while waiting for the chicken ..

The day started with haze, then it got cloudy and it started to rain .. was windy too - weather here these daysseems like an emotional roller coaster if compared to a human being hahah dramatic huh.. forest fires in neigbiyuring islands are causing a haze(though we could do without - cos the smell of burning forests is not something i like waking up too :P yeah yeah i know seems like im whining im not really - weather like this is deja vu for me .... anyhow, here in singapore you can actually smell the burning forests - but since its something thats happened for a while now , its something we have gotten use too though its not not very good for someone with asthma especially if the PSI goes beyond the safe levels ..During the haze even the healthiest of people are prone to sore eyes, sniffles, cough ... there was a time where we actually put on masks because the air level was so bad ...As of 1637hours PSI reading here is 54 which is in the moderate range .. its pretty dark outside - hard to tell if its the haze or the clouds or a combination of both ...

Right now i am waiting for the chicken to thaw out so i figured i would blog a little seeing my fingers are dying to type something and mind churning out things.. heh .. Its the 7th day of the fasting month- i did a lot of resting today - i am just so beat - i think its the lack of sleep .. really catching up to me.. I made up for some of it so i feel a tad bit fresher - fresh enough to cook and hopefully tonight we will be going to see the festival lights in town and then go shopping at Mustaffa Centre - only 24 hour shopping centre in Singapore and you can get everything you want from under one roof. Its a popular tourist destination located in the heart of Serangoon Road - Singapore's Little India.

We are having something simple for breaking fast today - Ayam Masak Beladuh (chicken beladuh)- its an indonesian dish - basically chicken cooked in chiliie and spices, then we have beef soup cooked in spices and from yesterday leftover ishbilaham so were set for the night ..

Mom's hollerying .. chickens ready for the pot she says thats my signal to stop blogging and start cooking its about two or more hours before breaking of fast ..

umm im suddenly craving for chocolate mousse and the one i have in mind is the one i had at Marche - Lord have mercy im drooling - must have chocolate mousse .. must have chocolate mousse ..........

.. bring on the weekend ..

.......End of the week--- FINALLY!!!!! ....... long weekend for me -- yay!! and today marks the end of the 6th day of the fasting month - actually moments away into the 7th .. ive been a busy little bee all day today even though school was only up to 11am - now i am exhausted but i cant sleep so i figured id ramble about my day ..

It was a nice morning - Children's Day celebrations - we had a class party(balloons, streamers & what not) - the kids sang and dance,watched cartoons, ate junk food and had lots of fun - it was their day so they could pretty much do what they want as long as it is within the boundaries set .. They were all smiles when they left for the week with presents in hand .. sometimes when i look at the kids i think how nice it must be them - carefree no repsonsibilities and when they go home today they can do anything they want - sleep all day play all day .. no worries - ahh yess the life .. and at the same time they are so privileged living in an enviroment so peaceful , enjoying their childhood to the max ... i sometimes wonder if they realize how lucky they are ... do their parents remind them .. or at least tell them .. i hope they do ..

Well anyways, away from all that fun, jumping about, cute laughing faces- i got a tad bit edgy towards the end of the day at home. i just got so quiet - i think i was just tired and in pain - & i get agitated when i want to do something nice for my house i repeat my own place and people are giving me their negative unwelcome comments like its a waste of money and what not .. helloooo.. its my money !!!! - that just gets to me ... they come up with all sorts of negative things to say and not being supportive - and the last thing i need when im tired is that - but knowing me i couldnt stay upset at them lol .. my biggest flaw it seems ....

I didnt talk much for a while though i did cook a middle eastern dish called 'ishbilaham' i think thats how its spelled - its a recipe from my aunt (not sure if she created it herself or got it from someone. One thing about my aunt is that wherever she travels too and tries something delicious she would actually ask for the recipe and she is a fantastic cook! Back to the dish - its basically a three tier dish - the bottom a bread base the second layer minced beef with spices, tahini (sesame paste),kucai (a kind of local herb), ginger & garlic paste, the third layer is sliced tomatoes and topped off with beaten eggs - the whole thing is then baked and eaten with a sauce with is made of tomatoes, green chillies & apple cider vinegar. There was a side of cucumber and lettuce.Everyone enjoyed the dish especially me *grins* cos the last time i had it i only had a slice & it was like pure gold so i figured since i like it i might as well try to make it myself and guess what? it worked - so again im happy inspite of being tired and edgy ..

My mood however began to pick up as the night progressed after i relaxed for a little while and got my system running ...i blame lethargy for my mood :P...

i just realized my blog is like a cooking blog or a food blog lol .. it seems to be all about what i have been making and eating for the past few days ... i hope i dont put on weight this ramadhan - heck the whole idea is to loose weight and get healthy - seems like i dont like seeing food go to waste i end up finishing it up lol my diet seems like a light bulb. My mom commented today she said .... "seems like you are going to put on some weight just in time for the Eid seeing that you eat the cookies that you bake for the festival" lol "i wasnt thrilled about that" lol im like telling her nah i wont lol am i lying to myself? hahaa..

i spent the evening helping mom make holiday cookies, did some laundry and cleaning - and like always mr wonderful pops up in my mind .. well anyways, tell me when he doesnt? lol maybe when im praying :P when the focus has to be on praying itself .. ... sometimes i think he is like a microchip thats been implanted in my head lol some pushes a button and thoughts of him comes to mind lol but this time its felt by the heart too .. :P like always ... then again im not complaining ..

The weekends here ..... and i have things lined up ..work related n non work related matters - i do hope i see "c" online if not i hope he is keeping safe. We are going to see festival lights this weekend woo hoooo!!! and aside from that i hoping for some major r & r.. & do more things in and about the house - not much for r & but I am still so ready for the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!! says the kitty and I....

a shortie ..

The cat dragged in some kind of wonderful this morning and i was disappointed that i missed him - see what sleep gets ya :P missing out on a moment with someone special .. (well at least in my book he is .. anyways.... i have to have a little chat with the cat about the times he drags "C" in .. hmmmmm.. but anyways it was nice to get something from him - always a good thing knowing that he is ok .. and it really just makes your day ... i was grinning from ear to ear when i got his offlines - me its the little things that make me happy, that was a nice start to my morning .. He is like morning coffee for me - lol maybe that explains why i am down to one cup of coffee these days .. hahah a thought messages seems to be the morning jolt i need .. *winks* .. :P Yeah he does have that effect on me .. ;).....anyways, i found this very nice quote from my favorite author...

