Iceland Volcano eruption

Last week,a volcano eruption in Iceland sent ashes across many parts of Europe,disrupting all the flights around the world!Thousands of passengers have to cancel or change their holiday plans, many of them stuck wherever they were without flights to bring them home.I was so glad then that hubby wasn't still commuting between Asia and Europe else he would be in a difficult situation.
Yesterday,he was supposed to get to work but there's no chopper for him so he can't do any check in,he left for the airport at 5.30am and by 9am he was back home.
This morning,again,he left for the airport at the usual time, choppers were around but they were unable to take off as they were checking on the density of the ashes in the air or whatever so hubby and his colleagues waited at the very packed airport till it is safe to fly.Luckily,by 10am,his company has arranged for them to relax in the function room of a nearby hotel,lunch was served to them as well,that was nice of the company and then by 4pm, he had arrived at work.
So now,I am alone in our bed,missing him terribly and updating my blog.
For the past 2 weeks when hubby was home,we were kept busy with building up the shed,mixing cement,getting the wood,etc. Seriously,I don't remember much of the last 2 weeks,time just seems to fly by whenever we are together. I was always kept busy with my fleece washing,drying and then last Saturday,attended the Spinners and weavers guild.Hired a drum carder for 2 months and carded some raglogs on Sunday,came out rougher than the tops available commercially.However,it is interesting,next thing I wanna do is dyeing.

Happy birthday,darling!

Surprise birthday present for hubby -

21st March 2010
Hubby revealed that he wanted a red and black striped pullover with material similar to the one that his mum knitted for him when he was little.Checked with MIL and found the perfect shiny red he wanted,mohair.

22nd March 2010
Ordered from Texere yarn,arrived in 3 days, gorgeous colours and easier to knit,compared to other mohair that I’ve used.

25th March 2010
Received the yarn,using a plain Aran jumper pattern,changing colours every 16 rows,started the project in the evening.

27th March 2010
Back - Nearly 9 inches,42 inches to go!!!

28th March 2010
Back completed

30th March 2010
Half way through the front

2nd April 2010
Started on the sleeves

4th April 2010
Not enough black colour,ordered another cone online but due to the Easter holidays,will probably receive it on friday.In the meantime,it is hidden till the yarn arrive and I can hide somewhere in the house to knit

10th April 2010!!
It is completed!!
Did the sewing and weaving today,what a relieve and I told myself,no more jumper for hubby if he doesn’t like it.
Currently being hidden,will take a pic of him wearing it and post it here.

13th April 2010
It is The Day!
Hubby is absolutely delighted with it and I am pleased!It is worth going without much sleep and the aching in my fingers and back!

Hubby's birthday surprise

2 weeks to hubby's birthday,I just started knitting the back on Thursday and to-date,I only have this - 9 inches!!!!
42 inches to go ,not to forget there's the front and sleeves to knit!
Better hurry!!

Hubby's birthday is in 3 weeks and have been at a loss on what I should get for him.
Finally a few days ago,he requested for a striped jumper, red and black,in chunky mohair similar to Dennis The Menace pattern. Just bought the mohair wool from Texera Yarn,the colour is simply lovely.Hopefully the yarn will arrive soon and I can get started on it immediately.


Called Texere Yarn this afternoon regarding shipment,I ordered the yarn last night and was expecting them to be delivered by tomorrow by Royal Mail 1st class.However, according to the staff who answered my called, my order has been dispatched to the warehouse to be processed and so the earliest that they can send out my order will be tomorrow and I will probably receive them by Thursday or Friday.What a let down!

The past 3 weeks was like,a little honeymoon where we were like newly weds, we still are,lots of kissing,cuddles,being alone together and having total quality time.
We left on a Friday to go to Fife to watch The Skids concert. It was a 2 day performance, in Glasgow on Friday and Dumfermline on Saturday. Like what one of the concert goer said, for a bunch of old guys,they were pretty good.I guess that sum it up. For a band that has been around for 32 years, their last album was at least 10 years ago yet they have a huge gathering of fans,my hubby is one of them.Seeing all the fans dressed up in T-shirts with The Skids printed on it,dancing and singing together,words are simply insufficient to describe how high the people were those 2 nights.
On Sunday,we had a walk around Edingburgh before driving down to Durham, Newcastle, Kent, Essex and then London, Norwich. I swear my bum feels at least an inch thinner!!
We went to Norwich to collect a spinning wheel that hubby bought for me as an early birthday present. Sort of has a growing interest in spinning,started off with spinning on a spindle but it is too stressful on my left arm and hence the spinning wheel. Although I was told that it is a dying art and there are always lot of them on sale on Ebay but the prices are never less than £90 for a second hand,we paid much more than that.Of course,it comes with the extra accessories too.
Went to a Spinners and weavers guild workshop yesterday,very interesting,joined as a member and picked up latch hooking where you can make things like rug,table mats etc. A lot of the ladies there have their own sheep and shear them for spinning,wow.Wonder whether I will be getting a sheep next year.Ha ha.
The process of shearing the sheep to cleaning ,carding and colouring the fleece before spinning is a little too much for me.I have bought some white roving tops and coloured ones,I think in future I will simply buy the coloured ones.Makes life easier.
Been collecting wool around the fields near our home with hubby in the last few weeks,rather interesting.Will wash them and spin them in the summer.
After we have left Norwich,we went to Wolverhampton to visit hubby's cousin and his family.We stayed 5 nights in a hotel nearby,spent most time with the family with hubby chatting to the cousin and I cooking for the family.I cooked things like Cod fish curry, panang curry beef, egg omelette, ba-ku-teh, fried rice,chinese salad,etc and they love it. Ate up everything. It is a great compliment to the cook,yours truly.
Had a haircut at the cousin's wife's salon. Forgot to mention that had 2 pairs of glasses prescribed in Fife,my eyesight has worsened by at least a 100 degree each side!
The children have grown so much taller and bigger.Emily is getting more beautiful,she is now working as a chef in a pub and is also a part-time model. Edward is now 17,so handsome and has signed up for the army.Alicia,same age as Shane,is as cheeky and active as ever,love to sing,dance and talk.All of them are really sweet kids.
Ate a lot on the trip,lots of KFC, came back with a sore throat and extra 2kg.Got to try to get rid of the excess baggage soon.
Hubby was very sweet to me throughout the 2 weeks on the road and remains so when we came back,hope that stays on.

