Kind and Generous Parents

Cass has been incredibly fortunate to meet some wonderfully kind and generous parents during her figure skating classes. These parents have not only supported their own children but have also extended their generosity and kindness to Cass and the other team members, creating a warm and encouraging environment for everyone.

On the last day of Skate Malaysia 2024, an incredibly thoughtful gesture touched everyone's hearts. One of the parents of Cass' teammates gifted a beautiful fruit basket to all the team members under the same coach who participated in the competition. This generous act was from the mother of one of Cass' teammates—the same lady who helped Cass with her makeup on the day of the competition using her Dior makeup. This kind lady also treated all the girls to a movie on the last day of Skate Malaysia.  Being wealthy is one thing, but being generous and kind is another. Cass is fortunate to have met such a kind lady who goes out of her way to help others and share her blessings.

Two weeks ago, Cass was invited by another teammate to a birthday party celebration at Jungle Gym in Times Square. Despite being one of the oldest team members, Cass enjoys hanging out with her younger friends. The invitation to the birthday party was another testament to the camaraderie and friendship within the team. The kids had a fantastic time, and Cass loved being a part of the fun celebration.

After every level of test, other parents would organize small parties to treat all the teammates. These gatherings are a great way for the skaters to relax, celebrate their achievements, and bond with each other. The effort these parents put into making each occasion special is heartwarming and greatly appreciated by all the kids.

Cass not only loves skating but also enjoys being part of a team with friendly teammates and kind parents. The support system within the team has made her skating journey even more enjoyable. Cass is truly fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful people in her figure skating journey.

A beautiful fruit basket with all Cass' favorite fruits, gifted by Cass' teammate's mother.

Saturday, 15 June 2024

It will be a long, late night for Cass and hubby today.  Cass has a figure skating rehearsal at the skating rink from 10pm to 12 midnight. Fortunately hubby is free tonight to do the chauffeuring, otherwise, I'll be waiting at the freezing skating rink until midnight. 

Cass has been eating clean and healthy lately. These is what her meals look like these days:

Salad with kimchi, Korean marinated pork, half an avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, and scrambled eggs with cheese. After her main meal, she ate a slice of air-fried sprouted wheat bread, low-fat yogurt with granola, an apple, an orange, and a few slices of papaya. 
 I also air-fried a slice of quiche, which was given to us by Alycia's bosses at the cafe that she works part-time at. When Alycia's bosses heard that she injured her hand, they passed some goodies from the cafe to her.

Steamed marinated spicy chicken chop, an ear of whole corn (I sliced out the kernels from the cob), sauteed assorted vegetables (from her dad's kitchen), steamed sweet potato, and sweet cherry tomatoes. I love the colors on her bowl, and so does Cass. I'm glad my years of training her to eat vegetables have paid off well.

After Alycia's terrible mishap in the kitchen last week, resulting in shards of broken glass cutting her finger badly, we now have a phobia of using glassware. I've since switched to using stainless steel bowls and containers.  Moreover, our microwave oven died on us yesterday, so we have no choice but to reheat our food using stainless steel dinnerware in the wok 😁

Wesak Day 2024: Reflecting on the Past and Embracing the Present

22 May 2024

Every May, memories of my three-week stay at Gleneagles Medical Centre in Penang fifteen years ago come flooding back. It was May 2009, and my baby Cass had just undergone major surgery. Despite the procedure, she remained unwell, continuously vomiting green bile. None of the battery of invasive scans could pinpoint the problem, and I was engulfed in worry and despair. The surgery was performed on 5 May 2009 and Wesak Day was on 9 May 2009. 

I vividly remember Wesak Day that year. Our room at GMC Penang faced the main road, and from our window, I could see the grand and colorful Wesak Day procession. There was a temple next to the hospital, and the celebration was magnificent, filled with lights, music, and vibrant decorations. However, I wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. My heart was heavy with concern for my daughter, who lay in bed, her condition still a mystery. Her tummy was so bloated that it looked like a balloon, on the verge of exploding. 

