BIKSS and I are in our 50s. We met in 1988 but it took us 24 years before hooking up in 2012. We moved into a DD/lg dynamic a year later. In April 2015 some shit hit the fan. We took some time off but eventually found a new us.
I used to live alone except for a few shifting years when my folks moved in then out, then after dad passed on, mum moved in again. Now that she too has passed, it's just me, one carer whom I've decided to keep on, and my tenant.
He lives with his family. This is us.
You can watch the video in the article or click HERE to catch it on Youtube if the video below doesn't work for you.
Not everyone is going to have a breakthrough but when it happens it can be so beautiful!
This one got me tearing. It was so sweet and moving - I couldn't help myself. (I've added the video below but use THIS link if it doesn't play for you.)
"Naomi Feil, founder of Validation Therapy, shares a breakthrough moment of communication with Gladys Wilson, a woman who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2000 and is virtually non-verbal. Learn more at www.memorybridge.org."
Naomi Feil explains a bit more about Validation Theory (and gives examples) here -
I found these to be tremendously enlightening and encouraging videos... and I hope that by sharing someone else out here might too.
There will be no chip pic today because I'm too busy munching on chips at the moment :D
First, I know I haven't been around lately. I blame this weird weather we're having (hot hot hot then massive stormy rains!) and the accompanying hot flushes throughout the day, whether or not I'm sitting in the AC.
I've been feeling out of sorts so I haven't been interested in turning the lappy on much.
I also have had a weird pain in my lower back and hip / groin area. The doc thinks it might be a hip flexor issue - iliopsoas (ee-lio-so-as) tendinitis, he thinks.
I have caved and finally made an appointment with the physio guy he recommended a couple months back (for the shoulder) and I've been given a slot this Wednesday. Let's hope the dude can sort out my aches. My boss says just tell him EVERYTHING that's been hurting (whether or not the pain is still present) and let him decide what to deal with first, cos it could be that I'm overcompensating for one ache thereby causing another part of me to develop pains. I *have* been wondering about that possibility myself.
So last night we went to a place in the middle of nowhere to grab dinner. It was quiet, empty, and the discount app had a 60% off mains offer.
Why not right?
The food tasted like it came out of my own kitchen - that is, not rich, not salty, and rather plain tasting. Which is great, in my opinion. I'm used to a blander taste and eating out can sometimes be challenging and overwhelming to my tastebuds.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't BAD. It just wasn't as overstimulating on my tongue as I usually find restaurant food to be. LOL
Empty and quiet - perfect!
Chicken salad with thousand island dressing. How old school is that!
The pan-seared salmon was pretty much perfect. We both agreed that even tho it was a tad lacking in flavour (I think that's why they serve a gravy on the side) the fish was done in a way that came as close to perfect as I'd ever had it.
Lambshank - again, creamy, not salty, but still flavourful enough for me. The butter rice was delish but I wasn't keen on the potatoes.
After dinner we drove home because my shoes were killing my toes and I needed rescueing. I'm not one to ask my boyfriends to do stuff for me, in fact BIKSS is well aware that I'm more of an "It's ok, I can handle it myself" kinda gal. But when we got to my carpark I asked him if he could do me a favour - Could you run up and get my grey shoes please? They're sitting outside the house so you'll see them when you get to my door. He chortled and took my shoes up with him to swap them for the comfier slip-ons.
After that we went to explore a stretch of new cafes near the nursing home where dad was. Currently there is a no-alcohol-after-1030pm rule in bars and restaurants here. So pubs and such will close at 1030, but eateries can continue to operate as long as they stop serving alcohol. This is to prevent people from hanging out and drinking and chatting and getting rowdy so as to help with the Covid situation.
In the last 2 years a LOT of dessert places have popped up, presumably because people need SOMEwhere to hang out. And since liquor is no longer an option I guess they're turning to sugar instead.
We ended up at this gelato place and gave their waffle a go.
