Childhood games

When I was a kid, my friends and I played a lot of board games. Ludo board, monopoly game, snakes and ladders, and chinese checkers game.
Those are games that every child enjoyed back then. I remember I had a set of each of the board game and would play them either with my sisters or my friends after school. The game of snakes and ladders for example is one of my favorite because the board is colorful and have a lot of snakes...LOL! The rule of the game is the first person to reach top left square is the winner. Each player will throw a dice and count their way up the board. If you land at the foot of a ladder you climb it, but if you land on the head of a snake you slide down it. Some snakes and ladders are higher than others and I hated it when I hit the longest snake and had to go down to the bottom square again. But I like this game because it is fun, entertaining and suitable for every age range.


My other favorite game is "Congklak" or the Javanese called it "Dakon" game. It was said congklak, or dakon board game was brought to Indonesia by Indian or Arab traders centuries ago. Congklak is played on a board with circular indentations along both sides and a home indentation on each end of the board. The game is played with 98 small markers such as shells or beads, which are divided evenly between all the indentations. It is quite a challenging game and takes a lot of practice before a player becomes skilled. And it led to interesting games as the kids learning basic math in an enjoyable way. To learn more how to play congklak, please read here.

Too bad this kind of games can rarely be seen being played anymore. The kids today seem more interested in electronic gadgets than board games...but sadly that's the direction the world is taking now.

**picture of snakes and ladders courtesy of Wikipedia, the dakon picture taken from Yogyes.**

Sisters

in a photo studio in my home town...(me = left, younger sis=right)
photo taken in our elementary school vicinity ... (me with big hair, sis with her underwear peeked a bit)

Looking at these old photos, my sis, Imelda, and I laughed so hard particularly on seeing the second picture. My hair was naturally straight but I wanted to have a Shirley Temple curls style. I thought it was cute and I begged my mom to take me to the hairdresser. However, it didn't look quite even close...LOL! Instead, I think I looked more like a walking durian.

Anyway, I was born in 1966 and she was born in 1967. We're fourteen months apart, you might think I am lucky to have a sister so close in age. But unfortunately we were like cheese and chalk. She is named after Imelda Marcos, the former Philippine First Lady, as my mom adored her beauty when her husband still reigned as the president of the Philippines. Yes, my sister is very pretty. In fact she is the prettiest in the family, she is the tallest among the five girls in the family, she has dimples on both of her cheek when she smiles, she is a real head turner. When we were teenagers, she always gets a lot of boys looking at her and the boys most of the time try to get her attention. Even now she still get stares when she walks down the street, the malls, her workplace and when stepping out of the MRT. I am considered a plain Jane, even my boss didn't believe it when she saw us together at the airport. She said, "are you sure you're sisters"...I said...er...'she is actually a distant relative'... LOL! We have never been friends when we were young girls. I worked hard at being good, right and smart. She on the other hand took everything less seriously than me, but she could be very stubborn and had her ways whether you liked it or not. In short, we're two completely different personality.

Years passed and we had become increasingly distant, esp. when she got married and moved to Singapore. Unlike in Indonesia where she worked in a bank, over there she was a stay at home mom but often traveled to Bali to help her husband's garment business. To everyone else on the outside they appeared to be the perfect family. Unfortunately, he was not as good as what she thought he was. They eventually divorced. I felt symphatize with her problem and I was apprehensive about making a truce because she has no one there but her only daughter, L. She then managed to find a good career job in a Japanese electronic and electrical equipment's manufacturer. Secretly I admire her strength in a hard time, for being a single breadwinner, for juggling between working and raising her daughter alone, for being a wonderful mom. L, is a mommy's girl, she is very doting and always right by her mother whenever they have time together.

We began emailing and talking with each other more often, spent quality time whenever she came over to Indonesia or I went to visit her in Singapore. I realized despite our differences we had a lot in common. We've had our ups and downs but we are closer than before. I love her and I could not imagine a world without her in it. She is as beautiful person on the outside as she is on the inside.

