Recap, Rx, Restart

Twas the Friday After Christmas...

- I got my very first floaters in my right eye. "Ageing" my boss says. Pfft. Apparently in my case, it's an event. Posterior vitreous detachment or PVD. My vitreous gel is condensing and detaching itself from my retina. It takes about 3 mths for this to sort itself out, by which time clear vitreous fluid will have filled up the space vacated by the vitreous gel and all will be right again. Only time will tell.

- BIKSS went to see my boss to get his health screen report looked at. The centre where he had it done isn't very good with follow ups. And I don't trust them to explain the results anyway. All they told him to do was lose some weight. Tell us something we DON'T know.  My boss was reassuring. The lumps in the thyroid - don't worry about them. The kidney cyst that was there is now no longer there so it's all good. The fatty liver isn't fat enough that it shows up in the liver function tests so just ... well, lose some weight. To be specific, lose some fat. Muscle weight is fine. His blood sugar is trending upwards despite dietary changes. So the boss things after a 6 mth trial of going to the gym more regularly he should recheck his veinous sugar, A1c and potassium. Yeah, kidney function is perfect. But potassium is elevated. The boss thinks its spurious, most likely caused by lysis (the rupturing of red blood cells and the release of their contents into surrounding fluid eg blood plasma). Since potassium is stored in the cells, if they weren't careful with the blood draw or while inverting the tubes, it could very easily cause all the stored potassium to leak out and give an inaccurately elevated reading. 

Also he did all his Hep A and Hep B jabs but still doesn't seem to have developed any Hep B antibodies. Boss thinks it might have been because there wasn't enough time between the final dose and the serology test. 

So that was SOME good news. As for the blood sugar, well, if the next test doesn't show improvement, then it's likely he'll be put on Metformin. Apparently it's pretty good for managing pre-diabetes. 

- I did my blood test in the clinic too. I'll have results next week some time. The lab called today to say they needed more blood. My boss thinks they fucked up cos they said they had enough to run half the tests but needed more for the remainder. He is convinced he gave them more than enough. Besides, my colleague did her labs too and he's adamant he got more blood out of me than her. (She's a tiny thing with tiny veins and not a lot of blood.) I'll just let him draw more blood on Tuesday. No biggie. 

- We sprung for a last hotpot buffet of the year. At an old Thai-Chinese restaurant that had been around since before I was born. It's not popular with the hip crowd, but older folk still bring their families there for big feasts. 

Tom Yum Soup / Chicken Soup with Rice Wine

Chicken tossed in rice wine and fired up! Look at the flames (the bottom right pic has orange licks flying right off the edge of the photo)!  Once it's semi cooked it gets tossed into the hotpot.

This isn't part of the buffet - it's a one-platter complimentary 

seafood combination of lobster, abalone and scallop.

Fish, prawns, beef, clams, salmon, mushrooms, veggies, crayfish, quail eggs, fishballs filled with roe, bamboo clams, sotong balls, scallop-in-shell, and (below) fish paste and prawn paste.

If you've never seen this done before, it can be quite exciting. 

The guy grabs some hot soup and pours it over the 'plastered' fish paste, cooking it bit by bit till it's ready to be scraped off the plate.  The prawn paste (bottom right) gets 'chopped' and pushed into the pot with a spatula.

I believe the last time I saw this being done was probably 30 years ago. It's not a popular sight. Only a handful of restaurants still do it this way today. 

- We went shopping and both of us had a lovely time roaming around Marks and Spencer. Of course I bought more chips. And a black tee.

- We also went to an art exhibition by a local painter. BIKSS wasn't jumping for joy but I enjoyed looking at the art. 

- Caught Aquaman in the evening. Skipped dinner and settled for just popcorn instead. 

- Came home to find that these had been delivered. They're gorgeous!

