World AIDS Day 2006

2 days away from World AIDS day. So check this out.

Get the Virtual Red Ribbon!

Show your support for World AIDS Day by wearing the Virtual Red Ribbon online. We are aiming for 7,000 websites to wear the Virtual Red Ribbon by 1 December 2006.
Having the Virtual Red Ribbon on your site will link visitors to this site where they too can find ideas to take action in World AIDS Day.

http://www.worldaidsday.org/support_virtual_red_ribbon.asp

Enchanted Kingdom

The magic is here..
...Enchanted Kingdom!

It’s been 2 days since we’ve been at Enchanted Kingdom but funny how I can still hear that EK jingle playing in my head. LSS. Last song syndrome, but definitely a ‘milder’ case since it hasn’t been playing that often in my head anyway… but still..

Funnier still, but I’m not irritated hearing that song playing in my head. Instead, it brings a smile to my face recalling the fun the kids, friends and I had just last weekend.

It was a great idea cooked up by dear friend Ben, as a surprise for Pink. Who else tagged along? Jon, Neil, the kids of course! and me.

We arrived at EK waaaay after lunch, mainly because we really planned to stay until the fireworks display at 9 pm. EK was packed! As soon as we entered the parking lot, and saw a number of buses, we were pretty sure that there'd be looooong lines at all the rides. And right we were. Inside were loads of high school students! Aaargh. And just a thought. Why is it that these kids get to go to an amusement park for their field trip?!? The field trips we had when we were in high school were always to either a museum or a historical place. But an amusement park?! Halleur... Oh well, forgive the rant. Anyway, another disadvantage of having soooo many students at the park was that they were rowdy! but then again, there were times when our group was rowdier! A case of oldies acting like kids! Hahaha! :D

EK was great! What better way to bond with my kids, than to cover each other’s faces while watching “Escape from Bane Manor” at the 4D Discovery Theatre...Hearing Patrick repeatedly saying, “This is awesome” while watching Hanna Barbera cartoons at the Rialto... Or holding hands while riding “Flying Fiesta” and “Roller Skater”, and screaming while on “Anchors Away” and "Jungle Log Jam" … hahahaha… :D

Those memories are priceless! Really, it was such fun! Fun that we haven’t shared in a long time. And fun, we will definitely do again, hopefully soon! Now if that fee was just a teensy bit lower …

Sunday cook

Yes, I have now been relegated to “Sunday cook” status. Definitely can’t find the time to slave away at the stove any other day during the week. Cooking is a respite from the week’s blah blahs of work and routine, and this Sunday was no different. Woke up hankering for Mom’s good old cooking, and this time decided on one of my all-time favorites, Arroz Valenciana. Take note, one of my all-time favorites to EAT, not to cook. Because for one, it’s something I haven’t tried cooking before. But then what the heck! That hasn’t stopped me before.

I remember the saying, “If you like flowers, then plant your own garden”. My Dad (who also happens to be a great cook) would always say, “If you love to eat, then you better learn how to cook”. Following that line of thinking, I decided this was the perfect time to try to copy my mom’s arroz valenciana. So with trusty cookbook in hand, I opened the ref, checked our cupboards and arranged the ingredients. I’ve never been the type to follow a recipe strictly, so started pulling out the ingredients, plus some extras. Items not necessarily included in the recipe, but that I KNEW would go well with the dish. Red bell peppers, crushed fresh garlic, chopped onions, mushroom, olive oil, chicken, bacon (instead of ham), chorizo, green peas, broth, grated cheese, rice, tomato sauce, hot sauce, pepper, salt, boiled egg… hmmm… that seems to be everything…

An hour or so slaving away in the kitchen is not really my idea of a good time, but surprisingly, the hour goes by so fast. I feel like a virtuoso creating my masterpiece, a little of this, a little of that, until MUY PERFECTO! Here’s the finished product. (pic to follow)…


It smelled terrific. I can imagine the neighbors’ noses, twitching at the smell wafting in the compound. Torture! Hehe... ;->