十二生肖屬龍，下午四點至晚上十二點生之人，在因果學中前世是魚來投胎轉世。

魚在中國說牠是未化之龍，如傳統中國魚化龍的圖騰。科學家觀察魚對同類遠比對異類更為可攻擊行為。是內鬥內行、外鬥外行的族群。魚類之顏色越鮮艷的種類其 猛烈的攻擊行為愈強。而大部份淡水魚的顏色的魄力在於易變性。淡水魚只有在點燃愛情或發怒等，才會散發出寶石般的光彩。可從牠們色彩測量出情緒高低，也可 以從牠們的色彩看出是否有攻擊性，是否有性衝動，以及是否被激怒到最高點，當引起情緒激動的因素消除後，或者被其他情緒衝動取代之後，牠們的美麗色彩也隨 之消失。譬如激昂的情緒被恐懼取代後，淡褐的保護色立刻籠罩在魚身上，這些魚的顏色是表情的工具，只有需要時才出現。然而這些種類的幼魚及大半之雌魚都有 淡的偽裝顏色。

攻擊性強的魚，如珊瑚魚，一向穿著華麗服飾，日夜不變。可是大部份魚類在將要入睡時便換上睡衣、更換色彩，日夜外表的差距之大，令人驚異不已。

屬魚之人個性多變、善變，擅長偽裝欺敵，競爭意識強烈，往往已自我為中心，對愛情之魚水之歡則持拼命主義，務求全力以赴。癡情、佔有慾極強。排斥同類，是「同行相忌，同類相斥」的典型生肖。攻擊性強、防衛力好。

魚有區域性之地盤觀念，在珊瑚礁中，有聲勢浩大之魚群，在此魚群中的成員都排斥同種，不准同種在其領域內定居，卻不排斥其他魚類。魚類為宣佈其領域，會不斷地巡邏邊界，保持著脅迫的氣勢與姿態，進而擴張領域。

屬魚之人有積極性、發展性，企圖心強烈。

魚有強烈之攻擊本能，需要學習轉移情緒、否則連夫妻也會反目成仇，無情相對。如果我們把一對雌雄巴西珍珠魚，或一對雌雄印度希屈里種魚放入水槽，則會發生 雌雄相鬥的暴力事件。但若在水槽裡放進一條同類的魚作為待罪羔羊，則可避免夫妻爭鬥，這也就是老子所說的：「國無恆敵則亡之，此亡國乃因內鬥。」如果水槽 中間放一塊玻璃板隔間，兩邊各放一對夫妻魚，則發現每條魚可把怒氣發洩到同性的鄰居∼通常是雄性對雄性、雌性對雌性；此時沒有一條魚會想去攻擊自己的伴 侶。但如果中間玻璃髒掉，而看不到外敵時，而會立刻發現雄魚以粗魯的行為對待其伴侶。屬魚之人易怒、情緒不穩定，容易遷怒他人，缺乏安全感，自私。抱負心 強。

許多魚在產期會劃分領域，且具有高度的攻擊性，但在產期以外就群聚一起，完全喪失攻擊行為。

屬魚之人不甘寂寞不能獨處、無法靜心、外向活潑，對愛情敢愛敢恨。喜歡熱鬧、繁華生活。

屬魚之人的性格正反面可歸納如下：

☆正面

1. 自信
2. 精力充沛
3. 果斷
4. 直接
5. 忠誠
6. 保護
7. 勇敢
8. 講實力
9. 奮鬥
10. 企圖心強

☆反面

1. 以自我為中心
2. 好戰、好鬥、好勝
3. 吹毛求疵
4. 嚴厲、不易妥協
5. 自大
6. 苛求
7. 侵略性過強
8. 跋扈
9. 記仇懷恨
10. 敢愛敢恨、絕情

魚在中國是未化之龍。屬魚的人個性積極、自信、果斷、痴情，企圖心強烈， 且精力充沛，外向活潑，喜歡熱鬧繁華的生活。但是情緒比較不穩定，容易遷怒、記仇、好鬥，而且具有魚類「內鬥內行、外鬥外行」的特質。

多么奇妙的爱情

看过一篇文章是这样写的

当时，我刚看完医生，发现下雨，心里有点著急，一方面离家有些远，一方面看著黑压压的天空，担心雨会越下越大，再加上没有带雨衣……我考虑再三，决定把外套上的帽子拉起来，淋雨回家。
我骑著车，并没有加快速度，反正已经做好一身湿的准备，就和我的老爷车安步当车起来，车子离开民生路，转入金华路时，发现前方有一部摩托车比我更悠闲。
那部摩托车上载了一对年轻男女，男生很高，女生很娇小，女孩子紧紧的抱住男生，把头塞进男生宽宽大大的外套后背，他们一路骑、一路说笑，女孩看不到前方，经常发出尖笑，而男孩子说了好几次，“放心，我不会把你摔痛。”
临时一场雨，浇出了男孩子的承诺，他宁可放慢车速让自己湿透，也不肯将女孩子摔痛，很小的一句话，甚至连甜言蜜语都算不上，但如果我是那个女孩子，我会知道，他的专心宠溺。
我看著他们，忍不住笑了，也只有在爱情里面，讨人厌的雨水才会变得诗情画意，也只有爱情有能力粉饰一切的不美丽，爱情是多么奇妙的东西呵。
就像这本书里面的蓝天，他不会说好听的言语，但他耐心倾听，他不会买昂贵的礼物送给向晴，但是他会跟在老婆身后，替她提著沉重的Shopping战利品，他不够浪漫、不懂得谈情说爱，但他事事想著发妻，他要她快乐、相信恨总比爱容易放下……
即使是这样一个不懂得爱情的男人，碰上了爱情，爱情总有本领将他粉饰得美丽。

Valentine's Day menu

For new romances…

Kiss me Quick, Squeeze me Slow, Swiss Cheese Fondue

When eating fondue, it is tradition that if you drop your bread or it falls off your skewer into the hot melting cheese, you are expected to kiss the person to your left. Chef Boome creates a sexy, spicy fondue recipe that might make couples drop their bread on purpose…

Naughty but Spiced Chocolate Pot

Chocolate, melted chocolate in fact, is a great aphrodisiac. Just the thought of the dark rich hot lava running over strawberries, marshmallows and bananas can lead to you straight from the kitchen to the bedroom.