- Sex that night was great fun. Fingers. Vibe. Squirt. More like dribble. It was strange. But we were listening to "sexy" music on Youtube and I did have a lovely day. Plus there was no more worry about BIKSS's potassium scare and thyroid lumps so maybe I was in a really good headspace. Whatever it is, as we were talking about the bed-wetting event later he referred to it as a 1ce-every-4-years event by my count. I remember two instances in the past, he, one. We said we'd check the blog. I did. I win. Well, one was intermittent leaks, not a squirt. This one was a flow. Warm, wet, and requiring a heap of towels afterward. So far they've all been very different from each other. 

Maybe it's my body getting ready to end this year and start a new one. Going out with a gush, as it were.

Happy New Year everyone. May 2024 be full of fun sex, clear skies, and full pockets. Plus whatever alcohol rocks your boat! 

Lidl and Daddy's Buffet Day Out (and other stuff I'd forgotten)

He actually suprised me with a plan. Usually I'm the one who does itinerary planning. This time he booked slots for us to go up to the skyroof on some fancy new building where we were promised spectacular views and a 4-storey garden space. 

The garden was accessible when we got there, but because of the lightnight advisory the rooftop viewing platform was off limits. 

Still it was fun. 

Before that we went to an ala-carte buffet place for lunch, and paid only half price thanks to our discount dining app!

But being not so big eaters, that's all we ended up having hahhaha. And an extra serving of that salad. Soup not pictured. To be fair there was a lot of fish and chicken on that dinner plate. It was a LARGE plate. 

After the garden thing we went to Marks and Spencer Foods across the street. I bought more chips of course.

Then we were off to my regular massage place to get our knotty muscles seen to. I tried a no-oil 'finger press' massage for the first time. IT WAS AWESOME. And oil massage is lovely to relax but when there are kinks that need straightening out a stick-your-elbow-in-there massage is the best remedy! 

BIKSS has tried this type of massage before but it was my first time. And it won't be my last! Woohoo!

Then we headed off for another buffet for dinner. It's called Loklok or Satay Celup. It's a Malacca style hot pot where you dip stuff in a gravy of your choice - not necessarily just clear chicken or pork broth. 

We were offered satay, laksa, tom yum and mala soups.

We chose the plain pork broth and satay combination -

Stuff for dipping and cooking

Stuff we wanted fried... to dip into MORE sauces

See below for list of sauces that they place on your table the minute you arrive! 

                                            Chilli Crab Sauce            /     Cilantro and Lime - very refreshing

                            

                                        Salted Egg Yolk Sauce        /     Thicker version of Satay gravy        

Chilli & lime (or vinegar) Sauce (aka chilli chuka)     /     Sriracha Mayo

A final portion of gyoza for me and otak for BIKSS :) 

I came home to find a parcel I had been expecting from Chiang Mai. With technology and the sheer number of people doing cross country money transfers, we now have a partner system with Thailand's PromptPay so all I had to do was scan a QR Code and I could order stuff from a shop called BomBonRoom. I first came across them in One Nimman when we were in Chiang Mai. I had picked up an essential oil balm that I made the mistake of only opening when I got home. It smells absolutely divine and the other brands I've tried (both in shops here and from online merchants) just didn't match up. I wanted more!

So I contacted them on FB and they informed me they would be willing to send it over. After a quick back and forth firming up delivery costs etc I sent them the money and a week later I got my package. I figured I would get some of their Christmas themed scented candles too. I have zero regrets!

On the topic of purchasing stuff in the not-so-traditional manner, here's an Agnes B bag I got for 8 bucks at the church thrift store a few weekends ago. I was early for Mass so I decided to walk around a bit. And ta-da! Can you spend money unnecessarily while waiting for Mass to start? Absolutely yes!

And speaking of bags... heh. Remember how I got those fake Bottega shoes? Well I got myself a dupe bag to go with them! It turned out better than I expected. They're not exactly identical but for $20 it's not bad at all.

TOP - my dupe.

BOTTOM - the original $3K BV bag.

Am I happy? Yes I am. This is how I pretend to be glamourous while still staying on a budget! 

Today's chips are courtesy of a recent M&S trip. Not as sour and salty as some other brands' vinegar chips. Perfect for snacking without killing one's tastebuds!

