I love Thanksgiving but I decided to go with Hari Raya Puasa from a country that I love and having spent a lot of time there, I have come to know the cultural traditions well.
Singapore is a diverse society and it embraces many cultural traditions wholeheartedly. Multiculturalism is part and parcel of Singapore and during my stay there, I came to know the different cultural traditions well. I think I have written about some of them here but I’m going to go with Hari Raya Puasa because it is a lovely tradition and one worth noting.
Some of you may know it has Eid al-Fitr, a major religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide and it marks the end of Ramadan. Muslims make up about 15% of the population and Islam is the third-largest religion in the country. What are the other two? The ethnic Chinese community practice Buddhism and they make up about 31.1 % followed by Christianity which makes up 18.9 %. Here’s the thing about Singapore, all religions are accepted and practiced with no restrictions.
Coming back to Hari Raya Puasa, it is celebrated by Singaporeans and not just the Muslim population. People wear vibrant outfits, visit the mosque for prayers, and the best part is the food. The feasting usually involves a massive amount of traditonal Malay delicacies. People also open their homes to relatives, friends, and neighbors of all races and religions. It is time for celebration and the food fest is delicious and finger-licking good. My favorite is rendang. It is a spicy beef stew or it can also be made with chicken and it is served with rice cakes (ketupat), and sometimes satay, meat on skewers but that is not all. The dessert list is massive as well and just as good.
Singaporeans celebrate each other’s cultural traditions and the country comes together as a nation during these times. It is a lovely place that has made diversity a way of life and harmony among the different races is their mainstay and they work hard at keeping it that way.
Thumbs up Singapore! 👍
Daily writing prompt
What’s a cultural tradition from your country that you love?
I don’t know if you would call it the funniest misunderstanding but it was funny at the time. I’ve spent a lot of time in Asia and I thought I knew all the customs and how not to step on someone’s toes but there was one time when we, my ex and son, went to Singapore to see why I loved the place so much.
Things change very quickly in Singapore. It never stays the same and perhaps that is the attraction of this tiny island nation and we were prepared for a great time with good food and lots of things to see. We did get some delicious food and lots to see as well. However, things had changed again. They have these food courts or rather hawker centers and if you want really good food at low prices, it is the place to be.
We went there one evening. The atmosphere was great and the place was bustling. All the tables were taken and then I spotted one in the midst of all the chaos and it was empty! We rushed to it glad to have found it. There was a pack of tissues on the table and we were very grateful. It was hot and that pack of tissues came in handy. We opened it, cleaned our hands, and wiped the sweat off our faces. We noticed people glancing in our direction but paid them no mind.
A few minutes later, a young couple approached us and said, “Excuse me, this is our table.”
Me: “Sorry, we saw it first. It is ours.”
Lady: “We choped it first.”
Me: “What do you mean choped? What is that?”
Lady: “In Singapore, if there is a pack of tissues on the table, it means it is taken.”
You can imagine our embarrassment. We apologized and left the table politely and quickly.
Choping or rather reserving a seat is done by placing a pack of tissue paper on the table. This only applies at the hawker centers or at least I think so, maybe they’ve changed that again! It means it is taken or rather reserved. It is also considered a massive local taboo to break that rule.
We later laughed about it BUT we learned to read up on the rules and regulations and believe me when I say, breaking of rules and or laws in Singapore can cost you more than a pretty penny! The one we broke only cost us a laugh, but it could have been worse.
Daily writing prompt
What’s the funniest misunderstanding you’ve ever been part of?
I run a tight ship where my household is concerned but ever since the two, Shiro and Gallahad moved in, it has been hard to keep an eye on everything. They are used to running things their own way and DO NOT like rules! The question they often ask is, “WHY?”
They’ve had their haircuts. The white one, Shiro, looks like a poodle now and the other, the grey one with the orange eyes, looks like Mufasa! We had a hard time getting him to behave so the lady did the best she could and so now he has tufts of hair sticking out in awkward places. It will grow out, I tell myself. However, every time I look at him, I want to give him an extra hug and kiss for what he went through.
Coming back to the topic at hand, I thought they had adjusted quite well to life at casa de los gatos. Think again! All was well until last night when all hell broke loose. The two decided that abiding by rules was for the birds and they declared mutiny on the bounty!