An aphrodisiac meal for two…

Aphrodisiac foods are everywhere. This menu has been designed to be quick, simple and sensuous. Starting off light with seared scallops allows the meal to begin with an energy charge of zinc from the scallops that ignites the hormones in the body. Followed by the libido-boosting proteins in steak and finished with the ever-so-seductive and suggestive baked figs, this menu is perfect for two who want to become one.

Fun tapas for a group…

If feeding each other tantalizing bites from small plates of food while you lounge sounds hot, imagine feeding you partner oysters or a warm chocolate molten baby cake with melting mascarpone running down your fingers. Might as well just start in the bedroom.

Knitted toque with earflaps

Adult-size hat is worked in stocking stitch, with band of ribbing, then edged with crochet. Standard abbreviations are used. Recommended for knitters with some experience.
• Rowan Spray Pink Colour
• One pair of 5.5 mm knitting needles OR whichever needles you require to produce the tension given below
• 5 mm crochet hook
• Stitch holders
• Tapestry needle

Tension:
13 sts and 18 rows = 10 cm (4 ins) in stocking stitch. Work to exact tension with specified yarn to obtain satisfactory results. To save time, take time to check tension.

To make:
Earflap (make 2)
With MC, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1 (right side): Knit, inc 1 st in each of first 2 sts. 5 sts now on needle.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1.
7 sts now on needle.
Row 4: Purl.
Rep last 2 rows 7 times more, break MC. 21 sts now on needle.
Next row (right side): Knit; slip sts onto st holder.

Toque
Joining row: With A, cast on 3 sts, move needle with sts to right hand, then, with wrong side facing, purl across 25 sts of one earflap on st holder; move needle with sts back to left hand, then cast on 10 sts; move needle with sts to right hand, then, with wrong side facing, purl across 25 sts of rem earflap on st holder; cast on 3 sts. 66 sts now on needle.
Row 1 (right side): K2, [p2, k2] to end of row.
Row 2: P2, [k2, p2] to end of row.
Rep last 2 rows of [k2, p2] ribbing once more.
Next: Work 4 rows ribbing, break A and B.
Next: With MC, work even in St st until work from joining row measures 14.5 cm/5-3/4 ins, ending with right side facing for next row.

To shape crown:
Row 1: K1, [k6, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
58 sts now on needle.
Row 2 and alt rows: Purl.
Row 3: K1, [k5, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
50 sts now on needle.
Row 5: K1, [k4, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
42 sts now on needle.
Row 7: K1, [k3, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
34 sts now on needle.
Row 9: K1, [k2, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
26 sts now on needle.
Row 11: K1, [k1, k2tog] 8 times, k1.
18 sts now on needle.
Row 12: Purl, break yarn.
Thread end through rem sts, draw up tightly and fasten off securely.

To finish:
Sew centre-back seam.
Make edging: With B and crochet hook, and with right side facing, sl st to toque edge at centre-back seam, ch 1, work sc evenly around entire edge, sl st to first sc and fasten off.
Make pom-pom: With 1 strand each of MC, A and B together, wind 20 times around 3 fingers of one hand; thread 30 cm/12-ins length of MC through loop at middle finger, then tie tightly, leaving long ends untrimmed. Cut loops at
each side, then trim to smooth, round pom-pom. Thread long ends through to wrong side of toque crown and tie.
Make braids: Cut two 76 cm/30 ins strands each of MC, A and B. Fold in half and, with crochet hook, pull loop through edge at centre of one earflap, then pull ends through loop to join. With 3 groups of 4 strands each, make braid, 20.5 cm/8 ins long; at bottom, tie with overhand knot, trimming tassel to 5 cm/2 ins. Repeat for second braid.

Designer's tip
To omit earflaps, cast on 66 sts with A, work as given for toque, then finish with crocheted edging and pom-pom.

6 things to have on your dating resume

In a lot of ways, a first date is like a job interview.

Both are stressful, intense minefields of potential gaffes. You're trying out for a position for which you feel grossly under qualified and someone with way better credentials than yours is always waiting in the wings. You're often unprepared and you are, quite likely, hungover.

Both come with some basic guidelines. You don't want to look like you got dressed in the dark. You want to ask questions and nod at the appropriate times. You want to appear interested but not too interested. And it's important to have a good resume.

Not on paper, necessarily, but in your head. When on dates, people look for certain qualifications. Here are six things that you should have on your dating resume:

Charity work. This demonstrates selflessness, and an ability to not think about yourself 24/7. Perhaps you've been a Big Brother or Sister, or run for breast cancer, or served food at a soup kitchen at Christmas. If so, it's always good to casually -- and subtly -- drop this into conversation. If you can't think of anything remotely charitable in your past, then you can say you've been seriously considering one of the above options (don't tell them that just thinking about it made you feel so good you decided not to bother). And, who knows? You might even inspire yourself to actually do something charitable. The Big Brother/Sister is a good one -- the time requirement is minimal (a few hours a week) and you might make a new friend. (And where there's a kid in need of a Big Brother or Sister, there's often a single parent.)

Friends with your exes. Exes make the best references, especially if they haven't taken legal action against you. (And if they have, well, it was a case of mistaken identity and anyway, your date doesn't need to know about any of that). Try to drop in the name of an ex or two and mention that you're still buddies. This can be tricky, though, because if you go on at length about your ex, your date might wonder if you still aren't carrying a torch. So don't tell him or her about the long weekend away that the two of you have also planned. But, it mightn't hurt to gently imply that you think the ex might still have a teeny thing for you, particularly if you're a man, as women are scientifically proven to be attracted to the things others want. Bonus points if you're friends with an ex-fiancé: this shows that at some point, someone liked you enough to consider spending the rest of his or her life with you.

