'Cencohor' The Aurbegine Soup

After pumping in all the cholesterol of indulging in the pizza and the succulent charred steak, I have to go slow on the next day dinner for both hubby and me. Initially, I wanted to just go on the fat free yoghurt and dried olives. However, by dinner time I decided to make a mild soup of vegetables for us.

Actually, this dish is not known as soup in my family but when I introduced this dish to hubby, he named the dish as aubergine soup. This dish is very famous in my family, we all love this simple dish, and you can either use aubergine or okra in making it.

The dish is called ‘cencohor’, don’t ask me what that means, or where it comes from because I don’t know. But this dish is very commonly served to anyone who is feeling sick and has no appetite to eat in our family.

This is how I cook my ‘cencohor’ dish, simply pound together a couple of dried chilies, one whole medium size onion, 3 cloves of garlic, fresh turmeric and a small piece of shrimp paste. Put the pounded ingredients in a clay pot and add 3 cups of water and 3 pieces of ‘asam keping’, bring to boil. Cut the aubergine into any desired size and add to the pot once the soup is boiling, let boil till the aubergine is done, off the stove and immediately add some cut tomato. Please don’t forget to add some salt for taste.

This dish is great with ‘sambal belacan’ and ‘ulam’.

Blueberry Cheesecake Waiting For You

Waiting for her arrival, and knowing what she likes, I decided to make her favorite cheesecake to welcome her. This time I changed most of the ingredients to make the cheesecake something healthier.

The ingredients were all fat free and sugar free also. I even went further by removing the whip cream altogether. Without the whip cream, the thickness of the cream cheese was less, thus I decided to make my own blueberry sauce and pour it on top of the cheesecake.

I hope she will like it, as much as I enjoyed making it.

Greedy And Naughty

Hubby came home early yesterday, as we had planned to go and complete the moving, it should be the last day by any chance. I had called him earlier and asked if it is alright to have pizza for dinner tonight, as I am so not in the mood for anything else. He agreed to pizza, and on pizza night the kitchen will be his, not that he will bake the pizza from scratch, but he has a unique way with the baking.

At dinner, he told me that he did not like the pizza, ‘but of course you won’t like it, just because it is bio and healthy’, I said, so I ended up eating most of the pizza. It was nice but very little cheese, as well as salt, however lots of spinach. Well, I have no complaints as I was the one who bought them from the bio shop.

After dinner, we went to complete what we had set our minds to do. It took us about an hour to finish everything and we decided to take a taxi home, since we got quite a handful of things to carry.

I don’t know why suddenly there was this urge of desire to have steak, and I am glad that hubby was game for it too. It was such a desire that I could not resist, good thing we have some good cuts in the refrigerator. Once home, I immediately marinate the beef with just salt and pepper. Then both hubby and I went on to store things away, but all the time I was so in a hurry to get the steak done.

I remember putting the nonstick pan on the stove and leaving it to the heat that I wanted, at the same time I was also working on things at the living. Finally, I throw in the 4 pieces of marinated tender beef, the smell of the beef in the hot pan was just ………………….errmmmmmmmmmmm, speechless.

We both were just being greedy and naughty today; we overdid our calorie count just to quench the thirst of our desire for a succulent taste of a charred beef steak. It was heavenly and what? Guilt? No, not at all, that word does not exist in our dictionary at least not for last night.

We went to bed happy with the taste of the steak still lingering in our mouths.

Danube Island Festival

 

 

 

  

 

 

At the Danube Island Festival music was fantastic; there were many of them indeed around the Island area. Watching the crazy dancers were so hilarious, there must be something about music that makes people just wants to dance. It does not matter how you dance but just dance and feel free.

The bad weather does not hinder people coming to the festival. It was nice, relaxing stroll, looking around at all the stalls and sitting every once in a while to rest my tired legs, but it was worth the time.

I do not take many pictures as I forgot my camera, so all the pictures here are courtesy of my hubby HTC.

More next year, may be………………………………..

Ridiculously Rude - Stop That Yapping Will You?

There are some days that I wished not for such inventions, people who yapp away on their cell phone and have no respect for others are just so annoying to the max.

Hate them hate them more.

Mountain Biking by the Danube

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great show of mountain biking at the Danube Island Festival, look even the cute pup was engrossed in the show.

We had our weekend walk and yes loads of chocolate filled Palatschinken too.

Planning to go there again today to enjoy the music, hope the weather will be good, as it rains almost every day here now.

Pause, THINK and Stop!!!!!!