It started out as usual. They got fed, they got cleaned, and they had fresh water and food for the night. Shiro gave me this side-eyed glance which should have cued me to what was coming but I gave her a kiss on the forehead, much to Chachi’s disgust (that’s my cat) and gently placed her in her bed. I did the same for Galli but I left out “the putting him to bed” part. He’s a big guy. All was quiet as I shut the door to the bedroom and settled for the night. Chachi wanted a lovefest and he got one. We cuddled and he got lots of kisses and hugs as well.
It was the calm before the storm. Two hours later, the first inkling of what was to come happened. I heard Shiro in her toilet stirring up havoc. She loves toilets and just sitting in them is something she does on a regular basis. Only last night, she kept at it moving the litter around. It got on my nerves. I opened the door and asked what was going on.
HER: “When I got to go, I got to go!”
ME: “What’s with kicking up the litter?”
HER: “NOTHING!”
The little snort has a flat face, she’s a Persian, and an underbite that makes her look grumpy all the time. However, she is as cute as a button and knows it! I gave her one of my no-nonsense looks and shut the door behind me. Little did I know that Shiro would be the ringleader. Just minutes later, it started. I heard them running up and down the stairs, things being overturned with a loud thud and scratching and knocking at the door! We froze. Chachi looked at me and went, “I told you they are not well-behaved. I hate them!” Well, he has this love-hate relationship with the two of them. Sometimes he adores Galli, his best buddy, and at other times NOT! Shiro to a lesser extent.
Anyway, I waited to see what else they would pull and it looked like they had plenty in their arsenal. They started meowing loudly and in sync! It was back to running up and down the stairs and throwing things around. I had had enough! Opening the door cautiously, I looked outside. They were not there. I noticed that someone had overturned the cat tree and another smaller play item. I proceeded downstairs and the little white one who now seemed more like a giant rushed up to me.
HER: “I want in the bedroom! How come that little snort gets to be in your room at night? We have rights you know.”
I wanted to remind her that they were taking temporary residence here but instead kept my mouth shut. Just then, Little Mufasa showed up, his hair standing on end what was left of it anyway.
ME: “Cut it out! I’m not putting up with this, do you guys hear me?!!”
They reeled it back in whatever it was that got them riled up in the first place. They sat there looking at me meekly with destruction all around them. Food plates turned over, water bowls empty with water all over the floor and other stuff, not broke, but not where they should be.
It was time to clean up the mess. I did so quietly and the two watched me cautiously with not a meow to be heard. After cleaning up, I gave them some fresh food and water.
Galli: “It wasn’t me. Shiro started it.”
If there ever was a tattletale, this guy was it!
I told them to quiet down and went back upstairs. As I walked in, Chachi piped up. “Are you throwing them out? They deserve it!”
I ignored the little snort and got into bed. The rest of the night was peaceful and went as usual. Lord, have mercy!
I woke up to Chachi, the cat, having dry heaves! It doesn’t happen often but it did seem that way this morning because Shiro, the Persian cat, had a problem yesterday. She threw up and had a slight case of the runs. Galli, the British long-haired cat, was alright and keeping a watchful eye on everything.
I spent most of yesterday doing the wash, cleaning up behind them, and taking care of Shiro who seemed to be out of sorts and spent the day sleeping and looking poorly. Stressful? Absolutely.
This morning, Chachi decided to get in the act and had me up at 5 a.m. and after cleaning up, I noticed that he had been eating too much of the dry food so I removed it and decided that I must be doing something wrong as far as these three are concerned. Just as I suspected, the other two were waiting outside the door looking at me like I was manna from heaven or rather, it is where their manna comes from!
ME: “Cool it guys! I have some cleaning to do before I can get to you two.”
SHIRO: “How come Chachi gets to stay with you all night and we have to be outside. It is totally unfair!”
GALLI: “I’m not saying anything but she has a point there.”
