're going to spend the rest of our life.

I obtained all the above information from http://www.korn19.ch/coding/days.php

Time To Say Goodbye

Letting go is never easy, especially something that's been part and parcel of one's Chinese New Year season for the past ten years or more.

I'm referring to a particular pale green Chinese style top in my wardrobe that has, without fail, made its appearance at least once a year during Chinese New Year.

Regretfully, this year will be the last time I'm wearing it. Not that it's shabby but it's bursting at the seams from the weight I've put on over the past decade!

My last time wearing it

I cannot bear giving away this piece of well-loved garment to just anybody. I'm looking for someone who will value it as much as I do. Hopefully I may yet see it being worn again.

Any takers?

No Escape

They are everywhere. On Thursday night we were having dinner at the Mt Erskine night market and within that short half-an-hour we had to move from one table to another twice just to get away from them.

If you still don't know what I'm talking about, I am referring to smokers. One of the most, if not the most, selfish people on planet earth.

Sometimes I just wish I could just do that

And if you would think that we could have avoided them when we are home, you're wrong. Our neighbour in the next apartment smokes the foulest smelling cigarette ever and she, yes it's a woman, would have her nightly smoke out on the balcony.

Unfortunately we are down wind and so we are the unwilling recipients of all her second-hand smoke. We have no choice but to close our door and windows. It's either we deprive ourselves of the cooling night breezes or die from the effects of second-hand smoke.

If we can complain to the authorities on noise pollution, can we also lodge a complain tabout air pollution?

I'm A Glam-Mother!

Friends have been asking me how life as a grandmother is like. I really don't know how to answer that question because I have not done any grandmotherly things other than buying my grandson clothes, socks, shoes and a bib!

Baby clothes are so cute. Just take a look at this...

or this.

Aren't they simply irresistible?

Okay! That's enough gushing over baby clothes.

The reason for my lack of opportunity to do any grandmotherly stuff is mainly because our times with our grandson are much too few and far between. Those precious moments are spent enjoying him, watching him, adoring him and trying to commit as much of him to memory as we possibly can. 

At our age there is only that much we can commit to memory and so I thank God for the iPhone. Hubby and I cannot take enough photos or videos of him. It sounds so silly but I review his photos and videos on a daily basis! People looking at me will see a crazy woman smiling and gazing adoringly at her phone but happy is the day and happy is the heart of this grandmother whenever I receive new updated photos or videos of our Grandson.

Photos and videos are really no substitute for having our little prince, our champ, our No. 1 (grandson that is; must qualify or my 'Bee will be offended that someone has usurped her position in my heart) with us but the photos and especially the videos, are better than nothing.

So what do I do since I am not tied down by by any grandmotherly duties? Why not be a Glam-Mother instead!

Believe it or not, these photos were taken the day my grandson was born!

On the day Grandson was born, which happened to be a Sunday, we visited 'Bee before we went to church. After church we were told that she was already in the delivery suite. No visitors were allowed so we went home and waited. 

When there was still no news in the late afternoon I decided to keep the appointment for a makeup and photoshoot session I had registered for. I was prepared to rush off half-way if necessary but Grandson took his time and so I managed to complete the whole session. 

Looks like I'm meant to be a Glam-Mother! But you know what, I would trade all the glamour for more time doing grandmotherly stuff with Grandson. He is growing up so fast. I hope he knows he has a Kung Kung and Por Por who love him very, very much even though we are not around to watch him grow. 

A Gift For Our Jewel

After a three year wait our God-daughter finally has a study bible to call her own.

When Baby Sis asked me to recommend a good study Bible for Jewel it was the perfect opportunity for us, her god-parents, to buy her the perfect belated 21st birthday gift.

Baby Sis and I took her to choose her bible and she finally settled on the Holman Christian Study Bible. It's a good choice.

Jewel enjoying her study bible. Don't you just love her expression?

Of course, the god-father, being god-father, has to be difficult. He rejected the photos Baby Sis sent and insisted on one showing her face and the front cover of the bible. So this photo is especially to pacify the god-father.