Our teenage chef is on a madeleine baking frenzy! She made two batches on the same day some time last week and it was a BIG HIT with everyone, especially Cass.
Cass even brought the madeleines to school for recess. She’s one stubborn fella who just wouldn’t want to bring any food to school despite me forcing, coaxing and even bribing her. I’m worried that she will not be able to endure an almost 24-hour fast with only water. But this super stubborn girl said that she’s not hungry in school as there’s no PE and she’s just seated at her desk from 7-ish a.m. till 3 p.m. in an air-conditioned class room. She says her butt and back hurt, and her muscles go stiff from sitting almost the entire day. Thus, when she gets home, she works out quite a bit. She’s a fitness junkie.
As I am typing this post now, chef S had a spur of the moment whim to bake madeleines again because Maria will be here today to help us clean up. I think she’s whipping up banana madeleines and some other new flavors. She loves creating new flavors.
Last week she made madeleines with different toppings – pistachio, hazelnut, blueberry and original. The batter is mixed with almond meal.
Pistachio and hazelnut madeleines.Raw pistachios ground using a traditional pestle and mortar to get the texture that she wanted, i.e. not too fine nor too coarse.Blueberry madeleines.
This cheeky pussy gave Sherilyn and me a major heart attack this afternoon.
She was playing her favorite game of ‘football’ with an Izumio cap when she accidentally swiped the cap under the fridge. While trying to retrieve the cap, Haru’s paw got wedged under the tiny gap between the fridge and the floor.
I saw her rolling on the floor next to the fridge and thought she looked super cute. It didn’t occur to me that her hand was stuck under the fridge as she wasn’t yelping. Moments later, Sherilyn checked on Haru and then ran to me and told me that Haru’s paw was stuck under the fridge!
Frantically, we tried to free Haru’s paw but she was yelling in pain, crying, hissing at us and tried to bite us. We were also worried that we may injure her hand whilst trying to free her paw. We were even on the verge of calling the Bomba (fire-fighters) to come to Haru’s rescue 🙀 when Sherilyn took out the torchlight to shine under the fridge. She saw Haru’s claw stuck on the fridge’s metal stand and pushed the claw and then voila, Haru’s paw was freed!
What an ordeal and heart-stopping moment it was for all of us!! I really thought that Haru would end up at the vet’s clinic again.
But this dare devil went back to the fridge minutes after she was freed and tried to retrieve the cap again!
Spookily, I met a friend at the supermarket this morning and was informed that her 12-year old dog had recently died of heart failure. She told me that her dog was cremated at the Nirvana Memorial Park and its ashes scattered at Tg Sepat. I asked her more details of cremating pets as I never knew that pets are also cremated at the same place as humans. And lately, I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do with Haru when she crosses the Rainbow Bridge one day.
Talk about superstition! That’s why some Chinese old folks don’t like discussing about death for fear of it becoming a reality.
Spoilt to bits by all of us.Haru’s meals and snacks, ordered from Lazada.
It’s finally Friyay! I can finally get an extra 2 hours of sleep for the next two days.
I’m going to make this post a short one coz I want to catch up on reading news that I’ve missed the past few days, do some online shopping and if I don’t doze off in front of my PC, I’ll start writing the first para of my next article, which I hope can be dished out for submission to my boss by Monday.
Sherilyn made Strawberry And Sweet Red Bean Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku). It was her second attempt and a success. She failed in her first attempt and discarded the dough. She tried making the dough again the next day and this time, got it right. Mochi filled with a huge sweet strawberry and homemade red bean paste. She used dental floss to slice the mochi for a neat cut.These Japanese mochi balls are almost perfect – soft and chewy; the red bean paste isn’t too sweet and the fresh strawberry gives the mochi a refreshing boost of flavor. It isn’t too difficult to make this dessert. If you have a potluck party to attend and want a dessert that will knock off everyone’s socks, try this Japanese mochi. These truffle-like sweet treats are really indulgent.Left – mochi coated with soy bean powder.Haru sits on my fitball and looks out, people and bird watching. When her sisters are in school and there’s no one to annoy her, she’s at complete peace, just like me 😬.
The bra is an undergarment that celebrates a woman’s individuality and uniqueness. It is a part of her intimate world and highlights her sensuality. As the bra is worn snugly on a woman’s best assets, it is like her second skin. Thus, choosing a super comfortable bra is essential so that she feels physically relaxed and comfortable with her true authentic self.