I am what you seek And what you find.I am what you scattered And the pieces you now gather up.--paulo coelho

Very deep words and open to interpretation - there is that obvious meaning to that and then there is probably that obvious meaning it .. id have to refer back from which if his books this quote is taken from ..

well that was my day ........ attempts cooking from scratch, figuring out Paulo Coelho's quoet and "C" - ..... :) .. now i am off to la la land .. nite nites blog land ..

all Thai-ed out ...

Today was actually a nice breezy day inspite of the hot sun beating down on us and right now im all Thai-ed out . tired out and about to crash - im just plain exhausted today & my feet is killing me .. i need a foot massage and i need it bad - alrighty enough whining ...

Today we go into the 5th day of the fasting month and staying true to my international menus' we made a little trip to Thailand :D.... Today would be my first attempt in making two Thai dishes from scratch -

Thai Green Curry(its a mixture of cilantro, scallions, green chillies, shrimp paste, cumin & tumeric powder,lemon grass all blended together then fried with onions and ginger - added to that is coconut milk,tamarind juice and fresh lime leaves)

Thai Beef Salad (lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and beef flanks with a very delicious dressing which includes mint & cilnatro leaves, lime among other things)

i must say i didnt disappoint anyone.. *smiles modestly*.. I had a ball making it - a part sure it would taste ok and another part of me a tad bit nervous ... We had Tom Yum soup too a deliciously spicy soup with veggies in it like shitake mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, onions, red chillies, cauliflower, silken tofu and some meat and chicken too .. i used a ready made paste for it but like always i modify it - add a little bit more of this and that so there is that kick in the soup and if someone has a bad cold - this is like the perfect soup for it - would clear it out pretty fast ... anyways, the from scratch recipes, I took it off the internet and did a bit of improvisation to suit the taste buds of my aunt and mom - adding more zing and heat to the dishes.

I feel like i have conquered the world hahahah cant really think of a better comparison .. Im just happy they enjoyed it - its really fun cooking for others and its especially satisfying that they enjoy it ..... Its either i enjoy it or im on a cooking frenzy again heck could be both ...heehee.. Something about having that short time to cook sorta gives you that rush .. knowing you have ro prepare something and make sure its good .. im sure some people who enjoy cooking could actually relate to this ... but anyways ..

For dessert we had vanilla & strawberry heaven ice cream a mixture of vanilla & strawberry ice cream with swirls of strawberry syrup ... the ice cream just slides down your throat - extra creamy extra rich....... *drools*...... my mom was extra happy she was like a little kid enjoying her ice cream .. She has had a surge in appetite this fasting month - craving for this and that ... i just laughed at her ..& she would just grin ... she is just adorable that way ....

Now is the daunting task of thinking of what to whip up for tomorrow - *sits n thinks ... hands on chin .. what to cook.. what to cook .,., what to cook ...*

mid week, kids n he ...

Its mid week once more ..... and im down to a cup of coffee a day & that too i have it before 6 in the morning and thats suppose to keep up till late in the afternoon - and it actually does. I havent had Starbucks in like ages and lord knows ive saved alot hahahaa.. anyways, ive been thinking about this blogging everyday for the whole 30 days lol .. seriously sometimes its about not knowing what to blog about, other times im just plain tired - like today. im really tired - i think the weathers to blame - one minute all warm then its raning and warm again and i think im catching the kids bugs - *crosses fingers hoping not*.... Tomorrow is a regular day and Friday i work only till 11am whhoopieeeeeeeeee.. We are having Children's Day celebrations in school and then its a long weekend - second half of Friday, then Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Since 1st October falls on Sunday and its Children's day schools are thus closed on Mondays and thats so lucky for teachers too ....

I realize sometimes i feel so enthusiastic about blogging and at times im so blah ! I would be so 'interesting' if everyday of my life was a drama hahahaa.. Id be dubbed the drama queen of reality ..... i doubt id want that ...... anyways at school today ,one of the kids in my class asked me 'teacher since its children's day what are you going to give us as presents" - i just smiled .. geezzzzzzz talk about thick skinned children ... hahaha kidding tho - in all innocence i was asked that.. i guess it was hint a from her ... rest assured there will be presents for them - its such a joy watching their faces light up everytime they get a present from the teachers and no matter how small it is - they love it none the less...

Creme Caramel was the dessert of the day today .. My mom has been saying she wanted to make her version of my lime n vanilla flan and it was sooo delicicous .... she burnt the caramel a little more so the taste is distinct umm umm umm ... I made cajun friend chicken today with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh salad - everyone raved except it was a little salty so note to self - next time cut down on salt. i guess when you're fasting and cooking its impossible to taste - actualy there is a method for it (mom taught me) but ill pass - ill wait till its time to it then taste. I do realize im rambling and come to think of its actually really relaxing ..... typing in daze... i think im sleeping after this - i can barely keep my eyes open...
Then again maybe not ...

....Fasting today (4th day ) wasnt very testy - was actually just another day at schoo. We have a few Muslim kids at our school and some of them actually fast tho it is not mandatory for kids their age but they want too because their parents are doing it and these kids are so proud of what they are doing and then there are those who cant make it heheeeh we cheer them on none the less when they opt to break their fast ..poor babies...

This morning while i was getting ready for work i suddenly thought about "C" - it was weird. I was getting ready and suddenly these images of him just popped into my head. I remembered him getting ready for work and that image of him moving aroud smiling and what not is so clear in my mind - i felt this sharp pang in my stomach. I dont know why that happened tho .... sometimes its like his spirit is around .... crazy huh ... for some strange reason my eyes watered and i sniffled ...... why oh why does that happen ... You think some days you get by ok and some days it just hits you hard - Its not like thoughts of him are a bad thing - heck i love thinking about him makes me smile especially when i look back on the fun times weve had and how closed weve gotten .... but then there is that reality check ..... yeah thats the one that sends a pang to the stomac heaviness to the chest and causes the eyes to water ... anyways .. i just miss him i always do ..... :)
I love the picture thats with this entry ... it to me represents creativity , purity and calmness & its just a pretty picture too ... serenity ... peace...drifting ...reminders..

.....Its still early here and its actually a nice night out .. windy and cool .... i think ill go for a walk a little bit relax and let all this food settle ... maybe make a wish ..meditate , walk .. just basically switch out the world and focus on making myself relax........ *keeping fingers crossed it will work*

..3rd day ...

Third day into the fasting and the weather wasnt so bad today not as warm as it was yesterday - there was rain clouds in the sky and it looked pretty .. yeah i find beauty in things dark haha .. not always just love thunderstorms.

