Sunday, 7 August 2022

Our middle child is finally back from the 'war'. She's been so busy practicing for inter-school sports meets and school sports day for the past two months that she hardly had the time to take care of her health and well-being.  I've not seen her sleep on her bed for the longest time.  She had been so enervated that she dozed off on the couch or on the room floor on most nights.  

I think she's too ambitious and took on too many responsibilities and activities. Her teachers also enlisted her to be the head in charge of the school sports day, as well as to teach other students to dance and lead the cheerleading team. On top of that, she has to train junior librarians.

When the two months of daily training ended with the culmination of her school sports day on Saturday, it felt like my daughter just returned from war when I saw her that night.  With a skin tone twenty times darker after being grilled in the sun daily for two months (she can pass off as a Chindian), a minor skin problem, and a super huge ravenous appetite, she looked even more like a soldier who's not eaten well and slept well who just returned from war-torn Sarajevo 😂. 

For the past two months, she stayed back in school up to 6pm every day, and during the weekends, went to the basketball court to practise cheerleading.  On some weekends, she went to her dance studio for dance performances.  

I told her that from now onwards, she has to focus on her studies as she has only half a year left before her SPM!!  Speaking of which, she found new tutors to give her one-on-one and intensive tuition for the subjects of Math, Add Math, Physics and Chemistry. And not to mention, this is going to cause a huge dent in my wallet!

Oh well, I hope that this is going to be a good investment.

Today we had lunch at Seoul Korea, our favorite Korean BBQ restaurant, and by far the best one that we've tried.  Our lunch today is complete with all our 3 daughters around, which is quite rare now as our two older girls now regularly have their own activities with their friends.

We love the banchan served at Seoul Korea. 

BBQ beef and pork belly.

Super hot and spicy kimchi noodles with pork and lots of Chinese cabbage and onions.

This made everyone huff and puff and gulp down lots of cold water.

Kimchi pancake.

Bibimbap

Steamed egg in stone bowl, our favorite.

Random Updates

Alycia has just completed her 1-year Foundation in Arts with the finale of her final exam held early this week. In two weeks she will commence her 3-year degree program at Sunway University, in collaboration with Lancaster University UK.  

Alycia had earlier planned to make a trip back to Ipoh to visit her grandparents but her plans had to be derailed as she had just recovered from Covid.  Just to be on the safe side, it's better not to stay with my elderly parents as both of them are high-risk individuals who have yet to get their second booster shots.  She may go to Malacca for a short holiday with her coursemates instead.

Since Monday this week, Sherilyn has been at the stadium for a week-long inter-school sports meet. She's competing in several track and field events. Yesterday she emerged 5th in the hammer throw event, an achievement that's totally unexpected as she wasn't even well prepared for this event. She had spent a lot of time training for volleyball, running, shot put, javelin, and cheerleading instead, and also clinched 4th placing in the 4x400m running event (inter-zone).  As I've said before, this girl is a sucker for competitions and challenges since she was little.  

Cass has been working hard to save up to achieve her little dream. She wants to learn ice skating and has been doing odd jobs for her dad. I told her that she would need several thousand Ringgit for the lessons with apparatus and transport from KL to Sunway Pyramid.  I think her target is almost met and I just told hubs this morning that the ball is now in his court. He has to sacrifice his Sundays to chauffeur his youngest princess to Sunway Pyramid to fulfill her dream 😐.  

Here's Haru getting a massage from mil's new massage gun.  She was initially terrified of the gun when we pointed it at her and darted away to hide under the sofa.  When we tried the massage gun on her later, we were surprised that she liked it! 

New Lian Hua Qing Wen Granules

If you follow my other blog, you would have read that Alycia was down with Covid 2.5 weeks ago. It was her second Covid infection in four months. 

This time she had moderate symptoms, unlike the previous infection with nary any symptoms.  On the 8th or 9th day when Alycia tested negative, she started to lose her olfaction.  Her food tasted bland and she could not smell very well.  It could be caused by her blocked nasal.