It looked ok, until you got to the centre of the circle. It was dense. More like bread pudding than waffle. And I don't know about you but NO waffle should be bread pudding consistency. I like my bread pudding bread pudding-y. But I'll have my waffle fluffy please.
That's the cross section of the waffle. It was way too mushy and wet for my liking.
That wasn't the only issue. The waitress was just stuck up or grouchy or whatever. I must have thanked her 3 times during our visit - when she brought the drinks, and again when she served us the waffle and later on, some warm water. And each time she just turned around and walked away.
Earlier on I asked the guy about their tea, and he must have thought she heard me asking the question cos he turned to her and all he said was "The berry tea, do you know?"
SHE clearly didn't hear me so she had no clue what he was on about. But instead of asking me what it was that I wanted to know, she scowled back at him and said curtly "What she say?"
It was then that I decided to repeat myself. Is there actual black tea in your berry tea? Or is it a herbal infusion, do you know?
She replied "Infusion." Then looked away and went back to her coffee press.
It was NOT an infusion, it turns out. There was tea in there. I could smell it. BIKSS said he would drink it after he was done with his coffee. How the man sleeps with so much caffeine at 9pm I don't know. I'd be awake till 5!
I was pissed at her and decided we were never going back there again.
There was another gelato place a few doors down, one we walked past earlier but decided not to enter cos the staff looked "unfriendly" according to BIKSS. That'll teach us. On the way back to the car I popped in to have a look at the menu and ended up having a quick chat with the lady at the counter. She was friendly, explained their menu to me, and showed me the selection of teas they have. They also have a no-caffeine drink section (I saw chocolate milk type things) which I was satisfied with.
I promised we would come back to try their waffles another time!
And I'm pretty sure that time will be sooner rather than later :D
In other things food related (but not us related), I came across this video and had to share it. I mean, NO GAG REFLEX, y'all. Think about that for a second.
There's also this video which made me feel sick watching... that was a lot of food.
In local news, the PM made an announcement last Thursday that come Tuesday the 29th of March we will be allowed to wander outdoors without masks. This means in malls and buses etc masks will still be mandatory, but with the hotter weather we're getting at least I can wait at the bus stop or walk along the corridors without half my face trapping heat!
Having said that, I'm pretty certain if I'm walking past someone or if the train/bus stops are full of people I'm likely still going to keep my mask on. Better safe than sorry, you know?
The no-alcohol-after-1030pm rule is also going to be lifted, and groups of up to 10 people will be allowed for dine-ins, up from 5.
Things may finally be getting better.
Today's chip pic ~ have you ever tried Royce's Chocolate Covered Potato Chips? They are delicious!
P/S - Mum had such a good day today (which means I had a good day too!). We danced to Patti Page songs this morning - ok, more like she wiggled her hips and moved around in small circles. We were holding hands and I took the opportunity to get her to move her arms up and down and around. All day today she wanted to listen to music (instead of watching telly) so we did. She tapped her hands against the armrest, tray table and whatever else was within reach, and I stuck some rice and barley in two empty bottles for her to use as shakers. She fiddled with them off and on. And this evening during a particularly upbeat Jim Reeves number she moved her feet along with me as I stood beside her and tapped in time to the music. There might be something to this whole music therapy for dementia patients lark. Here's a video ~
Because the eating costs an arm and a... well, leg.
Friday's dinner began with a half portion of salad. Generous amount of feta... but for $20, I guess they'd better give us a good sized chunk!
Not on the menu, but a special of the day - cheese balls. I didn't manage a picture of the melty cheesy insides.. but they were good. I'm just not certain it was worth another 20 bucks. Sheesh.
OCTOPUS LEG. We came to this restaurant cos BIKSS wanted to try their grilled cephalopod limb. Apparently you have to slow cook these things to get them tender which, admittedly, it was, but it also cost $40. Which was way too expensive imo. Still, it was an experience. Not one I need to repeat. Ever. Unless it can be had for half that price. It was less springy than I expected, but still decent. I styled the tentacle tip this way with the intention of freaking Roz out. LOL. I hope it worked!
