Happy Halloween

I know Halloween isn't really a day we celebrate in the Paradise Isle but it's a fun holiday. From the dressing up to recieving candy, what's not to love about it... But I read recently, there are definitely rules that cannot be broken on this day. Such as
* Make sure you check your candy (in case some not-very-nice person puts razors or something inside your candy)
* Never smash a jack-o-lantern
* Never blow out the candle

Since we are on the subject, does anyone have
a) good costume they once wore to a Halloween party
b) any spooky true stories they have experienced

My costumes ranged from Little Red Riding Hood (when I was small) to a sexy/slutty witch :)

My ghost story is a bit strange, like most of the stories here.. When i was 10, i had a best friend, we were friends since we were 2 1/2 years old. One night, i was counting flowers on the wallpaper to sleep and suddenly i saw 'people dancing' on the wall next to my bed. It was so strange, i recall not even being able to talk. Then one figure 'came out' of the wall and started talking to me.. i asked who are you, and she replied, cant you recognize me, i am your friend.. and i didnt believe it because she looked so different.. much older and much skinnier.. and she just said, i am now 16 and i will get very sick, please promise to take care of me.. and of course, i swore i would..

a few months later, her mum and dad moved abroad.. time passed and eventually she and i lost touch and i was 16. One random day, i got a letter from her mother telling me that my friend had anorexia and she is in hospital unconscious. But she keeps saying she told me, she would get sick and for me to come to see her and take care of her. Her mum was asking me how come i knew about this and never told anyone..

i know i didnt know, i didnt know she would get anorexia and when my friend's mum sent some pictures, i swear she looked just like the image i saw before..

Please send me yours, it will be fun to compare and read!

Happy endings

Yesterday I went to my cousin's wedding.. Nothing terribly unusual in that, but my cousin is in his mid or late 40s, considered quite over-the-hill for most grooms.. The bride, I think she was in her mid 30s, late 30s, I don't like to comment on women's ages.. The ceremony was beautiful, the bride looked lovely and of course the groom looked dashing (yes, I am biased, I like to think I am entitled to that)...

It almost made me cry watching them on the poruwa. One thing was, it reminded me of when Hubby and myself got married. This cousin was the man instrumental in introducing me and Hubby and as Hubby's father said, "It was the merit ("Ping" in Sinhalese) of putting you two together that caused him to meet his love".. I don't like to take the credit but I felt like a mother letting go of her favorite son. I am truly happy for him, he deserves to be happy and finally he has met the person who can do that for him...

He is such a wonderful man, and quite frankly, we had given up hope that he would ever settle down. He was not a playboy, quite the contrary but just couldn't be bothered settling down. Maybe he saw the marriage mirror cracked from watching his brothers' and sisters' matrimonies and thought this is not his cup of tea.

His mother looked so lovely and relieved that her one remaining son is finally settling down and she was glowing last night. Her husband, my mother's brother had passed away many years ago but I am sure he was proud of his youngest to finally tie the knot. All the siblings, cousins just looked on proudly..

It is lovely when two people meet each other and realize that this is meant to be.. I am not a romantic as such, but it is always nice to have a happy ending.

Simple fish pie

This recipe is the quickest thing ever, and the easiest especially if you cannot figure out what to make and if everything is a mess and you just cannot be asked to make anything at all. This recipe is for 1 serving...

First chop up some fish - white is better like cod, mullet. Cut into cubes and wash well with lime to get rid of the "fishy" smell. Set aside.

Boil an egg and about 2 large potatoes. Chop up the egg and sprinkle over the raw fish.

Heat up some butter and add some flour and when it is bubbling, add some milk to make a white sauce. Don't let it get lumpy, keep stirring till it boils. Then if you like, add some grated cheese (any type will do). Pour this mixture on top of the fish/egg mixture.

Mash up the potatoes, add some milk if you like and some grated cheese and mash to whatever consistency you like. Put on top of the fish/egg/cheese sauce. Add some grated cheese and bake in the oven at 200C for 15-20 min.

That's all..

I was having a very tired day (see previous post - Shape up) and I just cannot be cooking for anyone let alone myself. This was simple and easy and of course nutritious. I was also too tired to take a picture too so you can imagine what the dish looks like :)

Shape up.. Or die Trying...

