Goodbye 2004 Hello 2005

Apparently there's a superstition...

that your Christmas and Holiday decorations cannot still be up on the 1st of the year.. (but i thought Christmas was for 12 days! *pout* )

So, bye bye pretty little red bulbs..

I'm going to miss you and all the your friends that brought festive cheer.

Now off you go to hibernate until next year when you will shine and twinkle again....

UNLESS I GET MY WAY AND YOU LIGHT UP FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR FIRST!

Of Teriyaki and Seaweed Soup

David sometimes teases me....

that although I ask for suggestions as to what to cook for dinner, I go ahead and cook whatever I feel like.

Yesterday I thought I'd ask AND prepare what he requested..which was Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry ( "You know, with the vege still crunchy", he added )

So here you go, Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

Fried (Brown & Wild) Rice and Seaweed Soup (hey, it's really tasty!)

p/s: I only started cooking after I got here a year ago and at first I was so intimidated by cooking I'd make David prepare the meals! Well, THAT was very shortlived. Bleh

Betta Spit Fest

I'm awful at rearing fish...

David loves cats, but I'm partial to little fishies somehow. There's just something really Zen ( yes, there's that word again - must be the Asian genes ) about watching fish swim around and around in an aquarium.

In the past however, I've contributed to the demise of several goldfishes ( they were gluttons! ), at least half a dozen tiger barbs and countless guppies all without even trying.

So, David got me a couple of Betta fishes (a.k.a. Siamese Fighting Fish - "OMG we're related!" ), which are supposed to be THE fish for DUMMIES and I'm glad to report that they've outlived any other fish i've ever had, all on their own. All I do is clean their tank, feed them and make them flare at each other ever so often as an outlet for any repressed machoism.

PLUS, I know they're happy with their homes cos they are making SPIT nests! ( er, to each his own, i guess )

TRASH UPDATE: Still sitting there! (*@#$%$)

FireFox vs IE

Anna just let me know that my page doesn't load well on her Firefox ( post page pushed way down ). Does anyone else have this problem?

Update: Thanks to John's suggestions, it's all better now! :)

What A Load of Rubbish

For the past 3 weeks now...

Our trash has not been picked up on time. We're supposed to put the bin out on Mondays and by afternoon/evening, it should have been emptied. But for the past few weeks, we've been going out day after day to check ( and it's like a quarter mile away - okay, maybe i'm exagerating, but it SURE FEELS LIKE IT and probably IS !) and meanwhile, we're having to worry:

1. Will our bin get stolen? ( apparently that happens.. )
2. Will we be victims of identity theft with the trash sitting out there for all to peruse?
3. Do we accumulate trash in the house while waiting for the trash to be picked up, while we check daily only to find out it HASN'T.. OR..
4. Do we lug out the NEW trash ( read: DISTANCE ) only to find that the trash has been emptied and lug the empty bin AND the new trash back to the house?!
5. etc. etc. you catch my drift.

It's a whole different system in Malaysia where trash is picked up two or three times a week and because most people either have a VERY SHORT driveway or NO driveway, they don't have far to walk. Besides, Malaysians leave their trash bins out ALL THE TIME. However, that has its own flaws too, but THIS is a just LITTLE too much.

How infuriating.

Feeling a bit Zen

I am still reeling...

from the devastation that the Quake has generated, especially when it happened in the region that I am from, involving my country as well. As I walked about in my yard yesterday, pondering on how things can happen in the blink of an eye and saying silent prayers for all involved, and for relief to the survivors and families of victims, I took some of these pictures which seemed to fit the mood.

Earthquake and Tsunami in Asia

Malaysia was not spared. I couldn't get my family on the phone cos they were at work etc. Thank God their state was not hit by tsunamis as it was buffered by the Indonesian island of Sumatra. My mom's family however, is in Penang where the tidal waves hit worst. I will try calling again in a few hours.

4 hours later : UPDATE

Got my family on the phone and everyone's safe..my mom got hold of HER family in Penang and everyone's safe there too..my aunt and cousin even witnessed the tidal wave from a nearby hotel window!*phew* *silent prayer*

The postman rang at their end while i was on the line with them AND THEIR PRESENTS ARRIVED!!! YIPPEEEE!!!!!!!

Christmas Pics

Christmas 2004

And WHO had the most fun?

Going Postal

I have always believed only the best of postal services everywhere but..

We sent a package via priority mail or whatever fancy name they call it, to my family in Malaysia 2 weeks ago, and the lady at the counter promised us that it would get there in 6 to 10 days..and i think to myself.."ah, plenty of time to get there and sit under the tree for a few days"

So, i call my sister up today a little after midnight ( it's already lunch time Christmas Day over there ) and she says, "WHAT PRESENTS!?"

If I still believed in Santa, this would be what I would love to think happened,
rather than the postal service screwing up. Oh well..maybe it's too early to speculate.

Amateurs and Professionals

My brother.....

lives in Virginia with his wife Winnie and one year old son Aidan.

They received our Christmas package yesterday and called to let us know...AND, my brother (ahem, who has been in the States for like 7 years or so ) saw pics of me on the blog all bundled up in my "winter gear" and had one word for me...

"AMATEUR!"

Bleh Bleh and Quadruple Bleh

I've been taking short 35 second movies on our digital camera and will compile the movies and pictures taken over a period of time ( and yes, there will be a Christmas Compilation complete with Bing Crosby crooning in the background ) to send home to my parents.

The folks at the 30 second bunnies theatre however seem to have been doing this for ages and have it pretty much down pat. They have hilarious 30 second skits based on classic movies and it is well worth the time stopping by their website.

Frosty the Snow Puddle

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The sun came out this morning and shone brilliantly, which I was glad for, but IT MELTED THE SNOW!!!!! Oh well..we DO have to go get groceries today, so maybe the roads won't be so icy after all with all this solar. How disappointing, nevertheless.

I wonder if there are any bloggers out there who are experiencing snow for the first time like I am. Anyone, anyone? 2 more days to go till Christmas!

FLUFFY SNOWFLAKES

YOU KNOW HOW...

..things never happen if you wait and wait... but when you least expect it, they do? And how people always say a watched kettle never boils.. ?

IT IS SNOWING IN ABILENE!

Snow was forecast for late last night, but as I waited and waited into the night, it seemed like it was never going to happen...

Sadly i trudged off to bed but when I looked out the window this morning, this was the scene that greeted me. It had snowed about 2 - 3 inches while we slept!

It is HOT and HUMID in Malaysia all year round with a mean daily high of 32 C (89 F )so with the excitement of a child, I put on my boots and trudged out with my camera, all bundled up and giggling, looking around for photo opportunities.

After photographing my First Footsteps in the snow, on the front steps, I wandered off in search of what wonders awaited me out in the vast whiteness..

The first things I caught sight of were some birds eating out of the bird feeder that I had placed right outside one of the room windows.

One of them was a cardinal ( left ) and the others were sparrows (right ) but they all had their feathers fluffed up so
they looked so rolly polly.

I bet they were glad to find the seeds in this cold weather

OUR LONELY MAILBOX with our neighbour's field in the background

David scooped up some clean snow in the back yard from the 4 inches that we got and proceeded to whip up his famous SNOW ICE CREAM that tasted just yummilicious! ( We still have some in the freezer )

We also took the opportunity to take some pics of me all bundled up in Winter Gear to preserve my first White Christmas memories. All in all it was a good day

The Trumpus Dawgus

Nuffin Much Has Happened Today..

other than screwing up a delivery ($%#@&!&@!) soooooo I thought I'd post pic of the grumpy looking Trump Dawg with major comb over deal to fit the mood.