Bad kharma

It started out like any ordinary weekend with us waking up a little later than work days.

Saturday is a busy time for me as I play driver chauffeuring Master Prince from one activity to another. Believe me all the running around and waiting adds up!!

Tried squeezing in an hour to clean up some of the dust at the new place. Was horror struck to discover that I had accidentally locked my car keys in the boot of the car together with my handbag. Fortunately my mobile was in my pocket but it was annoying as I had to track back to the current house to find the keys to the bank to get out the car spare keys from the bank. Don’t ask me why we keep the car spare keys in the bank – think it was DH’s idea. Anyway, word of advise – KEEP SPARE KEYS SOMEWHERE EASILY ACCESSIBLE not in the bank!!! With fingers crossed hoping that the banks were opened half day as some only open on alternate Saturday. As timing would have it, this had to happened on the Saturday that they were closed. *bummer*

Tried calling DH but no luck – his battery was flat and had switched it off to conserve battery to make emergency calls. Even though he was outstation and probably couldn’t help, was hoping for some consolation.

No choice, decided to call D-A-D who rang his mechanic friend but his friend couldn’t assist immediately as his co-workers hadn’t arrive at the shop yet.

Contemplated for a while outside the bank before finally deciding to walk to my parent’s place and wait for the mechanic to call. By the time I reach there, I was very thirsty and dreaded the lectures ahead of me!!

As I gathered my breadth back, I suddenly recalled the broken automatic car switch at home which I had stopped using a while back as the cap had cracked. Quickly, I tracked back to my house to get it with fingers crossed that it still works. Got it and then tracked on further back to the new place. Yes I had a ‘super dose’ morning walk exercise that morning (btw the soles of my feet were aching by the end of the day). Held my breadth as I tested the button. Didn’t work 100 meters away, walked closer hoping for some sign keeping pressing harder– phew, the signal worked!!! Good timing too since I had to rush off to pick up MP for his next activity!!

Later that afternoon, DH and I went to inspect the new place. Haiyoh guess what? I bungled the new grills and we couldn’t open the door!!! The new door uses a special key which looks like a screw and opens anti clockwise (most doors opens clockwise). Apparently, I didn’t turn the lock back properly before dislodging the key causing the whole lock to jam up!!! After a few calls to the door installer, the lock smith was called in about 7pm (it was getting dark and my new place had no electricity).

After an hour feeding mosquitoes, sweating and fumbling in the dark with the mobile camera light as the only source of light, we had no choice but to break the grills. The efforts damaged our 1-day old new grills! Needless to say DH was damn pissed off with me but cooled down (a little) when he realize how finicky the new door key was. For simplicity I think we should opt for a normal key lock but DH still insist on it even though I told him it is probably another time bomb before this happens again after all this could happen again to anyone unfamiliar with the locking and unlocking requirements of the new lock!!

Ok the damage on the door isn’t really that bad but still hurts since it is still NEW mah but the permanent dent will remind us of this incident each time we open the door.

Dropped DH home first as I had to grab something from my parents place. By the time I came home only to discover that MP had polished off my dinner!!! He usually prefers the pan crusted pizza which I ordered for him but don't know why that night he decided to have the thin crust instead leaving me the reminants of the fat breaded pizza (DH had earlier wanted to go out so I had only ordered for the both of us for a pizza and movie night but with the late incident he had no mood to go anywhere)!!! :( Famished, I was too bushed to bother with anything else.

SIGH…let's just say that I couldn’t wait to get to bed to leave the rest of the day behind me.

Its Sunday now and though it poured heavily in the afternoon, thankfully no similar repeats of yesterday’s incidents!!!

Lui Cha or Ham Cha

With the holidays school and public, been busy. Also CIMB Perfect Livin was around end of last month so even busier trying to find a bargain or two. With Hari Raya promotions, even more reasons to shop around. Hm, to be honest, am getting a little restless at night thinking of the $$$ we've been racking up. NOT looking forward to the month end bill :( The plan of just buying 'essentials' is never ending!!

Anyway, DH and I enjoy lui cha once a week and we usually buy it from a coffee shop at Chow Yang. With the number of vegetables for this dish, I find it too tedious to prepare it. Besides this one taste pretty good and without the hassel. They also sell a 'spicy' version but I haven't tried it before.

All you have to do is to mix the 'green tea paste' with some hot water and mix it in with the rice. Alternatively you can eat them separately. I do a combination of both, mixing some soup with the rice and also have additional soup in a separate bowl.

I still vividly remember my first introduction to this dish.

We were invited to a family friend's house for dinner and was presented with a big noodle bowl and told to scoop a spoonful of all the vegetable dishes on the table and believe me, my parent's friend really filled the table with a vast array of dishes. By the time I tossed in the last condiment being the peanuts, I was very concern by the large amount of green vegetables in my bowl. Not only that I was told to pour in some green soup and give it a quick mix before eating.

It started ok until my parent's family insisted that we refill with more vegetables after a few mouthfuls (customary wor???). I did it once out of courtesy but since the food in my bowl wasn't moving, I tactfully avoided any further refills which was a good thing since I barely finished it and also was nursing my tired and aching jaw with all the chewing.

Needless to say, it was an eventful first experience.

Taste wise it is rather unique, a little green (but heaps much better than wheat grass) and perhaps need some getting used to but honestly I really enjoy it and find it tasty.

Updated: The name of the corner coffee shop.

For more reads about this Hakka dish read here, here or here.