2nd February 2011, Wednesday
Glad to have Alex+Sam back…the first time we got together for dinner was also on CNY eve in 2009 when they just got to HawkesBay. We went after work to ThaiSilk on OmahuRoad.

The newly weds back from their wedding and short trip in Malaysia.

Sam and FeR

Appetisers

It’s only 3 dishes but we finished it…with a bit of a struggle. Possible coconut milk overdose!

3rd February 2011, Thursday
People have certain habits that sort of hold them back – if I were to name mine, it has to be sleep. Sleep trumps productivity in my books.
We see a lot of people getting prescription medication to help sleep – I need some that makes me NOT want to sleep.

Went to CC’s place to have a look at their quail chicks. Awww!

4th February 2011, Friday
Too ambitious and greedy – don’t think the 齋菜 came out nice. 唔夠味呀! But I guess it’s better than having nothing, I suppose.

5th February 2011, Saturday
New favourite game. Well, a new way to play it (especially if I don’t have kaki‘s)

6th February 2011, Sunday
Will start eating healthy/losing weight according to resolution (5kg for the year) after CNY (yeah, right!)

Steamboat tonight! In crazy hot weather! We’re having it at Alex+Sam’s place with the airconditioning on.

8th February 2011, Tuesday
My CNY ligatures – red and gold (although the gold just looks like yellow).

My bite is settling in, although midlines are still off.

Top arch.

Bottom arch.

9th February 2011, Wednesday
Drop Dead Diva is quite good! Can’t wait to watch more of it!
Jane somehow reminds me of Lav, I don’t know why. Even when I look at how she places/uses her fingers. *shrugs*

12th February 2011, Saturday
Excellent catch up with JoFo! 1.5 hours yo!
I really think iPheR is my best investment and Viber is great (most of the time) for free calls.

14th February 2011, Monday
Got a special delivery today…my work visa has been approved and I’ve got my passport back! Finally!

15th February 2011, Tuesday
The itch from mozzy bites are killing me! So itchy! And I can count 12 of them on my right leg!!!
(Turned out later to be flea bites!)

16th February 2011, Wednesday
I got a letter to say that my resident visa application has been approved! Praise God!
That was super speedy, especially when I was told (and told again when I rang immigration) that it may take up to 16 weeks to get my case officer (I got mine within 3 weeks!) and it normally takes 9-12 months (they received my application on 21st December 2010 and started the process on the 23rd of December, so it took them less than 2 months) to process an application. That’s why I had to go re-apply for my work visa.

And what I have thought has happened – applying for the work visa in vain and wasting $230 because my previous work visa doesn’t expire until April 2011. I tried ringing to explain my situation, to see if there is ANY possibility of getting a refund or some money back (I only got my passport back for my work visa 2 days ago!). I was told that my previous visa would have been cancelled when they approved the new one, so technically I needed that work visa for 2 days (else I would have been illegally working/living in NZ). 2 days! I don’t earn that much in 2 days to cover the visa expenses…but oh well. Nevertheless I am still really thankful I got my resident visa this quickly.
I suppose it’s better to be safe and have that work visa application sent out anyway – just in case if it did take 9-12 months to get my resident visa. Hopefully their timeline would be consistent for people applying for the residence-from-work visa because then LiMay would be able to make use of my timeline and depend on it (else she would be in the same predicament as I have been – to reapply for the work visa while waiting or not).

17th February 2011, Thursday
It’s a flea! I saw it but jumped out of sight! I feel so paranoid to sit on my bed, let alone sleep in it. The bites are really bad. I have calamine over them to soothe the itching (not really working)

Hah! I found the flea! Semi dead flea (I squished it for good measure after I took photo) that jumped out of sight – the spray works!

Look at the photos below to see how vicious that one flea was! I am guessing (and hoping) it was only one because I only found one.

I went to Jee’s house with Alex+Sam for some sort of a CNY dinner – it was very scrumptious! We were spoilt with roast pork and belacan kangkung! I was also given good ‘ol Mopiko for my flea bites.

18th February 2011, Friday
As far as I remember, as an adult – my first promethazine tablet. The itch is driving me mad!

19th February 2011, Saturday
I’m feeling so tired. I thought the sedating antihistamine yesterday would help me sleep better through the itch but instead, it caused me restlessness!!! I had to be an atypical case.

Went to see Corinna next door and she gave me some prednisone and cortisone cream for my allergic reaction to the flea bites. Here’s hoping it works! Look at how red and “bruisy” the bites have become…

22nd February 2011, Tuesday
Used the Dominos pizza app for the first time today! Geek!

24th February 2011, Thursday
Hmm! Failed to get $1 diamond pendant as a present after queuing outside MichaelHill. My first time doing something like this (for a cheapie!). Jaime and I queued together but she really wanted the pendant for herself (there was only one left – only 3 out for the $1 sale and the two ladies before us got one each), so I told her to go ahead first.

Not bad for $1, ya? Original tag was $700++.

My consolation price – pancakes and hashbrown.

25th February 2011, Friday
Alex’s last shift before he leaves for his new pharmacy job, so I went to meet them at KFC by Dunks to have dinner. On the way out, saw a dead cat in the middle of the road. I thought it was just sitting in the middle of the road but as I came nearer and it did not budge, I pulled over and took a look at it. I did the only thing I knew, walked back to the house and asked Carmen what to do.
She asked, “What colour was it?” but I told her it definitely wasn’t Gypsy or Lucky. She was so brave and picked the cat up (she said it was still warm, so someone JUST hit it) …then she found the owner (she climbed over their gate and knocked on the door), who lives just 4 doors down our street. The poor lady cried.

