Half Broke Horses (Jeannette Walls)

"Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did." So begins the story of Lily Casey Smith, in Jeannette Walls''s magnificent, true-life novel based on her no-nonsense, resourceful, hard working, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. By age six, Lily was helping her father break horses. At fifteen, she left home to teach in a frontier town -- riding five hundred miles on her pony, all alone, to get to her job. She learned to drive a car ("I loved cars even more than I loved horses. They didn''t need to be fed if they weren''t working, and they didn''t leave big piles of manure all over the place") and fly a plane, and, with her husband, ran a vast ranch in Arizona. She raised two children, one of whom is Jeannette''s memorable mother, Rosemary Smith Walls, unforgettably portrayed in The Glass Castle.

Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds -- against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn''t fit the mold. Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen''s Out of Africa or Beryl Markham''s West with the Night. It will transfix readers everywhere.

The hubs recommended this book and I'm glad I added it to my collection. While I do not totally agree with the way the children were being brought up, I have to constantly remind myself that this was set many eras ago and the mentality definitely differed from mine. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the read and picked these out:

- Every kid was good at something, and the trick was to find out what it was, then use it to teach him everything else.

- As I walked the streets, I found myself staring at people's faces, thinking, So this is what city folks look like. It wasn't so much their features that were different, it was their expressions. Their faces were shut off. Everyone made a point of ignoring everyone else.

- I realized that in the months since Helen had died, I hadn't been paying much attention to things like the sunrise, but that old sun had been coming up anyway. It didn't really care how I felt, it was going to rise and set regardless of whether I noticed it, and if I was going to enjoy it, that was up to me.

The Case of Children vs The Republic of Singapore (Banning) Restaurants

Over dinner, the hubs and I got to discussing the recent news about some restaurants in Singapore banning children from their establishments.

This came as a surprise to me and got me totally upset. While I understand the reasons behind why fine-dining restaurants imposed such ban, I cannot stomach casual restaurants using the same reasons as an explanation for their decision. This is especially so in a country which preaches democracy and tolerance. Children are children. It is in their very nature to be playful and consequently, some of them get rowdy and cause disturbances to other patrons. They do; I'm not saying they dun and I have the unfortunate experience of being on the family side of such children and was totally embarrassed when given THE STARE. But these are not my children and I have no rights to discipline them. My anger was then directed at the parents who were oblivious to the fact that their children are total nuisances and should be taken in hand. But that's besides the point. There is a reason why these restaurants are called "public places". If you really cannot tolerate such noise level, then maybe it'll do you a world of good to pick up the phone, order in a delivery and stay in the comfort of your own home. If the argument on the side of casual restaurants is to "prevent rowdiness and disturbances" to other patrons, then will they also take steps to ban obnoxious patrons who speak at the top of their lungs about that luxurious car they just bought, or that property in Orchard Road?

PS Cafe said they banned children to cater to the needs of their clientele which are mostly executives who bring their clients for a business lunch. While I do not know and cannot verify at the moment how true this is, I can only guess that people who bring their clients to places such as PS Cafe couldn't possibly be discussing about million-dollar deals. The million-dollar deals are usually negotiated in restaurants like Les Amis or otherwise, private dining rooms are certainly in order. So what's the big deal? Parents seldom bring their children to the CBD anyway. Do the occasional incidents warrant such a ban? Will the MRT start banning old people from taking the trains or entering the stations during rush hour because they walk slowly?

This, in my humble opinion, is a clear-cut case of intolerance. In a first world country like Singapore, people are so busy chasing the mighty dollar and climbing that corporate ladder (the higher you climb, the harder you fall...haven't they heard??) that they have become so egocentric. To stay ahead of that rat race, they can only look out for themselves and totally leave their social values and graciousness behind. The world around them is good only if it serves their purposes. When something is not to their liking, their frowns are usually bigger than their asses (which already are big enough, by the way). The government actually has to implement laws for children to maintain and look after their parents? How sad is that?! In the mighty struggle to win the materialistic race, Singaporeans have forgotten how to be a human being. They're simply unfeeling, selfish robots who are programmed by the masters of the many Cs.

