Kat Inklings

New blog I was introduced to!

2010-06-04T21:55:00.002-07:00

I am so excited! My cousin who is celiac sent me this link to a wonderful blog on gluten-free and wholesome recipes. The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen.

I just quickly browsed through and was so happy to see that there were gluten-free recipes, but also, yeast, dairy, egg and soy-free as well! Those are hard to find.

Looking forward to baking now!

Korean Rice Cake Soup (Duk Gook)

2010-06-02T22:41:00.006-07:00

Korean rice cake soup is traditionally eaten on New Year's, but I like to have it anytime^^

This recipe is modified to fit my allergy restrictions. For a more conventional way to make this, click here.

Ingredients:
- Chicken cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Rice cake (Duk) that is cut into flat thin ovals (Soaking them in water before cooking will soften them up and make the cooking time shorter)
- Nori or Laver (Dried Seaweed Sheets)
- Green Onions
- Sesame Oil (Optional)

Directions:

1) Boil water. The amount is up to you for the soup.
2) Add the chicken.
3) Add the salt, garlic and pepper to taste.
4) Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the rice cakes.
5) Once the rice cake is soft, serve immediately.
6) Put green onions and thinly cut nori on top of the soup before serving.
7) If you like sesame oil, you can add a few drops before eating as well.

I love it!

Salmon and Veggie Korean Pancake

2010-05-31T23:37:00.008-07:00

When I say Korean pancakes you may think it's something sweet. Actually, it's savoury.
Since I have allergies to gluten and eggs among other things, I use rice flour and tapioca flour/starch for the batter. The easiest way is to buy ready-made Korean Pancake Batter (Buchimgae) from Asian food stores or in the ethnic food aisle at you local major supermarket. Just add 3/4 cup of water to every 1 cup of dry mix.

So here's how I made my version:

You can basically use any vegetables you like. I used whatever I had in the fridge: carrots, onions, shallots, scallions, radish, and cucumber (zucchini is better but I had none). Cut them into thin and small slices so they cook quickly.

The batter: I used 2 rice flour to 1 tapioca starch.
Whatever measuring spoon you use, just double the rice flour.
I added water slowly while mixing to make sure it didn't get too runny. You want it a little runnier than regular western pancakes. Add salt to taste. If it's blander than you thought it would be once cooked, you can always dip into soy sauce.

Once the batter is to your satisfaction, add the veggies. I also added a can of salmon for extra flavour and nutrients. You can almost add any seafood or meat into it and it will probably still be tasty. Mix into the batter well.

Heat your fry-pan before pouring the mix. Adding generous amount of oil will help the pancake to not stick to the pan and also make it crispier. Pour the batter in the middle and spread it until it is thin and touching the sides of the pan. Pour some oil on the top of the batter which is not cooked yet so when you flip it, you don't have to add more oil unless necessary.

Once nicely browned on both sides, transfer onto a cutting board and cut like a pizza or into smaller pieces.

Dipping Sauce: (Optional)
Soy Sauce, vinegar, sesame oil

Spicy Dipping Sauce:
http://koreanfood.about.com/od/saucesandmarinades/r/spicysauce.htm

Happy eating!

Hi Genki Restaurant

2010-05-05T23:56:00.008-07:00

I was surprised to find out that there was a Japanese Restaurant running in a nursing home. He Genki is located in Nikkei Home beside the National Nikkei Heritage Centre. 6680 Southoaks Crescent Burnaby, BC V5E 4N3 - (604) 777-0533

I ordered Spicy Karaage Donburi which came with miso soup. I thought it was delicious! A good amount of rice, chicken and veggies.

My husband ordered Halibut Fry with rice and salad.

We shared octopus/squid agadashi which was interesting.

To finish the meal off, we tried the deep fried ice cream. It was covered in corn flakes and drizzled with strawberry sauce? It was very good!

I think every dish on the menu was under $10. I really enjoyed my experience there and want to go back and try out some other dishes.

There is free underground parking.

Business Hours:

Mon-Sun
Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Dinner 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Chicken Biryani

2009-12-06T17:15:00.002-08:00

This is our favorite entree from Indian Fusion: Chicken Biryani. So good!

Boneless pieces of chicken cooked with Indian basmati rice and a dash of Indian spices.

Mumbai Fish Curry

2009-12-06T17:14:00.004-08:00

We tried this Bombay Curry with fish and pulao rice for the first time from Indian Fusion and it was quite tasty.

