Our first purchases for the little ones

I have been putting off buying anything whatsoever for the babies. Maybe I've been a little wary and cautious, disbelieving even, but I didn't want to rush into buying a whole list of items and have something bad happen. Most pregnant women wouldn't worry about such things, but I am not one of them. After numerous setbacks, the possibility of even holding my children in my arms is something I treasure deeply, and maybe even something I can hardly believe is true.

So, after many months, this is what we have got to show.

The hubs bought a (as in one piece) Babyland reusable diaper just to see how it works.


I bought some cute rompers as a gift for the husband's birthday.


Good friend AwwesomePossum gifted us with a gorgeous baby bag that's huge, functional and waterproof! (Thank you soooo much!)


And our first big ticket item - baby cots and mattresses - only because there was a sale with further discounts!

Men can't listen to instructions

Men. They have really good intentions when it comes to their home and family. But due to strange hard-wiring in their brain, they just simply can't follow instructions.

The hubs has been hard at work these few days preparing the nursery. He moved the TV, console, and Starhub unit to the study and wired up a new TV cable, complete with covered casing. Highly commendable. However, he failed to notice that his casing had gaping holes at every joint and bend, because he didn't know how to cut the casing at an angle so the edges would meet. I had to come home and show him how to do it.

Yesterday, he painted the room. It was a somber blue colour but now it's a bright cheery pale-yellow. Great work, considering he single-handedly painted it, all day. He, however, ignored my instructions to tape the power points, window sill, and skirting with masking tape. He also did not tape up the door frame. The result is a mess of yellow paint on all the above mentioned items. Being a neurotic perfectionist, I was disheartened to see the shoddy work, especially on the grey door frame, which could not be painted over because we ran out of grey paint.

To add to this, he did not cover the floor with newspapers despite me placing them in the room for his use. Now there are pale-yellow blemishes on my parquet floor and I do not know if it's reversible. (Thank goodness I covered the sofa with a huge old bedsheet. Who knows what it might look like had I not done that!) And just this morning, I discovered he painted onto the ceiling because he thought it wasn't noticeable. So I have an untidy patchy ceiling edge as well.

I really admire his love and perseverance in his little handyman tasks around the home, but dismayed that his laziness and slipshod attitude prevailed. I didn't want to nag, but felt I had to give him my advice and instructions...which obviously fell on deaf ears. In future, I feel compelled to do all the "prep-work" before he embarks on a task.

Update: The husband has cleaned away all the paint marks and smoothed the paint work. The wall's not perfect, and there is a feathering effect way up on the ceiling...but I can live with it. :) Yokatte ne!

Baby rabbits need a new home!

Four adorable baby rabbits need a new home! Local breed, extremely adorable and loving. All baby rabbits have active and good-natured characters.

They are currently 8 weeks old, still quite small, about the size of a palm.

Must be adopted in pairs.




Please email me if you are interested. :)

Becoming a parent...

There are so many hurdles to becoming a parent, so many challenges and tests...I wonder if it's even possible to make it there. Having been reproductively challenged for many years, my husband and I sought out fertility treatments and eventually conceived via IVF. As we've never
gotten pregnant before, we wouldn't have known how my womb would 'take' to implanted embryos. Hence we had two put back in, for safe measure.

We spent weeks in a slightly agonizing wait, and then discovered we were going to have twins! We were thrilled and overjoyed, that is, until the doctor told us the extra problems that might arise due to twins. Great, he says this AFTER we had them transferred in. Don't worry we will take care of you, the doctor said. And indeed the centre did, for they put us through a whole host of tests to ensure the babies were progressing well, at the expense of making us panic and
worry.

At every step of the way there were scares. Test this test that. All kinds of abnormalities could arise and the doctors do want to ensure you know your risks before giving birth and perhaps blaming them for mis-information.

Currently, we're in between appointments and waiting for our detailed 20 week scan. We're eager to see the scans again, but in the meantime, trying to relax and enjoy the pregnancy as well. :)

Loving & Cherishing

A friend who loves and cherishes me (I'd like to think!) sent me this newsletter which was written by a friend of hers. Highly meaningful words in a small space. Do read it and reflect.