My quest for finding the right exercise to torture myself continues... My usual exercise routine used to go something like this :-

And yes, I finally realized that that wasn't really going to do me any good. I have tried working out at the gym (too boring), working with an aerobics instructor (it was ok - I had friends coming there but not challenging enough) so I decided on a new torture... I finally signed up for this new place called "Shape Up" recommended to me by the hair salon I go to.. The owner claims its the best thing since sliced bread (I will ignore the fact that sliced bread is quite fatty)...

I walked in there, and sure enough, the totally fit and black-wearing trainers were all lined up having a chat. The owner of the exercise place came up to me and we chatted and soon, I signed up. He was quite the marketer, explained what exercises they do - they have routines from Kick Boxing (which I experienced - more below) to Salsasize (basically Salsa moves set to a workout tempo) to normal aerobics to Ab Attacks (yes, its THAT painful).. So I thought, what the heck.. Plus, the marketer told me, within 3 months (my over-ambitious goal) I can get somewhat of a shape back (I rather have an hourglass than the current apple).. So I signed up - 9000/= doesn't seem that bad considering I will have a good figure... right?? WRONG!

So I joined and enthusiastically ran into the class. How naive I was, in retrospect.. Billy Blanks, you have nothing on Trainer Clement! Oh, my arms, waist, tummy, butt, name it, its on fire... Forget fire, its going to explode with pain and aches..

It made me realize something - I am doing so much just to loose this fat.. is it really worth eating that piece of cake or that piece of chocolate? SO much pain just for a little bitty piece.. Its honestly not worth it, might as well avoid it.. At least I am learning this lesson sooner than later..

However, I won't be able to go for the next couple of days, Wed - cousin's wedding, Thursday - meeting at work.. so hopefully will have some time to recuperate :)

But I did sign up for 3 months, so we will see the progress I make..

State of Affairs

One of the writers I enjoy reading is Malinda Seneviratne.. His mother Indrani was a teacher of mine, and one of the people who encouraged me to keep writing and keep doing what I believed in. She also helped me when it came to my college applications, constantly pouring over my numerous essays and fine-tuning them to suit each university. One of my favorite memories of her and me is watching Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet".. It was such a novel idea to her, to take such an age-old love story and modernize it in such a revolutionary way.. But I digress...

Today's article is about how the undergraduates in Sri Lankan universities are protesting something or the other at their Universities... When you really think about it, we have way too many people in kinds of government and local offices, from ministers, to deputy ministers, provincial counciliors to so many people in between, too many people leads to efficiency as anyone in the private sector will tell you. How can this country run when you have a minister for Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and a Minister for Water Management?? What is the difference.. and when you ask one person, they claim they are not responsible, then you ask the other, and you get the same response.. so stupid!

It is so sad that this country will never develop when we have inefficiency like this. I guess it wouldn't matter if the ministries and resulting deputies were working for the people, but instead we have a bunch of ignorant people working for the money rather than the country.

I went to an international school and people constantly give me grief about it, saying by going to school that caters to many foreigners, one doesn't develop a love for the country. Quite ironic, considering most of the people working in these government institutions are from very local schools... I ask you, if you loved someone, would you intentionally try and hurt them? Make them feel like they are not worth the very ground they stand on... Honestly, I don't think they love anything or anyone except their paysheet and the extra 'perks' of the job..

My mother always says, "Too much power in the hands of small-minded people is a dangerous thing" - it is so true for this little country.

Boom De Ya Da

I am sure you've seen this advertisment on Discovery Channel.. but it still makes me smile.. and in a cheesy way, it does remind you there is a whole lot of world out there to learn and explore... and respect

2AM Wake-Up Call...

Waking up at 2am is not exactly what I call a pleasant weekend, but I will make exceptions. Tomorrow, I am off to St. Jude's in Gampaha. It is their annual Feast, and every year, my mum and I along with a bunch of family friends go up there and help the church by selling candles.

St. Jude's was not Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus. Rather, he was a great man with lots of faith. He is often pictured with a club, because ironically he was beaten to death by one.

Why do I go there? I am not Catholic but I do have a lot of faith. Some say, by going to different places of worship, you even out your chances of getting your wishes to come true but for me, this is not it. I go to the temple, I go to the Tamil Kovil, I go to church, not for anything else but spiritual fulfillment. Its honestly quite relaxing and it helps me clear out my mind.

