Moving from one home to another

I know, I know, I've been MIA for awhile... but things have been a little hectic over the last few weeks, as I was busy wrapping everything up in Taiwan, saying goodbyes (more on that later), and preparing for yet another move to another city.

Though it isn't exactly fair for me to put it that way... I mean, this "another city" is my home, the very city where I was born, raised, and educated in. I should have sounded more excited about moving back, shouldn't I? After all, it is where my family and my closest friends are!

But why is it that when I think about the move, all I ever feel is the uncertainty that's nagging me? It's not that I'm not happy to be able to spend more time with my family and friends finally - I surely am! I just long for having a place where I can truly call "home". And it doesn't help that I'm actually writing this blog from my another home, i.e. Singapore. Where, exactly, is my "home" and where on earth will I end up in?

It just gets blurred beyond a certain point, I guess. The sense of where you belong.

Sigh. We'll see.

Of all things domestic, I...

enjoy:
- mopping the floor
- tossing away things
- organizing things and putting them into little boxes (everything needs a box)
- trying new recipes (when I'm in the mood)

don't mind:
- washing dishes
- vacuuming
- hand washing fancy clothes
- cleaning the bathroom

dread:
- sorting laundry

super hate:
- ironing
- washing and cutting up vegetables

Feeling domestic today...

Some serious house cleaning is in order!!!

豆腐 and minced 豬肉

儘管我口裡總是嚷著做太太是我的終生夢想...
儘管我在逛街食tea和整指甲方面前途無限...
我卻偏偏缺乏一項成為太太的基本條件：煮得一手好菜。也不是說我滴手不沾陽春水，只是我每次煮菜前，總會暗暗緊張，鑊拿在手裡也是雞手鴨腳，加幾多鹽都要騰雞一番，可見我實在不是入廚房的料。每次看人氣blogger大少奶的食譜，只能望塵莫及慨嘆一句，怎麼人家就天生一副太太的架勢？

幸運的是，SB倒是一個蠻會下廚的人。在星加坡的時候，他常常會煮飯給我吃，我只需pat在沙發上等食。他煮的東西中西式都有，不花巧，不講究，大多時候簡簡單單就是一餐。他最拿手也最常煮的小菜，是豆腐+豬肉+草菇，再打個獻：味道很家常，卻是我的最愛。我常取笑他，「Honey我地今晚係咪又食豆腐 and minced 豬肉呀？」（留意這個不知所謂的菜名，是我和他日常溝通中很典型的中溝英方法 :p）而且我每次看到這道菜也會大聲歡呼：「Yay 豆腐 and minced 豬肉!!! You're the best!」，兼送上擁抱一大個。

SB不喜歡我常常笑他的minced豬肉，卻不知道，這一道菜，除了真的幾好味以外，還會讓我想起媽媽的味道。媽媽在家也會煮豆腐和免治豬肉，淋上少許獻，上面再灑點白芝麻，味道和SB煮的很有點相似。這不是我最喜歡的媽媽的菜（腐竹炆排骨才是我的至愛），但那味道，卻熟悉得我隨時閉上眼睛也可以回憶起來。

我何其幸運，總有愛我的人願意為我煮食，甚至當我pat在沙發、翹埋雙手專等開飯的時候，還會用寵愛的語氣說：「好快就食得架喇。」

這刻的我，多麼想食豆腐 and minced 豬肉啊。

Oh! Spa

在峇里島五天，大部份時間都是困在酒店裡開會（問：反正都是困在沒有窗戶的房間內，為什麼要去峇里島？）。幸好有一天下午，剛好偷得半日閒，便溜了去做spa。

女生（應說港女？）喜歡做spa的原因很簡單：那全身被呵護的感覺，除了讓人油然產生一種被寵愛的幸福感外，還會有一股「看我多會享受，我也可以做王迪詩」的潛意識自豪感覺 。

女人都是虛榮的。

我也是。我總愛選那些兩三小時的spa package（請不要問我花了多少錢），也不諱言這樣令我自我感覺良好覺得我很愛自己也很懂得享受生活云云... 但我真正嚮往的，是磨砂後的嫩滑肌膚，和浸浴時的放空一切。

這次的spa很值得記下來，因為是我第一次在戶外浸浴。是的，這裡每人都有完全獨立的spa villa，可以赤身走出室外，踏進滿是泡泡的浴池裡。接著治療師會灑下浴鹽，再倒一些牛奶在池裡，讓牛奶慢慢在水中暈開來，然後奉上一壺肉桂茶，輕聲請我好好放鬆。我呷一口茶，望著藍藍的天空，在溫暖的陽光下，享受全身被水洗禮的觸覺。

我所有的生理和心理需要都在那一刻被滿足了。

做完spa，在villa的發呆亭躺下。摸摸自己滑溜溜的腳，啊，好快樂。

圖：攝於Grand Hyatt Bali Kriya Spa

Starting the 2nd half of 2010 with a glass of Bellini...

I'm generally not a very chatty or outgoing person, but sometimes - well, usually after a drink or two - I can become really bubbly (maybe even borderline flirty... *ahem*).

Last night was one of those nights. After a few cocktails and a bottle of Moet & Chandon Brut Rose (it was a going away for a friend), I was a happy girl, chatting, laughing, enjoying myself. Before we called it a night, I ordered a glass of Bellini, and sat back on the couch. For a moment I thought I was back at INSEAD, because everything looked so rosy and I was having such a good time. It really doesn't get any better than this, I thought, as I savored the feel-good moment that the bubbles and the fizz brought.

Life has been gracious to me.

The first six months of year 2010 were not without frustration, tears, and setback. One of my resolutions at the beginning of this year was to become tougher and emotionally stronger. While I can't really say that I have shown much improvement (yet) in this area, many lessons were learnt and as I look back I can safely say that I have grown as a result of them. And despite all the down moments, I'm still thankful every day for what they have been. Looking ahead, the coming months promise more changes (moving back to HK, turning 30, yadda yadda), but I'm sure I will be fine, especially with what I have: a great family, a great boyfriend, great friends, and occasionally maybe even a glass of Bellini that can put me in good mood instantly.

So here's a toast to you, my friends, as we officially enter the second half of the year. Half gone, half to come - Let's hope it's all for the better.