Boneless lamb, chicken or fish, simmered in onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and exotic spices.

Naan Stuffed with Spinach

2009-12-06T17:12:00.004-08:00

We love to get this naan stuffed with spinach at Indian Fusion Restaurant in North Vancouver.

Traditional Indian flat bread cooked in authentic tandoor oven.

It's been a long time...

2009-11-17T14:33:00.002-08:00

I've been quite busy since I last blogged in January 2009. I am now a mother of a beautiful boy and am enjoying my time with him. He is already two months old!

I love watching him grow and change everyday. My husband and I are so blessed!

More Sole

2009-01-20T09:00:00.002-08:00

Pan-fried sole with onion, salt, pepper and basil, a squeeze of lemon and some cilantro.
Brown rice
Romaine lettuce lightly stir-fried.

Photo by: Kat

Rice Noodle & Chicken Stir-fry

2009-01-16T09:00:00.001-08:00

Rice Noodle Stir-fry, with baby bok choy, onions and chicken, sea salt, pepper and a bit of sesame oil.

Photo by: Kat

An Apple

2009-01-15T15:40:00.003-08:00

I read this from Borra's e-world blog and thought I'd share it with you.

A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, “If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”Within a few seconds Arnav replied confidently, “Four!”

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. “Maybe the child did not listen properly,” she thought. She repeated, “Arnav, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”

Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher’s face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, “Four…”

The disappointment stayed on the teacher’s face. She remembered that Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?”

Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired, “Three?”

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?”

Promptly Arnav answered, “Four!”

The teacher was aghast. “How Arnav, how?” she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.

In a voice that was low and hesitating young Arnav replied, “Because I already have one apple in my bag.”

“When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect. Don’t think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.”

Tom yum sole

2009-01-10T09:00:00.001-08:00

Made by my husband~

Tom yum: lime, tomato, onion, chilli powder, ginger, garlic, lemon
Sole
Bok Choy
Brown Rice

Phot by: Kat

Club for five

2009-01-05T13:39:00.003-08:00

Here is an awesome a capella group from Finland.
http://www.clubforfive.fi/eng/

Sort-of Pizza

2009-01-05T09:00:00.001-08:00

I really wanted pizza, but couldn't have dough with gluten, wheat, eggs or yeast or cheese.
What can one do? My husband and I tried to make our own dough.

Dough: Used rice flour, water, salt, yeast substitute (baking soda and lemon juice), and egg substitute (ground flax seeds and water).
Toppings: Tomato paste mixed with oregano, rosemary, thyme, stevia (natural sweetener), olives, onions, chicken and some cilantro. Yes, we love cilantro^^

The outcome? The crust was on the chewy side, but not bad for a 2nd attempt. My first attempt produced a crust that was hard and bitter. I didn't use any yeast or egg substitute then.
Pizza is never really pizza without the cheese, but I'm content for now.

Photo by: Kat

Sweet Chicken

2009-01-01T09:00:00.002-08:00

This dish was also made by my husband^^

Chicken: Seasoned with ginger, green onion, pepper, and agave nectar.
Brown rice
Romaine lettuce

Photo by: Kat

Sole Dish

2008-12-30T09:00:00.001-08:00

This dish was made by my husband. It was delicious~

Sole cooked with onions, salt, green onions, and topped off with cilantro.

Photo by: Kat

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2008-12-26T09:00:00.001-08:00

This dish was made by my husband. Yum!

Chicken: Cooked with the sauce
Sweet & Sour Sauce: Made with tomatoes, onions, lemon, and agave nectar
Stir-fried Bok choy
Brown rice

Photo by: Kat

What's Your Play? No. 8

2008-12-23T23:07:00.002-08:00

Original:

My Play:

Photo Credits: Kelly over at Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Pan-seared Salmon with Zucchini

2008-12-23T09:00:00.001-08:00

My sister made this for me when I went over to their home for lunch one day. It was good!