St. Jude's in particular has helped me in a number of occasions. Once I bought some medals from there and kept them on me. This was during the time, I had my infamous fall down a 12 foot ceiling and landed in a store room, where there were many tables and chairs.. However, I happened to fall into the one little spot where thankfully nothing was there, hence sparing my nose, my face not to mention my LIFE~!

Next mini-miracle.. I was going through a bad patch and trying to decide between a 'good' decision (in my mind, but it was truly a bad choice in retrospect) and a actually good decision.. and at the same time, I was praying and lighting candles. I swear to you, everytime I asked for the 'bad' decision to come through, the candle would not light, even if I held it next to another flame. But if I asked for the 'good' decision, it lit up at once..

Coincidence?? I think not...

I am not the only one who seemed to have miracles happen to them there. I have met so many ladies who have either got cured of cancer, or any other diseases after going regularly. Maybe faith heals, or maybe its a miracle, who knows..

Anyway, its always nice to get out and do something for someone else. Its quite fun.. Good food, catch up with good gossip and have a fun time.. that's always a blast..

If you do happen to come, do come see me at the candle stand...

Fettuccine Alfredo

Another favorite in our house is Fettuccine Alfredo. Its nice and creamy and you add lots of stuff to it to make it healthy or unhealthy :)

First, fry a finely chopped garlic clove in a little butter. Then as it bubbles, add some flour and make a paste. To this, add milk - you can add non-fat or normal milk, it tastes the same. Then as the milk boils, add some cream cheese and make sure it melts without lumps. Then add some grated cheddar or gouda or whatever cheese you have and mix well. Add the cooked pasta and Voila~! Fettucinne Alfredo!

To this, you can the following to jazz it up -
* Cooked Shrimp
* Broocoli
* Mushrooms - cook them first in the pan and then make the alfredo sauce in the same pan to add more flavor
* Chicken - Fry some chicken tenders (slices of chicken meat) and make the alfredo sauce
* Minced meat
* Sausages

The possibilities are endless :-)

P.S
As you may have noticed, I hardly add salt/pepper in my dishes. Its purely because I enjoy the natural flavors from the foods... Also, it is a matter of choice, some people like more salt, some like less, so it's upto you to decide

The humble coleslaw

One of the easiest and simplest salads is Coleslaw. Basically, its chopped up carrots and cabbage at its base and you add a creamy dressing. I personally enjoy a bit of apple and raw onions added but hey, that's just me.

When it comes to the dressing, you can either buy store-brand, add mayo or as I like to do, make your own. As usual, this is quite simple.

My dressing is as follows :-
1 part mayo and 3 parts sweet yogurt (you can use non-fat or regular... but it should be the plain one, not the fancy fruit flavors.. its unnecessary fats/sugars)
1 tsp mustard
1 finely chopped onion
juice of 1 lemon/lime
some tomato ketchup or steak sauce (optional)
Mix well with a fork - keep tasting to see if its bitter/sweet.. remember the vegetables add flavor so don't make it TOO sweet.

When you are done, add some paprika and mix again and add to the vegetables. Garnish with some dried fruit - raisins, plums, currants, whatever you have.

This sauce can also be used as an accompaniment to your fried fish like homemade tartar sauce (for this, you should add the tomato/steak sauce too).

Honey glazed pork ribs

One of the foods I used to be obsessed about was the honey pork ribs you get in Singapore. I think in one of the food courts, maybe Tangs, they used to have this amazing pork ribs, so juicy and chunky and of course sweet too. It was delicious... I used to come home and experiment with different honeys - from bee's honey to our traditional kitul honey to jaggery, and it never came out quite right. However, this time, I think I got it and of course, I must share it with you :-)

I bought 2 racks of ribs and the marinade (remember, add as much/little as you like - but the sugar/honey amount is important... too much, and its too sweet, too little and you get a weird porky smell) is :-
2 tsp brown sugar (i added about 3)
2 tsp honey
3 tsp lemon juice
I splashed olive oil in the mix, enough to make the ribs juice and not stick to the pan
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 large garlic cloves mashed/ground up
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dry mustard paste

Marinade well and keep in the fridge for a few hours... Ideally, make the mixture in the morning and you can have it for dinner.

Put into the oven, temperature is 190C for 1 1/2 hours. The main thing here is, don't let the meat dry out. So every 15 min or so, get your handy brush and baste (basically 'paint' the meat) with the drippings from the dish.

