Home cooking on the last day of 2011

Amazing! I made my first hong kong style clay pot rice tonight! I think it tastes good, but I should cut down the cooking time next round to make it perfect.

Kailan got a secret admirer...

He is called Bagel who is a 6-year old Boston terrier. Vanessa has been showing Kailan pictures to Bagel all the time, so he decided to make a move.

Right before the new year, Bagel sent Kailan two new vests and a dog collar from the famous cool brand, American apparel. A love note was included in the bag.

I am so happy that Kailan is in love now...but she does not really enjoy wearing clothes. She believes this is a punishment for her. Let's see by when she takes it off.

Christmas gathering with BFF

I have hosted an apple pie making gathering for Ton Ton and a dog meeting with Ho Wai this afternoon. The apple pie baking was an easy job for us, and the pies turned out great and tasty. It's so yummy when it just came out from oven!!
Ton Ton and JI also had some fun with Kailan before Ho Wai's arrival.... But after that, Kailan felt so jealous about the baby's arrival. Luckily, Ho Wai did not cry because of unfriendly Kailan.

Due to my place's limited capacity, the dinner took place at Donna's place in the end. Happy birthday to Ball Ball and Ton Ton!

交換聖誕禮物

今年，我們決定交換禮物。
由於阿倫好忙，很少時間放假行街，而他放假的時候，我就要他留在家收新傢俱，真係時間啱啱好。
當時間所剩無幾的一刻，我問他：我今年的聖誕禮物係唔係凍過水?
他回答：對！我可能要在華潤超級市場(我家樓下的超市)買給你了！
Meiling: (笑....)不要緊！你用1000元買哂熱浪薯片，我都好開心。

阿倫是一個患有"保守秘密困難症"的人，他一買了禮物就要送給我。儘管當天是12月22日，距離聖誕還有幾天，加上我還未有禮物跟他交換，他都堅持送禮。即使他問了100次，我拒絕了102次，他還是送了。

我收到了一箱薯片，原來感覺超正，畢竟薯片是我的最愛！
最開心的是裡面還有一個銀包。我由於出差的關係，我對銀包都有一些要求，他買對了。雖然我一直都少用紅色，但它就好像愈來愈順眼！

好了，是我陳美玲出手的時候。12月23日公司放半天，剛好我可以利用2小時去找一些特別的禮物，然後與他會合。

其實我一直想去kapok看看有沒有男裝的accessories買給他，點知什麼也沒有看中。於是走進了一家古董家具店，應該說是很漂亮的雜貨店。我看見了古董錶！是它了！

1970年代的卡通錶真的很啱阿倫，而且價格是我付擔得起，加上錶面上有電單車圖案，我馬上就付款了。

把手錶送上阿倫，他馬上問我買了多少錢。然後，我才知道自己是個大豬標。從自己覺得買了超抵的東西，一小時後知道自己成為了水魚，這個落差實在太大了。

不發一言的阿倫是很可怕的。他馬上問怎樣去這家店。我心想，死硬了，他要找人晦氣嗎?
我當時都很亂，還是少說話好。

到達案發現場。他說：留在車上等我。
不出5分鐘，他回來了。

我問：你是否退了錢?
他答：我去買了另一隻，咁就是一對了！你做了豬標，我宜家陪你一齊做。這些古董錶其實不值錢，現在買了一對成為一系列，這樣才比較化算。

今次，真的是有史以來最感動的一次。禮物不緊要，三年後就會忘記這是何時送出的禮物。但我覺得後面的故事才最重要，現在我們的故事又多了一個單元。

我經常說他不懂浪漫來激佢，今次真是你win哂!

Merry Christmas!

Classic clip from Mr Bean

Dec 20 - Angry Bird Cake Making

Frankly speaking, I did not know what cake we are making before the class. It's because this class was booked by Cici at Groupon. Ah Lun and I did not bother to know more details in advance.

Surprisingly, the class was fun. Everyone made a 3D angry bird cake in two hours. The classroom was a bit crowded but it was fun to make the cake with families.

As the cake was made by so much cream, we dare not to eat. So we gave them away to mom in law's domestic helper, haha. Never mind, we just enjoy the process. :)

Sexy baker competition - Ah Lun vs Meiling

Cake demo by teacher! So pretty!

Meiling at work...please do not disturb

I think this is an art class; not a bakery class.

Ah Lun has made a not-angry bird. It's so hilarious!

Furniture shopping day

I had been thinking of buying some new furniture lately. Finally, we had a few hours to shop around in Shatin today.

When we first stepped into the mall, we found a really nice shoe cabinet made by good wood materials. As this is so classic, we decided to buy it though it's very expensive.

I am sure we will keep this cabinet for life.

Dec 17 - Winter solstice dinner // Chan's Family

We have decided to have hot pot dinner this winter solstice as per discussion from our last family gathering. Tse's family therefore became the host of this dinner.

Ah Lun had to work on that day, but he rushed back home for two hours around noon to help me with house cleaning and buying food for such a big group. Really appreciate his help!

Everything was set and then we found out the stove was not working when we were about to start!! Classic...

Kong and Kitty then helped to buy a new stove downstairs. Luckily, we still have hot pot dinner last night.

By the way, Kailan was so excited about the arrival of so many guests. She was so busy greeting and playing with them. She almost got heart attack!!

Dec 16- Christmas party with PolyU HTM classmates

Ah Yee offered to be the host of this Xmas party, so she had never stopped running around to serve us tonight.
I was so honored to get a bowl of hot noodles from her husband, though it came a bit late after Ah Yee made a few white lies.
My gift went to Elaine while I got a gift from Judy. We also had a fun magical session with Xena! She is really really lovely and cute.
I love the dinosaur hat at her place and we had a role play there. :)

Meiling and Xena are great entertainers!

Feeling a bit sad...

I just found out the Vietnamese restaurant in quarry bay has closed down. Ah Lun and I had spent so much of our time together at that restaurant when we were living in the neighborhood. Food is not really great, but it's sad to say good bye to our great memories there!!