Kingfisher and the day...

It is the end of February 2007. Another beautiful day. The morning had been cool since it rain last night. The weather had been a sorts of rain and sunshine, an unpredictable weather which comes often at this time of the year. The morning were usually bright but come evening it might rain. What is good about this weather is that it keep the evening cool. Living in the equator where the weather is always hot and humid, a cool morning and evening is always a welcome time. To sit at the patio and enjoy a afternoon tea. Yesterday my spouse says that she saw a Kingfisher perched on the wall beside our fish pond. I supposed it was attracted to the fish in the pond and was hopping for a dinner of a sort. After a while it fly away without making any catch. Anyway it was nice to see this bird around, a colorful bird indeed, blue in color which is seldom seen. It is on a rare occasion like yesterday that a kingfisher is seen. At one time, sometimes ago I saw one perched on the fence at the back of our house. It was indeed great to see such bird around the vicinity. The Kingfisher. I hope the next time it is around I would get it digitised in my camera. Well it is not going to be easy and I would surely try. Have a nice day.

Of Mee Rebus and blogger...

Another beautiful Sunday morning. I thought that I would just blog the recent happening in the Malaysian Blogging scene. That of a socio-cultural and polical kind.

Well, it look like those bloggers are having a great time enjoying their Mee Rebus before proceeding to the Denmark House for the court case. Indeed as the saying ' belum apa apa, isi perut dulu' [feel the stomach first before anything else]. And out they goes in drove to the hearing of Rocky's. Indeed it must be a great scene at the court where you see so many big guns of the Malaysian Blogger world congregate for a common cause. These bloggers are from the generation of my children, the Merdeka generation. A generation who have more knowledge then their forefather. A generation that grew up in an independent Malaysia. Educated, articulate and knows the rules of the games well. These are the generation that have/would and in the process of inheriting the leadership role in various fields in this beloved country call Malaysia.

As a grandparent who have live throughout the years of the colonial era and then follow the developments of the country and saw the country raised from a poor country to be one of the most develop and prosperous country in this part of the world, I am indeed glad that these generation are a concerned lots and have the love of the country in their heart first before anything else. This happening to the bloggers, like what I wrote to Jeff is just a process of the law in a civil society. It is but a hic'cup that happened from time to time, for that is life. I supposed it must be a great Mee Rebus. Have a nice day.

Of microwave oven and fine living..

I shall talk about microwave oven today. I believe it is the right time to just venture on this subject. In my last posting I did mentioned the use of microwave oven to do a half boiled eggs and did not give the detail of how it is done. A lady obviously concerned with safety comment on my blog, which makes me realised that when blogging we have to try to be correct in providing information to those wonderful readers who visit the blog. I thank the lady for the advice and explain what really happen. Well that is life and I am indeed glad that the lady did give advice. As you can see, the Internet soon became interactive and we communicate for the benefit of everyone. Thanks again Lady.

I have been using the microwaves oven for more then twenty years already. The first microwaves oven that we got is a Sharp Convention Microwaves Oven [image above]. At the time of getting it, it was costly but because we love new gadget, we bought it and so far it lasted until this very day. We bought the microwaves oven when I was working in Kuching, Sarawak in 1986. It is now 2007, that mean the oven had been with us for more then twenty years. And gave perfect service for all its uses, from baking cakes, roasting, boiling potatoes, heating, reheating, steaming fish, vegetable, corn and of course my daily dose of that half boiled eggs that I mentioned in my last posting.

Personally to me the microwaves oven is one of the best invention for doing quick cooking as anything that we cook using this oven takes seconds or less then 15 minutes to get done. Unlike conventional oven it takes hours. For example to get six cobs of corn or maize to be cook, it just take steaming it in just eight minutes and done perfect. It would take hours to get it done if one boil the conventional or the tradition way. You are actually talking seconds and minutes using microwave oven whereas in hours for conventional oven. Steaming fish the size of a normal plate would just take about eight minutes and it is done perfect for you to enjoy. Because we cling wrapped for steaming, all the nutrition are trapped in the container, thus the cooked food taste better then any other ways.

Of course you cannot use it for frying and never try to fry with oil in a microwaves oven or use aluminum foil paper. Foil paper or any metal surface containers would create sparks but when it is in the conventional mode it is alright to use foil paper or metal surface container, but it is still not advisable to fry in a microwave oven. Anyway we now have deep fryer that makes frying simple and it does not messed up the kitchen like ordinary frying pan do.