For breaking fast today we had some rojak(it has a gravy base made from chillie, tamarind , sugar and\ sprinkled with sesame seeds)and the salad itself comprises of green apples, cucumber, pineapple, sengkuang (no idea what it is in english) ... that i my aunt bought at the Suria hari raya carnival. Its especially good when eaten with fish crackers - its actually fish thats been processed and thinly sliced and dried in the sun. To eat it, we deep fry it and it fluffs up - really crispy and delish.....and the best part there isnt that fish smell to it ..

Speaking of Hari raya carninvals/fairs, I think there are a little too many places like that and they should have just stuck to Geylang - i think thats where the real raya atmosphere is felt. I noticed that during ramadhan there are many little food stalls sprouting all over the place - i wonder if they are making money because there are dozens and dozens of stalls like that and some sell the same things - for the seller its the question of making money for us the buyers we are so spoilt for choice and always the case when we buy from them by the time we break fast we would wont be able to finish it - so its a waste when in actual fact we are suppose to be feeling how it is to be witout food - but anyways, mom made my favorite today - sardines samosas. It prolly sounds revolting to some but its actually really good.The filling is actually canned sardines in tomato sauce and my mom adds red and green chillies and lots of onions and a squeeze of lemon and its all fried together and filled into the pastry... When we have this at my grandmas - its usually snapped up really fast - we are like a bunch of piranas *grins*.. I made some keema (its a minced meat gravy with tomatoes n peas and potatoes cooked in spices n cilantro) to to eat with chappatis(a kind of flat bread made from wheat flour and mine was store bought tho the freshly made ones taste really good just a tad bit time consuming and requires a lot of skills) - the menu is pretty international at my home - we can go from malay to arabic to italian to indian to american to mediterranean to chinese to mexican to thai and etc ..hahaha.. so you really dont get tired - i mean variety is the spice of life and why not start with food ... speaking of food - i feel like planning a menu for the whole month so that i wont have a headache deciding what to cook for the next few weeks but my mom said odds are the menu would be changed - and i she is right too maybe a weekly menu would work better ..

i was just looking at blogs at random and some of the blogs are in other languages other than english and it made me wish i knew more languages so i can read what they write cos it seems so interesting ...... oh well .. back to english blogs and site surfing ......... and i think im going to hunt for recipes i can try - so anyone can recommend me a recipe worth trying? .........

25th's & Lun Lun's Baby...

"Do you know what date it is today? " '"yeah its the 25th ...." what about it ?? 'Like you dont know ?' ...... "of course i know what it is" .. ...

....Thats me having a little conversation with my mind (dont we all do that sometimes .....)

..25th is significant for one reason and one reason alone thats when eleven months ago i got to know someone who well how do i say this .. made a diffrence in my life .. and i am ever so thankful that we have come this far. I know this is one of those experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life... You know those little footprints in your heart... I guess you keep track of things like these especially when it involves people who mean a lot to you ..

I think it will be a while until i see him again and i do hope i am wrong .. he said see you in the future - thats ummmm a long time it seems - i do hope its in the near future like later today or tomorrow ... or real soon hahaha... Well until i see him again i wont know .. but till then thoughts of him are always in my mind as he is in my heart .......

...and this just in .. the gender of Lun Lun's baby is ......... A GIRL! Lun Lun by the way is the panda who gave birth at Zoo Atlanta ;)) Lucky Panda!

Heres an excerpt ...

It's a girl ... panda Nineteen days after Zoo Atlanta’s panda Lun Lun gave birth to a new cub, staffers removed the tiny bear from its birthing den Monday for the first time and determined it's a girl during a 10-minute medical checkup.

Must be nice to have a baby girl even if shes a panda hahaha... thats it from me for the day ... will try to get some sleep now before i get panda eyed ...........

into the 2nd day ..

Todays fasting was exhausting and i was in pain .. i think its that time of month - im achy breaky wahh wahh wahh ... The weather was insanely warm and i think the kids at school felt it asking for water for every like half hour.. Usually fasting especially when the weathers humid is not about hunger but more about thirst and its hard to keep your mouth wet when you have to talk all day .... so yeah i reckon its going to be a long long week if the weather continues the way it does but its fine - part and parcel of the whole trial and tribulations that comes with fasting .......

When i got back mom was there woo hoo! She brought some stuff back from grandma's my favorite wheart porridge with spices and meat its soooo yummy - top it off with scaliions, fried onions and a squeeze of lemon or lime you are in porridge heaven .. then there was her famous fried noodles spicy and ever so yummy in it there was bean sprouts, sliced beef, prawns, some sawi (no idea what the english name is - i think its mustard leaves) and eggs with chillie onions and diced tomatoes .. its so dammmmmmm sedap - my mouths watering as im writing this hahaha ..... and we cant forget them samosas (which i made :P , my own recipe and yes i am soo of proud it haha. ...)..

Samosas, wheat porrridge and fried noodles has been the food choice for breaking of fast on the first day as far as i can remember. That has been traditionally the food weve had for the first day of ramadhan since i was a kid .. and when it comes to things like that i hate to break tradition - change is fine but when it comes to little things like that it just kills it for me hehe .. to me it just isnt the same .. This usually goes for special family gatherings i guess .. but anyways .. i lost yesterday it was made up for today - so im happy :)..

Singapore Idol Winner 2006

Singapore has voted and the Singapore Idol for 2006 is HADY MIRZA woo hooo!!!Way to go!!!!!!!!

I didnt really catch the whole series prolly just the final 6 or 7 contestants though i saw bits and pieces of the competition and that cute guy with cute eyes and a cute smile with his spiky hair who carries r & b, soul and jazz tunes with such pizzaze seem to stand out from the crowd. Him and fellow finalist Jonathan Leong was touted to make it to the grand finals held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.. Both gave outstanding performances but alas Hady Mirza really stood out though i noticed he had some microphone trouble when he was doing the first number with Taufik Batisah and the rest of the gang and when they were dueting with Elector could have been wrong but none the less he was crowned the new Singapore Idol ..

My aunt was over at my place for the breaking of fast and we cheered when he was announced the winner woo hoo and this would the first Singapore Idol or any Idol show for that matter that i have sat through the whole one and a half hour show... My mom came runnning out of her room shocked wondered what happened .. hahah MOMS! panic central hahaha.. His rendition of Lagenda by Sheila Majid brought tears to his eyes and his version of Freedom by George Michael would have made the man proud himself .. Though he went a little off pitch for the song Through the fire originally sung by Chaka Khan - he nonetheless pulled through as the victor. That Chaka Khan number was actually a tough number to sing...