Social skills. Having a group of friends demonstrates that you are capable of human interaction and not some kind of cave-dwelling troglodyte stuck in a World of Warcraft. And the more friends you have -- real friends, meaning people who actually know you, not names you've collected on Facebook -- the more likeable you appear to be. A mixture of both same and opposite sex pals suggests that you are well rounded while having only opposite sex friends suggests you're an eternal flirt and perhaps competitive with your own, and having only same sex friends suggests an inability to relate to the "other." Talk warmly about the people you know and say nice things about them. Liking others makes you likeable.

Education. Most of us in the singles market can proudly say we've graduated high school, if not community college. Some of us may even have gone on to university or, in the case of those in the Intimate section, graduate school. On a date, this usually doesn't matter as much as being able to say you've gone out of your way to grow as a person by taking a class in, say, pottery or fire-dancing. If you've taken any kind of course in the last few years, it would be good to drop this into a conversation -- exceptions being work-safety and/or court ordered sexual harassment/sensitivity training seminars. Bonus points if it's got anything to do with cooking or French.

Family relations. Guys, it helps to let her know you like and respect your mom; how you treat your maternal parental unit says a lot about how you're likely to treat her. DON'T make fun of your mom's cooking, no matter how bad it is (I had one ex tell me, after one too many jokes about my mom's mashed potatoes, "I'm sure she did the best she could," which made me feel like a heel). Ladies, do try to be on speaking terms with all the members of your family. Feuds and longstanding grudges look bad; if you haven't talked to your sister for 10 years because she made fun of your potato salad, this bodes ill for the future should things go wrong between you and your next boyfriend. It certainly doesn't make family visits seem very appealing.

Survival skills. At another time, "art appreciation" or "other languages" might have filled this space. But today, when recession, pandemics, and Nancy Grace threaten our very way of life, it's a facility with a Swiss army knife that counts. Now is the time to drop references about your Boy or Girl Scout experience into the conversation; to mention that fallout shelter you're building, and that earthquake preparedness seminar you've signed up for. Do you know CPR? Do you have a basement full of canned goods? Can you build a fire? Yes? Congratulations. How soon can you start?

Why we date bad boys/gals?

When you're dating, it seems bad boys/girls lurk in every corner ready to pounce and with the sole intention of messing with minds and playing with hearts.

Mick the Bastard

For almost three years, I dated a guy called Mick the Bastard. That wasn't his real name, of course. That was what my best girlfriend called him, as she listened sympathetically -- and patiently -- while I recounted the latest heart-wrenching episode in my doomed romance with this guy.

Mick had all the hallmarks of a real bastard:

* He didn't return my phone calls
* He would turn up late to dinner dates, sometimes having already eaten
* He would 'disappear' for days and then reappear with no explanation as to where he'd been
* He refused, even after three years, to discuss our relationship, what he wanted from it or where he thought it was going

As bastards go, Mick had it in spades.

An All-too Common Theme

We all know someone who ends up dating the 'wrong type.' The bad guy who treats the honest, girl-next-door poorly. The heartless strumpet who breaks the heart of the genuine, sensitive lad. These characters are motifs that run through many of our love lives. But why?

What is it that makes bitches and bastards so appealing?

Dr. Leonard Felder, author of Wake Up or Break Up (Rodale) explains: "People who grew up with a controlling or domineering parent or older sibling are often drawn to the same kind of situation as an adult because it feels 'familiar,' whereas someone who grew up in a family where people respected each other will look at a controlling person and say 'No way,'" he says.

Which goes a long way towards explaining why Heather* only ever dated guys who treated her badly. "My dad was an alcoholic and I grew up in a household where there was lots of anger and unacceptable behavior," she says, adding that most of her 20s were spent chasing after unavailable or damaged men. Desperate to break the cycle, Heather sought help from a relationship counselor.

When you notice you're drawn to a negative person who reminds you of someone from the past, talk to a friend or counselor to sort out if the person's good traits far outweigh this negative trait," says Dr. Felder. "Then get support for breaking free of the toxic kind of person your biochemistry has been wired into finding attractive."

Phil and his Bitches

Phil has had his fair share of heartbreakers who can only be described as bitches. His first serious girlfriend left him for his best mate after five years together. He then met Fiona, who he dated for three years before proposing. She said yes but broke off the engagement -- and the relationship -- two months before the wedding telling Phil he was "too nice."

"She said I did too much for her," says Phil, who is still coming to terms with the split. "Sure I took her out to nice dinners and bought her presents -- but she was my fiancee!" he says, adding that he later learned Fiona had moved in with a guy from work less than a month after the split.

Sometimes, bad boys and girls just leave us with a tear-stained face -- or a case of pubic lice. In serious cases, when inappropriate choices of partner result in manipulation, loss of self-esteem, or even violence and abuse, Dr Felder suggests that professional advice -- and the determination to break the cycle of negative dating behavior -- is the only solution.

"That means sorting it out in counseling, having friends who will be honest when you're 'doing it again' and having the courage to be strong and focus on a healthier kind of relationship," he says.

Jenny from the Block

Jenny admits she has a terrible track record when it comes to dating bad boys. "They always have a past," she says, "which is initially part of the attraction." But unlike Jenny, who craves a committed relationship, these guys are usually more interested in sex, drugs and rock and roll than Jenny.

"Robbie, the last guy I dated, took the cake -- literally. It was his birthday and I had made plans for him to come over to my place for dinner. I'd even baked him a cake," she recalls. "Well, dinner time came -- and went -- without a word from my 'boyfriend.' His mobile was turned off so I left a voice message asking him to call me, which he did -- three hours later at midnight -- wanting to know if he could still come around..."

You're hoping that Jenny told the bastard where to go, right? But she didn't. She invited his sorry ass around to her house -- at midnight -- and when he arrived, clearly intoxicated and obviously looking for sex, she told him in to uncertain terms what she thought of him.

