fuchsia fragments

Back in Sydney again for a few weeks due to my grandma's health declining (mostly due to old age). It's caused a lot of stress in the family and it really has been a roller coaster these past few weeks. In many ways, it's brought the family together (yum cha, dinners, sharing photos) but it also reminds me that sometimes, it's not all happy days and fun memories.

But I can definitely say that old childhood years were some of the greatest. I look up to so many of my cozzies like big bros and since we use to live so close to each other. Plus had to stick together since we were one of the few asian families in the ghetto... hehehe.

The heat is so Sydney and so different to SG! Love it and hate it at the same time... think I am using air con here more than I do in my apartment. Overnight temperatures at a low of 28 degrees is not normal!

Been trying to catch up with friends and here I will openly admit that I am being selective. I've run into some randomly and caught out to peeps in the extended group (haha, oops). I've tried to meet up with others but had to postpone due to hospital visits but I do want to see peeps.

Working from Sydney on SG hours also doesn't help (basically means I stick around online for around 12 hours) but I don't take for granted the flexibility offered by my company. Love catching up on the stuff that goes around Sydney.

In the whirlwind that is December, it has been a crazy month of working, trying to bake and organizing a very short trip home for the holidays.

It started with what to get everyone in the office for Christmas (next year, I will be more prepared and get things when I am back in Australia!). I managed to make a few gingerbread houses and some gingerbread trees for everyone as well as safe bets of nuts and hand cream! Think it went down well...

Then there was the last minute decision to fly home for 6 days whilst supporting SEA at the same time! So short, so tiring but so worth it. There is truly no place like home with crazy family gatherings that seem to grow in size every time.

And every time that I come home, there is usually a flurry of the same announcements. When I was home from Japan, it was wedding invitations and this time, it was the "I'm having a baby" announcements. So far, know of 4 babies due in July and 1 coming in April... how exciting!

Then, as it is still a PH in Sydney today (not that I get Australian PH anymore), I came back to work to a whole bunch of gifts and warm wishes on my desk. Certainly makes coming back to work a lot easier! And got some pretty cool stuff (and lots of food).

Not getting out of my jammies!! And Scones with clotted cream and Bitton jam for brekkie? Yes please! But only as a one off... Decided to work from home today. I wasn't about to brave the weather for a third day in a row and I'm glad I have the option to stay at home. And I'm happy to say that I don't abuse the system.

We had a lovely afternoon yesterday at Rockpool B&G for the quarterly lunch. Wow, some of the guys sure can pick a noice nice wine. I shudder to think how much was spent. But the food was delish. I think I liked the sides more than my steak but that was down to personal choice so... no one to blame but myself!

I did pick the cocktails for everyone. Winner!!!! Tried to stick around as late as we could to try and avoid the storm but I think it just got worse with time so... we tried to brave it around 6. I headed home.. lucky trains were still running. Went to sleep at 8 (hahaha what an old nanny!!!) and got up at 6 and was so undecided on whether or not I was going to trek it in and then... torrential rain. Nope... not going to even bother. So those hunter boots I bought earlier this year... still unworn!

And then Winter came gusting back. Literally. It has been rain and wind during the day for the past few days. Not cool Mother Nature.

Another excuse to spend my day baking. More macarons - most were successful - first batch was a disaster... whoops? And made a tea cake - Blueberry Almond and Orange Syrup. Looks pretty without decorating and so easy. Definitely a good 'what to bring when told not to bring a thing' kind of cake. And no decorating or icing... EASY PEASY!

And made a batch of homemade blackberry jam. Oh my gosh... why did it take me so long to realise that it is so so easy? Christmas baking and cooking, here I come! And it wasn't very sweet and the texture was amazing. So proud of myself.

And cause I was on such a role, I made a batch of salted caramel as well AND have my sourdough sleeping overnight ready to be baked tomorrow morning. Prepared much? Gonna try single-rise and bake. Never done it before. Not even sure if its recommended. Will see the results tomorrow.

And so it happens. We've been living in this home for over 12 years now. It's hard to believe sometimes. And I believe our family friend, Mr fix-it-all (quite literally) said we were one of the lucky ones because it wasn't any worse! Itt was time for the leaking shower (at least, that's what it looks like) to finally floor the ceiling and give way. We'd noticed little droplets of water forming when we came back from HK.

Yep... it's time to get it fixed. Pronto. And get a new shower at the same time. Whoop!

And it definitely affected the kitchen bench space! I'm glad I don't have any more big orders upcoming.

