Life's Punctuation (31 Years Old)

It has been very hazy here in Singapore lately. With the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hitting as high as 400, it is the highest and most hazardous PSI ever recorded. And people are looking for N95 masks which is almost sold out.

No doubt, what we are facing seems minute compared to the earthquakes and floods occurring in other parts of the world. Right now in the Himalayan hills, for example, thousands of villagers and pilgrims are stranded in the flood-hit area inundated by heavy rains. Hundreds are dead and thousands missing, buildings washed away. A consequence of hydropower development in the region. This is something I cannot imagine facing.

Still, back here in our tiny city-state, while we fight the worse dengue epidemic, I do hope that the forest fires in Indonesia will subside soon. The pregnant, the elderly, the sick, the children and the rest are all suffering. Like many others, I am having teary eyes and a numbing headache.



Haze over Singapore shaded in red and orange. Blue dot (Bali), I'm coming!

What a gloomy way to begin a post that serves to punctuate my life. C'est la vie, non?

Nonetheless...

With so much going on at home recently, I have now come to a point in my life where I think I should pause, mark my life with a big comma, and take stock of everything before I move on again - hence this post.

First up, I am unwittingly beating the haze by hopping out of town, southwards. A 3 days, 3 nights trip to my favourite place, Bali - alone, no less (ticket was booked way before the haze came).

I remember announcing this to Hubby a few months back:

I am going to sleep for 3 days and 3 nights(!) the day our boy can take care of himself.

Meaning that he can eat, sleep and bathe on his own and he does not wet himself at night. I estimated that that will be about 3-5 years later. Apparently, Hubby brought that much needed break forward - I have not slept throughout the night for more than 2 years! And I desperately need my 'me' time too. Note: My son is practically crawling all over and under me while I'm trying to type this post. 

In a random messaging session, Hubby abruptly asked,"... I can take 1 week leave. See whether you wanna take a break abroad". Three hours later, I'd decided on the place, got a return air ticket and accommodation, and is bound for Bali in a month's time.

And so, for the first time, I am going to travel alone for leisure - alone but definitely not lonely ;) If Singapore is a little red dot, then, Bali is my little blue dot. My little piece of heaven where I had spent one of the happiest moments of my life doing my favourite sport - body surfing. Of course, Bali is a much, much bigger dot (see map above).

Anyway, I am not going to sleep for 3 days. My baby sister (she's 24, 7 years younger than I am. But to me, she'll always be a baby in my eyes) was asking me what I am going to do alone. Well, I am going to surf myself silly! In fact, with my hotel just minutes from the sea, I will be making a rocketline for the beach as soon as I can. 

I will slip on my swim suit and a kaftan, slip on my slippers, get some money for the surfboard, gallop towards the beach, get the surfboard, throw away my kaftan and slippers, and jump into the Indian Ocean - in that order. I will surf till the sun sets, or till the surfboard stall closes, whichever comes later, and then repeat everything for the next day. We shall see how much my much older body can take compared to my salad days - especially so after giving birth.

So much for travelling alone. Will update when I'm back.

Next, as if travelling to my piece of heaven wasn't enough, Hubby literally bought me another piece of heaven - an ipod touch, 5th generation. To others, this might not be much of a thing, but to me, it is a nice boost to my everydays ahead. For a music lover like me, this is essential. After almost 10 years, I am finally going to bid farewell to my old mini ipod where its screen has almost fade out, and say hello to my new buddy, in the same colour hee...



I sincerely want to thank my friend who bought the mini ipod (left) in 2004 as a farewell gift for my 4 months work trip. It was, and will always be my precious gift. Thanks Hubby too - you just bought me a little piece of heaven (right) :)

Side note: Goodbye to my VGA camera phone too, which has just died off after 7 years usage - it's time you go my old friend, thanks for your service. Hello to Nokia Asha, a non-3G, nothing-much phone. To me, a phone should be just a phone. Excuse my radical opinion :)

The third and last affair that warrants this post is that - lo and behold (takes a deep breath) - we have gotten the apartment we were eyeing! So, in 5 years time, our little family of three will be bidding farewell to our first home of 12 years and will be moving into our tiny and cosy dream home on the 35th floor. We absolutely can't wait.

The interior designing will be all up to me and I do not want our home to be another beautiful home - I want something weirder, something unexpectable - so that I won't be bored too quickly. You know, Aries do get bored rather easily. Right now, I am aiming for a masculine, practical and simple decor. The first and foremost priority is that it must be easy to clean and maintain. 

You know what is the best part? Our new place will just be one street away from the village where I had spent the first nine years of my life. How lucky. Feels like going back home, literally. I am feeling so nostalgic! *silent squeals of delightment - Yiieeyy!!* You bet, one fine day, I will take a walk back to my village when we finally move there and when my son attends full-day school.