For more interesting facts on the man go here ..... http://www.singaporeidol.com/hady.htm

So all those sms-ing was well worth it (got to support the singapore music scene) because for the second time around Singapore has made the right choice in choosing their Singapore Idol....... enuff said :D cos my fingers need a break!

....and the day ends this way ....

End fo the day finally .. i wish i would say it was the perfect day but it wasnt none the less im smiling :) .. Got food got my caffeine boost and im a happy camper .. heh.. i think ive recovered from this mornings rants .. as you can see i have little daisies on my post - im in a better mood ... lets see now how was my day really ... hmmmmmmmm. First day of the fast isnt really so bad though i didnt get to spent the day with grandma nor did i break fast with the family . See Ms Idiot here (that would be me) who should have been more careful about travelling documents - couldnt remember where she put her passport. A passport is needed to go into neigbouring Johore, Malaysia where grandma is. After getting and what not i was looking for my passport so i could fill in the form to go into malaysia and guess i couldnt find it - i was frantic .... would be a dounle whammy if i lost it - firstly i couldt go see my family and secondly its not cheap making a new passport especially since its lost and then there is that whole security issue .. but anyways to make a long story short guess where my passport was? ........... in my moms handbag grrrrrrrrrrrrrr... it seems that when i came back from my cousins place with her i told her to put it in her bad and i forgot to ask for it back - so that was my mistake but i paid the price for it .. a hard lesson learnt .. so i broke fast with auntie here instead so it wasnt all that bad.... i was upset intially but i figured there is still another 29days to do the whole family thing ...

As for grandma she decided no to come out here .. she is fickle that way so i realy should take it to heart - i guess its due to her old age .. one minute she wants to go here the next minute she doesnt .. i hope she decides to come out here again.. it would be nice having here - cos i really want to take her to the pet safari and the park downstairs.. As for mom she didnt make it here either today - no one was around to send her and the car she usually hires is not available today ..... So tomorrow morning my uncle will be driving her here- another day i can wait ... So the day didnt go the way i planned but im still smiling :) ... Still breathing .. :) still happy and thinking ..... Have my home a safe place to live so im thankful..

Before i go i found this quote by Anne Frank kinda makes the world go away for a bit .. worth reflecting on ...

"I don't think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy."

So on that note i am off dreaming about fields of wildflowers, purple skies, shooting stars and a certain special someone dear to me ..... hoping we would catch each other again soon ...

i MUST address something ....

You wake up and the first headlines you see is more bombings in Baghdad, Iraq - not exactly an appropriate start to the month of Ramdhan. As i am writing this its nearly 7am in Baghdad - fasts have gone underway and now its the preparation of burying their dead. Its heart wrenching and its so sad seeing that the lastests deaths (as of this mornings headlines) are that of WOMEN & CHILDREN killed by their own - their own country men people who practice the same faith as them . . Sure.. dont believe the media but seeing headlines like just gets you so upset - gets you thinking wishing that it would all stop ..

I have chosen not to address an issue that has bothered me all week but this morning i feel like i should and need too. Obviously suicide bombing is inevitable for some ignorants but i wish that would stop (for good) and think if they so claim themselves Muslims that killing innocents - your own or other is wrong in Islam . Killing is just wrong what more having it done in this blessed month.

They think its Ramadhan and they have reason for further uprisings and this i am sure has gotten the military worried (again news source) - that these people would use this month as means of carrying out more attacks - what are they thinking? Because you die in the holy month you are guaranteed heaven? I say think again ....... Ramadhan is a month of worship, a month of mercy , forgiveness not an excuse for an uprising. Why potray negativity to the world about Islam when they can potray peace and the true essence of what Islam is - the brotherhood in strengthening relationships, in congregational prayers, in helping each other go about their daily day in a peaceful manner.

I will never understand being in a country at war and i hope i will never ever have to find out but i understand what it is to be Muslim but i dont understand why KILL your own??? Whats the justification in that? Couldnt that just as well be a relative? A friend? your own children? wife? mother?

It is truly upsetting that when you turn the television set on what you is death destruction and they use Islam as a reason. There bigger more and important jihads - a jihad within yourself , a jihad in working towards the here after and in this case i dont mean blowing themselves and thinking they would go to heaven with hope of a hundred virgins waiting. Condemm me if anyone have to but i write on day that i hold so much respect for and seeing other Muslims not taking it the way that it suppose to be taken just infuriates me. I love my faith , what it stands for and what i know it is - and what it DOESNT STAND FOR IS FUNDAMENTALIST OR EXTREMISM OR THE KILLING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE regardless of what its being potrayed by the people and the media of course how can we forget the cult of bin laden whose ideologies have poisioned the minds of many whose knowledge on Islam is limited.

Writing this seems like deja vu to me and the events that have shrouded Iraq, Afghanistan and the rest of the Muslim world seems all too familiar. The attack on the mosque on during Friday prayers was another incident that isnt new at all - imagine fellow Muslims attacking their own during a time of worship in the house of Allah.. A sacred place - funny how you protect the mosque from others yet its being tarnised by its own followers.its so disrecpectful . One calls themselves a Muslim yet they attack a house of worship - real smart. Again where is the justification in that? Their point in doing so being?....... Where is the respect for your faith for the house of God?

The actions of one shouldnt be the justification for taking anothers life. The Pope made some misintreped remarks with regard to Islam and violence and apologized for his actions - i do believe to err is human to forgive devine? So why is it that in retaliation for his actions an innocent Catholic nun got shot in Somilia? Why other Catholics are being attacked? The world should really stop living in a world where one member of a certain faith or race does something bad and they assume that the whole group is bad .... a little shallow i would think .. This whole act of taking the life of another without reason is embarrasing to me as Muslim and i condone the actions of the man who shot the nun. What did she ever do to him? You dont fight fire with fire unless your'e in an uncivilzied world then again the world we live in todays seems to be headed that way ..

So after all this ranting i wonder if there will ever be an end and maybe i should lay off the news for a little while because i am tired of hearing about the killings and deaths of people from all sides and i am tired of people hiding behind the veil of religion - to cover up their actions - using it as a means of justifying their actions when in fact their actions only potray a group of ignorants who have no respect for their faith, places of worships, their holy days and months and for their own.

Again we all feel the same pain ...... be it physically or emotionally we are afterall human.

i can only hope and pray that all this will end and we will all live in peace and when we switch on the television one day we see good news of living and not bad news of dying .... wishful thinking but hopeful .. maybe not in this lifetime hopefully the next..

So i end this ranting session with prayers for those involved in these crisis - the innocent victims, the soldiers who are far away from home,pray for their hurt and pain and the live that they are living admist the war ... i hope some sort or miracle would happen for these people ..

