Attending A Curtin University Graduation

The school received an invitation letter from Curtin University to attend its scholarship awards and graduation ceremonies. Boss suggested that I attend one of the events to "get some tips" as he put it.

So I did. I chose to benchmark the graduation ceremony. There had to be something that I could learn from a distinguished university such as this.

The event was held at the university itself. At the information desk, I identified myself as a representative from a school. I was told to go get a ticket at one of the counters. I walked towards one at the other side of the foyer and on the way, identified myself to a boy manning an entrance. He got me ushered into the hall. Otherwise it would be awkward, wouldn't it?

I sat at the aisle, where I could observe clearly. At 10.00 a.m., the proceedings commenced with the academic procession and followed by the National Anthems, both of Malaysia and Australia.

 Part of the academic procession

 

The academics on stage 

The speeches and conferment of awards were ensued. Then the valedictorians gave their speeches. The charge to the graduates were read out and just before the conclusion, there was an occasional speech by the VIP.

The emcee then announced for the stage party to leave the hall. The ceremony was short and sweet.

Did I learn anything? Hmn, yeah but it is my opinion that graduation ceremonies were more or less similar across all academic institutions. But what I wanted to point out was the excitement and happiness of their graduates, and also the pride on the faces of their family members. I am pretty sure they will remember this occasion for a long time to come.

Congratulations! 

Off To Camp II

The camp was located at about 28km away from my house. I drove there at a leisurely speed while enjoying my favourite songs on the hit radio.

I reached there at about 6.45 a.m. The kiddies were still having their breakfast. Many ate instant cup noodles. Some were munching on their breads and some ate biscuits. A hot water dispenser was available, so the kiddies could make their favourite hot drinks.

The teachers too were having their breakfast.

Fried Rice

Fried Rice Vermicelli

What was my job?? I asked the camp commandant on duty. He requested that I helped him take the attendance of teachers. Then because there was shortage of manpower, I was asked to accompany the kiddies for the morning activities. At 7.30 a.m., we set out.

It was a bright sunny morning. The sun shone fiercely. And me, always fearful of being under the sun, brought my umbrella along. "OMG teacher!!" the kids rolled their eyes and shook their heads, looking at me and my umbrella. Lols.

We walked up the pathway at the back of the hall and ...

passed the boys' dorms ...

heading past the lake ... see obstacle course beyond the lake ...

 heading towards the platform where the kiddies were supposed to do the Flying Fox. There was a safety briefing by the instructor, then a demonstration of how to put on the straps, and then up he climbed while showing the kiddies how to harness to the safety cables ...

and then finally before he was sent off flying, he explained the correct posture. It looked like a lot of fun. 

The kiddies, of course, then took turns to have a go at this activity. It was rather slow-going. So, my colleague brought half of the students for the obstacle race. An hour later, they'd finished the obstacle race but there were still many waiting their turns for the Flying Fox. 

Unfortunately, the weather changed suddenly as dark clouds moved nearer. Soon, it started raining. AND IT RAINED REAL HEAVY REAL QUICKLY. The kiddies started running back to the campsite, while my colleague and I made sure that no one was left behind at the area. THANK GOD FOR MY UMBRELLA! I got damp but was not drenched. :p

Darn, though. I thought I could try out Flying Fox too. I was sure it would be exhilarating. But it looked like I would be denied of this opportunity.

Anyway, the rest of the morning was spent doing indoor games and activities till lunch time. Then, I helped my unit get organised for lunch. They wanted to have fried rice with canned chicken curry. Fried rice? Too much of a hassle to cook within a short span of time using a tiny wok. So in the end, they settled for omelette and canned chicken curry with white rice. 

Geez ... canned chicken curry for 20 kiddies ...

The kiddies heated the curry up ... and before long were having their lunch. Generally, every other unit were having eggs and canned food - mostly chicken curry or sardines. Not very nutritious, right? Poor kiddies. But the whole thing was that the kiddies enjoyed themselves lots.

My lunch ... 

I must say that my colleagues can really cook very well. There were no compromise in ingredients nor flavours. Everything was yum, especially the fish. The fish were freshly bought this morning, seasoned with turmeric, deep-fried and coated with a spicy sambal.