Artist's impression of the SkyPeak

On a different note, after the passing of some unpleasant events, life has been better overall now: I totally adore my baby boy and my man; my boy, at 30 months old, is finally speaking (alot!); and there are some good news for Hubby, work-wise. I am just truly grateful for all I have now and I am not going to focus on what I do not have.

To round it all up, I have an advanced solo trip, a new music player (ipod) with a camera to boot, a new handphone, a spanking new apartment, and things are now fine and dandy at home - all after a bout of dreary days. And as I let out a huge sigh of relief and give out a wide and wistful smile, I know I am now in a very cosy spot in my life. I am thankful for everything. 

Till the next life comma, stay upbeat and perhaps you should count your blessings right now. Also, do not covet for others' lifestyle - live your own unique life, at your own pace, befitting with your own personality. If you can afford, walk the unbeaten path. Do do something useful to the society, and you can't be wrong. And, like I always do, when the going gets really tough, bite your teeth and tell yourself, "No-thing lasts forever - everything is transient. Therefore, this will pass".

Meantime, my boy and me will be evading the haze and the unbearable dry heat by trawling the malls and lingering in the Jurong Regional Library (the largest public library in Singapore) - before Hubby takes over when I leave for Bali. That's when I shall finally break free from the never-ending chores, exhale and let go COMPLETELY. Hopefully, by the time I return, my dwindling batteries will be fully recharged. :)

People-looking at the skating rink at Jcube shopping centre, Jurong East



Cultural show at the library





Grilled Portobello Mushroom

Today, I would like to talk about a dish which I prepared, quite by chance. A whole stack of these large portobello mushrooms caught my eye the other day while I was at the supermarket, with my son in tow. I could add this to my cooking repertoire, I thought. I grabbed a packet and moved along.

Then, further down the lane, we came to a promotional stall which gave out free cheese samples. These stalls really work for me - No Try. No Buy. I always try to stick to this policy if possible. Too many past wasted buys made me a present shy buyer. Even when the lemon law was passed, I do not have that extra energy and time to go through the hassle of negotiation.

And so, the kind lady tending to the stall gave out pieces and pieces of this so called emmental cheese which my son heartily wolfed down and eagerly asked for seconds and thirds. I caved in and bought two packets and fled the scene before my son finishes up all the samples. For one, I tasted the cheese and thought it was softer and milder than the ones we usually consume, which is a yes for my recently toned-down palate. But more so, it felt uneasy not buying after my son's little 'meal' and that there was an attractive promotional price of buying two instead of one. That's Psychology of Sales in action - guilt after tasting/using product for free (but, I think they're good usually) and the attractive discount of buying more.

These (cheese) could go with the mushrooms, I decided.

Before I move on to the recipe, let me introduce you to my new best friend.

Tada~



Isn't she sexy? Gotta take shots of her glorious days before she gets abused and bruised from my cooking.

We have decided that this will be our family's do-it-all pot. Be it breakfast, lunch, dinner; omelette, stir-fries or even instant noodles, she'll bear all the brunt (sorry, but thanks pretty). There is no more need to search for the 'right pot' anymore - she does it all. How easy is that? Heh heh...

Okay, that's her for now, back to the dish I was talking about...

For the ingredients, it is pretty clear-cut. The usual suspects with amounts that are decided by my guesswork. I am indeed lucky to have got it right - the way my son goes Mmmm at his first ever bite of portobello mushrooms is so amazing. Truly, the mushrooms are fresh and juicy in every bite and that heavenly sauce! The oyster sauce I used in the recipe simply brought out and enhanced the mushroom flavour beautifully. I shall pair this with white fluffy rice at another time. You should too :)

Before I go, I just want to share a little news with you: Hubby and I are getting a new apartment soon. Particularly, we are eyeing a top-floor unit at SkyPeak. This is a neighbourhood development in Bukit Batok, Singapore with several blocks of public housing ranging between 26 to 40 storeys high. According to our queue number, we will only be able to select our unit on 17th June 2013, which is just three days away. As the better units are taken up and crossed off the list every single day, we could only await anxiously for the day to arrive and hope that that unit will be ours. If not, we shall have to settle for the second best, I guess. So, wish us luck, ok? Updates later! 

For now, do enjoy your meal :)

Recipe

2 medium portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed

1 cup mixed vegetables

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

Sauce: (mix well together)

1 tsp cooking wine (I use chinese cooking wine)

1 tsp oyster sauce

dash of black pepper

3 tbs water

1 piece of emmental cheese, grated

dash of mixed Italian herbs, finely chopped (I use a ready-made one which includes: Basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc. You can use chives too. This is optional)

1. Heat olive oil and sauteed the garlic till fragrant. Then, grill mushrooms for about 4 mins on each side till cooked. Add in mixed vegetables and fry for a few minutes.

2. Next, add in sauce and continue frying for 1 to 2 minutes, mixing everything well.

3. Dish out and sprinkle on grated cheese and mixed herbs. Serve warm.



MY MR. SUNSHINE

That's me with fake hair and husband with flat hair.
Wedding shot taken in Desaru, Malaysia, in 2005

At times, when I see my husband, a ray of sunlight seems to be emitting from his head as in this picture.