"The cake was the killer for me. I don't even like baking! I knew then that nothing I did was going to turn this selfish prick into someone who would ever appreciate me."



* Names have been changed to protect privacy

感觉上，雪做什么都很难
找工作 - 难
感情 - 难
怀孕 - 难
交朋友 - 难
快乐 - 难
幸福 - 难

老公说我对自己太苛刻了
新的环境，新的生活需要时间来适应
他说我已经尽力了，他和他家人看到我的努力

今天，有个朋友告诉我她怀孕了
一方面为她高兴，另一方面心里苦苦的

好累。。。真的很累
或许是生病那么久还没好，加上生活那么多难题
所以觉得很低落吧！
希望一觉醒来我会好点。

Kuih Bangkit

I have been researching Kueh Bangkit recipes for a while as Chinese New Year is in 2 weeks and I would like to do some baking.
Finally I settled on one from the Little Corner of Mine with some modification.

My adapted Kuih Bangkit Recipe:

Ingredients:

-200g tapioca flour/tapioca starch and about 4 pandan leaves
-20g. butter, melted
-1 egg yolk (from large egg)
- 140g icing sugar
-120ml thick coconut milk (or coconut cream)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees celcius,fry the tapioca flour with some pandan leaves and set to cool

Microwave extra tapioca flour for standby (to flour the surface) and kneading purposes.

2. Sift tapioca flour and icing sugar in a big bowl. Add melted butter, yolk & coconut milk. Knead until the dough is pliable. (If the dough is wet or soft, add more tapioca flour, 1 Tbp. at a time and knead until it becomes a harder dough. Likewise, if it's too dry, add more coconut milk).

3. Roll out the dough on lightly floured surface to about 3mm thickness. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter (Or you can use the kuih bangkit mould (this required longer baked time). Arrange on lined baking tray and bake at 165degrees celcius for 15 minutes. It will puff when baked.

For step-by-step pictures guide, click here.

* TIPS*
----------
1. Just make sure the dough is not too wet, if not it can't hold the shape. How to know is when you rolled it out and cut it with a cookie cutter and placed it on the baking tray, the shape disappeared before your eyes. If this happen, add a little more tapioca flour and knead it again. (microwave extra tapioca flour for backup and kneading purposes) But if the shape hold, you are fine to go.

2. Also, give your kuih bangkit a taste test after 15 minutes and cool off a bit, if it still tasted like not fully dried out in the middle, put it back in the oven and bake it some more until it's completely dried, crispy and melt-in-your-mouth (can be as long as 30 mins). Baking time depended on the thickness of the kuih bangkit, so don't follow blindly by the stated time. For example, after 15 mins, you taste and middle not dry out yet, pop it back for another 5 mins, take it out and do a test taste after it's cool a bit, if still not, in the oven it goes for another 5 mins, until when you tasted the kuih bangkit, it's completely dried in the middle, whole thing crispy and melt-in-your-mouth. I have baked my thicker one for as long as 30 mins before and no harm done.

闷在家里很多天了，因为感冒两个星期还没好
昨晚睡觉前提醒自己，不管怎样，明天一定要出外走走
早上看到阳光照进我的房间，非常开心
准备起床，刷牙，洗头
让阳光把头发自然烘干，不喜欢用吹风桶的我，在这里要常用，现在的头发干到像稻草
望出窗外，又是白茫茫的一片原来又下雪了
难怪那么冷
别想出门了

星期一回医院复诊
搭巴士到市区4.80英镑，再转车3英镑到医院
3英镑是个day pass，一张车票去哪里都行，只限市区路
雪就随便上车，到处去，到处看
很多旧建筑物，很多咖啡厅和商店
天气冷，又不知道要去那里，有点闷
下次做了research再到处去

这里的老人家很独立
很多退休人士还是每个星期回去上班
家翁的朋友很多都是老师，教授，70多岁了
每个星期还回学校教几天课
家翁很有学问，也看很多实事消息
跟他聊天有点压力
问我对climate change,iraq war 的看法
认为新加拨开赌场有什么利益与社会冲突，会造成什么冲突
还要跟我这个半桶水也不到的学书法！！

在巴士上看到的老人家年级在50-80之间都会自己出门
跟朋友见面，喝茶聊天，自己购物等
家婆72岁，出门会担心身体不能负担，毕竟他曾经有lung cancer,lung bypass现在还有呼吸困难，糖尿病等，每天窝在家里看电视，一个星期去超市购物，这就是他的生活。我快变成他们了

不知不觉，来这里快半年了
时间飞逝
觉得自己在浪费时间，浪费空气
在这里看医生的次数增加了
眼睛发炎，看了两次医生
感冒好了又来，看医生N次
还有，又晕倒了
说到这个，真的....不知道怎么说
晕倒，头晕，在新国常发生
那里的医生说血压低，给补血药，止晕药
要不然就是抽血验blood count,blood plalet
这里的医生因为我晕,胸口痛，呼吸困难
帮我验血发现我的iron level超低，所以现在每天吃三次iron tablets
饮食也要注意,不能减肥，少喝酒（我已经没什么喝了）
经常看医生，还好看医生，验血等不用钱，只要付药钱
我的iron tablets有三盒，吃一个月，这样只要付4英镑
糊涂的我,set alarm提醒要吃药,照三餐提醒我

Communication is the key to a good relationship.
However,sometimes it is hard for me to share my feelings with hubby as he doesn't seems to understand how I feel.
For the last few months,I kept something from him,worried that it might anger him and make him upset with me. Finally, after keeping it all bottled up,the stress was getting to me and I spilled out to hubby yesterday.
Amazingly, he did not get angry with me,was quite understanding and I was so relieved.