Tiring times

These are tiring times. Work has been tough lately, with many challenges thrown my way every single day. Competition has increased in the wedding stationery industry and customers are again turning to the traditional hotel card (albeit almost free but not as pretty) to fulfill their needs.
Physically I haven't been feeling all perky and energetic as well, and sometimes, life can weigh me down.

On the other hand, I have been very busy (or at least trying to!) with various projects at home and at work, and with many good things to look forward to, this age-old adage popped into my head -- "No pain, no gain".

So very true.

We complain to bond with each other

Sometime in the last ten years, I don't know when exactly, it suddenly became "cool" to complain about our country, our government, and its policies. Why I say it seems "cool" is because everyone seems to be doing it, from taxi driver uncle, to your neighbour, your friends, relatives, and perhaps a stranger on the road. If you don't "join in", you might be deemed weird and different.

Is this a sign the government is not doing its job as well as it could be, or are citizens becoming better-informed and thus, more unhappy?

I'm not one to dwell on things that irk me, but I do have gripes about my country and the way things are sometimes. However, I must admit that despite all the inconveniences, headaches, and dissension, there have been many good things happening here, and Singapore has never been more exciting.

So are citizens complaining for the sake of it? Are they truly unhappy here? Or as a friend said, every country will have its disgruntled inhabitants, sort of like a characteristic trait of any developing or developed country. I can just imagine political leaders of various countries chatting when they meet, "Are your citizens always complaining?" "Pretty much so!"

I conclude that I think Singaporeans complain to bond, to share their gripes and grievances. In sharing our joys and heartaches (hardly any joys), we draw closer to each other, our fellow countrymen. Ultimately, this is something that will never be changed, whether or not we have more freedom of speech, two political parties, sexual liberation, or even free parking for everyone for life.

Breadtalk celebrates a fantastic 10 years!

Thanks to Breadtalk and Omy.sg, I finally got to taste Breadtalk's "Fantastic 10" buns. This year is Breadtalk's 10th anniversary and as a special treat, they sold all the special buns they created over the last 10 years. Alas, due to a busy schedule, I was unable to get the buns from 2007-2009. 2001's special bun was also unavailable as it was sold out.

Here are some photos of the Breadtalk "Fantastic 10" buns. I am pleased I got to try these as I never quite made it to buy them over the past 10 years. Whilst I don't often buy buns, I would say Breadtalk is probably the most creative of all the bakeries, and were the ones who ignited Singaporean's love for bread. Nowadays, bakeries are choc-a-block. Many are inferior, although some are pretty good.

2000 Floss Bun
Because of Breadtalk, every bakery from Jurong to Pasir Ris sells buns with floss toppings now. A testament to "copying is the best form of flattery".

2001 O'Sambal
Didn't get to try this as it was sold out. :(


2002 Dinosaur
Super duper cute! I was reluctant to eat this one as his eyes were staring at me adorably. I'm glad I ate him in the end as he had ham and cheese in him. Delish~


2003 Bull Run
A great variation of the floss bread, it looks like a bull indeed!


2004 Luv Bite
Sweet white chocolate and filled with strawberry love, Luv Bite was created as a partnership with Singtel to help underprivileged children.


2005 9.0
Filled with chunks of chicken and topped with bonito flakes. Tasted a bit Japanesey which I liked. This bun was sold to raise funds for victims of the massive tsunami the previous year.


2006 KimCheese
A huge-ass piece of bread infusing kim chi, cheese and bread. Really unique!

Sadly I didn't get to try the rest of the Fantastic 10 buns, except for Merrily, Hairy Crab (2007), Peace Panda (2008), Ferraberri (2009), Leonardo+Merrily (2010)
which I ate this morning. It was nice, with chunks of tuna and onion on the inside.

