Sengkuang Dumpling (Ladu Sengkuang)

Dumpling Fillings:
1/2 sengkuang. Shredded
2 carrots. Shredded
100g dried shrimps
Salt and pepper to taste
2Tbps Oyster sauce
Fried shallots

1) Heat oil, fry dried shrimps till frangrant. Add in the rest of the ingredient, stir fry. Add in fried shallots.

Skin
200g wheat starch flour (淀面粉)
150g tapioca flour
100g glutinious rice flour
550ml boiling water
pinch of salt
3Tbps oil

Mix the flour well. The oil will prevent the skin to crack. Need to dust hand with flour to prevent skin to stick to hand. Knead dough, peel into think slice. Wrap in filling. Steam for 10 minutes. Done. Can make about 30 dumplings.

The first batch of dumplings (abt 10) was broken, because it’s too sticky and I didn’t dust my hand with flour. But luckily the rest turn out fine and I gave my neighbour 10, still got a bit I keep for my hubby.

I also bake a marble cake this afternoon after finish the dumpling. JS wants to bring it to school tomorrow.

OK, now’s time to prepare dinner. Barley drink and soup is done. Need to bake salmon, cook a luncheon meat tempra and 1 green vege.

Finally Doing It

After hubby agreed to let me do the course. He wrote a cheque for me on Sunday night. I courier it yesterday and today the training center called. They are processing my registration and they will sent my application to S’pore. Hopefully I will receive my course material soon. Maybe in a week or two time. Can’t wait to start.

JS’s School Sport and Family Day

Last Sunday was JS’s school sports and family day. SIL#2 drove PILs to NS on Saturday. We met them at the town restarurant after hubby’s team building at about 7pm. After dinner, JS said ” I want to bring ah ma to the merry-go-round” , so off we went to the fun fair and JS took a few rides with her grandma. The kids were very happy having the grannies and aunt around.

Sunday, we had early lunch and then went to Jusco for a walk. JS’s sport is at 2pm, held at the hall in Tuanku Jaafar Golf Club. JS was very excited about it and she kept saying she want to dance for the grandparents. (Our main worry is that she would chicken out last minute. Grandfather kept telling her that she must dance because they came all the way to see her)

We reached there about 2.15pm. The event starts at 2.30pm with all the children marched in. JS behaved quite well. No crying. She sat with her friends and asked me to go join the grandparents. Usually if I sent her to school, she would manja and wanted me to stay on. But not on Sunday. I was surprise. She did the march, excited like a monkey. Jumping, hoping , swinging her hands. She participated in 4 events (Jump like a frog, 30m run, Bean on the head, crawl like a baby) and also a dance (Mambo No 5) Maybe she’s not use to the term of “race” yet. When the whistle is blown, she’s still gazing there, day dreaming, hence she’s always the last on the race. The event “bean on the head” was a group one, one of her team mate could run very fast, that’s why she manage to get a medal at the end. During the prize giving ceremony, she’s anxiously waiting for her turn, keep asking why she doesnt have any and after that she even ask why she only got 1. I’m quite proud of her overall behaviour that day. She didn’t cry, she didn’t manja, she didn’t shy away and she participated in all the evens eventhough 2 of her classmates were crying maybe due to the crowd. During the tea break, I wanted to carry her to get some food, but she said “mummy, no need to carry me, I’m a big girl already” . I’m really surprise with that, because it’s really the total opposite of her when I sent her to school and during the sports event. The sports end at about 5.30pm. By the time she’s already very tired.
Getting ready
JS with her best friend, Vase
Happy

Our Home

The only thing that I like about staying in Senawang is this hilly view from our home. It’s very soothing to look at. Everyday when I drive out from our home to the main road and when I drove back, I would be greeted by the hilly mountains. 2 side of our house is surrounded by mountains, all I see here is mountains, trees and flat lands. Unlike when we staying in PJ or Subang, everywhere is so congested with cars and buildings and billboards. Should enjoy this scenary more before we go back to Subang for good. The house we staying now is not our own property. No point invest in a small town like this as we are not going to stay here forever. Tried to make our house as cosy as possible, but since it’s not our own, a lot of things is still not up to what I would like it to be.

I should brush up my photography skill to capture the beauty of this scenary. Anyhow, my camera is those 2.0megapixel one. *sigh*

Cooking Went Wrong

My cooking don’t always turn out to be alright. Just last week, 5 nights of cooking, 2 ended as a disaster.

