Yummy!

It is time to lose some fats after all those food eaten during the CNY holiday!! But before that, let me recollect on some unique dishes that we had in Sibu.

The famous prawn noodle we had in Jaka before we heading to Sibu. RM20 per bowl. Super fresh prawns with red wine soup. Too peppery for my taste bud!



It makes me wonder whether I am celebrating CNY or other celebration because the chef (hubby's uncle) cooked Iban dishes for us. This is a pork pansuh!!

Tasty pork leg with a bit of chilli spice. I almost choked to tears on this dish. Lol!

As for the kids, my girl stayed at her aunt's house while 3 of us stayed in hotel. The weather in Sibu was very hot but we had rain in the evening. The kids had fun playing with fireworks while adults were having great time gambling. Lol! I neither lost nor won in Ballad game. For kids' photo, go here.

I am back!

Came back from Sibu last night. We had a great but tiring CNY in Sibu, visiting hubby's family and relatives. But it was an enjoyable holidays as we get to see many cousins, nephews and nieces there.

We started our journey on Sunday morning around 6am after picking hubby's cousin and niece. We reached Sibu around 12noon. Whereas our trip back to Kuching yesterday, it took us more than 7 hours. Why not? We stopped 5 times for toilet breaks and meals along the way and some more it was heavy rain at some stretches. We even saw an accident going to Serian yesterday. But overall the kids enjoyed the car ride.

More updates to come!

Happy Water Dragon Year

It has been a very busy time in the shop that for this week, I have closed late. Why customers always late minute rush into shop when it is almost time to close?? Lol! I re-phrase myself. It has been busy since Christmas last month and I am glad the business is picking up again. How I wish every days would be good days! *wink* It is good thing to stay busy. Keep my mind and body active and stay positive.

Is it me or the mood this year is rather slow and quiet? Do not really feel the heat. As for us, we did not prepare much since we are going away. Just bought some bacon jerky back to Sibu. We are celebrating the Year of Dragon in the city of Sibu.

Hubby is taking a day leave tomorrow. Good thing too, he needs to help with the packing. I have done packing for the kids and half for myself. Can never finish packing although you start way early, because something are meant to be packed on the day itself. Hubby will help with the spring cleaning. Honestly I think he is better housekeeper than me. Lol! Am glad to marry to someone who knows how to clean up because I am terrible housekeeper.

My cute red packets for the kids. Red packets now come in many designs. Red is no longer the "in-thing" among the youngsters. Which kids do not know those cartoon characters huh???


We would be leaving for Sibu on Sunday morning by car. Hope it would not be a long trip as it is the eve. Everyone will be gathering in Sibu this year. Hubby's grandma had a fall few weeks ago (according to my SIL who resides in Sibu now) so hubby (been a filial and eldest grandchild), he wanted to spend more times with his aging grandparents. I don't mind, as I also grow fond of both grandparents who are very loving and hospitable couple.

I would like to wish everyone "Happy Chinese New Year" and "Gong Xi Fa Chai".

Remembering grandma

*This is post-dated entry*

When I was small my maternal grandma always made glutinous rice (nuomi fan) for us. All of us love her glutinous rice. I never know my mum know how to prepare this dish or not, because I never ask her.

Now my grandma in her 80s, she seldom make this rice dish but I got the privilege to taste it again few weeks ago. Still taste the same after all those years but I remember grandma put some chestnuts in her rice but now just some mushroom, pork bits and dried prawns. Cannot eat a lot as I have indigestion problem. Genetic? Because my dad also have such problems and so is my sister.



Thank you, grandma!

P/s CNY is just few days away. Ready for it??

Weekend Menu #19 : Wolfberries experience

Another cooking weekend for me. Both kids are sick. As usual, down with flu and cough, so we prefer to stay at home than going out for meals, especially Baby Jay would tend to drink every cold drinks on the table he can take irregardless he is ill or not.

Cooked something nutritious for the kids so I bought a pack of dried wolfberries home. Commercially called goji berries, they are high in vitamins and micronutrients.


Nutritious kailan and mushroom dish.


My chicken soup for the cold!