Herbal Shampoo

I have been using this shampoo from Melaleuca for the past few months. It smells great and works for my hair. I haven't seen increased hairfall in the shower and actually don't drop as much hair nowadays. (I don't have very thick hair so will probably try one of those treatment shampoos from Phyto in the near future to see if I can improve my locks).

The bottle really didn't seem very big for the price, but after 3-4 months there's still half left so I'd say it's pretty value for money. The shampoo lathers up well so for my short hair I only need a blob about the size of a 20-cent coin.

Let me know if you're interested to try.

Fatty needs a home

This is Fatty. He was the biggest and fattest of all his siblings. Alas, he has yet to be adopted because two of his siblings were given away and he couldn't have gone with them because he was terrorising them all the time and making them scream. If you noticed that I said "He", it's because my mother, with her years of experience, is guessing that he's male.

So Fatty needs a home. He's really cute, fluffy and round, but still small -- he's only about 8 weeks old. Do be prepared that he might turn out to be female. But that's ok because females are very cute too. :)

Repo Men are coming

I wonder how it'd feel if Jude Law comes to take back my liver, or heart, or lung, or something. Jude Law is certainly drool-worthy and to die for, but to die literally at his hands? When someone's coming at you with a scalpel it's impossible not to freak out. This is generally the premise of this movie, or so I thought. Two hours later, I was depressed and yet impressed by Repo Men (a new movie coming to cinemas near you). Depressed because the story involves the morality of organ trade and the brutality of yanking it out of humans when they can't pay their bills. Impressed because the movie was well told, well acted-out and well, I had a great time.

Repo Men takes the idea of repossession of your house or car when you don't pay your bills, to another level. Get a new heart, lung, liver, anything, but if you don't pay your monthly installments, someone will be cutting you up to take back the organs you purchased. Remy (Jude Law) is the best repo man in the business, but when he suffers a cardiac arrest and has his own heart replaced, he starts to question the very job that he was once so good at. With no money to pay his hefty bill, he goes on the run, and discovers many like him who live desolate lives.

Set in the future, the movie features loads of fancy city skylines, sort of like NYC but x 100. It also features many action scenes, sequences, and graphic violence. There are some graphic scenes of blood and gore that took my breath away. Yes, very bloody, but wow, I loved it. (Just like how I loved 300, appeals to the art director in me). Don't be turned off when you read this. I feel it's absolutely necessary to paint the picture of a mercenary world which values money over human life. There are some scenes which are unrealistic and far-fetched, but at the end, everything falls into place.

My overall verdict is, this is definitely a film to watch...if you're into futuristic thrillers (think Minority Report). Check out the thriller here, where there's a short clip presented in graphic novel style as well. If you're still not convinced, there's Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, and Liev Schreiber as well, both good actors to watch.

LoveMoon Anion Sanitary Napkins

Having been a tampon user for quite a few years, I was hesitant to try these regular sanitary pads that my parents' friend was trying to introduce me to. However, with the free sample that I was given, I discovered it wasn't just any ordinary sanitary pad.


Made of pure cotton, with a soft surface feel, these pads pack a punch, and are able to hold a huge amount of fluid. They also feel lighter than an average "heavy day" sanitary pad. Whilst they can't beat some other pad brands for their ultra-thinness, these Love Moon pads definitely "go the extra mile", requiring less change. Being cotton with a breathable bottom layer, you won't feel like a baby getting nappy rash either, as it's not warm and sticky. And I believe most women know how uncomfortable it gets having their period in hot, humid Singapore.


Another benefit is that each pad comes lined with a negative ion strip on the inside. Many believe negative ions promote good health and sentiments, by combating the positive ions in the air and in our bodies. This could potentially eliminate moody and fatigue symptoms one might experience with PMS.


