A Typical Day with My Octogenarian Parents

Yesterday evening, Dad wanted to steam fish for dinner. But when he opened the freezer, he discovered that we had run out of fish. 😅 So, off we went to Chong Recipe chap fan instead.

This is our favourite chap fan restaurant because there are more than 50 dishes to choose from daily! It’s air-conditioned, clean, and comes with free delicious soup, tea, water and even tissue. Best of all, dinner for the three of us cost only RM28, including a big piece of fried mackerel. Not bad at all, right? 😁

For lunch today, we headed to our favourite Cheung Kee Porridge, an air-conditioned restaurant. Mum’s ultra-sensitive stomach has been acting up recently, so she needs to stick to a clean, gentle and soft diet for now.

Earlier in the morning, we had to visit the Maxis shop at Kinta City to settle some payment issues for Mum. We ended up spending almost TWO HOURS there 😵‍💫

Thankfully, the Malay man who attended to Mum was very patient and helpful. Mum was so appreciative that she asked Dad to buy him a coffee as a small gesture of thanks. So Dad went to the nearby ZUS Coffee kiosk and bought him a coffee costing over RM11. Such a simple but thoughtful way of showing appreciation. ❤️

And that is a typical day in the life of a 53-year-old auntie living with her parents in their 80s.

Life is mostly made up of simple, ordinary things. Sometimes it’s a little boring, sometimes it comes with nerve-wracking, heart-attack-inducing moments, but most of the time, it’s quite peaceful. 😂

No glam adventures, no exciting nightlife. Just chap fan, porridge, occasional dining out, errands, ageing parents and the occasional unexpected drama. 

Honestly, I guess there’s a certain comfort in this kind of simple life too.

Dinner at Resipi Chong, Ipoh Garden

Lunch at Cheung Kee Porridge, Medan Ipoh, Ipoh Garden East. RM31 for the chicken thigh porridge, fish porridge, shrimp wantons and fried crullers. 

Soon-to-Be 54, But Still Loving My Bright Colour

Another parcel from the 10/10 Sale trickled in today. Yayyy! So happy! 🥳📦

This time, it's my new gym wear from Shopee — a pleated skort in violet and a cross-back spaghetti-strap top with an attached bra. I absolutely love the beautiful contrast between the colours! 💜🩷

I love bright colours. My life is pretty dull as it is, so I need some bright colours to jazz things up a little,  😂🌈

Not bad for a soon-to-be 54-year-old auntie, righttttt? 😜💪🏻

Okay, time to head out for my brisk walk soon! I think it stopped raining.

It's been so hazy in Ipoh, and it's been raining almost every evening for the past two weeks. I've missed my forest-bathing therapy for so many days! 🌳🍃 Hopefully, the weather will improve soon so I can get my much-needed dose of nature again.

Have a colourful and fabulous day, peeps! 🥰

 Shop my gym wear here:

👚 Top: https://s.shopee.com.my/8AWmCJtKBE

🩳 Skort: https://s.shopee.com.my/4VdTpXORcD

Pressure-Cooked 12345 Pork Ribs – Easy, Yummy & No-Fuss!

One of the easiest and yummiest pork rib recipes is 12345 Pork Ribs! The best part? This easy version requires no frying and creates hardly any mess. Just throw everything into the pressure cooker and let it do its magic. Perfect for lazy days or when you don't feel like spending too much time in the kitchen! 

Why is it called 12345 Pork Ribs?

Because the sauce uses five simple measurements:

🥄 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)

🥄 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

🥄 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar

🥄 4 tablespoons sugar

🥄 5 tablespoons water

You can also add a few slices of ginger for extra fragrance and flavour.

I used to cook this dish very frequently back in KL when my daughters were younger. They absolutely loved it!  The meat falls off the bone too.  It's so easy that even a kitchen noob can pull it off successfully as long as you follow the recipe. 😆

You can also try this recipe with chicken or pork shoulder / pork belly.

My usual method is to lightly brown the ginger and pork first, add all the sauce ingredients, then pressure cook for 15–20 minutes. But if you're short of time or simply feeling lazy, you can skip the browning and sautéing altogether. Just dump everything into the pressure cooker and you're good to go!

Recently, I introduced this recipe to my dad, and he's already cooked it twice. Everyone loves it! ❤️ Dad also reduced the amount of sugar to suit our taste.

For this batch, we used around 680–700g of pork ribs.

Simple ingredients, minimal fuss and a delicious dish that the whole family enjoys. This is definitely one of those recipes worth keeping! 

You can watch the video of how this dish was prepared on my Facebook page.

Pressure-cooked pork ribs are always tender and falls off the bone. Only 20 minutes in the PPC.

My parents had steamed rice with blue pea flowers and I had steamed sweet potato - only one and the other one for breakfast the next day.