Unfortunately, there is not much flesh on the ribs here. I am going to try this recipe out on a pork chop and see how it comes out. If anyone tries on any other meat, please let me know :)

Chocolate/Vanilla Marble Cake

Another fun resource is Rachel Allan's show "Bake!" which airs on Discovery Travel and Living here. I got a few recipes from her and the good thing is, most of them can be made with ingredients found here. This is a really simple cake, combining both of my favorite things into one.

First grease your cake dish and line with oil paper/grease proof paper. I didn't have any, so I just really slathered the pan with lots of butter. Heat up the oven to 180C.

Then take one stick of butter (227g) and mix with 225g of sugar. Cream it well.

Then in a separate bowl, mix 4 eggs with 2 tsps vanilla. Add this to your butter/sugar mixture gradually. Then add 225g of flour with 2 tsp baking powder. Fold the flour in and add 50ml of milk.

Seperate this mixture into two bowl. Into one, add 50g of cocoa powder and mix.

Here's the fun bit, now in your cake dish, put 1 tbsp of cocoa mix and 1 tbsp of vanilla mix and alternate. Then with a toothpick, just 'draw' around the mixture, don't mix too much otherwise no marble effect.

Put into the oven for 35-40 min or until a toothpick comes up clean, and Voila~! Your cake is done

Easy low fat banana bread

I am not a HUGE fan of over-ripe bananas. They gather flies and bugs and not to mention, that sweet smell.. eww.. But as you can see, I do enjoy making stuff with bananas. So today's fun recipe is Banana Bread - the recipe is from joyofbaking.com - one of my new favorite sites.

Heat the oven to 180C and grease a loaf tin i.e. slather it with butter. Find yourself 3 mixing bowls and do the following:-

First bowl - mix 2 mashed large bananas with 1 tsp of baking powder and 1 little cup of yogurt (120g).

Second Bowl - Mix 60ml of oil (i used olive oil in keeping with healthy eating), 175g of sugar, 1 egg and 1 tsp of vanilla.

Third bowl - sieve 190g of flour with a pinch of baking powder (you don't need much as you added the baking powder in the first bowl) with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.

Mix bowl 1 and 2 first then later fold in the ingredients from the 3rd bowl.

Put into the pan and smooth the top - bake for 45-55min - check with a toothpick.

Leave on a wire rack to cool and later enjoy! :)

From the creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" comes an interesting look at human interaction. "Dollhouse" is about a group of people or "dolls" or an "active" who receives different personalities in order to accomplish engagements for very wealthy clients. This can be anything from being a sex partner programmed to be the perfect person in love with the client, to being imprinted with the persona of a deceased woman who wishes to solve her own murder. All dolls are given codenames. Our main character is given the name "Echo".

We don't just see the fantasy world these "dolls" live in; but also the different situations they are put into. We also see the relationship they form with others - their handlers, clients, other "dolls" and others.

The "Dollhouse" is considered an urban legend, but of course, there is a determined FBI agent who is trying to pull the entire operation down.

I first heard about this show a year or so ago, and thought it was an interesting idea. A bunch of people who can live out any fantasy, without much effort (since they are programmed to do practically anything) for a price. But like most things, there is a cost to pay. Through Echo, we see she doesn't 'wipe' (her memory being erased) completely i.e. she is not a blank slate. As she is 'wiped', certain pieces of her previous persona remains creating a mosiac of memories, seemingly intertwined.

The show does have its issues, Eliza Dushku who plays Echo isn't the strongest of actors, except when she kicks butt but she does a decent job, considering she has to be completely blank some of the time. But there is a good supporting cast, from Harry Lennix to Tahmoh Penikett (from one of my favorite series Battlestar Gallactica), to add some weight to the show.

Dinner ideas

Ok, I am trying something new.. I made a dinner menu - this is what I did last night and as usual, it is very simple. As the old TV show went "Yan can cook.. so can you!"

Anyway, the basic menu was :-
* Pub styled fresh fish
* Olive oil mushrooms
* Broccoli and Cheese Casserole (recipe is in the blog)
* Oven roast potatoes

All, as mentioned before, really easy. Lets start with the fish.