I also went to a 6 year old's birthday party this afternoon. One that wasn't for my nieces or nephews or anytime related to me for that matter. Just a friend's son and it was hosted externally. And oh dear, there were so many screaming kids and inattentive mums. So much mess and dirty clothes. So much junk food and way too much sugar.

I don't know how those who work in childcare, schools or anything to do with young children do it!!! I knew one thing though. If I ever become a mum, I don't want to be like the mums today. Like... just being a mum. At least, from an outsider's point of view, that's what it looked like... don't know how to articulate into words just yet. But perhaps some words for another day. It just makes me think of Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg again...

"Every woman feels guilty about the choices that they make."

Getting up at 10, making coffee and going back to bed. Loving it.

Clouds in the sky, lounging around in my jammies and listening to itunes. Okay... so I did check my work emails but that was it!!!

And we enter into June, the month that is supposed to make or break our quarter.

It's sticky rice pudding time of year again ("joong") and cut one into slices and put it onto the sandwich press to crisy up. Was so good. Genius idea from my colleague!

I had to think about what went on these past 48 hours.

It started with an early morning breakfast visit to IKEA (we've been going there lots lately!) with mama cheung and my sister. We had breakfast... *hint* got to look at the menu peeps, a coffee with cinnamon scroll is cheaper than a coffee on its own. And went for a mandatory loop around the complex. This week, we were there to buy SHOE CUPBOARDS!!!!! And we got them. So pro. 3 cupboards PLUS my bedside table fit in the Mazda with 3 passengers. Oh yeah.

Then we hitched a lift off J&C and we went to visit  (now) toddler Justin and baby Ethan. SOOOOOO much cuteness and baby smells. We were roped into helping lil Justin build a new train track with his epic thomas pieces. He literally had like... 10 Thomas models. And he knows who gave him which one! That's one smart kid. And nope, not weened off Thomas yet. He don't want anything to do with Cars or Lightning McQueen!

Baby Ethan is the cutest. He smiles at you when you hold him! Cutiepie. Apparently a bit of a puker too. Lucky that didn't happen.

Saturday arvo was nap time. Sooooo tired. Then Ari came over later for some homework. But he was pretty good.

Sunday baking! Haven't done that in awhile. Started at 10, was done around 4 but I stuffed one batch of macarons :'(. Was too busy talking to mum and completely forgot to add some sugar into my egg whites when beating so I made crater macaroons instead. Still taste good but oh... waste. Deflating.

Also made that chocolate and salted caramel ombre cake again. Sure is popular.

And Dad and I and Mum and Juzzy came over later to help us assemble those cupboards. Looks awesome. My shoes don't even fit in one (but i am limited to one cupboard). I think I should omit telling my mum that I have another 6 pairs at work... =/ Lols.

J&C came over for dindins. Watched the Voice, Masterchef and Bondi Rescue before calling it a night. Drank some cider, and some wine and lots of tea.

The house needs some tidying up and a bit of love. Need to make time for so many things.

If there is one thing I have learnt this year, it is that time is so priceless and you can't stretch yourself and sometimes, you need to actually spend time with little things that may be mundane and ordinary now but will one day be the formation of lifelong memories. I don't want to lose sight of that...

Friday night BBQ with the parents. Outdoor setting. Fresh Salad. Prawns. White Wine. Meat and Adorable Dogs. I love my life.

I can't believe its almost been a week since unemployment (termed loosely here!). I feel like I am not making the most of it. Well, ok, pretty much I have crossed off ONE thing on my 'to do' list. Time to get a move on...

ok. i'll admit it. i appreciate my mum even more.

because it has take 2.5 hours - and counting - to:

- eye drop scout
- water the garden
- do the laundry
- hang up the laundry
- put the dishes away
- fold yesterday's laundry
- iron my clothes (to be done actually)
- feed the chickens
- clean up the chicken pen
- scoop up doggy litter
- wait for eggs to be laid
- retrieve the eggs

but its so nice to be outside on such a sunny day.

and do i miss mum and monkey? hells to the NO!!!

me and dad are having a ball. watching da tennis, drinking wine and doing whatever we want without that nagging voice telling us off.

bwaahahahha life is good.

slept in till 8-ish.

did a 15 minute coles run. made waffle and scones for breakfast. and used my new english tea set. fabulous.

washed the cars. took my dogs out for a run. picked up sticks. made a fire. had a bbq. let my chickens out. spent some glorious time in the sun. somehow got a rash on the back of my hands.

bbq-ed food for my dogs. =D

cut my caramel slice. perfecto.
made my mini cheesecakes. so petit four-ish.

played mahjong. won some money. enough for my transport this week. =D

had some congee and turnip cake.

head-to-toe shower.

tired as.

5 am. let's do it again.