Month: July 2022

Covid Prevention – Second Booster Shot

I got my second booster shot on Wednesday, 27 July 2022 at a clinic in our hood. Though the Government recently announced that the second booster shot is only available for individuals aged 50 years and above, as well as for anyone with comorbidities, funnily though, I still managed to secure an appointment to get the shot via the MySejahtera app on my phone. I am 49 years old this year and will only turn 50 in 8 months.

This time around, the strongest side effect is soreness on the injected arm (left arm). It hurt so badly that I couldn’t sleep the entire night. The soreness and numbness lasted for 2.5 days. The day after the shot, as usual, I felt malaise and sleepy the entire day. My throat felt a bit sore too. On day 3, I had intermittent sharp shooting pain in my left ear for half a day. All the side effects vanished by day 4.

The mil had no side effects again. She didn’t suffer from any side effect as well after her previous 3 shots.

The hubs still hasn’t scheduled an appointment for his second booster shot as he’s still busy with work and can’t afford to fall sick. He’s short of manpower now and is still looking at hiring staff.

To secure an appointment, just ensure that the MySejahtera app on your phone is updated to the latest version as the appointment feature is only available on the latest version. Shots available at the clinic that I went to are Pfizer and Sinovac. I opted for Pfizer. Alternatively you can find out where you can walk-in for the shot. The shots are still free of charge.

When I called iHeal @ Mid Valley Megamall to enquire about the vaccine about three weeks ago, I was told that for individuals aged 60 and below, walk-ins are allowed provided there’s proof that you have a compromised immune system. Subsequently the Government announced that the second booster shot is allowed for individuals aged 50 onwards, with or without comorbidities.

If you’re still unsure whether to get a second booster shot, read this article and this article to restore your faith. And remember that when the pandemic first started in early 2020 before there were vaccines, many people died from the infection and symptoms were also more severe. After people received their vaccines, there were fewer deaths and people recovered from the infections faster too. Of course people can still die from the infection now and this is usually associated with underlying medical issues.

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Our Meals

We hardly cook elaborate meals these days. Ever since Maria stopped coming three weeks ago because of bad morning sickness (she’s expecting her 2nd baby), we have not had any other helper coming in. It’s manageable without a helper if we don’t cook.

We get takeout or order from Shopee Food on most days and will blanch a green leafy veggie every day. Sometimes the mil will boil soup, steam fish, steam minced pork or cook porridge. At times I will cook some simple fish or chicken dishes using the air fryer and pressure cooker. Sometimes we’ll boil some dumplings (‘kau ji’), konjac noodles or instant noodles.

I found a seller whose Taiwanese wife makes top-notch Taiwan-style dumplings and have been buying by the bulk from this seller for the past one year. Everyone in the house loves his wife’s dumplings. And on most days, we will have food from hubby’s central kitchen.

Sherilyn and Cass love prepping their own meals. As Sherilyn has been super busy with school activities lately, she’s not cooked for us. However she’ll prep simple food for herself. Cass loves using the Air Fryer to air fry sandwiches, French Toast, broccoli, meat patties and even fried egg.

Here’s a throwback of the meals that we had recently.

From hubby’s kitchen – seafood spaghetti, Brazilian spinach salad with broccoli and cauli and fried onion rings.
Big shrimps, mussels and lots of garlic in the seafood pasta. Very yums.
MIL treated us to unagi don and sushi on one of the week days last week to celebrate her all-good blood test result.
Dinner ordered from Tsuen Wan Restaurant via Shopee Food. I prefer ordering via Shopee Food vs Grab Food and Food Panda as SF has better deals and savings.
Our lunch and dinner today from hubby’s kitchen – stir-fried assorted veggies and sambal big prawns.
From hubby’s kitchen today – nasi lemak, chicken rendang and fried tofu.
From hubby’s kitchen today – fried mackeral fish with chilies and spices.
From hubby’s kitchen today – braised chicken with chestnuts.
From hubby’s kitchen last Saturday – mini burger and mashed potato.
Early dinner at a Filipino cafe two Saturdays ago, with just Sherilyn. While we had dinner, Cass spent two hours walking almost the entire neighborhood alone – something that she’s always wanted to do.

Halo-Halo, a popular cold dessert in the Philippines, similar to our Ais Kacang.

After Sherilyn and I were done eating at the Filipino cafe, hubs joined us and we segued into another restaurant for our second dinner, all because hubs was craving for Japanese food.
Unagi don for hubs
Sherilyn and I shared a cup of chawan mushi as we were already full from our earlier dinner.

