Fishy Fishy

Few photos to make up for the lack of anything visually simulating on this blog... I swear I will post something interesting .... in the next couple of weeks ;) ;)

Back for Cheng Meng and attempted one of my all-time favourite dishes.... with the help of Tua Ee of course :D

Hu Pau!!

Pictures look a bit different because I didn't bring my camera back, TY had his cam in the workshop and I ended up with Mum's lol.

What can I say? Highest order of compliment from Sien Ee and Ah Koo. "Tastes the way Ah Ma made it". Fulaooo!!! In truth, I took the recipe from my Nonya book but Tua Ee certainly added a few key ingredients that completely made all the difference.

And the rest of the spread:

That's the stir fried bayam, steamed egg custard, lotus root soup and kailan ;)

Damn this. Stomach rumbling in the middle of the night.

A Vanilla-Covered Note

Ah Ma,

How have you been ? Time flies by so incredibly fast. It's been half a year since you left for heaven. I hope you enjoyed the Cheng Beng feast we prepared for you.

We got a few vegetarian dishes for you because that is what you should have within three years of your departure. Ah Kong was luckier, he had sio bak, roasted chicken, fried fish. I was salivating the whole time hehe. Did you enjoy the vanilla ice-cream we got for you also? It was Mum's idea... We all still remember the sweet tooth you always have.

As always your daughters were bickering through the prayers. Ji Yee was nagging Tua Ee for not bringing a spoon over, well, you know the rest. I can imagine you there just shaking your head and completely ignoring them! I prayed for you and almost teared up, because you are the best grandma anyone can ever hope for.

How is Ah Kong? I'll bet you and Ah Kong are having the time of your lives there :) Are you still cooking great food for Ah Kong? I still remember asking pocket money from Ah Kong hehehe. He was always so generous.

How terribly missed you are, Ah Ma. Do take care, and do watch over the rest of us here.

Su Yin
(the chubi granddaughter of yours)

U R 'The One'

True story:

As old-time friends of mine got together during the past Chinese New Year, the topic of conversation (without missing a beat) landed on our respective partners. As each of us launched into long-winded tales of our mundane lives, one of us pronounced that she is still together with her long-time beau. Another friend asked, "Do you think that he's the One?". As the friend in question 'erm-ed', I retorted loudly, "There's no such thing as The One!".

Ok end of true story hehe don't blame me for sensationalizing an otherwise plain story.

We humans are so full of ourselves. We each think we are so unique, one-of-a-kind, that every other living beings are inferior to us.

In a sense that may be true, our brains are much more complex and unlike animals, we are able to apply logic and reason our thoughts. But otherwise, we are just about grouped under the same category, as tenants of Earth.

Our strength may lie in our intelligence, but, every other species have their own strength (which is to say, intelligence is not the only strength applicable). Like, say a cheetah's strength lies in its speed, and a camel for its capabilities to retain water and shit like that. When will we homo sapiens finally see past our huge egos that we are created with the purpose just like any other inhabitants of this planet. To survive, and then breed.

Okay, I may be digressing here, but trust me that I am getting to the point!

I have read books, and articles, heard testimonials all claiming they were somewhat guided to find their other halves. Or that they are still waiting for the person who is made for them.

Truth is, I think, and realistically, we are just living mammals, out there to breed. Plain and simple. Not fate, not destiny, not God's will, no crap.

And having said that, I don't believe in someone 'out there' who is 'made for you'. The world population is hitting to a close 7 billion and do we sincerely think that, out of that number, a minuscule 1 out 7,000,000,000,000 is just sitting there waiting to sweep us off our feet? Call me a skeptic but we weren't so choosy back then. Those days, any male who can hunt and bring home a wild boar already surpasses expectations, same goes to a female with a well-endowed busoms, or any sign of fertility is enough to guarantee her hand in marriage.

A relationship starts from an initial attraction (ok this is not counting in the mail order brides or whatever), then the phase evolves through dating, and eventually marriage (if all goes well). We can get along with many people but there are only a handful that we are able to live with, and of course, to be in love with. I am not skeptical about love, I am just skeptical with the simple-minded idea of 'The One'.

Really, we're not all that superior we have made ourselves out to be ;)