Years May Come, Years May Go: October 2006

Clearance Sales and Muffins

What do Clearance Sales and Muffins have in common? Nothing much except there were nothing leftovers.

Saturday, my good wife managed to lure me to go a warehouse clearance sale. She told me she will buy me lunch at Kota Raya, a Malaysian restaurant, near Monash University. So the blur, blur, greedy sotong me, agreed to drive there since the offer was too good to refuse.

The place was quite pack when we arrived. The waiter pointed us to a table as he was cleaning the next table. We sat and waited for the menu. Another waiter showed another couple to the table next to our, with menu in hand. In no time, their orders were taken. After another 5 minutes or so, they were still no one looking after us. Poor wife was starting to get annoyed. I got up and went to the counter, grabbed 2 menus, passed one to the wife and quickly decided what we wanted to eat. Now, the waiters have seen me standing up and getting the menu, yet no one came to attend and take the order from us. I starting waving my hand and doing the Mexican Waves and my wife were beginning to look embarrass. In no time, someone came quickly to take our orders. I guess they were more embarrassed than we are.

This waiter, who served us, I guess, is a Uni Student, working part time in this restaurant. He has the most grumpiest and unsmiling face. I think he is overworked and stressed. His colleague was not pulling his socks and helping out.

The lunch came quick and was goo. Maybe we were hungry. We gobbled it down quickly and paid our bill.

As we walked out, my smart wife remarked “Look there a sale round the corner. Let us go and see what is on sale”.

As I was walking there, I asked her “How did you know there was a sale on?”

“Oh, my brother told me this morning”, she replied.

Now, now, she knows I hate to go shopping and here am I caught, line and sinkers. Hey, what to do, since I am here, might as well humour her.

There were shoes, clothing, haversacks, camping gears and hiking gears on sale. We spent about 2½ hours in there. Total damage was 570 mullah and a hole in the pocket. I got myself a nice Italian made walking shoe, a jacket and a pullover. She got a pair of Italian Made walking shoe and a jacket. The Italian made shoes were a 40% off.

Mine (AKU) Shoe

Sales supposed to help you save money, yeah, but why are we poorer? But my wife is so happy. Well, if she is happy, then I am happy, too. A happy wife makes a happy home. Agree?

A very happy wife

Anyway, we came home and while my wife was sorting out the stuffs we bought, I decided to make some Loquat muffins. The muffins will be for tonight dinner at my SIL’s place. The Loquats are from the trees in the backyard. Loquats and the leaves are one of the ingredients that are used to make Chinese Cough Mixture (Pei Pa Lou) Baking the muffins are easy.

Loquats

The hardest part was to peel the skin of the Loquats and deseed them. I made 12 muffins. The muffins were gone in no time when it was served after dinner. Damn, I am good or what?

Loquat Muffins

It was a good dinner with roast duck, roast pork, Char Siew, Siew Cheong (BBQ sausage), vegetable curry and garlic stem with prawns. We got home after midnight and have to wind the clock an hour forward. It is daylight saving and another hour of lost sleep. Yawn.

Friday's Humour

MULBERRY MUFFINS

This is a follow up on my previous post " Festive Saturday" where I baked Mulberry muffins for desert. This Mulberry Muffins recipe is the modification of May's Banana Muffins. Banana is still $14 a kg. So it is still too expensive to eat Banana Muffins.

The Mulberry Tree at the Backyard

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 18 Muffins

3 Cups Self Raising Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Litres Container of Mulberry washed and cleaned.

1½ Cup Brown Sugar
3 egg
⅔ Cup of Butter, melted
2 Table Spoon of Milk (Optional: The mixture look a bit dry, so I added 2 spoonful of milk)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).

Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners if you are not using non-stick pans.

Sift together the Self Raising Flour and salt in a large bowl.

Combine sugar, egg and melted butter.

Add Mulberry

Add flour mixture, and mix until smooth.

Scoop mixture into muffin pans. (I used ice cream scoop to scoop the mixture in to the muffin pan).

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped. I used a tooth pick to test it. If it come out clean it is ready.

The muffins came out well and it was delicious. Definitely it will be an annual affair when the Mulberry are out. I love it when all things worked out according to plan. Here we go round the Mulberry Bush, the Mulberry bush, the Mulberry bush.
Yesterday I saw some Loquats ripening in the garden. If it is ripe and soft, I will try some Loquats Muffins this Saturday.

