Spymama @ Mamakshop

Queues Queues Queus..

I Queued for the longest time yesterday. Each queue lasted a good almost an hour long each! Why? I had to go to the bank to cash out a cheque. Then I queued to get a doctor’s letter for my girl (this doc very popular lah. I was even there before the clinic opened!), Then I queued to at the post office to remit money for my helper, and I queued at the AXS kiosk to pay my credit card bills!

I’ve been standing on longer queues like few hours when I fed my fetish for First Day Covers decades ago. But yesterday morning was something I was asking for.. I could have just done them all on different days of the month, but I had to pick end month, when everyone has their salary credited or paid, and bills to pay. Ya, I shouldn’t be complaining about it, right?

Anyway, I used to collect queue pictures so these pictures are some of my collections.

Donut Queue

Nasi Lemak Queue

Sakae Sushi Queue

I slept kinda late yesterday. I was watching Spypapa fixing his laptop up. He had a free laptop from our broadband operator. He had a choice of either a HP mini laptop that is only 8.9 inches wide or he could pay an additional $699 for a HP T2000 series laptop (12 inces wide) that comes with a touch screen. So Spypapa chose the latter because the mini laptop was too small for him, he said. Well, it was a lovely looking laptop with Vista software installed. One can’t really get a regular laptop that is less than $700 anyway, so this one is a good offer. The retail price was more than $2k!

After driving my girl to school, I had errands to run of course. Today, being end of the month, means I had bills to pay, and plenty of if. I was supposed to bring my daughter to see Dr Tan (to get a clearance letter that she is fit to go school), send my maid to transmit her money, make some payments at the AXS kiosk for some outstanding credit card payments and bill payments.

So, no bag watching again for me. But I did peeked into a lady walking by me that looked very much like she just made a trip to the market. I thought it had some red dates in there too. That was about the best I could see. I think she was going to cook Watercress Soup.. with red dates mah.. She glared at me lah.. after all why would a stranger be looking into her bag, right. I would have loved to take her picture there and then and say to her na na na na na and run away. But I didn’t…

So for today, I am gonna cook some Sambal Kangkung. Bet lots of Malaysians and Singaporeans love this dish. Some call it Belachan Kangkung. I wonder why. I think it should be Sambal Kangkung. Why do we need to tell them got Belachan in there. It’s understood right? or Maybe Sambal Belachan Kangkung? Nah.. that is a mouthful.

Oh My God! It’s 11.05am now! have to cook now. Byeeeee…

To those who dropped by here, by chance, bloghopping or through response from my comments, I would like to thank you for your time to even stay here for even that few seconds. It means a lot to me and I’ve met many many nice blogger friends this way. Please feel free to drop me a message or two and I will try my best to reply to you. Meanwhile….

I was looking for some kuehs in the morning. This one is made from glutinuous rice coloured with a natural blue flower (maybe this one used food colouring) and the top part is actually a sweet based grated coconut. I love these and I can find these in the market most of the time. It is sold for about 3 for $2.00 for a standard price. Some may sell it about $4 for $2.00 and you sometimes can pick a variety of kuehs as well. This is my favourite. I am not sure what the true name is called. I just call it Blue Pulut Rice with grated Coconut.

I would like to share this breakfast with you, my dear blogger friends who just visited me. Let’s also have it with good ‘ol Kopi ‘O’. If you are here in the afternoon, its just time for tea, wecome to Spymama’s Mamakshop.

If any of you know what it’s called, please do enlighten me, okie?

I patronized my favourite Prata shop in the morning. The coffeeshop was packed like sardines. Sigh.. I think because the coffeeshop next door was doing renovation so many customers ended up in these coffeeshop. It is also Sunday, by the way. The latter should be the reason.

That means I have to wait a while for my favourite breezy corner. No seats were available and I’ve got a whiney kid that insists she wants to go eat somewhere else with air cond! She hinted she was hungry for burgers…alamak!

So I decided that I shan’t wait. No spymama at work today. No people watching. No ‘*Kay Po-ing’ or looking into people’s marketing bag. So I asked my Mr Mamak to ‘**bungkus’ up 7pcs of Prata kosong and lots of curry to bring home and eat. I’ll make my Kopi ‘***Kao Kao’ at home too. I’ve got my favourite Tesco Kopi mom bought for me during our vacation.

Of course Little Miss It’s So Hot, Hot, Hot wasn’t pleased about it. “What?! We are going home to eat?” I told her, “yup my dear” (trying to look excited about it). Who could fool a kid. Her chin was getting longer and longer and it certainly seemed heavier than the other bag in my other hand. If we don’t go now pretty soon I’ll be tripping over it every step of the way..

Some terms you may want to know:

*Kay Po  - Being a busy body or nosy parker. (Local Hokkien ’slang’)
**Bungkus - Direct translation means ‘wrap’, In this context, it means to wrap for take away. (Malay)
*** Kao Kao - Concentrated. I used the term Kopi Kao Kao means Strong bodied local cofee with condensed milk.

I wanted to rant about this for the longest time. What else can I say. It’s about Spypapa of course. Spypapa has had a quite stressful pace of work for the past decade. There is no escape from the corporate world. If you have watched Singapore’s movie by Raintree Pictures - Just Follow Law, you’ll probably know how office politics are. Lots of arrowing around. But that is not what I want to rant about. It is about how office life has moulded Spypapa.