Last but not least, there's an ad running in EzyHealth magazine this month (Available at Guardian and Watsons) that offers a free sample pack. See the last photo for more details. Or email me for more info. :)

Google Generation

If there was a "Google Generation", I would be in there. I google everything. If there's a word I don't quite understand, a language I want to learn, an old friend I want to find, or a shop's telephone number, I'd go straight to Google. Whilst it may not always be accurate, Google is the fastest and easiest way to get free information. My reliance on Google has gotten so bad that when my father expressed to me his fear that we will be clueless about funeral arrangements should he suddenly go one day, I told him "there's always Google so no worries."

In today's digital age when I can find anything and everything I want online, it sometimes surprises me when I am unable to find relevant and useful information. Maybe it's due to many businesses actually not utilising the online medium to their needs. For me, I am actively trying to increase my online presence by learning every trick in the book (!)...if I can, that is. After years of using Flash to make my website so pretty, I have discovered that it is completely useless in generating traffic on Google. As such, I've been adding html, and using Facebook, Twitter and Blogs to generate interest and garner more "followers". I've also started a free giveaway, because everyone loves a good deal (or do they?).

So if you're interested, do surf by http://card-blanche.blogspot.com/2010/06/win-set-of-couture-notesheets-envelopes.html to take part and win!

Renew Moisturiser

Renew Moisturiser is touted as a clinically-proven, super duper moisturising lotion for sensitive-skin. It also claims to improve skin conditions like eczema within 2 weeks. I don't have terribly dry skin or any skin condition, so was unable to experience the full potential of this moisturiser. I did however have some dry and scaly patches on my feet and after using for 4 nights, I noticed that they weren't peeling and as dry. Alas, I got lazy and went to bed some nights without applying Renew, and my feet became ugly again. This is probably because I do torture my feet with some bad shoes as well.

I have wanted to try Renew on hubby's really yucky looking feet but have been putting it off. I should try to take before and after shots as well.

As for the texture of Renew, it's not heavy like most oil-based ones, but neither is it light and airy so those of you who are selective about this kind of thing should take note. However, it doesn't have a scent and does provide lasting coverage throughout the day. I put it on this morning and my legs haven't "dried out" yet, even in my air-conditioned office.

Quick update

There hasn't been much time to write an inspired blog entry these days, with the increased workload and more jobs (Hurrah!), so here's a quick update in point form in case you're wondering what I have been up to.

1. More work, more calls, more enquiries, and more meetings.
2. Made Vongole and Clam Chowder for the first time this week. Success!
3. Helped awwesomepossum do research on cameras and discovered new features on my Leica D-lux 4!
4. Killed all the insects on my plant and helped it to flower again. Alas, it seems to be a little sick still.
5. Baked pandan cake 3 times and it's almost good! Unfortunately, I am unable to buy the Chiffon Bake Tin and my plans for Try #4 will have to wait.
6. Reluctantly drag myself to the gym every week, except this past one.
7. Cooked less lunches this past month, but discovered many cheap and good stalls at the temporary Hong Lim Hawker Centre, and a fantastic authentic Thai eatery that serves cheap lunches!
8. Met up with some old friends for lunch.
9. Helped a friend design a cool invitation for her kids' birthday party.
10. Currently watching World Cup on Ch5. World Cup fever is upon us again!

HK is tiring, but I do miss it!

Hong Kong. A city that never sleeps. I've been there twice and both times were tired out by the inhabitants' unrelenting passion for shopping, eating and life, generally, outside their homes. I heard Hong Kongers stay out because their homes are small and they prefer to hang out with their friends at restaurants, pubs, malls, etc. Whatever it is, I think I need loads of energy and a good pair of shoes to keep up with the people of this exciting city!

As for discovering Hong Kong, I managed to explore a little bit more of the culture and uniqueness of the place and its people on my second visit. The hubby's friend who works here in Singapore is a HK citizen and happened to be back there for a visit at the same time. He brought us to interesting shopping centres hidden behind big brown buildings with back alleys and entrances, and to eateries frequented by the locals. We got to try quality dim sum and roast goose at budget-friendly prices, and buy fun things like SGD3 iphone cases and SGD7 shoes. We had a great time. :)


More recently, I've had the chance to try this interesting iphone app the HK Tourism Board created for the Dragon Boat Festival. It's really fun and involves using rhythmic skills to help the dragon boats win their race. I'd love to experience the Dragon Boat Festival in HK if I had the opportunity, and eat bak zhang (rice dumplings filled with meat) of course. There's bak zhang in Singapore but we hardly get fancy Dragon Boat races anymore.

