Taste of South

To celebrate Chap Goh Meh, we went to the TOS. We wanted to eat at PappaRich but it was too crowded. Furthermore, we were already hungry.

Angel fried rice RM6.80

Fried chicken nasi lemak RM8.50

Fish fillet and chip RM13.80

French toast RM5.30

Spaghetti with special wanton and mushroom sauce RM10.80

Gula melaka ice cream ice kacang RM5.50

Original ice milk tea in Hong Kong style RM4.50

Very expensive after adding the 10% service charge and 5% government tax!

Anyway, it was a good experience!

Happy Chap Goh Meh!

Taiping Lake Garden

Last Sunday, we went to the Taiping Lake Garden. It is still as fascinating as ever.

Look at the naughty monkeys playing on the car!
I was supposed to park my car there but seeing that the monkeys were loose,
I got frightened and parked somewhere else instead.

Somehow, this monkey is adorable with its little one! So cute!

This monkey must be a joker! Trying to amuse us!

This bridge is one of the significance of the Lake Garden.

I just admire the zig-zagged bridge!

Lovely view of the surrounding trees!

See the uniqueness of the branches!

See how the branches reach out!

Oh, the fountain is still there! I haven't seen it for years!

Wow, the boat ride!

Wood

My husband bought these two wooden statues a few years back. Both are placed side by side near his bedside. He simply adores them.

laughing buddha in black wood

heavy solid wood

all wooden

Known as Hotei (Japan) and Pu-Tai (China), these figures embody the ideals of the good life: i.e. health, happiness, prosperity and longevity.

They represent the later Buddhist notions that the good life was indeed attainable in this world. It consisted of self-mastery, a happy demeanor, purposeful endeavor, a deep commitment to the welfare of others and enlightened awareness.

Scholars believe that the Laughing Buddha is in fact modeled on an historical figure, a fat wandering Zen monk named Pu-tai. All sources describe him as obese, with wrinkled forehead, and a white protruding belly which he left uncovered. There was another feature of his bodily appearance that captured attention. Wherever he went, he wore a pu-tai (Japanese Hotei) or cloth-bag. Thus he came to be known as Pu-tai Hoshang or hemp-bag monk.

Legend has it that in this bag he carried candy for the children. Over the centuries within China, Buddhist notions of happiness based on self-mastery and enlightened insight were fused with popular Chinese life-ideals of happiness through material prosperity, thus today the hemp sack may be interpreted as filled with gold, filled with happiness, health, and other aspects of abundance.

http://www.mountainvalleycenter.com/

Brenda Photo

Evening Sky

After all the visitation done on the second day of Chinese New Year, we were on our way back to Ipoh. When we almost reached Ipoh, I noticed these lovely views of the sky.

Sky Watch

Watery Wednesday

Captured this picture at Windows of the World in Shenzhen but I don't know where is the actual statue located. Can anyone please tell me?

Fitline

my Fitline car

http://www.pm-international.com.my

Health is one of our most valuable commodities - this is clearly indicated by the huge growth in the market for nutritional supplements during the last few years. Unfortunately, many products with low standards of quality have also been washed onto the market. How is it possible to separate the wheat from the chaff?

One unmistakable criterium is certainly manufacture according to the international quality standard (GMP/ISO).This is not obligatory! However,only 5% of nutritional supplements are produced according to it - the FitLine® products are among them.

Beyond this quality standard, we have developed our own standards to improve the effectiveness of FitLine®. Because it is only effective products that are taken over a long period. Our two concepts, which are unique world-wide, NGP® (Nutrient Group Product) and NTC® (Nutrient Transport Concept) stand for the quantitative and qualitative composition of the products, their effective synergy and, above all, their so-called bioavailability - their absorption into the body. Thanks to those concepts, the FitLine® products can develop their effects exactly where they are needed in our billions of cells..

Effectiveness, quality, safety - that is what makes the FitLine® products excellent and unique.

new package vs old package

My Testimony:

I have been taking Fitline since June 2005. Only three products - Activise, Basics and Restorate. They are all in powder form.

Activise provides me with the energy that I need.

Basics helps with my constipation problem.

Restorate is a very good antioxidant and controls my stress level.

ABC Wednesday

Jade Emperor

Yesterday, my two girls and I went back to my hometown to help my mum in the prayers to the heavenly god, Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor's Birthday is on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year. On this day Taoist especially the Hokkien worship the Jade Emperor (拜天公) by burning incense and offering food.

Today is the ninth day of the Lunar New Year.

Hokkien celebrates this day every year. My mum is Hokkien and so am I.

Various food were offered to the Jade Emperor.

Preparations were done yesterday night just before midnight.

my sister, my girl and my mum

Prayers were done and incense burnt.

My girl played with the big colorful joss-stick.

Gold papers were folded and ready to be burnt when it was midnight.

On fire and accompanied by sounds of fire-crackers.

Finally, the top parts of the sugar cane were burnt too.

Lastly, when I opened my dashboard, I realised that I had posted 188 articles.

Coincidentally, my lucky numbers are 1 and 8.

Wishing all Hokkien Chinese a very happy worshiping to the
Jade Emperor!

Today's flowers

My brother-in-law's house even has these beautiful flowers! I'm not sure what flowers are these.

Auspicious flowers for the Chinese New Year!

bloom in..

abundance!

Decoration

I visited my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law during the Chinese New Year in Taiping. My 5th brother-in-law owns a very lovely house and he believes in feng shui.

I was attracted to this neat decoration on the glass comfy table.

I simply admire it and its reflection!

Wonder what does the feng shui say?
Maybe 'balanced' for a balanced life?

Weekend Reflection

Backfired

This incident happened last March. I was on my way to work and was driving along a narrow road. Suddenly, a car was reversing and knocked my car. I was shocked when I heard a bang. It hit my side.

I came down from my car and talked to the guy. He told me that he was not looking behind. He reversed out as I was passing by. It was definitely his fault.

As my husband's shop was just around the corner, he followed me to the shop. After much discussion, the guy still refused to pay for the damage. So, we decided to make a report.

I realised that I didn't bring my identity card (ic) with me. So I told him that I would be right back. But he sensed that and challenged me to show him my ic.

I refused, denied that and quickly drove back to my house nearby to get my ic. When I went back to the shop, my husband told me that the guy had agreed to settle part of it. He paid RM250 and insisted that I should pay for the rest since I was considered wrong too.

I got so angry. But he had already left!

Until now, my husband still hasn't sent it for repair! And I am still driving it!

Blue Sky

We were out after lunch and the day was so hot. As I was not driving, I looked at the sky. The blue sky with clouds aplenty really amazed me.

near the Ipoh bus station

the railway station in Ipoh

a clearer view of the railway station

the Ipoh city hall is on the right

We took a right turn just before the city hall.

the clock tower

I was indeed happy to be able to capture a series of blue skies along my way to Ipoh town.

I would like to wish 'Blue Skies and Everything Nice' to each and everyone of you especially Claire. Because of her, I got richer overnight! Thanks for her kindness!

Skywatch