雪景虽然很美丽
但是太多也造成生活上的不便
从圣诞节前，雪下了又停，这个星期，每天都下一两个小时的雪
路上都是雪，走路，驾车要很小心
天气更加冷，如果路上的雪太厚就没有公共巴士
本来想去市区的邮政局，怕可能要搭巴士去却要走路回来
我家离市区不是很近
很多学校也关闭
看着新闻，路上的车也少了很多
气象台还说这会连续大概一个星期
老公不在身边，雪每天晚上睡觉要开2个暖气，穿睡衣加浴袍加手套加褂子加两个热水壶保暖

考虑了很久
觉得真得不能负担女佣了
但是他跟了我那么多年
跟我的孩子又那么亲
真的很不舍的
尤其现在要知道孩子的消息也是透过他
但是没有收入，常常要烦恼，到处找钱付工钱，付levy也不是办法
没有他，孩子没人照顾，
烦。真得很烦

孩子跟前夫一起住
前夫下班后就是在电脑前打网上游戏
家里没有大人，怕小孩子会学坏
交友不慎，误入歧途
怕没人准备食物给他们吃
怕他们生病没人照顾
更加没人督促他们的功课

張艾嘉的真实故事‏

你真的知道你要的是什麼嗎 ?

富貴或貧賤，每個人都在人生中學習 ……

張艾嘉，也許可以號稱是最出色的女人－從叛逆少女到金馬影后，從未婚媽媽到兩次婚姻，從名演員到大導演 …
她，似乎天生帶著光環，舉手股足間都在製造新聞，賺著人氣。

然而，一夜之間，她就變了，開始隨遇而安，變得平易近人，懂得享受無處不在的快樂；更重要的，明白了做普通人的樂趣 …… 一切的一切，都從她的愛子被綁架開始。

張艾嘉在綁架案結案之後，面對媒體有這樣一番話： ' 一 直以為最重要的是盛名，時時處處想保持常青，不管是婚姻還是兒子，都當作自身招牌的一點金漆，從未將自己從高處放下，好好審視一下生活。直到兒子的生命受 到威脅的時候，方才明瞭最珍貴的財富並非那個熠熠的金字招牌。熙熙攘攘，皆為利來；攘攘熙熙，皆為名往。以前，我就是攘攘熙熙中的一分子，結果從相夫到教 子處處一敗塗地。 '

◆嫁給羅大佑，臺灣最有名的男人
我是一個銜著金鑰匙出生的孩子：外祖父曾任臺灣高官，父親是空軍軍官，母親是臺灣著名的大美人。
出生不久，我就跟著母親去美國定居接受教育。 16 歲那年，我不再樂意讀書，覺得娛樂圈五彩繽紛，便回到臺灣一腳踏了進去。

21 歲，便成了金馬獎最佳女配角，隨後又兩次榮獲金馬獎最佳女主角。別人追逐一輩子而不可得的東西，於我而言，手到擒來得順理成章。
在鮮花和掌聲中，我也越來越喜歡這種被人追捧的感覺。

我告訴自己，來這世上走一遭，一定要盡情享受最榮耀最輝煌的一切，那時年少輕狂，覺得能配上自己的男人，似乎只有名聲赫赫的音樂教父羅大佑了。

與羅大佑交往，純粹是為了拉風，為了讓人羡慕，卻沒有過任何長久發展、終生廝守的念頭。那時的我，的確充滿魅力，漂亮、成功 …… 男人心目中完美愛人必須具備的條件我幾乎全部都有。

羅大佑也不例外， !
在 我與他的初戀女友之間，他最終選擇了我。我覺得這是意料之中的，任何一個男人都應該毫不猶豫地選我。然後，我與羅大佑風光無限地同入同出，盡情地享受被所 有男人凝視、被所有女人嫉妒的快感。我與羅大佑的戀情不像是感情，更像一件璀璨奪目的首飾。可是，一個女人，自然不能只有一件首飾吧？於是，影壇帥哥、商 界精英、政壇要人 ……
隔三岔五就隨著他們一起接受眾人矚目。

忘 記了自己還有個男友叫羅大佑，不記得上次見他是什麼時候，遺忘了他的生日是幾月幾號，甚至，會挽著別的男友在公開場合與他不期而遇，沖著一臉尷尬的他嫣然 一笑，似乎，他只是一個一面之交的普通朋友。可是，羅大佑是個傳統的熱血男子，腦子裏根深蒂固的是夫妻恩愛苦也甜、相看兩不厭的思想。對於我的遊戲人間， 他無所適從。可是他真的喜歡我，於是他提出要娶我。結婚對我而言似乎遙不可及，我沒有把自己交給任何男人的計劃。可是，羅大佑真心實意想要娶我，他的確是 想與我廝守，好好照顧我的。不知道是因為心軟，還是覺得與羅大佑的婚姻堪稱更閃爍的招牌，我答應了他的求婚。


◆轟轟烈烈的婚禮
羅 大佑不是個張揚的人，可是我喜歡鋪張奢華的感覺，於是，他給我訂制了法國最新款的婚紗，連裙腳都綴滿了璀璨的鑽石，婚禮就像一個女王的加冕儀式，我還戴上 了鑽石王冠。我就是要讓所有的男人失落，讓所有的女人嫉妒。都說新娘應該矜持，可我的一言一行都囂張，我肆無忌憚地笑，和熟識的來賓開著玩笑，舉著一杯香 檳風一樣地穿來踱去 show 著自己的滿身寶石。可憐的新郎一直在到處找我。婚禮還沒開始，他已經大汗淋漓了。最後總算禮畢，可在來賓散去以後，我倆在洞房花燭的甜蜜纏綿前，先開始了婚後的第一次
' 談判 ' ：他希望我退出娛樂圈，安心在家早日為人母，然後相夫教子，做個新時代的傳統女性；我嗤之以鼻，反問他一年掙的錢是不是比我多，告訴他我一不會放棄事業 , 二不會那麼早當媽媽。談到最後僵住了，他很艱難地從嘴巴裏擠出一句話： '
你到底是不是個女人？ '

我跳起來大罵他混蛋，摔碎了洞房裏鎮風水的鏡子，在淩晨 3 點穿著一身婚紗衝出門找
了家陌生的小酒吧開始放縱。第二天早上，當羅大佑找到醉醺醺的我時，他都快哭了，像哄孩子一樣把我哄回家後，他再也不敢跟我有任何衝突。