Shoes Shoes and More Shoes + Christmas Feasting + News from the Home Front

The feasting continues. Part 3 I think this was. We had Japanese again... cos I needed to run an errand in that area and so the nearby mall is where we ended up. Nothing else looked exciting so we popped into a restaurant we'd never been to before. 

Sashimi - always a winner in our books

Hot pot - because it's healthy and delicious (the beef was super duper tender!)

Scallops + cheese - way too salty for our liking

Fried Chicken + Salad

And on Friday we had Christmas feasting part 4! 

BIKSS made a reservation at a Ukrainian place. It wasn't too bad... but I'm not sure it's anything to crow about.

Dumpling assortment - with a colour guide - 

Also, this particular dumpling looks a little suggestive don't you think? 

Shashlýk - 2 chicken skewers with what tasted like Cajun (powder seasoning) fries and roasted veggies. He was noticeably unimpressed with the fries. They were a little bit limp, but I'm ok with soggy fries as long as they have a good flavour to them.

Traffic light salad - crab stick, corn and cucumber + mayo. Quite interesting.

And in Shoe news -

These arrived. They fit and they're pretty and I hope the breaking in period isn't too long. I think I shall wear them around the house to get used to them before taking them out on the road proper. 

I also bought me a pair of actual pumps / court shoes, since I don't have a one to my name at the moment. 

These are from Vivaia and I tried them on at the store last night. At $195 a pair I wanted to make sure they fit and are as comfy as they claim to be. They were. I told the guy I would think about it then promptly went online to see what deals I could find.

I like them BOTH but decided on the pair on the right only because it would be a lot easier to wear a beige shoe with my existing wardrobe. I have a surprisingly large number of printed skirts, pants and dresses! The design on the front of the black pair (+ the mini bow) would be just too fussy with a patterned bottom.

I did eventually get them with a discount code too... (this is ME we're talking about after all, the guru of online shopping discounts) and ended up taking 14% off the retail price. 

(If you're in the US you can get them at 20% off if you're a first responder, teacher or medical professional (alongside some other vocations which I can't remember now) via the Sheer ID website. It's a 3rd party verification website that partners with over 200 merchants offering discounts to people working in specific sectors.) 

And if you're wondering why they're so pricey, it's cos they're supposed to last forever. And also cos they use some fancy tech, are sustainable and responsibly sourced, and are eco-friendly etc etc. 

From their website - 

Since 2020, VIVAIA has been dedicated to creating superior products for both you and the planet. Our mission is to make a positive impact on the world and the people around us. We have successfully developed a line of high-end footwear and apparel that is both luxurious and fashion-forward, while also being of exceptional quality and reasonably priced.

The name VIVAIA is a combination of our brand's purpose and our customers. The double "V" and "A" that come from opposite directions represent the shoes worn by our customers with diverse designs. The double "I" symbolizes the plastic bottles we use to produce our shoes, which is a key element connecting our customers with us.

At VIVAIA, we focus on producing comfortable shoes that combine cutting-edge technology with sustainable practices for the ultimate in eco-friendly footwear and apparel.

I've also been de-cluttering because I had a new AC installed the past Wednesday. My very old box-in-the-wall unit has given up the ghost. Each time I turned it on I had to pad the area under the coil with towels because OH MY GAWD THE DRIP!  It was one of these:

I now have a compressor outside my window wall and a blower unit above my dresser. The amount of cleaning up we did was ridiculous. And since everything had a fine layer of cement dust on it, I ended up spring cleaning the whole room. Hence the de-cluttering. 

With the washing machine needing replacing and the new ac being installed, plus agency and insurance fees from the caregiver fiasco, I must have spent about 10k between August and now. What's a pair of shoes right? Besides, with the shitty year I've had, I've decided I deserve a Christmas treat.

Anyway, I'm on my way to financial recovery. I've not touched any of the investments I put in this year. Most of that 10k came from savings and a couple of time deposits and bonds that matured and got spat back into my bank account anyway. 