Hope the kids recovered in time for the CNY and I would not get sick too!! Lately I have not been resting well and suffering mild headaches and dizziness. The kids are sick, but they still full of energy. Before they are tired, I tired first from looking after them over the weekend!! Lol!

In the mood

Continue with my shop CNY decoration..... As usual, when my girl saw the decoration last night, she immediately want to learn how to make them. But instead of learning how to make them, she did her own decoration. If you asked me, I think she is trying to make firecracker out of the red packets. Happily showing off her creation and asked me to MMS to her grandma to see. Lol!


This morning I had the worst breakfast in NK. Never tasted the sweetest Teh-C Peng Special in my life! Yukky! I would not want to order that drink from that cafe again. Some more coupled with my plate of Crispy Noodle in tomato sauce, I gulpped many water into me to get rid of the sour and sweet out of my food. Too sour and sweet for me. And hubby kept complaining about their teh-O Peng too. Too sweet. Their reason for all the sweetness is because a new staff handling the drink. Hmm.



But at least their selection of songs did not spoil my entire morning mood. They played all those 90s songs which I love like Trademarks, Michael Leans to Rock, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, etc.


My all time favourite.

Red packets decoration

We did little Chinese New Year decorations in the shop. Since the opening of schools, we did not have many customers dropping by during the weekdays. So the staff requested for unused red packets. Initially for the pasting of Chinese fans on the glass panels, but end up we did something different with the red packets. I do not have unused red packets as I do not usually keep them, unless they are attractive. I have many leftover red packets from last year, so I brought some packs over.


All DIY by us, save money on buying CNY decoration!! Lol!



We did 8 of these tiny lanterns and hang them above the counter. 8 is always an "ong" number for Chinese.


I got this fish decoration idea from the internet. It does not turn out bad, but my fish does look bigger and fatter, because I used a rectangular type! Lol!


So 8 little lanterns, and a pair of fishes around. Hope 2012 bring prosperity and good business!!

Smoked meat

I have been experiencing dizziness and headaches since last week. Don't know what is wrong with me, but today I feel much better. Just that when I lied down too long, I will experiencing dizziness when I move or sit up. When I posted my condition on Facebook, my friends started speculating that I am pregnant! No-lah! Hahahah! If pregnant, I would not be worry much about my condition, but I guess lack of rest or sitting too much in front of pc caused my dizziness and headaches.

Anyway, hope it will go away. CNY is 2 weeks away. Have you ready everything or almost done with the necessary chore?? As today is Monday, and I guess some of you will experiencing Monday Blues, I want to share this yummy food with you. Actually a gift from a neighbour. Very thoughtful of her! Sugar cane smoked pork belly.




Yes, you heard it right! Sugar cane. And the taste is heavenly. Hard to describe. Tasted her sugar cane smoked chicken before, but I still think the taste fit pork belly best!

Okana and the lion head

Black Olive

The native of Kapit called it "O-ka-na" or "Da-bai" while us called it black olive. It has that smooth, oily texture that need acquired taste (which I am still not accustomed to). My father-in-law is in town since Wednesday and besides passing some native rice and fishes for my 2 kids, he also bought some olive fruit here. Very expensive if you asked me, can fetch up to more than RM20 per kg!



My mum's favourite fruit besides the Sibu kam (green orange)! *wink*


Historic head

I did not know of its existence till last weekend! Lol! Talking about being a Kuchingnite at birth. *Paisey*

It is nothing unusual about this fountain, but the historical thing is the fountain head in the shape of a lion. It was built during British Colonial time so you know how old is this fixture. Located in Leboh Wayang, opposite Jalan Wayang.

My usual model girl!



Water came out from this lion head during the old days, now no more.

At least me and the kids learn something during the weekend, thanks to dear hubby! *wink*

Happy Friday everyone!

p/s It rained this morning but has stopped and did not caused any flashfloods. Wish for less wet days ahead. Dread driving in the wet condition.

Not ordinary day

The continuous downpour since last night caused a massive flood in most areas in Kuching! Never been hit this bad. I think today is the worst I ever see!!