Today is my birthday

Today marks the 42th year of my life. When you get to my age, you’d be less than thrilled, but the darn things come around every year anyway.

Everyone who loves me tells me I don’t look forty-two, whatever that means. I’ll take it as a compliment. Yesterday when I got my family for lunch together I didn't mention about my birthday at all, and they seemed not to remember it either despite the cake that was being presented as a dessert. I invited them quite often they thought it was just another lunch with me...LOL! But my youngest sister sent me a birthday text message five days ago though. She thought it was on Feb 20. Well, there's a mixed up birth date between me and my younger sister, I, but the two of us know our real birthdays. Today she and her daughter, L, sent me a picture b'day message. So I'll count my blessings, enjoy the days and the year.

My lunch today

Today, my lil niece, Van, her dad and mom, my lil nephew Alex and his parents came over to have lunch with me. Because I'm not a restaurant freak, my helper and I prepared a full set of lunch that everybody like. We had nasi uduk (coconut steamed rice with lemon grass flavour), deep fried prawns, spicy balado eggs, lalapan (raw vegetables), and sambal (shrimp paste condiment). For Alex, I made steamed tofu with ground chicken and prawns, a little dice of carrots and green beans. He is a fussy eater, it's difficult to make him eat but I know he loves tofu.

Well, we rarely have had time to have a brothers & sisters gathering, so even a simple lunch like this does bring the sense of closeness together. Being with my niece and nephew, watching their smiles and listening to their laughter also makes me happy. Is there anything better than a laughing child?

ps : untuk teman2 yg ingin resepnya, buatnya gampang sekali :

Bahan :
-Udang peci ukuran sedang atau besar (tergantung selera)
-Bawang putih secukupnya
-Tepung bumbu merk "Sajiku" (bisa beli di super market)
-Telur 1 butir
-Tepung roti merk "Mamasuka" atau "Finna Panko" (bentuknya flake, seperti kepingan2, bukan tepung panir yang halus).

Cara membuat:
-Haluskan/ulek bawang putih, kemudian tuang tepung bumbu sajiku, beri sedikit air, aduk sampai rata. Karena sudah pakai tepung instant, tidak usah digarami lagi, sisihkan.
-Kocok lepas telur.
-Masukkan udang kedalam adonan tepung, aduk dengan tangan sampai semua tercampur rata.
-Celup kedalam kocokan telur, gulingkan kedalam tepung roti flake sampai udang betul2 tercover dengan rata. Tata dengan rapi diatas wadah, susun bertumpuk juga tidak apa asalkan semua udang sudah tercoating.
-Simpan dalam lemari es (rak nomer 2 atau 3 saja), diamkan selama 1 jam, supaya bumbu menyerap dan udang lebih garing pada saat digoreng.
-Tuang minyak dalam kuali, besarkan api sedikit, masukkan udang dan goreng sampai kekuningan. Jangan terlalu lama, supaya udang tetap juicy didalam dan crunchy lapisan luarnya. Angkat dan letakkan pada piring yg dialasi paper towel.