I just didn't reinvest those. But I will, once the new year begins and I pick up some bonuses from my insurance policy. I've also recently learnt about a new guaranteed returns investment vehicle on a local brokerage app. It's offering 3.8% returns, no minimum placement. I managed to chuck some funds in there a few weeks  ago.

I wish I had learnt about this stuff when I was younger. But I'm glad I have friends who are interested in sharing about these things now... they, too, regret not having started sooner. Better late than never I suppose. We just didn't have anyone around us who did any investing and so it wasn't part of our landscape I think. 

I'm now trying to get my Godchildren on the investment bandwagon. People say 'you don't know what you don't know'. But now I've seen to it that they know, so it's up to them to go find out more and do what they can when they can. Ignorance was my reason. They can't use the same excuse. At least I'll die satisfied, knowing I did this ONE thing for them if nothing else. 

And that's the day's round up. From BIKSS and me, we hope you all have a very 

Today's chips (bought at half price -)

They're Here! (Plus more Christmas Feasting)

The shoes I ordered have arrived. 

These are the kitten heel version

And I got myself a pair of flats too

DO I LOVE THEM? YES I DO!

(Also, here's a pic of the BV wallet that BIKSS got as his prize -)

I'm glad he's decided to put it to use.

Part 2 of Christmas feasting was at a Peranakan restaurant near the theatre district 

Brinjal with Taucheo - bean paste - not the greatest, really. I've had better. 

Prawns in a spicy sour pineapple gravy. Not half bad I must say. 

Altho it's not a difficult dish to whip up so I'm not terribly impressed.

Satay Babi - or pork 'satay' - which is a seasoning that is mostly candlenut and peanut based. 

The meat was way too fatty for my liking tho. 

I get that too lean a cut would make it dry 

but they went too far in the other direction I think. 

Part 3 of Christmas feasting was exciting - we had gone to Marks n Spencer in search of more cheap chips. Sadly their clearance shelves were, well, cleared. We ended up at a Japanese place in the same mall and got a bit adventurous. 

Our appetiser was MONKFISH LIVER!

It was an experience. I don't think I'll ever order it again. But like I always say - live a little! 

Finger for size reference. (Also, a pretty nail colour - here's the rest of the manicure.)

Wakame (seaweed) salad with sesame dressing - always a winner

A seafood Nabe (hot pot) with mushrooms, veggies, salmon and clams

Grilled teriyaki squid which was too burnt around the edges

Sashimi - quite a good serving for 20+ dollars. The fish was fresh and the slices were pretty thick.

In more mundane news, I made some fruitcakes last weekend. The one with the sugar and flour substitutes for BIKSS turned out pretty delicious, if a bit soft. But he's enjoying it which is all that matters.

Baked in my air fryer! 

I had planned to use the a/fryer for all my cakes this year, but eventually decided against it and fired up the big oven. It would have taken too long to bake them all singly. The oven can handle 3 at a go. Waaaay more efficient. And instead of basting them with brandy I decided to load up a 3ml syringe and inject it directly into the cake. 2-3 syringes per cake.Yum. This year my fruit cakes have holes on the top where the brandy's been shot in. No one's complained yet.

I also managed to make some spicy sour soup from this mix I bought when we were in Chiangmai. It's pretty darn good. Only I can't seem to get it here, even in the Thai supermarkets (and online shops). I did find another - I'll try it out and see if it's similar. I do love a spicy sour soup, altho I prefer the tamarind kind and not the lemongrass kind (like tom yum). 

I'm waiting for this to arrive. December is the perfect time (rainy season for us) for a hot and sour soup in the evenings. 

I also have my eye on a bottle of tom kha paste. But I'll pace myself.

It's pretty common - many brands have it. But some require the addition of coconut milk whereas the one I found already has it mixed in. How much simpler can cooking get? LOL

Meanwhile, here are today's chips (and yes, I'm still coughing... it's lingering.. but I can't stay away from the chips any longer!)