I wasn’t in the mood for small talk! I ignored them and got what I needed to clean the mess up. Then I removed the dry food and gave him just wet food until his stomach settles down. Not too happy with the situation, I took a deep breath, piled my hair on my head, and decided to go get my cup of coffee. Just then I noticed that the litter boxes needed to be cleaned up! The day was taking off and leaving me behind. Okay, it was something that needed to be done so I did it. I disinfected it and added some deo to it. As I was heading downstairs, I noticed that Shiro had jumped into the litter box and was lying in it! The girl has a problem. She looked up at me with googly eyes like she was thoroughly enjoying it.
ME: “What’s the matter with you?”
SHIRO: “It smells so good here! I can sleep in it.”
GALLI: “She never used to do that when we were with daddy.”
SHIRO: “That’s because daddy never kept it this clean!”
CHACHI: “Mom, what are they up to?”
SHIRO: “Would it help if we called you mom?”
ME: “Nope!”
GALLI: “I know what your problem is. You need to let your hair down. Piling it on your head like you do is not a good look for you. If you want the guys to come calling, wear it down.”
CHACHI: “Thank you Galli. I keep telling her the same thing but she never listens. We should talk about the creeps who come calling! I can go on and on.”
ME: “Enough! Don’t worry about me. Stop throwing up, having the runs, and expecting to be fed all the time. You’ve had breakfast and now you’ll have to wait for several hours before you get more food. Is that understood?”
GALLI: “Bummer! I was enjoying the all you can eat buffet! Anyway, that attitude doesn’t suit you as well. Try being nicer, things might just change for the better.”
Ignoring the three, I headed for the kitchen. I NEEDED my coffee real bad. Shiro and Galli followed.
SHIRO: “We need to talk.”
Galli looking wise with his orange eyes took a seat on the stairs.
ME: “Guys, we are not talking. It is way too early and I don’t want to hear it!”
Them in unison.
“We want to go back to daddy! This is no fun and that little guy up there hasn’t been brought up too well. He growls and hisses all the time and you never say anything. Instead, you kiss him all the time and keep mommy’s boy protected from us. This is a no go!”
“Okay, we will have a pow wow later and I promise we will come to a solution. I need my coffee now.”
SHIRO: “What about Easter?”
ME: “What about it?!!”
GALLI: “Give us some special food and if you do, I will grant you a wish. One that brings the right guy into your life. You will be very happy, I promise.”
ME: “What are you?!! A fairy or rather a genie in disguise?”
GALLI: “I am more than meets the eye.”
ME: “Oh Lord, have mercy. Chachi thinks he knows everything and now, I have a budding lord only knows what on my hands!”
Coffee made, I headed back upstairs. Walking into the bedroom Chachi pipes up.
What was that about?
ME: “Don’t worry about it. Come give mommy a kiss.”
It is going around here and there is no stopping it no matter how hard I try. Some of you may know that I have three cats now. One is my own called Chachi, or rather Little Macho and sometimes Little Einstein. He is one smart cookie but he’s not too happy these days and that is putting it mildly. The other two belong to my son who has moved away to pursue the rigors of having a new job and cats don’t fit into that equation, not at the moment anyway. Hopefully, in six months. Yes, you heard right. I will be playing babysitter for that amount of time or maybe even longer. The two in question are, Shiro, the white Persian who looks sweet, pretty, and spoiled as they come! She is quiet until something rubs her up the wrong way and then her claws come out. Right now, Chachi seems to be bringing out the “not so nice her” for some reason. The other partner in crime is Gallahad, a dark grey British long-hair with orange eyes. He looks menacing at first glance but is a sweetheart at his core.
The two moved in here about three weeks ago and life hasn’t been the same since then. When once I was surrounded by calm, chaos reigns supreme now! Keeping the place clean from the minute I get up, feeding all three, and keeping them happy seems to be my daily routine. It is wearing me out but I love challenges so I am trying my best and sometimes my best is not enough as I am finding out.
This morning I woke up to my little guy running around the bedroom. He decided that I was sleeping too long and it was time for mommy to wake up and get going. He wanted to see what the other two were doing. They are not friends yet, however, the “thaw” is taking place slowly but surely. I wasn’t too pleased with his method of waking me up so I told him to cool it. He did, but decided he’d try a different strategy. He threw up on the floor! I jumped out of bed and wasn’t too pleased. First, I had to clean up the mess. Then, I heard them. The two outside the door striking up their chorus of, “Where are you? We are hungry!” I walked out of the room and asked, “What do you two want?”
