Creative or ....?

In the lateness of the night, I scour FB for blogs and I come across an old blog I followed; I no longer do.
The blogger is a baker and I used to think her work was good. Then I learnt to distinguish 'good' bakers and less savoury ones! She, unfortunately, fall in the latter category.
She shouldn't be baking, giving classes or even selling her stuff....spoils the market!
Enough said! Good night!

'beats working for other people'

It was 10.30om and I was just about to turn my mobile phone off when it rang!

It was Dad requesting that I open up the front door! I had not expected their return tonight, so had the doors double-locked.

Dragging themselves in, they were obviously exhausted. Starving too, mom rummaged the fridge for food. As we only had leftovers from lunch for dinner, the only 'food' I could offer mom was the cake I baked yesterday. She was happy, sans the cake topping of course!

This is the life of my parents; plantation labourers and owners. With already 1 established plantation, they simply had to start another one. Touching 60 and they still insist on working, harsh work nonetheless. I had always imagined that they would end up like other normal old people. Travelling the globe, playing the day away with the grandkids, spending the day at the golf courses; that sort of old-people activites. Nay! They had to defy these conventions.

‘beats working for other people’ declares Mr.Darcy.

I agree.

Mr.Darcy and I are also starting a plantation of our own - 5 hours away from here. He does the actual work, while I do the actual supporting work ie staying home with the kids and awaits his returns. He ventures in the jungle every week for a few days to coordinate work and comes home. He camps out in the jungle and says he truly enjoys it; to the envy of J! I would wait up till the early hours of the morning for his return, completely exhausted, hungry, drenched in sweat and diesel To think he gave up a cushy and secure job to be decked out in ripped farmer attire and smelling of diesel!

‘ beats working for other people’ he maintains.

I agree

Wonder how it would be for Mr.Darcy and I when we're touching 60. As it is, we're a wreck just thinking of touching 40!

Lettuce figure this one out!

Beautiful Homes

Someone asked me about the names of my blogs - I have a few flying around in cyberworld. So here are the ones for public viewing:

Pemberley, is the beautiful home of dashing Mr. Darcy. This blog was birthed for the purpose of in-depth observation of the profoundness of life and my way of airing well founded grouses. It quickly became a blog of all sorts, featuring my obsession for anything JA, music(als), books, YouTube....everything but the profoundness of life business! (picture here of Lyme Park, for location shot of Pemberley for PP95)



Longbourn, is the humble home of fiesty Elizabeth Bennet, who later becomes mistress of Pemberley! This blog is where I document and display for my own viewing pleasure, my baking victories and defeats; and of course for those who care to visit. (picture here PP95 location shot for Longbourn, not sure where exactly this place is)




As a segue, Mr.Darcy & Lizzy Bennet is found in Pride & Prejudice, JA's hallmark work!

My newest blog, Seachange has nothing to do with JA's work. I took on the name because it describes BEST what we are doing here!

Just so you know.

Seachange

Its been nearly 3 months of us leaving DownUnder and still I've not emailed or skype anyone with our updates.

So Seachange blog will be it.

Stay tuned!

Fell off the bandwagon..

need to get back on!!

Mr. Darcy & I

were married tomorrow 10 years ago! Time flies when you're having fun, especially with 2 rugrats to share the party with!!

And so it goes...

Mom's gone back.

Dad's come back.

House hunting still...

Still anxious.....

Still unsettled...

Need Sacher Torte!

It begins..again

Another week to look forward to. More 'things-to-do' up my sleeves. More homeschooling work and goals to monitor. More of folded laundry to put away (at least they are folded!!).

Less of Mr.Darcy.

37 and counting

So I am officially going over the hill!

Spent a quiet evening with the family, over dinner at our favourite Italian Restaurant, celebrating that milestone! Was a bit dissappointed that the waiter didn't take Mr. Darcy seriously when he insinuated that it was my birthday dinner. In fact, I thought the waiter was rather an ass! That's for another post!