Salmon: Pan-seared with salt and pepper
Zucchini: Stir-fried with some salt
Rice

Photo by: Kat

Chicken Curry Masala

2008-12-22T21:02:00.004-08:00

Chicken Curry Masala: Fried onions and tomatoes together, used a curry masala powder mix, added sea salt to taste, added the chicken, added some coconut milk near the end and topped it off with some freshly cut cilantro.
Brown rice

Photo by: Kat

Chicken Wings & Yam Fries

2008-12-22T21:00:00.002-08:00

Chicken wings: marinated in agave nectar and garlic then baked.
Yam Fries: Cut and sprinkled with olive oil then baked.
Romaine Lettuce

Photo by: Kat

Vietnamese Rice Wraps

2008-12-22T20:45:00.004-08:00

Vegetables: cabbage, zucchini, carrots, celery, romaine lettuce

Chicken seasoned with agave nectar, salt and pepper.

The rice wrap was dipped in hot water then veggies and meat put in then wrapped.

Photos by: Kat

New Lifestyle

2008-12-22T20:10:00.002-08:00

I have learned that I suffer from Dermatographic urticaria. When I scratch any part of my skin, due to itchiness, I develop raised skin. It is also known as "skin writing". I think it started back in my teens, but it wasn't much of a problem. It went away for many years, and recently had come back with a vengeance.

I finally couldn't stand it anymore and didn't want to take anti-histamines for the rest of my life, so I went to see an allergist. He did a skin-prick test but found I wasn't allergic to anything. He told me about the condition but said they don't know the cause, and don't have a cure.

After much contemplation, prayer and itchy days, I went to a Naturopathic Physician recommended by a friend and got my blood sent to a lab in the States. They tested my blood against 97 common foods and checked to see how many antibodies were produced. I was born allergic to shellfish and the rest of the high reactions to foods were developed during my lifetime.

I was told to stay off these foods for at least the next 9 months. I love food and this was going to be a major challenge.

What I can't eat: Anything dairy, eggs, beef, lamb, honey, sugar cane, yeast, bananas, grapes, oranges, melons, shellfish, any beans, soy, barley, oats, wheat, corn, gluten, rye, peanuts, mushrooms, bell peppers, potatoes.

I was crying inside asking what can I eat?

Thankfully, my doctor gave me a sheet with food options which made me feel better.

What I can eat: Chicken, turkey, fish, buffalo, deer, leafy greens, most veggies, most fruits, brown rice, buckwheat, natural sweetners, maple syrup, herbs, most nuts, and other foods.

My meal needs to consist of 45% protein (ie: 6 oz. of meat), 35% of carbs (ie: 1/4 cooked rice), as much fibre as I want and 20% fat ie: flax seed oil, coconut milk)

I started this new change in diet and lifestyle a little more than a month ago.
I've lost over 10lbs, have more energy and is less drowsy during the day, am still itchy at times but to a much lesser degree.

I will be posting up some recipes and pictures of the food that I am eating now. Simple, healthy and tasty too. I've learned so much about food and cooking since this diet and am much more aware and careful about reading labels on foods I buy. So many things have soy, gluten and yeast in it!

I still crave goodies once in a while, but my husband has been really good in helping me stick to my diet.

Elf Yourself Disco

2008-12-18T22:15:00.002-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Elf Yourself Country

2008-12-18T22:14:00.002-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Elf Yourself Charleston

2008-12-18T22:12:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Elf Yourself

2008-12-18T22:09:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

What's Your Play? No. 7

2008-11-07T16:41:00.003-08:00

If you want to play, go to: www.dolcepics.com
A new picture is uploaded every Tuesday.

Original:

My Play:

Photo Credit: Christina of Momology

What's Your Play? No. 6

2008-10-30T19:09:00.003-07:00

Original:

My Play:

Used Lightroom to give the picture a soft glow.

Photo Credit: Jenny

What's your Play? No. 5

2008-10-30T19:01:00.003-07:00

Original:

My Play:

Monk in a rush^^
Used motion blur through photoshop.

Photo Credit: Jonni of Journey to Sofia & Samantha

What's Your Play? No. 4

2008-10-17T23:09:00.002-07:00

Original:

My Play:

I used Adobe Lightroom and changed colour hues and saturation.

Photo Credit: Kirsten Geyer of Something Cheeky

What's Your Play? No. 3

2008-10-15T22:33:00.002-07:00

Original:

My Play:

I used Lightroom.
- Cropped the image
- Used the preset: Aged photo
- tweaked the exposure and recovery
- changed some hues and saturations

Photo Credits: Laura from www.dolcepics.com

What's Your Play? No. 2

2008-10-09T00:15:00.004-07:00

Here is the second picture I played with.

Original:

My Play:

I used the filter, texture-grain and changed the brightness and contrast a bit from photoshop.

