EmmaGoodEgg

My Weekend

was great  

28th January 2005 Friday Evening

We got us a WEBER KETTLE!  And we have J&J to thank for it

The 1st recipe tried on the Weber?  Fake Beer-Can Chicken!  The husband's recipe goes like this:

Season whole chicken with butter, garlic, rosemary, lemon and salt & pepper.  The ideal thing to do is to put the seasoning under the skin of the chicken (which we did).

Brown the seasoned chicken in a frying pan.

Open fake beer, don't bother taking a swig.

After which, place fake beer can on Weber grill...Put chicken on the fake beer can, standing upright, so that fake beer will steam and evaporate into the chicken when cooking.

Cover the Weber for about an hour...

The gang (minus Zubby & S, who we missed!) was around to test the Weber.  Myuzim was also around this weekend, which made it extra special...

29th January 2005 Saturday

The husband had work today so he got up early, poor baby.  Myuzim and I picked him up at noon for lunch @ Twelv.  After lunch we trawled about the shops and Woodstock and we got us a daybed.

Dropped the husband back to the office after lunch and the daybed, and Myuzim at ISB for basketball (Myuzim's team won againt SAS wooohoooo!).  I went to the Communist Shoppe all by my lonesome and got some DVDs to watch... 

By 6pm my boys got home, as did the daybed.  Its snug and cosy in my verandah and makes me think of Bali .

Our saturday night was mellow.  After a dinner of lamb chops courtesy of the Weber, Myuzim went to bed early, and the husband and I followed shortly after.

30th January 2005 Sunday

My boys and I had a super Popular Brunch.  We stopped by Athirah and got some magazines to mong the afternoon away.  Myuzim had a birthday party to attend and the husband and I swam a bit and monged away...

Super.  Goodnight folks.

WOW

I got this off somewhere...its pretty amazing:

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn`t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit palce. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas thuoght slpelnig was ipmorantt!

See??

xx

And The Nominees For the 77th Academy Awards Are!

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Don Cheadle - HOTEL RWANDA Johnny Depp - FINDING NEVERLAND Leonardo DiCaprio - THE AVIATOR Clint Eastwood - MILLION DOLLAR BABY Jamie Foxx - RAY ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Alan Alda - THE AVIATOR Thomas Haden Church - SIDEWAYS Jamie Foxx - COLLATERAL Morgan Freeman - MILLION DOLLAR BABY Clive Owen - CLOSER ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Annette Bening - BEING JULIA Catalina Sandino Moreno - MARIA FULL OF GRACE Imelda Staunton - VERA DRAKE Hilary Swank - MILLION DOLLAR BABY Kate Winslet - ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Cate Blanchett - THE AVIATOR Laura Linney - KINSEY Virginia Madsen - SIDEWAYS Sophie Okonedo - HOTEL RWANDA Natalie Portman - CLOSER ANIMATED FEATURE FILM THE INCREDIBLES SHARK TALE SHREK 2 ART DIRECTION THE AVIATOR FINDING NEVERLAND LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT CINEMATOGRAPHY THE AVIATOR HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT COSTUME DESIGN THE AVIATOR FINDING NEVERLAND LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS RAY TROY DIRECTING THE AVIATOR MILLION DOLLAR BABY RAY SIDEWAYS VERA DRAKE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE BORN INTO BROTHELS THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL SUPER SIZE ME TUPAC: RESURRECTION TWIST OF FAITH DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT AUTISM IS A WORLD THE CHILDREN OF LENINGRADSKY HARDWOOD MIGHTY TIMES: THE CHILDREN'S MARCH SISTER ROSE'S PASSION FILM EDITING THE AVIATOR COLLATERAL FINDING NEVERLAND MILLION DOLLAR BABY RAY