Back to a little hole in the wall we discovered a couple of months ago which made a pretty awesome waffle. Only this time they've switched to disposable cutlery which I wasn't thrilled about. The knife wouldn't cut through the waffle which diminished the enjoyment a little. My ice cream flavour was a mango-strawberry combo, and BIKSS had the Dark Forest. Which was supposed to have cherries in it, not that I saw any.
They did have a little sign saying 50% of profits were going to some Ukraine relief fund. Which was nice.
My chip pic today ~ sugar cinnamon tortillas... I've not had them before, but they sure sound good!
This Tuesday past we had a bunch of things to do. OK. I had a bunch of things to do. Pick up cartons of instant noodles and tuna from a food rescuer, get some stuff from Ikea...
We wandered around the As-Is section and found a $50 thing going for $30 so I picked it up to store all my bits and pieces that had been sitting in a corner of the living room. Mine is white but this colour shows up better as a pic.
It's now home to leftover CNY snacks and stores unused pots and empty bottles. I've chucked some other stuff in a black storage box beside it that mum's (new) tray table thing slides over nicely when it's not in use, and the brown bag on top of it is my chip stash. :D It's also going to have to double up as today's chip pic.
I also picked up some new cushions for the dining table chairs, a plastic trolley-rack for my plants and a blankie for mum (it's actually a throw but she's tiny so it works!) cos she'd been using my black fleece one and she's no fan of black. The new one is a light grey and she's very happy with it.
Then we went and got the cartons of rescued food, and ate at a Vietnamese place nearby.
Fried spring rolls (seafood I think)
French bean(s), Ladies finger(s) and scallops on skewers. I'm thinking the veggies were a rip-off. Altho the seasoning was very tasty.
Deep fried tofu cubes with lemongrass
Some siew mai and har gow dim sum
And that's all from me because I've been mum-sitting today and I'm exhausted.
I squirted some Vit C serum on my tee shirt the ONE day I decide to wear white. So that caused a bit of a delay getting to work.
Mum woke up at 4 one morning and decided to go to the market! We had a bit of a tussle and I took a day off work cos I was groggy beyond belief.
BIKSS and I had a fight about something and that didn't help my mood or ability to concentrate on anything either. Thankfully that's over now and he's apologised and made reparations. Still, we haven't had a chance to meet this week cos one of his staff tested positive and I'm not going to take the risk.
I went for my IPL treatment and left my lunch bag on their counter. I only realised when I got home so I had to make a trip out again to go pick it up.
I needed a massage so I rang my usual place. When I got there I was told by the proprietor that the usual masseuse wasn't available but they had set me up with a new guy. 1) I have told them before that I didn't want a new person, and not a guy, and have cancelled TWICE before when I was told my usual masseuse was unavailable. So it's not like they don't know. 2) Why didn't they tell me over the phone when I booked the appointment? Anyway, since I didn't specify this time, I let it go, and decided to just go ahead with it.
He was all proper and above board, nothing bad to say about the session. BUT when it was over I realised that I wasn't able to relax the whole time for being vigilant and on my guard. AND I woke up with an even worse ache down my neck and shoulders the next day.
So thanks but no thanks. I think I'm just going to quit this place and go back to the alternative spa I sometimes go to one block down. They're a little more expensive but at leat I won't feel like my preferences are being ignored.
In good news, the Kailan seedlings are growing.
And the euphorbia my cousin brought to me during CNY is starting to put out some blooms too!
The curry plant above it is also growing well, and I'm getting continuous blooms from the hibiscus mum bought before CNY. So it's all good outside my kitchen window.
Today's chip pic ~ I could do with some truffle fries right about now.