Two weeks after Alycia recovered from Covid, I started to feel unwell.   I kept feeling extremely sleepy and took naps several times a day, felt lethargic, sluggish, and heaty.  The weather lately has been stinking hot and I had indulged in quite a bit of Musang King durians.  So I'm not sure whether it's caused by the durians or my immunity succumbed to the virus.

Today I remembered about the Lian Hua granules that I'd bought four months ago and gulped down a sachet (mixed with water).  I wasn't convinced that it could help me feel better but my friend who took it told me that it worked like a charm for her. 

True enough, all the feelings of malaise and heatiness vanished several hours later. And I didn't feel lethargic and sleepy anymore. I can't believe how effective Lian Hua is.  

As with all herbs, I would advise against consuming Lian Hua excessively as herbs have the potential to harm our liver, if consumed in excess amounts.  My gynae had told me not to consume any herbs as these may encourage the growth of my fibroid. I have a 1.3cm fibroid in my uterus and it's a second fibroid after the first one was removed via a laparoscopic myomectomy five years ago.

A box of New Lian Hua Qing Wen granule costs RM48 for 6 sachets.  It tastes similar to Ho Yan Hor herbal drink.

Monday, 18 July 2022

Maria our part-time helper of 11 years told me last week that she's expecting her second child. She's eight weeks along now. This time around, she's riddled with bad morning sickness, which is totally different from her first pregnancy with nary any morning sickness or issues.  She even worked for us until she was about 7 months pregnant.  We didn't allow her to climb the ladder to wipe the ceiling fans and she just did simple chores.

It's been two weeks since we're without a part-time helper as Maria is too sick to come.  Things are pretty manageable at home provided we don't cook. Cooking takes up such a lot of time - from prepping to cooking to cleaning up the aftermath. These days the girls are too busy to do their assigned house chores. Alycia comes back from college at almost 10 p.m. every weekday.  Sherilyn has been spending all her time in school training for volleyball and running for inter-school sports meets.  As for Cass, she tells me that going to school makes her frazzled as she leaves the house before 7am and only reaches home at around 4pm from Tuesdays to Fridays. 

Today I tried to be a little ambitious and cooked braised chicken in the pressure cooker while the mil cooked two dishes. Even though these are pretty simple dishes, cleaning up takes up a lot of time.  In between cooking and cleaning up, I had to make 4 trips out of the house to chauffeur the mil around, for school runs, and to run errands.  The current heat wave is not helping either.  

Prepping the chicken in the morning took up 20 minutes of my time. Then I cooked a simple brunch for Cass as her classes are held online every Monday.

After my shower at 8pm, I suddenly felt giddy.  Sitting down and typing this post seems to help alleviate the wooziness.  I wish I could sit in front of my PC for another 2-3 hours but dang it, I have to put everything down and get my beauty sleep after I'm done with this post.  If I don't get my 6-7 hours of sleep, I won't be able to function the next day. 

What a monotonous life I have now. I can't wait for the girls to graduate from uni and get a job so that I am finally relieved of all my responsibilities and start to travel the world!

10 drumsticks into the PPC today.  
It was a very messy affair this time as I have not used the PPC to cook chicken for yonks and almost forgot how to operate it.  I think I didn't shut the lid 100% tightly. When I tried to release the vent manually, steam + sauce shot out from the vent like volcano lava!  Can you imagine the mess on the walls, countertop and other kitchen gadgets nearby?! That's why I felt giddy today from the massive cleanup 😂

Brought Cass to her dad's office today to print her Math worksheets as our house printer conked out.  Cass dragged Haru along and this scaredy cat quivered throughout the car ride 😸

Tomorrow I am SO GOING TO ORDER FOOD. Cass and I have already chosen what we want and at 3pm tomorrow, I'm going to claim my vouchers and check out our Thai food from Shopee Food!  When Cass is back at 4pm tomorrow, she's going to pick up the food from the lobby.

