Easter Weekend

Mommy & Finn















Saffy going to the garden to play
Oscar & Saffy discovered a wind chime on the tree branch






Play hide & "peekaboo" with my camera

A Day In London

Fruit Stall along Oxford Street in London














Oxford Street, London


On Tuesday (11 April 2006), I went to London with Yvonne on the train. The fare cost £14.50 for the day. You can jump onto any trains and tubes to wherever in London. She did a lot of shopping for herself & children.

We met up with Lorna & Elisha (her daughter) at 'Noa Noa' shop and went for lunch at 'Cafe Rouge', a French cafe. They served one of the best onion soups I've ever had and their dessert was just 'heavenly' !!! I had a chocolate 'something' - can't remember it's name now!

The train journey was very beautiful. Lots and lots of countryside landscapes and we chatted all the way. It took 45 minutes into London. We got off at Bond Station and walked to Oxford Street. Although it rained all afternoon, freezing cold and windy I had a lovely day out in London.

We came home at about 6pm-ish. Phil was at Leigh Station to pick us up and we went back to U.Pat & Kor2's for dinner. Dinner was lovely too - Kor2 cooked plus some Indian take-away.

Afternoon in Southend

Southend shops & cafes

















Along the Promenade in Southend looking for 'Rossi's Ice-Cream!

















From Southend shopping area looking down at the Promenade & beautiful houses along the road.


I went into Southend with Kor2 last Saturday (08 April, 2006) on her day off work. Went to do some window shopping, walked all the way to the Promenade and we found a place which had 'Rossi's Ice-Cream'. It's the best ice-cream in the UK.

One of the other reasons why Southend has this attaction we keep going back to every week apart from the weekly food supplies at Sainsbury, is this shop called 'Tchibo'.
It's a favourite amongst Kor2, Yvonne and now ... me!

'Tchibo'. A cafe with merchandise on sale. Every week, they have new items on display (from assesories, fashion stuff, DIYs, home decoration/furnishing to whatever you can think of), a catalogue of what to expect next week & a lovely place to sit down to enjoy your coffee breaks with some light snacks.

Everywhere I've been, there seem to be a cafe in most of the shops. Be it a travel agency, a book shop, an apparel shop or whatever. This sort of business seems to be booming here.

Missing Malaysia

'Pasembor'-Indian Rojak and Chinese Rojak (Gurney Drive Stalls, Penang)


















'Otak-Otak' & 'Pie Tee'-Nyonya Favourites (P. Tikus Night Market & Gurney Drive, Penang)

















Popiah & Penang Laksa (Gurney Drive & Penang Road, Penang)






















Penang Curry Noodles (Hillview, Penang) & Ipoh 'Fu Phei' (Pasir Pinji Stall, Ipoh)


















Chinese Nasi Lemak (Fantasy Restaurant in Ipoh) & Penang Nasi Lemak (P.Tikut Morning Market, Penang)

















Banana Leaf Rice (Thilla Restaurant, Ipoh Garden South)


Needless to say, I miss Malaysian food very much and I know U.Pat & Kor2 misses them even more. So, this is dedicated to them !!!

I also miss Mama's 'Fu Phei' and cooking, Sheila's curry dishes and Western meals we have every Sundays & whenever we find time/space to meet in between. Not forgetting the Sushi & occassional meals (lunch & dinner) with Sandy and 'Lion' (Lai Yin), with Chie and Lai San wondering what to have for lunch everyday (with Chie, our 'tummy-guide for the day'), 'Laksa-Day', every Tuesday/Wednesday with Chie/Mama/Hwa occassionally at the Pasar Malam (Behind Jusco or the Stadium).

Coughing Bad

Yesterday and today I spent all day at home. Am trying to recover from the bad cough & slight flu I'm having. Yesterday, Uncle Pat had it bad. Today it's me!

When Kor2 came home after work yesterday she said, 'I've brought you a present'. To my wonderful surprise ....... it was Saffy !!! She wanted to sleepover at Grandma & Grandpa's. She found a pink teddy in a bag by the side of my bed. Adopted Pink Teddy, and we all slept in my bed.

I gave her some 'Winne The Pooh' stickers, some coloured papers and a black marker. She made Easter cards for her Daddy, Mommy, Oscar & Finn. She's good at drawing. Drew lots of stars, kisses, clowns, aliens and figures which she knows they will like very much. Chose the exact colours each of them liked and she had a wonderful surprise to take home this morning.

After she left, I went back to bed and didn't wake up till almost 1pm. Cooked myself some noodles-vegs-button mushrooms, a slice of bread, half an orange & a pear. Had my warm honey & lemon drink and another parasetamol.

Yvonne & family will be coming over for dinner tomorrow. Kor2 will be cooking roast beef & lamb and some minced pork dish for Oscar. I will prepare 'Sheila's Exotic Salad' and a triffle for desert.

Library Park in Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea

I had a lovely time with the children (Oscar, Saffron & Finnian) yesterday afternoon. We (Kor2 & I) took them on a single and double stroller each, walked all the way along Leigh Road to Broadway into Library Park and played in the park for more than an hour.
They went on the swings, merry-go-round, see-saw, slide and ran around the area ...
Finn had fun on the swing, watching the children play and playing with Oscar & Saffy.