I suppose it's psychology. When in the outdoors, the appetite gets better and one tends to eat more than usual. ;p  Not sure if it's true ... but that was what a friend told me once.

Anyway, I want to commend all the kiddies at the camp as they were very co-operative. I asked a group of boys to help out during Flying Fox. "Help show the girls how to put on the straps, " I instructed. And all of them did so without any reluctance. They really helped speed up the process by leaps and bounds. Thanks, boys!! Then at lunch, the girls made sure that every single member in the unit got enough food to eat. They really looked out for one another. I must really praise them for being such angels, such good kiddies to have in a school!! I'm so proud of you!

My shift ended after lunch. The kiddies remained at the camp till tomorrow. But I have another official duty to attend to tomorrow so I will not be heading to the camp anymore. Till next year, then. Stay safe and have great fun! 

Off To Camp I

I was on official duty this afternoon at this camp site. The campsite is at the outskirts of town. We were briefed about how to get there. But somehow, once on the wheel, I missed the junction and had to turn back. Thankfully I realised it before I went too far.

A few kiosks dotting the grounds, and dorms in the background ...

My task was to accompany the kiddies, 20 members of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, who were participating in the annual school level co-curricular camp.

What did I do? Nothing much, really. I watched over them as they were being briefed by the camp commandant on duty. Then, I herded them to the field where they participated in the ice-breaking and team-building activities.

In the evening, I helped the kiddies get organised. All took out from their bags their cooking stuff.

Sorting out the food for the next 3 days ...  

The kiddies had to prepare their own meals at the camp. They were instructed to bring canned food. These were the contributions by the 20 of them - canned sardines and mackerels, canned chicken curry, canned corn and baked beans.

. After that, it was cooking time.

Dinner ... Sardines in tomato sauce

No sweat really. The kiddies opened up cans of sardines and poured them into a wok to heat up. They also cooked a corn soup with egg. These 2 dishes they ate with plain white rice, which my colleague had cooked for them in an electric rice cooker. Convenient, eh? I looked around and all the other kiddies in the other units were having sardines with their rice too!

The kiddies were then assigned beds in the dorm. They settled themselves in and then freshened up for dinner.

One of the girls' dorms

The teachers too had their dinners at the same time. Of course, they had better food. All teachers were requested to contribute food stuff of different kinds. Some bought rice. Others bought eggs. Some gave biscuits. Some were instructed to buy fresh ingredients. And of course, we had good chefs amongst the teachers. 

Hot and spicy sambal

Blanched tapioca leaves, cucumber slices, blanched ferns to go with the sambal

Fried chicken

 Mixed vegetables

After dinner, we took leave as the next group of teachers relieved us of our duties. All of us ladies were a bit apprehensive driving out from the campsite as it was really dark and the road was pretty isolated. So we left together in a convoy. I was glad to have my colleague in the car with me as chatting with her made the drive a bit less boring.

Tomorrow I'm driving out again early in the morning. I am the designated Duty Officer for the morning shift. Heck, I have no idea what an officer on duty does .... my colleague tells me to "make sure all activities are carried out according to schedule". Hmn ...........

Dates

I love dates. I mean the fruit, not the social outing. ;))

I like to have something sweet after a meal. Sometimes, I'd have chocolates. Most of the time, I'd just pop a mint into my mouth. Now, I have found an alternative. Dates.

Bateel is an establishment that sells gourmet dates, and there's a boutique in Bangsar, Malaysia. I've never been there, but looking at the product catalogue online, they sell not only dates, but also chocolates and truffles and biscuits and jams and sparkling juices! I don't know about you, but I think it will be interesting to visit a shop specialising on dates.

Well, it's not Ramadhan now, but dates are available for purchase at the local supermarket all the same. I bought a tub for only RM2.50. Cheap eh? They sell only at RM8.00 per kg. Certainly not gourmet, but just two pieces would satisfy my desire for some after meal sugar snacks. Dates are after all 80% sugar. But, I can consume them feeling guilt-free, cause well, they are fruits aren't they? And they pack in them lots of vitamins and minerals and anti-oxidants.

Yum ...