If restaurants are banning children, then should McDonald's be banning adults?

Kung Pao Chicken

I've always wanted to cook Kung Pao Chicken and refused to buy the ready-mix sauce. So I sourced out the recipe and made it on my own. But cos of Dallen, I left out the dried chilli so it won't be spicy.

Ingredients:
- 350g chicken (diced)
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 big onion (wedged)
- 1 capsicum
- Cashew nuts
=> Marinade:
- One-quarter tsp salt
- Half tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp Chinese wine
- 1 tbsp corn flour
=> Sauce:
- Half tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp light and dark soya sauce each
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2tbsp plum sauce (which I don't have and replaced with Hoisin sauce)
- 1 tsp black vinegar
- 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

Method:
- Season chicken with marinade ingredients for 30min.
- Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Saute ginger and garlic till fragrant.
- Add in onions and stir for 5 seconds before adding marinated chicken meat.
- Pour in sauce ingredients and stir-fry.
- Add capsicum and cashew nuts.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and thicken with corn flour solution.

First Mummies' Outing

For the very first time, I went out with a group of mummies and left the lil one behind. One of the mothers from Dallen's school was very friendly and besides initiating a conversation with me and finding out more about our family of 3, suggested that I let the hubs take over today in the classroom while I join her, together with 2 others, for a little shopping. I was initially reluctant as I wanted to go through the whole week of curriculum with Dallen (to see how lessons are conducted) and this is supposedly the last week that parents are allowed into the classroom. And besides, I'm never a very social person and going out with 3 strangers doesn't seem very appealing to me. Given a choice, I'd rather sit quietly in a corner and read my book. But I went anyway. It's a good chance to make some friends. I mean, since I'm gonna be here for 4 years, I might as well get to know some people. It turned out to be a very 'motherly' and 'housewifely' shopping expedition. First stop was a kids' department store followed by a household mall. Nobody mentioned clothes and what-nots. It's all for the kids and the house. I was surprised they are the types that went for discounts and are actually interested in cooking and household stuff. As far as I know, most of the better off people here with maids are not so concerned about money (since they have a lot of it) and stuff around the house (since they dun have to attend to them personally). But this group of mothers were talking about healthy food without MSG, where there's discount, buying stuff for the kids, etc. Although half the time I have no idea what they were talking about, I caught snatches of conversation and some translation were made. Not wanting to make them feel obliged to speak English, I retreated into the background and sometimes just wander off and let them carry on their chatter. Although half way through I was hoping they'll return to school already, I thought it's a good start to what may possibly be friendship in Jogja. Moreover, one of the mothers said she can introduce a very good gynae to me and the doc practises at the hospital just behind my house. Bonus!

Am I Doing It Right?

As a parent, I'm always asking myself if I'm doing things right. I really dun recall any other instances or circumstances when I question and doubt myself that much. His every development and habit become my responsibility. When he learns something new or achieve a certain milestone, I beam with pride. When he has difficulty mastering a skill or when he simply can't do it right (for example, feed himself properly using a spoon), I ask myself if I should have done more or tried harder to teach him or point him in the right direction. When he falls sick, I ask myself if I should have cooked more nutritious food instead (which is difficult cos I already paid attention to wat he eats. Like I prefer him to eat bread with cheese rather than plain bread or with jam.) The questions I ask myself are ENDLESS! And I know he's already spoilt to a certain extend, even though we are already stepping up on discipline and he's not getting his ways as often as before. Being spoilt means a child being in control when the parents are not, no? There are a lot of such examples in lil Dallen's life. I try my darnest. Really I do. I may slip sometimes and take the easier way out. But most times, Dallen's interest is my top priority.

