Nothing much lately

There's nothing much happening in my life lately, apart from the pregnancy stories in my other blog. Work's been usual but I've been more and more incompetent because of my current state. Also because we have new staffs to train, so thank God, I am not needed to do most of the work, I just basically train them and let them do the job! I'm basically taking it easy at work.

However, I'm in a dilemma whether to resign when baby comes. The good thing about Australia is, you get to keep your job for a year although in NSW, you don't get paid maternity leave. But I suppose the baby bonus (about AUD5K) we get for each baby is better than nothing. I cant wait for 2011 when the government will implement paid maternity leave for up to 18 weeks.

Anyway, it's true, nothing much happening although I must blog about my neighbour, Suh who never fails to bring us food whenever we hope for a miracle meal. She's truly like an angel to us. So, we are more than happy to return the favour to her by making food we knew best. The latest being Andrew's famous tiramisu! =) Sorry, no picture this time but just imagine it to be one of the best tiramisu you'll ever taste! =)

In an unrelated matter, I really loathe Sydney's property market, perhaps not just Sydney but everywhere, Sydney being the top 10 most expensive city to live in the world. The housing property has soared sky-high, making it tough for the younger generations to own a property. All because of GREED! All because people want to make money out of properties. In just the last 10 years, properties have doubled, but has our pay doubled?? Well, one can easily do the maths. It's ridiculous, how do they expect the youngters to own a house these days? Oh well, what can we do?

Yummy scones!

Masterchef Australia has somehow got me excited about cooking/baking, well at least the simplest dish of all. One of them being scones. It looked so easy that I had to try it out. Only difference was I didn't use any lemon zest according to the recipe because the lemon tree in the garden hasn't been producing any good lemons for a while now. I wonder what's wrong with the lemon tree.

Anyway, I'll just share with you the recipe from MasterChef;

Ingredients

150ml-175ml milk
150ml cream
1 egg
3 cups self-raising flour
2 tbs caster sugar
1 cup chopped, dried dates
Finely grated rind 1 lemon
Cream & jam, to serve

Makes 12

Method

1. Preheat oven 200°C fan forced. Line large flat oven tray with baking paper.

2. Whisk 150ml milk, cream and egg together until well combined. Combine flour, sugar, dates and lemon rind in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and stir gently to a soft dough, adding remaining milk if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.

3. Press dough out to 2cm-thick. Cut scones from dough and place onto tray flat-side up. Press dough together gently and repeat using the remaining dough. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and well risen. Serve hot with jam and cream.

It is really simple. Do try it out and enjoy your tea time!!

P/S: Do get a really good quality jam and not just any sugar spread, else the sweetness will be an overkill.

The day I embarked on my life journey

I can still remember the day I was all set to fly to Sydney, to start the next chapter of my life. I have a friend who just left Malaysia for the States to reunite with her boyfriend of many many years, now her fiance. I am so excited and am truly happy for her. I wish her all the happiness she so deserves.

I don't think many people knew I was heading for Australia because no one really said goodbye to me except my uni friends. But that was also because the night I flew was the last day of my final exam for my degree. So I bade farewell to my close friends at Uni and couldn't contain my happiness and joy that I will soon be reuniting with Andrew.

Preparation for Sydney, went by like a breeze. It was like, I was meant to come here. There wasn't any trepidation, for I knew and trusted the person whom I will commit myself to. I wasn't sure what my family were thinking, were they thinking, was that it? To see their beloved daughter leave home for good? That finally, their daughter is all grown up? To me, it was that way. I knew it was for good, I knew I will soon set up my own family and my own life. It will be the next phase of my life.

That day was in March, 2004. It wasn't yesterday nor was it too long ago. Today, indeed I have my own family now, and soon with an addition. Life in Sydney has taught me so many things. I daresay I am not the same person as before. I have grown and changed so much, although still much to learn I hope. God has indeed kept His promises to me. I almost couldn't see a way to come to Sydney, but when God opened the door and showed me the way, I could so far beyond the horizon. That was when God gave me strength and courage to come to Sydney. This is probably one of the best and wisest decision I've ever made in my life.

So, for my friend, Angel, I hope you find that finally, the happiness and joy that you are going to embrace is worth all the wait and will be one of the best thing that ever happen to you, in your life.

Our hot plant

It's time to harvest our chillies! We collected a whole bag of chillies and have no idea what to do with most of them. Sue has kindly offered to make sambal for us but I guess we have to distribute the chillies to people who likes them.

By the way, did I ever mention that this is the hottest chilli we've ever tasted. Even my aunties who are chilli queens, agreed that this chili variant (bird's eye chili) planted in our landlord's garden is the BEST and the most FIERY!!!

Talking about an instant reply from God!

I try to pack food for lunch whenever possible. Especially days when hubby cooks, he will try to cook more (as I always tease him, as though he cooks for the whole 'kampung') and I will pack food for lunch the next day. Food at my cafeteria is so boring and not much of a variety. I could go to Macquarie Shopping Centre for lunch but it's too much of a trouble for me to drive there everytime.

So one night, hubby whipped up something really delicious and as predicted, we finished our dinner without any leftover. So, we were wondering what to bring to work the next day.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Sue, my lovely Singaporean lady who lives next door (who married an angmoh, and has 2 beautiful kids) was at the door, holding up a plate of chicken lasagne fresh from the oven!!! We couldn't believe our blessing from the above...bless her soul!

That's when you know, God REALLY provides! The lasagne was absolutely delicious, too!!