Be Right Back

The gifts are sorted and the packing almost done. I’m going out of town for a wedding. Will be back next week!

I’ll leave you with some of the blog posts I’ve enjoyed recently:

Chris invites you to consider today, the first day of your life ;
Damien examines the beauty of this temporary life;
Karen inspires me to grow my own lettuce (it’s that simple?)
and I so want to try a cup of Vietnamese iced coffee NOW, Diane and Todd!

Ok, I’m out!

Not Something You’d Usually Say

“Hurry up! Your dinner’s getting warm!”

I yelled to my husband, after preparing a batch of zaru soba (cold buckwheat noodles) last night.

Something’s Not Right

I dragged myself to the doctor’s office yesterday after a sleepless, breathless, wheezing, cough-filled night. My husband was diagnosed with bronchitis less than 2 week ago. He’s okay now but it seems that it’s my turn.

When I’m sick, I crave for all the things that’s bad for me - French fries, Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk, Oreo cheesecake, icy-cold drinks - and none of that chicken soup or porridge thing. Right now, I could use some Famous Amos chocolate chip and pecans cookies. I really don’t know why but I don’t think alone in this (craving junk food when unwell).

Posting will resume when I’m better. Or when I get my ice-cream. :o

(Apparently I also have a habit of drawing when I’m sick)

Do You Bite or Lick?

I lick my ice-cream, except when it’s chocolate-dipped, in which case, I bite the coating off first and then proceed with the licking. :)

Have a good Sunday (or a good sundae?)!

Happiness Is A Warm Bun

When I got to the bakery today, I found a batch of freshly-baked (and still warm) coffee buns. Perfect timing!

The buns were not too happy about being eaten though! :P

Healthy Ambitions
Small Steps to A Healthier Me

A friend of mine, Will, told me he has quit smoking cold turkey for a few months now. Though I was happy he did that, I was also shocked with this sudden change. He then revealed that three months ago, he was diagnosed with a thyroid problem, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and gout. He needs to be on regular medication from now on and he’s not even 30!

Weirdly, he told me that when he asked his doctor what measures he should take to reduce his cholesterol levels, he was told to consider smoking! A doctor telling his patient to smoke? Sounds like someone needs a new doctor fast!

I am not taking my health for granted. I am not gonna wait for my teeth to fall out or hip bones to crumble before doing something about it so I’m making small changes to my diet and lifestyle in a bid to improve my health. [Read more....]

Food Trip

I have a habit of imagining eating different food when I’m working. It leaves me hungry and irritable for many hours. But I do it anyway. I sometimes describe my cravings in detail to B, causing one or both of us to eventually cave in to mindless snacking. I’ll share it with you guys here today:

Good, hot coffee in a paper cup.
First the cup (I have a thing for paper cups)– a thick uncoated stock, slightly rough to the touch. Then the coffee — dark with an unmistakable intoxicating aroma. I add a little milk, stir it gently and take a long, slow sip.

Oreo cheesecake
Slightly salty, a hint of bitterness, all rich and sweet. No, thanks, I can’t, wait, yes please, just a small slice. For now.

Fresh salmon sushi
Succulent, sweet salmon and a touch of wasabi on top of vinegared rice. I dip it ever so slightly in soya sauce and think to myself, “Lyn (a friend who doesn’t eat raw fish) doesn’t know what she is missing”

Shiny glazed donut
Sinking my teeth into a warm pillow of deliciousness, the glaze crack and crumble onto my lap. My pants are dirty but my mouth is happy. :o

Chocolate almond bar
This is it — the perfect chocolate bar - in between milk and dark. A dark milk? Or a milky dark? It doesn’t matter, really. There are almonds, toasted to brown perfection with every satisfying bite.

Pancakes
See formula for simple happiness number 2.

What are you craving today?

Junk Food Day

After looking at the cute stuff from Re-Ment, I found myself craving for a lot of things. The sad thing is, I got myself a lot of junk food and ate them in one sitting:

1 garlic butter bread
1 bowl instant noodles
1 coffee-filled chocolate bar
3 slices of white bread with chocolate spread
1 bag of salted nuts
6 Mentos
1 can of Pringles chips (oh oh!)

Not too proud of myself. I’m having a bit of a tummy ache. I wonder why…

Saturday Summary

Do I hear a collective shout of “The weekend is here, let’s PARTAY!”? If you’ve signed up to blog for NaBloPoMo March there’s a very good reason to celebrate today because, it means you have made it through the first week of posting everday. Congrats fellow bloggers! I’m so happy for us! :)

It’s been a jam-packed week here. If you’ve just tuned in, we’ve just finish Food week. Some (possibly very, very useless) highlights of the week:

On Monday, we got to know a fruit that can perform “miracles”
On Tuesday, we learnt that seasonings top the list of things I’d bring to desert island
On Wednesday, we found out the cause of my rumbling tummy at night
On Thursday, we discovered that there is such a thing as a blue lobster
On Friday, we read a few non-life changing facts about me

All in all, a fruitful week for Growing Happiness. Now excuse me while lay off the weak food puns and partay (read: eat, drink and sleep) the rest of the day away.

Related posts
Random Sunday - Names
31 Days of Lists - I Have A Plan

Thank-Goodness- It’s-Food Day

I’m grateful for…

…being able to find pleasure and enjoyment in simple meals. I’m equally happy with a tuna sandwich as I am with a salmon sashimi; with a cup of instant coffee as I am with a double shot of Guatemala Antigua Arabica.

…having a McDonald’s within walking distance from my house. I know it’s not the best nor healthiest choice when it comes to food, when you’re but hungry at 11 pm, a situation I regularly find myself in, it’s heaven-sent.

…knowing when to stop eating. As a teen, I’d gorge myself silly with junk food. Nowadays I stop after four donuts and a large fry. Heh.

…loving my fruit and vegetables. I could just eat salads for weeks. I think my body has an in-built ying-yang system. I’d eat extremely unhealthy, artery-clogging McMeals for days and then I’d crave for a rabbit buffet.

…being able to smell my food. I lost my sense of smell once. You would think that one would eat less when this happens but no! You have to eat a lot more to make up for feeling unsated with your tasteless food.

Have a great weekend everyone!