Yay to no cooking!! 

9 July 2022 ~ Saturday Dinner

Both mil and Sherilyn had to go to the optical store.  Mil had to get new prescription glasses after her cataract surgeries and Sherilyn, this girl broke her expensive glasses!

Not even a year ago, I got Sherilyn a pair of new glasses as her power had increased. She chose a frame that was pretty costly and promised me that she would take good care of the glasses. But during a volleyball training session last week, she broke the glasses and it was irreparable.  

Can you feel how enraged I was? She broke her almost RM600 glasses and we're now supposed to get new glasses of HER CHOICE?  Heck no! I told her that she could only choose a plastic frame and my budget was only RM250. But she refused. She said that she'll get a metal frame and choose one that she likes. She said she'll pay the difference. 

Alright, fine.  She also promised me that she'll pay the full cost of the next pair of new glasses herself if she damaged the existing pair of glasses.

I remember I used cello tape to tape up my glasses when I accidentally sat on it and broke the frame. I was only 15 and such a sensible girl for not wanting to burden my parents financially.  

Maybe I wasn't assertive enough to squeeze out a new pair of glasses from my parents but if I was more assertive, I would have been hollered at or even got slapped by my tiger dad. Heck!

And if I were to spank my teenage child now, she would scream child abuse and report me to the authorities! 

Times have changed.

And so here we are at this cafe right opposite the optical store having dinner while Sherilyn is trying on her almost RM600 new glasses at the store.  

After her dad paid the balance, she told me that she has also ordered a box of disposable contact lenses costing almost RM150!

NO, I'm not paying for the contact lenses. She'll have to use her part-time job earnings to pay for them herself. 

And guess what, she fell asleep on her bed just now with her new glasses on and holding a phone in her hand that's charging and got an earful from me!

Gen Z problems!!

Meals Made Easier With Philips Air Fryer

My mum gave me her old Philips air fryer early this year as she got herself a new one.  She previously gave me an Airbot air fryer but it was underutilized as the capacity is very small.  

The Philips air fryer was sitting in our larder for months until recently when the mil went for her cataract surgeries and can't cook for two months.  

Sherilyn pulled the air fryer out and started cooking simple meals in it. And I followed suit as we're all pretty sick of getting takeout food almost every day.  Sherilyn cooks quick meals for her school lunch box.  She's been staying back every day for athletics and volleyball practice for inter-school sports meets.  

Here are a few simple meals whipped up using the Air Fryer.

Air fried shishamo. Fish is lightly oiled and with a pinch of salt.

Our collection of kitchen gadgets. Some gadgets are inside the cupboard as our kitchen is pretty tiny. My wish is to move into a bigger house or apartment with a kitchen so huge that I can display all my kitchen gadgets on the countertop for ease of usage. 

Air fried boneless chicken thigh. Chicken is marinated with cajun, coriander powder, and teriyaki sauce.

Cass made this air fried custard toast.

Air fried boneless chicken thigh from the same batch of chicken thighs that I marinated and this is with  Gula Melaka for caramelizing the skin.

Air fried shimeji mushrooms.  Sherilyn marinated them with black pepper and teriyaki sauce at night. The next morning, she air fried the mushrooms.

Sherilyn's lunch in school - pan-fried wild-caught Pollock fish with herbs, steamed sweet potato, brocolli, and air fried mushrooms.

Air fried chicken drummets marinated with turmeric powder, soy sauce, a dash of oyster sauce, and corn flour.

My Low-Carb Meals

I've been on a low-carb diet since the year 2000 when I was diagnosed with PCOS.  My weight ballooned up from 42kg to 48kg in just a month! I was perplexed, felt something was wrong with me and decided to see a gynae who gave me the diagnosis, which shocked me.  

That was the beginning of my long journey of battling infertility and weight loss.