Pho and Footscray

One of our friends was ranting about the Pho in Footscray. He claimed it is better than the one in Richmond and Springvale. We used to go to Richmond for Pho. This shop that we patronised has a Cock & Bull logo and without doubt makes the best Pho. Later they started a branch in Springvale. Of late we found the standard has dropped, when they started to add more dishes to their menu.

Last Sunday after church, we took a train to Flinders Station to meet up with my BIL and SIL. At the Flinders station we switch train to Footscray. This eating shop a short walk away from Footscray Station. It is a small shop and only serves Beef Pho or Chicken Pho. The place was nearly packed when we arrived.

Pho Shop in Footscray

The Pho come in 3 sizes – small @ $6.00, medium @8.00 and large @9.00. We all had medium size. The Pho came in steaming hot soup with raw beef and onions. You then garnished it with Bean Sprout, Hung Que (Asian Basil) and lemon.

I must admit the soup is very good. The soup is clear, flavoured with sweet spices and scintillating herbs. This hearty soup is what makes the Pho so delicious. No doubt, I will there again for another bowl of Pho.

Note: Picture of Pho is from the net. I was too shy to grab any pictures in a crowded place.

After lunch, we walked around the shops. Most shops were closed except for a few Asian shops. Surprisingly, Footscray market was closed. On weekdays, it is always packed and parking is always hard to find. This is what turns us off from driving there.

Footscray Market

Footscray

Nangka (Jack Fruit)

Green Mango (Sample with sweet chilli sauce)

Cockles (See Ham)

Sea Food

Spainierd Crabs

Fountain fills with Suds

Graffitti on the wall

Note:

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup, served with rice noodle, raw beef or cooked beef and garnished with bean sprout, Asian Basil and lemon. Variations included beef tendons and chicken.

The Quake

Yesterday night, I was watching "The Bourne Supremacy" on TV, when suddenly I heard a loud noise and the whole house shook. It was approximately 10.30 pm. I thought there was an accident outside. Look out the window but there was nothing abnornal outside. It was strange to have the whole house shaking and windows rattling.
This morning as I was driving, the radio announced that an earthquake hit Dandenong, the surburb I work in, a 20 minutes drive from where I live.

A MAGNITUDE 2.5 earthquake has hit Melbourne and its suburbs, but there are no reports of damage.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Dr Phil Cummins said the quake was recorded at 10.36pm (AEST) last night, and it prompted a flood a calls.

It was big enough to send a shudder through buildings, Dr Cummins said, but the quake appears to have done little more than rattle window panes.

“We've got it as a magnitude 2.5 at the moment,” Dr Cummins said early today.

He said the epicentre was just north of the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong, in the city's south-east, and it would have been felt over about a 50km radius.

“We've had reports of people's housing shaking and of hearing a noise, but no damage,” Dr Cummins said.

He said more details on the quake would be released later today when data from a number of stations could be analysed.

Dr Cummins also said the event was not common.

“A magnitude 2.5 (earthquake) around this area is not that rare, but it's not a frequent event either,” Dr Cummins said.

“The stress builds in the earth and it just releases.”

Festive Saturday

After a spell of warm weather, Friday weather took a dive. It was very cold. It brought shower on Saturday.

Since the weather was cold and wet to do any work out in the garden, it was time to catch up some work indoor. After checking the “to do list” and find that I can procrastinate on some of the chore, I decided to do the next best thing. I want to bake muffins for desert after tonight’s dinner.

It has been on my agenda for some time but never got around to it. Bananas are still too expensive and that’s what putting me off. So the next best thing is to work on is what you have in hand. At the back of the garden, there is a Mulberry Tree. It has full of fruits, the birds loved them. I lve them and normally eat it with my ice cream. This is a good opportunity to make Mulberry Muffins. I will post more of it in the next post.

Almost everyday weekend, Maureen prepares the dinner for our regular guests and families. But this Saturday, I volunteered to cook the dinner. It will nice for a change to let Maureen take a break, not because I "Fatt How". OK!

So what is on the menu?