Fast Forward 15 Years: A Day of Gratitude

Fast forward to Wesak Day 2024, and my baby is now a healthy, vibrant 16-year-old. The contrast between then and now is stark, and I am filled with gratitude for the progress she has made. This Wesak Day, Cass chose to stay home to complete her school project. Alycia was at her part-time job, and Sherilyn was busy with a college assignment and two dance shoots at a shopping mall.

Hubby and I decided to have a quiet lunch together, taking advantage of the public holiday. After much deliberation, we ended up at Kenny Hills Bakers at Bukit Tunku. It was a delightful meal, just the two of us, savoring the rare opportunity to enjoy each other's company without the usual hustle and bustle of daily life.

Post-lunch, we indulged in coffee and a brownie at Wolf & Turtle Coffee. The atmosphere was cozy and perfect for a relaxing afternoon. We also picked up some takeaway cakes, peanut cookies, and a loaf of bread for the girls from Kenny Hills Bakers, ensuring they had a little treat to enjoy as well.

Having a public holiday mid-week is always refreshing. It gives a semblance of a short break, making the week feel shorter and more manageable. Despite the next day feeling like a Monday, the reality that only two more days remain until the weekend is always a pleasant surprise.

We ordered Nasi Kerabu and a Big Breakfast set at Kenny Hills Bakers.

Nasi Kerabu

Piccolo latte and brownie from Wolf & Turtle Coffee

Big Breakfast

The peanut cookies from Kenny Hills Bakers are really super yummy, with lots of crunchy peanut bits in every bite, and they're not overly sweet either.

Tuesday, 12 December 2023 – Last Day of School

As the academic year draws to a close, today marks a significant milestone for my youngest daughter, Cass, as it's her last day of school. While national schools continue classes until Friday, Cass attends a Chinese independent high school, concluding her Junior Three journey a bit earlier. The day unfolded with a unique celebration as Cass and her classmates embraced the end of the school year, creating memories that will linger long after the final bell.

With an early dismissal, Cass and her classmates seized the opportunity to celebrate the completion of Junior Three by heading to the shopping malls. It's a day of camaraderie and joy, especially for those whose paths will diverge next year as they move on to different classes. Today is a day to revel in the bonds formed during this academic chapter.

Cass has not only completed the school year but has also excelled academically. Her final exam results secured her a position among the top three in her class, a testament to her dedication and hard work. The school acknowledged her achievements by awarding her a RM100 book voucher, recognizing her commitment to academic excellence.

Next year holds new possibilities for Cass, and despite being allocated to the Science stream, she has decided to opt for the Commerce stream. This decision means delving into the realms of Economics, Commerce, and Accounting. Cass' decision to join the Commerce stream echoes the academic path of her elder sister Alycia. 

With a well-deserved two-and-a-half week of holiday stretching ahead, I know Cass has plans to spend a significant portion of her time at the skating rink, honing her skills in figure skating. She would love to spend the entire day on ice if her dad and I would allow her.

As Cass bids farewell to Junior Three, it's astounding to realize that she will be entering Senior One (Form 4) next year. Time, as they say, flies swiftly. The journey through high school is a tapestry of growth, learning, making new friends, and new beginnings. Today's celebration marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, filled with anticipation for the adventures Senior One will undoubtedly bring.

Cass' after-exam treat at Subway a few Saturdays ago.

Subway is Cass' all-time favorite fast-food and I think the sandwiches are a tad overpriced.

The set that Cass chose came with a complimentary photo of Cha Eun Woo, one of Korea's top k-pop stars and current ambassador of Subway.

After Subway, Cass requested more junk  food and pestered me to bring her to Family Mart for a sofuto. She wanted to try the new flavor, which is Taro and it was surprisingly very yummy. I ended up getting another sofuto, for myself 😐
Then we headed to Books and Bobs, a new bookstore at our hood and I got her a pre-loved novel at RM7.

A Heartwarming Act of Honesty

Last Friday Cass spent almost the entire day at Pavillion Bukit Jalil as it was the school holidays. She had RM80 worth of Parkson vouchers from the mall to use, thanks to us contributing so much to the mall for her figure skating classes at the skating rink. The vouchers were redeemed as part of a  shopping campaign organized by the shopping mall.  Before her figure skating class started, she went to Parkson to use the vouchers. I told her to get herself some clothes. 