The answer, “What do you think?”
Then I noticed that the litter box was full! It couldn’t get any worse? It did. One had missed his or her mark and it was there right on the floor! I cleaned up all the litter boxes, disinfected them all before breakfast and I was not in a good mood. Then it was feeding time. They got their food, ate like they hadn’t been fed for weeks! Little Snort, that’s my guy, was behind the bedroom door demanding that he be let out. Lord, have mercy!
It was time for my cup of coffee and breakfast. I made it and walked back into the bedroom to listen to news and to see what was going on in the world, more specifically what Taco Trump was up to. Nothing new, he’s doing his normal, talking out of both sides of his mouth. They (Iranians) are good and smart people and the next, they are evil and we are going to blow them to kingdom come! Time for him to go? What do you think?
Anyway, by now all three were in symphony demanding to be let out or let in depending on their standpoint. It was time to get the day started. I walked out looking like Aunt Jemima on one of her worst days to tackle the cleaning. First, it was vacuuming from top to bottom, then mopping the floors, taking out the trash, and making sure the “cats” were all clean. What a day and it is just starting.
Chachi wanted to play with his best buddy, Galli. They have a love hate relationship and that means keeping a vigilant eye on them. Shiro, like a good little girl ate her food, and is now sleeping by the window. Guess what? Snow has moved in, it wasn’t in the forecast, and is coming down.
Weekdays and weekends are all rolled into one as far as I am concerned. I HOPE they learn to love each other and my days and nights get better. I can hope but the three marauders are not complying and that right there is the problem.
This post was from last year but I wasn’t alone this year either. My son decided to visit and it was nice. We had an alone mom and son time. Food was great, at least he thought so and he got all his favorites at one go! Well, two of his favorites, just the tuna stuff he loves and lasagne with a salad to tone down the high-carb intake. Anyway, Christmas is over and time to bid it Adieu again!
It has come and gone. The time of year where some wait religiously to put on their best light show and see who can outdo whom! The festival of lights in the Christian sense is now more about presents, presents, and more presents. Add the food fest and raucous family gatherings and you have the Christmas of today.
Never mind about that. It has come and gone and for some, it was a dreadful time especially if you are faraway from family and loved ones and had to spend it alone. It brings home “loneliness” and being “lonely” to another level. I hope you survived it as I did.
I was going to spend it alone and was prepared to do so with no problems at all. However, a friend was going to be alone as well as he had decided not to spend it with his son and family. Misery loves company as they say. He came over armed with roses and presents and even a present for Chachi, the cat!. How thoughtful but Chachi wasn’t buying any of it! He kept his distance and his mistrust showed in those big eyes and sweet face of his.
“Hey buddy, don’t try anything with my mommy!” was the message he gave and it came across loud and clear.
Dinner was nice. It was a low-key affair although he came dressed to please and I stayed in my sweats! I did deliver a good one. The menu consisted of wild boar in chestnut sauce, red cabbage and dumplings. Dessert was cookies and cake. You guessed it. It was cheesecake! We called it a night at 8 p.m. and Chachi, the cat, became the “main man” again. Exactly how he likes it.
If you’re wondering if he’s the one, it’s a definite no. He’s nice enough but there’s something missing and something else keeps telling me NO! It must be my usual, “No one is good enough,” stance or my intuition is working overtime to guide me in the right direction. Let’s hope it’s the intuition part.
Christmas Day found me in my pjs all day and breathing a sigh of relief that I didn’t have to bother with cooking and putting on a spread. It was leftovers and that was perfectly fine. I watched stand-up comedy which kept me laughing and I had Chachi, the cat, cuddled up next to me. It was a nice Christmas but I’m glad it has come and gone. Next up is New Year’s Eve but I’m opting for the quiet variety as well. A recluse? Seems that way doesn’t it? I’m loving it and that’s all that matters.
I don’t make lists when I go shopping so I often forget things! Recently, I’ve started doing that and I find it is so much easier to get everything without doing several trips!
