antsy-wantsy

hmmm.. I haven't been blogging for a while.. been busy with stuff (right). In exactly 3 days, we'll be on our way to Singa city.. we're practically counting down to the seconds till Saturday. We're really eager to be back there again to meet everybody and be in the warmth. We're all packed and ready to go.

That looks like a lot of luggage for just the two of us.. but they're full of goodies more than anything.

driving miss daisy

It's the second time I've tried my hands at left-hand driving and it was invigorating. It wasn't as awkward as the first time though. Well it does take some getting used to especially with the hand coordination.. my left hand instinctively moved for the gear each time for the gear change. Otherwise it was smooth sailing, save for the 'road switch'. I miss driving.. I love driving... I'd rather drive than be driven. Well I guess driving is like riding a bicycle in that you never forget the skills acquired even though you haven't been behind the wheels for a while.. except maybe for a few hiccups in the beginning. Perhaps I should take up a licence in the close future to be able to drive here... but in the meantime, I'm contented to be in the passenger seat and enjoy the ride. Speaking of cars, when I first came to Europe, I find it funny to see how the cars here are mostly small in size.. unlike the ones you're used to see on Singapore roads... well anyways..

the colours of autumn

What a beautiful day.. the sky is blue, the sun is shining with soft breeze blowing in your face and the air light as a feather. Autumn has an air of romance attached to it and I guess it's mainly due to the ambience given out by the warm colours of the leaves.. couple it with a weather like today's and it's the epitome of the perfect season. A stroll in the park is all the activity you need in a weather like this.

meatballs, anyone?

Another entry on food.. well what can I say.. I'm a foodie. I have the abundance of time at my disposal and I use it to brush up on different skills, one of them cooking. I've always liked meddling in the kitchen and I must say that married life has made me a better cook... well at least that's what my hubby thinks. Those meatballs were made from scratch and it's really worth all the toiling in the kitchen to see dear hubby devouring the food with gusto.. and with a sincere compliment added on the side :) On another note, I do miss authentic Malay food ('real' food as my bro put it). It doesn't taste the same here without the proper ingredients. Well I'm gonna do justice to my feedbag once we're there.. oh yesss!

lets have a raclette

No, that's not some kinda sport. That's another French favourite during the cold season. It's a meal consists of cheese, boiled potatoes, chicken/turkey/beef ham.. plus a raclette machine. First you melt the cheese in your individual metal plate, peel the potato and arrange it on your dinner plate together with the ham of your choice. Once the cheese has melted, slide it over the potato and voila, you have a melange of cheese, potato and ham in your mouth.. or you can have it sandwich-style and stack them all up on a piece of baguette... yum-me.

sofa.. soooo good!

The time has finally come to part with our sad-looking old sofa of 4 years and replace it with a more sturdier, smart-looking one. No lost tears there. Well it's one of the many things we're changing in our apartment as part of 'operation revamp'. We're popping a bottle of champagne in celebration (non-alcoholic one of course)... bottoms up!

strike 2.. 3.. many!

There was a massive cumulative strike yesterday involving over a million French. This time around it's organized by people from the transportation line. Trains, planes.. were suspended and it created a huge mess.. I'm just glad we're not directly affected by it. The French are infamous for their strikes. They go on strike for whatever reasons.. and be it rain or shine, hot or cold. It's a favourite pastime of many.. from students to teachers, doctors, garbage collectors. I find it amusing the first time I saw an ongoing strike first-hand in Paris... it had a street party atmosphere more than anything. Maybe I should grab a loudhailer and march with a group of strikers the next time around.. just for kicks. We cross our fingers that there won't be any strikes the day we're flying.

(Photos added as requested, bro)

ramadan

Here's wishing everyone 'selamat berpuasa'! We're jumping the gun a day earlier over here. It's my second year fasting in France and it's no more different than doing it in Singapore, unless it falls during summer or winter. My dear hubby is all psyched up to go through the month-long challenge and I'm really proud of him. Courage, chéri.. je suis très fière de toi :)

weekend

Yes, it's the weekend.. and that translates to a good DVD (my weekly dose of English programme) with a big fat pizza, right in the comfort of our cosy cove... oh yeah, and throw in a couple runs on the video console. Well that pretty much sums up our routine on weekends as there's nothing much to do outside... and it looks like we'll be spending more time indoors now that the cold is descending on us.

say cheese!

The whole apartment reeks of cheese after a meal of cheese fondue.. but at least it doesn't stink as much as the stronger smelling cheeses. I've always liked cheesy stuff and France is the country well-known for its wide variety of cheeses. That said, I try to stay away from the cheeses here as most of them have a really strong, sharp odour. The French like their cheese 'raw' and it's eaten on a daily basis at the end of a meal. I prefer my cheese cooked and cheese fondue is the ultimate form of cuisine where you get the most cheesy goodness out of a meal. You'd melt for this even if you're not a great fan of cheese... I can personally vouch for that. Cheese fondue is a staple food during the cold season.. eaten with pieces of baguette, it's a simple yet complete meal in itself. The amount of fat consumed can be frightening though... but hey, bring on the fats.. it would keep me warm in this cold weather ;)