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM AS IT IS IN HEAVEN THE CHORUS DOWNFALL THE SEA INSIDE YESTERDAY MAKEUP LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST THE SEA INSIDE MUSIC (SCORE) FINDING NEVERLAND HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST THE VILLAGE MUSIC (SONG) "Accidentally In Love" - SHREK 2 "Al Otro Lado Del Río" - THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES "Believe" - THE POLAR EXPRESS "Learn To Be Lonely" - THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA "Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)" - THE CHORUS BEST PICTURE THE AVIATOR FINDING NEVERLAND MILLION DOLLAR BABY RAY SIDEWAYS SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) BIRTHDAY BOY GOPHER BROKE GUARD DOG LORENZO RYAN SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY MUST LITTLE TERRORIST 7:35 IN THE MORNING TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT WASP SOUND EDITING THE INCREDIBLES THE POLAR EXPRESS SPIDER-MAN 2 SOUND MIXING THE AVIATOR THE INCREDIBLES THE POLAR EXPRESS RAY SPIDER-MAN 2 VISUAL EFFECTS HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN I, ROBOT SPIDER-MAN 2 WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY) BEFORE SUNSET FINDING NEVERLAND MILLION DOLLAR BABY THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES SIDEWAYS WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY) THE AVIATOR ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND HOTEL RWANDA THE INCREDIBLES VERA DRAKE

(*thanks to www.oscar.com)

I think I'm gonna gather the troops to have an "Oscar BBQ" come February 27th...

Goodnight folks.

xx

A Long Overdue

update.  After much tweaking of this new blog, I have to start posting because if not, there's not much point is it?

Anyhoot.

I am STILL pms-ing like a complete tyrannical bitch.  I have this theory that me and Babs, we are 'synching' our cycles and so, she is holding me back.  Get on with it woman!

To make this update easier, here are my high (and low) lights:

- We (the husband & I, M & A, Babs & MatBon, Zubby and Ms.DJ) went to listening to Dr. M speak about Islam and Modernity at the Empire Hotel on Monday the 17th January 2005.  The dinner was good.  'nuff sed.  Actually I just want to say this - I am uncomfortable when people use the good to mask the bad.  I heard the good points, Dr. M, but the underlying SCREAMS of intolerance was just too deafening for me .

- We were all flabbergasted at the news of the impending marriage of this guy we know (let's just call him Mr. Why?).  Why Mr. Why why?  I have taken the liberty to put my thoughts on the subject by cut & paste (thanks to this site):

1. Marriage should not be a deterrent to love.

2. Love cannot exist in the individual who cannot be jealous.

3. A double love cannot obligate an individual.

4. Love constantly waxes and wanes.

5. That which is not given freely by the object of one's love loses its savor.

6. It is necessary for a male to reach the age of maturity in order to love.

7. A lover must observe a two-year widowhood after his beloved's death.

8. Only the most urgent circumstances should deprive one of love.

9. Only the insistence of love can motivate one to love.

10. Love cannot coexist with avarice.

11. A lover should not love anyone who would be an embarrassing marriage choice.

12. True love excludes all from its embrace but the beloved.

13. Public revelation of love is deadly to love in most instances.

14. The value of love is commensurate with its difficulty of attainment.

15. The presence of one's beloved causes palpitation of the heart.

16. The sight of one's beloved causes palpitations of the heart.

17. A new love brings an old one to a finish.

18. Good character is the one real requirement for worthiness of love.

19. When love grows faint its demise is usually certain.

20. Apprehension is the constant companion of true love.

21. Love is reinforced by jealousy.

22. Suspicion of the beloved generates jealousy and therefore intensifies love.

23. Eating and sleeping diminish greatly when one is aggravated by love.

24. The lover's every deed is performed with the thought of his beloved in mind.

25. Unless it please his beloved, no act or thought is worthy to the lover.

26. Love is powerless to hold anything from love.

27. There is no such thing as too much of the pleasure of one's beloved.

28. Presumption on the part of the beloved causes suspicion in the lover.

29. Aggravation of excessive passion does not usually afflict the true lover.

30. Thought of the beloved never leaves the true lover.

31. Two men may love one woman or two women one man.

P.S.  Mr. Why, No. 6 is most pertinent to you .