Okie. I admit it. I'm fighting a losing battle against snacking. Hmn. I think girls have more tendency to snack compared to boys. How far is it true? I really do not know but I do personally snack a lot. It worries me a great deal. How do I stop myself from eating chocolates and chips? Sigh ... 

Lunch @ Double Star

Hmn. Somehow, my friend and I ended up at Double Star for lunch. I ordered a Cheese Baked Rice. Diners can select between black pepper or mushroom sauce. They can choose also the meats - whether it be pork chop or fried chicken cubes and so on. I asked for mushroom sauce and pork chop. Diners were also advised to allow a 15-minute waiting time.

Cheese Baked Rice, RM10.00

Hmn. I did not wait for long. Probably about 10 minutes. But I must admit that I was disappointed looking at dish. It did not look very appetising, with a lot of brown sauce on the surface. The amount of cheese was also quite sorry. Don't you think so? Thankfully, I caught the rich aroma of melted cheese, emanating from the dish when it was placed in front of me.

Beneath the layer of sauces was the rice. It was quite fluffy being stir-fried with egg. The pork chop was lined atop the rice. The meat was tender, though. The mushroom sauce was rather ordinary. I just wish there were more cheese! The baked rice lacked texture. I also wish there were some vegetable bits in there. 

To go with our mains, we ordered a mixed vegetables.

Mixed Vegetables, RM7.00

This dish I liked. It had broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, baby corn, onions, and mushrooms. The vegetables were not overfried and remained crunchy, and nicely flavoured with seasonings.

Well, lunch was substantial and I find that it lasted me till dinner! So that's pretty great because I did not snack in between. Yup, you guessed it! I'm fighting a losing war against snacking. Every day. And I must give myself a pat on the back today for being a good girl. ;p

Anyway, it was great to meet up my friend whom I hadn't seen for a while. It was not very easy to chat, though, as Double Star was quite packed during lunch time. It was a bit noisy to be able to talk comfortably. The menu here is quite varied, so there's plenty to try out!

P/S : Thanks to LW for the treat! Next time, don't fight with me for the bill, ok!!

Rice Vermicelli

I have a penchant for stir-fried beehoon or rice vermicelli, if you haven't already guessed. ;p

Rice vermicelli is duh, made of rice. It's sold in dried form and has to be softened for cooking. I actually prefer the thicker rice vermicelli, i.e. that of the Kong Moon brand. But because of time constraint, I usually cook the thin rice vermicelli. They softened very easily in hot boiling water, that's why.

Rice vermicelli is so versatile. You can cook it anyway you like - using any ingredient or condiment you fancy. Me? I like my rice vermicelli plain and with a lot of textures. My favourite ingredients are vegetables, black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, egg, and meats.
 

It's stir-fried rice vermicelli for lunch again. Today's ingredients are cabbage, mustard greens, carrots, eggs & char siu strips.

I'm so looking forward to lunch time. ;p

My Herbalife Experience

I knew I was putting on weight. I outgrew a lot of my clothes, even ones which were bought not so long ago. I used to wear XL but was beginning to need XXL. I did not look good in anything I tried on. It was frustrating especially when I went shopping.

Back at home, 3 of my cousins had become slim. Their secret - Herbalife. When we met up, I interviewed my cousins, and they more or less disclosed to me their regiment. It sounded easy, and Mom was insistent that I try it out. Another cousin, who's a doctor asked me to try too. She's really slim but she herself is drinking the Herbalife shakes, for health purposes.

So, when Aunt came over to the house, I requested that she bring me the products. I knew she had them in stock as she was a distributor. So she did. She taught me how to make the shakes and how to go about drinking them. I then called my cousin, and being a faithful user for many years, he also advised me willingly. He said that I should "enjoy" myself while being on the shakes. So on 24 December 2011, I drank my first shake.

People said that the shakes made them so full that they were not inclined to eat anything else. That was what made them slim. For me, it was not true because I was in perpetual hunger when I began. The starting was extremely torturous because I was used to eating anything at anytime I liked. But for the first few days, I had to consciously stop myself from eating. It was very difficult because there were lots of delicious food that Mom made at home. I couldn't eat muffins. I couldn't eat the glutinous rice which Aunt made especially for me, and I couldn't even eat stir-fried leek with Chinese sausages and egg when Mom cooked it for dinner. To lose the pounds, I had to be on 2 shakes a day - breakfast and dinner. So even though I drank the shakes, I still required a lot of self-discipline and determination to ban myself from eating.

