Infallable gastronomy

(Man swimming against the current on a near 0 degree water! Bethells Beach, Akl)

How do you welcome a bitter winter?!  I say; tucked warmly in bed, with a good book to read and a few cups of hot chocolcate drinks by the side.  Ah..  it almost sounded like haven, and sometime I wish winter is all year long.  Well, okay there are certain times that I don't wish to get wet and blown away by Akld's crazy wind like when I'm walking up and down to school, or when I'm on my way to my weekly grocery shopping or when I'm actually doing healthy walks by the park and beach with my awesome camera at hands.

It's going to get tough here in Akl in the months to come.  Already it seems that this year's winter has released all the power be by bringing 3 consecutive days raining in the city, and I'm missing the Sun terribly!  I probably can survive the chilly wind and temperature going down to 0 degree some other time, but certainly not without the Sun.  And in the middle of it all, there was water shortage (SHOCKED!) in certain part of this big city due to the pipes being blown off by the heavy flow of insurging water.

(No to Carbon footprint!  Bethells beach, AKL)

So, back to my winter hibernation program:  last weekends were spent reading books and getting hooked with a series of classical music listening.  To be specific, I finished a book by Vikram Seth "An Equal Music" and at the same time integrate me back to my favorite all time: Cello Orchestra.  I had so much fun with the book that I've to finish reading it or otherwise I'm not able think of something else.  Well, so there..I finished it within half a day (the few hours lapses were due to me attending some other marginal works like preparing lunch and stuff..).  My recommendation of the book?  It's a very good read, a must for music lovers, and yes, a mandatory for those who enjoy every juicy bits of Seth's composition.  It's such a beautiful book, and I'm not going to spoil you with what's in store.  You'll have to find that one out once you read it.  (I've similarly read Seth's "A Suitable Boy" and enjoyed it as much as the latter distinct themes)

(Hiking up this hill on a sunny day.  Bethells beach, AKL)

I will have to escape some weeks of this tortuous winter to a more equatorial sunny days from the beginning of next month.  I welcome changes, especially the nice ones and I'm certainly looking forward for this trip home for my brother's and my beloved friend's weddings.  Yes, many weddings to attend and I already planned what I'm going to eat every hour of the days of my holiday.  Thus the title of this entry...

(Welcoming sunny afternoon with flying kite by the shore.  Bethells beach, AKL)

Until then, these are some pre-winter shots around Akl's beaches that I've got from spectacular walks that I've done.  Winter walking on a wonderland, people!

(Sunset on Bethells beach, AKL)

Comment:  Wedding pictures will have to wait until I finish shedding off fat I'll earn from overeating during this holiday.  Until then, happy holiday to me! 

Happy Mother's day...

Here are a list of things of which I remember vividly about my MUM

1) Shopping: Nothing is better than shopping with your mum. From kitchen groceries to filling up my wardrobe to school stationaries, she's the one person I turned to when there's shortage (or not) of supplies in these departments. Mum always let me choose what I like and pay for them (but first she'll bargain from bottom to top of the items with the poor businessmen/women). Well, that's a pleasure of shopping with mum!

2) Cooking: My first cooking lesson resulted with burnt dishes were successfully transformed to something that looks brown-ish but edible! Thanks to my mum, it wasn't a nightmare anymore to gear up and chef all the way in the kitchen all by myself then. My failure in cooking was reduced to 3% by the time I turned 10 years old (note: I don't cook instant noodle for a family of 5!).

3) Heart to heart talk: When I had my first crush, I told everyone but my mum about it for fear of her disapproval of my puppy love. It went on as a secret for almost 2 years before I finally spilled the beans and have the courage to face the music for the girlish infatuation (instead of fully concentrating on my studies!) to my mum. To my surprise, but a delighted one, she went to talk to my then-boyfriend (now a husband-to-be) parents and started arranging stuff so that the families can get serious about it. I wished I didn't waste that 2 years worth of stealthy glimpses and chats when our family catch up every now and then.

4) Straight A's: Everybody is nervous about exam results and academic achievements back then. I'm nervous when it comes to checking my results despite the fact that I'm almost certain I got the questions answered well in the exam. But nobody in the family can fathom why my mum is marching back and forth in across the floor waiting for me to return with my exam slip. And when she saw that nothing worse than As popped out of the thin paper I'm holding, her jubilant and exaltation first go to the Lord up above, then hugging me with teary eyes mumbling "my girl passed her exam!". Hmm.. I don't think she knew the difference between getting a "Pass" or an "A", but that didn't matter to me at all.

5) Green hand: When I was a little girl (not so long ago), I always hate it when she called me up and bid me to trail her to her vegetables farm. Really!! Early in the morning and also when the Sun is shining its brightest in the late afternoon aren't the time I fancy working outdoor! The reason being I was made the 'peasant' is because my younger sister (and ultimately most of my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews) couldn't plant a thing!! Mum always believed that giving lives and taking care of them are innate skill. From rearing chicks, ducks to planting veges seeds, I've always been given the honor to do it. Oh but, when it comes to the profits made out of my 'hard work' I've got a third of the total amount mum made at the market and I get a 10 cent ice-cream if I helped her looking over the stall during the sale! Maybe that's why I crave for gardening and rearing animals these couple of years. Living in the city doesn't give you the luxury of one!

There are, of course, many other things that I cannot possibly write down in this entry about my mum. She's a gifted woman, sturdy but flexible, loving and graceful person. She's perfect inside-out that I cannot adore any other women on earth in my whole lifetime. I love you, Mum!