My TikTok Shop Shopping Adventure: From 0.1 Sen Wet Wipes to Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner

I recently started shopping on TikTok! In case you didn't know, I have two TikTok accounts, and that's where I started noticing all the TikTok Shop ads popping up in my feed.

I ignored those videos for the longest time until I spotted a 0.1 sen deal for 5 packs of large kitchen wipes. Wah, 0.1 sen only! So I thought, okay lah, even if I got scammed, it's practically free mah!

Guess what? The wet wipes arrived just two days later, and they were actually of good quality!

That got me curious, so I started watching more product videos and browsing the TikTok Shop. Before I knew it, I was buying king-size bedsheets for less than RM20. Not once, not twice, but THREE times! LOL!

Then I came across a fantastic deal for Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner. I had bought a bottle from Shopee for RM15 not too long ago. But on TikTok Shop, I spotted a deal for 3 bottles at just RM24. Wah, that's only RM8 per bottle! Almost half the price I paid previously. How could I resist? Into my shopping cart it went!

So, what's my verdict on the Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner?

I'm pretty impressed with it! My washing machine smelled fresh and lemony after cleaning, unlike the washing machine cleaning tablets someone gave us previously, which left our washer smelling awful for an entire week.

The drum looked sparkling clean, and even the rubber seal around the door looked cleaner. My laundry also came out smelling fresh and lemony.

Here's how I used it: I poured the cleaner into the detergent drawer and applied some to the crevices around the door seal and drum. I also used a few wet wipes with the cleaner to wipe away some of the black, mouldy-looking stains on the rubber seal. Most of the black stains came off but not all - those are permanent moldy stains.

Of course, this is just my personal experience, but so far, I'm happy with the results!

If you'd like to check out the deal I found, here's the link to the TikTok Shop:

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS9Dc1bpUkH7P-hSa8L/

The deal is still at RM24+ for 3 bottles because of the 10/10 Sale.

Now that I've discovered TikTok Shop, I think my wallet needs to be on high alert during every sale! First it was 0.1 sen wet wipes, then bedsheets, and now cleaning products. What's next? 😁

 

My 10/10 Sale Haul Is Done!

I'm officially done with my 10/10 Sale shopping for now! Now comes the fun part — waiting for all my shopping loot to trickle in, one parcel at a time.

Here's what I bought during this sale:

Dettol washing machine cleaner from TikTok

Bed sheet from TikTok

Gym wear from Lazada & Shopee

Chrysanthemum buds and peppermint leaves from Shopee

Longjing green tea leaves from Lazada

Apple cider vinegar from Lazada

Kitchen wipes from Shopee

1kg of groundnuts from Shopee

Cashews, chickpeas and almonds from Shopee

Decaf coffee from Shopee

Lakanto and Saraya self-foaming hand wash from Lazada

And that's about it for now! My wallet deserves a little breather, so I'm putting my shopping fingers on standby until the month-end sale.

The only thing already making me happy is my new chic gym top, which arrived today! It looks so nice, and I can't wait to wear it to Zumba soon. The best part? I got it at a steal on Lazada!

Now, let's see how long I can resist shopping before the next sale rolls around.

P.S. I'll probably be stocking up on my walnuts during the month-end sale. A girl's gotta have her healthy snacks, right?

I got my bra-top from Lazada here >> https://s.lazada.com.my/s.Z3INHy?c=d&t=p-iGHa4BF-s2G264V6

For reference, it's a size L, a bit loose on my 42kg frame, but I prefer it this way as I don't like dumpling tight bajus sticking to my skin 😁

 

Domino’s New Cheese & Steak Pizza Range – A Cheesy, Meaty Treat!

I received some complimentary pizzas from Domino’s yesterday, featuring their new Cheese & Steak Pizza range!

The new range features three pizzas, each offering a different take on the steak craving.

Cheese & Steak Beef Signature features smoky steak brisket, onions, green peppers and mushrooms, all brought together with a rich grilled cheese sauce for a hearty, savoury bite.

Cheese & Steak Chicken Deluxe pairs grilled chicken steak chunks with onions, green peppers and cherry tomatoes, finished with a rich grilled cheese sauce and smoky flavours for a more robust taste.

Cheese & Steak Chicken Classic combines grilled chicken steak chunks, chicken sausage and onions with a rich grilled cheese sauce, bringing together delicious grilled flavours and cheesy goodness.

My honest verdict? I really enjoyed all three flavours!

I've tried pizzas from many brands over the years as my daughters are crazy over pizzas, including some pretty expensive wood-fired pizzas, and I must say that these three new flavours from Domino’s are surprisingly good!

What I particularly like is how generously they are topped with cheese sauce and meat. The crust is another highlight for me – crispy on the outside yet pillowy soft on the inside, giving it a lovely texture.

My advice? Enjoy these pizzas while they’re still hot! That’s when you can best appreciate the delicious aroma of the ingredients, the rich, cheesy toppings and the contrast between the crispy exterior and soft, fluffy interior of the crust. Fresh out of the box, they’re a real treat!

