Missing my sunshine

Just came back from Amsterdam with Super Hubby after spending some short but so so so so sweet quality time with Super Daddy.

Three of us went - Super PaoPei, Super Hubs and me trundled into the car early yesterday morning and had an eventful 4 hour drive (which turned into 5 hours due to our silliness). But only two of us came back today. The other one is happily on her way home with Super Daddy to Super Mummy. *jealous*

And now my house is devoid of my cuddly sunshine!!!

*thinking positive happy thoughts about how much fun we had and how soon I will see her again* 
*do not, I repeat, do not dwell on sad, missing thoughts*

Back to Amsterdam. We also hung out with Uncle John, and managed to sneak in some very quick sights of the infamous aquariums and coffeeshops 'cos it was Super Hubby's first visit to Amsterdam. Paopei was not amused at all, and had her eyes downcast the entire time. *good girl*.

One of the highlights, other than being able to hang out with Super Daddy, was also our meal in his fave Amsterdam Chinese Restaurant. The problem with living in Luxembourg is that there is NO good chinese restaurant. Every single one is almost like a version of bad America take-out Chinese but at 1 million times the price. Think 20 euros for a stupid plate of fried noodles and 26 euros for a piece of refriedduck thigh. So, I've given up eating out at Chinese restaurants, and have resorted to trawling the internet for easy Chines recipes when I get my cravings.

So, yeah. Having Chinese in Amsterdam was a real treat. I chose ALLLL the things I didn't know how to make myself - all the roasted stuff, wok-hei fried noodles and braised ngau-nam (beef tendons). Yum, yum and more yums. 

Such a good time.

We must-must-must do this again soon. Even better if it's with the whole gang. XOXO

Back very soon

See, I've been so happily spending sisterly time with Paopei that I didn't feel the need to 'talk' here lately.

She's going back in two days though. So looks like I'll be pounding away furiously at my keyboard again very, very, very soon.

Am going to miss my noisy cheerful cuddly-wug!

Appreciation Party #3 - Winter Wonderland

This week saw the most unexpected and scariest snowstorms, wreaking havoc in many countries all over Europe.

I won't talk about that. It's already all over the news. I will however talk about the fact that while it was inconvenient and cold and all that jazz, I am so appreciative that I had a present from home. And this present made this snowstorm so so so special.

You see, this present of mine has never seen snow before in her life. So while the rest of the world was screaming blue murder about how much problems the snow was causing, my present was jumping up and down, squealing about how lucky she was that there was so much snow, and how pretty everything was.

As every snowflake fell, her eyes would gleam and she'd stick her face to the windows, anticipating the snowfights we would have and the snowmen we would make.

She was so happy that I couldn't help dancing with delight too. I saw everything she saw and didn't even realize how 'bad' the snowstorm was until I saw the TV reports and heard the complaints of people.

Thank you paopei. Luxembourg in snow is so beautiful, especially with you.

I just hope more snow will come. Cos the ones that came are melting away. And I still haven't made good on my promise to make snowmen and have snowfights  yet.

Appreciation Party #2 - Sunday Eats

In an attempt to get me out of the dumps cos I was so envious of the little party my loved ones were having in KL without me, Super Hubs knew the only way to make me happy was through my stomach.

As you all know by now, in my opinion he is the best chef in the world, but even with his talents, he can't reproduce the dishes that could satiate my desire and yearning for greasy, oily, fiery, yummy Malaysian hawker food.

So he did the next best thing. And I got oysterssss for dinner.

 24 gorgeous little beauties.

My shucker with my dinner. 

Nah!
Who cares about curry mee and hokkien mee now?!

 

 And here begins the guide to eating oysters MY way. 

Step 1: Take a succulent piece of heaven and put on your plate. 

Step 2: Squeeze some lemon juice on said piece of heaven and also top it with some lovingly made shallot and vinaigrette sauce.

Step 3: Pour heavenly mixture on a piece of bread and butter. 

 Step 4: Get ready to have a taste of heaven.

Loving from afar

Super Mi, Super Daddy, Super Pouts, Super Megs and the Super M's are meeting up in KL tmrw.

Wish I was there.

A. Party #1

 I celebrate my first Appreciation Party by being appreciative for my cleaning husband :)

Words!

Yesterday, I stumbled across this video on youtube.



If you're too lazy to check it out, here's the gist:

Gratitude means:
1. The state of being grateful; thankfulness.

Appreciation means: 

1. Recognition of the quality, value, significance, or magnitude of people and things.

2. An expression of gratitude.

3. Awareness or delicate perception, especially of aesthetic qualities or values.

4. A rise in value or price, especially over time.

I'm changing my Gratitude Parties to Appreciation Parties :)

 Pic from: HERE

I feel sick

This is the bill of our internet usage this month.

250 freaking euros. For the month of October.
When we signed up with them 4 months ago, we had asked for an unlimited package (which only costs 60 euro per month), but only just realised that they gave us the basic package and we've been paying and will continue to need to pay for every single MB used.
They won't change our package until our year is up.
I blame hubby for being too busy to call and check on our bills for the past few months (despite my incessant nagging) because I had already felt was too high at 175 euros.
I double blame myself for not speaking French and not being vigilant about the contract and initial agreement and triple checking our monthly bills.