Friday Jokes

Weekend is a good time to have a few laughs. Some of them are old, but they are all funny. I hope you enjoy them!

~~~MADE IN CHINA~~~
A man went on a business to China and wanted to buy some gifts for his kids.
He went to a shop and found a nice looking CD player. Wary of buying inferior goods, he asked the shopkeeper, 'What would happen if this does not work?'

The shopkeeper quietly points to the only sign in English that reads, 'GUARANTEE NO SPOILT'. Feeling assured, he paid for the CD player and returns to his hotel. He tried to use the CD player after returning to the hotel but it would not even switch on.

He quickly return to the shop and asked for a refund or an exchange for another unit. When the shopkeeper refuse to give either, the man points to the sign assuring him of a guarantee. The shopkeeper then said, 'Brother, you are in China . We read from the right to the left.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~Kids are Quick~~~

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEACHER: Greg, how would you spell "crocodile?"
GREG: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L
TEACHER: No Greg, that's incorrect.
GREG: Maybe it's incorrect, but you asked me how I spelled it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEACHER: Ryan, what is the chemical formula for water?
RYAN: H I J K L M N O
TEACHER: Ryan, what are you talking about?
RYAN: Well, yesterday you said it was H to O.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Alex, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
ALEX: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEACHER: Now, Macy, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
MACY: No Ma'am, I don't have to. My mom is a good cook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TEACHER: Daniel, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's composition. Did you copy off of him?
DANIEL: No teacher, it's the same dog.

Women's health is all important

It has been raining on and off the past few weeks all over Jakarta, and apparently there is some more rain in store, which, is a good thing. I personally love it when it rains because it cools the weather down a lot at night.

Anyway, two weeks ago my colleague was diagnosed with Ovarian Cysts. Ovarian Cysts is a benign tumor that grows in or on the ovaries. Many women are not aware that they have developed ovarian cysts as they often come with no noticeable symptoms at all. Unlike my Endometriosis problem which is always followed by constant acute pain. In my case, the pelvic pain was so unbearable, they often affected my daily activities. After the surgery I felt a little better even though I had a recurrence endo a few months later!!! But now my endo pain is relatively not as bad as before the surgery, as long as I control my diet.

Back to my friend's story. She began having pains in her lower abdomen for the last 2-3 months. These pains were not like regular stomach ache, she developed a severe pain, spasms, and a constant urge to go the bathroom. She thought these pains could be an ulcer problem; therefore, she did not go to see the gynecologist. The doctor said there's nothing to worry about, her uterus good and prescribed with some meds and vitamins. But she continued to have severe pains under her belly button like someone sticking a lot of needles, and it all hurt too much. Soon to follow, her period also stopped. I suspected all the while she had developed Endometriosis or something close to that judging from her symptoms. Prior to this, she never have had any problem with her periods.

She finally went to see a gynecologist and had an ultrasound which showed a multiple of cysts large and small on both of her ovaries. Her gynecologist said if the suspected mass was smaller, he could try to treat it with medication but since it is quite big, then they would need to have surgery to remove it. He said she was lucky that this cyst hadn’t popped since the gyn saw some suspected fluid surround her ovaries. She is scheduled for a surgery next Monday morning.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts :

* Abdominal bloating and pain.
* Feeling of fullness, even after a light meal (cannot eat normally).
* Feeling a frequent or urgent need to pee.
* Back pain.
* Unexplained weight loss or gain.

Take action if any of the above symptoms last more than 2-3 weeks or increase over time.

As a woman we are often told that 'women's problem' is something we have to put up with. Very often we either ignoring the symptoms or attempting self-treatment…hoping they will go away, but we can’t ignore the problems and pain forever. If you believe you may be suffering from ovarian cysts or need a better explanation, then consult a doctor. If you have not heard of it then try to find out the informations from the internet, or the books. Am sure my dear friends Nursy Fe and NursyE can explain this better.

*picture courtesy of Health