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Saturday, 23 July 2022

Today has been another hectic day for hubs and his kitchen crew. They prepped over 300 burgers today and will be whipping up 300 more tomorrow for a client’s 2-day event. In addition, they cooked sambal, curries, bolognese sauce, deep fried potato wedges and marinated a whole lamb for BBQ tonight.

I brought Cass to the kitchen to help out in the afternoon after her online Japanese class ended where she spent over 4 hours there. Tomorrow she’ll follow her dad to the kitchen to help prep over 300 burgers. They’ll leave the house before 7 a.m.

Today’s dinner was at Sanuki Udon with just Alycia, the mil and me. Cass was still helping out at her dad’s kitchen and Sherilyn had dinner with her friends after training for javelin and running. Tomorrow morning she has training for cheerleading. This missy just loves busying herself and pushing herself to the max. I think she loves the adrenalin rush flooding her body. Did I tell you that she’s so enervated at the end of each day that she just plonks herself on the floor and sleeps without taking her bath? Don’t ask me why she does that.

WIP for prepping over 600 mini burgers. Good thing there’s an industrial Combi oven with a pan-fry feature to do the job of frying the burger patties.
This is our lunch, yums!
Our dinner at Sanuki Udon.
While mil and Alycia had udon, I had cabbage salad, poached egg and Kushikatsu onion, chicken and sweet potato.

No. of times viewed = 49

How Celebrities Get Their Hour Glass Silhouette

One of the biggest fashion trends of the past few years has been waist training, thanks to the huge influence of the iconic Kardashian sisters.  Since 2014, the Kardashian sisters have been taking turns flaunting their signature hourglass curves, perfected with their waist-snatching best waist trainer and corsets.

Kim Kardashian has one of the world’s most famous rumps, along with her super tiny waist.   Over the years, her waist gets tinier. Kim credits waist-training corsets for her midriff and is even the owner of a shapewear company.  Kim and Kylie Jenner often wear a waist trainer during their workouts to achieve tinier waists.  

Since the Kardashians, more and more celebs are strapping on waist trainers and thong shapewear bodysuits to join the waist training trend.  It might make it harder to breathe but that doesn’t stop these celebs from waist training to achieve a curvier body and a smaller waist, all in the name of looking sexy.

Jessica Alba is another believer in waist training. She is an early proponent of the trend and wore a double corset day and night for three months after giving birth to her two daughters to achieve her famously toned body.

Nicki Minaj is blessed with the most envious curves and a waist trainer is a reason behind those incredible hips.  She believes that any woman who wants gorgeous curves like hers can achieve it with a waist trainer.

Waist trainers have become hugely popular as women of every shape and size use them to shape their waists, build their confidence, intensify their workouts, and even lose weight.

Plus-size women love strapping on a plus-size waist trainer because of the amazing instant result they see in their mid-section, as well as better posture. From an XXL to an L in a glimpse, it is worth the discomfort of wearing a waist trainer.

While waist trainers do not help you lose weight per se, they can play an important role in your weight loss program. Strapping on a waist trainer while you’re trying to lose weight can give you a vision of a slimmer figure and can help you stay motivated to reach your goals. You may find yourself a lot less likely to snack on junk food when you look in the mirror and see what the healthy, curvier, confident version of yourself looks like! 

Waist trainers aren’t a miracle solution and it is recommended that you talk to your doctor before starting to use one, especially if you have a medical condition.

No. of times viewed = 61

Wednesday, 20 July 2022 ~ Random Updates

I just realized that I have not updated this blog for 10 days. As you might already have guessed, I’ve been up to my eyeballs with work – house work this time. Maria our part-time maid of 10 years is pregnant with her second child and has been riddled with bad morning sickness. She’s not come in for work for two weeks.

With the mil still not 100% recovered from her second cataract eye surgery, I have to cook, though not every day. Cooking is not something that I look forward to do ever since my last live-in maid went back to Indonesia for good 11 years ago, but would still do it when I’m in the mood.

With Maria pregnant now, I can foresee that she may not come back to work for us. Even before she got pregnant, she’s been getting jobs from other employers who are paying her higher than what we’re paying her.

With this scenario, I’ll have to start looking for another part-time helper. I may even have to learn to live without any helper at all. It’s not that bad an idea as I’ll be able to save a lot of money each month. I can definitely live with dusty ceiling fans and windows 🤑

The girls and I are also happy with Shopee Food and Grab Food several times a week 😁 as no one likes to wash the dirty dishes and keep them after washing.

Alycia returned to college last Tuesday after testing negative for Covid. However, she’s still having intermittent cough and have lost her sense of smell partially. She told me that her food lacked taste a couple of days after she tested negative. I think this is caused by her blocked nasal. As of today, her olfaction has improved and she can taste her food better, though not 100%.

