Ivory Towers?

I think sometimes these elitist people really live in ivory towers and do stupid things and make dumber remarks. Last week, there was this net furore over Wee Shu Min's (Lasik unfortunately has the same initials) sick and dumb elitist blog remarks in response to some poor-now-bewildered guy airing his own blog views.

Thankfully Airport is not like that.

It contrasted with another poor man's suicide in the same week. The odd-job labourer's wife was not well and could only secure of $500/mth job. They had 2 teenager kids and he had not found work for 4 months and was down to his last $16. He chose the MRT route. Was apparently ripped into 3 parts!

Really makes me reflect on what's truly important in this life. It's definitely not about all the corporate sh*t I've been exposed to in the civil service. Have we run the good race, and shown compassion?

Pixiemobile

The old has gone, the new has come....
The good old Nissan is already 16 years old and looks like it can't go further. There is an ominous whirring of the engine whenever it runs, much like the way my old bikes used to sound.

One of my bikes had its 'belt' (the device connecting the engine to the wheels) just snap along the highway. Suddenly, the bike was free-wheeling in the middle of the highway, the engine no longer powering those wheels. There was just enough momentum to bring the bike to the road shoulder and get a tow truck.

Hello New Car, Goodbye Wonky Car
Hello Frugal Finances, Goodbye Wonky Whims

What's really important to you?

I read this article in the ST last week (no point linking the page cuz now they don't keep the archives for long) about loan sharks. There was this very sad case where a 65 year old cabby was brought to court over having borrowed $$ from loan sharks. He was unable to repay them, so he had to open a bank account under his name for them to launder $$$.

What is so sad is that the poor cabby (65 years old!!!) was working very hard to support his elderly sick brother and aged mom. And it makes me think that sometimes we live in ivory towers and worry about job satisfaction when others are living from hand to mouth. At least I know I'm guilty of that. And I'm still learning about what's really important in this life.

The higher calling...

Last week, she learnt to use a drinking straw. And often choked because she couldn't quite vary her suction yet. And then, she discovered that she could blow bubbles with a straw. All within a few days.

The bubbles in her cup fascinate her so much. And now we can't get her to drink any water cuz all she does when she gets a straw and a cup of water is to blow and blow with all her might. And chuckle non-stop.

It was so difficult for me to let go of the job and do this. And now, with every milestone, I'm reminded that she grows up so fast - and fame, glory, recognition and all the money in the world cannot buy this. Had she been outsourced, I probably (no, make that DEFINITELY) would have missed so many special moments and 'milestones'. I would not have been there to video everything. And I would not have realised that after learning how to suck, you still need to learn how to vary your suction.

A child's smile is one of the most beautiful things I can ever behold.

Inspiration Hits

To Stuff your Stomach, Stock your house with Staples

Almond Custard

The Pixie had had enough of burning her brown rice despite following ALL recipe instructions. Time to try the Slow-Cooker. After 2 hrs, a nice batch of unburnt brown rice appeared - but she hadn't intended to cook.

The Pixie Thought Process

Since the rice is hot - take out blender and make brown rice milk (recipe calls for hot rice)

Since blender is out - and since there is extra rice - puree and make brown rice porridge

Since the brown rice milk required some almond powder and the tin has been opened - make some almond drink

Since there is no one drinking it - and since there is extra gelatine - turn the almond drink into almond custard

Voila!

Almond-flavoured Brown Rice Milk (happy Canton Pixie)

Brown Rice Porridge (Happy Little Pixie)

Cold Almond Custard (Happy Tin Hang Zai)

The Gnome and the Goose

The Great Gnome groans and groans. The Guardian Goose gossips and grumbles.

Little Shop of Horrors

Bedtime
Jr: [gasp!]
CP: What's up?
Jr: Little Pixie doesn't need to be rocked to sleep!
CP: Er...
Jr: Gremlins do!