Going on a low-carb diet (with only 100gm of carbs per day) along with exercising twice a day helped me shed a lot of weight, which was extremely hard.  Women with PCOS usually have unexplained weight gain and difficulties in losing weight. I didn't want to be on Metformin, so I followed a low-carb diet and exercised every single day.  It wasn't easy but I was hell-bent.

23 years on and I'm still on a low-carb diet.  I still eat carbs but minimally and I no longer calculate my daily carbs intake. I have portion-controlled meals and I try to have at least 12 hours of intermittent fasting every day.

My low-carb meals are very simple and sometimes not pocket-friendly. 

Ba Kut Teh with organic broccoli + alfalfa sprouts.

I had Bak Kut Teh again the next time but this time, I had different cuts of meat.  And I added an egg and organic baby spinach.

While everyone else ate 'loh shi fun' noodles, I blanched some veggies and ate only 2 tablespoons of noodles.  This is like a noodle salad.

I air-fried Shishamo and ate 4 pieces for lunch.  The fish is lightly salted with very little cooking oil.

Brekkie with hubs - pork noodles sans the noodles. 

My dessert - mixed sesame bar, limited to only 2 pieces a day.

Taiwan Braised Pork Rice And Dessert @ Taman Danau Desa, KL

Sunday, 26 June 2022 - Hubs was supposed to meet the rest of us at Seoul Korea Restaurant for Korean BBQ.   It was yet another working weekend for him.  We were so disappointed when we saw that it was closed with a notice that some of their workers were down with Covid.  

So we walked to Taiwan Braised Pork Rice And Dessert, just a stone's throw away. This small eatery serves pretty good Lu Ro Fan (braised pork rice). For the longest time, I've wanted to try their taro balls and sweet potato balls ice dessert. Each time I'm there to get a take-away of Lu Ro Fan, the heavenly aroma of the taro and sweet potato balls simmering in brown sugar makes me swoon.  I'm always very tempted to get one of the desserts to try but never got around to doing it.  Today I have several other people sharing the dessert with me... and sharing the calories too. I ordered two bowls to try.

Halfway through lunch, hubs called to say that he was unable to join us as he had a last-minute meeting with an event organizer on some upcoming events. Oh ok, work comes first. He transferred some money to Alycia's Grab account, who then paid for our lunch. 

Sherilyn who has been extremely busy with athletics and volleyball practice in school the past two weeks as there's an ongoing inter-school sports meet, only joined us later as she just wanted to laze in her bed 😑. She took a bus to the cafe to meet us as public transportation is free throughout the month of June.  

Yeah, this girl always makes things in life complicated. Never one who takes the easy way out, she just likes challenges. She could have followed me to the cafe in a car but she preferred to take the bus.  I can never get a simple classic orange cake from her because she would add icing, homemade marmalade, and a whole bunch of fancy-schmancy add-ons to the cake which I DON'T LIKE 😂

Braised pork knuckle rice for the mil.

Noodles with fried pork cutlet for Alycia.  Before I could snap a photo of Cass' pork croquette rice, she had already attacked the rice.

Sweet potato fries, which were delish - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

Taro and sweet potato balls dessert with Aiyu jelly.

Taro and sweet potato dessert with red bean and grass jelly.  

The food is pretty good with reasonable prices. We liked the desserts more than the main meals.  The desserts are a fraction of the price of similar ones sold at Mid Valley and Gardens Mall.  I'll be back again soon to enjoy the desserts.  It might be as early as this Sunday with the girls.  Hubs will be working again this Sunday and the mil will be stuck at home as she'll be going for cataract surgery for her other eye tomorrow.

Friday, 24 June 2022

She woke up half an hour earlier today to have a good breakfast as there's a cross-country event at her school. But that extra half-hour was in vain as she accidentally dropped a bottle of instant coffee onto the floor. 

Can you imagine the absolute mess? Early in the morning when everyone was in a rush and this 'tragedy' had to happen.

