Year 2011 Round Up - September to December

This is the final 4 months of the year end round up.

SEPTEMBER

For the past 4 months or so, Mamarazzi had gone book crazy again and dragged me all over the town chasing after books sale

 

Some one told Mamarazzi about this new remainder book store called Book Tree. There we went hunting for books for cheap books again.

Managed to get my prize from Tiger Beer. Yay! Mamarazzi can make more "Steamed Beer Chicken"

Was also dragged by Mamarazzi to MPH Warehouse sale. But even then, she was saving her "bullets". Waiting for the Big Bad Wolf Sale.

Our first time attending the Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme.

Mamarazzi's first time making the ugliest Pau in the world with me being the guinea pig.

OCTOBER

Finally! The long awaited EVENT. The highlight of the year for Mamarazzi...and for me too coz I got lotsa goodies from the Big Bad Wolf Warehouse Sale.

Haiz...not enough with going 3 trips to the Big Bad Wolf Warehouse Sale. 

Papa brought me to a Floating Book Fair. It was a pretty good experience for me.

With so many books, I gets bored sometimes though Mamarazzi doesn't. 

Lucky for me, a blogger reader sent me this lovely Mr Mouse. 

Had a nasty shock too when the gmail and blog were nearly hijacked.

Papa brought us back to hometown to visit Ah Kong and Ah Mah in October too.

Some more experiement on "pau"

NOVEMBER

We "makan-ed"(ate) a lot the whole month. Well, nothing new right? Cause if you are a frequent visitor here, you will know we will go "cari makan"(Looking for food) everywhere.

An exciting month for me because we went for a trip to Malacca. 

It was an exciting trip for me. We visited the Zoo and various location. Of course not neglecting to sample the delectable food there.

 

Then Papa brought me to see Air Craft Exhibition at Subang Airport

Mamarazzi went "MAD" again at the Big Bad Wolf Aftermath Sale.

DECEMBER

Much better month for me. We went hunting for shoes. I grew a lot these two months.

Lazy Mamarazzi finally changed the template and header for this blog on 9th of December after much of Uncle Lee's effort. He has been so kind as to e-mail us some really nice Cats photos for header.

It's also the month to put up the Christmas Tree.

Really paiseh...some readers went through all the trouble of sending me gifts to put under my trees pulak. Thank you very much to Juan Or's Mommy, Mommy Ling, Auntie Little Bird, Uncle STP and Santa.

Attended my "first" Christmas Party of the year.

Then Mamarazzi got "bitten" by the "frying bugs" and turned into "Frying Momster"

Had a great Christmas Eve Dinner with some friends.

Can't wait for Boxing day. On Christmas morning, I opened the gifts.

2011 Reading Challenge

Kathy has

completed her goal of reading 180 books in 2011!

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189 of 180 (105%)

view books

Yesterday, Mamarazzi went book hunting again. This round it's at Bookxcess. Yup...they were having Christmas and New Year promotion. And this means a new stacks of books for Mamarazzi and me.

Well, looking back ... Mamarazzi indeed bought a lot of books but then she can sure devour them like nobody's business. Just check out her Mama Kucing Books and Mama Kucing Meow blogs and you will see just how much she can "telan".

This year alone, she managed to complete her 2011 Reading Challenge of 180 books, tracked through www.goodreads.com. Hmmm...maybe next year should aim higher? 200 books?

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading.

The Children's Life of Christ-Jesus Comes Again! by Enid Blyton

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! It's midnight...why are you still awake? Time to oi oi else Santa will be shy to drop your gifts to you.

 

This is a "scheduled post". By now, I in bed oi oi already after a nice bedtime story from Enid Blyton's book "The Children's Life of Christ".

This week the story is very joyful for Jesus had rise again after 3 days as he promises. You remember the women that were at the cave when Jesus was lay to rest? Well, they went there again and was surprised to see the great big stone that block the cave entrance have been moved.

They couldn't find Jesus' body in the cave. Instead they found a dazzling young man in white sitting at the right side of the entrance. He told them Jesus has rise again. They were surprised and a little afraid. They rush back to find Jesus' disciples to tell them the news.