不過，只要出席任何大型典禮，我會很淑女地穿上禮服，賢淑地挽著他的手准點出現，讓所有人都知道我們多麼恩愛、多麼有默契－羅大佑是我老公，我有面子！

典禮終了，興之所至，我會轉眼消失，穿著晚禮服出現在地下音樂吧，留他一人心急如焚地到處尋找。有時，我會心軟，於是在家乖乖做幾天乖老婆。一開始，他異想天開以為我懂事了、轉性了，眉開眼笑地在家陪我，可是乖不了幾天，我就會故伎重施地打回原型 …… 。


◆當未婚媽媽，生最炫兒子
新婚夫妻，多半還能寬容相處，可隨著婚姻的年輪跨過一輪又一輪，耐心便慢慢失去。對於我的個性，羅大佑越來越反感，也開始越來越頻繁地訓斥我。到第三年的時候，當他得知我要去加入天體協會的時候，終於怒不可遏地第一次動用了暴力。

夫 妻之間，一旦暴力開了頭，必然會愈演愈烈。每次戰爭過後，羅大佑都會很後悔，很誠懇地向我道歉，我也會自我檢討，兩人共同維繫短暫的安寧。終於，我們打累 了，心也累了，最後決定離婚。對他而言，看不住老婆固然丟人，可隔三岔五被老婆打更丟人。然而離婚給羅大佑帶來了極大的打擊，為了逃避世人的流言，他隨後 便離開了樂壇，做回了醫生的本行。

在離開樂壇前，他寫了最後一首歌 ' 是否 '

多少次的寂寞掙扎在心頭，只為換回我將遠去的腳步，


多少次我忍住胸口的淚水，只是為了告訴我自己我不在乎 ……
看 著這個年過四旬的男人遠去的背影，我的心裏有一點痛，畢竟，這是第一個愛我到願意娶我，與我分擔憂愁痛苦的男人。音樂是他的生命，可是為了這段失敗的婚姻 他竟然不惜退出樂壇，可見他的心真的是被我傷透了。在朋友們的勸說下，他終於重新操起了吉他。不過，他無論如何也不想再呆在臺灣樂壇，而是去了香港。

婚姻的失敗沒給我帶來絲毫悔意，我的性格如故，依然迷醉于萬人景仰，照樣高高在上。只是， 30 歲那年，心態忽然有了微妙的變化－我不再滿足于那種飛車勁舞的日子，我忽然很想有個孩子，但是，我沒法定配偶了，誰來幫我這個忙？

在 香港，我認識了王靖雄。他是一個溫文爾雅的紳士。他有四輛不同年代不同款式的哈雷機車，我偶爾發瘋的時候，他會跨上另一輛哈雷，和我一起從街頭呼嘯而過。 只是，他是個有婦之夫。那又如何？我從未懷疑過自己的魅力－沒有哪個女人比我更優秀，我看上的就一定要得到。況且，能把男人從婚姻裏挖出來才更見魅力。於 是，我旁若無人地開始了與王靖雄的交往。

35 歲以後，我想當媽媽的念頭越來越固執，我等不及了。
於是，我未婚先孕。

1990 年 8 月 16 日，我生下兒子王令塵，我給他取了個英文名叫 OSCAR （奧斯卡）。

從第一次抱他到懷裏，我就為他計劃出了未來的道路－我要他成為最好的童星，讓所有人知道我張艾嘉所擁有的東西全部都是最好的，不管是婚姻還是後代。

第二天，王靖雄離婚後正式與我結婚，我的育嬰計劃越發清晰：我要從此開始培養兒子，讓他成為 ' 張艾嘉 ' 這個金字招牌上最耀眼的那點金漆。都說 ' 三代出貴族 '
，為了培養出兒子的貴族氣質，多從最細微處開始，衣食住行時時處處刻意培養，他稍有不對就馬上糾正。老公說我不像是在養兒子，像是在組裝電腦，把所有最先進最頂級的軟體全部塞進去，卻不知硬碟本身能否容納。

現在看來，兒子當初真的很可憐，不能和別的小朋友一樣在地上摸爬滾打，因為那是沒有教養的表現，從學會走路開始就得像個紳士，從小就開始穿禮服，學習吃西餐，要記得站在汽車前等待司機拉門，再高興也不許哈哈大笑，只能微笑地表示自己很開心。

為了能讓兒子入讀名校，我還效仿 ' 孟母三遷 '
搬往嘉多利山居。等到兒子 4 歲多的時候，小紳士的雛形已經顯山露水了：一口地道的英式英語無可挑剔；不管是鋼琴還是小提琴，總能很漂亮地來上一段；和我一起去西餐廳，儘管還不能幫我拉椅子，卻一定會等到我落座以後再坐下；在學校裏整天都保持乾淨與禮貌，是所有老師公認的 ' 小天使 ' ；所有的同學都用仰視的目光看著他 …… 雖然我看得出來兒子並不快樂，可我認定這個選擇沒錯。

隨後，我把兒子推到了大眾面前：兒子 5 歲 那年，我應邀前往泰國北部採訪難民村，我帶兒子隨行，拍攝過程中，我把部分臺詞讓兒子背熟，然後將他推到了攝影機前。電視臺播放後，香港頓時轟動，所有人 都驚為天才。在香港成功後，我隨即帶著兒子殺回臺灣，帶他參與了一個國際品牌的童裝展示會，並讓他上臺走童裝秀。各大媒體紛紛對此大肆報道，兒子在一夜之 間又紅透臺灣。以後的日子裏，我利用自己的知名度不遺餘力地打造著兒子，而他的表現也處處可圈可點，很快成了第一童星。


◆上帝把兒子還給我，我把自由還給兒子
可是，我忘記了一件事情－香港並非太平盛世，經濟不景氣的時候，最先被別人盯上的就是曝光率高的明星。很不幸，兒子被人盯上了。兒子在九龍城喇沙利道喇沙小學讀四年級，學校離家有一段頗長的路程。平日上下學都有傭人接送，可是， 2000 年 7 月 5 日，傭人沒有接到兒子，幾個小時後，接到了最不願接到的電話 …… 兒子被綁架了，綁匪開價 2000 萬元港幣。