I think i am done ranting ... I got most of what i wanted out of my system out. ..

Well time to go tend to my plants.... much better thought .. :)

Happy Ramadhan

Happy Ramadhan! Selamat Berpuasa!Ramadhan Mubarak! Happy Fasting!

The fasting started about 23mins ago in this part of the world at least - at 0537 when the call to prayer for fajr prayers was head it marked the beginning of the fasting month so between now and 7.01pm no food and drinks among other things .. :) Woo hoo! I just gotdone praying and i cant sleep and i dont think its a good idea to sleep just yet cos i just had rice for my morning meal ... so i think i will wait around a little blog a little read a little hope a little ...wonder a little .. My eyelids are actually getting heavy odds are i will fall asleep pretty soon and wake up looking like a ball lol ... My mom gave me a wake up call while i was eating by the way - she was afraid i might fall asleep .. i told her i was eating then she said well i called to make sure just incase you fall asleep ........ moms gotta love them ..i think she just misses me hehee tho we didnt exactly part in a good way when she left for grandmas house last Wednesday but i am so glad were talking again and right now all i want to do is hug her longtime .......... Its true you really dont realize how much you love someone until they have gone away.. experience is a tough teacher ......... but we still love her .... :)

I am attempting to blog for the whole of 30days in Ramadhan - everyday is a diffrent experience but each day with filled with something worth writing i would hope be it good or bad. Like i said ramdhan is a great time for spiritual growth and bringing ones self closer to the Maker and maybe make sense of everything have an answer for all the questions i have you know the what whys and hows .. so God willing i will get some questions answered ..

Its back to la la land for me - i can hardly keep my eyes open.

So to Muslims from all over the world Have A Blessed Ramadhan may it be filled blessings and rahmat from Allah, may all your prayers be answered, forgiveness rendered, mercy shown and bonds strengthen , may our deeds be accepted & the may the true spirit of ramadhan be in our hearts and mind .. ameen :)

massages ... twins and silliness....

I need a MASSAGE and i need it bad .. im aching all over ... i wish i had a personal massues - how grand life would be lol .. a girl can dream :P tho i knwo who i have in mind *dreams*... well most of the work is done now is time to relax and write .. unwind enjoy the night .. or whats left of it ..

btw i found my pet monkey (moonie's ) twin .. i was looking at pics online and saw a monkey that looked just like him - i was so excited lol .. its probably silly but i like monkeys they are just adorable playful little things. i had to blog only because im in a loopey mood and moonie deserves some serious recognition .. and im a tad bit overwhelmed with the world coupled with my lethargy :P im capable of anything silly ... so here is a pic of moonie and his so called twin - see the resemblence? ...

well thats it for the day .. was a GREAT Saturday :) .. wishes for more days like these and wishes for more 'c' online heehee ........ closes eyes and wish upon a star ...

a quickie post ..

the seven dwarfs whistled they worked - me i was working with a big grin on my face and... what a great saturday morning it was :) ....... 'c' was online today yay!!! yeah i was really really happy - kinda like relieved that i saw him - i mean its been like a little over two weeks since i saw him but anyways .. im a happy camper and like always we had a great time - details i keep fresh in my mind *dreamy look*. He seems to be doing ok and im glad he is .. i can just picture his smile his eyes i am giggling like a school girl lol .. loopey me i know .. just happy - i guess he does in more ways than way make me happy - so i had more motivation than usual to get things done :) .. what im feeling how im feeling kinda hard to be in words none the less i am relishing the moment ........ ;)

its a quarter to seven rather that was an hour ago lol in the evening and i have just got done uncluttering cleaning and throwing up things from the store room , re arraged re organized woo hooo i feel so in control .. one things for sure my mom would hit the roof if she saw what i was doing what i was throwing away ... now now i was reasonable and just being practical when i did that now when i open the store room door and see it im sooooooooo proud of ma self hahahe.. the moment of truth would be mom of course .. but i think she would like it *keeping fingers cross* .. anyways i am just taking a break from all that cleaning - i still have the guest room to do - that was what i was suppose to clean first oh well .. i can finish that pretty quick ...

Today is the eve of the fasting month and it all officially starts tomorrow when the call to prayer for the first prayer of the day is being recited .. I am pretty excited with the coming of the fasting month - i guess i have my own personal agenda to fulfill during this and God willing i am able to reach my goal .. :) wish me luck ..

Hmm i missed him again cos all i got was a bunch of offlines - i say blame it on yahoo .. u loathe yahoo glicthes grrrrrrrr tend to miss all the important messages then ..grrrrrrrrrrrrrr but i wont complain maybe and hopefully ill see him again tonight - would be really nice ... it seems i cant seem to get enough of him ... i dont think anyone could .. ;)).. well i better go .. time to
say a little prayer and get my ass back to work .. i do hope he slept well inspite of the storm .. cutie 'c' snug as a bug in rug ( i remembered how he looked .. heehe .. ;).... btw i got hugs and kisses YAY!!!! ..... heehee ...

a little bit of wondering . a little bit of inspiration

End of the week yay! new moon yay! havent seen 'c' in ages boo hoo!! .. it seems like he just vanished into thin air right after his birthday - i wish i knew what happened to him and knowing me i can only began to speculate what he is up too now .. maybe working maybe vacationing i dont know .. i know its the weekend and i am going to my grandma's in Johore to observe the first day of the fasting month - its tradition to do that - break fast together - my cousins uncles aunties would come from all over malaysia and singapore over to grandma's - its always a full house and thats the way we like it ... this year however it would be a little diffrent and sad because of my late aunt ... its only been about five months
and this would be especially tough for my cousin and my mother - and i m sure that sense of lost will be felt by all - .... This week was another busy week so glad its over and im happy the new moons out this means my creative juices would start
flowing more smoothly (keeping fingers crossed) and hopefully the blue moon would come around soon only because thast when hopefully id get a hello ..( wishing hard ..) ... im sitting here writing this feeling a little numbed out - cos seriously it does feel like he is gone he has disappeared - is this his way of trying to get me to get over him? ... not really a good idea .. i wish i had answers instead of tons of questions and ideas going through my mind ..... so many what if's .. so many what nots..i came up this little poem ..not sure if im going to finish it but ill just let the words flow ..