It can be daunting for some ladies to ditch the underwired bras, especially for those blessed with larger breasts as they’re worried about a saggy-looking front.  Fret not. You can still opt for wireless bras with a hook and eye back closure, more coverage cups, longer bands, and adjustable straps, such as the AirWear Seamless V-Neck Soft Bra from Cosmolle.
Here are 5 reasons why wireless bras are better for breast health
1. Better Lymph Drainage
There are documented studies that warn that restrictive bra wearing may be correlated with increased risk of breast cancer. When worn regularly for prolonged periods, underwire bras can impede the drainage of lymph fluid from the lymph nodes, which are along the breast bone and by the armpits.
In the absence of proper and adequate flow of lymph fluid, our bodies can’t get rid of toxins effectively, which may contribute to an increased risk of cancer.
Wireless bras are without any hard metal that sits beneath the breast and constricts the flow of lymph fluid. With a soft and comfortable wireless bra, you no longer have the urge to remove your bra as soon as you reach home. Some wireless bras are so soft and comfy that you won’t even feel that you’re wearing one.
One of the top advantages of wireless bra is that it feels like a soft and supportive cushion, minus the irritating wire jabbing your ribs. You can even breathe easier when you wear a wireless bra.
3. Natural Contour
The gentle support and breathability that a wireless bra provides set you free. You can move freely and comfortably. Your body contours and curves appear naturally and are not over accentuated.
4. Cheaper and Easier To Care For
Wireless bras are often cheaper than wired bras. You often pay a premium in exchange for getting pinched on the skin and jabbed in the ribs. Wireless bras are also easier to care for and environmentally friendlier as there is no plastic or wires used.
5. Skin-friendly
Wireless bras are more soothing on the skin of women with eczema, contact dermatitis or other skin conditions. Imagine having a wired bra on your skin with itchy rashes or oozing eczema! Nothing beats a super comfy wireless support bra made of buttery-soft and cooling fabric without the irritating hard wire pressing on your sore skin.
No girl or lady should have to sacrifice health and comfort for beauty. And style needn’t have to come at the cost of comfort and practicality. That’s why Cosmolle is dedicated to redefining what it means to be sexy and prioritizing health and happiness above all else with its range of wireless support bra and thong underwear suitable for girls and ladies.
Our littlest darling turned 14 last Saturday – 9 April 2022.
She has definitely come a long way. For those of you who have been following my blogs way before Cass was born would know her medical history. She’s not 100% out of the woods yet and we’re still trudging slowly, but in no real hurry.
Cass has made great progress in how she manages her own health, fitness, wellness and studies. And I’m proud that she’s finally quite independent at 14, though still needs me to nag at her to do what’s really important. Because of her medical condition, I’ve always mollycoddled Cass, to which she absolutely hates. She doesn’t like it that I give her preferential treatment and still do things for her even though she can do it herself (she’s a dawdler which I’m not and this pisses me, the Super Impatient Mom). She also doesn’t like hugs and kisses or cuddling up in bed with me anymore. But she likes to blather and prattle to me about everything that happened in school, especially when I’m busy with work on the computer.
It’s chucking down heavily now as I’m typing this post and Cass just sent me a photo of where she is outside the school. She can’t find her van again. And she’s going to be drenched again! 😞
OK, I’m going to get her a foldable umbrella from Mr DIY tomorrow! The girls don’t like having an umbrella in their bags as it’s an added weight to their already super heavy school bags (>8kg) but Cass doesn’t have a choice now as it’s currently the rainy season.
Coming back to Cass’ birthday!
She got a big surprise birthday present from her dad, which I didn’t even know about it. It’s a brand new mobile phone!!
In this Covid era, having a phone is a necessity. Cass’ school requires the students to check into the school via the MySejahtera app every day. Students without a phone must print out a form to fill out every day. So having a mobile phone is not only a necessity now, it can be a life-saver too. It gives me a peace of mind too as I know where Cass is. After Cass sent me the photo just now, I called the van driver and he found Cass, with an umbrella in hand for her.
Mini Bundt cakes from hubs. He also bought several other sliced cakes from Plump by @taobakescakes, Bangsar but I didn’t manage to snap the pix coz the girls devoured them before I remembered about snapping the pix.A cheap Redmi phone at RM550. But it’s good enough for my super clumsy and careless girl.
Did I tell you that after hubs got Cass’ previous phone repaired last month, she dropped the phone again the next day? The cost of the repair was over RM300 and after the second damage, hubs gave up and thought it’s more practical to get her a new phone.