As Cass tried on a pair of pants, something unexpected happened. The button on the pants came loose, leaving her feeling terribly embarrassed and apologetic. Many of us might have shrugged it off, blamed it on wear and tear, or simply left without mentioning it to anyone. But not Cass. Her moral compass pointed firmly in the direction of honesty and conscience.

Rather than pretending nothing happened, Cass approached the store assistant and, with genuine sincerity, apologized for the mishap. She even went a step further and inquired if she could pay for the tailoring service to fix the button. This act of responsibility and integrity caught the store assistant by surprise. In a world where such incidents are often shrugged off, Cass's actions were truly exceptional.

The store assistant, equally touched by Cass's honesty, assured her that it was okay, and that someone would take care of fixing the button. But Cass's conscience was not at ease. And so, she offered the store assistant a RM20 Parkson cash voucher as a token of her gratitude for the store assistant’s help.

Initially, the store assistant hesitated and declined Cass's offer, but Cass insisted, explaining that it was essential for her peace of mind. Eventually, the store assistant accepted the cash voucher, recognizing the sincerity behind Cass's gesture.

When I asked Cass why she felt compelled to be so honest and generous in a situation where many would have chosen otherwise, her response was simple yet profound. She said that her conscience wasn't clear, and by giving the store assistant RM20, she felt better. It wasn't about the money; it was about doing what was right.

I know that I wouldn't have been as honest as Cass was in this situation, and that's why her story resonates so deeply with me. It's a reminder that kindness, honesty, and a clear conscience are values worth cherishing and passing on to the next generation.

Last Saturday, Alycia and Sherilyn brought back this box of yummy goodies from Front Room, the cafe where they worked part-time. There were two birthday parties held at the cafe on that day.

Each piece of morsel in this box was super delicious as they were made from quality ingredients.  We had them for breakfast over the next few days. Bliss 😄

My Careless Daiso Purchase

We've all experienced those moments when we make a purchase that leaves us shaking our heads in disbelief. Today, as I strolled through Pavilion Bukit Jalil after Cass successfully passed her figure skating tests, I found myself in one such situation – a tale of a seemingly innocent Daiso purchase that turned out to be quite a costly lesson in assumptions.

The day began on a high note as Cass triumphantly conquered not just one, but two figure skating tests. Celebratory spirits were high, and after a fulfilling lunch at Grand Harbor restaurant, I decided to make a quick pit stop at Daiso to pick up some household essentials. Among the items on my list was a new stainless steel bowl for my beloved cat, Haru. Little did I know that this seemingly straightforward purchase would lead to a lesson in mindfulness and attention to detail.

Our sumptuous lunch at Grand Harbor, Pavillion Bukit Jalil

As I perused the array of stainless steel bowls neatly displayed, one particular option caught my eye. A double-layered, lightweight, matte-finished bowl seemed like the ideal choice for Haru's dining needs. Pleased with my find, I made my way to the checkout counter, paid for my items, and continued my leisurely stroll through the mall.

It was during this leisurely stroll that reality came crashing down. A nagging feeling prompted me to review the total on the receipt against the number of items I had purchased. To my dismay, the numbers didn't add up. Panic ensued as I closely examined the Daiso receipt, and that's when I discovered the source of my mistake – the stainless steel bowl I had chosen for Haru was listed at a staggering RM17.70, not the RM5.90 I had assumed.

The RM17.70 double-layer constructed stainless steel bowl from Daiso. It is heat-proof on the outside, which makes it perfect for putting hot soups.

At that moment, my heart sank as I realized the gravity of my carelessness. The bowl intended for my furry friend, which I had purchased without properly scrutinizing the price, was now three times more expensive than I had anticipated. My initial assumption that all Daiso items adhered to the familiar RM5.90 price point had led me astray.

Although I contemplated rushing back to Daiso for a refund or exchange, time constraints and a husband eager to depart held me back. As I weighed my options, I decided to chalk this up to a lesson learned. This wasn't just about an unfortunate purchase; it was a reminder to never underestimate the importance of clarity and attention to detail.