This sun ray - this RAY of HAPPINESS - lights up my world, instantly.

You see, sometimes when he reaches home, he'll parade around the house exhibiting a laissez-faire behaviour, together with a cheery and cheeky disposition, bantering and teasing whoever (me or son) is in his path.

Our son is fully entertained - parading after him, blushing and giggling at his silliness. For me, I can't deny that I'm really delighted to see him home. Then did I realise how much I miss him! And he insists that we're the only ones in the world to see this side of him. Otherwise, he looks serious and solemn.

Thing is, he always seems to be there for me in both my life's small (but notable) and big events. Like the sunrays, he's shining at me as if rooting for me - giving me warmth, security, and strength. And this post is a list to commemorate those moments and events, so that we can look back and have a smile.

1. My riding practical test - I failed this test thrice! And each time I retake the test, he just sat there and waited for 2-3 hours with a newspaper and several cups of tea. It's such a pleasing joy watching the minute him from a distance, as I took my tests in the circuit with trembling legs. Deep down, I know that he was rooting for me.

2. My final-year exams - All exams end at the same time and there'll be a massive student-jam on the campus. Buses will be jam-packed to the door and taxis will somehow cease to exist. Usually, my sweet husband will come and pick me up with the reason that he wants to see my after-exam reactions (which is either Yippie, I nailed it! or Oh s**t, this paper is a killer). He'll wait gingerly in his car looking out for me as I wouldn't know exactly where he parked and I usually submit my exam script before the stipulated time. He's done that for most of my exams.

3. The day he sent me off to the Middle East for a 4-month peace-keeping mission on a Navy vessel. He did something that totally stole my heart away! Together with my sister, he sent me off by 'following' my vessel, driving along the southern borders of Singapore from the eastern tip of Changi to the western tip of Tuas until my vessel disappeared. Isn't that romantic? My sister even told me that she saw tears streaming down his face (he was wearing sunglasses). Note: This is one of the reasons I marry him. One other being his bedsheets. Yes, really. It's just some common cotton sheets but I've never slept in such a comfortable one before and I was hooked till today, 10 years later! Told him about it back then but he just gave a feeble acknowledgement.

4. Once, we almost fell off a cliff in Cameron Highlands! We were venturing into the hilly roads on a car and when the roads got narrower and muddier, I insisted to continue moving upwards (that's the immature, wilful me). Halfway through, our car got stuck in a muddy puddle and couldn't move, both forwards and backwards. To make the situation worse, it was drizzling, the ground is getting softer, on our left is the high mountain wall less than a metre away and on our right is the edge of the cliff barely 2 metres away! If we want to turn back, we'll have to make a 10-point turn. We got off the car, went into the rain, and sized up the situation before we decided to find stones and logs to shove into the back of the wheels so that the car can get out of the mud. We tried to drive backwards but the car wouldn't move.

Luckily, a local man who came in the opposite direction driving a tractor came to help us. Hubby and the man then put larger stones behind the wheel. This time, I took over the wheel. As the two men try to push the car manually, I ramp the accelerator cautiously - if I'm too slow, the car won't move. But if I'm too fast, I may fly off the cliff with my car! At this time, I saw hubby grabbing the car by the side of a door with all his might and I thought, Isn't he supposed to push or pull the car instead of grabbing it?? Came to know later, he said he was pushing but at the same time, he held the car tightly so that if the car is really going to fall off the cliff, he would be able to hang on to it with ample time for me to escape out.

From that, two thoughts came to my mind. Firstly, did he think he was Hercules (?!) and had enough strength to hold on to a sedan car? Secondly, he had watched too much action-packed movies, thinking about me escaping and jumping off the car just before it falls off the cliff. Isn't he silly yet sweet? Haha! Of course, we managed to get the car going, did a many-point turn and went back safe and sound. But that was really scary! PS: A big thank you to the helpful man. God bless you!

5. He sold his beloved '1st wife', a large bike (BMW R1200C) and some insurance to get me through university.

6. He kissed me - even though I have just given birth and is fat, bloating, out of shape, and foul-smelling. 

7. When I am sad, depressed, stressed, anxious, shocked, afraid, crying, grieving, angry, cranky, lost, successful, delighted, blissful, happy, joyous, excited, wilful, crazy or mellow, he seems to always be right there. Just right there at the same spot beside me. I wonder how he takes in all of my nonsense! He's such a poor thing. In fact, he seems to be singing a Jackson 5's number:

I'll be there,

I'll be there,

Just when you call,

I'll be there. 

...I'll be there to comfort you,

Build my world of dreams around you,

I'm so glad that I found you

I'll be there with a love that's strong

I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on -

(Yes I will, yes I will)

[PS: RIP Mr. MJ (1958-2009), I'll miss you forever]