And there's more than just pizza!

The new range is also complemented by Cheesy Beef Loaded Fries and Cheesy Chicken Loaded Fries, topped with smoky beef brisket strips or grilled chicken chunks and creamy nacho cheese sauce.

I'm particularly fond of the Cheesy Beef Loaded Fries! The beef brisket strips are wonderfully aromatic and tender, making them a delicious treat for anyone who loves smoky beef flavours.

If you're a fan of cheesy, meaty pizzas, this new range is definitely worth checking out!

The new Domino’s Cheese & Steak Pizza range is available for a limited time at Domino’s Pizza outlets throughout Malaysia.

You can place your order through the Domino’s website, the Domino’s App or by walking into any Domino’s store.

For more information, visit www.dominos.com.my

or follow Domino’s Malaysia on its social media channels.

Cheese & Steak Beef Signature

Cheese & Steak Chicken Deluxe

Cheese & Steak Chicken Classic

Cheesy Beef Loaded Fries

Mum Is Back At Zumba With Me

Mum followed me to Zumba class yesterday evening, and I’m really glad she did. ❤️

She had originally planned to stop going to the gym for a few months because of the chronic aches and pains in her legs and back. But gradually, she started following me to strength training classes, and yesterday, she decided she was ready to return to our Friday evening Zumba class too.

Her friends at the gym were so happy to see her again! 🥰

Mum used to be an avid line dancer and praise dancer just a few years ago, until she had a fall and fractured her right shoulder and wrist. She has always been a social butterfly who loves being around people and taking part in social activities, so getting back to Zumba has brought her a little bit of joy again.

I reminded her that she doesn’t have to follow the Zumba instructor 100%. In fact, even doing 10% is better than doing nothing at all. She can move at her own pace, modify the movements, and step outside to rest whenever she feels tired.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Something is better than nothing.

At her age, I think staying active and connected with people is just as important as the exercise itself. As long as she keeps moving, socialising and doing things that bring her joy, that’s good for her mind, body and soul as she grows older. ❤️

And honestly, seeing my 80-year-old mum get back out there and enjoy herself makes me very happy too. 🥰

You can watch our video here >> https://www.facebook.com/reel/2712543289215766

Happy World Egg Day!

Today, the second Friday of October, is World Egg Day! It's a day to celebrate this humble little superfood — a nutritious and affordable source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals.

Since Mum and I started strength training five months ago, we've been eating two soft-boiled eggs for breakfast every day. I also see some of my gym buddies eating four or more eggs a day! 💪

I can almost see some of you raising your eyebrows. 😆 Two eggs a day? Or even four? Won't all that cholesterol send our blood cholesterol levels soaring?

Well, here's what we know.

Do eggs raise cholesterol?

Yes, egg yolks contain dietary cholesterol. One large egg has approximately 186 mg of cholesterol, most of it in the yolk. However, dietary cholesterol generally has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol levels than saturated fat does, although individual responses vary.

Our bodies also produce cholesterol naturally, mainly in the liver. When we consume dietary cholesterol, the liver can adjust how much it produces. But that doesn't mean dietary cholesterol has no effect at all!

For LDL (the so-called "bad" cholesterol), saturated fat is an important dietary factor. So, what we eat alongside our eggs matters too. Eggs served with vegetables and whole grains are a different nutritional package from eggs accompanied by processed meat, white bread, and other foods high in saturated fat.

As for how many eggs we should eat, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Our overall diet, cholesterol levels, health conditions and individual response all matter.

Why do Mum and I eat two eggs every morning?

Two medium-sized eggs provide approximately 11–12 g of high-quality protein, which helps support muscle repair and maintenance. This is particularly important as we grow older and want to maintain our muscle mass and strength.

As someone who exercises regularly and does strength training, I aim for around 1.6–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight daily. At my current weight of 42kg, that's approximately 67–84 g of protein a day.

So, my two eggs are just the beginning! I get the rest of my protein from other foods, including meat, milk, cheese, nuts, chickpeas, yogurt, and lentils.

Of course, protein needs vary from person to person, and eating more isn't automatically better. The goal is to get enough protein while maintaining a balanced diet.

❤️ My love affair with eggs!

Coming back to eggs, I absolutely LOVE them, no matter how they're cooked — soft-boiled, hard-boiled, scrambled, poached or sunny-side up.

If there's one food I could never give up, it's eggs! 😂🥚

Here's what my typical breakfast looks like:

🍳 Two half-boiled eggs

🌰 Walnuts and almonds

🫘 Roasted chickpeas

☕ Decaf coffee or raw cacao with a tablespoon of flaxseed meal and fresh milk

🍎 An orange or an apple

Some mornings, I'll also have boiled chickpeas and sprouted wheat bread with butter and peanut butter or black sesame spread.

Happy World Egg Day! How many eggs do you eat a day? 🥚😋