Toilet selfie, as usual 😁

Upon reflection, it became clear that my lack of reading glasses had played a significant role in this mishap. As age has caught up on me, I now need reading glasses to read small prints. But I don't bring my reading glasses out. The seemingly ambiguous digits on the price tag appeared to resemble the familiar "Yen" symbol rather than the Malaysian Ringgit. This experience underscored the value of taking the extra moment to ensure I had the proper information before making a decision.

In the end, the stainless steel bowl that was meant for Haru has found its place for my own use, serving as a tangible reminder of the importance of mindfulness in all transactions. The bowl will always make me chuckle to myself each time I use it, reminding me of my oversight.

So, the next time I find myself amidst the charm of Daiso's aisles, I'll be armed not just with my shopping list but also with a renewed commitment to careful consideration. And I must remember to bring my reading glasses out or just use my phone's camera function to enlarge small prints 😛

Cassandra’s Heartwarming Grab Ride Encounter

In this fast-paced world, small acts of kindness often go unnoticed amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. However, Cass’ Grab ride today shone a spotlight on a remarkable Grab driver who went above and beyond to make her ride a memorable one.

After a long day at school, Cassandra was eager to unwind and make the most of her free time at the skating rink to practise her figure-skating moves, followed by class at 8 p.m. With the Grab fare at its lowest at around 4-ish p.m., she quickly booked a ride to the mall, where the skating rink is.  Earlier today, I bought her a teriyaki salmon don bento for her to bring to the skating rink to eat.

As Cassandra settled into the Grab car, she had a small favor to ask the driver. Hungry from almost the entire day in school, she inquired if it would be possible for her to have her meal inside the car.  To her astonishment, the Grab driver responded with an unexpected gesture. He graciously allowed Cassandra to eat her meal inside his car. This act of kindness touched Cassandra deeply, as she was well aware of the potential inconvenience from the fishy smell of the teriyaki salmon or accidental spills it might cause.

Overwhelmed by the driver's generosity, Cass captured the precious moment on her phone. She took a picture of her yummy teriyaki salmon don in the Grab car and Whatsapp-ed me the photo. 

When Cassandra sent the photo to me, I initially couldn't believe that the Grab driver would allow her to eat in the car.  Hubs and I would not allow our girls to eat in our cars knowing that they may drop or spill food/drinks in the car. Moreover, the smell of the food is sure to stink the car for days.  What's more, it's salmon fish!

The thought of a Grab driver allowing a passenger to eat inside the car seemed too extraordinary to be true. However, when Cass reassured me that she wasn’t pulling my leg, I realized that the Grab driver’s act of kindness was, in fact, real.

In today's fast-paced world, where time is of the essence, it's easy to overlook the little things that can make a significant impact on someone's day. The Grab driver's compassion was an extraordinary example of how a small act can leave a lasting impression on a person's heart. Every act of kindness has the potential to create a ripple effect, touching the lives of many.

Do you have a heartwarming story to share too?

My Life In Photos The Past One Week

School reopens today after a one-month-long break, phew!  School holidays are suffocating for me.  My me-time, morning exercise, peace, space, and freedom at home are literally gone.  The littlest one can be such a handful though she's already 15.  

Besides making a trip back to Ipoh for 3 days and 2 nights, Cass was mostly at home or at the skating rink.

Now that school has reopened and the pandemic is almost behind us, co-curricular activities are back to normal.  Cass will stay back for the first time in high school this week.  CoCo activities were conducted online for the past 3 years. Cass also has to sit for her UEC exam this year. And a few more tests on figure skating.  Cass is going to be one very busy girl this year.