The day I bake the suji butter cake. The cake after cut, it smashed easily and doesn’t hold into nice pieces. The colour of the cake is not brown enough and it took me more than 1 1/2 hours instead of 45 minutes to bake it. Maybe something wrong with the oven. I’m suppose to soak the semolina in milk for 6 hours, but too late when I knew I have to do that, so I did the short cut and skip that step. Maybe that’s why the cake didn’t turn out how it should be.

The other night I wanted to fried those little drumstick. Bought 12 from Giant. During cleaning the drumstick, realize it’s not that fresh. Maid told me it smell a bit and it look a bit pale blue-ish. (Things in Giant is not always fresh, eventhough I bought the chicken on the day it’s cut – according to the date printed on the label) Thought I can use the ready made deep fried flour for coating to cover the smell, but I realize my stock is running low, and I don’t have enough flour to coat all the 12 drumstick. I’m running late and don’t have time to make my own flour coating, just made do with what I’ve , end up the smell still there after deep frying. So 9 drumstick all goes fed to the dustbin.

Wanted to steam 3 type of eggs, prepared the normal egg, again run out of time, wanted to go fetch hubby ( didn’t get the maid to prepare earlier, I was too glued in front of the pc and forgotten to instruct her what to do and what I wanted to cook), told maid to cut century egg and salted egg and sprinkle on the egg and asked her to steam it then I quickly hurried out. When the egg is served, realize something amiss. Maid has forgotten to add the salted egg, so the taste is different than what it should be. Maybe I’m in a hurry to go out, she didn’t hear me right, at that time already kelam kabut and my Malay not that good…so communication problem. That night with 2 failed dishes, hubby went out to tar pau “kon lou min” for supper. Lucky he never sour face.

Last night again, not an impressive dinner. Tried to make this Fish, Aspargus and Mushroom Parcels. I don’t have almond flake and asparugus, thought can skip that. After steaming the fish wrapped in foil, the dory fish ended up tasteless, because the mushroom must have absorbed all the gravy. Must use mixed herbs next time.

Another dish, “Thousand Layer Bean Curd Roll”. I don’t know if I have got the correct bean curd skin. I have damped the skin, but still find it hard to roll up the pork and prawns filling into it. The skin is so dry, it cracks and not able to roll up. Panic. Quickly phone my mum for SOS. Mum told me in order to rescue the dish, make some flour paste to deep fried my bean curd roll as if doing goreng pisang. End product, bean curd roll does not taste like what it should be, and it doesn’t look presentable, but the taste is still there.

I tend to panic and lost my cool when things I plan do not go as I expected. I always want to make sure dinner is on the way or ready by the time hubby is home. I can get disoriented when everything is out of way.

This weekend is my cooking rest day. Yeah!! In-laws are coming over to stay over the weekend. Invited them over as tomorrow will be JS’s school sport’s day. She will be participating in a dance. Her first public performance!

Sleep Talker

Like hubby, JS talks in her sleep. (Is it in the genes??) She did it again last night. I heard her saying ” I touch touch touch” , “Mummy, cut the balloon, mummy, cut the balloon”.

This happen so frequently but I have yet to find out a trend of its reoccurance. I know it only happens to hubby when he’s very very tired. For JS I still don’t know if she’s overstimulated with the day activities , or she hasn’t got enough nap during the day. Sometimes I can figure out she said, it’s something related to the morning activities we have done at home or in school. Sometimes I don’t know what she says, and there are times that it’s just bits and pieces of what happening , been put together and what she says doesn’t really make sense. It can be quite funny sometimes, so as when hubby is sleep talking. Good thing is that they don’t sleep walk.

Tag … I Am

I tag myself after reading MG and Zara’s mama blog.

I AM who I am
I JUST NOW went blog hopping and surfing the net
I WANT another baby next year
I HATE to be interfered with my parenting style and the way I run my household.
I MISS my hubby when he’s at work
I FEAR staying under the same roof with my MIL
I HEAR JS saying “I make a fan, like aunty po po one”
I REGRET not learning to cook from my mum when I was young
I AM NOT a perfect wife and mum
I SING along with my kids when they play their songs over the radio
I CRY when I feel unloved
I AM NOT ALWAYS pessimistic as sounded in my blog
I MADE a suji butter cake that turns out to be a failure.
I WRITE what cross my mind.
I CONFUSE JS when I lost my cool with her for no particular reason
I NEED to control my temper
I SHOULD do more learning activities together with my kids
I START blogging not long ago
I FINISH today’s SUDOKU
I TAG no one.

Maid II

Was surfing MMB. Found out this thread. I have forgotten that I’ve actually written these. Just copy and save it here. Now looking back, I don’t know why I worried so much. Without a maid, things turn out pretty well. Especially during the time I’ve just delivered WH and doing confinement with only mum taking care of me. I have also ATE my words of not wanting a maid anymore. I had 2 after the below incident. But I’m just glad that things turn out to be very well with the current maid and even the time without a maid. I don’t know why I have all the worries I had. Now I know, no matter what, no need to be panic, somehow we will manage to pull through. If there’s a will, there’s a way. Shall always remember that!


Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:40 pm Post subject: MaidWe have just got a maid 2 months ago, because baby is going to due soon and DH thinks that is good to have a maid around to help me out.
The problem now is that , our maid seems to be very “hou mia”, and there seems to be nothing much for her to do. Our aparment is very small and I am taking care of Nicole myself most of the time. The maid sleeps very early (at 9 pm) and have nap in the afternoon. and she eats what we eat. Her task is just house chore.

After 2 months of such relaxation, she’s getting slack (perhaps I have spoilt her too much… I’m not very commading and does not know how to put on a strict face in front of her) Just got my phone bill and it cost a bomb …. apparently she has been making calls to Taiwan and Indonesia behind our back.

Moo-mies out there with maids… what does your maid do daily… how to give them more work?? I really can’t think of anything to keep her REAL busy in the house everyday and how do you all control your maid.

Nicole is so use to have me taking care of her, she refuses to let the maid to feed her, bath her and put her down to nap. I’m slowly letting the maid bath her though… it’s very sad to see her yell her lungs out everytime I tell her “Kakak pomp pomp u”. Now my DH said, to give the maid more job… Nicole shall be sleeping with the maid

Nicole has been co-sleep with me since she was 7 months old … I really don’t want her to sleep with the maid , and I definately don’t want my kid/s to be more attached to the maid than to me. How to entrust more childcare task to the maid and without having my kid/s to be attached to them? Actually I enjoy and prefer taking care of my kid/s myself more than pushing the task to the maid. DH has different view, he said that I won’t be able to cope with 2 kids and I have to slowly let go and let the maid take over the task. Really headache… and feeling heartache too by thinking of letting the maid taking care of my kid/s … the feeling is like asking me to part with my kids

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:41 am

Sigh… maid is good to have, but also will cause a lot of headache. They are around to do the dirty work… where I get to spent more quality time with Nicole or perhaps with DH too… DD is always my priority… My maid’s task list is even longer than what you all have listed…but yet she still looks so free Perhaps when the little one arrive, she will be more occupy… Doris ..can’t spare my maid lah… I’m also due the same time as you. Will make her hand wash all the lampin… Talk about parenting issue… DH and me definately are from very very different school of thoughts… During the early days when we just have Nicole… so much quarrel… now he just keep his mouth shut and let me have my way .. no point of talking him out… he’s just a stubborn bull.

Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 11:45 pm

I just couldn’t believe this is happening to me. My maid just ran away a few hours ago … she ran away with very light luggage…a backpack with some personal cloths… good things is all our valuable is untouched… even the pocket money we gave her is still around. No idea where she has gone without a penny. I cant imagine she can just leave the house in 10 minutes when me and Nicole is having a good time in the shower togehter…. Now that I’m maidless … and going to due in just a few weeks time.. how am I going to cope…. Have to make police report tomorrow and to the maid agency.

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:44 pm

Just got back from the police station and maid agency. Trying to get a temporary maid…but won’t be able to get confirmation until next week. New maid needs 1 1/2 month to arrive ..and yet we have not found a suitable candidate today… new batch of candidate will only be available month end. mum promised to help on the confinement.. she will buy all the stuff and cook for me… but i feel bad if i have to get her to do the housework and taking care of Nicole as well during the confinement month…. and for the next two weeks… i still have to work before my long long break…. how to work in front of the pc…taking care of hsework and nicole without the maid…. eventhough with a maid.. my colleague already complain abt me curi tulang…take things for granted….( office politic…another story)… aiya…so stress now…

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:56 am

Was disoriented and panic stricken when the maid left and also felt shameful of myself that I’m not able to control the maid. Anyhow, was trying to adapt to taking care of Nicole and work without the maid. However the story does not just end here. I’ve to go through another episode of nightmare as the maid came back like a haunting ghost. Saturday afternoon… the whole family went out to my in law’s place. In within 1 1/2 hour… when we got home, I realize something amiss. DH was complaining abt the way I latched the padlock at the grill, but I know I didn’t put it that way. Once I opened the door, I knew our house has been intruded. Not broken in… as the doors are all nicely locked up when we reached home. First saw an empty flower vase on the piano lid. Which was 1/2 full of coins (I think worth RM50 – RM100) which we put on top of the piano with the artificial flowers… the flowers were taken out and was on the piano top. The key basket was disoriented. Checked through the house, master bed room was in a mess… toothpaste has been squeezed everywhere on the bed to the bedside table to the lamp shade… after checking… we found out we lost a bunch of house keys..which can access to the whole house… 1 tub of ice cream…1 bath towel belongs to Nicole… 2 packs of sanitary pads (yes…the thief stolen 2 packs of sanitary pads) and one of the pad wrapping was found on the floor. 1 bottle of vitagen..drank and empty bottle left at my doorstep. of course the coins were all missing..and my car tyre puntured.. We knew for sure this is done by the maid. Though we have taken extra precaution to get a new padlock for the grill..but somehow also due to our carelessness, we have left the key to easy accessible place when we left the house and we didn’t know our wooden doorknob was broken. Now we have again changed all the padlocks and doorknobs…but I still feel very unsafe and uncomfortable staying in my own house… I have this feeling of being watched/stalked … and the mental exhaution of keep worrying of our safety. I keep worrying that the maid will be backed again.. I know her intention might be to come back to get back her own things…which we have packed away and kept in the store room… I’m just so worry that out of desperation of money.. she might strike our house again. After this incident.. I have made up my mind of not getting anymore maid…not even temporary one…. Will get my aunt and mum to help during confinement…and engage weekly cleaners for cleaning the house. I might even want to move in with my in laws or parents from next week onwards … It’s such a daunting experience .

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:39 am
Yes… we made police report…One on the run away.. and another on the break in. The sarjan even came to dust finger prints But indeed this is a blessing in disguise. Nicole is not attached to the maid and I don’t rely on the maid to take care of her… and also I think my maid is a bit cuckoo..and good thing she will never get a chance to take care of the newborn..who knows what she will do to the little baby. I’m blessed to have a loving family and I believe without a maid , we will just manage fine… this morning my fil came over at 6.30am just right after DH stepped out the house to work…to come jaga the house for us… I’m really touched by that. And throughout this week.. I will have my mil, aunt and mum to take turn to company me at night … so i don’t have to stay home alone with Nicole .

Kids Playing Doc

In Cloud Nine

Yeah… I’m so happy today. What makes my day?? Over breakfast chat today, hubby has finally agreed to sponsor me to do my course in early childhood education. So so happy and excited, like a 19 years old just received a uni entrance letter. Must write down here, so that I won’t give up half way, so that hubby won’t change his mind of sponsoring me.

After so many years of “dili deleh” of wanting to do the course, I’m finally going to do it NOW. The brochures I have collected about the course by various colleges since 2003 has already become “kiam chai” and I have actually got a registration form a few months ago from this college that offer external studies, but since didn’t get a green light from hubby, so keep postponing it.

The course I’m going to do is a 1 year external study diploma course in montessori method of education. After getting the diploma, need to do 420 hours teaching practice to obtain the international diploma certification. (Try not to be too ambitious first, if can I want to continue with the advanced diploma and perhaps something more advance after that. Aahhh…can forget about IT and computer now, my original profession. A third generation from a teaching family, trying not to follow grandparents, parents profession but end up finding true calling in education. Ironic)

The beauty of doing this course now would be a win win situation for the kids and me. I can apply what I’ve learned right away on them, like a hands on, they are my guinea pig, my experiment. On doing the projects and assignments, I can get the kids involve, so they can learn and we can spent time together doing some “fun” things. Ooh..such a wonder. Have to do it now before I’m too tie up with another baby (if there is going to be one!!)

Going to fill up the form and get the relevant documents ready. Want to send out as soon as possible so that I can start the earliest possible. With this plan ahead, I will be spending less time in front of the pc blogging, surfing and being unproductive. Finally got to freshen my brain from rotting after a year without much outside interaction. I must work hard, for the kids sake, for our future and also for hubby’s hard earn money!! SUPERMOM, here I’m gonna be!!