NOTHING LIKE HOMEMADE

Other than arthritis of the neck, Dad has weakness in the legs which means that he would have to undergo physiotherapy to strengthen those muscles. Basically he is deemed Fall Risk and there's no telling whether he would fall again at home so he will have to remain in the hospital for another week or so.  When I visited him last evening the staff informed me that Dad was caught trying to sneak into the washroom unsupervised. Bad boy! 

The hospital ward came alive with visitors yesterday.  Even his brother came, family in tow.  I'v never seen Dad smiled so much.  Like a kid, Dad loves being fussed over.

Some weeks ago I brought home a small butter loaf from a neighbourhood bakery.  According to Mum, Dad ate it over a span of several days, saving whatever he could not finish in the fridge. He even commented that the cake remained “smooth as silk” throughout.  That got me worried about what actually went into that cake!  

Nothing compares to homemade. At least I know what's in it!  I baked this for Dad who is still in the hospital.

POUND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

The Pound Cake refers to a type of cake traditionally made with a pound each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.  The French call it "Quatre quarts" (literally "4 fourths"), which again reflects the equal amounts of the 4 ingredients.  

I used a 14-cm (5-1/2 inch) mini Bundt pan (chanced upon it while shopping in Taipei some years ago) but a foil loaf pan that measures 20.5cm x 10cm at the rim would also work.  You can find it in SKP. 

100 grams all-purpose flour 

2/3 teaspoon baking powder 

100 grams egg 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

100 grams salted butter 

100 grams caster sugar 

50 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat the oven at 180 degrees C. 

Lightly butter and flour a 2-cup (14-cm) Bundt pan. Have all ingredients at room temperature. 

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg and vanilla extract. 

In a mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy and smooth then add sugar. Continue to beat until the mixture is very light in colour and texture. Add the egg very slowly, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until mixture is fluffy and pale ivory in colour. Add flour mixture in 3 - 4 additions, then stir in the chocolate chips. 

Spoon the batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake the cake until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out free of batter, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 – 15 minutes before turning the cake out of the pan. 

Enjoy it with black coffee.

ANOTHER TUMBLE

Poor Dad, he took another tumble today.  Back in the hospital again.

Just two days ago he lost his balance while stepping out of the bathroom into his bedroom and bruised a toe. 

This is the third time that Dad lost his balance since his fall in September. Dr. Rani from Geriatric did warn that Dad has arthritis in the left side of his neck caused by degeneration of the bones in the neck (cervical spine) as he ages. Patients with arthritis of the neck often complain about weakness in the legs or loss of balance. Maybe that's the reason why Dad falls on his right side all the time, always cutting his right brow, right elbow and left thumb. 

Today we once again seek the help of paramedics who whisked Dad to TTSH in an ambulance. I now know my way around the ER very well indeed. Dad received a head scan, then admitted for observation. 

We had originally reserved a table in Putien for Reunion Dinner this evening. I know Mum was really looking forward to it because the Kitchener Road branch used to be her favourite restaurant and we hadn't been back there in ages!  This morning, however, Mum and I noticed that Dad had trouble getting around with a bruised toe. So we decided that we would eat at home instead of going out.

Then Dad took a tumble and plans had to change once more.

While I was with Dad in TTSH, Mum was busy at home with Lorie (a very nice Filipino lady whom we hired to help Mum with Spring cleaning).  Lorie was in my bedroom, atop a ladder trying to unscrew the ceiling lamp for cleaning.  Just as she removed the last screw the lamp split cleanly into two - right into her palms!  She checked the ground for any tiny pieces of glass that might have fallen but there were none.  That spooked Lorie a bit.  She deduced that the lamp somehow absorbed Dad's bad luck. "Your father will be fine now," she assured me when I got home.

MY FIVE MINUTES OF FAME

Went on location to shoot a short clip for a client today.  I played a kiasu Auntie.  Have absolutely no idea why I was casted in the role in the first place.  Perhaps because #iAMAuntie.

My co-workers came around in the beginning of the week to say they desperately needed folks in the office to cast in a SG50 clip.  I initially declined but then my co-workers whimpered "please please please", assured me I had no line to read and basically needed to "be dramatic".  

The project isn't some big time television commercial so no overwhelming casts and crew were involved.  We "actors" took care of our own make-up and wardrobe.  My character wore clothing with bold prints.  The crew consisted of one director and one camera man.  Our very own interns and staff who took up the parts of assistant director, production assistant, kalefe ...  Being on camera for the first time was very exciting.  The filming of my two scenes lasted about three hours as it took several re-takes to get it each right.  

