All BIG things started small

It all started with an innocent piece of meat.

Then, we thought, it would be great to have it grilled with some hickory wood.

So, we thought, it shouldn't hurt to get a little mini charcoal grill for the house that seemed so "portable". Forgive our senseless mind and our minimal knowledge of cast iron and the word 25kg stated over the internet.

Well, then, it was just a simple e-mail enquiry. Then the Mini Green Egg arrived.

With the egg's arrival, now we are thinking of getting some really good wood and charcoal.

And it would be great if we could have this bed of herbs.

It wouldn't hurt if we can have this trolley where we can place
food.

A nice foldable table for 4 and a picnic set that contains all the necessary ( of cos they are!) plates and all and wine glasses.

We probably cannot do without a chiller. How else are we to have a wine. HOT? Never!

It would be great if we also could have a nice 4 men tent.

Wait, maybe all we need is a house with a big garden.

Oh yes. That's probably what we need. A house with a big garden. Preferably near a butchery. The solution was awfully simple and straight forward.

So really, it began with an innocent piece of meat.
 

FARMER RABBIT

I have to let this out. I find farmers really sexy. I imagine big strong men, working hard in the fields of corns, tomatoes, turnips, lettuces to be very very very sexy. Their sexy index increases IF they also own some free range hens, cows, pigs and a horse or 2. Would be great if they could cook too.

I imagine myself having a long table in the middle of the field /farm hosting this grand dinner of roast and some fresh salad from the farm. With cheese, wines and olives galore. I feel the warmth of the evening sun shining on my face and the cool chill wind slightly blowing at my direction. I can even hear the laughter of people; nonsesnsical meaningless conversations going around. Children running around, lying on the soil and getting excited over almost anything. There is no rush. There is no schedule. There is no what-to-do next. There is only now. Miles and miles of nothingness surrounds my guests and I and we allow time to pass at their own pace and care less of what is to come.

And now sitting in my corner of my table where NONE of these sights and sounds are in place - I am shamelessly using my office hours to day dream.

Join me in my field of imagination. Of roasts and greens, of peace and tranquility.

 

9gag worthy....

My colleague excitedly sent me a photo via wassap yesterday and ask me if the person in the photo is me.

I looked at it, and for a moment, believed it to be me.

I then asked my sister who knew me for the past 35 years to verify and she insist that it is me as well. She said the hair colour, the clothings, the shades and the silly actions are ALL me.

Another of my colleague came up with an alien theory that actually there are like thousands of me on planet earth. All of us were dispatched to various parts of earth to conduct experiments on 50 year old men like himself. He volunteered himself to be part of the experiment process willingly. He said," TAKE ME!"

So who is this person? I don't know.

So, do you think she really looks like me?

My "Alien- twin"

 

Of Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

My latest Arm Candy :)

Do you think they would have this on e-bay?
Mail Order perhaps?
Darn! I just have to make 1 soon. :)

The Mom's Song...

Is this my fate?

Will I sing as well?

To all mothers out there, let's hold hands and form a choir!

I had tears in my eyes....

Singaporeans arrested for protest in support of Burmese Activists from choonhiong on Vimeo.

when I was in the middle of this video that Gee told me about.

Wells of tears.

Bouts of tears.

Tears that I cannot contained.

Of all people, at all times

They even had to zoom in

For that 10 secs or so ( at the 4 min 48 seconds onwards)

My dear hubby he always makes me laugh

He's the perfect "Celefare"

FOR THE CHANGE WE NEED....

Congratulations President Barack Obama - United States of America!

Charming guy isn't he? But the road is long, all eyes will be on him as he sits on the World's giant's back and hopefully the view up there will be great for him.

Gee was in her usual thinking mode and me who is always in my usual clowning mode led us to our MSN Conversation:

Gee says:
do you think it is an indication of a step forward
Becky says:
?
Gee says:
for the tradition of racism, that a Black is elected as US president
Gee says:
people are indeed more colour blind
Becky says:
we are even more forwarding than them
Becky says:
u forget our PRESIDENT is it?

I always kill my best friend profound mood don't I? Maybe that's why she's in Canada where I can never be close enough to destroy it.... but she never gives up, she always talks deep with me while I give her answers close to that of "chilis & onions!"

A good leader understands....

that during times of crisis, we need to smile and face the storm.
Braced up,sing out loud,be optimistic and happy.
That's why, he outrival me by presenting the funny side of him to cheer the whole world.
Good job! Well done! I couldn't have done it better myself. No wonder you are a great leader of the nation!

