Bush fire

It is the bush fire season again. But unlike previous years, this is not even Summer yet!

The air for the past few days had been choked by smoke from the BlueMountain bushfire. It had travelled ALL the way from the west to our home. Clouding the sky into red orange with roasting wood smell.

Many homes were destroyed and 1 person died trying to defend his home from the fires.

Where I am now, faces the national park. I do hope that no stupid person will be silly enough to set alight the trees anywhere in this national park. I need a bushfire plan. Apparently, no one in the house cares or worries, even thought their house were one of the few houses here in the suburb labelled to be in bushfire danger zone. *rolled eyes... is this a sign of complacency?*

So if that day really do comes one day: I will take all my essential things, packed it into my tomato, and drive out far far away.

I pray for the many people who had lost their homes and for those who are fighting hard to protect their home. I do hope that people are ready, when the time comes.

kcan

Frustrated!

Often, I always wondered why this family I married into had no brain/common sense at all.

There was this broccoli stems incidents just last week. 

MIL got freebies from her cheepo friend who is working in restaurant business. Broccoli stems.

Well, they only uses the heads in the cooking, not the stems. So what did she do? She leave them in those shopping bags and distribute to her friends when she had accumulated 'enough'. So this MIL of mine got a bag of these stems from her one day and happily 'hid' it from me by placing it in this sealed bag and placing it on the door of the fridge. She did not let me know about it till I found out one day while clearing the fridge for old veges. (I'm the one cooking now a days) 

And guess what, they had all gone BLACK! And the bag had gone wet from the moisture of the veges that some of them had wet rotten edges. 

So taking and showing her (and intend to throw it away immediately after that), 'what is this, it's bad, not good for eating. I'm going to throw it away. Next time u bring anything back, let me know.'

MIL: What, it's still ok to eat. Don't throw away. Just peel back the skin and it is still ok to eat.

Kcan: O_O but it is bad, it's gone black n rotten!

MIL: if you don't want to eat, I'll give to YiYi (aunty, her sister) 

Kcan: (wtf...)

In Chinese, there's this saying: 己所不欲，勿施于人. If you yourself does not want/desire it, do not give to others. I feel like slapping it onto her face that she should not have such evil heart to do that to others. Somewhat her little sister! (And remember the incident earlier in the year about the broken toaster?) 

In order not to get into trouble with her (trying to please her), I had to cook half of them n threw away the rest IN SECRET! 

Then yesterday, monthly called came and I was in lots of discomfort. Headache and backache. Yet I still have to cook for them while they snooze/laze away in the afternoon. I made dumplings, hoping that I can have left overs to last for a few weeks as emergency food. The SIL came to help wrap the dumplings while I made the skin from the dough. We sat there for hours, with my headache getting worst by the minute. After making each plate full of dumplings, I made sure they were pop into the fridge to freeze so I can keep them individually in bags for future use. But last night, I entrusted the task and told the steps to SIL as I am really unwell to move. (Plus my hands were all covered in dried dough) 

And after that, I was so exhausted to even clean up or check on the progress...

Behold... When I was ransacking through the freezer just then, I found this Big WHITE SOLID BLOCK.

OMG! It's the dumplings I made yesterday! That WOMAN had stuffed the unfrozen dumplings into a bag and squeezes it to a corner of the fridge. And there's two big solid bags of it! 

MAN AM I MAD!!!!!

Not only did my effort in making dumplings for the future had gone down the drain, now what the hell am I going to do with these bricks of dumplings. 

Then I had to suck it up and not show any of my anger and frustration to these people cause...'what's done already done, it is just going to make people less willing to help blah blah blah......' Eric always uses this to shut me up when trying to defend his family. WHY DO THEY NOT HAVE ANY BRAINS!!

Argh!

Then there's also the raw sea cucumber fragments that is STILL in the fridge. It had been 5 weeks since it had appeared in the fridge. For the first 3 weeks, it was left uncovered in a small bowl. Then I reminded MIL that it should be thrown away as it was uncovered n been left in the fridge for too long. 