.. i wonder whose hair you're smelling as you sit and watch tv ..
whose hands your carresing as you walk down the stree..
whose lips you kiss and whose eyes you look deep into ..
who you will be making love with tonight & every night ..
.. i wonder if you;re riding into the sunset
visiting places along the way
clearing your mind
finding peace within you soul ...
i wonder if you're dealing with all you've been through
accepting losses and grasping with reality ..
.. i wonder what goes through your head , what your feelings say ..
whether your happy inside and out or just happy about ..
is your spirit at ease your soul at peace ...
.. i only wonder because i care .. care for that person
whose ingrained in my mind .. in my heart ..
... i wonder cos i worry .. and miss them too ..
i wonder and i wonder till i slowly fall asleep ...
copyright 2006 groovy island girl :)

i think thats it for now .. my sleepy lol .. maybe ill add more maybe i wont but for now thats it .. im experiencing brain freeze - the thought process needs some rest .. so nite nite .... blog ya later .....

Light A Million Candles Video Ad

Here is the light a million candles ad campaign on tv .. check it out and see the stats for yourself , the numbers are alarming and the thought of children being subjected to that is heart wrenching ... .. makes you want to light more and more candles .. please check it out and light a candle ......

Light A Million Candles

its actually more of an appeal .. a want a hope that 1 million candles would be lit by December 31st 2006 in support of the eradication of internet child abuse. This is a cause very close to my heart the main reason being i love children and i work with these cute innocent beings every day and to see them stripped of their childhood would be heart wrenching – they are the fortunate ones there are probably a million others who arent so fortunate..

so i hope all of you could spare some time to light a candle .. i think internet child abuse needs to be eradicated and the pedophiles be brought to justice no second chance for them. Kids have the right to their childhood and not be a subject of lust to sick individuals who prey on these innocent kids. So please please take some time to go to the site and light a candle and support the eradication of internet child abuse.

below is the email .. please send it to as many people as possible .. will only take a moment…

email starts here :-

..The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak for themselves.

But you can.

With your help, we can eradicate this evil trade.

We do not need your money.

We need you to light a candle of support http://www.lightamillioncandles.com/

We’re aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006.

This petition will be used to encourage governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse.

They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take action.

Please light your candle at lightamillioncandles.com http://www.lightamillioncandles.com/ or send an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com

Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.

Here is a video ad for this campaign:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA2h5Gog8_g

Thank you for reading this :)

See more progress on: See One Million candles lit by Dec, 31st 2006

International Day of Peace 2006

Why do i get the feeling that we are so engrossed with the mounting violence that is going around in the world that we forget to take note that today is the the International Day of Peace .. I am as just as guilty as the next person and to think i am a supporter of peace - shame on me ..
Anyways looking at the state the world is in i wonder if peace can ever be attained - we have conflicts around the world, conflicts among races in our own country and conflicts within ourselves.... I have probably ranted about this a million times but - why cant people just get along .. egos, diffrences should all be left at the door .. we have a bigger battle on our hands and that is the battle of the elements - natural calamaties, poverty, aids, child exploitation - these are battles we should are rally together for not the war on religion, race - i am aiming not to a specific group of people but to humanity on the whole - killing and suicide bombings are not the answers to the worlds problems.. call me an idealist but thats how i see it - anwyays ... .. the media dont seem to be paying much attention to it either - i was watching the news for most of the night and nothing on the international day of peace was covered maybe ill wait till tomorrow and see if anything will be on .. All i see on the news is the nations trying to oust out prime ministers, the iraqi conflicts, the conflict between israel & palestine, the coup in Thailand -... what happened to the international day of peace? .. Maybe ill find out on tomorrows news...

Anyways i found this weblink that has information about this day and here is a just a gist of it... So what is an international day of peace?

it is .......

What: The International Day of Peace provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of Peace on a shared date. Use the International Day of Peace annually to highlight the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001 to 2010. Established by a United Nations resolution in 1981, the International Day of Peace was first celebrated September 1982.

When: Annually, 21 September - The International Day of Peace

Where: Wherever you are.

Who: You and all who care about building Cultures of Peace for the children of this and future generations.

Why: To mark our individual and collective progress toward building Cultures of Peace, and serve as a reminder of our permanent commitment to Peace, above all interests and differences of any kind.

Individuals and Nations, acting in concert, DO make a difference in the quality of our lives, our institutions, our environment and our planetary future. Through cooperation, we manifest the essential Spirit that unites us amid our diverse ways.

source for the above info: http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/background.htm

Reading through the site i found that international day of peace goes beyond the state of the world - it is something we can do with family with friends. its about forgiving and caring and learning. I think in a lot of ways the world is missing out on that. Education is the key to making the world a better place - explaining the diffrent beliefs and practices - and bear in our mind that its a big world out there - it is not just us and our community - there are others like us - humans so to speak only diffrent in appearance color of our skin, religious practices, languages - inspite of it all we all breathe the same air, feel the same pain. Our diffrence is what makes us unique like a combination of diffrent flowers in a vase - that is what this world is.. a big garden of diffrent types of flowers - each unique and beautiful in itself none above the other...

If anyone has the time read this picture book on the international day of peace.Its nice to share with your family friends children would enjoy it because of the vibrancy in colors of the illustrations ..

http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/story/

Peace and understanding starts at home from parents then to teachers - we teach the young the right things and maybe the future generations will have a better future... What i write may not go down well with many - but think about it wouldnt it be nice to just live in peace without conflict without worrying.

If only for one day people would stop all the fighting and feel peace withing themselves and with one another - what a wonderful thing that would be ..

Peace is a dream in the making ...... and it starts with us ....... :)

Let Peace Prevail on Earth

..Mid week Insanities

i have some time to kill before my next class and i felt like blogging so here i am ...
its mid week - wednesday / ladies night / 2 more days and its the weekend yay!!! - all rolled into one .. my minds far from wanting to party i just want to rest and recuperate alas that is not on my cards not for the next few weeks at least - .. i am so tired been such a crazy week at work -- and it isnt the full moon and the kids are acting out - must be all the excitement lord knows from where.. but they seem to have calmed down today and i hope they stay that way .... we had eveluations for some of the teachers and my turn is sometime next month - end of the year evaluations are always the most stress ful - it determines many things for your teaching career - well just do the best i can i tell myself and hope that the things that happened last year wont repeat itself because i would love to enjoy my end of the year vacations without having to think about work :P ..... but anyways .. the weathers a tad off today - really windy and the clouds are dark yet its so warm with the sun beating down - i can guess the weather cant decide what it feels like being today so its throwing all three down on us mere mortals hahaha.. im being silly i know - just need to be off a little right now been too worked up last few days - i think its its mental and physicall exhaustion all rolled into out - maybe its a year end thing or a third quarter of the year thing who knows ....

sometimes i think i am so taken in by the world through the wonderful world of media and human inetraction - that it overwhelms me to no end... the killings, the stupidity, the lack of respect for others, how human life is of no value -- it all gets to me because i think and wonder why .. you question so many things .. sometimes it feels like we are living cautiously - in terms of our daily life, what we want to say but what we say to cover it up - its really hard to explain .. we are cautious about security, interaction sometimes it feels like our life is being led so carefully that we are not fully living it ..... because of all that is happening in the world ... its just an observation ....