I mean of chilis and onions!
I wonder if he got the inspiration from our local chicken rice chili recipe or was it the satay he had earlier!
Thank you Mr Lee for making me laugh despite the SGD lowering in valuation, despite headcount freezing, despite the recession looming. You have indeed made Singaporeans proud! It's not easy to make a joke in front of millions of LIVE VIEWERS - it takes alot of GUTS, COURAGE and BRAVERY.
I need to work harder on my jokes now. The shoes are simply far too large to be filled. The bar has been raised. This is how a good leader is, they pushed you to greater heights, inspiring you to be better than what you are now.

Yes! She FLUNKED HER A LEVEL CHINESE TWICE!!!

But this is what she wrote!

曾经， 有异象，有开始， 从幼苗， 到成长，接续着，有兴旺， 有停滞，有热切，有冷漠，有欢笑， 有悲伤，有分歧，有合一， 有麻木，有感动， 有担当，有放下。。。
人们常说，覆盖一切的， 是主恩手的带领。
虽不尽都明白，极力摸索，回顾时，看到的是：
自己，弟兄姐妹，和上帝的足迹。
期盼下个十年，你我的经历和努力，配得恩主说：
“。。。你这又良善又忠心的仆人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把许多事派你管理；可以进来享受你主人的快乐。”

- Author: My best friend Gee when asked to write about our Y10 10th Anniversary.

To all the GCE A LEVEL MARKERS - You guys are totally wrong.......and twice some more! Even if she handed up half a paper - you should have kissed her ass!

Choking News!

Choking Choking News!
MAOSTER CHOKED ON A TEMPURA PRAWN TAIL!
Sigh, catastrophic. Summarised as follows...
Mom: Nah, your favourite tempura prawn. No dun flip it upside down.
Maoster: Took a bite.
After 20 mins of feeding, eating and suddenly
Daddy: Take a sip of my soup?
Maoster: Took a big slurp
Maoster: Turned blue, choked
Maoster: CRY VERY LOUDLY. SALIVA CONTAINS BLOOD
Daddy & Mommy: what's wrong? What did he eat? Is there fish bone in the porridge? Panic attack.
Maoster: Continue to cry in pain, trying to vomit out.
Mommy: patting Maoster
Maoster: Vomit out
Daddy and Mommy squatting outside the restaurant looking at the stuffs out of his throat for further investigation ( like CSI), Maoster calming down
Mommy: See, there's a prawn tail!
Daddy: That's the culprit
Mommy: See here the saliva got blood.
Daddy: Probably cut his throat
Then, afterwards, since Maoster is no longer crying. We did the drink water test, the can I still kick ball test and finally do you want ice cream test. Maoster passed all with flying colours. By the grace of God, this episode is over and we do not need to rush to Gleneagles A & E that is just opposite our restaurant.

Aftermath conclusions:
1. All prawns with any shells even tail must be removed at all times.
2. Check mouth content before each new mouthful of food
3. Such crisis has laxative effects on both parents

Proud moments:
Mommy has been well trained to carry maoster while he wants to vomit in style so that it will not get into her dress. Only thing is the shoes will still kena. Still better than the dress.

***

MAOSTER CHOKED AGAIN ON GRAPES!

Who ever said fruits were good for you? Maoster choked on his grape yet again after his choked tempura news on saturday. Yesterday, his grandma gave him grape and he choked and puked very little ( consolation)! He is too kanchiong! Saw the grapes and scared he don't get to eat them... sigh... PLEASE BOY! HOLD YOUR HORSES! They are only Grapes! I wonder next time if he had tasted Foie Gras, would he choke on it as well?

Don't make me start you on liquid diet my boy!

***

The 1930s Great depression?

CHOKING NEWS!
Lehman collapse, Merril Lynch got bought over, AIG needs to restructure to get credit financing, HP retrenching staff worldwide. I believe the worst is yet to come. With news like this, it's scary. After the banking industry, next hit will be the supporting industry such as IT etc. Hold all your cash and big item purchases.

I hope we will all tide over this tough period of time. CHOKING! Hoard like a squirrel please.

When the Price is Right & The Music Of the Night

My pal Eileen called me while I was driving way home last evening ( I almost bang into the bendy bus - not quite yet) to tell me that she wanted to come and see Maoster as she will be staying over at her dad's place at AMK.

In my haste, I was like okay- Come. Do whatever you want.

She did. She appeared say 5 mins after I beat the crowd at CTE and came to my mom's house with some stuff.