It was nonetheless, a delicious dinner (as always, at this joint!). Mom loved the pizza so much, that we decided to drop by for supper, the evening after!

Anyway, I am being in a very reflective mood, right now and it doesn't help that I am verging over-the-hill-ness!

Today sitting at the lawyer's office, looking at his credentials hanging on the wall, being surrounded by books on Torts and Contracts, I wonder how different my life would've been if I had pursued my teenage dream of becoming a lawyer. I reckon I would've been a kick-ass lawyer! But that didn't happen. Instead I obeyed and took up accounts instead. I enjoy the work, although I am so mediocre at the job!! Would I have been a better lawyer? I wonder....

Then there was that inkling of a possibility that I might have taken up Musicology, but I was too ill-talented in the midst of the blazing glory of other aspiring music students. I would've taken piano performance and voice, maybe even dabble a little in musical theater. Would I have been a good 'musician'? I wonder...

So sitting here, listening to Avalon's "Can't Live a Day", I ponder at my life....and its not bad, not bad at all....

.....it could be worse......

Aussis, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi

We had special guest for dinner today. A lovely family from Down Under. Being 'new' in town can be unnerving for some! But they are as solid as Aussie's come.

They came in time for afternoon tea of freshly brewed coffee and freshly baked aromatic 'pandan' chiffon cake, while the kids were thoroughly enjoying themselves playing with each other in the pool. It would be nightfall before they would leave the pool! J really enjoyed their company too - for the first time, in a long time, J's found kids he can truly connect and feel at home with. These guys were as outgoing, enthusiastic and shared the same passion for books and trivia. They quizzed each other through out their lasagna dinner!!

I was very very proud at how my lasagna turned out! Much better than it ever did back when! I guess it was the scratch-made cheese sauce. I would usually 'cheat' a little with a bottle of store bought Bechamel Sauce which was always waaay too salty. Only fault was, I didn't quite make enough! It was a knock-out winner with kids. So us adults had to contend with only 1 serve of lasagna with more side of salad and barbequed chicken (courtesy of Mr.Darcy). Next time, we should include fresh-baked bread!! Yumm....

I also found out how very much connected to the great late-Asang, they were!!

Coffee Beans..

This baby was finally allowed out of the box earlier this week! A few days ago, whilst fishing for my baking utensils (apart from that mysteriously misplaced Angel-Cake-Tin, I've found all my baking buddies!!) I chanced upon my long-sought-after coffee grinder! My Yahava coffee-beans can finally go through the grinder!! Right next to the grinder was the knockbox too! Brilliant!

I cleared a nice little nook on the kitchen counter (right along side my Breville Stand Mixer!) and neatly placed the coffee-maker and her friends! 10 minutes later, I was enjoying my first REAL coffee since coming home!

Plain Jane on Daily Obession.

I faithfully follow a beautiful and a very well written blog. Today she posts on Daily Obession "So Tell Me, Why Do You Blog?"

She is witty, hilarious and most of all, one of the kindest soul, to make a presence in cyberspace! I am always left encouraged, inspired and certainly entertained after reading her posts. She so willingly shares her recipes (some of which I have attempted with resounding success, woo hoo) and candidly 'talks' about life! I truly recommend her site! I hope she does decide to blog for money. In my opinion, she's a better writer anyday blowing those other local 'money-making' -very-prosaic-atrociously-written blogs out of the water!

Her post got me thinking about my blogging rituals too. For one initially avert to the idea, I now find true 'solace' in Pemberley. My main motivation was to rekindle my love for writing. After years and years of neglect, I don't write as fluidly as I once did. The ideas are rampaging in my head but the writers block feels unending! So Pemberley helps me practice.

So as Jane Austen did, I blog anonymously...me as Plain Jane.

Ferrero Rondnair Madeira Chocolate Ganache Cake

Mr. Darcy turned 37 today.