Take any white fish fillet - I used Mullet because that's the only thing available here. Cod is also great for this. Wash the fish with lime/lemon so you can avoid a funny smell. You mix equal quantities of beer (yes, beer) with flour - I used 100g of flour with 100 ml of beer. Add a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of salt, a pinch of paprika and 1 egg. Soak the fish in this mixture and fry!

I also attempted to make a nice sauce to go with the fried fish. I love tartar sauce but that has way too many calories so this is my basic substitute.

Mix 1 small yogurt cup with 2 tbsp of mayo. Then add about 1 tbsp of steak/tomato/chili sauce - for the dinner, I used steak sauce. Then add 1 tsp of mustard paste. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Chop up 1 small onion, and add. Mix very well, the mustard can be lumpy so avoid that. That's it :) To garnish, I just sprinkled some paprika.

Voila~!


Now, the potatoes. That is equally simple. Chop up the potatoes and boil them. You can use a pressure cooker too - just make sure they are cooked well. By cutting them up early, you avoid broken potatoes and they cook much faster. After you are done, spread them in your serving dish (it helps if it is oven safe) - and add some butter. Then sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and grate some lemon peel on top (don't add too much lemon, then its a weird taste). Mix well - try to avoid mushing the potatoes though. Put into the oven - temperature can be 160C so you can do your Broccoli Casserole at the same time. Occasionally take it out and mix the potatoes. When it has become the consistency you like, take it out and add some chopped mint (fresh or dried, doesn't really matter) and serve warm. You don't even need a dressing!



The mushrooms is truly the easiest thing - you can do it in your sleep. Simply cut up some button mushrooms - I cut mine into quarters. Then add some olive oil into a pan and fry some chopped garlic. Add the mushrooms and brown them. You do not have to add any salt/pepper. I just serve mine plain then you can enjoy the actual taste of the mushrooms. THAT'S IT!



This is a long post, so forgive me if I can't update for a while.. :)

Quick Quips

My son does have a sense of humor. Today, he let out some gas i.e. he farted. When I asked him, "What's that sound.." - his honest reply, in all seriousness - "That's baby noise." Hmmmm well, there is a saying, a child never lies...

6th October 2009, a Day to Remember

We, as a family are not really accident-prone (I am, but that's another story) but yesterday was a diaster. To begin, my nanny Deevi knocked her arm on the bathroom door. It wasn't that hard, but her arm went numb. Weird, but not serious...

Then, we went out for dinner, as it was Hubby's father's birthday. While waiting for us, the parents-in-law were nicely chilling with the small one on the chairs at the reception of the hotel. Being the naughty child he is, he was dancing on the couch. Anyway, when we came, he finally settled into the seat and was playing. He saw something on the floor and decided to reach for it, and yes, he fell, knocked his upper lip on the table and bit his lower lip. Quite an achievement for a 2 year old but a painful lesson. Needless to say, the howling, streams of tears, screaming began and we ran to the toilet to clean off the blood which by this time, was down his shirt, my blouse, arm. Poor bugger. However, being the witty man he is, Hubby decided to nickname his son "Bird Man" as his upper lip now resembled a beak. Good news, no teeth broken so he was ok. However, he was traumatised.

Then later, when we were all relaxed, and having drinks, Sonny boy remembered his small accident and decided to relive the entire experience by crying all over again. So I decided to go outside to the balcony to calm him down. But he was more concerned about my feet, so he demanded I wear my 4 inch heels. Knowing my accident-prone-ness, I tried to explain to the 2 year old that I will fall. But being my son, he was stubborn and between tears, kept asking for me to wear my shoes. So I did, and yes, and I fell. The good news, I fell on my knees and only lightly sprained my ankle and nothing happened to Sonny boy. However, again the shock of it all started him off again.

Then later on at dinner, Hubby managed to get served chilli. For some, this is nothing but for Hubby, it is a matter of life and death. Anyways, needless to say, that was a diaster.

To add to the issue, my mum got a severe knee pain. This is coming from a lady who can withstanding anything. She is an amazing human being.

Coincidence or fate? I have no idea.. All of us, within one family being struck down.. ugh.. Or maybe the Evil Eye??

Broccoli and Cheese Bake

I always always love desserts but this time I attempted to make my aunt's yummy Broccoli and Cheese. Its healthy, and as usual very very easy.