Speaking of observations its been a little under two weeks since i last "C" online .. last time i saw him was the evening of his birthday when he was going out and i never saw him since and no messages either .... so i went hmmmmmmm... and wondered .. is he just not talking to me? keeping a distance? Maybe he hasnt been online at all - maybe he met someone that is keeping him busy - non of this is impossible ... i just wish he would say something or let me know he is ok .. i mean sure he is home and all but i still worry and wonder about how he is doing (silly ole me i know .. so sue me :P ..... ) maybe, maybe, maybe - all the maybes .... i could always upset the maybes by countering my thoughts with positve dreamy thoughts and wishful thinking thoughts ... well see ....

ahh well .....time for class now ... i just hope he is doing ok and i am hoping i would hear from him really soon and though i know the state of the world will not change when i finish class at least i know i am closer to getting home and rest ....zzzz....

inspiration on strike ...so i thought ...

its dark out and its not even nightime .. thunders roaring and the clouds are getting dark - a rainstorm is on its way and i like it ..... i can hear the sky roaring as i type this - from where i am sitting i see the trees swaying and feel the cool wind blowing strong - this evening i am pretty sure we are up some major rain - yay kinda like yesterday .. maybe with the rainstorms comes inspirations too ... i figured it was on strike because i havent been blogging all week but ta dah ! today it comes back .. i guess i was just really tired this whole week - first week after vacations - had a lot to do and plan and i guess that just numbed me in terms of my writing but i am glad its back :).. all sorts of ideas are playing through my mind not forgetting i am planning a to do list lol oh my brains - when it functions strictly for work its just work but when it decides to expand boy does it :P .. so here i am typing my thoughts while my mom fills in the samosas.. i am actually just waiting for her to call me outside and help her out - so till that i will just write ... today like most days was productive - did errands went on my walk and cooked .. took a 20min nap and voila i am up . where people usually sleep in on a Saturday - i woke up way early and in good spirits too - and all ready to go .. never a resting moment for me it seems - its like so many things to do so little time to do it - cleaning out the storeroom, giving away things and getting food ready for the fasting month is all on my list ... but i make time to see what is going on in the world wide web and in doing that i found this quote that i can relate too ....

LIFE ends when you stop dreaming; HOPE ends when you stop believing; LOVE ends when you stop crying...

There is a whole lot of truth to it i would think ... though i feel that love doesnt end when you stop crying because even when you do stop - the love still resides in your heart ..... As for dreams and hopes i think its the little things that keeps us going - having something to look forward too though not really knowing if the dreams would come true or if hope would fail us ... just having it keeps us going and opens us up to new experiences and people ..... and i just lost my train of thought cos mom just hollered .. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............

..end of the school holidays ..

Today marks the end of the school holidays - its back to work tomorrow - sorta yay! Monday who likes them anyways heehee... anyways .. tomorrow is the first day of school, the IMF/World Bank Annual Meeting 2006 starts tomorrow and guess where its held? Right here on this island state - and security is really tight ... And tomorrow too marks the 5th anniversay of 9/11 - may the souls of those who perised rest in peace and may the ones who survived or have lost loved ones be given strength and courage as they face this anniversary and all the days that follows... ..

What can i say i had a pretty good school vacation - i wish i could say i am recharged - i am far from that - the engagement in itself took up a lot of my energy - mind you we dont cater - the women in my life cook and do all the preps themselves - its an age old thing something i think slowly but surely the younger generation picks up on ... Today was basically cleaning up from yesterday - taking things down, folding carpets, keeping things and relaxation. I think everyone slept in today and took naps in between the daily tasks - which was understandable and my little niece and grandma was of course being their cute selves .....

I think this whole being a mom thing is hitting me hard -- just looking at kids and how my cousin is with her daughter , being called mom , having that little life that is yours to raise and love and care for and to enjoy the little moments that bring about so much joy ... My niece was in a loving mood today more than usual and that just really got me all warm and fuzzy. She would just come to me and kiss me for nothing and then runs along to play ..... she comes and said to me in her cute baby voice 'i want to stay with you today ok? when you you go home to singapore i want to come with you and we can eat chocolates'.. so she tagged along wherever i went .. when i was laying down watching tv in my grandmas room she sat at my head and starting combing my hair - i was enjoying it - imaging how wonderful it would be to be a mom ... she combed and stroked and twisted then suddenly she just laid her chin on my forehead - an affectionate gesture - she just kept it there then i just hugged her and she sat on my belly and started to kiss my eye, my nose, my mouth and then just hugged me and said i love you ......... awwwwwwwwww.. i just hugged her tight relishing every second of that ... the little things that kids do ...She did that for a couple of times - and then her uncle called her out .. when she left all i could say was i want a kid so bad .. hheeheee.. mine my own .... *sigh* .. it seems like that filled the whole weekend too .. that longing for a child... i do know deep in my heart that with one my whole life would be complete at least that part of it ..........

Happy Birthday "C"

.. Its 0300hrs Singapore time , September 6th 2006.... - in my time zone it would already be 'C''s birthday. In his time zone his birthday would be at noon my time lol just how cool are time zones .. I havent seen since last week maybe he is just not making an appearance or maybe he is just busy doing stuff i dont know either way i hope everything is fine with him. Its his birthday today and i wish i cuold do more but i guess fromw here i am and what limited information i have i cant do much but wish him all the very best with more birthdays lots of adventures and may all that his heart desires come to him ..... off the beaten track - this has nothing to do with his birthday but it just occured to me that though a southern state NC is not in the south of the american continent and that west virginia is in the east ....... hmm im confused ....... but anyways .. its nearly 4am on a night where i have been busy all day - i cant get myself to go to bed lol but i am sorta flying now .. sweepy now tho .. i am going to bed .. maybe ill write more when i wake up .... maybe ill get to say happy birthday to him well if he comes on .. till then .. HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'C' on the Singapore timezone ........... *wishes for a blue moon too*...

saturday talkie talkie ...