綁匪在電話裏的聲音陰森而恐怖： ' 你兒子現在是童星，你是大導演，他絕對值這個價錢，你也拿得出這筆錢。給你 3 天時間，交錢的地點我會再通知你。別玩花樣，不然，就等著給你兒子收屍吧！ '

我頓時癱軟了，我做夢也沒料到，自己的苦心打造竟會給兒子帶來殺身之禍！為了籌集贖金，我緊急賣了樓，取空了所有的銀行存款，可是，才不過 800 萬元而已。與綁匪在電話裏討價還價之後，終於敲定以 800 萬元成交。儘管綁匪一再威脅不許報警，在再三斟酌後，我們還是通知了東九龍重案組。

在警方的授意下，我們以籌措贖金為由向綁匪拖延時間，警方很快通過電話監聽跟蹤查出了綁匪的藏身之處，火速行動將 3 名綁匪一舉擒獲。

當我打開兒子藏身箱子的時候，倒吸一口涼氣－綁匪已經在箱子裏準備好了香燭冥紙，很明顯，他們已經做好了收到錢就撕票的打算。抱著失而復得的兒子，我連哭的力氣都沒有了。

此 次遭受綁架對兒子造成極大的刺激，他開始神經質地自問：再也不願意與我一起出席任何公共場合，一回家就鑽進自己的房間鎖上門，就連叫他吃飯也不出來，把飯 送到門口也不開門，只允許傭人把飯放在門口，等傭人離開了才偷偷開門自己把飯拿進去。看著以往舉重若輕的兒子如今像一隻惴惴不安的小鼠般草木皆兵，我的心 疼了又疼。當初，我的婚姻招牌沒留住羅大佑；如今，我的再婚招牌還會失去曾經活潑靈動的兒子，諮詢了無數心理專家，得到的建議只有一個－時間療法。

我咽下眼淚，告訴自己：

有 什麼大不了呢？老天已經對我很寬厚了，把活生生的兒子還給了我。我開始學著用母愛的本能去和他共處，一切的一切都是為了讓他高興，由著他去做他想做的事 情：他擯棄牛排去啃漢堡包；請同學回家來鬧得翻天覆地；和那些以前我嗤之以鼻的不富貴沒氣質的同學打成一團；他開始穿便宜的 T
恤和牛仔褲；不再把頭髮三七分得細緻、梳得一絲不苟；不在我的監督下練樂器、苦著臉去聽交響樂 …… 假日的時候，我帶他出去旅遊，不再帶他去這個博物館那個藝術宮。

我 放任他自己挑選目的地和所有的旅遊專案。有一次遊狄斯奈樂園，他拖我陪他坐在過山車的第一排，隨著過山車的翻滾倒轉，我們情不自禁一起尖叫，兒子緊緊抓著 我的手，抓得很緊很緊，仿佛將他所有的力量和希望都寄託在這一握上。下了過山車，手依然沒有鬆開，我彎下腰將兒子一把摟進懷裏，他攬住我的脖子，臉蛋貼在 我的脖子上，呼吸一絲一絲地縈繞著我的耳畔。好久沒有這樣抱過兒子了。

還有一次在埃及，我們騎著一頭駱駝，在金字塔前面端詳獅身人面像，兒子坐在前面，靠在我懷裏，駱駝脖子上的鬃毛蹭得他的小腿發癢，我讓他將腿盤起來，半躺在我的懷裏，左手幫他撫摸著蹭紅的小腿，右手
輕輕摸著他的頭髮。兒子忽然動了動，將腦袋往我的胸前擠了擠，夢囈般道： ' 媽媽，謝謝！ '

我讓他成為全校最優秀的學生，他沒有謝謝我；

我讓他成為當紅第一童星，他沒有謝謝我 ...

我傾家蕩產去交贖金，他也沒有謝謝我。可就在落日大漠裏，靠在我懷裏的時候，他那麼由衷地感謝我。一句謝謝，頓時讓我覺得所有的榮耀都無法與之相提並論。

我發覺這樣的生活才是兒子真正覺得幸福和滿足的日子。 三年的恢復，兒子終於痊癒了。隨著兒子的改變，我身上也在發生著本質的變化，我不再張揚，學會了理解和同情，變得成熟和內斂，難怪外界都評論我是一個因為痛苦而長大的媽媽。

Hubby is back to work today. I'll be alone for the whole week.
It's so cold that I laze in bed till noon almost daily,what a disgrace! ^_^
Thank god I do not have a typical chinese mother-in-law.
Missing the Dim-Sum @ Crown Terrace called Saigon owned by a Malaysian Chinese lady and her Vietnamese husband. They offer various Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Tried the dim-sum with hubby the other day,quite good and value for money. Can't wait to go back again.

Happy New Year!

Finally,2010 is here!
Hope that this will be a better year for everyone.
Praying hard that the new year will bring me a change of luck in the never-ending search for a job.
For dinner last night,we had fish and chips prepared by MIL.
After that,we went to Stonehaven to watch the Fire Balls as well as to meet up with Ariel and David.hubby parked his car more than a mile from the Square as he was afraid that there might be a jam later. We noticed that people were letting off fire crackers and sky lanterns and I told hubby that i was looking forward to getting home to play with the firecrackers and he said that he did not get some because his sister did not want to play!Hey,get this,your wife,me has been looking forward to playing with them and just because your sister doesn't want to play,you did not get them so where do I,the wife,stands?
So much for saying that you love me.This is so maddening.
Anyway,although there's no white Xmas but I did get a White New Year, just after the fire balls started, the snowflakes started falling and stopped just before the firecrackers went off.
David and Ariel make a good couple, he is so attentive and caring while she is so gentle. When I looked at them, I was like, so envious and happy for them. It is not easy to find your other half, your soulmate who is on the same wavelength, shares the same interests, taking good care of you physically,emotionally and mentally and is always trying to bring joy to your life.