Me at the loo at Pavillion Bukit Jalil.  After sending Cass to the skating rink, I had nothing to do.  To kill time, I did a selfie and rambled around the mall with nothing in mind to buy.  Cass' classes are now from 8-9pm on Fridays 😩

Even though I had absolutely nothing to buy, I still ended up with some stuff from Guardian Pharmacy and a bunch of unnecessary snacks from Food Merchant.  Sherilyn texted me and asked me to help her buy make-up removal oil and I bought a bottle of expensive body shampoo simply because it was on offer and the scent is irresistibly fruity - a mix of grapefruit, apple, peach and all my favorite fruits. That's the reason why I hate going to the mall when I have nothing to buy as I will always end up buying unnecessary things 😁

While window shopping at Guardian, I stumbled upon this - sheet mask for your bust, butt, and belly.  Seriously, would you buy this to nurture your assets? 😆

Ever since mum fractured her right arm two months ago and was down with Covid a month ago, my 80-year-old papa has been taking over all the chores at home in Ipoh.  Mum even taught papa how to bake bread using the breadmaker.  Here, he's removing freshly baked bread from the breadmaker and slicing it, for me to bring it back to KL the next day 💗

The smell of freshly baked bread is heavenly!

Papa also made his signature pandan kaya for us. He stood next to the stove for over 1.5 hours, patiently stirring the santan+egg+sugar+pandan juice mixture, turning it from liquid to a thick kaya paste.  His kaya is the best in the whole wide world. 
This is my air-fried homemade whole wheat bread spread with papa's pandan kaya. It's so delish!

Cinnamon rolls baked just an hour ago - Sherilyn's first bake, post-SPM!  

'Tai Yee Ma Kar Lui' for dinner tonight. 
Hairy gourds are currently on promotion at our neighborhood supermarket @ RM5 for two.  I bought four and gave one to the girls' grand aunt.  Today the MIL cooked all the hairy gourds. Dinner for tomorrow is also settled!

Besides braised hairy gourd, we had steamed free-range chicken with ginger paste and steamed pomfret fish (tau tai chong) for dinner tonight.

My Week In Photos: Cass and Figure Skating

It's only the first week of the four-week school holidays.  It's business as usual for me with my early morning Grab duty, sending the SPM girl to sit for the most important exam in her life.  Her SPM schedule is pretty wacky and I have to be around to fetch her back from school at different times every day.

Cass has been hounding me in all my waking hours with her figure skating matters and stories, from attending extra classes (extra classes = extra money!) to attending class on a weekday at NIGHT now.  She talks so much about figure skating techniques that I now know what some techniques look like and how difficult it is to perform them.  Figure skating is just like gymnastics and ballet on ice and Cass has no background in any of those, yet she managed to pull off some of those 'stunts'.

I told Cass that when her dad agreed for her to learn figure skating five months ago, we never agreed for her to attend weekday classes. And never a night class as this would interfere with my bedtime at 9.30pm, as well as her dad's work.  On top of her night classes, Cass also wants to be at the skating rink on Sundays for practice.  And today she told me that she even wants to attend an extra class on a Saturday -- which means being at the skating rink on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!  

NO!

As Cass has now passed her first test, she has progressed to the next level and has to be put in a class with students of her level. And this class is on a weekday NIGHT.  Her class would start at 8pm and end at 9pm.  The distance from the skating rink/mall to where we stay is about 15km and almost twenty minutes to half an hour of drive time one way. No way am I going to chauffeur her to and fro on a weekday night.  And I have problems with driving at night with my high astigmatism power and night blindness.  I cannot rely on hubs 100% to fetch Cass as he most likely still has work to do.

SIGH!! 😪😩

I have now arranged for something which is quite workable but would still interfere with my bedtime. And I'm always the one who has to sacrifice my sleep for someone. Sleep is very important for me now as how I feel the next day is dependent on how well and how much sleep I get at night. I also realize that getting sufficient sleep is very crucial for my overall health.

This year I realized that Cass is just like her second sister - she's a very competitive girl by nature who likes competing. As she has had issues with her health since birth, her talents and passion have been largely subdued and restrained.  Now that she's in better control of her health, getting fitter, more sporty, and more mature, her passion, interests, and talents are slowly starting to unbridle.  

I still have to nag this girl over many things pertaining to her health and she keeps reassuring me that she will take care of her health. Yet, I am still not convinced and worry a great deal about her health. Dealing with her recurrent UTIs, kidney infections, surgeries, and hospital stays since birth has made me a super paranoid mom.  I still cannot let go of her as how I do with Alycia and Sherilyn.

