Two Easy Meals

I have been eating non-stop today.  So much for getting healthy; I join the health club, swim a few laps and then right after that I feel so happy with myself that I eat double what I would have normally.  And it continues to the day after!

This morning I tried not to add further to the undoing of my good work in the pool by starting off with a light breakfast of hummous and salad.  Until GM started on his breakfast of cream cheese and baked beans on top of toasted bagel.  Yum.  He gave me a little section and it was REALLY yum.  He offered to make me one, all for me, just me.  I accepted.  Oops.

If you all want to make this quick but yummy meal for yourselves, this is how you do it.

1.  Heat up your baked beans (not an entire can obviously, that’s way too much)

2.  Cut your bagel in half.  Toast both halves.

3.  Spread cream cheese on toasted bagel, put baked beans and chopped spring onions on top.  The spring onions add that little something, they make it feel like a proper meal.

4.  Season with pepper and a bit of tabasco.  Voila!

My mate at work told me about her ultimate comfort food.  This is her most favourite meal in the world – egg on top of mashed potato.  She likes to have a fried egg, I made poached egg because it’s healthier and because I am lousy at frying eggs, I always break the yolk.

Obviously this is very easy to assemble – just poach an egg, make mashed potato and lay the egg on top of the mash.  Season with tabasco and pepper.

See, I got the egg yolk perfect!

For extra flavour, put some tomato sauce on.   My workmate was right, this is a good meal to have when you’re craving safe, familiar but satisfying food.

Swim Oman and Reminisce

I’m not done with my Oman posts yet!  I will try to finish talking about my Oman trip………. eventually.  The reason I am so slow with my Oman posts is that whenever I go on any trip I will invariably end up with loads of photos to show you all, and sometimes after a long day/ week at work the last thing I want to do is sit around resizing photos.

One of the best memories that I have taken away with me from this trip is the time I spent swimming.  Before this trip I hadn’t had a proper swim for a long time; actually I can’t even remember the last time I’d had a good long swim prior to this holiday.  The only time I can recall was when Jo and I used to go swimming at Riverside everyday.  And then we’d go and visit the cake counter and ogle the cakes haha.

With pools like this, how could I not swim?

On the other hand, with sunbeds like these it was hard to get up at all.  On my first morning there I was jet-lagged and spent the entire morning sleeping in a sun-warmed spot on these extremely comfy beds.  It was pure bliss.

Especially when the view overhead was palm leaves and blue sky.  We were given plenty of complimentary iced lemon mint water too so it wasn’t hard to spend an entire day by the poolside – reading, sleeping, enjoying the sound of the waves rushing up onto the beach.

I really really loved the look of this pool.

Beautiful.

When you’re in the pool this is what you’ll see – a seemingly neverending stretch of blue water going way out into the horizon.  I took this photo when I was in the pool!

The grounds of the hotel by day with its well-manicured lawns and hedges.

As I’ve said before, I love the design of this hotel.

More huge sunbeds at the other pool.  The previous pool was adults only, this one was for kids too.

In a way I have better memories of this pool because whilst the previous pool was beautiful and made me feel like I was on a proper luxurious and decadent holiday, I had more fun in this pool because this is where GM and I did most of our swimming.  I gave GM some swimming tips and he practised most at this pool.  We also enjoyed watching the little kids play in the water.  Hearing their shouts of laughter made me remember the old days when my family used to go on short trips to Singapore.  We’d always stay in a hotel with a pool and swimming time was a real treat, we loved it so much.

Those little trips to Singapore were so simple compared to the lavish holidays people take these days but we enjoyed them so much and were so thrilled with everything.  I remember once Ah Pa and Ah Ma got up early and bought us MacDonalds breakfasts and we were overjoyed.  That’s how simple life used to be back then, how easily pleased we were.

I’ve realised that the fond memories of our Singapore trips and swimming with my family mixed together with the happy memories of teaching GM to swim in Oman and being really proud when he managed to do a lap makes swimming a happy activity for me.  I hate almost every other form of exercise but I enjoy swimming.  This is why GM and I have joined a health club!  We found one that has not only a gym but a nice little pool.  We went swimming this afternoon and it was brilliant.   I feel very happy!

At the end of our swim this afternoon when we were in the jacuzzi cooling off, some little kids started swimming with their parents, splashing and goofing about.  GM turned to me and asked, “Is this what you used to do with your family?”  And it was.

Thank you Ah Pa and Ah Ma for giving us such a happy childhood.  I never really realised it until now but honestly, we had the best childhood anyone could’ve hoped to have had.  We’re so lucky to have such wonderful parents!

Home Cooking on Mothering Sunday

It was Mother’s Day last Sunday here in the UK.   The UK celebrates Mother’s Day on a different day from the rest of the world, which is a little bit annoying for me since when normal Mother’s Day comes round I always miss sending Ah Ma a card seeing as I never know when it is!

We were going to go out for a meal on Mothering Sunday but found it very difficult to secure a booking for some reason.  So GM’s sister came up with the bright idea of each of us cooking a different course and having it over at GM’s mother’s house.

GM made a starter of pea and mint soup with sour cream dollops.  It was really nice, very refreshing and really whet the appetite for the rest of the courses.

GM’s sister was in charge of doing main course.  Her boyfriend and her made roast leg of lamb with roast veggies.  It was really good!  GM carved and he did a stellar job, very impressive.

I made dessert – lemon posset topped with fresh cream and blueberries and accompanied by homemade shortbread cookies.  Everybody liked my shortbread a lot which was nice.  I made a huge batch of shortbread so I had some leftover to bring to work for my buddies and they loved them too!  This dessert is easy to make with maximum wow factor, I’ll definitely be making it again.

The Narky Ninja Strikes Again!

It took me ages to draw this

Remember my alter ego, the Narky Ninja?  She only manifests herself during times of extreme annoyance when nothing except a bit of nark would do to right the wrongs.

She’s back!!!

I’m sure all of you remember vividly the trouble I had with Singapore Airlines and their severely delayed flight back around Christmas time.  I said I would write to complain, and I did – six whole pages of it.  Some of you have read this letter, some haven’t but suffice to say that it was lengthy.  And vexed.

It took me nearly two weeks to compose because it was exhausting and traumatic just recalling the stress I had to live through during that ordeal but I told myself that I owed it to myself to let Singapore Airlines know just how much grief they caused me.  Indeed if I hadn’t complained I believe I would have regretted it and would always feel like I had done myself a great disservice and injustice.  Not to mention letting down everyone else who was involved – Ah Ma for all the stress and trouble she went through, Jo and Di for their anxiety and concern, GM for all that he did to help me and the huge amount of secret stressing he must have done and Heri for her worry and the macarons she missed.

I sent my letter to the CEO by registered post.  Today I got a reply.

They are refunding me the total cost of my airfare which is around £900.  TOO RIGHT!  They also want me to submit a breakdown of my out of pocket expenses for their consideration and believe you me, I will be doing this as soon as I get a good amount of time on my hands.

And the moral of the story is: never evoke the wrath of the Narky Ninja!

GM’s first attempt at using the drawing tablet

Pandas Like Bamboo!

It came!

My other surprise pressie from GM arrived today.  He got me a drawing tablet!  I’m thrilled because I’ve wanted one for ages.

Look how amazing it is.  It’s white to match my laptop and I love it.  I can write and draw things on my photos from now on.  No more faffing about with the mouse!  YAY.

Hehehe!