Although I was told that I could have basically anything I liked for lunch, it was not entirely true. According to cousin, I should have a Mickey Mouse lunch.

Mickey Mouse Lunch

I needed to have a large portion of vegetables, a small portion of rice or bread, and a small amount of meats. Because I did not have dinner, Mom went through all the trouble to make me a nutritious soup for lunch. I had a herbal chicken soup, a lotus root, pearl bean & pork ribs soup, and so on. She even ensured that she skimmed off all the fat on the surface of the soup. That's why mothers are the best!

However, my days at home were numbered. I needed to go back to work. And here at work, I did not have the luxury of eating home-cooked food. I ate whatever food I could get my hands on. That's usually canteen food for me. I made sure I ate in moderation though.

One mistake I made was that I started without making sure that I had enough supply of the product. I had a bottle of formula and a bottle of tea. That was it. I thought I could easily buy it from anyone once my supply finished, but that was not the case. I went to the Nutrition Club here in Miri, and the lady said I had to be a member.

At that point in time, I did not want to be a member. Ok. Part of what I tend to do a lot is to analyse people (I attribute that to analysing Literature texts ... an occupational disease? ;p) - especially from their speech and mannerisms. And there were some things about her which put me off :-

1) I hardly knew her. And she hardly knew me. She looked at me and dictated straight away the number of pounds I had to lose. She had not even considered my frame. She only agreed about the size of my frame when she looked at the data. By the way, she did a body composition test for me. The test showed that my bones were heavy.

2) She also spoke too loudly for my liking. I couldn't stand it when people spoke with such loud and sharp voices. My ear ached, listening to her.

3) She also did not speak English very well so how would we communicate when my Mandarin wasn't that great either.

4) She dictated her requirements, especially about the times that I should make myself present at the Club. I told her that I sometimes worked on Saturdays, but I got the feeling that it did not really get through to her.

5) I also felt that she did not relate very well to professionals. She was a housewife who did business on the sideline, after all. Hence, I felt that she did not explain things that I felt that I had the right to know. I wanted to know more. But she did not want to disclose anything to me because I was not a member. That really annoyed me.

6) I also doubted whether I could really BELIEVE what she was telling me. What she told me could probably be her own interpretation of things, of what she thought was right. She was profit-driven after all. I knew that I had the ability to rationalise too, and I wasn't going to take what she was telling me wholesale. Just call me stubborn, but I've always had this problem with people.

And so nevermind that I came back from the Club empty-handed without my supply of the product. What transpired with the lady there gave me a bellyful of angst. There wasn't any element of "enjoyment" emphasised there. I made up my mind that I was never going to go back.

So since my supply was quickly running out, I bought from another distributor online. Again, he was a money-driven person who ensured that he got paid before he courier-ed them to me. It was just my luck that the courier service sucked and I did not get my supply in time.

So, my regiment went haywire because of all these problems. Throughout that week, I was anxious because I knew that my supply was going to finish. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't concentrate on my work, knowing that soon I wouldn't have shakes to drink. That was the time when I could really empathise with drug addicts. I was as desperate as they were, for my "drug".

I'm not saying here that Herbalife shakes were addictive. They were not addictive. It was just that I was "addicted" to the thought that I had to continue drinking in order to lose weight. I was definitely annoyed because the courier came late and it interfered with my diet. So, to those who intend to try the Herbalife Weight Loss method, I do urge that you have enough supply of what you need before you even begin. There is no need to go through the emotional roller coaster that I went through.

While many people drink the shakes differently, all of them agree to one thing. Drink lots of water. Many litres a day. But none of them told me why I needed to do as such. Eventually, I read that water helped to metabolise fat and flushed them out of the body. Now that I understood, I made sure that I drank a lot.