Fine coffee powder and nano fine glass shrapnel were scattered everywhere - from the dry kitchen to the wet kitchen and dining area. She was doomed to be late for the cross-country.  She spent more than half an hour cleaning up the kitchen, with me helping her. I didn't wish to help her as this ain't going to help her to be more careful in the future. But I had to clean the path from the dry kitchen to the wet kitchen to get the wet laundry from the washing machine.

The fine coffee powder and glass shrapnel even went under the fridge and piano. It was a nightmare. When it rains, it pours.  It was pouring outside too -- which was a blessing in disguise as the event won't be able to start until it stopped raining. 

Long story short and with glass cuts on her hands, she managed to reach school in the nick of time. The cross-country event started later in the morning after the rain stopped.

She came out 7th in her category (Form 4 and Form 5) 😂💪

Scaredy Cat

Haru is an extremely timid cat.  She's afraid of strangers, and other cats, and is terrified of thunder, firecrackers, and any loud, thunderous sounds.  Even the sound of my sneezing and cough would make her sprint away from me.

Once she managed to squeeze her way out of her locked cage in the wee hours of the morning when there was a loud thunderstorm.  There's a small gap between the door and the cage as we did not secure the bottom ledge onto the cage. We only secured the top ledge, thus, she managed to squeeze her body out of the cage through the gap.  She then hit under the couch.

Last week there was an episode of thunderstorm and our scaredy-cat who was having her supper stopped short of eating and went into hiding.  Sherilyn managed to pull her out from under the cupboard to give her cuddles until the thunderstorm passed.  

This is how frightened Haru was. 

Haru's entire body was trembling with fear and she was crawling lowly on the ground, trying to find a safe haven under some cupboard, bed or couch to seek refuge. When Sherilyn put Haru on her lap, the scaredy-cat buried her face under her sister's armpit 😺

There was another thunderstorm the next day and Haru hid in my room. I put her on my lap and she buried her face on my lap.  Later she crawled lowly on the ground and crouched under a clothes rack for an hour until the thunderstorm stopped completely.

Even her body was stiff and tense from fear 😹

Poor baby. I hope she'll be able to overcome her fear of thunder and firecrackers one day.

 

What Is A Capsule Wardrobe?

The concept of a capsule wardrobe has been trending on social media in recent years even though the concept isn’t novel as it emerged several decades ago.  

A capsule wardrobe consists of a limited selection of interchangeable clothing pieces, often in neutral colors, that complement each other. These are often classic pieces that don’t go out of style and can be easily mixed and matched together to be dressed up, down, and anywhere in between.  

A capsule wardrobe often consists of a set of tops, bottoms, outerwear, dresses, headwear, shoes, and accessories that can be easily mixed and matched together.  The concept of a capsule wardrobe allows you to create a variety of different outfits with a small selection of clothing items.

What you’ll find in a women’s capsule wardrobe are often a black skirt, a pair of black pants, neutral-colored t-shirts for women, a couple of camisoles, one or two pairs of jeans, a cardigan, a sweater, and a black dress that can be easily dressed up or dressed down.

A capsule wardrobe for a lady typically consists of a plain colored t-shirt and denim jeans, and these two pieces can be mixed and matched with other pieces.

A capsule wardrobe allows you to create a variety of different outfits with a small selection of clothes. Your closet will have fewer in-vogue pieces that will only be worn for one season but more high-quality ones that stand the test of time and can be worn for many years.

Once you get the hang of a starter capsule wardrobe, you can curate and swap from season to season.  Packing up and taking out clothes for the current appropriate season will be easy and every time you pull them out, your clothing items will still be in style as they were at the time you purchased them.

The ultimate goal of a capsule wardrobe is to avoid having a section of clothes in your closet that you hardly touch because they no longer spark joy, they’re ill-fitting, uncomfortable or they’re out of style. A gown that you’re going to wear to your best friend’s wedding and then never wear again doesn’t have a place in a capsule wardrobe.  Instead, you want a high-quality classic black spaghetti strap slip dress that you know you’ll going to wear again at another wedding dinner a few months from now or to your company's annual dinner. 