She always likes to buy snacks to my house - as she despite her small sickening thin frame likes to eat all the old chang kee fried thingy, cakes, sushi etc... the nibbles here and there.

She casually mentioned that she bought us some sampler cakes. I was like, okay. She asked do you want some? I said no. I mean, I am not into cakes - i mean right? Of cos yes, i do go ga ga over the scoop cake at Tampopo and yes I do sometimes crave for my strawberry short cake and yes I do like the tiramisu at The Patissier but does that makes me a cake fan? Hardly I think, so i rejected it swiftly.

And Eileen went on saying she got the cakes at Mcpherson at this Blue Magnolia place... to me they were just information flooding crashing into each other all over the places. Meaningless.

My mom took a bite of the carrot cake and says, hey, it taste good. Then Eileen said, Nice? They cost me $13.50 for this small box of assortment platter cakes.

Suddenly everything was clear. We were like WHAT! $13.50 for 6 bite-sized cakes, each no bigger than Maoster's palm size and we ( mom + aung + my sister in law + ah yang my nephew and crowd follower maoster) immediately swarmed over the box ( that's just a simple white see through box) and started grabbing those small cakes. I mean I was like, that's mine! I choose this one! Ok, No? Ah yang you got to eat dinner first. Oh, yummy. Nice! I like this one. Ok, dun bite so big mouth can?

Eileen stood so amused by our sight. She said she should have just sticked the price tag on the box.

We are just foolish consumers ha ha ha... ok me. Only me.

I got this picture my googling sample cakes from Blue Magnolia.

This morning as we hurried off to deposit maoster, I was having this quick waiting for the lift conversation with Aung.

Bun: Did you hear mao coughing last night?

Aung: Coughing? Really?

Bun: Yar, didn't you hear.

Aung: Oh yes, I remembered.

Bun with the I am forever smarter than you without eating ginko pills ego high feeling

Aung: I remember that you were singing

Bun: What?

Aung: Yar, you were humming a tune while you were asleep

Bun: What do you mean? I was like singing a song? What song? Gosh, what a moron.

Aung: No lah, not really singing - more like humming

Bun: What do you mean by humming? Like La La La La?

Aung: Not really lah, you were just like... hmmmm humming, de de de de type

Bun: What do you mean by that?

Aung with the "you must be so lucky I am the one who married you animal or you would have been made rabbbit stew with potatoes and rosemary leaves if you sing while you sleep cos I still find you amusing" look.

I mean, what do you mean by I hum in my sleep. Like doe a deer a female deer type? or the dum di di dum di di dum dee dee dum type? Sigh! I hate that silent I so wanna laugh at you look my aung gave me. Bleah!

Catching up with Times

Thank goodness mom is not a WWW user.

If not, I fear for my sub-card that I gave her.

I reached home ytd and saw that my mom's house has a new washing machine. I was impressed. I mean, mom called me ytd to tell me that the old washing machine has broke down and she needs to buy one. And now a new gadget now took residence of where the old one used to be.

Surprised, I asked mom how she got the washing machine in so fast. I mean, she has 3 kids to take care of, dinner to cook and the rascals can be a handful.

Mom: Oh I called the Shop at the central and I gave them my request. I want made in Japan. Hip looking. Not too big. Idiot proof. Not too ex not too cheap one.

Bunster: Just like this? Did you see the catalogue?

Mom: No.

Bunster: Very brave lor you. Just like us - by things from ebay like this. Steady!

Actually the washing machine is quite nice. SHARP 7.5kg load wash that comes with Exclusive AG+ Silver IonsCleaner wash - deactivae bacteria & reduce odor

Nice Shot, Maoster!

Christmas Cheer from last year flowed till this saturday as we managed to finally find time to redeem our X'mas gift from Godma and take our family shot (Godma included of cos).

The highlight of the shoot was Maoster of cos. I mean, I was more worried of looking so BIG and Aung was like more worried about the fact that he can't smile and we are really not very good or comfortable in front of the camera.

I posted some of the pictures on facebook and my sister e-mailed me from Vietnam goo goo gaa gaa over her nephew.
So nice shot Maoster! But do remember that being good and nice and God fearing is far more important than just looking cute and adorable.

SHOUT TO THE LORD!

Shout To The Lord
My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You
Shout to the Lord
All the Earth,
let us sing Power and majesty Praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work Of Your hand
Forever I'll love You
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise I have In You

***Many thanks to KB for sending me this song and therefore the background music!***

Jokes, The Ones We Treasure

It's April's Fool.