He tells the Kids, he's old to which M interjected promptly "that means you're dying soon, Dad. I'll be so sad!" hehe..

Anyway in the spirit of birthdays, unlike many other couples, gifts-giving were never really a big thing between us. That's not to say presents weren't/aren't welcomed! I am still a girl! Way back in our BC (Before Children) days, he would send me beautiful bouquets of roses for birthdays and valentines. Then the stark reality of him 'wasting' all that money would hit me right between the eye! Whatever it is, that money could be better utilised for his schooling (read university) expenses. Back then he worked weekend nights in a restaurant for pocket money; and wasn't paid a whole lot of money - 'Student' labour were cheap labour for restauranteurs! So we agreed, no presents. Instead, we opted for nice dinners. At least, with dinners, we could indulge our appetites for different cuisines ever so available in our city. Flowers? You can't eat them and they die in a week!

Back to this post!

This morning, I put on my Executive Chef hat and summoned my 2 little helpers -Sous Chef J and De Parte Chef M- putting them on baking duty. Since Mr. Darcy always enjoyed my Buttercake, it would have to be a Madeira Cake. I wrote out the recipe for Sous Chef to manage. He would be in charge of identifying and measuring the ingredients, while De Parte Chef M was in charge of the Breville Stand Mixer. Her duty was to ensure that the mixer stays on '4' for 'creaming'. My job was a simple one; ensuring that the work-area wasn't strewn with flour and eggshells, pouring the cake mixture into the prepared pan and into the preheated oven. It just too bad the oven is out in the alfresco area because the aroma of the buttercake was delicious! I was proud of my Little Chefs. They did an excellent job with De Parte Chef M licking the mixing bowl clean, of course!

I scoured my fridge and pantry for topping ingredients. Spotting half a packet of Dark Chocolate Couveture from the Margaret River Chocolate Factory, I knew a Dark Chocolate Ganache would be perfect. Mr. Darcy isn't a fan of chocolates in general but he can never resist Dark Chocolates. So while the madeira was baking (I am thinking right now, there may be a slight chance that my oven themometer may not be working as my cake came out too well done, even before the baking time was up) I whipped up the ganache. I am always amazed at how easy it is to make chocolate ganache and its always a winner with the eaters! As the cake and the ganache were cooling, I scoured my fridge once more and found some Ferrero Rondnair.

Hence the Ferrero Rondnair Madeira Chocolate Ganache Cake. Yes, very much like my penchant for naming very lame post titles, it's also very much evident in cake naming skills too!

Anyway, Mr. Darcy was impressed and loved it! So sweet of him, ya?

Buttercakes & Bambangans

The DDs came for a lazy sunday swim.

I could feel droplets of rain as they were arriving. Upon receiving them on our driveway, I was greeted by four disappointed faces . I was thoroughly bemused, as I was told they have been praying to Greater Powers to hold off rain, at least till evening! Still full of faith (or was it their relentlesness, even to Mother Nature) the kids still took to the beckoning pool.

There amidst the darkened sky, pelted by rain, our kids spared no time having the time of their lives, occasionally seeking poolside shelter when the pelting became a little too unbearable. 'As long as there isn't thunder & lightning', we convinced ourselves. We fully comprehend how utterly useless fending off 6 combatant kids, demanding an explanation of why its so wrong swimming in the rain and 'it's still water' argument. Moms are totally defenseless when Dads are turncoats! In the goodness of the day, it rained (read poured) for only an hour, downpour ceased until evening.

All the while, the adults enjoyed hi-tea ;Earl-Grey teas (white, no sugar naturally), served with freshly baked buttercake, jam swissrolls, sanggar and pickled bambangans our guest had bought from a nearby market. I must confess that I lied a little about the buttercake though - it was more half baked than anything! You'd think after all my baking 'experience' I wouldn't be able pull a gag like this. Alas, I did! Baking with a pan a tad too small does this; centre rises too much and remains raw! Yet, I only see crumbs of it by morning! Did I mention that my cakes are to die for?

