Goodies From Home

You can always count on mom to bring goodies from home.

And look what she brought all the way from Malaysia :

Sate Hj Samuri

I didn’t expect anything like this and was surprised when she told me she brought 40 sticks of sate  for us to savour. Mom had wrapped it well in foil that the flavour was perfect as if it never left the restaurant back home. Coupled with thick peanut sauce, it was definitely one of the best dinners I’ve had in ages. I even kept half of it in the freezer, sayang nak makan…

And thanks to SIL, amongst other goodies were a whole bunch of Malay movies that should keep me entertained for the next couple of weeks. Being here makes me miss all things Malaysian that I’ll watch anything and everything.

Picnic in the Park

Birdie mid-flight

Birds flying high,
You know how I feel.
Sun in the sky,
You know how I feel.
Reeds driftin’ on by,
You know how I feel.

It’s a new dawn,
It’s a new day,
It’s a new life,
For me.
And I’m feeling good

( Micheal Buble )

Another birdie

We’ve had such a nice return of glorious spring weather recently that we spent a good 5 hours in the sun, walking along the pier, enjoying the gentle sea breeze and taking photos of old rusty boats and sea gulls. It’s true that having a camera does make you extra aware of what is around you.

The scenery behind us exudes a sense of calmness and serenity that we felt refreshed after the walk

I made him climb the steep steps so that I could take a photo of the cloudless sky

Our usual weekend haunt would be the fishmonger and we bought sea bass, salmon and prawns. I was tempted to buy the live crabs and lobster but as our freezer is currently packed to the brim, we had to settle for the fish.

Spoilt for choice

Friends joined us for a spur-of-the-moment picnic in the sun and we had another dose of fish and chips. It is always handy to have a picnic mat ready in the car with summer coming along real soon.

My RM10 tikar came in handy

I wonder where we should go next ? I just hope the weather will be kind to us for the next couple of months and my idea of the perfect picnic should include Nasi Lemak too.

Packing on the Pounds

These days all I do is eat,eat,eat.

I am hungry 20 minutes after having a BIG meal and constantly snacking throughout the day.

I am worried that I am packing on the pounds in all the unnecessary places.

But that didn’t stop me from having friends over for a big lunch and this was what we had :

Roast Chicken

Homemade Nasi Ayam !

Rice and Soup

Anyway, I was looking through my April 2008 folder to look at my old self exactly one year ago.

I was surprised that I can’t even button the jacket below and this particular skirt won’t go pass my thighs.

I am in need of a serious exercise regime after this or else I will face a major wardrobe crisis  

With Miss Yummy Mummy @ The Cumberland, April 2008

Dr Green

Guess who's been hit by the nesting bug?

Weather was somewhat glorious over Easter weekend – all warm, sunny and most importantly,  DRY!

Hubby came home Saturday morning after a night on call and since he was lucky enough to get a good night’s sleep, he had this sudden burst of energy to mow the lawn.

All geared in scrubs and garden gloves - a sexy combination of McSteamy and Jesse Metcalfe

It may seem like a simple task but as you can see, we only have a manual reel mower in the house, so  it took him nearly 3 hours of sweat to get that perfect manicured lawn look. I kept motivating him – ‘Takpe, exercise sikit je…Heheh’

Anyway, a  few friends will be coming over for my homemade Nasi Ayam tomorrow and I am sure they will be smiling over our green masterpiece

So what else have I been up to lately ?

Well, I have been running around like a headless chicken organizing things for the house.

Made a trip to the local laundrette and and am happy to hear that  they are willing to make deliveries to the house for no extra charge. We also found a lady cleaner  from the Philippines to do domestic cleaning  – vacuum, dusting, bathroom, kitchen etc and she too is charging a very reasonable rate.

At least for now, I can breathe a sigh of relief  that the house will be in tip top condition if things get a little bit out of hand.

Last week too, I bought a whole month’s supply of food for Pepper. She’s a fussy little one and only eats a certain brand that I can’t just buy from any supermarket.

Pepper, The Cat

And next week, we will be sending both cars for a thorough wash and polish.

Oh dear, I could go on and on with the list – A million things to do yet so little time.

So till my next post, Have a Happy Easter everyone! Don’t eat too many Easter eggies!!

Welcoming the Break with Big Open Arms

I will miss the children's ward and the excellent staff and nurses

It is such a big relief to not make the 2 hour journey daily to and from work. Although thanks to the new car we bought in January, the journey the last few months was made a breeze and I found it much easier on my back.

This much needed break will be a therapeutic escape from the demanding job that at times took a toll on my physical and emotional health.

But above all the turmoils and upheavals the past few months, it was one great experience that I should be thankful for.

As I am now officially on annual leave and will be commencing my 6 months of paid maternity leave soon after, I am  looking forward to this long holiday  and what bliss to get up in the morning and NOT think about work-  a big, big hooray!