The Godfather's Revenge

I have just started reading a new mafia novel, called The Godfather's Revenge by Mark Winegardner, so far it's keeping me engaged and greatly enjoying it. I have long been a fan of Mario Puzo and I've been one of those people who didn't see the movie until I finished reading the book. Well, I am not particularly fond of the mafia/organized crimes genre but I found the Godfather Trilogy movies (just like the book) is very compelling and interesting. It's totally draws you in and you will just watch it again and again and again. Has anybody read this book? What's your opinion?

When I grow up, I want to be .......

My little niece, Van, when asked what she would be when she grew up, replied "A Police Officer". Then she added, ..."but mommy said police officer works long hours for not very much pay." Van said her aspiration is actually better than her friend who wants to be a Parking Attendant..LOL! The boy thought it was an easy job and you get paid on the spot. In the meantime, my other niece, Linds, who absolutely loves animal says when she grows up she wants to be a Vet who can communicate with every animal in their own languages.
Everyone had a ..."when I grow up I want to be"... dreams at one point of their life. So what did you say when you were asked? A Doctor? An Engineer? In Indonesia it is common we heard parents directed their kids to choose this two professions because they pay quite well. They wanted us to aim a little higher and better than them but to be a doctor or an engineer you have to go to school for like eight years. What about being a teacher? I've never met a kid who wants to be a teacher. It's a noble profession and all that, but unfortunately teachers in Indonesia are the most underpaid professional job. We all know, being a teacher is not easy. They work for several hours and even more unpaid hours, when planning lessons, tests and assessments, grading homework, etc. Teaching surely is not for the weak and faint of heart. It's very tough these days esp. when you have to deal with troubled kids and rude behaviour. Some teachers care, others don't...but the ones I know of really cared about their students. Where would we be without them?

note : The pictures above were taken in Xaverius Elementary School in Gisting, Bandar Lampung, Sumatra. Me and my other seven siblings all finished our elementary education there. The teacher in the picture was formerly my eldest sister classmate.

Do I really need this sandals to match my outfit?

About a week ago, I bought this pair of Bali floral carved clog at a handicraft fair inside the mall. They were works of art, made from mahogany woods, comfortable to wear, unique, and very Indonesia. Not only did they have a good quality, but it was for a reasonable price too. I paid about USD 14 for this pair. It matches with any plain outfit, and look great with jeans too!

Street Food in Jakarta

When you're in Jakarta, there's no need to worry where to get foods or beverages. There are plenty of push-carts type of food vendors providing you with cheap excellent meals. But don't question about hygienes. This all on wheels food service only have one bucket of water to wash the dining utensils (bowls, forks and spoons) after being used by the customers. But the convenience is ... you do not need to walk so far to have lunch/dinner ... the food will come to you right in front of your houses / offices, day and night and you can use your own plates or food bowls if you're worried about the cleanliness of their utensils.



~~Soto Mie picture grabbed from Herti's Kitchen Gallery

A matter of territory

Hello everyone, well another week has passed and it has been quite an eventful weekend for me. Friday was a big day for Suneo. He is 10 months old this month, and I thought it was time to get him neutered, so off we went to see the Vet. I was told that having my cat neutered would calm him down and remove the aggression. Suneo is not a bad boy but each time he saw a male gray /red cat walking across our front yard , he gets really angry and started meowing, yowling and howling incessantly. He does not want another cat enters and marks his territory. If other males trespasses on his territory, he will fight to defend it. In the evening, he can really drive you crazy with his yowling and howling asking me to let him out to chase the trespasser. The screaming could be heard from down the street! Not good for my sleep, of course.

Unlike dogs, cats are not pack animals. They are highly territorial creatures. Male cats especially are more prone to fight other cats to defend their turf. Cats also will howl non-stop when they are in heat. So I have good reason to get Suneo neutered as his meowing can be very aggravating to anyone forced to listen to it. It was a quick and simple no-stitches required kind of surgery. And Suneo bounces back very quickly as by the next morning he behaves as if nothing had happened.