So for a quick lunch why not just steam the fish using the microwave oven. It is simple to do and it just take eight minutes and voila you have your steamy steamed fish to enjoy with your white rice. And a snack of corn or maize would just take the same time in the microwave oven. Boiling a cup of hot water for your coffee would just takes a minute. Poppadom the Indian thin cake for eating with rice could be cook crisp in the microwave oven. Normally Poppadom are fried in oil. For doing this just placed a few pieces of it on kitchen paper towel and slow cook a minute a time and watch it get cooked. Crisped ready to go.

Well friends that is what fine living with new technology is all about. Have a nice day.

A stranger and a tool..

Another beautiful day, the sun was up and shining bright unlike the last few days since the beginning of the Chinese Lunar Year. The Chinese New Year always brings rain and they say it is good, for water is always good for the survival of our species. Well with a day like this, I just took it easy and did my daily ritual cleaning the front of the house, getting rid of the dead leaves that normally litter under the Kenanga tree. I have to sweep this part of the house every morning to keep it tidy and today like any other days at this part of the morning I did just that. Then went to clean my classic Volvo which is parked outside the house. This car that is parked out in the open is subject to the elements, the rain, the sun and mist that drop when night air cool down. After getting that done and happy that my car is back shinning. I went up the patio where my spouse was reading the morning paper.

Just as I was about to get going with the other parts of the morning ritual, a stranger came by and ask to borrow a tool to replaced his car's wheel. Without much a do, I went to take the key of the Volvo and got the tool that he wanted to borrow and hand it to him. My spouse ask him where is the car that he need to replaced the wheel. He said that it is at his house not far from here. He took the tool and thank me and drove away. My spouse ask me whether I know the person that I had just gave the tool. I told her that I did not know. As usual she is rather caution about such things. I did not say much and I just gave it to him. It is just that. To me the man need help and I thought nothing else, moreover I had the tool that he needed. So been me I just did whatever I could to help, without really thinking much about it. I believe my spouse was rather uneasy about this happening but I just kept quiet and go on doing my ritual.

Since I had not had my breakfast as yet. I decided to makes breakfast and sat to enjoy my breakfast consist of a glass of Ensure, two half boiled eggs that I had boiled using the microwave oven. It just takes forty second to get it perfect and done like the way I like it and a cup of steamy black coffee. I always have the same breakfast every morning and it just takes a few minutes to get it prepared. No one else do my breakfast like I do, since preparing my breakfast my way is by me only. I just want to make my breakfast myself. It has been my habit and I love doing it. So that is the daily breakfast ritual that I did every morning. I then sat down at the kitchen table and enjoy my breakfast.

Then I decided to take a shower. Just as I was about to do just that the front gate bell chime. My spouse ask me to see who is at the gate. I put on a towel and went to look and there again the stranger, this time returning the tool. With a smile thanking me. I had a short chat with him and then all of a sudden I remember that I knew this man and at our first encounter this morning I totally forgot and could not recognised him. Well at this age sometime you just forget. Anyhow it does not matter. I believe I had make this man happy this morning and am happy as well.

After I had dressed up, I look at my laptop and there is an email from the lady from Canada. A beautiful write up of a happening, a reply to my email of yesterday. Ending I believe an episode of the clash of culture of a sorts, making everyone happy.

Well friends life is like that. It just had to happen. Mine had been a really wonderful and a nice day. It really makes me feel good. Making it yet another colorful day as I journey on, enjoing life. Take care.

Happy Chinese New Year

Gong Xi Fa Chai [Happy Chinese New Year] to all Malaysian. May we all continue to prosper in the new year. This evening Malaysian Chinese would be having their family dinner at their home and enjoying themselves among relatives and close friends. The city of Kuala Lumpur would once again be deserted as Malaysian would takes to the roads either to be back at their family homes or to go for a holiday on these long Chinese New Year holiday. Friends Have a nice day.

A brand new Mamak!!

Its the Mamak things again. Yes the last time I blog was about the simple lunch at the famous Mamak Restaurant at Wangsa Maju and the fun of dinning there. And guess what! We were at Ikea and since we arrived early, we decide to go for a sort of a late breakfast first. Together with another couple we decide to get a quick breakfast at the stall on level one of the Ikano shopping complex, an adjacent shopping mall to the Kuala Lumpur Ikea.