There were many views about how much water one should drink. Some said 8 glasses a day. Some said 1 litre per 25 kg. The lady at the Herbalife Nutrition Club said I should drink at least 5 litres based on my weight. She drank 7 litres. Now, I ensure that I drink at least 5 litres a day.

After taking the shakes, I felt and looked trimmer, though my weight did not drop very significantly. 5 days later, I went back to work and the chief clerk commented that I looked slim. Lol, happy. But I told her it was because my top was fitting and it was black. Ironically, the other clerk, who herself is a plus-size, told me to try Herbalife. Lol.

It's 4 months today, and I've lost 12.5 kg.

New Blings

Well, I've been wearing my blings to work on a daily basis. I LOVE them so much. And to no surprise, so do the kiddies. The girls, that is. Whether they are in Forms 2 or 5 or 6, my blings attract their attention. And they keep telling me so.

"Teacher, I like that. I REALLY like that?"

"Hi, teacher. I like your bracelet."

"Teacher, I admire your bracelet."

Not only do the kiddies like it. My friends too like them.

My latest pieces are :

 Blackcurrant

 

 Wild Olive

I love Wild Olive. It's my favourite piece of the moment. I love the olive pearls, the yellow cubes, the citrine bicones and the quirky charms, and especially the ornate leaves. I love the light colour that makes my wrist look delicate and fair. And it goes well with anything that I wear.

Burgers @ Beach Republic

When I walked into the restaurant, The Burger Joint, the first person whom I saw was a Form 5 student at my school. Then came another Form 5 girl. They are both part-timers here.

"Hi, teacher," a deep voice greeted me.

I looked up, pleasantly surprised to see a former student, MC. He is now the manager here. Okie. So, this is familiar territory. ;p

My friend and I found ourselves seated at the sofa at a brightly lit corner of the restaurant. It was quite comfortable, actually.

Food and drinks had to be ordered at the cashier. There were specialty burgers and the local favourites, finger food and also desserts. Best of all, the price is rather affordable! 

My friend and I both decided to order our DIY burgers, made up of our favourite ingredients. Each item is charged at a different price.First, I picked my bun. There were 2 choices, between a sesame bun or a wheat bun. I chose a sesame bun, RM1.00. Then I selected the condiments. Plenty to choose from they were, such as onions, mushrooms, eggs and jalapeno. I selected pickles, RM1.90 and sliced cheddar cheese, RM2.50.

Next up is the choice of meats. There were beef, grilled or fried chicken to choose from. I asked for beef, RM3.90. Finally, a selection of sauces to go with the burger are available, such as curry sauce, laksa sauce, belacan sauce, garlic aioli and many more. I opted for wasabi mayonnaise, RM1.90.

 My order

My DIY burger

Well, guess what? I loved the burger!! The beef patty was yum - thick and juicy, kind of reminded me of the Angus burgers I had overseas. It had more substance than those beef burgers available at fast food outlets. The tangy pickles and the cheese would never go wrong with the beef, and the wasabi mayonnaise kind of held everything up together nicely. Yumm ...

My friend's DIY burger, made up of a toasted sesame bun, grilled chicken, onions, mushrooms, mozarella & wasabi mayonnaise, RM13.20

The DIY burgers are a novelty. I enjoyed selecting the ingredients, as much as I had enjoyed eating the burger itself. The restaurant itself is a nice place to chill out. I enjoyed myself lots - chatting with my friend while surfing on my phone via free Wi-fi and also listening to the hit music playing in the background. I'd gladly come back here again to hang out. 

Interview time :

Me : What time did you start working?

Student : 3 p.m.

Me : Till what time?

Student : 12 a.m. 

Me : How much is the pay?

Student : RM4.00 per hour.

Hmn. I thought it was quite dismal, but according to MC, it is considered a good rate for part-timers. Sigh. I could not help but feel sorry for my students as I watched them serving food and clearing tables the whole night for a mere RM4.00 per hour. Poor students. These are good kids, and it is very sad that they have to juggle between work and studies. But I suppose, this is the reality of life. Harsh and difficult to stomach.

Well, back to the restaurant here at Beach Republic, I like the casual atmosphere which helps to totally relax after work. Looking forward to come back. ;p

Special Kelupis

I ate my first piece of Kelupis when I first came to Miri years ago. And I loved it ever since. Kelupis is steamed glutinous rice wrapped in a leaf. It is normally eaten with spiced meats like curry or rendang. I like it even with satay and peanut gravy.