Besides aiming to compete in figure skating, Cass has also signed up to compete in athletics events on her high school sports day. This is another worry on my mind now. 

Besides having to listen to Cass prattle on figure skating the whole day, another activity that we do during the school holidays is cooking. This week I taught Cass how to cook bolognese sauce. 

Cass is thrilled that she now knows how to cook yummy bolognese sauce and very glad to know that it's actually pretty simple.

A simple bolognese sauce made using Ayam brand tomato paste, lots of Shimeji mushrooms, carrots, onions, frozen veggies, a can of Ayam brand tuna, and loads of dried herbs and spices.

Cass' meals for 3 days. Bolognese sauce is her absolute favorite as it goes well with everything.  Cass ate the sauce with konjac noodles and crackers.

First Half November 2022 ~ Short Random Updates

I am so enervated today. I spent yet another Sunday at Pavillion Bukit Jalil walking for 3 hours while Cass attended figure skating lesson.

I've not been totally resting myself the past few weeks ever since Cass started figure skating lessons at Pavillion Bukit Jalil. I even have to 'work' on weekends. 

Last weekend was spent bringing Cass to Sunway Pyramid and Pavillion Bukit Jalil to get new figure skates and for her lessons.  When we're at the mall, I walk at least 3-5 hours with weights on my shoulders (my handbag and light shopping loot). I've been having achy shoulders ever since the lockdown was lifted when we started to go mall shopping again.  To begin with, I have a long history of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which has affected both my shoulders and neck. Carrying even the slightest weight on my shoulders tend to aggravate the underlying problem.

I may bring a small trolley luggage bag with me the next time we're at the mall to keep my shoulders free of any burden.

After we were back home, Alycia called me to fetch her back from her workplace. At her workplace, Alycia takes over behind the wheel. As she's still a new driver, I feel tense sitting next to her when she drives.  Though she's shown some improvements in her driving and I don't step on my imaginary brake as much as I did before, I still have that jittery feeling when there are many cars on the road, when she drives up a narrow ramp and when she parks the car 😅

Ju, my childhood friend (almost 4 decades of friendship) came from Singapore to KL yesterday. Hubs and I met her and her hubby and another childhood friend at a restaurant in Paramount for a late lunch yesterday. 

Ever so generous with me, Ju gifted me this box of Royce chocolates.   Thank you so much for your love, Ju 💓

Some forgetful people finally killed the microwave oven. This is the second time that they killed my microwave ovens despite me reminding them umpteen times what not to use in the oven. 
They're not supposed to use stainless steel or any breakable plates and bowls with metal trimmings and paintings with metal elements in the microwave oven.  And their forgetfulness or rather a lackadaisical attitude caused a big dent in our wallets.
There were sparks of fire and an obnoxious sound of metal about to explode when Miss Forgetful put a small bowl with metal trimmings into the microwave oven to heat up food. 
Hubs finally got a new microwave oven two days ago after being microwave-less for a month. Life was so hard for them girls who are ever so reliant on the microwave oven for just about anything. Serves them right!

Friday, 4 November 2022 ~ End of Final Exam

After a gruelling two weeks of exams, Cass' final exam for the academic year 2022 is finally over.  

I can finally turn on the radio again to listen to my kind of music.  And I don't have to hear her purge out memorized lines throughout the day.  Cass' method of studying involves lots of verbal purging, just like her mom 😬

The first thing that Cass did when she got home from school today is to assemble a burger for herself.  And she chomped it down within minutes.

Super decadent burger with homemade thick pork pattie, homemade caramelized onion burger sauce, homemade pickled cucumber slices, sliced tomatoes, and salad leaves.

And then she started to badger me again to bring her to the skating rink @ Sunway Pyramid tomorrow to get new figure skates, talk to her coach about competing and bring her to Pavillion Bukit Jalil for her figure-skating lessons on Sunday.  Cass stopped pestering me for two weeks as she was busy revising for her exam.  The moment she got back her mobile phone from the teacher after school dismissal, she started to Whatsapp me on the list of things that I HAVE to do for her and with her! 😳😳

Her list of To-Do things involves $$$$$$ as figure skating is a very expensive sport and even more expensive if competition is involved. 