I love duck and I decided to do a Stew Duck. No, it is not Teow Chew Duck. Again, I will post this up in another post with the recipe. I forgot to take picture of the Stew Duck because I was multitasking between the Muffins and the duck. The next dish was a fish fillets stirred fried with onions, curry leaves, limau perut, lemon grass, chillies and garlic. It is a simple dish and if you want the recipe, let me know otherwise it will not be posted. Like any good dinner, there must be greens. Two vegetables were serve; Stirred Fried Kai Lan with ginger and rice wine, fresh mushroom with brinjal and garlic.

My fellow diners came with goodies. They were in the holiday mood like our friends in Malaysia. They wanted to celebrate Hari Raya and Deepavali. They came with chocolates from Hong Kong’s Inter Continental Hotel, Sweet wine from Vancouver, Red wine from New South Wales; home baked almond cake and Mango Yogurt Ice Cream. There was so much food for 10 of us. All the vino and rice wine in the duck and Kai Lan kept us warm. We have so much fun talking of the good old days in Malaysia, the racial harmony, the many cultures and the food, oh, yeah the food. We were laughing our head off with some good Malaysian jokes and intermingle with some concerns on how and where the country future is heading towards.

It was a fantastic night.

A Happy Hari Raya and Deepavali to all my Malaysian’s friends. Blurp!

Friday's Laugh

Why am I here?

It is one those days? Today, the work load is light and plenty of time to relax and think. Like usual, always asking questions that cannot be answered.

Other than a loving husband to my wife, a son to my parents, a brother to my sisters and brothers, a friend to my friends, an enemy to my foes, a worker to my boss, why am I here?

Surely life is more that that. It has to have a purpose, a destination and a goal, you can reach out for? I don’t think it was meant for 9 to 5 at work, eat and sleep, pay your bills, pay your taxes for the rest of my life. Ok, lah, blogging included.

I pollute the earth with expel carbon dioxide, fart, shit, carbon monoxide from my car, rubbish etc. you know what I mean. Surely that is not why I am here?

Be a prime minister of Malaysia and unite all the races as Malaysian with one identity? Be a President of United State and save the world from destruction? Or be like Mother Theresa, looking and helping the sick? Or be rich like Bill Gate? I don’t know.

I looked, I searched, I seek, I knocked and I asked but I cannot find an answer. So why am I here? Why am I here?

Going Overboard?

I am all heated up today. It is not because of today hot weather but because political correctness has gone mad.

“The debate about religious clothing and jewellery has been reignited after British Airways banned a Heathrow check-in worker from displaying silver cross the size of a five-cent coin.

The airline has been threatened with boycotts and strikes, and nearly 400 staff have signed a petition of support for Nadia Eweida, 55, who says she has been forced to take unpaid leave for wearing the cross necklace.

British Airways does not permit a cross to be visible, but allows Muslims and Sikhs to wear turbans, the hijab and religious bangles because, it says, they cannot be concealed.”

Honestly, I think the person or persons who imposed this ban should be removed from their responsibilities. It assumes people of other faith or religions will be offended. While respecting the rights of others, what about respecting her rights? Won’t others get offended in the similar way when allowing others people of different faith or cultures to wear their symbol of faith because it cannot be concealed? Why not ban them from travelling altogether from flying British Airway? Better still; let us have individual planes for each different race, cultures, and religions. I guess someone will come and tell me it is a stupid idea because of the high cost in maintenance having to keep crews of different races, religions, cultures, food and trying to maintain a full load of passengers.

No matter what we do, it is going to offend someone. We have allowed political correctness to go overboard and let it dictate what we can say or do. Though we have advanced far in education, we seem to have lost our common sense, respect, tolerance, patience and humbleness. It is all about my right and “I”.

Let us get back to the basic. Put others first, show a bit of tolerant, compassion and respect I am sure the world will be a better and safer place. No need for all political correctness mumbo jumbo.

You respect others and others will return the same favour.

Ok, now I have let go my steam, I am all "see fook sai." I am crossing over to read my favorite blog while I am having my lunch.

Link:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/its-a-sign-of-the-times-what-we-wear-can-trigger-an-unholy-row/2006/10/16/1160850872598.html

Friday's Humour

Reading Indigestion

I love to read.

Almost every week, I will go to the Library, browse around and look for books to read. It will be an assorted read, a mixture of books, books on hobby, self improvement, music, an autobiography, a novel and assorted magazines. When I am at the newsagent I would browse at the PC magazines, guitar magazines, and fishing magazine etc. and would buy it if it interests me. Or if I waiting for my appointment at the dentist, the doctor, the chiropractor or the fish & chip shop, I would pick any outdated magazines, browse over it and read those interesting articles in it. Even though it may be outdated it has this attraction that make you pour over it and savour everything in it.