I totally forgot that I have a box of Lian Hua in our larder. I bought it 4 months ago when our neighborhood pharmacy restocked it. When I was looking for my vitamins, I stumbled upon it. But Alycia had already tested negative. I still gave her two sachets (1 sachet a day). She said the taste is bearable, not as icky as she had thought. A box of 6 sachets costs a frigging RM48!
Something simple that I cooked the other day – air-fried butter and garlic pollock.
Seasoned with melted ghee, minced garlic, pinch of salt and dried herbs, lemon juice and black pepper.
My keto dinner – air-fried pollock on a bed of spinach.
Cass made frozen yogurt bites and yogurt bark using Gippsland strawberries and cream twist yogurt. They don’t look pretty but are yums! I love it and it’s a healthier alternative to ice-cream.

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Alycia’s Covid Infection: Day 4 – 7

By day 4, most of the classic symptoms of Covid crept out — sore throat and high fever. On day 5, the fever subsided but Alycia started to have cough and a bad throat.

Since Alycia had a zero-symptom Covid infection three months ago and is now infected again, I think she got infected by Omnicron BA.5, the new subvariant. BA.5 is now dominant in the US and has already landed in our shores. I hope none of us in the house will get infected as BA.5 is highly contagious and much more contagious than the previous versions.

Alycia’s well fed and hydrated all day. She gets honey lemon juice in the morning and in the evening. Mid morning after her breakfast she downs a mug of thick matcha powder tea. And in the afternoon she downs a mug of fresh coconut water. In between she drinks lots of plain water. She has 3 main meals and snacks in between. Her room is sanitized twice a day. My life since Monday revolves around prepping her meals, buying coconut water, sanitizing her room and the house, washing/sanitizing the toilet after Alycia uses it, and washing my hands like a hyper OCD lunatic 🤧 😷

Day 5 brekkie – egg and kale mayo with multigrain bun, sweet corn and orange and thick matcha tea.
Day 5 lunch – MIL bought healthy pan mee from an organic shop.
Day 5 dinner – Alycia requested for bread with strawberry jam as her throat hurt badly. MIL boiled a big pot of watercress + loh hon guo cooling drink for everyone.
Day 6 brekkie – chives and minced pork dumplings, veggies, red bean tong sui, black grapes, banana and thick matcha tea.

Day 6 dinner – air fried mini drummets, braised duck and veggies. Fruit – guavas and watercress + loh hon guo drink.
Air fried mini drummets marinated with turmeric powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce and corn flour.

Day 7 brekkie – Gippsland strawberry and cream twist yoghurt with walnut and watermelon seeds, Sanwa soda crackers, jackfruit and blush pear.
Day 7 lunch and dinner – Wantan noodles with broccoli + alfalfa sprouts, tau foo far and soy bean milk from Dao.

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Alycia’s Covid Infection – Day 2 & 3

6 July 2022 – The Covid self-test kit showed a faint line on the T window. Alycia is still feeling well and chirpy. The first symptom however crept out late in the evening with a scratchy throat. Alycia asked for lozenges and I gave her my honey and propolis lozenges that I kept in the fridge for emergency use.

7 July 2022 – The line on the T window is very clear this morning. Her temperature in the morning was 37.7C and shot up to 39C in the late evening. Alycia popped 2 Panadol today. I bought coconut water today and gave her a big mug. By late evening when her body was burning hot, she felt unwell and antsy. For once, she slept at 9-ish p.m.

Alycia’s four classmates/group assignment team mates who are also down with Covid are having fever as well, except for a dude who has no symptoms. Classes for them are via online mode until they are all well enough to return to campus.

Besides prepping her meals, my entire day revolves around sanitizing the house and bathroom (after each use), especially Alycia’s room.

As per her high school’s SOP on Covid prevention, Cass has to stay home for three days, as well as perform a Covid self-test twice. Her teachers arranged for life online classes for her.

Alycia’s room service meals:

Day 2 brekkie – Nama Shokupan bread with strawberry jam, mushroom omelette, banana and blush pear.
Day 2 lunch – chap fan, green tea, cut papaya and longan.
Day 2 dinner – air-fried boneless chicken chop.
Day 3 brekkie – Yee Mee soup with lots of veggies, black fungus, poached egg and minced pork.
Fruits – red dragon fruit and papaya. And a cup of thick matcha.

Day 3 dinner – vermicelli with beef and beef balls, raw broccoli and alfalfa sprouts, dessert of matcha red bean swiss roll and orange.

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Covid Positive Again!

It’s never anything good to receive a phone call from my daughters while they’re in school or campus.