- Friday night BBQ was a blast as usual

- I babysat Nadi on Saturday whilst the YEABers were YEABing.  We played at SugarBun slides and went for a walk (and dance!) at CenterPoint, before having the lunch at Dynasty with J & J, Babs & MatBon and the husband:

- The husband and I watched 'National Treasure' at the movies on Friday night.  It was all just a bit-o-fluff.  A modern Indiana Jones?  Give me the original Indie any day.  Two-Outta-Five.

- We had our usual monging Sunday, altho I monged more cos the husband went riding in the afternoon and I stayed home in all my stroppy glory.  But we did go for a Paper-Thin-Dosai Sunday Brunch at the ever-Popular Restaurant: 

- OH!  Never.  EVER.  Underestimate womens' intuition folks.

Over and out and phew.

Testing

One two and three.

Here I go again.  On the quest to find a blog that doesn't have limitations.  At the very least, to the best of my abilities.

This one seems pretty funky and will keep me occupied for hours :)

NB/  Previous blogs were painstakingly imported from http://spaces.msn.com/members/thebeehive/

Oops.  No emoticons.  O'er.

But nevermind.  It has other things.

Later folks.  Let me tweak.

xx

There's Bernie et moi in da kitchen...

waiting for the chicken to roast.

And whilst we wait to put the veggies in, I have time to post:

Saturday 15th January 2005

Woke up bright and not-so-early after the impromptu dinner the night before.  Babs now knows how to make Mojos like a pro (v. good), which should give an inkling on how I woke up the next morning

Myuzim had Naz sleeping over and the boys are back in good spirits.  Had a bit of an 'eeck situation which makes me suddenly realise that my Myuzim is growing up!  As much as you try and shelter them from all kinds of bad, you really can't.

The husband and the boys met up for a Soto breakfast.  The girls and I met up at 'SugarBun' before I had to run errands for Myuzim's Amazing-Race Party at 2.30.  I ran an amazing race of sending the pictures for the treasure hunt to be developed, picking up the cake (just ordered hence the flowers!), buying the BBQ tongs, picking up the take-aways and getting the hotdog buns.  Phew.  When I arrived home, the bungalow was full of teenagers!  The party has started!

The husband aka The Philliminator started the race by explaining the rules.  M & A, Lees & MatBon, Finbo, Fid-Bit and Dee became our referees and off we go!!  We had a Detour (Shaq or Beckham - you figure it out), Smarties Suckers, Treasure Hunt, Trivia questions, a kinda 'Text-Twist' and 'Keep it Dry'.  It was all good fun and the kids seem to enjoy themselves.  I did too, despite having a headache the size of Mozambique.

Too many teenagers and their raging hormones in the pool makes me nervous but they're good kids, really.  We had liittle ones as well, Sheriff Aisyah, Nadi and Afiq Braveheart

We had some cake, the kids started to head home, some stayed later and helped Myuzim open his pressies and Nazim, Hazim, Johnny and HongWee had a sleep-over.

The adults decided to do an impromptu BBQ and we all had a nice dinner.  The husband's prawns make me feel like I'm at the beach (Prawns, Lime & Coconut marinade from a bottle, BBQ'd in banana leaves yo!).

Everyone was beat in the end but happy.

Sunday 16th January 2005

We woke up at noon.  Super  

My boys and our sleep-over boys had a swim before lunch.  After which, we watched TV and monged.  Happiness.

By 5.30, it was just us three, and Bernie, again.

We went grocery shopping for a roast chicken dinner and here I am...

Later folks.  Dinner is almost ready.

xx

11th January 2004

Today I am most thankful for:

1. My boys.  For doing their best to make me happy in times of stroppiness (trust me ladies, we aren't the easiest people to live with, raging hormones aside).

2. My girlies (you know who you are!).  Who ground me.  Who makes me feel that there are millions of women out there who ARE from Venus.

3. Bernie.  Who lets me be 'Director of Cooking and the Kitchen.  So I don't have to do all the peeling, cutting and washing.