I wish I could scream at them properly. Oh! If I could "telecomms speak" with them, they'd see the wrath of a former telco woman scorned.
I hate P&T Luxembourg. Bloody Bloodsuckers.

I am though screaming at myself internally now.

I need to go on an internet fast.

I need more money.

And today, I hate living in Luxembourg.

The First Snowfall

Today, I woke up to:

G. Party #8

Today I am grateful for sights like this:

Your optimistic eyes seem like paradise, to someone like me - Depeche Mode

Roasted Garlic Chicken and Pumpkin

It's so easy to cook for a my chef. Our friends always get nervous when they invite us for dinner cos they are scared that he'd be hard to cook for.

Little do they know that while his dishes in the restaurant are 'fine' and all, when he gets off work and actually eats, as long as there's at least a bulb of garlic (and mind you, European garlic is 10 times more 'power' than Asian garlic), lots of olive oil and butter, he's a very happy man.

Which makes him think I'm an awesome cook cos whenever I decide to make something for him, those are the three main ingredients I rely on.

Anyway. Back to the point of my post. I made lunch today. And am naming my dish Garlic Chicken cos garlic is the main ingredient in this dish. Much more important than even the chicken.

Ingredients:

-2 bulbs garlic

1 bulb unpeeled and sliced in half to be roasted with chicken. 

The other bulb peeled and chopped.

-1 chicken (this time I remembered to pluck the feathers)

Rub salt and chopped garlic on chicken. 

Also insert garlic slices inside chicken skin and in the thighs and wings. 

-1 Pumpkin

Peeled and sliced into pieces.

Toss raw pieces in a bowl with garlic, olive oil and salt.

-Some butter

This is to be placed on chicken breasts so they remain tender while roasting. 

Lends the breast some juices.

  

Then you heat the oven to 220°.
Then you place chicken and pumpkin together.
Then you sprinkle some salt and drizzle some olive oil on it before popping into the oven.

45 minutes later,

Voila!

It was very delicious, my chef said.

Paopei, make for you when you come, k?

G. Party #7

Today I am grateful for the hands that keep me safe and warm.

 

Thank you.

G. Party #6 - Yum yum tom yum

Today I am grateful for my mostest favouritest instant noodles in the world.

Slurpy sour and spice and all things nice.

Thank you sooooo much for being available in Luxembourg.

G. Party #5

Today, I am grateful for a husband who can handle piggies.

Thank you for letting me have gruesome pictures to put up on this blog.

G. Party #4 - Here comes the sun

Today I am grateful for my pretty walk to school.

 

Thank you so much for the sun.

G. Party #3

Today, I am grateful for happy Sunday cookouts.

 

Thank you wild duck. You were very very very very yummy. 

G. Party #2

Today, I'm grateful for far away smiles.

So many years, so many miles, we still love and laugh.

Super Megs.

Super Paopei.

Thank you so so so much Skype. 

G. Party #1

So, lately I've been throwing myself countless pity parties.

I had plenty of reasons excuses to. Bad weather la, bored la, lazy la, fat la, not enough money la, tired la, neglected la, feel ugly la, hungry la, ate too much la, too busy la, nothing to do la, everybody's busybody la, nobody cares la... You know, the usual. 

So today, I pledge to begin a new chapter called gratitude parties.

And for this inaugral party, I celebrate with a gift I just received.

Thank you for these beautiful roses from Mdm M. 

Thank you for the reminder that I have good friends and that there's always something bright, beautiful and happy even in the grey winter.

Heather's (kiasu) guide to Le Louvre

Get there EARLY in the morning so you can line up at the very front and beat the crowds. Our time, 8.15am. Louvre opens at 9am. There were more kiasus ahead of us. Kiasu fail.

Tips to beating the waiting boredom: 

Stand very still, very quiet, and eavesdrop on other tourists conversations.
*Super loud Americans are the best entertainment. :)

Once you get in, run like mad in line with the map's guidance to desired world's most famous painting. Ignore the others who are slowly perusing the very beautiful exhibits near the entrance. 

(*In Heather's opinion, near the entrance = not so important works of not so important artists).

When there is no one around you because you have walked so quickly ahead of the pack, you are allowed to stop for a photo. 

Or two, cos the empty hallways make you look like you're on a private tour.

 With your diligence, you should have arrived to the world famous painting in record breaking 8.2 minutes or less. Once there, proceed to take pictures of you and your group immediately, because the others are starting to arrive and form crowds of disturbances. You are encouraged to force ask your sister to pose like the subject because you're cute and original like that. 

After that, it's up to you. Do whatever. Here's what we did.

Jakun cos the paintings were so big.

Force Mummy to take pictures with inanimate objects.

Mummy in turn forcing us to take pictures with inanimate objects.

 I is Sphinxy. Kesh refused to comply with pose.

Sit and stare in awe.

You see where I get my vanity from?