Bigger bowls please

Earlier this week, I cooked wanton noodle soup (well... I cheated with frozen wantons but it's a good start... I will make my very own wantons one day).

It is then I realized I need bigger bowls desperately.  With these tiny weenie shallow ones I have, I couldn't serve everything at one go and we had to keep going back for refills from the big pot.  

Don't I have the same problem with instant noodles? Nope, we usually eat straight from the pot! Hahaha...

I also did a pork & asparagus stir fry.  Doesn't look too bad right?  And it doesn't taste too bad either :)

Wet Wet Wet

I have been on the forgetful side these days.

Like going downstairs to post my letters only to realize that I don't have them with me.

Like packing all the items I need to return to whoever I am meeting later, and placing them in the most conspicuous corners in the house (e.g. on the shoe rack, in the doorway) so that there is no way I would miss them before leaving the house.  I still left empty-handed.

Like conditioning my hair before shampooing.

...

...

No big deal right? Just remember the next time loh... 

Oh trust me, being absent minded has its consequences.

Here's me forgetting to close my living room windows before hopping happily out of my house yesterday. 

URRRRRGHHH !!! 

I think the brownish water was due to the rain water washing down the soil in my poorly soaked plants that were still enjoying the sunshine moments ago.  Not that I am sure but because I really don't have a better explanation for it

Here is another disgusting view.

When The Man came home unexpectedly early, he was annoyed yet amused to find me squatting over soaked newspapers spread all over the living room.

And there went my plans for making pasta for dinner cause I spent the rest of the daylight, whatever little that remained, blowing my soaked carpet with my pathetic 1400W hair dryer. 

Political Power Dressing

I was casually flipping one of the magazines lying around (uh... the one that is adored for throwing in free gifts that come in various colour choices and often leaving buyers wringing their hands in frustration when the desired colour runs out).

Anyway, back to the article that I came across which talks about First Ladies' and politicians' fashion sense and how they bring out the status and confidence that should come with being who they are.  Of course, this article was written in the context of Michelle Obama's recent outfits display during the inauguration.  Others, such as model-turned First Lady of France, were also featured in terms of their elegant style and updated images.

Contrastingly their counterparts in this part of the world do not seem to measure up in terms of fashion style.  

And I can't agree more whenever one of our very own, who is also one of the most successful and powerful business woman in the world, appears on TV.  I would squirm in my seat and go "aiyo, why she has to look like that on national TV huh?" I suppose a little makeup and hair styling doesn't hurt and definitely will not make her any less a powerful lady as she already is.  

Fruity Saviours

These days, my queasiness hasn't been giving me an easy time and I have been surviving on candies & sour plums to curb those unbearable moments.  So much so that I have grown sick of them plus I figure that such in-take volume over the months to come will undoubtedly add on to my already exploding waistline.

Luckily for me, I have just found healthier alternatives that works just as well yet without the same guilt level.

So instead of munching junk, I am trying to treat myself to these lovely strawberries whenever I feel like throwing up.

 

    Since the strawberries are best kept in the fridge and can't be following me wherever I go, I have these wonderful packets of raisins that I can stuff in my bag when I am out.      

  And I love this particular packaging with the ziplock thingy, which is so convenient as a on-the-go snack.

  Now that I am armed with these fruity saviours, I am determined to keep those sinful and unhealthy junkfood at bay :) 

Lost Soles

Saw this pair of mysteriously abandoned shoes in my lift. Good condition. 

A) Owner saw herself in the lift mirror in horror and decided she looked better barefooted?

B) Husband trying to subtly get rid of wife's shoe collection one pair at a time?

C) Someone got kidnapped?

Wish my imagination can stretch further than this ...

Simple yet heartfelt dinners

The Man may not be in town these 2 days, yet I managed two lovely dinners.

My parents were so sweet to come over and even whipped up a dinner for me tonight. Of course that would be my mum doing the cooking and my dad doing the talking.

Last night, a friend was equally sweet to cook me some delicious pasta with blolognese sauce. No, she did not travel across the island to pass me my dinner, she stays just across the block. Unfortunately, I forgot about taking a shot as my hunger & gluttony got the better of me.

So sweet hoh :)

Steam & Stew

After being introduced to how this magical steaming & stewing device can actually produce your very own Essence of Chicken, The Man got excited and went ahead to add yet another space-occupying item to the already over-crowded kitchen.

After trying it out, I must admit it is quite idiot-proof, requiring minimal skills and human supervision.  Having said that, it is still toooo large for the kitchen and it is still lying around without a proper storage space  yet!  This is how it looks.

The operational manual, on the other hand is not that idiot-proof.  Take a closer look (click on it to enlarge) and marvel at the English.  It is not hard to guess where this cooker is manufactured from.

A New Chapter in Life

I am officially on LOA starting today. For those scratching their heads, LOA spells Leave of Absence, meaning I don't have to work for a while. So I guess I will be blogging more regularly from now on.

Let's start with the very reason why I am on LOA then.

No no, that is not a thermometer.
If you still don't get it, well ... I am expecting!

I am into my 9th week now and it has been and still is pretty rough. Sensing that I am not going to be physically and mentally up to my demanding job, I decided to take a break and totally rest myself. Especially after the unfortunate miscarriage last year, I am not about to take any risk this time round.

Fatigue and nausea I may be (most of the time), I am so so delighted and always looking forward to the next gynae appointment when I can see how my little one is doing in there.

The last appointment was just coincidentally on Valentines' Day and that was the first time we saw and heard my little one's heartbeat. Simply amazing!

At 174 bpm, I bet my little one is getting very excited too :)

Lily Bulb

Last Sunday, a friend gave me a lovely lily bulb plant. Doesn't it look amazingly cute? I am determined to give it 101% attention to ensure its longevity because no plants have survived long enough in this house except for the fake orchid. Talking about the fake orchid, that is another tale to tell :)

For now, my lovely lily bulb stands tall and proud.

Ethical Fashion

I chanced upon this site which showcases an Australian designer whose label Heidi & Seek uses only fabric remains and second-hand reconstructs. Totally eco-friendly and standing up against manufacturing waste and labour exploitation in the exploding world of consumerism.

And who says going green and being fashionable cannot go hand-in-hand? Heidi & Seek promises just that.