1/5/2021

Win One,  Loss Two

The beginning of Spring in the Northern hemisphere and the coming winter down under. 

It has been a turbulent week and again I am reminded that life is not permanent.

Pickup this little kitten from the box outside Ecosave supermarket on my way to my yoga class.  Heard the  faint sounds of meowing and took a peek into the box and lo and behold she was staring up at me.

Checked with the staff at the supermarket and was informed that the box left outside by unknown person. So after my class took her home. 

Initially fed her with kitten milk but after 2 days she got into serious diarrhea and immediately we admitted her to the vet for 2 days.    

Now Miki (she)  is settling down well with us.

However my Mimi the queen has gotten so jealous that she refuses to come back into the house anymore! She still comes back for her food though and hopefully with time she will move inside again. 

We mourned the loss Zorro, the "masked" cat.  He is a stray cat and from the way he moved, I suspected leg injury.   He would hide under my washing machine and came out for food morning and evening.  Just when he was becoming more confident with me, an accident happened to him.

One night in the early hours of dawn, I heard the stray dogs barking and came down to check.   I could not see anything outside but can hear the dog running up and down the drain.  So finally I managed to chase them away.  In my heart, I was praying for the cats that they will be alright till daylight. 

In the daylight, we saw Zorro covered in mud and trying to come up.    Thank God, my daughter was around (she was going out for her exercise) and she managed to get down and picked him up.  She took almost an  hour to get him bathed and clean and dry. 

We sent him to the vet and he was admitted for dogs bites and trauma.   Unfortunately he could not make it and we lost him yesterday.  He is safe with God.

Besides the cats and dogs, it was sad news that I received from my niece that my brother in law's cancer has recurred and  it will be a matter of time.  As my daughters said, it is sad for he is someone whom they have close relationship with growing up.   

With the pandemic not relenting and the figures going up everyday, let's treasure those around us.  

Stay safe and take care everyone. 

 

 16/4/2021 

MAY'S WALKABOUT

This is my sister May and she works in the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.  She has been working with the Cardiac surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital for more than 30 years after her nursing training from Cornwall, United Kingdom.   Besides her regular work at the RCH, she also does humanitarian voluntary mission to Dominican Republic, Kenya, India, Vietnam, Cebu Philippines to the underprivileged children in these countries.    So how does she relax from her busy schedules?  Oh yes, I forget to mention that she has obtained her yoga teacher's certificate and yes, yoga helps her to unwind from a busy day. Besides that, she enjoys going for walks, not around your garden but long walks around the suburbs.

So just showing you all some of her walks these months. 

Me and Uoo Uoo Art Trail - celebrating 150 years of RCH.

On September 9, 1870 the Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children opened, small and humble.Today, the RCH is recognised globally as one of the world’s greatest paediatric hospitals and its 150th birthday. 

From the rch.org.au:- 

" UooUoo (pronounced you-you) has been created by award-winning Melbourne artist Alexander Knox, who also created the iconic sculpture ‘Creature’ that stands in the main foyer of the RCH.

UooUoo is an imaginary Australian creature whose shape is loosely drawn from the wombat and dugong. A mysterious being, UooUoo is highly empathetic, playful and brave, but can be mischievous at times.

 Each UooUoo sculpture measures 1350mm tall x 1580mm long x 980mm wide and weighs approximately 60kgs.

Join UooUoo on an adventure to help raise funds for the RCH and change the future of paediatric healthcare for generations to come!" 

These are a few of the UooUoo which she came across during her walks around the city.

You can view all the 100 sculptures from the website. 

Both of us loves these historical old buildings. 

The quadrangle @ Melbourne University

The Fairy Tree in Fitzroy Garden

The miniature Tudor houses and gardens

a day trip to Cranbourne native garden with her buddies.  

Australia native tree.... Why are the trees upside down?

 15/4/2021

Hello there and a very Good morning to all.

What a past year it has been.  Enough being said and posted about the past year and the effects of the covid pandemic on everyone.   The MCO#2 has been extended again.  It's time to pick up the pieces and move on with our life living with the new normal. 

International travel is not possible for everyone and our plans to travel has been put on hold since.  Interstate travel also not possible and to go cuti-cuti in our own state is a hazard because of the crowds.  So there is very little to write about.   

I guess the only thing I can write about is about cooking and my latest hobby-crochet!

Since the pandemic besides cooking for my family I also have been cooking for my sister's family.  

Here's what I cooked on 15/4/2020:-

Cooking mulberry jam. 

my mulberry plant in the backyard.

I planted this plant so that the birds could enjoy the fruits and my neighbour could also enjoy drinking the herbal tea with the mulberry leaves.   Last weekend I have the tree cut because the opposite neighbour is going to renovate her kitchen and the tree is in the way. 

Last year during the MCO#1, the market was closed so mostly our groceries were ordered online.  So making use of whatever is available in the fridge, I can still cook some decent meals for them.  

Long beans Omelette

Braised spareribs - 1,2,3,4 sauce. 

Stir-fry nai pak choy.

 

MACROBOTICS WORKSHOP

15/2/2020

When I expressed my interest in the  cooking workshop by  Woods Macrobotics workshop, the girls  quickly booked for me as my birthday present and the best thing was that they also participated with me.  What a wonderful time together.

Briefly, the Macrobiotic concept: 

1.     Nature and the human body are closely connected

2.    pure food is medicine

3.    Eat food in its whole form

4.     Yin and Yang Balance. 

After brief introductions all round and she gave an explanation on the menu and the food we are cooking today.    Then its time to don on our aprons and get hands on.  

the spacious dry kitchen 

Demo how to cut the veggie by the Masterchef June Ka Lim.  She is a pioneer in the Malaysia organic food industry since 1993 and operates a macrobiotic food centre by the name of Lapan Wellness Cafe in Petaling Jaya. 

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the huge cooking area .  

Veggies are cut precisely and cook/blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. 

Brown rice is recommended over white rice. 

Plating up the fruits of our cooking 

Happy birthday  lunch. 

Our Menu that day:

1.    Basic Brown rice

2.    Basic Miso soup

3.     Blanched greens with vinegar nori

4.     Braised garbanzo beans with shiro miso and hijiki seaweed and carrot

5.    Fruit Kanten dessert

6.    lactic acide pickles.

All the organic vegetables, sauce and ingredients are provided by the workshop and are available for purchase at their Cafe/shop online, 

Our group photo before lunch. 

After lunch, it was theory time as Chef June elaborated more on the macrobiotic concept. 

Still keeping vegetarian for the day, we had Sauna Mee @ MamaKim for dinner. 

Thank you girls for your company and time together.