Oh oh

Happiness :)

Oh oh… how lazy it is to go back to work after a 3-day long weekend!!! This morning when my alarm was ringing, I had to set a program into my brain telling myself that today, is Tuesday, 29th July 2014. It’s a stock-taking day, day 1. And this week, it’s gonna be a very busy week as month-end closing will all need to be settled. After that, I went back to relax myself on my bed for a while, still reluctant to get up and only 10 minutes later I got myself ready.

Am I growing old? Or is it just the way things are when habits and liking changed? I spent most of my weekend’s time at home. I did my bi-weekly housework for a whole Saturday, slept whenever tired, and ate whenever I was hungry.

July fruit season

On Sunday we went out to our old neighborhood’s market to have our breakfast and buy some fruits that were on seasons. OH, there were mountains of mangosteen in the market accompanied with durian. I can’t believe it that I haven’t eaten any single durian this year!!! But you know, it’s all blaming it to where I stay now hahaha… because we can’t anyhow transport the durian using bus, MRT, or even TAXI. As citizens without owning a car, we have no choice but to limit our wants or otherwise, cycling to the nearby durian stall, which is not so near from our house. Forget about the durian then!!!

I bought mangosteen, apple, and cherry instead :) It’s gonna be end of cherry season soon and finally I managed to buy the hand-picked good quality and size at a very attractive price – seems like I become more like Aunties these days hahaha… :D

On Sunday itself, it was marked as the first day of seventh lunar Ghost month. Chinese believes that on the first day of the month, the Gates of Hell are opened to allow ghosts and spirits access to the world of the living. The spirits usually spend the month visiting their families. So, if you come to Singapore, you will see common sight here whereby people burn the joystick and candles, poke it into the soil outside the HDB blocks and burn the money notes which they believe the death can use it in their own world.

It is believed as an inauspicious month too where people usually won’t choose any date of this month to get married, buy house and cars, move house, start new business, etc. Pregnant women are advised not to go out at night too but stay inside the house to prevent unwanted thing. Feel a bit eerie, isn’t it? Even as I type this, I can feel the goose bumps on my skin. Luckily I dropped the idea of watching the Hong Kong ghost movie out when my bestie asked me to go along. I scared I couldn’t sleep peacefully at night hehehe…

Anyway, just be positive ba! Pray that all sentient beings to be happy. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu…

Food from Bangka Island :)

My relatives came on Sunday from my father’s hometown in Indonesia. They helped me buying some their local food delicacies that tastes so delicious! There were suckling pig, fishcakes, otak otak (kind of fish cake but wrapped with banana leaves), and kue lapis (many layer cakes). We really had ‘kou fu’ – (luck in tasting good food) and this food supply was able to maintain us for two days’ dinner :)

In the evening they came to my house together with my brother and his families. We had a chit chat for an hour and so. After that, I continued my day by reading the book outside my balcony accompanied with tea and snacks. The weather these past two days were cloudy and cooling. I could sit comfortably outside my balcony. Oh, I really loved that feeling!!!

In the evening my son and I went for cycling. A little exercise to activate my muscle ^^ At night I watched Running Man before going to sleep. I believe that these series are able to make me laughing uncontrollably and keeping me happy and stay young :)

Hari Raya food from dear neighbor :)

Monday was the Eid al-Fitr, Idul Fitri, Hari Raya or Lebaran in Indonesian, a big day celebration for all Muslims around the world. It was like their New Year celebration after finished fasting for one full month. They usually spend the day by going to their parents and relative’s house, feasting and chit-chatting. So, the night before the day, my neighbor, a young Muslim couple, came at night bringing their home cooked food for us. Ketupat – a rice cake wrapped with coconut palm leaves in a square shape was made to replace the usual rice. He and his wife cooked the sambal sotong (cuttlefish with chilli), satay sauce (to be eaten with ketupat), and marinated chicken with spices.

Wow, we were very lucky lah!! Therefore, on Monday, again, we stayed at home. I cooked breakfast for my hubby and son, a mee suah soup (white long life noodles) with veggies, mushroom accompanied with fried egg and sausages. I spent most of my day reading book (finally finished the One hundred years of solitude and started with Moth Smoke by Mohsid Hamid).

My favorite past time :)

The weather was cloudy again, very good and suitable to spend the day outside, sitting down at my balcony, sipping Rose tea and eating the kueh lapis. It was really my favorite past time! How I wish I can spend the rest of my days doing things like that, or everyday perhaps hahaha…  plus cycling in evening time and watching the sunset went by. At night, I watched another series of Running Man and enjoyed the sumptuous dinner at home.

That’s why it’s kinda hard for me to wake up and go back to work this morning. This too makes me wanting to take a loooongggg break once I quit my job (one day), just to relax and travel, before continuing with a new job, if there is any hehehe… What a thought! Daydreaming again? Now? Better not!!! Only the pay slip that I received just now making me motivated again and let’s finish this, another month-end!!! ;)