Walking there and back, we had a stroller race!!! Can you believe it?! We actually did. The children loved it. People just looked, some stared and smiled at us, some even laughed and enjoyed watching the little race while Saffy was on top of her voice with such excitement!

On the way there, I had Oscar on the single stroller. Kor2 had Saffy & Finn on the double stroller. He held on tightly and kept asking me to 'Go faster... faster... Auntie Lay Hoon !!! Don't let Grandma Nancy overtake us.....' I kept checking with him, if he was alright if I ran faster coz I didn't want him to feel scared or dizzy with excitement. But he just had such a great time, enjoying himself, laughing all the way while I got him to hold on tight to his blanket & the front.

On the way back, I had Saffy. She kept shouting & screaming on top of her voice as we raced along the streets 'Auntie Lay Hoon, run faster....!!!! Faster.... Auntie Lay Hoon! Grandma's catching up. Don't let her win! Faster........ Faster... Auntie Lay Hoon. Faster....'
It was so funny and so much fun.
At one point i said to Saff, 'Why don't you get down and help me push the stroller so we can be much faster!!! Come down and help me run faster...!!!' She was puzzled by that but anyway...
Oh it was so much fun........... with the children !!! :)

I enjoyed myself so very much. I had a great time too, doing all the silly stuff racing up & down the side road with Kor2 and the children.

Broadway, Leigh-On-Sea

I spent a good whole 4 hours in Broadway shops. Just walking into shops, charity shops, art galleries, art shops and etc. Finally, managed to find some textured coloured paper and some drawing boards from an art shop and a stationery shop.

There are so many beautiful shops there. One of them is 'Natural Edge'. It's the kind of stuff I like to look at and enjoy them. But if I had a house here, that would be altogether a different story!

Managed to make some cards this morning with the coloured papers. Went to Southend with my Auntie to do some shopping. Today's weather is not as hot or sunny but rather cold and gloomy. For the past 2 days, we have had frost. It rained a little - they are called sleet (little rain droplets of ice instead of rain drops). I found that rather amusing, so I sat at the end of the glass door facing the back garden just watching them fall on the garden and shack. Just marvelling at them!

Was planning to go to Brugge, a Belgian town via ferry for a day trip on the 15 April but decided against it as it's Easter weekend and I want to stay back to attend Mass and experience Easter celebrations here with the family. The day trips by coaches, trains or ferries are between £25-£40 (Boulogue/Le Touquet in France, Cruise-Lunch-London Eye, Countryside-riverside drive-cruise & etc.). Shall plan one for another date.

From Leigh-On-Sea, UK

Sunset at Leigh-On-Sea where Yvonne, Phil & children lives.
















The Magnolia tree is in full bloom at the back garden, St. Geroges Park Avenue in Westcliff-On-Sea. Other trees which are in full bloom are the Cherry Blossoms, too.
















On the way to Basildon for Sunday lunch at 'Aroma'
















You can just about see the sea level at the far horizon towards the middle-left side.


I've been in the UK for 11 days now and am still getting used to the daily routine and lifestyle here. At the moment, it's lovely as I am seeing spring and the sun coming in at this time of year but the cold wind can a bit disturbing & horrible.

Yesterday & today the sun is really shining and you would think that the hotness is like Malaysia but you are so wrong there. I still need to wear a coat and occassionally slipping my fingers into my hand gloves inside my coat pocket *smiling* as I walk along the streets!!!

My first few days here, we (Uncle & I) walked around the house area and to my cousin's place just to get a feel of the area and roads. I later got him to draw me a map of the area and after a few days, was able to walk around on my own.
Even walked to church on Sunday morning which is near Yvonne's house.

Yesterday, we decided to take Finnian for a walk. We walked from the house, Westcliff-On-Sea (where I am staying with my Auntie Nancy & Uncle Pat) to Broadway, Leigh-On-Sea. There is a huge park near where we live. It's called Chalkwell Park just round the corner of our house. It's a lovely & beautiful park with lots of space, trees, flower gardens and a little peacock house. I even spotted a beautiful grey squirrel on the tree.

Last weekend, we went to a proper Chinese Restaurant called 'Aroma' in Basildon. For once, at least the Chinese food tasted Chinese. Not 'English-nised' !!! I was surprised to discover that there are just so many Malaysians working there. Not only just Malaysians but most of them are from Ipoh area !!! Can you believe that?!
It was buffet sytle at £6.50 ++. Oscar enjoys going there and it was his choice we all went there for Sunday lunch.

He's in Great Ormond Street London now. Went in on Monday 03 April. His Dad, Phil went there Tuesday night and his Mom, Yvonne got home late last night. Oscar's having another high dose of chemo to bring his spleen and liver down before the transplant. We had an anxious day on Tueday as he was transfered to ICU - had difficulty breathing due to bad reaction to chemo. If all goes well as planned, he should be having his transplant in 4 weeks time. Do pray for him and family. Thanks!

Am going to walk to Broadway (a little town in Leigh) now and spend some time browsing around the area.