Entertaining Gremlins
G: Auntie CP, can I turn on the TV? Little Pix will like it.
CP: No, the Pixies don't like TV.
G: But without TV it's so boring you know.
CP: [blank look]
G: I NEED to watch TV now lah. I do it everyday.
G: I followed my mom to the office. It was so terrible you know. I had to stand on the train for 45 min! And when I reached her office, she asked me to do something so boring. Like remove staples from paper.

I need a nap!
CP: I need a nap, I'm going to lie on the sundeck and snooze.
G: OK [sits on sofa and stares at CP while she is trying to snooze]
CP: What are you doing here?
G: Nothing [embarrassed grin]
CP: OK, let me sleep, I'm tired
G: [silence for 5 min] Auntie CP, are you rested now, can you help me cut stickers?
CP: Nope, I'm still very tired, I'm going to sleep
G: [after another 5 min] Auntie CP, have you slept enough yet? Why not you help me cut my stickers?
CP: [roll eyes] I'm very tired.
G: [after 10 mins] Auntie CP, have you finished sleeping yet? Maybe what you need is water.
CP: NO

Children's Books (Almost Verbatim!!)
Crow & Magpie
The Crow was unpopular amongst the animals, he wanted the Magpie to teach him how to sing. The Magpie agreed only after he had thought of a way to kill the crow. The Crow was happy about finally learning how to sing. The Magpie told him to drink only dew for 7 days. He did. After 7 days he died. Moral of story: can't remember

The Stupid Donkey
The donkey was carrying a heavy bag of salt and about to cross a bridge across a river. He fell into the river, the salt dissolved, and the bags were lighter. He was happy. The next day, he was carrying a bag of cotton wool and when he reached the river, he jumped into it instead of crossing the bridge. The cotton wool soaked up all the water, made the bags very heavy and he drowned. Moral of story: can't remember

The Horse & the Donkey
The proud racehorse bred on premium feed was always taunting the donkey for eating plain grass. The donkey kept quiet. One day, the horse was carried past the donkey with all 4 legs tied up. He told the donkey he'd broken a leg, was useless as a racehorse, and was going to slaughtered for me. Asked the donkey to help him. The donkey gave him a blank look. The horse was killed. Moral of story: Pride doesn't pay.

Gremlins' Grammar

I couldn't stop laughing.

Gremlin: Auntie Canton Pixie, have you got the haze?
CantonPixie: Er, what do you mean, Grem?
G: Well, my school, a lot of people got the haze.
CP: Er, what do you mean by 'the haze'?
G: You know the smoke thing outside?
CP: Yah?
G: A lot of people in my school got it! The next class, 12 people got the haze. My class is the only one that didn't get the haze. I don't have the haze.
CP: [suddenly enlightened]. Oh! then I think I've also gotten the haze. I don't feel well now. [cough cough]

Little Pixie Takes a Train!

A meeting was cancelled because of the haze.

Nevertheless, Little Pixie had a 'dry run'. A tottering, scrawny Canton Pixie toting Little Pixie kangaroo-style, with an OVERSIZED screaming-blue Adidas sling bag holding Little Pixie's survival essentials. They tottered up the escalator and got onto the train, inviting a lot of stairs. At the YT foodcourt, sympathetic stall-owners whistled at Little Pixie, thinking she was a bird.

The journey to Gremlin's Place was .... trying. (try carrying a 9kg weight in front, a 7 kg sling bag on your right, and 3kg worth of lunch on your right. They are trying to become tightwads.

Girl Talk

Chinese Almonds & Fig Drink, Simmered Overnight

Had a great Saturday evening with Lasik and Ballet. Thanks to Lasik's suggestion about herbs that could strengthen the lungs, I made this since I didn't want to invest in a soymilk maker. Not sure if it works, but what the heck. Just whack lah.

I hope it helps Tin Hang Zai who has been overdosing on deep-fried junk.

Organic Food - Yum or yucks?

Egg yolk, peas, kale, oats seasoned with brewer's yeast

You can be a healthy kid on an ovo-vegetarian diet.