Sherilyn got Cass churros from the cafe that she’s currently working at on a part-time basis. The girls love churros aka Western yau char kwai / kuih cakoi. There were 10 pieces and I only remembered to snap a photo after the girls chomped down 7 pieces.We were all so stuffed from all the cakes, churros and seafood noodles from lunch that we cancelled our dinner plan. Instead we had the birthday meal 3 days later. Cass chose The Fish Bowl from The Gardens Mall, Grabbed to us.Salmon bowl with a variety of healthy veggies, nuts and seeds.Grilled chicken breast. This looks REALLY healthy with white breast meat but it doesn’t taste as bland as it looks. The chicken breast is well-marinated and is served alongside a whole bunch of veggies, beans, nuts and seeds.I pray for good health, happiness and abundance of blessings from God upon Cass always.
Most of us are constantly trying to find ways to cut down on our expenditures – from the monthly grocery bill to our children’s expenses, utility bills to our various insurance policies. For a family of five with two adults and 3 children, the typical insurance scenario is motor insurance each for the husband and wife, medical insurance for five family members, life insurance policies for the married couple, and education insurance policies for the 3 children. This will add up to a huge amount of money that has to be set aside every year just for the various insurance premiums.
Wouldn’t it be good if you could save some money from your motor insurance premium? And what if I told you that you can even pay for your motor insurance on a 0% interest installment for up to 36 months? You can have all these plus get free online insurance quotes from 10 insurers for comparison at Dreamshop’s .
PolicyStreet is an approved financial adviser and Islamic financial adviser by Bank Negara Malaysia. PolicyStreet aims to democratize insurance by making it simple, easy, and affordable. They break down complex insurance policies and provide consumers their rights to be adequately insured with deserving financial wellness at all stages of life.
PolicyStreet has now partnered up with Dreamshop so that you can enjoy 0% interest installment plans for up to 36 months from 10 banks when you renew your car insurance through Dreamshop.com.my.
The free motor insurance quotes feature from Dreamshop is very useful in helping you compare the different rates from 10 different insurers. Upon entering your car details, free quotes from 10 different insurers will appear within seconds. After you have browsed the different quotations and have decided which one to settle for, you click on your preferred insurer, enter your personal details, click on add-ons, choose your preferred payment method and proceed to pay. Payment options are varied and you can choose to pay via credit card, Boost, Touch N Go, or online banking if you opt to pay by monthly installment.
If your car insurance is about to expire and you have plans of switching insurers to enjoy a lower premium and an interest-free installment, you can try PolicyStreet. The first 100 customers to enterpromo code DSP50 when they renew their car insurance at will get a RM50 rebate off the premium on the spot.
In the months of April and May 2022, customers who renew their car insurance through Dreamshop’s PolicyStreet will also automatically be in the running to win Agoda vouchers worth RM100 and also a fashionable backpack worth RM69.90!.
Here’s a video of the registration process:
Paying for your motor insurance doesn’t have to be a stressful and dreadful yearly affair anymore when you can pay via monthly installment at 0% interest up to 36 months.
Sherilyn started her new academic year on Monday this week. She’s in Form 5 this year and will be sitting for her SPM in March next year. By mid of next year I will have a pre-U kid and a uni kid. Time flies! I miss the girls’ baby days😥
Cass was back to face-to-face classes last week. And this means my phone alarm is now back to 4.45 a.m. from Mondays through Fridays. Hello zombified days!
After almost 2 years of getting to sleep in till 6-ish a.m. almost every morning, it’s a pain having to wake up at such an ungodly hour in the morning now. One of the pros of the pandemic and lockdown is I get to catch up on my sleep. Now that our country is transitioning into endemic phase and lives are slowly returning to some semblance of pre-Covid days, I’m losing sleep and dozing off in front of my PC throughout the day again🥱 😴 .
The only thing that I enjoy about the girls being back in school is I have more quiet time in the mornings. I have lesser work to do in the morning as I have 2 less people messing up cooking in the kitchen. Sherilyn and Cass love cooking, baking and prepping their own meals and they leave behind trails of destruction for me to clean up. Now I have some peace at home until 3-ish p.m. when they return home.
On days that Maria comes in to help me, Sherilyn is allowed to cook more complicated and ‘messy’ dishes.
She made Japanese curry, chicken karaage and sushi when Maria came last week.
Chicken karaage + avocado sushi.My comfort food – porridge with fish maw, chicken and fish. SO delish!