Building a capsule wardrobe will allow you to get dressed easier and quicker, spend less money and make smarter shopping decisions.  Are you game for that?  You can start by shopping for affordable classic pieces at Shelivo.

Fresh Donburi In A Cute Can

While browsing Facebook, I saw an advertisement on Aokioki's donburi. What's unique about Aokioki's donburi is all their donburi sets come in a sealed canned. It's like eating canned food but the food inside is freshly prepped.   

Then I saw my friends' posts on Facebook about their canned donburi ordered from Aokioki.  And I jumped into the canned donburi bandwagon too and placed an order immediately!

Aokioki donburi is fresh Japanese rice bowls in a can delivered to you still warm. The donburi is best eaten within 2 hours of receiving it or it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.  The food can be reheated in the microwave oven for 2 minutes after the top lid is removed.

While canned donburi is very common in Japan, it is still quite a novel concept in Malaysia. 

Our verdict - the food is OK but the portion of the dish is super small. I think the portion is just right for a kid or for an adult who's a small eater.  

Price is RM13 per can or a bundle deal of 5 don sets at RM57 with 30% off the delivery fee.  I ordered the bundle deal.

I may re-order this again in the future since everyone at home is a small eater but I'll have to prep an extra veggie dish to go with the canned don.

We didn't check the plastic bag for the teriyaki sauce and dug into the food immediately upon receiving it.  And we all commented that the food was very dry with not enough teriyaki sauce. 
After everyone was done eating and when I was about to throw the plastic bag, I saw the teriyaki sauce in little sauce containers along with chili powder at the bottom of the plastic bag.  But it was too late as we had all eaten the food 😬.  I kept all the sauces in the fridge for our future donburi dinner.  

Why Every Girl Needs A Pair of Platform Sandals

Platform sandals are godsent, especially for girls who aren’t gifted in the height department, without the pain of wearing real heels.  With the creation of platform sandals, gone are the days where extra height means stiletto heels, where you can’t walk further than your driveway before the discomfort creeps out. How you dread strutting in that stiletto heels the entire night only to come home with blisters on your feet and an achy heel!

Now you can add instant inches to your height with a big, sturdy sole instead, which is why the comfortable platform sandals have prevailed summer after summer.

You can style your chic platform sandals with just about anything, from a floaty maxi to a denim mini skirt with a crop top.  When the blazing hot sun appears in the warmer months, fans of boots can switch to chic or cute platform sandals.

Platform sandals are comfortable and easy to wear. You can even brisk walk on a pair of flatform sandals that aren’t too high. Choose a fool-proof color like black or white to pair most of your outfits.  

An amped-up super sole will be great for a party or café-hopping. Pair the sandals with something short to flaunt those elongated legs while giving you a completely even lift and adding a retro twist to your outfit.  Shelivo carries some pretty chic platform and flatform wedges for all occasions. 

For those who aren’t into the platform sandals trend just yet, ease your way with platform espadrille sandals featuring straps that wrap around the ankles to get a bit of Roman flair. You can definitely rock them like a goddess.  

Platform sandals are a mix of comfort and sensuality, and the height elongates the wearer’s silhouette while providing significantly more support than stilettos. What’s not to love about platform sandals?

Kiiro's Shirataki Konjac Noodles

 

I've always wanted to try konjac noodles as part of my low-carb diet. I was told that konjac noodles are not as palatable as regular noodles. After all, konjac noodles are made from the same substance as konnyaku jelly. Some people call it konnyaku noodles, Shirataki or jelly noodles.  

When Cass saw konjac noodles with curry seasoning at our neighborhood supermarket, she wanted to try a pack. Priced at RM9.90 a pack, I thought that there were a few servings inside the pack but it turned out that there's only a single serving and it's only enough for Cass alone. She's not one who would gladly share her food but she reluctantly shared some with me anyway coz I paid for it!