Special Soul

She is definitely my fav aunt from this side. (My other fav aunt from the other side looks like Moses Lim).

Her life is simple and humble. But it is characterised by faithfulness and virtue. She looks after two ancient citizens, two growing ones and an existing one. I don't know much about them, except that she cooks up BIG meals on a single stove. (I sometimes use all 3 stoves at one time and still take an hour to cook a simple meal).

She took a train all the way from the east to the north, carrying with her 3 big bowls of her fantastic Fu Chok Tong Sui (Bean Thing Sugar Water). Just to visit an ailing relative. Someone who is much more blessed materially than her. And she didn't complain.

Cosmo is coming back!!!

I'm very happy that Cosmo is coming back this week. She can keep Ma occupied. *evil grin*

Also, she can baby-sit Little Pix, and be a guinea pig for some more of my healthy recipes! The big plus for all of us is, she is giving us all a treat at the Oriental this Sunday. Hurray!!

Recreating Scruffy Murphy's

The Pixie Big Breakfast

1. $ 2.70 - 2 Portabello Mushrooms
2. $ 0.95 - Gross Luncheon Meat (Tin Hang Zai's childhood fav - nitrites nitemare)
3. $ 0.95 - Heinz Baked Beans
4. $ 1.00 - 5 Seng Choon Eggs
5. $ 2.96 - Back bacon (6 slices)
6. $ 1.00 - Leftover garlic bread from Friday's Pastamania dinner

Total: $9.56
Scruffy Murphy's Total: $20 + Petrol + Overpriced Coffee + Sleepless-hence-Grouchy Little Pix
Our only rant: Dishwashing

Eggs Scrambled with Bacon Grease
Eggs Scrambled with Non-Stick Spray

Portabello Casserole

Airport did something dumb

Airport has been complaining that he can't see the pictures.
Here's what happened:
If you are on my yahoo mailing list - each time the blog publishes, all members of the list get notified via email. The emails are saved separately on the yahoo group page, and the blog posts are also included in the notification emails.

Airport had been visiting the yahoo group page despite being told that this is the blog URL!! LOL

Fancy Kettle

This is my new kitchen timer.

Cauliflower gives gas!

That's what the Super Baby Food book said, but I didn't know it applied to me too. I didn't have the guts to use msg-laden soup stocks, so I bought Kallo tomato & herb stock to use.

Hospital Memento

Guess what this is? A massager!

You will be sent to the 'Infection Ward'

Hospitals are really horrid. At TTSH - goodness, there was a SOP for cleaners with a warning saying that if they didn't comply with the washing hands SOPs - they'd be sent to the infection wards (!!!)

The notices outside each ward had 'red dots' against certain beds. Don't know if they were there to indicate troublesome patients or to indicate that someone had died.

He was assigned to a bed where someone died just 5 minutes ago. And some busybody told us!

There was a bed which looked like a 'residence' - teddy bears lining the headboard, cards, etc. And one day the bed was cleared.

The patient opposite him died, and they said it was from TB (!?!?!?) and he wasn't isolated!

Another young guy had been there for ages. He looked vegetated, and we heard he'd had a fall in army - and the ministry refused responsibility. No one dared to testify. The parents are stuck with mounting bills.

Life is so short. And unpredictable.

I just want to treasure all that I have, and live in the present. Sometimes you spend your life saving up for the future, refusing to enjoy the present, because you are busy slogging for your retirement. Your retirement may never come, your future may never materialise. And even if it does - you may not get to enjoy it. You may not get to go for the holidays, the trips, eat the foods you always wanted to.. isn't it a very sombre thought?

I was always waiting for that promotion that never came. And now I think - it doesn't matter in eternity.