In the office, he has to make decisions quick and not look at pointing fingers. Business is always risky of course. When there is a problem at work, he will need to come down to the level and see how solutions can be solved. Very efficient, of course. BUT.

Have you ever come across when your second half comes home and solve your problems the way he solves it at work? I have and sometimes it can be irritating of course. Especially when all Spymama wants is just an outlet to rant? Lets look at how Spypapa responds at these rants! 3 actual examples.

Spymama told Spypapa: Aiyo our fridge for the 3rd time, is not cool at all. I had to clear the stuff, turn it off few hours and back on then it will be cool again. bla bla bla..
Spypapa: What is the root of the problem..
Spymama: *rolls eyes and shakes head*

Spymama text Spypapa: Hey, the kids are going to have holidays soon. Perhaps we could take a short break away and bring them to a resort to have fun?
Spypapa text Spymama: Noted
Spymama: sigh

Spymama text Spypapa: Mei Mei not feeling well. Her lips turned blue tis morning, so i rushed her to see Dr Tan. (I purposely didn’t want to tell more)
Spypapa text Spymama: Pls Update Me
Spymama: sigh sigh sigh (don’t want to update liao)

I didn’t really eat proper meals yesterday. I rushed my girl to see the doc in the evening and waited in the queue for a while. When i got home, there were things to tidy up and to tuck the girls to bed. This morning, I had prata for breakfast. Then I felt as if it was just not enough. I steamed some chinese bread rolls that I usually store in the freezer and ate them with a large dollop of margarine. Then I had a satisfying cuppa Kopi Susu (Coffee with Dairy Cream) and proceeded to raid the fridge again.. I finished up the leftover bag of crisps, ask my helper to steam some Dimsum and now as I am blogging, I am thinking about food…

Below: Chinese Steamed Buns, yummy with dollop of margarine.

Do you have that kind of days whereby you just want to eat and eat? I’m quite extreme, sometimes when I am busy, I think food is getting in my way, I wont even eat a bite except drink my Kopi Susu. But once I’ve got work all completed, food is something that I want. In other words, when I am happy, I can really eat alot! urgh!

Let’s learn what blogger’s favourite meal (Breakfast) is. Simple straightforward meme and great for link love. Have a good Breaky!

*Start copy here*

The Longest Breakfast Menu List

Everyone likes to start their day with a comfort food for breakfast. What kind of food do you take? This would be a good way to find out your blogger friend’s favourite food for breakfast.

All you need to do is to put your name down, the country you are in and your favourite breakfast meal. Let’s see how we can have this breakfast ‘menu’ travelled all around cyberspace and learn what each blogger living in different country and what do they eat for breakfast. This meme was created by a little lady with a penchant to spy around little baskets while marketing. Her favourite breakfast of the day is none other than Roti Prata, an indian flat bread. What about you? What is your favourite breakfast meal of the day?

1. Spymama, Singapore - Roti Prata 2. Add your name, country, food.

*End copy here*

I shall now find some random names from the blogosphere to add up to this list.

They are: yyun, caramelcorn, vicy, bernadeth, and heapup.

Nothing beats having a good plate of Wanton Mee. What is exactly Wanton Mee? It is a dry version gravied noodle (fine egg noodles), some vege (mostly use Chye Sim), wantons ( dumplings), char siew (bbq pork) all stirred in black soya, sesame, seasoning and eaten with Vinegared Green Chilly. In Malaysia, it is sometimes referred to as Kon Lo Mee. In the old days, it was sold in a mobile little cart (cycled or motored) and this is ridden to housing estates. Some will honk a hand held horn while some will use the chopsticks to tap on a bowl or container. So if you ask some folks who have had wanton mee, likely they will also call it ‘Tok Tok’ mee.

This one is found in Woodlands old town, and very popular among residents and Woodland-dents. Yummy and they use lettuce instead of Chye Sim, just as nice and crisp and crunchy.

My daughter had a temperature when she reached home after school. It was about 38 deg C so I let her take some paracetamol.  I also went to the drugstore to get those cooling pads for the forehead, and some Neurofen for high fever treatment, just in case.

By the afternoon, it got pretty hot and reaching 39 deg C. I started to sponged her with some tepid water and gave her lots of water to drink. She was still in high spirits and could joke too. She kept laughing and said it was so cold when I wipe down her armpit area and places where the body retains more heat. And I gave her 5mls of Neurofen since it was considered high fever. I thought of calling the clinic but end up thought I should monitor a day at least. After all, most of the time when my kids fall sick, the doc will just give the same paracetamol, Neurofen and cough mixture (if she is coughing). They will also ask me to monitor in case she has phlegm, or fever don’t go down after 2 or 3 days then only visit again.

I cook light watery porridge and fed her less so not to aggravate her sickly body. Lucky she was able to even ask for a biscuit or two between intervals which showed more positive signs. By the evening, her fever had subsided but I still continued giving her paracetamol at 6 hourly intervals and monitored throughout the night in case she is hot again.

Guess being a mom is a full time work. But then our love for them and their health is something that spurs us to care for them without feeling the burden.