2011 is almost coming to an end and I asked myself if I’ve made good for the year? or did I make any new endings for 2011. Well, the spouse made more money than he did last year and saving more too – better planning with money but I still feel that he is spending too much on games and toys that he doesn’t need at all.
I’m still trying to hold on to my past – and that’s not good at all – I really have to learn to let go and forgive myself but I dared to change this year and let go of some worthless friendship in my life. I also learned to take care of my own first but I still got a long way to go – to try and take more care of myself. I want to learn to enjoy my life a bit more and not think all the time of making money and paying bills and saving for rainy days. Making new endings is my new year resolution for 2012 – what is yours?
For some who may not have come from Asia – you probably wouldn’t know about this old favorite of mine – it’s a malay dish actually consisting of fragrant coconut rice, sambal, ikan bilis, fried ikan kuning, cucumber, fried eggs and sometimes begedil. Having lived in Toronto for so long, you would think that one can easily find the above dish – Nasi Lemak easily but not true – so if I have an old craving for it, I will just have to cook them myself. Too bad the spouse and the kids don’t enjoy it as much as I do, else I would be cooking this a lot more.
Posted by Chilli Padi | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 27-12-2011
Las Vegas is a great place for Christmas even with kids – as I typed my friend in Los Angeles is heading out there today bringing her kids and her nephew and nieces there. The hotel they are staying in has pool gates and most holiday homes in Las Vegas also have pool fence – so that parents need not worry about toddlers heading to the pool by themselves and dropping in them accidentally. Therefore, pool fence las vegas must be a pretty busy company because they do the pool gates and fences for lots of family with children.
I would loved to head to Las Vegas with my kids too – although they are not toddlers – but we had no trouble bringing them there when they were younger because Las Vegas has become quite family oriented and not just about casinos. So if you are thinking of visiting Vegas for a holiday – don’t worry about not having things your children can do because there are plenty and most holiday rentals have their pool fence up. Plenty of shops too in Vegas – and plenty of eateries.
I loved Gumdrop cakes ! they are awesome to eat and a treat to the eyes and they are very easy to make. The very first cake I learned to bake was a gumdrop cake, a friend from college taught me how to do it. This Christmas, I’m making some for friends and family – so I’m starting early and as soon as Christmas is over – the family and I are heading to Mauritius Island for a few days.
Someone said to me the other day that friendship is like a cupcake. You want it to be pretty, you want it to be sweet- but not too sweet. You would loved it everyday but if you eat it everyday – you will get tired of it and once you eat it – you are satisfied for the moment and sometimes you remember this friendship but most times you just shit it out.
Not many people survived the trial of friendship and if you have friends who are pretty much deep down inside you know cannot really depend on till the very end – do you still try your best to be good friends to him and her? I loved my online friendship but you and I know that it’s not worth getting so closed right? Most people want to make you of your popularity online – and for folks like me who pretty much keeps to herself – I don’t get many online friends but real friends and my real friends are known as friends because they have known me for years now and wouldn’t pull any stunt with me. Online friendship are hard to keep unless – the other party don’t go crazy on you first. I loved myself too much – and even though I like my cupcakes – I don’t fancy them as much.
It’s funny how a simple dessert that I’m used to having since I was a kid is so missed by me – now that I’m staying abroad. Never did I ever think that I won’t be having this dessert at anytime I want. My kids don’t like soy anything at all even though I tell them it taste great and silky but they refused to try it at all. They say the texture is just too squishy to enjoy – I guess they are like any American kid who loved their burgers and meat.
I remember when I was young and my parents would send us out in the evening with a bowl in our hands and 50 cents to buy a big bowl of Tao Foo Fa for my grandparents to enjoy. We would not have any till my grandparents and aunts had enough – what a difference with this generation. Our kids are always taken care of first and the adults later and even though things were quite different for us when we were kids – it sure beats eating just burger and fries. The Asian culture is way too rich to ignore.
I look around at my kitchen and then I look around my house today and realized that I take my grandmother’s words pretty seriously – for she was the one who taught me that presentation was everything. One don’t need to be dressed up in expensive clothes or having expensive things to show that you are rich – just as long as you pick quality stuff. For example this corning ware pot that I picked up from a yard sale – it was only $10 but the color and everything of it looked so good and so expensive that when I cooked for my kid’s teacher one day during a teacher’s appreciation day – they all thought that it was a very expensive or vintage corning ware item. But it isn’t – and they cannot believed it when I told them it was $10.
Now I wonder if it’s because of all the money we give in donation for the school that they think that we are well-to-do or even rich that they assume that whatever we have must be expensive? But my grandmother was right- presentation counts a lot – it doesn’t really matter if I was the best cook – but as long as they are in pretty dishes – they would taste better. I know it’s wrong to judge a book by its cover – but it sure doesn’t hurt that you can get pretty good admiration for your food – because someone thinks you put some thought into what your are cooking.
So can you imagine the spouse of mine – interviewing someone and he was dressed in a t-shirt? sure it’s a technical job – but still – it is a job interview right? just like the mayor of this town – he is so sloppy dressed – sometimes I just have to shake my head and wonder – what he was thinking? he looked really fit when he was trying to be elected – but as soon as he got elected into office – he must have forgotten that presentation is important even when you go to your office daily – and not just when the Premier is in town.
Easier said than done – but like all parents – we want to do our best and not let anything bad happen to our babies. But what if your baby is a bit older and wiser and decided that they want to learn to play guitar but they are so young – I hear you grumbling – what do they know right? Same thoughts too on my part – but if you don’t let them do what they are interested in most at the moment – then you are depriving them of learning a new instruments and/or developing what true talent they may have or do not have. Being a good mom doesn’t mean you have to get everything for them because they want it – but if you can find a cheap way for them to learn it online – why not? So if anyone tells me that their kids want to take up guitar lessons – I strongly suggest this online site for guitar lessons – real cheap too!
We went to a fashion show last week – and I cannot get over this blue handbag and I want this bag ! A check with everyone who went to the fashion show – they don’t even know if it belongs to the model herself or was it an FK’s. So I’m on the hunt for this bag – and if anyone know what brand it is – let me know and no this is not a Hermes – I would know because I have one too but it’s not. I just hope this bag isn’t too expensive because it will be the Christmas present I want from the spouse. No diamond rings for me this holiday – i just want another bag – this blue one in particular.
It’s the end of the year bonus time for the spouse – and I look forward to that every year – because i can use that extra money to buy gold bars for investment into our future or old age – as some of my besties loved to say. You never know what the future may hold and I don’t want to be a burden to my kids when I’m old and feeble and need assistance. Plus I love buying gold bars because I can always resell it if I need money badly, these days having a fixed deposit in the bank don’t mean much. Why? look at the miserable interest or returns they give us and when we buy a house – the mortgage’s interest are at exorbitant prices – which is crazy. So I rather buy gold bars and invest in gold – because the returns are a lot higher that’s for sure. What do my other friends do with their spouse’s bonus? well, many would go out and splurge and buy themselves a Hermes handbag or even a diamond ring or bracelet – to each their own I guess and I’m not going to judge them – but I know I am making a wise investment here.