Our very own McDonald's Milkshake

Tin Hang Zai was pretty jinxed when McDonald's re-introduced their legendary milkshakes. There's none in BB, he tried JE - machine spoilt, and then went to KAP - they said they don't sell, passed by BP and forgot to get it. Finally when he went to L1, he came so close, but was conned into buying the banana milkshake - and we ended up drinking really fake-tasting banana syrup. Yucks!!!
I found this really fancy recipe that tastes exactly like the real thing! It's thick and just like ice cream! You even need to use a spoon (!!!) And we've even bought paper cups and covers and straws so that Tin Hang Zai can really believe he's having 'the real thing'. I made a batch of 3 to freeze, and now when he feels like it, he takes it out and pretends he just called McDelivery (btw, they don't have milkshake on the McDelivery menu).
You guys must really visit this site.
Forget about those other milkshake recipes that call for you to blend ice-cream and milk. They don't work and you end up getting a smoothie and craving for the McDonald's version which needs a spoon. What's worse, you spend a ton on ice-cream that gets melted into liquid in the blender heat.

Magic Milkshake (please refer to the site for the full recipe and more tips)
1-1/2 to 2 cups ice water*
1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder*
2/3 cup sugar**
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa**
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1-1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
2 tablespoons corn oil plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes (this is VERY IMPORTANT)

Place all of the ingredients into the blender, including the oil and the non-stick spray. Use less water for thicker milk shakes and more water for shakes that are easy on your blender motor. The blender should be about 3/4 full. Place the lid on. Process for a full 2 minutes. DO NOT STOP the motor to 'mix' it yourself.

As with all the other recipes, I found that this one has to be followed closely if you are going to get the same effect. My only modifications were as follows:

*I had leftover fresh milk which had been frozen into cubes to preserve them - so I roughly replaced the cold water and milk powder with 1-1/2 cups of milk cubes
**I had leftover Hershey's chocolate syrup from following those other rubbish milkshake recipes - so I replaced the sugar and cocoa with roughly 3/4 cups of chocolate syrup.

Brownie Points

This recipe really works. I really like it. Tin Hang Zai actually ate 4 pieces at one go!! We polished off Airport's leftover Haagen Daaz Melon ice cream as there was no more ice cream at home, and brownies HAVE to go with ice cream.

Just one thing though, his PA says that it's a tad hard - and I'm not sure why. The recipe comes from Hershey's and I followed it to the tee.

Brownie Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional) (did not use this)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 180°C. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

This thing really repels ants!!

Peeling Grapes is no fun

Little Pixie doesn't really seem to like peeled grapes! She eat a piece and stuck out her tongue and grinned.

Botak Jones Trip

Finally found out what all the hype is about. I must say I don't think I ever want to go eat American food at some fancy restaurant again. This place is really value for money. Lamb chop actually comes in mint sauce!!!

Kale looks like sh*t!

But Little Pixie gobbled it all up!

New Rabbit!

Tin Hang Zai bought me a new rabbit to replace the blue bear which Cosmo dropped into soup the last time she came back.

Undigested Fibre!

Looks like the "Real Thing"!

Found a really fancy recipe for croutons and Tin Hang Zai said they "look like the real thing" and taste like it too!

It's from this fancy site called the Hillbilly Housewife. They are also very kind about people putting links onto their website.

Croutons
5 slices of bread
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I skipped this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup oil
Slice your bread. Put everything into a plastic bag and sprinkle all the ingredients except the oil. Shake and mix. Add in the oil, and shake and mix further. Bake at 180 deg C for about 20 minutes or until they are crisp. (I burnt 5 slices of bread just by baking for 5 more minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan. Store the croutons in a plastic bag, or resealable container.

Yum Yum Japanese Food!!

The Pixie Family decided to become tightwads and yet we were not keen to eat anymore tze char to celebrate birthdays. So we settled on IMM's Hoshi Restaurant. (UOB Discount - 15% with min $30, HSBC - 20% with min $100). Thankfully, Airport carries all his cards with him wherever he goes!! We had a huge spread of tempura, teppanyaki and other funny stuff ordered by Pa. Seafood teppanyaki was fresh but the teriyaki chicken and salmon had a tad too much gravy. Other than that, food was fresh and a bill of $110 for a 5-person hearty meal is decent...