What did she do?

She took it out from the fridge,

gave it a rinse, 

put it back in the same bowl, 

PLACE A TAKEAWAY CONTAINER ROUND LID ON TOP OF THE BOWL, 

and place it back at the same spot in the fridge. 

It's 5 weeks and ticking! I am so going to throw that away one day ...

I seriously hate living in this place.

Kcan

Long Weekend

This weekend is the labor day long weekend. It also coincides with the International Fleet review (Saturday), which marks the 100 years of Australian Navy. There are many international navy ships that sails into the Sydney harbour through last week to celebrate this event. Even the Prince Harry was here too!

The highlight of the Fleet review was the march sail pass, plane and helicopter display and fireworks!
The organisers were expecting extraordinary crowds. Therefore enforcing a 'leave your car at home' rule for anyone coming into the city.

We woke up early to set off at 9am, hoping to catch the helicopter display which Eric so wanted to see, starting at 10.45am. -_-" All along the way in the train, people were in festive mood, bringing picnics rugs, esky, outdoor chairs.... All ready to stay till late for the fireworks at 7.40pm!
We brought 3 picnic rugs, 4 vietnames bread rolls, a box of cherry tomatos, a box of Edimame beans, salted nuts and lots of water. We also brought 2 big table clothes, to act as 'scarve' against the hot afternoon sun.

We arrived to a crowded Circular Quey area, where people all lined up to enter the Opera house area. We choose an area where it faces the jetty and botanical gardens area. It was SOOO hot. The place is all concreted up and no shade at all. Under the hot midday sun, the sun rays are piercingly painful. We all hid under one umbrella. Standing behind the masses of people who were there early, we were so tiny in comparison. Cannot see anything!!! >_<
Anyhow, we later parked ourselves at an area where it is close to the toilets.

We read books, have lunch, eat snacks, make 'tent' from the table clothes... patiently waiting for things to happen.
The area we were in became an 'exclusion zone' at one point, where people who were not there from the morning could not enter. They had to stand behind a fence. While we who were there since the morning, we had the 'privilege' to remain there, as long as we don't go out of that area (apart from going to toilet). The exclusion zone was made so that all the important people can enter the opera house from the jetty. We were so excited as we thought we might even have the opportunity to meet the PRINCE!!! Unfortunately, instead of meeting the Prince, we met the delegates from all over the world that came to attend the fleet review, plus the Governor General of Australia. =( we were so sad when the trumpet blower left the jetty after the arrival of the GG.
Anyhow, the spot where we were is the perfect spot for the fireworks. Front row seat!!
Unlike normal fireworks where you see explosion after explosions of fireworks, the fireworks now is incorporate into the story of the formation of Australian Navy 100 yrs ago. There were story projected onto the sails of the Opera House and the fireworks were compliment to the scenes on it. Very educational.

The whole event ended at 8.10pm. The crowd leaving the city area was a scene one would relate to in China, where People mountain people sea will be spewing onto to the streets, towards the various bus stops and train stations. Instead of heading straight to the train station, we went to have dinner at Petaling Street restaurant. Glad that we arrived early, for the place was soon full with people arriving from watching the fireworks. We got back home at 11pm.

On Sunday, we join Eric's friend for BBQ at their place. John is the groom's man during our wedding. He invited all the coursemates from their uni days to have a gathering. Many of them are already married with little children running here n there. haha. It was a great time of catching up.

Today, sadly, Eric woke up in the early morning with tummy ache. My poor husband was in bed till almost mid day. I made chicken porridge for lunch for everyone, and he fell asleep right after that on the sofa. Just then when I went down to check on him, I found him to be a little warm.... ohmy... he's having a fever~~! 38.6degC!

So off he goes into the shower to cool him down, pop in 2 panadols, acupuncture, herbs and into the room to sleep. Hope he'll feel better soon!