Home remedy

Sorry for the blurry picture. You see, I was still double-boiling it when I took the picture.

Talking about self-medicate, making simple home remedy like this one is very effective too. Above all, it is easy peasy. I made this for Ann. She has been having this phlegmy cough only in the morning and it has helped her a whole lot. Even if you are not sick, it is great to eat it as a dessert!


Half a sweet pear (I used the Korean big pear), a handful of almond seeds, four read dates and some rock sugar. Double-boil for about 1 hour…easy right and above all...healthy!

Look after yourself well

Let me tell you why it is no good to fall sick here. For us foreigners, we usually go to the "imported" clinics with "imported" doctors. Yes, you feel safe and confident enough to know that you will be in good hands BUT…the medicine prescribed  are all local medicine. That's not all, the price you pay is also "imported" price. Just seeing a GP can easily cost you USD150 to USD200. So, what do we do? Self-medicate.

I was struck with a stomach virus. Don't know where it came from? I was home most of the time, ate home-cooked food and I was the only one who got it. The spouse said that it is in the air cos' two of his staff were also having diahorrea. 

I started off taking the charcoal pills, by lunch time, I took panadol because the bones were starting to ache. Managed to drag myself to school to pick up the kids. Then it was downhill all the way, at one point, I couldn't even get up.  After a simple meal of white rice and fish soup, it was smecta and lots of sleep in between. Wah-la…the next day, I was as good as new!  Kai was most happy to see mama well again. He said that sleep is important because that's when the body repairs itself!

One other reason is because mama has been looking after herself well. Weekly exercise, daily stretching and good old home-cooked meals! Doesn't this encourage you to lead a healthier life?

Make things happen

Kai popped a question to the spouse and I… "Can I lead the worship in Sunday School?"

I was pleasantly surprised and so was the spouse. We have not asked him to do it but he felt that the praise and worship time in his Sunday School was not going anywhere and he wanted to help out. I do agree with him. There is a huge shortage of helpers and sometimes, the same praise leader will lead for two consecutive Sundays and they repeat the same songs. *Gasp*. It really upsets me. Firstly, it shows that there is no passion to serve. Secondly, this session of praise and worship is not important, just a filler. If one were to ponder…Sunday School should be a place to nurture and raise up men and women of God. It is not a drop-off center with activities…

As for my son, Kai…we are really proud of him. See something is wrong, don't wait for someone to correct it, be the one to make things happen! I am looking forward to his first time as a praise and worship leader. You go, boy!

Cheese cake again

After watching the Junior Master Chef and making my mango cheese cake, I decided to make a strawberry cheese cake this time.

The company's driver gave us a box of strawberries. They were picked from a strawberry farm owned by one his friends. I made use of some of them to make a strawberry cheese cake. I don't really fancy salty and sweet stuff so I decided to use the mascarpone instead of cream cheese this time. Mascarpone has high fat content but the plus point is that it is also rich in calcium and the taste is so much more pleasant than cream cheese. The result was fantastic!



Really fresh, sweet and juicy!

My very capable kitchen assistant!

The verdict...it will be mascarpone for all my cheese cakes!

山芭妇女节？

刚到上海的时候，听到人人说，“今天是山芭妇女节！”感觉怪怪的。干嘛要庆祝这一天。在我国，给人说你是山芭，是不好的。那个女人喜欢被称为是山芭呢？久了，终于明白了。原来是三八妇女节。三月八号，是妇女的节日！

唉呀！应该换了。。。“国际妇女节”　不是很好吗？(International women's day!)

Lego kids

Kai and Ann love Lego. Kai started playing at a very young age. In fact, he had his first Lego set when he turned one. Ann, of course was being influenced by big brother. In fact, she still has her Dora Lego set.



Completely lost in Lego land!

He is 12!

Yes, Kai is 12 today. Fast… so fast.

We celebrated his birthday at our favourite restaurant on Saturday. By now, the manager already know that each time we are there, it has to be a special occasion.

Birthday boy relaxing


Happy family time. Trust little Ann to come up with a funny face in front of the camera!


Tapas. They served some of the best in town. Dessert. I am not a big fan of sweet stuff but this one is really good. That's right…not sweet!