Saturday afternoon, the day after his surgery, I heard Suneo yowling like he does when there’s a cat outside the house. He’s an indoor cat, but he still believes he has to defend “his” turf outside. He does this by yowling, screaming and pounding on the front door in an attempt to scare the other cat away. I didn't see any cat outside except some cars parked in front of my place. So I let him out to satisfy his curiosity. Only then I realized something went wrong. Suneo saw the red male cat (one from the neighborhood) and chased it out from under the car he normally occupied. I heard loud yelping and knew Suneo was in trouble. I was so worry the other cat will attack his newly operated spot. I was screaming and called him but the fighting continued. A neighbor then quickly helped me to chase the other cat away and Suneo tried to chase him but I managed to get him. He got a bit cut on his rear end but thank goodness he looked okay and he was not infected. He didn’t know what his opponent was capable of and what good fighters they are–especially when cornered. Despite being neutered, I think Suneo is still agressive … *sigh*.

Lessons learned here ladies, if you try to neuter the man in your life, don’t expect him to behave any better!...LOL!

Pets Factor

I have a poll for all of you my dear blogger friends:
When it comes to pets, are you ...
-crazy for cats?
-dedicated to dogs?

I was never real fond of cats before Suneo came to my life. I just love dogs even though I have been attacked twice by someone else's dogs. And no, I didn’t do anything to provoke the dogs. In fact I helped my colleagues who were so terrified with the Doberman Pinscher belonged to my former boss. Luckily, the damage those dogs did was only ripping apart the back of my clothing because I put my face downward really quickly which saved me. That incident left a scar on my right hand and some bruises on my waist (they knocked me up but didn't have a chance to bite as I got help immediately). It was a terrifying experience but I didn't blame the dogs. I blamed the owner for not latching their gate. But I have to admit after the attack I feel uncomfortable each time I bumped into large dogs on the street/in someone else's house. Dobbermann, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Boxer (dog) are to name a few. I don't mind with gentler breed like Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and the small breed like my late dog, Fatso.

How did dogs resemble me? Well, one best trait that I like from dogs is they can't be dishonest - they either like you or dislike you and that's it. They are simple in their emotions, more social to humans and I can take them out for a walk. What's not to like? When I first met Fatso I just felt clicked with him. The best description and maybe this sums it up nicely was, we really liked each other, despite our differences. He really liked to get on my nerves at times and I sure liked to push his buttons when I could. Well, I think we really calmed each other down when things got tough.

Even with all this talk about dogs I really do like cats but have not had much contact with them since Fatso disliked the felines. I find that when people don't have or they don't like cats because dogs are more like people while cats do what they want, not what you want. Cats are also perceived to be sneaky, conniving and cunning. Nice thing about cats though is they are pretty self reliant. They can take care of themselves more so than dogs. I can say they have different qualities in each that I really like. With Fatso, I love that I could take him to places for a walk, Suneo doesn't like that much. Fatso was playful, cute, affectionate and loyal. Suneo is smart, has a wonderful personality and he really is a sweet little creature! And he likes to wag his tail just like Fatso when he gets excited!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

~~Helen Keller quotes~~

Meet Helen the newsstand girl

This girl is the newsstand attendant inside Kelapa Gading Mall. I often stop by at her kiosk because she has a complete selection of the Indonesian magazines reading I need. It is hard not to notice her presence, as I often found her singing the Batak folk-songs (North Sumatran are great singers) with her melodious voice. She stops singing as soon as the customer approaches her kiosk. Helen is a friendly, bubbly, cheerful girl who always addresses her customer with an endearment term ... "makasih sayang" (thanks sweetheart)... plus a sweet smile even though you only buy one sport tabloid or a newspaper. Sometimes when the magazine I was looking for was sold out, she would help me find the issue and keep it for me the next time I go there.