Peter and John immediately rush to the caves thinking that someone ha stolen their Master's body. All that were left were white linen gravy-clothes laying nearby. They went back to tell the others.

Now there was a woman called Mary Magdalene who also went to the cave that morning, She was surprised to see two angels there. She wept when she saw Jesus body no longer there thinking that someone had taken the body.

Then she felt someone was near her. Blinded by tears, she turned around thinking the man was just a gardener.

The man asked her why does she wept and she told him the same thing that she had told the angels and beg the "gardener" to tell her where is Jesus new resting place.

But when the "gardener" spoke her name she was really surprised and her heart feel with joy as she recognised Jesus voice. She fell on her knees and worship Him. Oh what a glorious moment.

Home Experiment - Red Bean and Chicken Pau.

Found another sets of "forgotten photos".

 *Sigh* Mamarazzi was experimenting again. Says wanna try to make Red Bean pau. 

 Poke poke poke....this one normal one...

 This dough pulak add some Oat in it.

 Mamarazzi lazy to make the Red Bean Paste. Bought some Pre-packed less sugar red bean paste.

 Hmm....this round the "mouth" look not bad la. 

 Steam the Oat ones first.

 Wah....grew so big

 Second batch....normal skin.

Hmmm...not bad. The dough "puffed" up pretty good. Just too bad the paste was too sweet. Next time wanna make own red bean paste.

Lucky we made just a few or else all would have gone to waste.

Well, last week Auntie Little Bird was feeling very sick. Kept vomiting and no no no...she says she is not pregnant. She was having very low Blood Pressure and needs to have sweet things.

That was when Mamarazzi remember about this Red Bean Pau.

She made a new batch Red Bean Pau from the prepacked Low Sugar Red Bean Paste for Auntie Little Bird.

Dug around the freezer, saw that there is some chicken meat. Stirred fried them .

Made some Chicken Meat Pau. Four of the pau turns out nice looking.

But the rest looks like Pau that came out from "hospital". Tampal here and there coz the dough just would not stick. Maybe kena oil from the Chicken Meat.

Lucky Auntie Little Bird is not particular on how the pau look like.

However, Mamarazzi will need to improve on the dough. The fillings was okay but the dough was not good "Kulit a bit keras and chewy" according to Auntie Little Bird.

Well, it looks like Mamarazzi will have to experiment some more on the dough.

Pork Noodle at Restaurant Yit Sieang, Jln Thambipillay

When Mamarazzi published post on "Best Char Keoy Teow In Brickfields relocated to Restaurant Yit Sieang, Jln Thambipillay", SK commented that the Pork Noodle here is quite nice.

 

Hence last month when we went down town to have the CKT, Mamarazzi also ordered a bowl of Pork Noodle. Mmmm....quite a lot of ingredient.

The soup was very delicious. Then Mamarazzi discovered that it's cooked with this preserved vegetable. What do you call this? Thung Choy? It's sometimes being used to steam with mince pork. Anyone know the name?

For me, I had Chicken Rice

I ate all the rice while Ah Mah helped me to eat all the meat.

Ordered these for Papa. RM7. One Egg, One Taufu and some Pork Ear.

Here is the address if you wish to try out the Pork Noodle. I think you will like the soup. Restaurant Yit Sieang, Jalan Thambipillay, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Ample parking at YMCA.

The Encounter by Steve Arterburn

Synopsis from Booksneeze.com

A wealthy businessman travels to Fairbanks, Alaska, to learn why his mother abandoned him when he was a child, and in the process learns that not everything is as it appears to be.

The Encounter, the unique new book from best-selling author and counselor Stephen Arterburn, is a moving parable involving Jonathan Rush, a wealthy and famous entrepreneur, who is tortured by bitterness toward his mother who abandoned him when he was four. He travels to Alaska to find her but instead meets an enigmatic old woman known only as Mercy. Mercy has the information he needs but is strangely reluctant to talk to him. Somehow Jonathan must find a way to persuade a frightened woman to unlock the secrets of his past.

The book includes an invitation to the readers to verify the facts of their own stories, to accept the reality of their existence, especially the most painful ones, and to live in forgiveness. The end result is a healthy new way to look at life with an ability to share hope with others for the future. Healing is possible but requires truth, acceptance, and forgiveness, including of oneself.