I'm attempting to grow some Kailan (TIL - also known as Chinese broccoli, altho no one calls them that in Asia lol). They're the things they cross with broccoli to make broccolini.
I got hold of some seeds and decided to try growing them. I stuck them into some soil on Saturday and 2 days later I got this! I have a 6-hole tray but so far I'm seeing seedlings in only 3 of them. I'm hoping I'll see the rest tomorrow or the day after. I will post updates here - feel free to follow their development along with me :)
Today's chip pic ~ I seriously love these things. I get them from iHerb. But they don't come cheap. So it's just an occasional treat for me. (The bag is VERY light. There isn't a whole heck of a lot in there.)
Waffle and Ice Cream for dessert a 10 minute walk away
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BIKSS took the afternoon off! Hip hurray!
I wanted to cuddle, to play.
Perhaps we'll have lunch, watch a movie, he said...
The Batman's reviews weren't too bad.
I sent him a link, it was great, wrote the guy,
Then it's set! But I needed to buy
some stuff for the home : a blankie, some pots,
No problem, the mall - they've got lots!
You know what else the mall had? Toilet roll dispensers with a tray on the top for you to put your keys or cellphone on. There were symbols on the tray saying so. So clever and thoughtful!
The mall also had a Japanese store selling these suggestive looking fruit!
We went to the store, no blankie in sight
Um, the cinema's cold, see my plight?
Never mind, said the man, I'll give you my shirt
This crisis he plans to avert!
We abandoned our search for the blankie and decided to have lunch instead.
Fried chicken, battered fish, coleslaw, side salad, and cheesesticks!
It turns out I didn't need him to strip,
Oh don't worry, he wears a tee under
But that movie, it was a bad trip
How could anyone like it, I wonder.
Alfred's accent was terribly wrong
Bruce - all but a dishevelled slob
And Selina - What was the point of showing her nails?
They'd be useful to pluck corn off the cob!
Those talons were all over the movie but they did absolutely nothing
Does this look like billionaire Bruce Wayne to you?
Doesn't Batman have gadgets and cars and computers?
It seems this version has but a bike!
And BIKSS pointed out what went wrong with the water
When they took down the grey city's dyke.
That's another big issue, weird lighting, and rain
Everything's dreary and dark
Which adds to the mood of the movie, I know
But seriously, I can't see a fuck!
(One article mentions that the plot could have been tighter. And that the weird rain / bad lighting / strange unexplained flashes of light coming from unexpected place was tiring. I agree. That and the Batman motif seems to be a rip-off of the Stormtrooper theme with the addition of a dotted rhythm in the first two notes and the omission of the 3rd above the tonic. And why isn't anyone calling him Batman or The Bat? At least, I don't recall hearing it.)
Anyway after our movie we ate
At the bak kwa place which was just down the block
A 50% voucher was found on the app,
We finished around 9 oclock.
After which I snuck BIKSS back into my room
Where we cuddled and kissed and got naked
It was all sorts of yummy, we both had some cums,
So yes, horny appetites sated!
Truffle mushroom beef-bakkwa salad
Spring roll - deep fried bakkwa and veggies in a light flour sheet
Cheese, pork floss, bak kwa toasties!
And yes, bak kwa ice cream. Strangely, and surprisingly not too bad.
If you want white-house-adjacent drama that's a little bit OTT, definitely never boring, complete with just good looking enough characters to be semi-believable with normal-people flaws and irritating habits, the token gay couple, the token mixed race couple, the token hat tip to PTSD and the token nudge at conspiracy theories... without being TOO obvious, then this is the show for you.
This is the season 2 trailer -
And if you missed it, this is the season 1 trailer -
And that's all. I'm going to watch an episode before I go out to meet BIKSS for dinner. We're going to explore some tiny Vietnamese shops we chanced upon a bit ago.
I'm not going to put up a chip pic today. Because I'm rushing off to watch Scandal.