Fruits are at the top of the list. Right now, I’m into blueberries, raspberries, plums, mangoes, papayas and whatever else is in season. I love fruits so it is a must have on my grocery list.
Vegetables are next. Just about any vegetable is fine with me. Spinach, eggplants, zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower and beans often top the list as well. Salads are another item that is a must have.
Fish is something I can’t do without. I’ve found this new seafood place which offers fresh seafood and it is fantastic. I am a regular there because the local supermarket does not offer the freshness that this store does. They have all kinds of fresh seafood and the prices are reasonable as well. I eat fish at least three times a week so it is a must on my grocery list.
Meat is not that important, although, I do have it once or twice a week. If I do get it, I go for the not so fatty cuts of meat and if it’s pork, I go for the Iberico variety. Expensive but it’s a treat. The pigs are fed on acorns which gives the meat a certain flavor and it is delicious.
The essentials are next on the list. Water, grains, bread, and whatever else that is needed to get the household going. I’m learning not to like grocery shopping but I find that it is a necessity. Can we come up with something where you’ll have to press a button, put in the items needed and it gets delivered? I’m not talking about the home delivery service, this one will be simpler. Press a button and the items show up with no hassles whatsoever!
Back when I was cooking, there were many family favorites. I’ll go with the ones that my son loved and still loves. When he heads back home which is not often, he places the order a week in advance and then when he is home, he asks for the same dishes over and over again!
The first one and at the top of the list is Tuna Melt. This one takes the Blue Ribbon as far as family favorites go. It is a simple dish that doesn’t take much effort but I tend to pep it up so that it comes out finger-licking good.! He’ll ask for seconds and thirds and then asks me to make it again the next day! That is how good it is to him or is it just memories attached to it? I don’t know but it’s his favorite.
Next one on the list is homemade Lasagne with lots of sauce and with three kinds of cheese! This one takes more prep time but it is well worth the effort. It tastes better the next day but whenever is just fine with him. He doesn’t just eat it, he sniffs it in and it is gone in minutes!
Last but not least are pork ribs smothered in a rich dark red sauce that shimmers and dances! Okay, it is called BBQ ribs but done my way. The meat falls off the bone and it is messy to eat but both my ex and my son loved it. It didn’t matter if they had “sauce” running down their arms, it was all about the ribs. I must say, it was delicious.
Those are the three that I can think of and ones that I have on repeat redial when my son comes home. He loves feeling like a little boy again, although he keeps reminding me that he is not 8 anymore! After the meal, he reaches for my hand and lays it on his head like he used to as a little boy and looks up at me with those sweet adoring eyes enough to melt any heart! I guess they never grow up! I’m not complaining!
I learned about this place from a friend and at first I thought it was an okay place but nothing special. It was run by Italians and most of the staff there are young Italians from Italy. Some don’t speak English, no German whatsoever, and they loved speaking in Italian. The problem? Customers had a tough time placing their orders!
However, the place grew on me. It was nice and cozy, the ambience was comforting and the people friendly. I love the decor and the music playlist had some of my favorite songs on there. It slowly became a favorite place to hang out in whenever I met friends for coffee and sometimes breakfast. If we arrived early, the place was empty and you can hear yourself talk. However, come lunchtime, it gets crowded and very noisy. That’s when it is time to go.
In summer, they serve Italian ice but throughout the year, they have Tiramisu, cakes, cookies, breakfast dishes like Avocado Toast, American style scrambled eggs, toast, and to top it all great coffee.
I am a regular there so they know me well. Just recently, a server from Argentina who speaks English told me that he was leaving to go back home. He is actually an English teacher back home and he was going back for a year to help his family and to teach but he would be back next year. There are others there that I have come to know well.
I have a favorite spot by the window so that I can people watch and sip my coffee in silence when I am there by myself but when I meet a friend, we can talk and laugh like we are the only ones in the place! It’s a nice place and since I don’t like crowded places, it works just fine for those rare moments when I get myself out and about. Oh, the bakery is right across from the Italian place and that is an added bonus. It’s where I get my beloved cheesecake! Not a good thing in one sense but for those days when my willpower isn’t where it should be, I break down and get a slice or two of cheesecake before heading back home. Not a whole cake anymore. We are making progress!
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