Helen has been working as the newsstand attendant for 3 years. The kiosk is belong to her elder brother. When asked .. "did your brother pay you a salary?" ..., she covers her face with her arm, smiling sheepishly and said her brother gave her an extra bonus if sales is good. That means she can go to karaoke with her friends practicing her singing talent. Otherwise, she will just have to be happy with whatever her brother gave her. She is a choir girl in her church which does explain why she is often caught singing at her kiosk. She is also a girlie girl character and cares so much about her hair and appearance (she painted her toenails black...LOL!).
I'd never seen her with a sourpuss face, sometimes I wonder what's her secret to stay happy all the time? Helen gets excited when I took her picture while the people next to her kiosk cheering her girliness when she posed for my cellphone camera ... hehehe! When I told her I'm going to write about her in my blog, she asked ... "what is a blog?!?" I think I will have to take her to the internet cafe inside the mall and show my post about her.

It is good to know good customer service still exists. It's human nature we often talk about the bad, but it's nice to point out the good too.

Medical Jokes to Brighten Your Day

A man goes to his doctor and says, "I don't think my wife's hearing is as good as it used to be. What should I do?"

The doctor replies, "Try this test to find out for sure. When your wife is in the kitchen doing dishes, stand 15 feet behind her and ask her a question, if she doesn't respond keep moving closer and asking the question until she hears you."

The man goes home and sees his wife preparing dinner. He stands 15 feet behind her and says, "What's for dinner, honey?" He gets no response, so he moves to 10 feet behind her and asks again. Still no response, so he moves to five feet -- still no answer. Finally he stands directly behind her and says, "Honey, what's for dinner?"

She replies, "For the fourth time, I SAID CHICKEN!"



** Jokes are copy and paste from Dr. Mercola site.

Oh...I finally receive it!

Three weeks ago I wrote about the long awaited package from Canada that never made it here. After a couple of weeks of waiting, I consider the package has vanished. Even though at the back of my mind I still cannot accept how come a package of 3kg weight simply disappear??? I imagined somewhere, someone is using my Burt's Bees lotion, and feeding his/her cat a yummylicious treats, and probably having a good laugh at his or her good fortune. G called the post office there to see where the package is and they said they don't have any idea other than they know it has been shipped and that we could file a complain 45 days after the post date.


Meanwhile in Jakarta, whenever the mailman in my area dropped to deliver the letters, I asked him to keep an eye for that package and promised him some tipping, but he said they don't have my package. Then, Saturday afternoon, February 9, I had a big surprise. The mailman handed me a notification letter from the post office that a package has arrived and ready for pickup. I was told the package was held up by the Central Post Office customs for inspection, and since it's already Saturday when I received the notification, I had to wait until Monday to receive the package. Bear in mind the package was sent on Dec 21 by air parcel post, making it one of the longest times I've ever waited for the Christmas present. So, today dear blogger friends, I finally received my package!!! The packing seal was ripped off by the customs and was repacked by a see thru plastic with "Pos Kilat" print on it which can be translated as express post in English ... LOL!!! But am happy everything inside was intact, and the mailman smiles broadly when I rewarded him a generous thank you tip.

How low can you go?

DEAR ABBY: I have a 22-year-old daughter who insists on wearing low-rise jeans. I have seen half her rear end at least five times, and I'm embarrassed for her. I have had to tell her every time. When I do, she acts mad at me for saying something. Last October, she squatted down to look in a box at a yard sale, and the poor elderly gentleman who was trying to assist her had quite a view. It was awful! I wish I had a camera so I could take a picture and blow it up to an 8-by-10 so she could see what everyone else is seeing. Believe me, this is no laughing matter.

This couldn't be the style -- to show off so much skin -- is it? Please, Abby, print this. Maybe my daughter will see your response. She says she doesn't care. How can that be? Where did I do wrong in rearing this one? -- BUMMED-OUT MOTHER, BRIGHTWOOD, VA.