Saturday talkie on ...

dreams ..
....... Guess who the cat dragged into my dreams last night .................. meow ... and he left him there for a little while which i of course wont complain about .. If you cant get that person in real - the next best thing is to have him present in your dreams todays dreams is one of those feeling his presence around me .. like he is really there - there was no realy story but its like he is just there .. watching over .. looking ... it was strong and i guess thats why i could remember it when i woke up .. if only i could have touched him in my dreams ...........but anyways .... it was nice like always having him there for that moment .. hmm its been three days since i chatted with him - hmm good & bad things come and goes in threes maybe i will chat with him again now that 3 days of non chatting is gone ? yes no maybe? (in his words).. *prays* let it be the blue moon let it be the blue moon .. since we are on the topic of 'c' - id like to get into the whole embracing thingy - my thoughts are simple - if i feel happy when i see him on and when we get to chat and when he is not around and i dont miss him - where does the whole embracing the getting over him come in? - how will it even work then? ... hmmm maybe i am not even making any sense myself but its just something i wondered about a few days ago - see the man hardly leaves my thoughts .. heh :P ... ......

.... cardboard lady ..
... i saw a real sweet old cardboard lady today .. she is so cute looking .. she has this radiance about her.. she reminded me of grandma probably because of her stature..
in her arms she had like 2 bundles of folded boxes tied together and one more was on the floor .. i was wondering how she was gonna cross the road.. watching her just made me feel sad yet curious ... i was wondering how she was going to cross over ... i saw someone offered to help but she declined .... when t he light turned red and everyone was crossing the road she walked briskyly with her boxes laid them down and went back for the third pile ... resilient strong independent cardboard lady ... i have so much respect for a person
like her hard working - dont needing help ... her face still is fresh in my mind .. in her little white t-shirt with little flowers and her red capris ... :) .. sweet cardboard lady ..

... vanilla & lime flan .....
... ... when i woke up this morning i found someone had eaten a quater corner of my flan :( ... lol yeah drama lol anyways .. my mom helped me remove the flan from its pan into the serving dish and i must say - it turned out pretty well . it tasted good thanks to the vanilla bean and lime ..though a little hard - isnt ti all about trial & error? my mom said i probably didnt put enough milk so next time noted to myself add more milk ... i loved the caramel taste on the flan it was really yummy and the color was just appetizing ... umm caramel ..(doing a homer simpson impression at drooling ...).. here are pics of the caramel before the flan and the pic of the finished product ...

caramel yumm

the finished product

.... being happy ...
sometimes i ask myself what made me happy today ... so i say hearing stories of the days go by ..looking of pictures and remembering the times.. completing something that i love ... watch the wind rustle the leaves ... hearing stories of my nieces antics .... hearing how excited my mom gets over little things ... knowing that in some strange place someone might be just like me .. :)

of no party n flans ..

.. ..... after all that excitement the lunch party tomorrow is not going to happen.......... :( .. im pretty bumbed out but its understandable my bestfriends one year old son came down with fever and he is really cranky and the only person he wants is his mom so lunch had to be cancelled ........ and just how timely lol .. after i was done walking all day looking for ingredients and after finally finding eveything - and on my way home i got the text message .. just my luck here .. so here i am with a bunch of ingredients lol .. when i got home i was way too tired to do anything and not having her over just got me a little down so i took a nap

........- and when i woke up guess what i did??? Heh i cooked! some people do retail therapy i do cooking therapy and boy was i happy ... i used my favorite cockery - i dont know im passionate about cooking and put so much love into it kinda like when i am passionate about someone lol .. i know i know im odd but anyways ... ..

i made a dessert this time round Vanilla & Lime Flan - a Mexican recipe i saw on the Food Network... i think the beauty of this dessert is the fresh vanilla bean pod (pic right there <--) they are use in the recipe by slicing the middle of it and taking the beans out slowly ...... it was sheer joy for me becos of the smell of the vanilla - i am thinking of growing a vanilla tree at my place ummm it would make the whole house smell so nice ... anyways having those vanilla beans mix together with the lime it smells l heavenly - it infuses together to give out this very unique aroma ..... and who can overlook the caramel - sugar turning into caramel - watchin the color change from white to brown - its so tantalizing .. the whole breaking the eggs mixng the milk together gives me a kind of high ... i have to admit i was really happy when i made it .. Recipe calls for it to be put in the fridge overnight so thats what i am doing but my mom was so insistent on eating it when it cooled lol .. i told her no one touches my flan until tomorrow .. she wasnt too thrilled .. i should have a sign on my flan -' wait for the tomorrow - you eat it now you pay' ..... hee hee.. so i guess it wasnt all that bad..

i talked to my bestfriend too asked her how her son was doing - so we are still getting together next week but at her mom's place and she said bring some food along ..so i am thinking mediterranean pasta salad ... easy to make and easy to store ... :) She will be here only until next week and im glad its the shcool holidays cos i get the chance to see her and spend some time before she heads back to norway all in all it wasnt a bad day ... ......

im happy :) ...

september morning ....

Good morning September! Happy Teachers Day to all teachers! Today is your day so relax, enjoy and be merry hehee...

I had a bunch of funny dreams last night which i am choosing not to recall lol it was freaky i would with half a dozen people i dont know lol .. i know there was marriages, friends, family, food and guys i dont know lol - i think my minds on overload lol anyways.. woke up relatively early and with coffee in hand i am planning my menu for my lunch get together with my gf's tomorrow ...- i figured i had it done but i am making changes and looking for recipes - Guests includes my best friend , her mom and a an old friend from school - i am pretty excited about it. I havent had a lunch party in a while - nothing beats cooking for my guests and enjoying their company so i am pretty excited about it .. i can hear my mom ( who is in the living room) talking about my aunt who has passed away - now i remembered that i dreamt of her last night too.. she was talking and at the wedding was as if she was still around - i think too its because i was looking at old pictures of the family with my mom - a deja vu moment ...

Im doing a Mediterranean/Arabic/Mexican combo for my party which i think is kinda diffrent - one of the dishes is a traditional family recipe the rest a combination of things i find and have tried in the past .. tentatively my menu right now is as follows ...

Starters :-
Pita wedges with hummus or maybe veggie & cheese kebabs

Main Course:-
Shabshukah (family recipe)
Mediterranean pasta salad or
fresh green salad or cool cucumber salad (leaning towards this actually)
Spinach & feta cheese (great accompanyment to the shabshukah)
French loaf

Dessert:-
Kek Singkep (moms recipe)
Vanilla & lime Flan

so thats what it is for now .. i think when i print out the menu i can finally decide what the final menu would be .... so now its time to print, ponder & head out to the market n start the party processing .. im so excited!! ;) .....