If you're interested, you can find out more on Hong Kong and the festival here. http://discoverhongkong.com

Ad: Seeking the prodigal client

You can always count on me (or us) to give you quality design with great service. However, clients have been rather tight-fisted and unappreciative of late. Not only are my costs too high, I have also been inadequate and insufficient in meeting job briefs. Clients will never see that they never did give a proper brief in the first place. Gone are the days when they actually had to send a written brief, which account servicing will type out nicely into fields like "Target Audience" and "Tone and Manner". Nowadays, many clients pick up the phone and rattle out a list of items they want to do. They also think it's exceptionally easy to think of ideas for marketing/design/advertising materials. There's also the concept that a single quarter page ad is equivalent to a double page spread...after all, it's just a matter of how big it is, it won't take more work would it?

If there are anymore clients out there who appreciate experienced advice and good design work, please do give me a call. I want to do your work!

http://www.morpheuscreative.com/design
http://www.card-blanche.com

A busy month...of baking!

It's been a busy month since my last post in March. I'm very happy about this of course, but I shan't bore you with the details. Instead, I must highlight how my interest in baking was piqued because of the fabulous sponge cake AwwesomePossum baked me for my birthday.

Here's a slice of the first whole cake I baked in over 10 years:


It's a simple vanilla sponge cake which I garnished with almonds and strawberries. It was not fluffy enough for me, but I was impressed it was easy NOT to make a cake that tasted like a rock (Remember the cake my dog refused to eat?).

I then spent every weekend after that baking, making a set of sponge cakes in cupcake shells for a friend's gym opening.


I made another whole strawberry cake for practice.


And I tried my hand at meringues (since there were leftover egg whites)...


I also baked carrot cake for AwwesomePossum's birthday and I was delighted that it did not taste like cardboard!



The downside to all this (Yes there is a downside!)...my electrical bill was 25% higher last month due to excessive use of the oven!

Big Big Thank You to You

A big thanks to my best friend who lives on the other side of the planet, LT, who lugged this all the way back to Singapore for me. It's an ancient day art piece of Japan, which is a little ironical because I love modern day Japan to bits (:P), but nevertheless, the gesture touches "the very cockles of my soul" (Phrase courtesy of epitommy).

I have yet to decide where to hang it though...so it's sitting right by my window sill.

A thank you to the Awwesome Possum!

My birthday passed this year with little fanfare, but that's alright with me. Sometime after the big three-oh, my birthday didn't seem so fun anymore, and I'd like it just fine to have it pass by without anyone remembering. Alas, Facebook sends out messages to everyone when it's my birthday so I got a torrent (Ok, not really a torrent) of nice wishes and blessings, which I accept gratefully. And there was an SMS greeting from a friend in Melbourne which was a very pleasant surprise.



Probably the most memorable thing this birthday would the cake that Awwesome Possum baked for me (Thank You!). It was a first attempt but absolutely delicious. Awwesome Possum is a fabulous baker, bless her soul! I received only one physical present, from her, an uber cool and cute Hello Kitty iphone case, and the rest of the presents were dinner treats from Kimmy, my family and my parents-in-law.


I suppose I could throw a bash (like a good friend of mine did last month, because she suddenly felt inspired), but till then, I'd appreciate simple treats like Awwesome Possum's home-baked cake. Now, how am I going to top what she did for me when it's her birthday? Any ideas?

All things happen for a reason...?

Being Christian, I believe in God and acknowledge that He knows and sees all things, and that He makes all things for a reason. In my work and life, I have always felt assured that in the grand scheme of things, He will always work it out for me and provide for me. For example, in my years of running my own business, there have been opportunities, and I have thanked Him for success and providence.