Photo Credits: Laura Lui from www.dolcepics.com

What's Your Play?

2008-10-07T16:23:00.006-07:00

My sister loves to take pictures. Actually, all my siblings like to take pics including me. Laura got into photography so she could take better pictures of her cute daughter. She started a blog about photography with tips and ideas and started a very fun section called "What's Your Play?". Every Tuesday, she posts a pic taken by her or submitted by others, and we get to be creative and play with the pics. It's been a great learning experience and a way to see various perspectives on the pics of the week.

I've played with all 14 of them so far. Here's the very first one I did.

What's Your Play? No.1
Original:

My play:

Used Adobe Lightroom: Antique grayscale and some lens vignetting.

If you want to participate, go to: www.dolcepics.com.

Photo Credits: Laura Lui

Another amazing guitarist

2008-10-03T09:25:00.002-07:00

A music therapist introduced this man, Tony Melendez, to the MT community via e-mail.

Nothing is impossible when you are truly determined and love what you do!

Sungha Jung

2008-09-22T08:00:00.003-07:00

Here's another young artist from South Korea that my husband introduced me to on YouTube.

Sungha Jung is now 12 years old and can really play the guitar! Amazing talent and very inspiring! I don't have the energy to even attempt to pick up the guitar and try learning to play in the style he does, but I will enjoy listening to the beautiful music that comes from this young boy.

Also, check out Ulli Bögershausen, who, I believe is one of Sungha's inspirations.

kevjumba

2008-09-20T14:27:00.003-07:00

I have Fridays off from work. It's a day I clean the house, do errands and hopefully get to relax just a little before the weekend whirl of activities and the start to another work week.

I was checking out YouTube and stumbled across kevjumba. He's a young guy who just entered college in the states, and he's a comedian. I had some good laughs watching his clips and maybe you will too. Check kevjumba out^^

Birthday fun!

2008-09-06T01:22:00.002-07:00

Today I turned another year older. Last year I hit the big 30 and I felt like I reached a different stage in my life. This year, I felt no different mentally, but I had probably one of the best birthdays so far.

My day started off with breakfast in bed. My husband got up early to make with hashbrowns and eggs. Mmmmm... He left for work, or so I thought.

I got up and went on the computer to check my e-mail and facebook. It's nice to have people remember your birthday. I received some cards in the mail which is always special. I also got some meaningful and useful gifts from my family. Thanks everyone!

I went to the mall and got a haircut and style. It's been almost half a year since I got my hair done. Throughout the morning, my husband was sending me sms's wondering how I was doing.

I went home and found a bouquet of 2 dozen pink roses, a card, a computer game that I like to play, and 2 tickets to see Beauty and the Beast on the stage, waiting for me. That was a great surprise, but the best present of all was seeing my husband enter the room and give me a big hug and kiss. He had actually taken the day off to spend time with me. sniff, sniff... He pretended to go to work, but was prepping some things. Needless to say, I was moved and elated!

He made reservations at an undisclosed restaurant for dinner. We left the house a little early to take pictures at a nearby park. The restaurant he took me to was called, Restaurant Connor Butler. A small, intimate restaurant with attentive & personalized service, delicious food and a romantic atmosphere. We had a lovely time!

It was a fabulous day, thanks to my wonderful husband. I love you so much!

New Cell Phone

2008-08-27T20:34:00.003-07:00

My thoughtful husband bought me this Nokia 5200 phone for my birthday. I am currently using the Nokia 2125i from Virgin Mobile.

I am on a pay-as-you-go plan as I only use my cell for business calls most of the time. It has a camera, FM radio, and mp3 player. I haven't activated it yet as I still have to use up my balance on my current phone.

I love it! It's the best cell phone I have had so far^^

Summer Delights

2008-08-16T23:07:00.006-07:00

There are so many delicious fruits that we can enjoy in the summer.

I love blueberries, nectarines and cherries.

Blueberries and cherries also taste great when they are frozen.
You get cool and sweet at the same time. Yummm~

What fruit do you like to eat in the summer?

Photo credit: Kat Lim

Lexophiles

2008-08-12T20:40:00.004-07:00

I found these while prepping for work. I've listed my favorites.

HUMOR FOR LEXOPHILES (LOVERS OF WORDS):

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger.
Then it hit me.

Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.

The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

A thief fell and broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.

A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.