Be careful with what you tell the world about you

You will never know when it can be used against you

And when it will keep coming to haunt you

You are your words

People will judge you by your words as much as your character

So if you think that you are on top of the world

Think again

Regrets come and regrets go but your words will forever be your mark

So, next time before you start revealing what you think you are

Pause, think and stop !!!!!!

Cortisone Injection Mayhem

June 22, 2011

Yesterday’s treatment

Dear Madam,

How was your experience with yesterday treatment?
I am looking forward to your reply.
Thank you very much.

Kind regards
D……. Z…. MD MA

------------------------------------------------------

My reply

Hi Dr Z….

Thank you for arranging with your friend Dr K…… to talk to me and also to give me the Cortisone injection. You are very much appreciated.

I would like to let you know that I experience the following side effect from the injection, please let me know if these are normal and that I should not be alarmed about it.

1- Constant heart palpitation
2- Severe headache
3- I could not sleep last night and in total I only clock in 3 hours sleep
4- Light headed when I want to get up from the sofa/bed

Looking forward to hear from you again.

Please accept my warm regards
H…….

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Z….’s Reply

Dear Madam,

Thank you very much.

1- The headache could stem from the local anesthetic which went to the blood stream... (by absorption or by accidental i.v. injection etc...)

2- palpitation and sleeplessness would be explained by this too.

3- light headedness could be due to a hypotension caused also by local anesthetic in the blood stream

4-The half-life of Naropin® (the local anesthetic) is up to 6 hours which means that by now almost everything is gone.

Best regards

D….. Z….

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Please let me know if this is alright, the highlighted statement?

Water Lock Wien (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuation from water lock Wien, the pictures shown here were taken on our way back to the city. This time the water had to be drained out lowering us by 8 meters, before the ferry could move on.

It is a wonderful experience, a must in Wien.

You Are My Comfort Zone

You are my comfort zone, I feel safe with you, I feel protected, I feel appreciated and most of all you are that familiar face that I look for every day. We don’t have much, we barely make ends meet, but we live and we learn that laughter is the best medicine.

People may look at us as though we are too complacent, we are like two old people who have nothing to look forward to, no plans, no ambitions, but I care not honey, because you are my comfort zone.

You see me like no one else has, through my pain, my abandonment, and all. I am just happy knowing that your hands are always there for me to reach out to. You are that pillar that I lean on (this is so true), because you know how clumsy I have become now due to the deterioration of my health. We are not stagnating, but we are contented and blessed.

Now you have to make your steps smaller to match mine as you know my bone problem is hindering me from that robust someone that you know more than 8 years ago, but you are patient, you don’t complaint, you just joke about it, and we laugh. You are my comfort zone.

But I want you to follow your dream; it should be your creative vision for your life in the future. You must remember that we cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are. Your peak is out there to be achieved. You are my comfort zone but I will bless you in spreading your wings, I will watch you and cheer for you, and I want you to be familiar with the unknown.

Life Is Like A Flip Flop

To my Angels, always remember that life is like a flip flop.

Airports

 

 

As mentioned in some of my earlier entries my work has taken me to many places, some that I would not hesitate to make a return and some I would never want to even have had the experience in the first place.

However, I am not shy to write about some impression that will leave a long print in my life. The worst airport check point and people managing the immigration, terminal and welcoming will be in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The bearded men, the shrouded women, the notorious kids, the nasty eyes, and the long long wait, was one hell of a scary experience. Upon arrival I was disoriented, people were talking, mumbling, the noises were all too strange. For not covering my head, the piercing eyes of the locals was ohhhhh so scary. It took like a life time of waiting in queue to go to the immigration desk. Then they saw that I was unaccompanied by a male, so I was asked to wait in a room full of women, from Indonesian and Sri Lankan maids (who looked like chickens that have just been dipped in cold water), to elegantly dressed westerners. Yes, you wait in this room until your sponsors come and claim you. If you are lucky the sponsors will already be there, but if you are not lucky, you can be waiting for hours on end because the sponsors can still be busy smelling their foot, to even remember that you have arrived. Ahhh……………….. well, why was I at the Jeddah airport in the first place?

Another not too nice experience was the airport in Orlando. I don’t have to mention how long the queue was. The people are more civilized here, some stern faces here and there but there are a lot of smiling faces too. I have no problems with that, however, the number of dogs smelling up your ass was so not welcoming to me. This is because I am one who is super scared of dogs more than of the stupid foot smelling people.

When I arrived at the Dubai and Doha airports respectively, I was of the impression that they will be equally as bad as those in Jeddah. Why not right? I was thinking; it cannot be that different since these places were inhabited and owned by Arabs too. But I was wrong, they were better people and they make my welcome a pleasant experience.