Me and the kids were caught in jam for nearly more than an hour on the road. I were able to drop my girl off her kindy but unable to get into the housing estate leading to baby sitter's house. Tried 3 different routes but unsuccessful. Some cars are caught in the pools of water while others moved their vehicles out from their houses along Hui Sing, Arang Road and Dogan Road. After contacting the baby sitter, we met in front of 688 shop to pass my boy to her. And it took me another hour to reach my shop. Late for an hour and my foot was tired from all those driving!

And this is nothing. An accident happened this morning just on 2nd day school reopens. My prayer goes to both victims!

Looking back at 2011

New Year celebration is over and kids are back to school, everyone is back to work. But I am still thinking about the goods and worsts of 2011. And I still write "2011" on paper subconsciously. Yes I know. 2011 has ended and everyone is looking forward to 2012 but it is alright to remember the good and bad times. So before I forget and for myself and my family to read in the future, I better pen them down here.

Some days were bad, but who doesn't have right? The key word is to learn to relax, de-stress and less worry. Most of 2011 I were in uptight positions, may it be in business or family. I hope this year would be a better year and hope I would enjoy life to its fullest!

Alright, let's talk something good here!!

Some hightlights of my 2011:

January ****** My Indonesian worker left us for good. After working for 9 months, she requested to be home for CNY. She said she will be back but it was a lie. We knew at first because she packed everything. It was hectic in the shop back then but I survived. Thank god I found 2 good staff who still working for me since March.

February *******Bring the kids back to hometown for CNY celebration. It was Baby Jay's first visit to grandparents' town. Luckily it was a smooth trip as he slept in the airplane and also in the express, keep the stresses away from us.

May *****Officially operating the shop for a year and my 1 year as a stokist.

June *****We had a 2 days makeup and photo taking session in the shop. Little girl was also one of the participants. Her first time doing make up and being photographed. She has a fall and cut her scalp the night before, which gave us a fright! Luckily she was fine.

August *****Got a digital camera as my birthday present from hubby! Still polishing my photography skill here. Maybe this year hubby will get his Canon camera since he has been drooling over its Canon EOS.
****** Hubby bought his first iPad2. For work and leisure he said. *wink*
****** Officially started our extension and furniture fitting in new house. Cannot wait to move in. Everything should be ready by mid-year the latest.

October ********First time going to Sibu by land. We drove for nearly 6 hours per route. A tiring experience but we see a lot of things along the way.
****** Enrolled little girl in music class. She enjoys herself and hopefully she will get her own piano and we are able to hear her play on one(provided she passes her Grade One first!).

November ******Little girl participated in the school year end graduation dancing performance. Really proud of her performance!
****** Family vacation to KL cum shopping spree. First visit to Zoo Negara.
******On reading momentum for the month as bought a lot of books from Logo's Hope.

December *******Family has a short vacation in KL during Christmas Day so I am in charge of looking and feeding after their dogs. GOsh! Hard to look after dogs after all, especially one old and almost blind terrier and another naughty one. And my brother complained his dog lost weight while he was away!! What to do?? Both dogs are so choosy when it comes to food. Lol!
******* Joined Her Space, a great place to meet up with other great women and exchange opinions, and got my first Starbuck gift card for participating in their forum!


Hope for more exciting and prosperous 2012!

The case of intolerance

Not a good way to start my New Year but that was the way. Few days ago I had stomach upset. At first I was wondering whether I ate too much, you know all those year end and wedding dinners invitation, but I thought otherwise. Then I thought that maybe the overdose of "teh-c-peng". I think that would be the culprit because when ever I tasted a very "kau teh-c-peng" I would have stomach upset and sometimes diarrhea. So I stopped taking for few days, and yet the stomach upset still "visiting" me.

Then it just popped into my mind. MILK! I have been taking milk for 4 consecutive days. And in the past when ever I took milk, I will have lactose intolerance. I seldom take milk in my life and when I did, it was when I was a preggie. Now I am now I seldom take milk because of the intolerance. However lately I experienced backache and hubby is suddenly so concern about lack of calcium etc, I thought I give milk a try. I bought 4 packs of Anlene high calcium milk and drank one pack per day. Still, I am not over the intolerance. I have stomach upset for 2 days.




I gave up on milk, and better go back to Calcium tablets. I have not take Calcium supplements for few years too. Because I don't like swallowing those big white tablets. Sigh!