4. My mother.  Who sent me two emails about earthquakes and tsunamis today and who makes me feel that even if I treat her atrociously, I am STILL loved.

5. E-Speed! Oh, and my ability to work wonders online...

7. M & A who came and used our pool and made me feel like have a home. 

8. I miss my Myuzim but Babs, MatBon, M & A and CK who is over here for dinner but compensates and makes it bearable some what...

Later folks....after dinner.

xx

Pre-Menstrual-Stroppiness

At THAT time of month (grrrrrrr *snap!):

One minute she's telling you how happy you make her, the next she's telling you how happy she is when you're away from her.  You thought you were dating one girl, but with her mood swings, you might as well be dating four.

Many men experience the mood swinging girlfriend, otherwise known as Jekylline & Hydera. You think she's just as crazy as every other girl you meet.

If you want to understand her mood swings and try to better deal with her roller coaster emotions -- especially those that reappear monthly at the Menstrual Amusement Park -- just take a seat and buckle up; it's going to be a bumpy ride. 

It's women's fault that men run away screaming, "Oh no, she's having another one of her mood swings!"  Women have taken the concept of mood swings too far, and use PMS as their excuse for being able to bite the head off of anyone who merely breathes in their direction.  Granted, we are more emotional and cranky, but we shouldn't be downright evil.

Let's get something straight once and for all: It's completely normal for women to experience emotional ups and downs 7 to 10 days before they menstruate.  In that week before she experiences her menstrual cycle, her hormones are in turmoil.  She has a right to claim that her back hurts, her head hurts, she feels bloated, she's having heart palpitations, and she feels all-around gross.

But, she doesn't have a right to claim that she wants to kill everyone in sight and hates your guts.  Because of the uncomfortable symptoms felt by women during premenstrual syndrome, women have been allotted a certain "grace" period in which they are allowed to experience mood swings.

So guys, you can expect that your girl won't be herself at least 5 days of the month, while she's "PMSing."  She may complain during her period (which you can't criticize her for until you undergo monthly pain and discomfort), so allow her those days to vent about her frustration and discomfort, and please, be sympathetic.

Not to worry, the tables do turn.  If she has those 4-5 days of "mood-swing allowance," then you should warn her that you're allowed that grace period too, in which you can snap at her "just because."

While she's experiencing premenstrual syndrome, the best thing for you to do is be sympathetic and understanding.  Bring her chocolate if she craves it.  Let her watch her chick flicks and cry during life insurance commercials.  And let her snap at you once, twice or even four times.

The main thing is to first establish whether mood swings are a common occurrence for your girlfriend and if they're sewn into her personality, or whether you're the one setting off her crankiness.  The rest is up to you: if she's worth it and brings you a lot of happiness you won't mind being taken for the ride.  And if the mood swings occur mostly because of PMS, try to hold her hand and let her vent about her discomfort.  She'll only appreciate you more for it.

[Excerpts taken from (I kid you not) AskMen.com here]

The husband, he has smartly gone to sleep and I am wide-awake cursing my hormones.  He knows I love him.  I know this despite all these hormones wreaking havoc on my current state of mind.  Get on with it already.

A recipe from Sheriff M. Stewart

Not the 'jailbird' one, but the one that actually PUTS people in jail!

Potato Chips ala M

1. Fry the onions (M suggests Bombay Onions as they are sweeter) and potatoes together until cooked.

2. Then take the onions and potatoes out (leaving the pan on the stove heating up) and dab them on paper-towels to soak up the excess oil.

3. Put the onions and potatoes back into the now v. hot pan and fry again for a few minutes.

Must try this recipe soon!

Gooooooodmorning world!

Isn't it nice to just begin to rouse at 11.30 in the morning on a Sunday?

The husband has gone for his first swim of the day as I sit here typing in my first entry of the day.  I can see him through the window being such a water-baby...

This will be short because I am staaaarving.  Paper-Thin Dosai is crying out to me, so off to Popular we go for an Indian lunch!  Myumyum.