Cass has accidentally or rather too excitedly added a tad more water than the instructions and the soup turned out watered down and bland. So I added a teaspoon of S&B curry powder to spice things up.  She also added half a head of broccoli, some 'fu pei', tofu fishballs and an egg to her pot of lunch.

Just a forkful - this was how much Cass was willing to share the Konjac noodles with me 😐

And the verdict:

Cass liked it and doesn't mind me buying it again. 

I find that the noodles have a raw and green tang, as if I'm eating jellyfish or seaweed-flavored jelly.  However, I wouldn't mind buying it again simply because the noodles are keto-friendly. 

Taste-wise, konjac noodles vs. regular instant noodles > instant noodles win hands down. But the downside is instant noodles are super high in carbs and have little to zero nutritional value.

What Is Konjac Noodles

Konjac, Shirataki or Miracle Noodles are a unique food that’s very filling yet low in calories. These noodles are high in glucomannan, a type of fiber that has impressive health benefits. In fact, glucomannan has been shown to cause weight loss in numerous studies.

Konjac grows in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. It contains very few digestible carbs — but most of its carbs come from glucomannan fiber.

Konjac noodles are composed mainly of water. In fact, they are about 97% water and 3% glucomannan fiber. They’re also very low in calories and contain no digestible carbs.

For the sake of a flatter tummy and better blood sugar, what's not to love about Konjac noodles?  Cooking konjac noodles in a flavorful broth like curry or miso makes slurping these waterfall noodles more enjoyable. 

Throw in some meat of your choice, eggs, veggies, kimchi, or whatever your fancy and you'll get a complete meal that's nutritious.

Konjac root. These are used to make Konjac noodles.

When's The Best Time To Shop For Winter Boots

Plan ahead for the cold season to save yourself from getting caught off guard from freezing temps.  If your winter boots are looking a little dull and boring, it might be time to hit the stores for a new pair. You might wonder when’s the best time to buy winter boots to save some bucks as this niche market tends to fluctuate in pricing.

As with any seasonal fashion, it pays to purchase ahead of time.  Your winter apparel and footwear pricing is going to be significantly higher if you wait until mid to late autumn. But this is what many people tend to do. You can skip the anguish of overpriced winter boots this year and plan your shopping spree ahead of time.

One of the best times to shop for winter apparel and footwear is immediately after the Christmas season and score a pair of affordable and comfy warm boots for women or men.

The other great time to shop for winter apparel and footwear is on the cusp of spring when the market tends to offer the best deals.  Many shoe and clothing stores, both physical and online put their winter gear on sale as the warmer weather rolls in to make room for the new spring fashion.

If you prefer fashion over saving some bucks, your best bet for winter boots and apparel might be during early fall as most retailers roll out the latest winter trends around this time. But bear in mind that the latest fashions will almost definitely come at full price with almost no room for good deals.

Find out first where exactly to look for some great winter boots for the next season.  Many major department stores have annual winter sales to clear their gear stock.  Alternatively, you can shop for affordable winter boots from online stores like Shelivo that ship to customers internationally.

Now that you know the best time to shop for winter boots, you can start planning ahead for all that wintery fun with friends and loved ones. Win the season with the best stylish winter boots, at the best cost to you.

Missing Haru

I missed my fur baby so much throughout my 3 days in Ipoh! Fortunately Sherilyn and Alycia were in KL to cat-sit this baby.  When Cass and I got back from Ipoh today, we noticed that Haru has lost some weight, felt lighter and even has a slightly sunken tummy.  This got me a tad worried. But she's still as active as before. In fact, I think she misses me. She kept tapping my ankle with her paw each time I walked past her, as if to say 'hello' to me 😻

This goblin has been very daring lately. She would jump on my bed and sit on the side where her hooman dad sleeps. I think she misses her dad, who's her most 'favoritest' person.  She would also jump on Alycia's desk to look out of the window or take her siesta on the table.