i.have.been...

i have been quiet...in fact i have been busy since i started at my project... i haven't been blogging nor have i taken any decent photo. this evening before i leave for home, i took a couple of photos thought of sharing with you how my project site looks like...

this is where i will be for the coming months

the weather is beautiful today, the first real spring weather that warm enough to sit/walk outside

i can already imagine myself taking my lunch and eating at the bench in the square

ready.for.summer

it's saturday morning and i woke up at 0730 in order to bring my car to a garage for replacement of summer tyres.

now my car is summer ready and i am ready for summer too....

lunch.for.one

apparently the 'brunch' pizza is not that filling at all and at around 2pm i am hunting for food again. i re-do the pizza again, but this time replacing the ham with 2 sliced bockworsts... the result is equally delicious....

breakfast.for.one

finally mr sunshine decided to show up today. i slept until 10am as today is a compulsory day off for my company, so i am definitely enjoying another lazy morning. i swear my condition is not tie to the weather but i feel indeed better today as there is no more pain, phew... the worst is over...

was wondering what for breakfast (oops...) rather what for brunch, didn't feel like bread today so i thought of easy pizza. yes, home made easy pizza, low in salt, carbohydrate and fat...

tortilla wrap as pizza crust, tomato puree, lots of rocket leaves, ham, cherry tomato and parmasen flakes... and mind... the pan heated tortilla is crispy...

wash it down with a glass of cappuccino while enjoying the sunshine

he.ascents.i.ascent

i must admit i feel terrible today, yesterday and a day before yesterday...
today, accension day, a day of rememberance of the accension of Jesus to heaven, a dutch public holiday...

i spent most of my time lying on my bed, resting, reading or surfing with my laptop in bed... i still had quite a severe menstuation pain but thanked God is subsiding now...

and the weather is not helping either as i look out at the groomy sky. the cold temperature at this time of the year >.<

however, this evening, i am determined to make it to the church for the ascension day service and most importantly i am going to testify the miraculous work that the Lord has done for me in my health situation. yes, i feel terrible but nothing is going to stop me from testifying the goodness of the Lord!
because He died for me and rose again, because He ascents to heaven and be with God the Father again, because of all these that He has done for me, i am able to ascent in my life as well...

happy ascension day!

on.the.eighth.day

on the eighth day after i stopped taking provera, i feel terrible today. i have to take one pain killer to sedate the cramp this morning at work and then i feel drowsy the whole day, couldn't concentrate in getting my work done.

my manager looked at me and spared me from a meeting that will start from 6pm to 9pm.

i flea home but the pain surface again that i almost cause an accident on the road. thanked god that i made it home safely. i took another pain killer to ease myself. i didn't even make it to the send class tonight. i almost forgotten those feelings and discomfort already after nine months. i remembered i used to feel weak during those time of the month any how, just that i didn't get use to it any longer....

!!i.got.it!!

Today I went for a project intake interview and guess what? I got the position and will start next Monday and this role will last me until end of this year. It is a relief because I have been wanting to be on chargeable role since I returned from my sick leave. I guess I couldn't ask for more, when one door is closed another one is open… I don’t need to drive for more than 30 min to my project site, it is an international project environments where con-calls prevail, so I guess there will be option to work from home occasionally. I have a high profile role where I am basically the second in command next to the executive sponsor from Belgium. Now I am enjoying the secret of flowing in the will of God and let Him surprises me. I didn’t get to go to New York but that is well in His plan. The position comes as a surprise and in fact was never in my radar until last week and I had another colleague competing with me. Strangely enough in just the 10 min through the conversation he already said he wants me in the position. I guess it is all the flavor of the Lord. Now is my time to showcase and may the spirit of excellence be upon me.

lazy.weekend

how's your weekend? i had a lazy one starting with trying another new toy in kitchen, a waffle press. we had some belgium style waffle as breakfast..

the making in process

my first take with some mango and strawberry compote - the frozen mango is not tangy, is not bad but i think it goes better with the mixed berries...

second take with chocolate spread and strawberry - much down to earth!!

the weather has been really bad - grey, rain, windy, cold. we did nothing much except bringing my mil to dim sum at den haag for a mother's day celebration. then i spotted a nail salon and decided to pamper myself with manicure and pedicure. met an american lady and we chatted as if we know each other for a long time...

the rest of the day i just lounge at home, watching movies over internet, lying on my bed. it's 6 days since i stopped taking provera, my body is reacting... i feel discomfort perhaps i have forgotten those monthly feeling for more than 9 months and now getting it back feels a bit strange to me...

today is mother's day, i wish all mothers a very blessed and happy mother's day!

new.toy.in.kitchen

today is dutch liberation day and also a holiday. it is nice to get an off day in the mid week. we got this new toy about a week ago, today we use it for the second time....

we marinated some chicken drumsticks with pre-packed salt and pepper

the grilling is utilizing the heat from the light, and the oil from the skin dripped to the bottom

the effect is not so much the same as oven grilled or roast but more like the chicken has been deep fried without oil or fat...

it's delicious and healthier i suppose

pick.me.up

that what tiramisu means in italian...

tiramisu is super easy to make and i really wonder why it takes me so long to attempt...

nonetheless is better late than never....

mascarpone, lady finger, espresso, good cocoa powder

and brandy of course to give it a scent of alcohol, marsala is the authentic liquor but i substitute with brandy

the real tiramisu is usually home made with rustic feel

half way through - the lady finger is moist with brandy and espresso - lovely and tasty

i will surely make this next time when there are guests coming...

country.road

take me home. to the place. i belong....

mr sunshine has decided to hide himself just as i have stored my winter boots/coats and most of my a/w clothing in my closet and take out my s/s clothings...

the traffic situation is also at its worst even during the may vacation period. i have to take different routes to get home each evening... this is one of my most favorite route during s/s...

the journey reminds me of psalm 23 ...

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures

he leads me beside quiet waters

he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever

what a pleasant home road!

::stop::

finally after 9 months of consuming these pills, i am stopping as of today. how will my body react without them? will my blood sugar return to normal? will i get severe discharge? i am not sure, but the truth is i don't need them anymore ANYMORE!!!

HE who begins the good work in me is faithful to complete it...

you know, it is actually a relief....

historical.center.ghent

30 april 2010. ghent is dusty. construction is everywhere. you now stand in the historical center’ sint-baafs’ square. you look at north, east, south, west, you notice cathedrals, fortress in close proximity. on your back is sint baaf’s cathedral, right in front of you is belfort, on your right is the art deco theatre, further down is the old post office, and many other cathedrals.

you heard of the famous painting ‘mystic of the lamb’ and you make an obligatory visit to sint baaf’s cathedral. you find this cathedral surprisingly bright and airily. you have a grasp of the copy of the painting.

you are hungry again. since you are in belgium, you thought you should try the belgium fries. you walk into a small lunch room just next to the belfort.

while waiting for your fries to arrive, you take a shot of belfort from within the lunchroom. you like the perspective and the way the photo is constructed. the watch tower, blue sky, cotton clouds, passer by and a window frame.

you fries finally arrive. big portion.

you find the mayonnaise is a little sour than the dutch version.but both of you finished them off.

p/s: i don't know why i wrote this in third person, i guess since is started i decided to let the story line flows in third person perspective, a new way of writing for me too.

pp/s: i still have a lot of photos, thoughts and story on ghent, but organizing the photos and sorting my thoughts take awhile, it's late now on sunday night, so the rest of ghent story can wait...

have a blessed week ahead!