My Comments :

For me it is an interesting book to read.

There are many trials in our life but for Jonathan its more than that. His hatred for his birth mother was like a black cloud in his life. The hatred sipped into his relationship with other women, It resulted in three failed marriage.

I love the way the author slowly unfolds the plot and the reasons behind each scene. The pace is good enough for me.

The author really have talent in turning the characters in this book very "human" with all the emotions. I can see the anguish that Jonathan was going through. Maybe the emotion was so raw is because the book is some what based on background of some real people.

I find this book easy to read. Heart warming as it's about forgiveness. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. . The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Special Christmas Celebration at Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme, Community Hall USJ2.

Last Sunday we attended the last book exchange of the year. This round, it's extra special.  

The Organiser had work hard and arranged for special programme this round. It's a small Christmas cum New Year Celebration

Those regulars contributed food. Some are store bought while some are home made.

 Cakes, cookies, bread, muffins, fruits and drinks ...all also got.

Mamarazzi really fell in love with these Nyonya Kuihs. It was so DELICIOUS. Paiseh to say, Mamarazzi even "tapau-ed" some home. *kiasu. bikin malu betul*

These ginger bread man and Christmas Trees really made Mamarazzi feel like wanna dig a hole and hide. Why? Coz it was baked by a young boy. 

Aiyo...so young already know how to bake. A young chap some more leh. If ask Mamarazzi to bake sure it would end up in the bin.

Mmm....yum yum

These mushroom are like Magic Mushroom. Kejap ada, kejap habis. Very delicious. Made using Jamie Oliver's recipe by one of the regulars. Even, Mamarazzi who doesn't like cheese ate 3-4 pieces of these.

Of course, it's not makan-makan only. There must also be "food" for the bookworms. The book exchange was still ongoing. 

These are just some of the books. There are plenty more yet to be taken out.

This photo is taken from SJBEP Facebook. Uncle James is busy sorting out the new books.

 

Apart from the makan-makan, there was Story Time too. Uncle James recounted to us the lovely tale of Pinocchio. He tells it well. Very funny.

Why am I smiling like a cat who had swallowed a canary?

Coz of these! Goodies bags and gifts.

Goodies bags for the kids and gifts for the adults.

The adults had Quiz and those who answered correctly would receive a gift...at least that was the plan.

It didn't go as planned. Instead, everyone and anyone who knows the answer would just shout out the answer.It was really fun! Laughter everywhere!

There was a Jie Jie who also answered a question for the adult though she was still a kid. Terror! So clever!

Guess what...I got TWO goodies bags instead of one.

 

Mamarazzi got two gifts and adopted a book home. Now, it's sitting under our Christmas Tree waiting for Boxing Day.

Mamarazzi brought home these book. The books are a bit worn out but it was well loved. 

Everyone in the community respected books. Books are handled with care and much love. Damaged books are still loved and not destroyed.

In fact, Mamarazzi overheard one of the regulars offered to bring a damaged book home to repair before returning it to the Exchange.

Mamarazzi also brought home a book written by her friend, the late S.H. Tan. He was the inspiration for many aspiring journalist back then. He encouraged many youngster to write through Malaysian Post back in the 90s.

Anyone interested to go for the next book exchange? Am not sure next year what date will the book exchange be but do follow them at https://www.facebook.com/sjusjbep .

In case you are wondering how this SJBEP works, here is the explanation :-

The Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme is a community project by a group of residents from Subang Jaya & USJ for all book lovers and avid readers in our community.

How do you participate?

1) Bring a book to donate.
2) Choose a book to bring home.

You give, you take. Everyone reads!

We are doing this
1) to exchange and share books we have read and thus, getting to know the people living in our own community.
2) to promote the reading habit among the Subang Jaya folks, young and old.

No need to be shy. Although it says among Subang Jaya and USJ folks, but avid readers from everywhere is welcomed. It's a very relaxed and charming community. Hope to see you there next year!

Address :

Community Hall
USJ2

Jalan USJ 2/4S

(some where behind the houses opposite SUMMIT USJ)