So why Buttercake and Bambangan? I observed (correction, more like the guys commented) how us girls had a piece of yummy buttercake, a piece of sanggar and pickled bambangans on our plates. I would spoon a heapful of pickled bambangans on a piece of sanggar or chippies (we had those too, of course!) and it was delicious. My lady guest would also squash cili-padi to add extra kick to the concoction! Of course after sniggering at the girls, the guys followed suit! And no, we never dolloped bambangans on the buttercake. Why, that would be sacrilege!

Great company. Witty conversation. Lovely aroma of Earl-grey, buttercake and bambangan. A lightning-less rainy Sunday afternoon. Squeals and splashes of very happy children in the pool. Greater Power was good to us!

Mum-In-Chief, Michelle Robinson-Obama

This accomplished and articulate lady from the middle/working class of America, has caught my attention. I may not be American, nor have any ties with the grand country but I am proud of Michelle and what she represents, first a wife and a mom, then the First Lady. In Woman's Day article, she says..

"It is always my focus to make sure that I'm doing my job as a mom. Barack and I both, no matter what's going on, we're always measuring our progress by how our kids are doing. If they're happy and they're feeling confident and loved, and they're doing well in shcool and they have friends, then I feel whatever else is happening it doesn't really matter. As a mom I'm always wondering, 'Am I doing everything I can do?' So I think that's always a challenge"

The commitment of Barack and Michelle is astounding! "Barack and I haven't missed a parent-teacher conference throughout this whole process [presidential campaign]"

Despite their newfound status, Michelle is determined that Malia (10) and Sasha (7) live "normal" lives. During her first visit to the White House, she warned staff not to do chores, explaining that the girls will have to tidy their rooms and make their beds. And its seems the girls have their feet firmly planted on the ground.

"How many kids really care about what their parents do for a living?" says Michelle. "When they come home it's 'Lemme show you want I drew'. My kids are still wonderfully self centred. And as a result, what Dad does is neat, and they think Dad'll be a great president."

I've read somewhere that the puppy is coming to the White House in April. Awwww....

Michelle, you go girl!

Friday

Another week's gone by at home-soil. To begin with Mom left earlier in the week to harvest her rice. With much trepidation Dad will be joining her soon; again they had another tiff. Sometimes I wonder at these folks. I often ask Mr. Darcy if we'll up like that. He assures me most confidently, "No, we don't have to"...

We spent the day sorting out business matters and now just knackered from all that travelling! I think the Kids had fun; they got a chance to meet up with the cousins again, albeit briefly. Got home very late afternoon, just in time for the boys to help Dad fix the poolside fence. In no time, the Kids jumped into the pool with M singing cheerily whilst squirting water at the fence-mending boys. I can hear Mr.Darcy admonishing her from time to time as their tools were getting quite wet! I, prepared dinner of our staple steamed-fish plus other dishes, magically concocted from dried up vegies in the fridge! The "Tuhau" and "Bambangan" Mr. Darcy bought from the road-side stall earlier, made dinner extra scrumptious; not that my dishes weren't already scrumptious!

Now in the quietness of the evening, I reflect on an MSN chat I just had with a friend. I had inquired how business was in her neck of the woods, to which she tells me is bleak and not looking at improving anytime soon. I felt for her and her staff, who were once my colleague. These girls were taking a 10% wage cut and an imminent layoff of ONE staff if things were not looking up in the next 3 months - they are to choose among themselves WHO is to go! The horrors of an economic downturn. You read about it, you see it happen on the news, its a hot topic at conversations, many lose sleep over it and it affects lives, many lives.