Since our first interest that Sunday morning had been to fill our stomach first before venturing into Ikea, we decided to have a go at those eateries on the corridor of the walkway leading to the Ikeno proper. As we walk on looking for something to satisfies our appetites, we spot some packed nasi lemak, the special rice that Malaysian do for breakfast. Well we decided to go for it and order the usual teh tarik, black coffee and plain tea to go with the nasi lemak. Here the nasi lemak has been pre packed in a cone shape brown rapper. And since we are not sure of what's inside these packed nasi lemak, we enquire from the lady who were busy attending to the customers and at the same time taking care of the cash register. This charming young lady were all smile when explaining to us about the nasi lemak. Satisfied, we decide to go for the traditional plain one and makes our order.

And while our drinks were been prepared I chat with the lady and found that this is indeed a Mamak stall. A modern and more sophisticated one. Been interested in the Mamak culture myself I decided to talk to the rest of the man around. They were indeed happy that I am talking about their race, the Mamak, the Moslem Indian that migrated from India during the colonial era of this country. I soon found that their forefather had come from the west coast of India, the Malabar coast. The people of this area are known as the Malabari. From the type of eateries they managed, the way they dress, together with the way they managed this modern Mamak eateries show that these community of Malaysian do evolved and progress to fit into the modern Malaysian business society. The images about would give one some ideas of what I am talking about.

If one are interested to have a go at this modern Mamak stall, on entering Ikea at level one, turn left and walk on and you would surely not miss this eateries which is on your right. Well.. we did enjoy our breakfast there and would surely return when we are next at Ikea. Have a nice day.

Pussy Willow and the CNY..

This plant comes all the way from China and it only appear in the market near the Chinese New Year. So as usual when it is available we bought a bundle. It is sold in a bundle of about ten to twenty brunches, look like a dead pieces of brunches of plant without leave or flower. As usual the buds of the flowers are already there when this plant are displayed for sale. On returning home we put it in a vase fill with water and in the morning put in a few cubes of ice. And then we wait for it to grow leaves and then flowers.

Well we did not have to wait long and in a matter of one weeks, the leaves sprout and soon we see greens all around the brown brunches. Imagine that when we first bought, it is a cut brunches all brown and now it has leaves. And after that the buds start to crack and the flowers start to bloom. It is a miracle of a sorts.

The brunches were cut and shipped to distance land and it continue to be alive and eventually the leaves sprouts and then comes the flowers. We really enjoy having this magnificent plant around and as can be seen above it really makes a lovely decoration at our patio. Well that is live in Malaysia where we get to enjoy a numbers of festival and this time it is the Chinese New Year which would be celebrated here on February 18 and 19, 2007. Enjoy!!! [click on image to enlarge]

Blogger makes waves..

Well! Well!, Malaysian blogger do makes waves. Starting last month when two Malaysian blogger became a news item in the country, these two prominent blogger who blog socio-political articles, soon became star in its own right not only in the Malaysian scene but the world as well, when international media highlight their plight. And last evening it was again top news around the world in Frost Over The World on the Al Jazeera English on Astro channel 20. Well, what start as a local happening is now a world event and been watch by the world media. I hope that this happening would come to an amiable solution for the benefit of all especially the Malaysian blogger. So the "Walk With Us" campaign by the Malaysian blogger do Walk!!. A blessing in disguise!!. Have a nice day.

The blend of traditional craft.

The above image shows a piece of Kelantanese woodcraft that was given to me by a craftsman from Petani, South Thailand. It is the works of the Malay craftsmen from that region of Thailand and Malaysia. The people of Petani and Kelantan have the same culure and most also kinship that goes back for thousand of years. I have just oiled this piece of craft with wood oil and it look real fine after the wood oil had seeped into the wood. Beside it is a Sarawak basket that is made by the Orang Ulu of Sarawak. The Orang Ulu is one of the ethnic group of people who are real good in creating intricate traditional craft. Well this morning I did try to match these craft to create a picture of sort, making it truly a works of arts. Enjoy.

Of January 2007 and Blogger..

January 2007, Yes last month has become a historical month in the history of blogging in Malaysia, for it is during this month that two Malaysian Blogger was sued. The happening made world news and soon more and more Malaysian including the retiree took to blogging. As I had often said this tool that we call blogging is here to stay. The mean of dissemination of information to the masses has change, giving the ordinary people a new media to share their thoughts with everyone who surf cyberspace. It is so easy to blog. Blogger.com for example makes it in just three easy steps to start a blog. So out you go blogging whatever you had on you mind. It is that easy. Have a nice day. and Walk With Us