The above article got me thinking low rise jeans are everywhere these days, this low waisted trend has even gone as far as Indonesia. I am a jeans person, it's my casual Friday attire...but today buying jeans can take me forever despite the wide selection available at the stores. They are either low or too low on the waist. I am not complaining about lower rise jeans that stop a bit below your belly button, they are really stylish, but I'm all about comfort...I'd prefer jeans/pants that won't put my undies on display when I sit down. The jeans/pants today are too low rise, too tight and too revealing. I honestly don't think they are comfortable. You put them on but if you sit down or bend over half of your bunbun crack poking out. Nowadays, it is not unusual to see girls wearing the jeans that were just too low and the T-shirt that were too short, or girls who wear their undies too high and their jeans/pants too low...making modesty impossible. I have become used to seeing pantylines stick out from the top and butt crack exposing at public transport, on the street, the malls. Call me old fashion, but to me underwear or thongs are supposed to be under clothing, and displaying them is not flattering at all. Obviously low rise jeans is the "in" thing right now, but at the same time, not everyone can wear it.

Double Marble

On my blogwalk today, a marble cake recipe from Rita's blog crosses my path. Marble cake is not the kind of cake that immediately strike anyone as a super-duper, knock-your-socks off kind of dessert but it is a cake you want to eat with a cup of coffee or tea, or by itself as a mid-day snack. It can easily be dressed up with vanilla, chocolate, or any kind of frosting, if desired, but it is very good on its own too. Since I still have green tea powder (matcha) on my pantry, I experimented by adding matcha besides the chocolate powder on the batter.

Wordless Saturday

Quiet Chinese New Year

Thursday, February 8, 2008 marked the first day of the year of the Earth Rat. Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and begins on the new moon of a new year. It is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar where the celebrations last for 15 days and it will end on the Lantern festival. In Indonesia it is popularly known as "cap-go-meh". The year of the rat is forecast to be a great year for new beginnings, an excellent opportunity for a new start and good prospects. If you're aggressive, charming, and, well,--- a rat--- (no pun intended) this is your year. However to take advantage of this energy, one must be resourceful and have careful planning (I think this is a common knowledge).

This year my family welcome the new year quietly. My cousin (from my late mother side of the family) passed away just a few days before the big day. It just doesn't feel right to have a big celebration when our close relative is mourning.
As I child I would look forward to Chinese New Year as it is a day where I would receive the red envelope (angpao) that contain money. You just need to greet the elders and wish them a Gong Xi Fat Chai. If you are not married, you're entitled to be angpouw recipient from the married / elderly. Because there is a belief the one who gives out and receives the red packet will be blessed with luck and good fortune. Back then, I would wait until I was on my own to open it and counted the crisp new bill over and over again...hehehe! Now I am the one who gives out the angpao to my younger sister, my niece and nephew.

5 Things Tag

Nursy Fe at MOM tagged me the 5 thingies, here goes :

5 Things Found In My Bag
* cellphone
* camera
* wallet
* pen + small paper note book
* panadol


5 Things Found In My Wallet
* identity card
* ATM / credit cards
* cash
* recent shopping receipts
* Fatso pics

5 Things Found In My Room
* aircon
* double door closet
* small night table
* bed
* TV

5 Things I’ve Always Wanted To Do
* exercise, go swimming (I am so lazy to do this now)
* take a baking class
* learn quilting / patchwork
* losing weight (four years ago I was around 44-45kg, now I stuck at 50kg) thanks to the hormonal treatment post the surgery ... I want my old weight back!
* go to Old Trafford and meet Sir Alex Ferguson

5 Things I’m Currently Into
* blogging
* finishing the monthly report
* preparing angpao for my nephew/niece/my younger sister
* trying the baking recipes
* trying to beat my endo pain by eating more healthy

5 bloggers I am tagging :
Belle
Eka
Anita
Ecky
Anna

A year has passed

Time has slipped away and today marks 1 year to the very date of Fatso crossing over to Rainbow Bridge. I miss him as much as I did the last day I saw him. He taught me to be patient, tolerant, more understanding and he gave me an appreciation for all living things, by loving and caring for him. I still have many pictures of him on my computer and my cellphone. I know that he is in a much better place ... heart disease free, and chasing all the birds and cats in a big garden up there in heaven.
I now have Suneo the cat and he gives me joys too. I admit that I was afraid at first that it was an insult to get a cat knowing how much Fatso disliked cats. Well he didn't really hate them but he loved chasing them out of his territory. Thank you Fatso for being in my life. I just want to let you know that you will always be in my thoughts and you will be loved forever and always missed.

Lots of XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO