Staying in Dayre for now

Hosted CNY lunch for first time and it was a success.... I think.

I mean no one got food poisoning right?😅😅😅

After that went for a walk to digest the food baby. @wilda said must walk on grass once a week to discharge negative energy.

Also somehow sprained my ankle. It's not swollen. Sunday was niggling pain and today limited movement 😷😷😷😷 (read : limping)

Also get to see the best and worst of humanity.

👍A guy readily gave up his seat when he saw limping into the train.

👎Took 3 attempts the board my company lift. Our lift has no buttons and it's controlled by access card.

You tap card on the console and it will call the lift down and send you to the right floor.

There are a couple of console and naturally I tap on the one closest to me. And FML the lift furthest away from me opened. I limped as fast as I can and still the door closed before I can get in. The folks inside just stare at me trying to limp my way in. 

OK 😬😬, so I tap the console nearest to the lift that left without me and FML the lift that came was furthest away from my new location again 😠😠. I tried to limp faster across. Unfortunately the lifts in between opened and emptied a ton

of people. Not enough I had to limped my way to the furthest lift, I had to pass through a lunch crowd ~ flips table. 

Of course I missed the second lift lor- with people inside starring at me and not helping.

So had to repeat the process again and third time lucky, the lift closest to me open and I got in safely.

I told my team mate about my experience and she went into a tirade on heartless strangers until I told her our mutual colleagues are in the lift as well.

Talk about awkward....😅😅

 We never truly appreciate what is around us until it's no longer available 

Home sweet home

I am home.....!!!! Feels like I have been on a loooong vacation or like overseas secondment.

~ open windows
~ clean cob webs
~ sweep and mop floor
~ vacuum the dust

There is no place like home! 

I made pasta for lunch today. Fetucine with basil pesto, sundried tomatoes and chilli flakes. Top up with teriyaki chicken and boiled egg with caviar.

Good thing the flavours worked together pretty good.

Now I just need to bring back all the accumulated luggage while overseas.

Put pork on fork

Betrayed by weather forecast! Said it won't rain but now it's drizzling. It is already hard enough in winter for anything to dry. Now doubt it can dry without the help of heater. Ugh!!!

Had Korean food with @cubie (thanks girl) at Chinatown. We got craving for Korean food as my pig Bro is there at the moment. Brings back a lot of good memories and food cravings like Bossam. @cubie found a place in Chinatown and off we go.

Unfortunately the Bossam was subpar. There is no special kimchi and the pork had a strong porky smell. The BBQ meat is OK but they did not serve the codiments until I asked them. 

Halfway through our meal we realise there is a strange cliental. Hardly a Korean in sight. Alarm bells rang. If we had any Korean friends they will ask us not to come as this is a tourist trap.

There is nothing more reassuring than seeing natives dining as only they can judge the authenticity. In fact we are often used by our friends as food compass. Food is more authentic with our stamp of approval. Though my stamp doesn't earn big bucks like the halal stamp.

 There is speculation that halal stamp money is used to fund terrorism. 

Uprooting

My god....fingers almost froze off my hand hanging laundry. How I hate doing laundry in winter. Yes I don't have a dryer - they are for the weak. Hahaha.... lucky I only need to do this once a week.

Today I finally saw a western rock. So solid until she displaces 2 Asian rocks. No surprises as we all know the west has more power. I am also reporting this to prove I am not bias in terms of bad train ettiqute.

Facebook reminded me that tomorrow is my migration anniversary or it is today? Hahaha....

My....how fast 4 years fly. Now I can officially apply for citizenship. The first of our kin migrated in the 1970s and the government begged for her to join. They gave her instant citizenship, money and first class air ticket. It could partly be due to her medical occupation.

When the second generation i.e my uncle generation decided to join the first settlers, it is still pretty easy. My uncle said he arrived with RM12k. Exchange rate was about 2 times. My cousins become 2nd generation migrants. Later they convert to citizens.

Now my turn and I think I was at the tail end of the era where the criteria is still achievable. After GFC it has gotten very tough to come in. Citizenship also requires exam now. Uncle urged me to consider converting before they make it even harder.

I just hope they don't give the Singapore ultimatum.

 Citizenship or back to work visa 

One pot wonder

Today I used my pressure cooker for the first time in my new home. I was hesitant because of the pressure steam which was volcanic when I first tried it out here. The first thing I made was lamb shank soup which was appropriate as it was winter. I realize the photo wasn't appetizing. I think I made green curry next and it was quite a flop - no photos.

Today I made the same soup and it looked so much better than the previous one. The secret ingredient is a good filter. 

~ Pause for effect ~

Ba ha ha ha ha! Ok la, I also have more confidence and experience cooking using a pressure cooker not to mention I jigged the recipe. Which reminds me - I better blog it up! My very own lamb shank soup recipe.

History showed I don't do well with western dishes and Bits was skeptical when I put this in front of him. You should see his face when he realize this is actually good stuff and he doesn't need to suck it up cause he needs to show support at my culinary skills.

Like durians HAHAHAHA....

Winter bug

This is the time of the year when i don't look forward to going to the toilet. Freaking cold!!!!!

Wishing for the Japan/Korea toilet seat. The only way the toilet seat is heated here is leftover body heat from previous occupant. Geli to think about it. Like pubic hair on toilet seat.

Rush hour now is extra cramped from the winter gear. Everybody is at least 1.5 times bigger. Night come so fast that it feels like you are doing OT even though it is just 5pm.

You'd think Melbourne and Tassie are the coldest city but Canberra often records lower temperature. Mountains' snowing so ski season is on. Dandenongs have light snow too. Unfortunately doesn't extend to the foothills. We only get hail. Tsk...

Keep feeling sleepy and hungry all the time and not much mood to do anything. It is a fact that people put on weight during winter. 

It's un productive season

 That is why bears hibernate in winter. 

Autumn or winter

Fell into an impromptu debate with swim mate about seasons. I was sure it's winter already but she said we are still in autumn. Okay.... if you quarter the calendar evenly, then we are at the tail end of autumn. But look at the crazy temperature. ... tell me this is not winter.

Mother nature has her own schedule but this winter is pretty full on judging from current trend. Luckily my poor car is in the garage now and happier I am sure. No more frosty car to thaw, only frosty breathe.

I have also taken out my little heater and turned it on last night instead of my big heater. I guess electricity will go up for me these 3 months sigh

Was trying to promote saving money via home cooked food and Cousin was curious about my a-week-same meal strategy and I showed her this is my weekday meal of stir fry celery with water chestnut + mushrooms and steamed mince pork with pickled lettuce. 

The first thing she said was your celery already turned colour. I guess some compromise is inevitable. Who doesn't want freshly prepared meals everyday.

Quite hard to comprehend when you are used to eating out. But then one has to do what one has to do.

 What are willing to sacrifice to achieve your objective? 

We are equal....except for the onion

Have you see an onion this freaking big? If you can't find any big onions in Malaysia, they are all here. Haha.

Today got company town hall and they book a hall in Sofitel. My spidey senses tingled. Management usually don't book official event grounds for a town hall. True enough, there was major restructure. Our GM was transferred elsewhere and a new GM is appointed. There is also a new diversity panel. That sounds like business speak for get those China people business. They pay cash!

Actually we are not legally allowed to be racist or sexist or anything. Everyone has equal opportunity regardless of back ground, beliefs, skin color, medical condition and gender.

That's right. You don't need to declare your gender, race and religion in your resume nor would you be subject to medical examination upon hire.

 Guess that's why people migrate here. 

Fruitful

It's so cold outside, water is condensing on my window sill and I didn't even turn on the heater. Frosty breathe on my way to and fro the station but I am still wearing my trench coat. Maybe it is time to break out my winter gear. Already put in 2 layers of flannel. Now sleeping like ham between two cheese.

Today is a fruitful day - literally. Bits came bearing fruits compliments from papa and mama Bits. They are really good people, always making sure I have good bowel moments and vitamins.

Then my grand aunt called me over to take some soup that she made and when she wants something done, it must be immediately! It's no wonder she was very successful in her career. I would not want to work under her.

So we interrupt our dating session with a fast visit to aunt's. Luckily not far - good thing that migrant families tend to stay together.

As usual when I arrive, there's more than soup. She wanted me to fix her phone - accidentally deleted some apps. So I got to work while she entertained Bits. When we left, we took away fejoas, persimmon, apples, soup, belated birthday present and 2 pots of orchids. As a result fruit tray is over leaden with fruits.

This is fejoa, another fruit I learned when I arrived on this island. Taste like guava.

 Feel like I've been living in a well in the past. 

The durian test

Bits failed. Can't really say I am disappointed. Let's be honest here - less for him means more for me.

He took one bite and I wish I had taken a video of his face - can't even describe it. He really tried very hard to accept it cause he know I love durian and it's a big thing in hometown. He even took another bite - in the end he spit it out. Feels like eating shit. Poor baby.

Strange thing is he can take the smell and even had durian ice cream before. But he can't take the real thing. Ok la no force. He doesn't like it means no durian trips. Actually it's a bit irony. I love durian but everytime I go back I am fearfull of eating it as it's heaty and when you are travelling, you don't drink enough water.

I usually ended up sick, so I try not to eat durian when I am back. sigh.

After 2 failed bites, Bit wanted to throw the durian seed away. Lucky I stopped him.

One man's meat is another man's poison.