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.