Thoroughly enjoyed my first filming experience. I surprised myself by jumping right into character.  No camera-shyness, no awkwardness.  My co-workers felt I did quite well for a first-timer. *self pat on back*   I only hope the client is happy with the end product because I had so much fun making it!

孤独

独处就像一场修行，路上会伴随着孤独，但最终，你会遇见真实的自己，获得心灵的自由。

Z 非常害怕寂寞。有一次下班后经过某快餐店，发现自己的大姐正在里头哽炸鸡！赶紧进去关心一下。姐，你怎么一个人?! 

哦，出来买东西。饿了，进来吃点 ... 哎呀你是怎么了? 原来Z哭了! 她告诉我: 看见我的姐姐一个人吃饭，觉得她好可怜。有儿有女的，为何要这般孤单? 禁不住泪水 ... 

Z问我：常听你说一个人去吃饭、旅行。你是怎么做到的？ 

我想是因为我是独生女的关系吧？从小父母把我管得很严，好友没几个，所以个性是有点儿孤独啦。到了适婚年龄还没有适合的另一半，母亲看我不着急便会碎碎念 “以后孤零零时，一定会后悔的!” 已婚的朋友也说”我们几个死党都结婚了，只剩你啦!” 或 “骗人的吧?? 我就不信你一个人可以过得那么开心!” 

“后悔”、”剩你”、”不信你能快乐” - - 这类的话让我决心更独立、过得更好。败犬不需要追，也不用等。有个伴是好事，没有的话我自己玩。不图在职场上叱咤风云，但绝不当平庸无能的“胜犬”。 

Z不一样。她有十个兄弟姐妹，习惯了人多，热闹的气氛。婚后与家人的感情还是非常好。无论办喜办丧，一家40多口人一定聚在一起互相扶持。那是她的福气。一旦要Z一个人生活，她会觉得茫然。前天Z帮上司购物, 去了趟商场。事情办完后已是午餐时分。好想在食阁吃个饭才回办公室，但又不敢一个人吃，一直迟疑着。 终于付出了极大的勇气，排队买了平时最爱吃的鱼片米粉汤。捧着乘着食物的托盘，一边找位子，一边寻觅熟悉的脸孔。可惜找了半天都没半个认识的人啊！她告诉我：那一刻我双手开始发抖，脑子里闪过了 “别吃了! 就随便把食物遗弃在某处，开溜吧！” 的念头。后来看到一位女士，似乎也是一个人。 硬着头皮上前搭讪，女士说：我们就一起吃吧。

太好了，不用一个人用餐！一切的委屈和尴尬瞬间全消。  

可悲得可怕。

我的头

外国人用脑去思考，中国人用心。外国人说” X my ass!” 或 “X my foot!”, 华人会说”X你的头啦!” 

***

记得选新屋当天，我到建屋局的大厅里等候，旁边坐了位不相识的三姑, 问我：你选几楼? 

我喜欢较高的楼层，所以打算选35或36楼。 

不料三姑冷笑：住那么高, 以后电梯坏时看你怎么办！ 

(TMD 好恶毒！) 不怕，不怕，一座组屋有四部电梯哪。 

三姑抓狂: 你的头啦，四部? 没有可能会有四部的啦，笨蛋! 

(呜 。。。我就是因为笨才你问我答的呢!) 

*** 

L在旅行社上班，在 Bintan Resort 订了两晚免费住宿。听说一栋 chalet 里有三间卧房，可以六人同住。L邀我与M同行。L准备在那里 和几位死党打通宵麻将，但我和 M都不会玩啊。和M商议：没关系啦，到时她们四人打麻将不缺”脚”, 我们就在一旁看电视、聊天，放松。L听后愤愤地说 ”聊你们的死人头! 不准你们不合群哦!” 

*** 

在认识我之前 E和雯已是非常要好的朋友。每次见到雯她总是板着脸，目不转睛地看着我，让我毛骨悚然。 坦白说我不是很喜欢她, 但心想既然 E跟她那么死党，相信雯自有长处。 几个星期前在办公室楼下巧遇雯。 进了电梯，她脸臭臭地站在我身旁, 一直瞪我，让我不自在。问她：雯，最近好吗? 她咬牙切齿地：好你的头！（看来我的头真的很有问题呢!）

电梯门打开，她忽然伸出手狠狠地扯我的左面颊。我惊叫：啊，痛！你这是干嘛啦？她面无表情，一声不响地转身走出电梯。吓死我了!  后悔跟她 share 一趟电梯! 

怎么我四周有那么多神经病的?