Nope, there wasn't any jokes that were sprung on me yet. And nope. I've not sprung any this year. I've matured. Ok, don't believe me. That's my joke for this year.



Over the years, my family has collected quite a few classic ones that we always talk about them during the CNY - to mock at each other. It's our family thing. To laugh at one another and to laugh at oneself is a lesson that is taught at least annually back at home. After all, a family that mocks "affectionately" at one another stays together. Of cos, eating does the trick to. Normally this combination is lethel.



The Treasured Jokes - to name some in case one day my humour runs dry.

Mom's best: The "hello hello" bi si joke

My dad was hospitalised. He broke his leg in a motorcycle accident. He can't move. We were at the hospital to visit my grouchy dad. I wonder if it's the hangover or his leg that makes him grouchy... anyway.


Dad to mom: I want to shit
Mom: Oh how? You can move meh?
Dad: Need potty
Mom: Ok I call bi si. Mom pretend to act very smart, can settle it for dad seh. No help needed. Mom reached out for that buzz that's normally by the patient's bed.
Suddenly, my mom took up the buzzer and started talking to it... hello hello bi si bi si (nurse in hokkien), my hubby needs to shit. No response? Repeat conversation.
She had that undercover look just without dick tracey's suit.
We were all staring at her.
Then we looked at one another and started bursting out in laughter.
My brother then said: Mother, press button can liao lah. It's not a speaker phone.

Who? Fell?

I was at the gym with my sister at her country club. While at the threadmill, we started our yaking session.
Sis: Girl, do you think I should have an English name? Just for people I don't really know lah, just for convenience lah. To salesperson or whoever lah.
Me: Okie, so what are you thinking of?
Sis: How about Val?
Me: Hmmmmmmm
Personal trainer walks to us and strike a conversation: Hi ladies, how's your exercise? What's your names?
Me: Hi, I'm becky
Sis: Hi, shyly, gigglying, I'm Val
My sister beamed with pride that she has a new name!
After our "fake" exercising, my brother in law came to meet us at the gym
Me to brother in law: Hey, my sister got a new name!
Sis to brother in law: I'm val!!!
Brother in law: Huh? You fell?
Sis to brother in law: No, I am Val
Brother in law: How did you fell? Where?
Apparantly, Val fell through. It didn't quite work out. My BIL don't get it at all!

The enthusistic soldier

Aung: Bun, I need to go army for one day. It's for some celebration or some gathering thing. One day only. Stupid right, sigh.

Bun: Hmmm ok, when?

Aung: It's 4th of February

Bun: Huh, so near CNY? Army wants to celebrate CNY with you ah. No choice lor, so how?

Aung: Stay at serangoon for the night lor, i won't have time to send you guys from home. Need to be in camp by 7am

Bun: No choice then

On 4th of February, aung woke up at 6am and left serangoon and zoomed to army.

At 8am, the full dressed army boy with his full bag pack was at serangoon at 8am

Bun: Huh? So fast finish already? Thought full day?

Aung: Slightly embarrassed. It's not today. I made a mistake. The letter writes: 020408

My hubby works in US company lor.

My mom and sister run to the living room and laugh so loudly and then they saluted to the soldier and march around him. It's super funny!

There's still the one how i got stuck at the parallel bar. How my mom got lost in Cityhall MRT and we have to intercom her via the public system ( that's another top!) and alot more.....

Think about a joke that happneed on yourself and laugh about it! It's quite fun to do that, trust me!

That's SMART!

The groupies came over for our usual BS on Thursday. As usual, Uncle Francis entertained us with his stories. I must admit, his stories are always rather interesting and he's funny to watch as his eyes sparkled with a strong hint of cheekiness as he relates his stories. He always gets a captive audience when he speaks.

This time, the story is about his wife and her short encounter at work in the bakery shop.

He proudly exclaimed: Now I know how does the bakery shop go about selling their leftover bread off first. You know how?

I listened wide eyes like a child.

" Well, they tagged the price of those old bread. $1.40 or what lah, on the bread. Those that are new batch ones, they don't label."

How come leh, I asked.

" Well, when you buy hor, you will look for those with price label to pay right, i mean, you won't know the price and most likely will choose one with the price to avoid confusion or asking at the counter. If you ask, they will say, take the one with the price tag lah... so this is how the older batch of bread got sold first....

Now isnt' that smart!!! I mean does anyone of you know that???

The next time, i am going to buy the one without the price tag no matter what they say!!!