Being Thankful...

I received this email from a friend. It's about being looking at life from a different perpective and being thankful for things we ordinarily complain about.

I am thankful:

For the wife
Who says it's hot dogs tonight,
Because she is home with me,
And not out with someone else.

For the husband
who is on the sofa
being a couch potato,
because he is home with me
and not out at the bars.

For the teenager
who is complaining about doing dishes
because it means she is at home,
not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay
because it means
I am employed .

For the mess to clean after a party
because it means i have
been surrounded by friends

For the clothes that fit a little too snug
because it means
I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work
because it means
I am out in the sunshine

For a lawn that needs mowing,
windows that need cleaning,
and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home

For all the complaining
I hear about the government
because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means I am capable of walking
and i have been blessed with transportation

For my huge heating bill
because it means
I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church
who sings off key
because it means
I can hear.

For the pile of
laundry and ironing
because it means
I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles
at the end of the day
because it means I have been
capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off
in the early morning hours
because it means I am alive.

And finally, for too much e-mail
because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

Family - Life's greatest blessing

~ The love of a family is life's greatest blessing ~ Author Unknown

In these past few weeks, I've really come to appreciate the meaning of family. I felt really sad when I read the headlines in the Star about children abandoning their parents at government hospitals. It does make you wonder what have we become in today's society? Have we lost our sense of humanity and compassion?

When dad was scheduled to go in for a total knee replacement surgery, my sisters and I rallied around my parents, giving our support in time and finances. I'll be the first to admit that it was tough. Our regular routines were thrown topsy turvy with hospital stays and visits. Post-surgery,there were errands to run and more follow-up visits to the hospital. Yes, it wasn't easy, but I guess it's the least we could do given the sacrifices that mum and dad made to raise us and provide us with a good education. They saved and scrimped so that we could have a better life. We do, thanks to mum and dad.

Action Speaks Louder than Words

"Action speaks louder than words"

Sometimes love is best expressed by action. Dad just went for a total knee replacement surgery two weeks back and more recently, gave us all a scare when his heart rate spiked to 149 bpm and he had to be admitted to ICU. Throughout the numerous trips to the hospital and post-surgery recovery, mum's been a rock. It is not easy to be a care-giver, especially when the patient is frustrated and in pain. But mum is a trooper and I am so amazed by her love for dad.

In our Asian culture, especially among the older folks, it is not common to hear them express their love with the words "I love you". But then again, action speaks louder than words.

Words of Wisdom

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

How true it is. Sometimes we forget that families are God's gift to us. And sometimes, like God's other gifts we tend to neglect this gift. Let's make time with our families. Have a meal together. Go for an outing. Let's not have any regrets when it comes to one of the most important things in our lives.

Tribute to Dad

The fruit of our labour

While I inherited my passion for cooking from my mum, I picked up a knack for gardening from my dad. Dad has worked with plants all his life, beginning his career with the government agriculture department. After his retirement, he ventured into the private sector and currently at age 70+, he works part-time as a landscape contractor. He can’t seem to give up his plants!

Growing up, we’ve always had a garden full of plants. In fact, our house was like an orchard sometimes. At one time, when dad went through his cactus phase, our garden resembled a desert in Texas.

We don’t always realize the lasting impact our parents have on us. Honestly, I hardly spent any time in the garden during my childhood. When I grew up and had my own home, it was dad who gave us our first plants for our home. The red palm is still with us many years later (provided Kess, our beagle doesn’t chew it up. She has already mangled its twin).

As a result, unlike some Malaysian homes, we decided to keep our front garden instead of tiling it up to make space for another car park space. In fact, we did the opposite to our back yard and converted the cement floor into a garden. We like to do our entertaining at our back patio and enjoy the little garden we have out back. Unlike dad, I don’t really have green fingers but I do enjoy puttering around the garden. Sure, it takes work. Weeding, trimming, watering, fertilizing. But the fruits of the labour is worth it.

Happy Fathers Day, dad!

Mother's Day Gathering

If you're married, have you ever faced the problem about Mother's Day celebration? Should you have lunch with your mum and dinner with your mother-in-law? If you have siblings, how do you coordinate it with their schedule? How do you make everyone happy?

Well, for our family, we celebrate it together. My siblings and I invite our parents and all our in-laws (including sibling-in-laws) and have one big celebration. It really is a twice-a-year (one for Father's Day as well) gathering of the in-laws. We're still targeting to have one celebration where every member of the family is present. This time round, hubby's sis and her hubby could not make it. Still, we have a pretty decent track record with close to 90% attendance every year. Last Sunday, there were 19 of us. With such a big group, eating-in is more relaxed. as everyone can mingle and there is no pressure to vacate the table quickly for the next batch of customers. So, we usually take turns to host the celebration.

The younger folks did most of the cooking. Bro-in-law's aunty also contributed 3 yummy dishes. Hubby and I prepared namtok mu (grilled pork with thai chili paste) and kai chiao mu (minced pork omelette Thai style)- a legacy of our 18 months in Bangkok. Typical Malaysian style, there were more than enough food to go around with 9 mains and 4 desserts!
Apart from the great food, it was a great time for catching up. As we have increasingly busy schedules, it is good to set aside a time for a family get-together. Coming up next, Father's Day...

Tribute to Mum

One of my passions is cooking. Looking back, I can trace this passion back to my mum. My mum loves to cook for her family. So, I grew up with home-cooked food on the table. When mum first got married to dad, she didn't know how to cook chilli dishes (She comes from Cantonese background). My dad, a Malacca baba, grew up eating curry and chili dishes. Mum told us that when she first fried fish, dad refused to eat coz it didn't have chilli. Today, one of mum's specialty dishes is fried fish with stuffed sambal filling! It is a testament of her love for dad. Mum continues to experiment with new recipes she's seen on TV. This goes to show that you're never too old to learn.

I have to confess that when I used to live at home, I never really enjoyed cooking. I didn't like to help out in the kitchen as it meant I had to miss out on my play time or TV time. But, mum was a believer that her children should know how to cook. When I went overseas for studies, I had no choice but to cook. Eating out was expensive and not something a student could afford to do on a regular basis. So, very often, I would call home and ask mum for a recipe.

Now that I am married, I find myself preferring to eat in most days. Even when I was working, our friends used to be amazed that I cooked dinner regularly. The dishes were simple and I used the crock pot often. Now that I'm on a sabbatical, I've had time to experiment with more complicated dishes. Plus, with my brand new Teka oven, I look forward to experimenting with more roasts and grills. Our friends loved the baby-back ribs we prepared for a dinner party.

And so, on this Mother's Day, it is apt for me to pay this tribute to my mum, and all mums out there - for all the good food you have lovingly prepared for your children and for instilling the passion for good ol' home-cooked food.