I managed to talk Cass out of competing next year and to only compete in 2024.  She has two matters to settle next year, which are much more important than the competitions i.e. her UEC exam and probably surgery if her upcoming Cystoscopy is successful in capturing clear images of the possible ectopic ureter in her urinary tract.

Sunday, 2 October 2022

Today is Cass' second ice-skating lesson at the Blue Ice Snow Park skating rink @ Pavillion Bukit Jalil.  Cass and I took a Grab car to and fro as hubs had to work. 

Cass went into the skating rink about an hour earlier to practise skating before her class started.   After sending her off, I walked around the mall, window shopping with nothing in mind to buy, until I stepped into Sports Direct, and ended up spending 1.5 hours there. And came out of the sports shop with a pair of Adidas running shoes 😬

I'm one who will invest in a pair of comfy walking/running shoes as I walk and run quite a bit every day.  Ever since I ditched my sandals and wear only sneakers, my feet are cleaner, my cracked heels have healed and I chalk up to at least 10,000 steps every day. Plus I managed to shed some weight after I replaced sandals and slippers with sneakers.  When I wear sneakers, I walk faster more comfortably and don't mind walking long distances, not to mention bidding good riddance to achy feet and painful blisters.

Since I have 101 reasons to buy new sneakers, I got myself this pair of Adidas running shoes in my favorite color.  

Reasonably priced at RM229.

Cass with her pretty coach.

The cheapest pair of skates cost RM800.  Cass has saved enough money to buy it. But her doting koong koong and granny surprised her and told her that they will pay for the skates. Woo hoo!  Cass is truly blessed to have such loving grandparents 💓

After we left the skating rink, we went to get takeout at Grandmama's and Sushi Empire.  And the last stop was at the supermarket to get our favorite Ready-To-Eat Triple Washed salad and coleslaw before we went home.

Friday, 30 September 2022

A while ago, Cass told me that she had a light bulb moment when she collected my parcels from the lobby of our condo. She usually helps me to collect my parcels at around 9-ish p.m. after working out at the gym.  

Yeah, I have quite a number of parcels to look forward to every day.  About 70-80% of my stuff are purchased online since the pandemic started, from food items to underwear to pet supplies, supplements, and much more.

When the Government imposed a lockdown 2.5 years ago, delivery riders were no longer allowed to go up to the residents' units to deliver items.  Instead, all parcels and food items are to be left on a long table at the lobby and the respective recipient has to collect their stuff themselves. 

When Cass saw the amount of parcels left on the long table at the lobby every day, her money-minded brain suddenly had this idea that popped out on how she could earn a little pocket money -- by helping residents collect their parcels and sending them to their doorsteps! She would charge RM1 for delivering to each unit.

Cass asked me if she could do this so that she could build up a nice little nest egg. 

I'm hesitant as I don't want Cass to be spending too much time delivering parcels and neglect her studies. All I want is for her to focus in her studies and her health.  She could consider working on a  part-time basis after her SPM.  

Also, a Committee Meeting of the condo would have to be held before this side hustle is allowed in the condo grounds. And this involves an under-18 child.  I don't want to be known by neighbors as the infamous parent who allowed her young teen to work!

I've told Cass to forget about this whole side hustle idea and just focus on being a good student. But she's not about to give up yet. 

Cass whipped up this one-tray grill on Monday in between online classes. 

Homemade pork burgers, Japanese pumpkin, garlic, onions and potatoes.

My kind of meal. So delicious!

Cass wanted to make Japanese sando but it was a flop.  She made this in between online classes, thus didn't have enough time to do deeper research on how the sandwiches are wrapped and cut.

And it turned out to be a regular sandwich that didn't look too pretty after it was cut into half. It's bursting with fillings of egg mayo, chicken chop, salad greens and cherry tomatoes. Very delish, nonetheless.