Simply first steam your broccoli - if you have frozen, defrost in the microwave. The amount is dependent on how much broccoli you like. But remember, do NOT overcook.

You need mushroom soup, you can use the canned soup, the packet (where you either add milk or water) or make your own. It should be 85ml. Some people do not like the flavor, so if you like, you can just add milk.

Then melt 2 tsp of butter and when it is bubbling, add 1 tsp of flour. Add one finely chopped onion when you see the mixture boiling and lightly brown it. Gradually add the liquid (milk/soup) and thicken. Let it boil.

In the meantime, grate 125g of cheese - again this is dependent on how much cheese you want. Add to the boiled mixture along with 1 egg. Then mix the broccoli.

I added a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top, hoping for a hard crust but unfortunately it didn't turn out that way. But the strong flavors from the Parmesan added a nice touch.

Put it into the oven - 165C is perfect for 30 min.

I served it with grilled chicken. The chicken was quite simple too. But that recipe is for another day :-)

Pearls of Wisdom

My son, being only 2 has an amazing sense of humor. Considering he's a boy, and most experts claim boys develop slower, this kid is a certified genius. It does help that he has me for a mother for that :) He says the craziest things sometimes. Case in point :-

* My mother constantly gives him snacks such as cashew nuts, raisins among others. When I asked him for some, he not only gives me 1/4 cashew, but also tells me, "I will give you later.. tomorrow". If I ask why, he very seriously informs me I have not eaten lunch!

* He has a famous story which he loves telling. One evening, one of our lights 'exploded' as in the fuse went, and the entire light just went, plunging the room int darkness. The small one remembers this and constantly says "Light poopooruna.. Damika (our electrician) ava, itapase haduwa.. mama hari bayawuna" (Basically - 'light exploded, Damika came and fixed it. I was very scared') He has told this to everyone we meet. And thinks Damika is a complete genius (which sadly, is far far from the truth)

* Now, since of late, he has been saying "Buddhu-saranai" - which means May the blessings of the Buddha be upon you. He says this to everyone, from the grandparents to the shop ladies, to the gas attendants. He gets a big kick out of it, and its a good thing to say :)

* Today, he decided to wake me up early (this is at 4am) by head butting into my nose. Not the most pleasant of things, even from the cutest of faces. As I tried to figure out sleepily whether my nose was broken, I asked him "Why don't you wake up Deevi (the nanny)?". He cheerfully replies, "Deevi is not up, she is sleeping. You are up". Well, I was sleeping...

More to come...

Fringe

Yes, I know Nisal and I watch too much TV... at least for a couple who have a kid who is 2 years old. But we only watch when he's asleep, so don't worry, we are NOT neglecting our parenting duties.

Here's another new favorite of ours - Fringe. It stars Anna Torv (Australian actress - she was in McCleod's Daughters), Mark Valley (Boston Legal), Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek), John Noble (Lord of the Rings) among many others. Its a sci-fi show "centered around a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena" (imdb.com naturally)... Its like X-Files, but it deals with human phenomena. We don't deal with aliens as such, but a bunch of scientists manipulate human DNA and tries to find human potential or results in terrifying disaster.

It all sounds very heavy and dreary but thanks to the sarcastic rapport between Noble's and Jackson's characters (they play father and son), and the resulting humor, it makes the show interesting and believable.

I do like it, it does keep you on your toes, and unlike X-Files, the stories here sound very plausible IF we have the technology. I really hope we don't end up going the Fringe route, because then we won't be very safe.

Thank goodness for Medicine!

I am finally on the home stretch - one more appointment with the dentist and then I will be officially PAIN FREE! I never thought this day would come. From suffering endlessly with my tooth, and the resulting migranes, I am actually able to eat solid foods again. If anyone saw the foods I was eating, they would think I wore dentures. From mushed up soup to cereal, that's all I COULD eat. Anything that involves biting, whether it was a piece of meat or naan bread (a favorite), I could not chew. If I did, the pain would remind me WHY I could not chew. Ugh.

Which brings me to, thank goodness for medicine! Man, I am not one who likes or takes painkillers.. but considering how many I took initially, you would think I was a pro! Now, I am down to taking just a Panadol. As I mentioned in my previous post, too many people were reminding me of the fate of Micheal Jackson and after a while, the screaming voices have to be calmed down.

Talking about the pain, I think giving birth to that 19 pound child would be less painful...