I cannot know for myself how that feels. I cannot say I understand because I am not, or rather, no longer in the same boat. As far as they are concerned, I have taken off on a cruiseliner! true. I feel spared from the turmoils and heartaches of the economic downturn;I am none the wiser for which, I am trully thankful...

Hairy Day

Mr.Darcy returned from the hills today. He was supposed to have come home last night but it was getting a bit too late. Instead he came home this morning. Don't see much of him lately and I guess that's the trade-off of being on home soil. I see he's thriving on the busy-ness of it all, I am happy for him.

On a totally unrelated matter, I am not really liking my hair! Got to the hairdressers this morning to do something about this mane of mine! Turns out, its no different from my "old" hair style - not that I ever had a hairstyle! I think I am the only one hairstyle-less; its just this boof of a hair, all fizzy, curly and everywhere - unless its scuffed up in a bun!! Like the look of this blog, I can't decide on what I really want with this hair! Its just a matter of time until I revert to my faithful curling iron; takes a little bit of time and some burnt ears in the process but I tend to be happier with the results!!

Back to Mr. Darcy, he didn't notice what I had done with hair; only noticed that its a little shorter. Later commenting that he liked it straighter but he liked that I am willing to "try" other looks. Bless his heart!

My baby

Turned 8 last week.

My multitalented boy-genius and boy-wonder, my little hero, my tries-to-be-honest food-critic, my tries-not-to-complain-too-much little helper, my angelic-voice guy-sebastian-esque singer, my little rascal, my little challenger-of-my-authority, my little cheeky imp, my heart, soul, pride and joy...

He requested a pool-party with some friends, which was easily granted. His other request was TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES. Looked delish and tasted even better! I threw in a good dose of Oreo's Cheesecake too - although I was rather disappointed with the "sub-standard" ingredients KK has to offer (Thanks to my new friend, Terri, I will visit a shop she recommended). Still it wasn't too bad altogether! Spent hours the other day digging through boxes to get my utensils out - it was worth it! He thoroughly enjoyed his little pool party - its so easy to please him sometimes, yet other times he drives me mad! Still I wouldn't change a thing about my little hero son!

His unabashed confidence still astounds me. We visited a church on Sunday and during one of the segments, the children pastor needed volunteers in teaching the lesson on TEAMWORK. There was a mathematical question/quiz that went along with the lesson. Who could answer the fastest got a chance to be 1 of 4 volunteers. He shocked us all by being the first! So he made his stage appearance. There were other mathematical questions that followed and he answered them all. Needless to say, we were proud of him and so bemused when the pastor asked "What school you go to? The other parents would like to send their kids there!!". Though gifted by nature and further nurtured by the Montessori system, my son is currently homeschooled and this Mom couldn't be prouder; basking in the glory of a now known, the Little Math Genius!

Its a wrap...

So the week's ended. Actually J would correct me right about there, saying its the beginning of the week. Either way, 1 week's gone by. Another week of us being on home soil. Yet another attempt at keeping to the homeschool schedule - let's see...they did fishing, planted some vegies, played with dogs, chatted with the 2 Myna birds and had friends over for some serious pool time. I also managed to squeeze in some baking amongst all that (Ingredients-wise, I am still not too impressed with what I've come across. I got some tips, though, where to shop for my baking needs!) Mom and Dad will be leaving for the Ladang again soon and Hubs will be doing a one day-er tomorrow to check out ours. I will be at home with the kids again, homeschooling and unpacking. I must seriously think about sorting out the scrapbooking stuff..soon.

I quite enjoyed the sermon today. Very refreshing and thought provoking! And was nice catching up with people from years gone by too. Chatted with other moms who homeschooled their kids too, exchanged some personal views on the matter. VERY glad to know I am not the only mom who turns dragon-headmistress to those udner her charge!!

The kids enjoyed sunday school too, which was paramount. J & M made fast friends and I was rather pleased with that. Need to talk it over to the Hubs about this though, whether we keep looking or stay put for a while.

Another week to look forward too..