Two magazines that always get my attention are the Reader Digest and National Geographic. So I decided to subscribe to The Reader Digest.

But recently, I find I have no inclination to read. I seem to find everything boring. If I open a novel and find if the first 5 pages does not grab my attention, I will stop reading that book. PC magazines or any other magazines no longer interest me. What about The Reader Digest? Well, it is sitting on the table with the last 3 Issued unopened and the 2 opened ones unread.

I am not sure, why I lost interest in reading. Someone thinks I am stress and need a holiday. Am I silently sinking into depression or is age catching up with me? It is anyone guessed.

Interesting Dilemma

It all began somewhere in last December during the Cronulla riots. This youth, an Australian-Lebanese, stole an Australian Flag at Brighton-le-Sands RSL club, burned it and urinated on it. He, together with other angry mob, desecrated the Australian flag.

The youth was convicted for stealing and burning an Australian flag at the Brighton-le-Sands RSL club. Behind closed doors he apologised to a handful of club members last month for his irresponsible and uncalled behaviour.

To help this youth an understanding of the significance the flag has for returned servicemen and women and the Australian community as a whole, he was invited to march and carry the Australian flag in next years Anzac day parade.

This invitation has caused an uproared.

Some veterans and members of the public threatened to throw missiles and spit on the 17-year-old if he marched. Some veterans said they would refuse to march if the teenager was among the hundreds of other young Australians acting as flag bearers.

Anzac Day, is about honouring our war heroes.

Do you think this teenager should be "honoured" for his appalling behaviour during the riots or do you think it would prove a good lesson for this young man, to be able to see and feel first hand what the flag means to our returned soldiers, who've risked their lives fighting for this country?

Men

This to all the remarkable women I know, as well as my understanding good-natured and fun guy friends I am lucky enough to know !!!!!!!!!!

For all those men who say, Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free?

Here's an update for you:
Now days, 80% of women are against marriage, WHY? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage.

Men are like....

Men are like ...Laxatives ...... They irritate the crap out of you.
Men are like Bananas ....... The older they get, the less firm they are.
Men are like ......Weather. Nothing can be done to change them.
Men are like .......Blenders You need One, but you're not quite sure why.
Men are like .....Chocolate Bars .... Sweet, smooth, & they usually head right for your hips.
Men are like ....Commercials ....... You can't believe a word they say.
Men are like Department Stores ..... Their clothes are always 1/2 off.
Men are like ......Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long to mature.
Men are like .....Mascara. They usually run at the first sign of emotion.
Men are like Popcorn ..... They satisfy you, but only for a little while.
Men are like Snowstorms .... You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.
Men are like ........Lava Lamps .... Fun to look at, but not very bright.
Men are like Parking Spots . All the good ones are taken, the rest are handicapped.

Happy Birthday KC

Pat, this is how KC looked before he met you.

Happy Birthday KC and have a good day.

Happy Birthday Dad

Hi Dad,
Just a short note to wish you a very Happy Birthday.

To my dear dad
I want say hello
And I love you more
Than you know

I hope you have
A great birthday
Please know dad
I'm thinking of you today

Mei (May) Kui, Mei (May) Kui

These are pictures of roses taken from my garden.

Maureen wanted a purple rose and we got it from the nursery but the flower is not that deep purple as shown on the brochure. It is a hardy rose and never fails to bloom every year.

The picture above hardly justify the colour of this rose. This rose is in very deep dark red and is one of our favourite. The rose came with the house when we moved in and it is more than 20 years old.

This rose came with the house, too. It use to have lots of beautiful bloom until the last 2 years when it was hit with disease. It is starting to grow well and I hope next year there will be more blooms.

We got this rose for $5 at KMart. It was not in a good state but we bought it and nurture it. Every year it had rewarded us with plenty of flowers.

This rose was propagated from a friend's garden. It was not growing well the last few years. Last Autumn, I decided to give it a deep prune since it was not growing well. Surprisingly it grew well. It pay to be cruel to be kind.

This is the most hardy and common rose. This was grew from a cutting. Just cut and plonk on the ground and it will grow. I have chopped this rose's mother to the ground many time and come spring, it grew again.