Last week Sherilyn called me from school to inform me that her newly pierced ear was bleeding as she asked her friend to remove the earring from the ear but the earring almost got stuck in her ear and it bled. So I had to bring first-aid essentials to school for her. And two weeks ago, she suddenly felt like puking and I had to rush to school to bring her home.

When I got a call from Alycia at 10 a.m. today, I thought something bad had happened to her at the campus. Then I heard her mumbling first time negative, second and third time double lines.

One of Alycia’s group assignment team mates was tested positive for Covid this morning. Then the rest of the team mates tested themselves with a self-test kit and out of the five mates, three of them were tested positive, including Alycia.

They tested themselves three times because the first test kit showed negative for some while another friend’s kit showed positive.

For Alycia, her first test kit showed a single line. The second test kit showed a faint double line and the third test kit showed a clear double line.

Her 3rd test kit.

After her phone call to me, she got home from campus immediately. I was out with the mil. She quickly showered and then isolated herself in her room while waiting impatiently with a rumbling tummy for me to come home with food for her (her breakfast and lunch).

So yeah, Alycia’s Covid positive – her second infection in exactly three months. It’s when her immunity to the virus waned.

I can’t believe how easy it is for Alycia to get infected with Covid again. But I’m not shocked nor surprised that she got infected as her lifestyle lately has been pretty unhealthy. She stays up in college till at least 9-ish p.m. to complete group assignments almost every day, eats outside food everyday – 3 meals a day, sleeps late and has not been exercising. She’s cooped up in an air-conditioned room with her friends almost all day.

However, the symptoms have not kicked in yet. I’m praying that she’ll be symptom-free again just like the first time when she had zero symptom.

Lifestyle factors do impact our health!

Room service meal – Day 1 lunch.
Chap Fan, cheese cake, gingko + barley + fuchok tong sui, thick matcha tea for all the antioxidants that she needs now to fight Covid.
Room service meal – Day 1 dinner.
Rice with stir-fried pork + ginger + black fungus and wine, yellow wine chicken and blanched spinach.
Fruits – papaya and plum.
Dessert – marble cake

I think Alycia secretly likes to be quarantined in her room coz she gets in-room dining and doesn’t need to do any of the house chores! I even clean and sanitize her room for her when she takes toilet breaks.

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Haru Meets Her Twin Brother

Haru has a twin brother that we fostered together in February 2021. It’s a ginger cat and we named him Ginger. Two weeks later we gave Ginger to Alycia’s best friend who renamed Ginger to Moon Moon.

We’ve always wanted to bring Haru to meet her twin brother before Alycia’s bff goes overseas for further studies. I’d brought Haru to meet her mother when she was several months old. But my hissy pussy hissed at her mother. How ungrateful! Many times I have this whim of adopting Haru’s mother too, to save her from the streets. It breaks my heart to see how forlorn she is. But I know that this is never going to come true. I can only cope with one pet at the moment.

The siblings meet-up was totally unplanned and turned out disastrous. At around 9pm on a weekday last week, Alycia’s bff called to inform that she was driving over to bring Alycia and Haru to her house. But Alycia didn’t tell me that they were going to her bff’s house. She filtered that part out and only told me that she was just bringing Haru to the lobby for a short while to meet her bff who’d brought Moon Moon over.

An hour plus later Alycia still hadn’t brought Haru back and I started to get worried. I called Sherilyn (who had followed Alycia to the lobby with Haru) and she told me that they were at Alycia’s bff’s house. It was already 11-ish pm. I was fuming. They had school and college the next day. As usual, if the girls are not home yet, I won’t be able to sleep well.

They were finally back slightly before midnight and had loads to tell me about Haru meeting her twin brother.

Check out the two kitties’ expressions 😹

As I had expected, Haru was traumatized that she was with a stranger at a stranger’s house with another cat at the house. She was hissing and growling throughout her time at Alycia’s friend’s house.

Moon Moon was extremely agitated and kept hissing and spitting at Haru. He wasn’t pleased that another cat came into his territory. They both first sniffed each other’s noses and seconds later hissed at each other, as if they were enemies.

Thank God they did not get into a fight.

And I wonder why cats have no recollection of their own mother and siblings?!

Haru and her twin brother were inseparable when we brought them home from the street. Moon Moon would suck on Haru’s ear to sleep each night till her ear bled. But Haru would allow her brother to nibble on her ear. She was always protective of her brother.

Alycia and Sherilyn came home with deep scratches on their hands from Haru’s claws. Whenever the pussy’s afraid, her sharp claws would appear like a razor and whoever tries to carry her would get deep cuts. I’ve had my fair share of deep cuts on my neck, chest, hands and legs.

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HEALTH FREAK MOMMY