Cupcakes for teachers and school friends. Nah, I didn't bake these….


but I baked this. Ice-cream cupcake. First layer is chocolate cake then followed by chocolate icing.


See… my ice-cream cupcakes…Kai's birthday cake.

Happy Birthday Kai! Whether you are two, 12, 21 or 51…mum will always be there.

Disturbing incidents

First email received

...let me share the case happened in my unit to raise the awareness of all of you and prevent the similar case. Last Friday evening, I went out at around 6:00 pm for dinner and came back home at 7:25pm, and found the drawers in my bed room were open and several goods including note book and iPad2 were disappeared. Looked like a person(s?) took a mosquito screen panel out and opened the locked window at the back side of the living room in the 1st floor. Then he jumped out from the window in the 2nd floor.

I think it could be prevented if the security (alarm) system worked.
Actually, I have asked service center to fix the security system several times, but they only answered they would do it next month, next month, next month... but never took actions. And also, one day after, I went to the service center and asked to show me the CCTV record. The answer from the person was unbelievable - CCTV system was under test and cameras were taking pictures but no record.

Two days later, another email received

Just NOW at 19:00, I received a call that again a burglary case happened. The police is around searching with torches, the burglars might be inside the compound yet. Switch on the lights around your house and stay alert if you see any strange behaviour. This chaotic management has went too far.

There has been a series of burglaries in this compound and it is extremely disturbing. This is supposed to be a safe compound with high concrete walls and live wires running round the walls. Alarm systems, 24 hours security guards…and yes, the burglar still managed to sneak in.  Imagine alarm system not working, CCTV cameras take pictures but no records!

I think the damage is done to this city when the foreigners go back to their respective country to share their bad experiences. One of the two biggest cities here and a very wealthy one too.

This is the kind of problem a country will face when the income gap is a humongous divide!

As for commoners like us, we can't live in fear. Life goes on but we must be prepared. I am heading out to buy some baseball bats. Heard that it is very effective for wacking!

Inspired by…Juniors

Was watching the Junior Master Chef and was so inspired by their mango cheese cake…

Yum…MO! Wonder if a durian cheese cake is nice?

Tooth fairy, no tooth fairy, tooth fairy, no tooth fairy….

Ok, this is most ridiculous! Why should a matured woman, mum of two,  be so worked up over two girls, not even ten years old, arguing over whether there is a tooth fairy or not! Ok, I am not talking about myself, I am definitely more matured than that. *Grin*

Let me relate to you…

Daughter LL goes to the same ballet school as Ann. We all stay in the same compound, I have invited her to hitch a ride from us. Last week, as usual, we went for ballet together. So, LL was telling Ann that the tooth fairy visited her…

Ann : There is no such thing as a tooth fairy (maturity! you go, girl)
LL : Yes, there is
Ann : No, there isn't
LL : (turned to her mummy) Mummy, is there tooth fairy?
Mum : Yes, there is.
LL : Yes, there is
Ann : No, there isn't…

So the two little girls went on debating about the topic and soon Santa also came in….
By now, mum (repeat…NOT me) was really tensed and agitated (oh, pl…ease, they are just two little girls discussing), she turned around and looked at the girls and told them to drop the subject!
To me, I think it is perfectly healthy for kids to mentally spar each other. It is intelligent conversation. It is knowing how to speak up for your belief. What's the problem? Ann has always discussed topics like these with her classmates and no one cry at the end of the day. Read this..when Ann was in the USA pre-school, they even discussed 'Apartheid'. Of course, at a pre-school level. I always encouraged my children to engage in healthy debate. They are free to even take me on! When they grow up, they have to learn, to know that not everyone will accept their views. It is not about forcing people to accept what you think, it about letting people know what you think.

To lighten the situation, I turned to look at mum and asked, "so, do you keep all their baby teeth in bottles?"

Mum : The tooth fairy (with a smug look)

Oh God…save me… For your information, she is a beauty. Model perfect look in spite of giving birth to two kids. Chiselled face features, slender body, slim legs (I am not exaggerating ok). But you know something, when you don't have the inner beauty to help radiates the outer beauty…it is as good as nought.

Relax lah!