However, in the last year or so, business has been slow and opportunities less. I also question my difficulty in starting a family. Is this all for some reason too? Sure, there are trials and tribulations, but how do I overcome these?

Recently, I have been introduced to some really good products from direct marketing companies. One is the No Work Shower Cleaner by Melaleuca, another is the Renew Moisturiser (also by Melaleuca), and there's the Anion Sanitary Pad which is truly innovative. I've never been an active follower nor a fan of direct marketing companies, but these products, I feel, could serve a greater good, so to speak. Were these all happening to me for a reason as well? Perhaps it was to show me an avenue to earn my keep, as well as help the people I care about.

I have also had the opportunity to get to know a new friend from another country. She chanced upon my blog and I have had the honour to chat with her over email. I'm sure this happened for a reason as well. Maybe in time, we can become good friends?

In the grand scheme of things, I guess only He up there will know why things happen. I can only pray for His shower of blessings and opportunities, because like the weather lately, it has been dry, hot and stifling.

PS - Will review the Renew Moisturiser and Anion Pads when I can.

More lessons from the past

I realise my old posts from multiply were on my blogspot as well. Here are the links:

http://farrer-park.blogspot.com/2008/11/lessons-from-beautiful-wedding.html

http://farrer-park.blogspot.com/2008/11/10-things-you-should-be-aware-of-in.html

Both great reads :)

Binding Contracts

I found this on my old multiply account, posted on 9 Nov 2008. Thought it made perfect sense.

----------------------Repost------------------------

All around me nowadays are anecdotes of marriage. Strange coincidence? Or is He trying to tell me something?

Today at church, the preacher mentioned that marriage is not a contract but a commitment. The sermon topic today was not one of marriage, but this short note suddenly came in. I might be over-analyzing and being too sensitive, but it is true, marriage is something that two people commit to and then work at for the rest of their lives. It is not a contract they can break and get out of. After all, what God put together, man must not divide.

I guess it's easy for most people nowadays to view marriage as just a piece of paper. After all, if they lived perfectly fine together in the same house, what need is there to go that one step further on the level of commitment they have to each other. Perhaps it can be viewed that if the scenario was like that, then if they were to take the step towards marriage, it should taken with utmost reverence and importance. I always find it funny that in times of anger and frustration, we humans who are married forget the words we said when we got hitched - "...for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part..." Having financial difficulties or dealing with sickness and ailments are both not easy things to do, and many do bail out if they happen.

Also, as with contracts, many do think if the one they are currently in do not fulfill their expectations and level of commitment, it is fair for them to think of contingency plans. After all, the long-term is at stake here, and perhaps there's something more promising elsewhere. This could be likened to the contract the Singapore government has with Las Vegas Sands. With Sands' big boss in financial difficulty at the moment, the Sg government has searched out previous bidders to cushion the shock should the project be stalled or delayed. The long-term is of course the goal, and if Sands' in trouble, maybe there will be someone else more suited to take its place.

Whilst I do not think Sands will give up so easily, I believe married couples facing problems should do likewise. Commitment is key, and working out the issues should be more important than breaking their "binding contract".

Why do I feel happy sometimes and sian other times?

"Sian". A Hokkien word used to denote a lot of feelings. Singaporeans all get "sian" at one point or another, at one thing or another. In English terms, some adjectives that describe it would be bored, indifferent, mentally-tired, lethargic, disinterested, frustrated, a general sense of fatigue...

This morning I made Avocado Scramble with sausage slices and tomatoes. Sounds pretty yummy. But after I packed it to bring with me for lunch, I felt sian and wanted to eat something else instead. Perhaps it was the colour of the oxidised avocado, or the bland taste that did not seem to awaken my tastebuds despite salt and sausages. I chucked it in the fridge and promptly texted awwesomepossum to buy me a sushi set from Jasons Marketplace. The sushi seemed very exciting although I had to pay $5 and waste a good amount of avocado and egg.