Traditionally, Kelupis is eaten during Hari Raya Aidilfitri. But today, it is quite widely available throughout the year. Whenever I feel like eating, I usually buy from the local Pasar Malam or night market.

Today, my colleague ordered a bagful of kelupis from a student and shared some with me. 

Freshly made kelupis

Wow ... look at that ...

The Kelupis is made by the student's mother using black glutinous rice. It seems so simple, yet it is made up of such complex textures and flavours. It is soft but not mushy, and a little springy. It is fragrant, very rich with the taste of coconut milk, which also gave it a sweetness. It also has a salty after taste. Best of all, the rice has fully absorbed the flavour of the leaf, the Nyirik leaf, that gave it a totally refreshing and unique aroma. Yummmmm ..... This is easily one of the best Kelupis that I've ever eaten. Just give me that curry and I'm sated. 

Dinner @ Siamese Secrets

Siamese Secrets was where we headed for dinner in celebration of my dear friend, W**'s birthday. Thanks to D**** for the treat. It was a wonderful get-together for this special occasion.

Hmn. On a week night, Siamese Secrets wasn't too crowded, which suited us just fine. What did we eat?

Grilled Cajun Chicken

Grilled chicken breast with Cajun spices, served with potatoes and vegetables

I thought the chicken was rather dry, and that the spices did not really stand out. I could not really make out the flavours.

Jumbo Pounder Beef Burger

Homemade beef burger with BBQ sauce, accompanied by coleslaw and french fries

The beef pattie tasted quite good, especially when eaten with the condiments such as the tomatoes, onions and gherkins. I liked the BBQ sauce, which tasted sweet and fruity. I liked the coleslaw too as it was sweet and refreshing. The french fries did not get soggy even after a long time, and it was nice to nibble on them while chatting. I dunked them in the BBQ sauce a lot. ;p

Char Grilled Lamb Chop

Lamb chops grilled to perfection and served with potatoes and vegetables

This was my main course. It was a big, big portion as there were 4 pieces of lamb on the platter. My friends sampled some, and they thought the lamb tasted good. Well, I picked up a smoky flavour from the grill, but other than that, the marinade did not really stand out. I sprinkled lots of Tobasco on my lamb. The meat was not really tough, but it was really tiring to eat it. I sawed the meat till my hands got tired. And then I chewed till my jaw ached. Lol.

 

 Fried Mee With Beef

Now, this plate of noodles is SUPER yum. The blend of spices really flavoured the noodles superbly. The fresh chillies added a spicy kick to it. Even now, the taste lingers in my memory. I'd order this the next time I come here.

Fried Mee Hoon With Seafood - Wet

I forgot to try this as I was too busy sawing my lamb ...

To share ...

 Glass Noodle Salad

This was tangy, full of refreshing flavours from the herbs and spices, but tongue-burning spicy. And mind you, I do have a very high tolerance for chillies!

 

Chef's Special Pizza

There's beef strips, chicken breast, basil pesto, onion, Bolognaise sauce and mozarella cheese. Really, I did not find any beef strips, but yes, there was mince in the Bolognaise sauce. What I liked about the pizza is the thin crust that stayed crispy till the very last bite. The rich smell of the melted cheese was also heavenly. All of us liked the pizza.

Next up, the desserts. I'd rank the desserts in this order.

No. 1

Creme Caramel

Superb! It was sweet, rich and creamy. I'd have this again.

No. 2

 

Fruit Crepe

Hmn, I thought the crepe was too thick. I did not like the taste of the fruits in the crepe too. They were cooked or stewed in some tangy syrup. My friends thought they tasted like stale fruits. Lol. Try if you wish.

No. 3

 Apple Pie

I thought it was mooncake. Not recommended.

See how we pigged ourselves out?? Lol. But it's only once a year that we celebrate your birthday, W**!! So, Gluttony, please forgive us. ;p

Fragile

Uncle T is Mom's youngest brother. 

He sustained fatal injuries in a car accident.
How tragic.