But really, wat kind of parent am I?

The Other Woman (Jane Green)

When I picked out this book from the bookshelf at home, I didn't hold much hope for it and term it as a 'mindless read'. The book was given to me by a friend who was also studying in Jogja and when he had to pack and go home, he didn't know what to do with the books (quite a number of them, might I add) that his ex-wife left behind and decided to just give them to me for me to decide what to do with them. Not one to throw away books, I decided to give these thrashy books (as the hubs and I term them) a chance and started with those I thought was more promising. I didn't even bother reading the synopsis. With these books, I really judged them by the cover. Whichever appeals to my mood of the moment will be the chosen one.

So I sat down and prepared to unwind (afterall, it's supposed to be an easy read and is not supposed to invoke much thoughts). But as I read deeper, I became intrigued with the book. So much so that I finished it in less than a week (amidst household chores and travelling back to SG which already took up 3 days). The story depicted a very sore area of my life - relationship with the MIL! Mother-in-law or monster-in-law? You go figure. It was as if the book was tailor-made for me. While the circumstances surrounding the characters may be different from mine, it nonetheless spoke volumes for how I felt and the struggles I had to go through. I feel for the character with a vengeance and couldn't put the book down.

Throughout the whole book, this stood out very vividly: "I know that love isn't enough. That you have to cherish the people you love, that saying I love you isn't ever enough, that you have to show that love each and every day, even when life threatens to get in the way." Easier said than done. But what a great reminder and what a lot of sense it made.

Great book! If only because it related my feelings so clearly and so candidly. Here's a review I found online:

Ellie Black is not the only girlfriend who has had to deal with “the other woman.” However, in her case, the other woman is not a mistress, but her boyfriend Dan’s mother.

When Ellie first meets Linda and the rest of Dan’s family, she thinks she’s found the family of her dreams. Her mother died when she was young, and she hasn’t been close with her father ever since. But as Dan and Ellie get closer and become engaged, she begins to realize that Linda is not the perfect mother-in-law she has been envisioning. When Ellie finds out she is pregnant, Linda’s interfering ways become even more apparent. Though Ellie tries to confide in Dan, she finds that the only people who really understand are her friends who have been through the same thing. Will Ellie be able to salvage her marriage, or will Dan’s mother spell the end of their relationship?

The Other Woman by Jane Green is an honest, heartwarming, sometimes funny and sometimes heartbreaking look at a marriage. Though it’s fictional, many readers will find it realistically hits home. Ellie, Dan and the other characters are written in a way that makes them stand out and become much more than just characters. Each character, including the supporting ones, are written to have both strengths and flaws - no one comes out the “hero” or the “villain”. Readers will find something to relate to in many of the characters, not just in Ellie. This realism helps the reader to form a connection to the events and those who are affected by them, giving the book that much more impact.

Chocolate Chips Cookies

It's the first day of the new year and I'm feeling extremely tired. Have been baking since morning and I finished only just in time to prepare dinner. But I did go out for a couple of hours in between, though. Still, it's been a long day and waking up early for the past few days (no doubt cos of Dallen) has taken its toll on me. But I really did enjoy bringing out batches after batches of cookies from the oven. After the past frustration over my butter cookies, it's a joy to be producing cookies without much hassle. There were some burnt and lousy ones and these, I kept for our own consumption. The rest were distributed among the neighbours and I also put aside some for one of Des' school-mate and for the teachers in Dallen's school (so they'll take extra care of him..Him being the youngest in the whole school does create a degree of worry and concern for me). So anyway, it was a productive day for me and it's time to take it easy and relax with a good book in hand.

Ingredients:
- 225g butter, softened
- 300g white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 360g all-purpose flour
- 15g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 10ml hot water
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 335g semisweet chocolate chips

Method:
- Preheat oven to 175 degree celsius
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Dissolve baking powder in hot water and add to butter along with salt.