Then…I’ve never got a breathalyser test before but I got stopped TWICE tonight – within a hour! To and fro KFC for dinner. So silly! The second time made me a little worried because it took longer for the little machine to beep and I only had MountainDew at KFC, okay!
Carmen found it so funny that I got stopped twice and commended me when I said I had to refrain from taking a photo (first time mah!)…else she would have to come pick me up from the station. Not because I had a DUI charge, but under an “obstruction of peace” charge.

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What is fondly know as “Japanese Tofu” back home. Bought the last two tubes at the AsianGrocery store!

Didn’t get to mince the chicken properly but still good.

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Okay.
Forget about weird feeling. Weird feeling is forgotten when hunger strikes.
*hehe*

I had a plan – home made chicken nuggets. Much “healthier”, I guess.

The unhealthy “hierarchy” for me is this:
Fast food – frozen food – homemade fried food.

To avoid spending money on takeaways, I used to buy frozen food. They are easy, cheap(er), convenient and all I needed to do was to turn on the oven. It helped because I am such a junkfood addict! I could get my fix anytime of the day if I had those frozen junk in the freezer.
*gasp!*

Now, to really want to eat healthy, I would have to eliminate all “short cut” items. Or at least, reduce my frequency of purchase. I don’t have any frozen “instant” food (except for a packet and a half of mixed vegetables) – I do have fish and meat.

I plan to only have eat-out/takeaway “treats” once in a fortnight (because it’s pay day every fortnight). It’s really difficult. Carmen doesn’t think I can last that long (a fortnight) without takeaways. She’s half-right…so that’s why I made myself these. When kiam siap mode kicks in, it kicks in hard.

Okay kar?
I know chicken has to be well cooked, so I put them into the oven (with some left over frozen chips – I don’t know how long it’s been in the freezer!) for a little while longer.

Not-so-fast food at home.

To balance it up, I had homemade vanilla yoghurt (okay, from a pack but it started as a powder) with these.

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Wanted an easy, carb-free meal. I’ve lost count of the days since I bought this bag of gurnard fillets.

A little butter, salt, pepper, paprika, lemon juice, mixed herbs – into the oven until fish breaks easily. Dinner time!

I know it lacks side dishes but hey, I come back from work – am tired to whip anything else up.

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Pre-marinated (rosemary+mint) lamb leg steaks with mashed potato (yes, just ONE potato was hurt in the making of this meal), mint jelly and gravy (steak “juice”+onions+chicken stock+corn starch).

This happy meal marks happy day eleven.

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Yay!
Look at the bacon…mmmm!

Seriously though, I think I’m lactose intolerant. Intestines making funny rumbling sounds now.

But it’s soooo good.

And I think I will treat my self some happy food in the month of October! Woot!

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I tried…I was quite semangat to at least have that type of rice that’s oily, salty and fragrant. Unfortunately I was also lazy.

Trying to cut corners while craving for chicken rice would leave anyone disappointed.

I did fry the rice before cooking it – in a bit of sesame oil, chicken stock and ready crushed garlic. I should’ve added more but I was afraid of if turning out TOO salty and TOO oily. The fragrant part failed because I didn’t have pandan leaves (I’m not going to walk to the east side to buy them from the Asian grocer!)

Oh well, it LOOKED nice…

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Apart from what is necessary, I don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I’m here.

Maybe because it’s not exactly my own. Maybe because I haven’t got the tools I need. Maybe because I’m not comfortable cooking/baking here. Maybe because I have to fork out quite a bit to get my tools here. Maybe because I’m just plain lazy.

Today I decided I want to have pancakes and forget about making it fluffy or perfect. I just want it NOW!
*hehe*

It’s not like I’m making it to impress anyone or to serve it to anyone else but myself.

The tin of baking powder that I pinched from Carmen looks so retro, kan?

When I was done with my pancakes, Carmen looked at it and go, “Oh, you meant pikelets.”

Apparently pancakes are the BIG ones. These small ones (which are known to us as pancakes – look at PHOP!) are pikelets (pronounced as “peek-lets” – yea, something like piglets! Durr! It’s “pike-lets”, I sendiri created another way to pronounce it. ).

Carmen thinks me strange and vice versa.

The plant at the corner seems to like my pancakes – it’s “tentacle” was reaching out to them.

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Cabbage is one of my favourites – it would almost always be selected when I get chap fan (and if it’s available).
Unfortunately, it doesn’t exactly taste the same.

Eggs and asparagus.
Healthy dinner?

Eggs: Scrambled with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Asparagus: Blanched for 2 minutes and tossed in garlic and margerine.

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Tak jadi punya omelette fold-over – with broccoli, fresh mushroom (from Te Mata!) and bacon bits (cheaper and I needn’t cut ‘em up! )
Had this for lunch one day with mixed grain bread.

Yum!
This time using Anchor cream (Pam’s cream tak jadi lah), onion, bacon (minced meat so salah), fresh mushrooms and broccoli (must have some greens mah!)

Pork chop with mixed vegetables on the side. Quick and as healthy as I can have it.
Sauce made from grainy mustard, post-chop-frying oil and juice (haha! I don’t know what else to call it) and milk (I ran out of cream).

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