A will is a dead giveaway.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

Procrastination

2008-08-01T23:56:00.004-07:00

Why do people procrastinate? Why do I?
The picture of the tree branches above illustrates different things that need to be done in everyday life. Sometimes, it's difficult finding which ones to tackle first. I've figured that I usually procrastinate doing things when I am unsure about it which could lead to failure. I dread doing it even though I know, if I just sat down and finished it, I would have a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. It's a kind of illness that is not easy to cure.

An example of my procrastination was when I kept putting off was my correspondence Biology course which I needed as a pre-requisite into the music therapy program. I hated studying on my own for that course because my self-discipline was nil. I ended up getting, if I remember correctly, three extensions to complete the course. It was terrible.

The other major project I finally completed was my accreditation file for music therapy. It took me 5 years to get motivated to get it done. I am relieved that I won't have this nagging voice in my head telling me I am not free until I get this file sent.

I found an interesting article about structured procrastination and can totally relate.

Are you a procrastinator?

Photo Credit: Kat Lim

The Fine Arts

2008-07-26T00:38:00.005-07:00

Summertime is great! My husband and I had the privilege of going to see two great shows within a week. We enjoyed Corteo (Cirque du Soleil) which had an interesting story about a "clown picturing his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels." Our favorite was the aerial straps performance. The duo showed amazing strength while being very graceful.

We just came back from watching Monty Python's Spamalot at The Centre in Vancouver.

We have never been to The Centre before and it's quite a nice place with cushy seats.

The show was funny and the cast was great with a big bang of an ending^^

Don't know if we can afford more shows, but i will enjoy them when I can.

Wordle

2008-07-19T23:03:00.003-07:00

Saw it on my sister's page: www.dolcepics.com. Thought I'd give it a try and see what my blog looked like as a wordle.

I see...

2008-07-15T22:15:00.007-07:00

I like posting up pics where people see different things. I took this picture while taking a walk at Cultus Lake.

My first thought was that this tree looked like a bow. I think it's one tree that split into two.

What do you see?

Photo Credit: Kat Lim

Why camp?

2008-07-07T23:21:00.008-07:00

What is it that attracts people to leave the comforts of home, pack the car and drive out to the wilderness, where bugs eat you and you have to hike to the washroom?

I love camping! For me, it's a time to be thankful of all the things we take for granted. It's a time to have rest from the busy and hectic schedule of work with no real time restraints. It's a time to appreciate God's creation of beautiful nature and breathe in the fresh air. It's a time for me and my husband to connect, reflect and just talk instead of sitting in front of our computers all evening.

We spent our weekend at Cultus Lake Campground near Chilliwack, BC. Though it poured rain for most of Saturday evening, we still had a great time together having a meaningful devotional in the morning, cooking simple meals, playing card games, hiking, sitting on a bench looking out into the lake...

Do you like camping?

Photo Credit: Kat Lim

What do you see?

2008-06-25T21:12:00.005-07:00

When you see this picture, what comes to mind?

I think of something mysterious and exciting hidden behind the boulders waiting for you to experience something wonderful~

Photo Credit: Kat Lim (Taken in Aruba)

Forgiveness

2008-06-21T21:47:00.005-07:00

Today's topic at church was about forgiveness. I'm not sure if this is my pastor's original thoughts or if he got it from someone else. Regardless, I think it's very applicable to our lives.

I'm taking this from his sermon notes.

7 Facets of Forgiveness:

1. Formulate your pain.

Admit how angry you feel. give voice to all your pain. Shape your hurt. Name it. Consider writing a letter to your enemy (but don't send it) or to God.
Read: Psalm 13; Psalm 22; Psalm 142; Psalm 139:19-22

2. Focus on the bigger picture.

Recognize that all people have been "hacked" by the devil. We all operate from inner woundedness. Broken people do cracked up things.
Read: Ephesians 4:11,12

3. reFrame your issue from your enemy's perspective.