Life is so filmsy.

Do cherish every moment.

RIP, Uncle T. 

Doing Good

What is better for students to learn about compassion than to go out there and care for others? It's true that in school, we often tell the students what they "should" do. But are there opportunities created for them to really do it?

One of my projects every semester is to bring my students out for community service. We have been to the orphanage, the hospital, and this time around, we went to the Old Folks' Home. It's my first time there.

Part of the building was burnt down on 9 January 2012 due to wiring problems. Restoration is now in progress. We spent our afternoon in the hall, which was newly built. There were 19 men and 8 women living there, their age ranging from 54 - 98 years old. There was even a pair of twin sisters.

Part of the hall. Donated furniture.

Restoration work in progress ...

Well, first of all, I must commend my kiddies. They have done a great, great job because they have prepared everything we needed, absolutely everything I asked of them and even MORE. Preparation began last month when I got them to make souvenirs for the old folks. Most chose to make decorative items as gifts. Then, I asked them to practise their performances. They did it on their own without any supervision from me.

This week, I asked them each to contribute 2 pieces of fruits and a packet of biscuits. The kiddies went home, and came back with so much more. They bought not only fruits and biscuits, they bought oats and basins and sarong and more! Someone made egg sandwiches. Someone's mom donated 2 cheese cakes - and homemade ones too! Another's mom made agar-agar jelly for the old folks. So, I must really thank the kiddies' parents for their support.

Goodies for the elderly ...

So what did the kiddies do there? Hmn, they chatted with the old folks, performed 2 songs, gave them a bit of massages on the shoulders, and then showered them with food and gifts. I can see that the old folks really enjoyed the refreshments!

 

Massage time ...

Wow!!! I was impressed with the cake!

My slice of cake ... yum ...

Me and my colleague? Well, we also took the opportunity to mingle around. I spent my time chatting with a friendly old man. His surname is 谢. So is my Mom's, I told him. He said I have to address him as 叔公 - Granduncle. Lol. He sure has a sense of humour.

He is an 82-year-old Hakka and is the longest-staying resident there. He has stayed there for 15 years! He sometimes takes the bus to town. Free-of-charge, he said. Apparently, the bus company gives concession on bus rides to town. He also shares with me his daily routine. He said that he sleeps by 7.00 p.m. and wakes up after 6 hours. He will lay in bed till about 4 a.m. when he gets up to read newspapers. Breakfast will be served at 9.00 a.m., and then lunch between 1.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. Dinner, I asked? He said there is no dinner but they often make hot drinks by themselves. Hmn. Their last meal at 2.00 p.m. daily? Perhaps there is a reason for this. I really do not know. Whatever it is, he said he is very thankful to be able to stay there at the Home.

Before long, it was time to say our good-byes. My colleague and I assured them we would be back whenever opportunity arose. "When you come back next year, I do not know whether I will be still here," he said. "At my age, I am prepared to go," he added.

How sad to hear that.

The kiddies, too, have been impacted in some ways. One boy was overcome with emotions and had to calm himself down for a while outside the Home. Another girl said she felt great to be doing something simple but meaningful. I was also happy seeing everybody involved and co-operating.

Well done, kiddies. I truly hope that you will all mature and develop a sense for altruism.

Chicken in Soy & Vinegar

I was craving for something sour. So I cooked chicken in sugar, soy sauce and malt vinegar. I guess I was inspired by the infamous 猪脚醋 or Trotters in Vinegar. But I don't think I'll ever be cooking trotters anytime ever. So why not try cooking chicken in this way.

What I did was saute garlic and ginger in a bit of oil, and then added chicken and sugar, soy sauce and malt vinegar to braise till the sauce thickens.

That said, I had a wonderful home-cooked dinner tonight :

Dinner :
Chicken in Soy & Vinegar, Stir-fried cucumber with egg, and Steamed spinach.

Malt vinegar is supposed to cleanse the womb from residual blood clots. That's why when in confinement, mothers often consume Trotters in Vinegar.

 See the yummilicious Trotters in Vinegar that graces the cover of this recipe book.

But well, I think Chicken in Vinegar tastes pretty great too. Why not give it a try? ;p