Cass' Simple And Healthy Meals

Cass loves cooking and baking but she only does these to feed herself.  Unlike Sherilyn who will spend hours cooking and baking for everyone, Cass won't spend more than half an hour prepping her meals.  She only has the time to cook or do simple baking on Mondays and Saturdays when classes are held online. She'll prep her meals in between classes and quickly eats them while attending classes 😆. 

Most of her meals are befitting health freaks. She loves to include loads of veggies, carrots, pumpkins, and mushrooms in her meals.  Desserts are usually oat and yogurt-based or frozen smoothies.  She freezes her favorite fruits and then uses the Blendtec to blitz the frozen fruits with store-bought frozen berries and frozen walnuts.

Cass cooked this healthy veggie and shrooms rice for the first time last week where she dumped pumpkin, carrots, and oyster mushrooms into the rice cooker.  The rice turned out very sweet and flavorful. Even I liked it, though I don't eat rice.

Yesterday she cooked her healthy one-pot veggie rice again. This time she doubled up all the veggies and included a tomato. Then she placed a marinated boneless chicken thigh on a steaming dish on top of the rice cooker. Everything was cooked in under an hour and tasted yummeh!  This time she flavored the rice with freshly ground black pepper and garlic (from a grinder).
The marinated chicken thigh is meant for grilling or pan-frying but steaming tasted just as delish.  I recently replenished our stock of antibiotic-and-hormone-free seaweed chicken thighs from Beacon Mart (under Beacon Hospital and they have an outlet in our hood).  The marinated chicken thighs are available in several flavors and our favorites are the Nyonya, Green Curry, and Indonesia flavors.

Cass' version of healthy Bibimbap is assembled using her one-pot rice cooker veggie rice, added kimchi, poached egg, steamed sweet corns, blanched broccoli, chicken thigh, and a teaspoon of gochujang sauce.

Dessert is this baked organic oats loaf. She mixed oats with an egg, bananas, milk, and walnut and baked it for about half an hour.  It's served with melted butter and Gula Melaka syrup.  

If only everyone in the house could eat like Cass, cooking will then be easy peasy. All I have to do is chop up all the veggies and dump everything into the rice cooker.  But there are really finicky eaters at home who won't eat such healthy meals, making my life so much more complicated and expensive! 

Tuesday, 9 August 2022

Cass told me recently that she found an effective way of studying for exams.

One night I saw her playing Roblox on my desktop computer and she was chanting non-stop. I thought she was talking to her bestie on Discord but she was purging out what she was memorizing. She was memorizing Biology for a small test the next day.  There was a notebook next to her and she kept referring to it while playing Roblox.

Cass told me that ever since she went back to school full-time, she has found an effective way of memorizing for tests without falling asleep and that is to play a game on the computer.

Like seriously? Who does that?!  Am I that outdated? 

But lately, Cass has been doing alright in all her small tests.  Her mid-year exam class position is top 10. 

I know my older brother must turn the radio on whenever he studied during his high school years. He subsequently went to the National University of Singapore (NUS).  And I can only write my assignments with the radio turned on too. 

So Cass' method of studying may be working! I hope so!

Just now she was again playing Roblox on my PC and memorizing Geography facts. Later she passed me her notebook and asked me to test her. 

Me - hello, your mom doesn't know a word of Chinese. How can I test you?

Cass - can la, just compare the words.

Me - ok.. 

10 minutes later, she passed a piece of paper to me with a bunch of Chinese words that she'd written on it and asked me to check what she had written with her notes in the notebook.  

She got them all correct!

Ah, now I remember that I used to test Cass in her Ting Xie (Chinese spelling) using this method when she was in pre-school and primary school! 😁

One of the pros of studying in a Chinese Independent High School is the frequent small tests the school imposes on the students.  I think it's a great way of wiring a teen's brain to get them ready for university.  But I don't like some of the ridiculous rules the school imposes and the emphasis it places on academic excellence. Some students may not be able to handle the stress.  

I brought Cass, Alycia and MIL for Korean lunch at Kimchitiam last Monday when she had a 1.5-hour break in between online classes. It was so rushed and she had to attend the earlier part of her next class using my phone in the car.