Airports management that I would give the thumb ups will always be Changi airport in Singapore, Algeria International airport, Narita International Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to just name a few.

Oh I forgot, I also don’t like Frankfurt International Airport, I think it is one of the worst infrastructures of a modern airport and the maze that you have to go through to make it from the international to the domestic is amazing.

If I should get stranded in any airport, please let me be stranded in Changi or the International Bangkok Airport.

I heart them!!!!!!!!!

Pok, Kabayan........................ No, I Am Cencalok Ok

Lady: “Pok, Pok, Kabayan?”

Me: “Sorry, I am not Filipino”

Lady: “Ahhh………………. Sorry Pok, but would you like to donate for the Philipines society here?”

Me: “no” and starts to walk away.

Hubby: “What, what was she calling you? Pork?”

Me: “no, not pork but pok”

Hubby: “What is Pok?”

Me: “How will I know, do I look like a Filipino?”

Then after about 5 minutes we were stopped by 2 ladies (obviously they were Filipino), and yeah alright I do look like them, so what? We are all from the same Geographical area. Hubby even commented that we have one kind of funny nose, ok, so what?

2nd lady: “Kayaban, Pok?”

Me: “No”

Turning to my husband

2nd lady: “You sir?”

I wanted to laugh so much but was controlling it, hello……………………. Are you blind, does he look like a Filipino?

Message of this entry:

No I am not a Filipino, yes I do get offended being always asked if I am one, and to my dear husband funny nose or not, “how come you are also being mistaken as one?” Ha ha ha……………..

Pok, Kabayan………………………… I am cencalok ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water Lock, Wien

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of the best experiences that I had here. The river cruise that we took recently took us through a water lock in the river canal right in the heart of Wien.

A water lock is a devise that permit the raising and lowering of ferry, boats while passing the canal of the river, which was built for the hydroelectric purpose. On our way out of the city, the ferry had to dock for approximately 30 minutes for the water to rise to an 8 meter height. It was cool; I was all excited counting the measure ladder as the water rises.

The Weir and Lock are located behind the Nußdorf station of the Emperor Franz Joseph Railway of the 20th district.

In the next entry I will put pictures of the water lowering in order for the ferry to pass on our way back to the city.

Please do not miss this opportunity when you are in Wien.

I Was Made To Do This

Don't Turn Back

Please Don't Be Bitter

A friend who had recently divorced is beginning to show signs of resentment. She is no longer happy; she suddenly gets ill and is no longer compassionate about her position and work. It is weird, I thought. Could someone really be so bitter after a divorce? Or could it be that her ex-husband has taken another partner much younger than she is. I don’t know.

However, what puzzles me most is how she will go on and on about alimony, properties and her rights as a wife then. Funny, I should mentioned this, but why do one only realize that one was a wife after the divorce and not before that. This was the very same woman who told me before that she neither cooks nor cleans, she only works. Her career surpasses any other things in her life. Now that the ex-husband is remarried, I could see clearly how bitter she is, but why?

In her position she could buy a pet alien if she wants, or any star in the sky but why are those pennies from the said married so important to her now? I wonder, could she just be plain jealous? She is even bragging that her ex-husband was taking advantage of her position? But, wait a minute he is also in a good position, so why?

I will not give any advice or take sides; to me her personal life is her own. I will listen sometimes in boredom, as she could talk nonstop about the negative values of her ex-husband now. Honestly, in my opinion it is a shame to talk about your ex-husband to anyone that you are not even close to.

To all the women out there if your marriage ever falls apart, just let it go. Pick yourself up again and enjoy life (whatever that is left of it). Stop being bitter, because in the end you are only embarrassing yourself, while you ex-husband is happy with his new bride.

Why be miserable when you don’t need to. It is after all not the end of the world, or is it?

A Farm Life Experience

 

 

 

 

 

When I first told my little angel to go and try living in the farm with some host parents during her first term break, she was so adamant that she is not going to spend her holidays on any farm, and she even said that it will make her so sad if I forced her to go and live on the farm. Therefore, I got her back to spend the holidays with me.

Guess what, the opportunity for her to experience farm life came without me having to put her there. Over the long weekend her host parents had took her to spend a night on the farm, and she loves it. She told me while we were chatting, “I love it so much on the farm mama, I don’t even want to come back to the city.” She continues, “I never knew that their farm is so nice, I thought their farm is like “kampong” in Segamat.” There you go my ever so innocent little angel. I am so glad she had the experience.

Like I always told my angels, experience every good thing in your life at least once, and try to stay as far away as you can from indulgence of bad things.

The farm, one day may be hubby will like it too, so that we all can go and live on a farm.