Archive for January, 2008

The popular Better Chinese Calanders are back on this year 2008 the Year of the Rat. Each month is colorfully illustrated with the major holidays and events according to the Chinese and American schedules. Its a great way to keep track of upcoming Chinese Festivals. Chinese Festivals are illustrated and explained in the calendar making it a great way for kids to learn Chinese Cultures and events.And whats even better is there is now an ongoing Better Chinese promotion. From now until Feb 29, 2008 you will receive this Better Chinese World Calender (worth $12.95) Free if you spend $65 or more at www.BetterChinese.com.

Haven’t heard of Better Chinese? Its a great site for kids to learn Chinese. You can check out the free online trial. I did and now I’m hooked or rather my kids are.

During Chinese New Year, I just gotta have my….

• bak kua (barbequeued meat)
• kuih bangkit (Melt in the mouth cookie)
• kuih kapit (Love Letters)
• toh tau (peanuts)
• kam (mandarin oranges)
• keropok (prawn crackers)
• my aunt’s chai bui (sweet and sour soup made from leftover vegetables and meats)

Well, those are my staples during the festival but of course there’s lots lots lots more, so how to diet? Thats it!

I now declare my diet officially postponed till after the Chinese New Year festival. Don’t read my blog. I’m a bad influence. Hehehe. As it is my “L” sized Chinese New Year Cheongsum threatens to split at the seams. After the Chinese New Year, it probablly will!

Whats your Chinese New Year food staples? Those that you can’t do without?

I was supposed to get my pap smear and dental appointments out of the way last year. Well, I managed to get myself to the dentist chair but the pap smear appointment was delayed because the timing wasn’t right.

Anyway, I finally got it out of the way. Took half a day. No, not the Pap Smear. That took a minute but the wait to get it done took half a day. The gynae discovered two ovarian cyst and a lump on my left breast. Hmm…..

She said that the ovarian cyst could be due to what she called a fertile period cyst (which will go away after ovulation), early ovarian cancer or something else which I can’t remember. According to her a cyst for any of these 3 reasons ( the third which I can’t remember now, the long wait must have numbed my brains) look exactly the same. She said that I could go back during a menstruation period to make sure that its gone and then we can be sure that its just a fertile period cyst if thats what it is.

She said that I should monitor the lump on the left breast. Hmm… My mum died of cervical or ovarian cancer (I’m not sure which as I was too young at the time) and my aunt (father’s side) is a breast cancer survivor. My aunt is incredible. She used to drive herself for a chemotherapy then drive straight to work immediately afterwards and no one knew what she was going through. My aunt owns a hardware shop and she said that she had to keep quiet about her condition or else she would no longer get goods on credit. She is an amazing lady.

So now with the pap smear out of the way, its just the results which I hope will be fine like last year. Enough scary thoughts on a Monday morning, I shall now turn my thoughts to something else like spring cleaning for Chinese New Year for example. Theres lots and lots to be done. I can’t decide whether I want to do spot cleaning (room by room) or clean only windows, only fans etc. But first, I’ve got to go and do my exercises.

I remember when we were dating he used to insist hint that I dress in a certain manner. (Translates : High heels and body hugging dresses).

After he got me and even before we were married, his preference for my dressing changed to relaxed. All of a sudden he preferred me to dress down rather than dress up.(Translates: Bermuda shorts, pants, shirts, sneakers.) 

Now that we are married, I don’t think he notices what I wear or even cares. (Translates: Thats married life!)

I’m curious. Are all men like these? Gals, does he prefer you to …..

1. Dress up?
2. Dress down?
3. Don’t care?

And what is YOUR own preference? Do you dress for him or for yourself? Do you prefer to dress up or otherwise?

Guys, Do you prefer your ladies to…..

1. Dress Up (Translates: Dress Sexily)
2. Dress Down (Translates: Cover Up)
3. Don’t Care? (No need translation)

Hubby’s birthday is approaching and so the unimaginative me went and ordered some more comics for him just like last year. They arrived in a box the other day. The kids were very excited when I told them that the box is a surprise birthday present for daddy.

So we wrapped it up together and I swore them to secrecy after we found a good hiding place for it. Even the 3 year old chipped in “Maybe we’ll hide it in Kong Kong’s room. Its somewhere different.” he said. I was surprised at his clever suggestion. “No, no.” says the 5 year old “Daddy goes in there sometimes to check that everything is ok.” I was surprised about how observant she is. In the end we hid it in another box in our bedroom cupboard.

“Remember, don’t tell daddy about it.” I said.

When daddy came home……

“Daddy, daddy, daddy, there is a surprise present for you!”

Daddy comes to me laughing. “Hahaha. I got surprise birthday present ah. The kids told me.”

When I asked them about it they innocently said. “But we didn’t tell daddy where we hid it or that it is his kungfu kungfu book which he reads in the toilet.”

Lol! Yes, they went on and on and on about his surprise, telling him all about it without revealing what it was but of course hubby already knew……

Next year, I better think of something else. Hahaha.