Seek to understand how that person's "hacking" has shaped him/her. Consider how you might have reacted if you were in his/her shoes.
Read: Luke 23:34

4. Figure out what good can come from your issue.

God has an amazing ability to turn even the worst tragedies into something positive.
Read: Romans 8:28; James 1:2-3, 13

5. Free yourself.

Make the choice to let it go. Forgiveness means to thoroughly give something away.
Read: Matthew 18:18; Matthew 6:12, 14-15

6. Forget it.

This does not mean that you actually forget the incident. The human mind remembers everything. It does not mean that you make the choice to not retell your "record of wrongs" at every opportunity.
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:5,7

7. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Be patient with yourself, you cannot accomplish this overnight. It will take much time and prayer. It will take intimate communion with the One who is forgiveness personified.
Read: John 15:4,5

Do you need to forgive someone today? Let the healing begin^^

Photo Credit: Kat

A Money Tree

2008-06-17T21:36:00.009-07:00

I heard on the news that a Surrey man won $21.9 million on Father's Day. That's a lot of money! I was asking the question to my music therapy groups today and got a variety of answers on what they would do with that much money.

Here are some of the answers:
"I'd faint...then I would take a long time and plan with an adviser what to do with it all." (102 yr. old woman gave me that answer.)
"I'd put it in the bank and live off the interest."
"I'd take a really nice holiday."
"I'd build myself a castle."
"I'd give it away."

Most people didn't know what they would do with that cash.

This is what I think I would do if that ever happened to me:
I think I'd first pay off any mortgages and debts, make sure my own family is taken care of, then I'd share some of the wealth with my parents and siblings and extended family, donate to my church and other worthy charitable organizations and scholarship funds...take a fabulous vacation, build a house with a nice music studio...

I guess I would also take time to talk to an investor and advisor to figure out what would be the best way to use the money wisely so it can be put to the best use so many people can benefit. I think I would still like to work as a music therapist casually^^

What would you do?

Photo Credit: Kat

Father's Day

2008-06-15T10:32:00.005-07:00

Happy Father's Day! I love you Dad^^
Words can't really express how much he mean to me, so I found some quotes that I think are true of my dad.

“My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” Clarence B. Kelland

"The most important thing a Father can do for his children is to love their mother." Theodore Hesburgh

Photo Credit: Kat Lim

Squirrel Fever

2008-06-11T21:23:00.008-07:00

Has a squirrel ever stayed the night in your home?
Well, due to the kitchen window I left opened overnight about 2.5 inches, we had the uninvited guest explore our house while we were asleep. We managed to chase it out the back door, and did a major clean up of the droppings it left behind.

It's been over a month since we've been woken up every morning to squirrels scurrying across our roof, scratching here, there and everywhere. We finally called pest control and bought a live squirrel trap. We sprinkled peanuts around the trap and left a pile inside the first day. Caught nothing. The second day...we caught a bird, which I let out. Set the trap in a different location.. The third day...nothing. Fourth day...nothing. Fifth day...BINGO! The black squirrel which looked awfully familiar took the bait!

My husband and I took the cage to a large park about 15km away from our house and set the little critter free. We saw it bound away into the woods. It was free and we were free. At least for now.

I did see a grey squirrel on the roof, so we may have to make another trip soon. Gives me shivers thinking about it...eek!

Photo Credits: I don't know

A window into my mind

2008-06-08T19:04:00.005-07:00

...is what my brother used as a title for his blog.

Everyone's mind is very complex and mine is no exception. The things we experience, perceive, assume, believe, understand...is quite amazing.

Thank you God for giving me a chance today to appreciate who I was, who I am and who I will be. I have been richly blessed by being with people whose experiences have added and will continue to add new dimensions to my own.

Photo Credit: Kat Lim

Music helps the healing process

2008-06-05T20:50:00.003-07:00

I was touched today...

At one of the care homes I work at, there was a man whose wife came to visit him often on the days I worked. This gentleman, who I will miss, passed away two weeks ago. Normally, you do not see the family of the resident again. Today, the wife of the man was sitting amongst the group of residents in my music therapy session.

Immediately after the session was over, she came up to me and gave me a big hug and told me that even though her husband was not here anymore, she would continue to come and hear the music when she could. Thank you God for music and how it brings people to peace!

Photo Credit: Abe Lim

A New Journey

2008-06-04T23:01:00.009-07:00

~What makes your day more exciting, happier, interesting, and meaningful?~

Today, I am excited about starting this blog. I don't know what will come out of it, but I won't find out until I start.

Today, I am happy to have a job that I love. I'm a music therapist who works with people living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. To see their faces break out in a heart-warming smile, and to hear them say that they are so glad to see me makes life worthwhile.

Today, I had an interesting evening as I enjoyed delicious home-made waffles and was shown the biggest camera and lens I have ever seen up close and personal.

Today, my life is more meaningful because I came home to a husband that loves me just the way I am.

Photo Credit: Kat Lim