As I made my way to office, I had the usual encounters on my train journey. Dingy Outram Station where I had to change trains, no 3G network on the SMRT line, unable to send and receive emails, having people block the train doors as I try to exit at Tanjong Pagar. And then there was a long queue of people trying to get their hands on calligraphed Chinese New Year wishes. Sian...everything seemed so dreary and dull, including the scenery, and it's a bright sunny day.

Perhaps I'm just suffering from an early PMS, or insufficient sleep. Next week will be different, not sian at all with the great move!

The wonders of dashi and mirin

My apologies for the slightly blur photo, for this Oyakodon (chicken and onions with egg on rice) was calling out to me to savour it quick, and for its lack of colour, as I did not want to buy spring onions just for garnish (!).

Ah, the wonders of dashi and mirin. Dashi is a soup stock made from kelp and bonito, and it forms the base of many soups like miso soup. Mirin is a sweet rice wine. I used to lament that it was difficult to obtain these two ingredients, unless I went to a Japanese supermarket. And in most Japanese food, dashi and mirin feature strongly on the recipe list. A quote I found on Wikipedia, by Shizuo Tsuji in 1980 said, "Many substitutes for dashi are possible, but without dashi, dishes are merely a la japonaise and lack the authentic flavor."

Thank goodness NTUC actually sells these two ingredients. They were under my nose all this time! And, they weren't very expensive. I was so pleased that with just these two items, my rice bowl transformed from a Chinese one to a Japanese one.

Here's my adapted recipe should you wish to try this out.

Oyakodon
Serves 2.

Ingredients:
Japanese rice (however much you like to eat)
2 chicken thighs
Half an onion
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
3/4 cup dashi stock
1 tablespoon sugar

Let's cook:
1. Steam the rice until it's nice and fluffy.
2. In the meantime, debone the chicken thighs and slice them into bite sized pieces.
3. Thinly slice the onions.
4. In a saucepan, add a little oil and fry the onions until they are slightly translucent.
5. Add the chicken pieces and fry them around a bit.
6. Using 3/4 cup hot water, dissolve half a packet of dashi powder and then add it to the saucepan.
7. Add the mirin, sugar and soy sauce.
8. Let everything simmer until the chicken is cooked and the onions are soft and translucent.
9. Beat the 2 eggs in a bowl and pour them into the saucepan.
10. When the eggs start to curdle and get cooked, turn off the heat.
11. Place the rice into two bowls, and pour the chicken egg mixture equally over both bowls of rice.
12. Add chilli flakes and sliced spring onions. (optional)

Saving money with Liese

I usually have my hair coloured (or a root touch-up) at the salon. Whilst I think $70 is pretty reasonable considering you get a professional's touch and conscientious service, these are lean times and I'm looking at saving some money. However, colouring one's own hair with store-bought dye kits is never an easy task. It involves great skill and mastery to dye your own hair facing the toilet mirror, whilst struggling with gloves, a comb, and hair dye that threatens to drip and stain your clothes and floor tiles.

And then I saw the TV ad for Liese Bubble Hair Colour. A wonderfully ingenious product that combines shampooing and dyeing, Liese is so easy to use and best of all, effective! I had one inch black roots with the rest of my hair brown, but the result with Liese is an even-coloured brown from root to tip! The only thing you have to take note of is to leave the hair dye on for twice the amount of time the instructions recommend. But if your hair is black like midnight (like Kimmy's), one hour will just render a touch of brown, very subtle if you like it that way.

Overall, a very happy experience for me!

Baking & Gaming

I spent the day baking. Kimmy spent the day gaming. These two activities are as different as night and day. And both of us were not interested in what the other was doing. However, there was one thing in common -- we wanted to complete what we were doing, and complete it well. Great success! After what seemed like eternity (which in fact was just about 9 hours with breaks in between for teatime and dinner), we have achieved our goals. For me, I have a set of beautifully-baked and deliciously moist cupcakes. For Kimmy, he completed his game, one that he has been going at for a month!

We can now retire to bed with a smile on our faces.