Nina Halim

For the first time ever, we didn’t call my mom at midnight to wish her Happy Birthday. I found out from my Dad she slept early that night anyways.

We had planned a surprise lunch for her. I called her earlier in the morning to ask about gelatin leaves. She sounded so cheerful, expecting me to say Happy Birthday but I didn’t. She asked what I needed them for. I told her I’m making something for a friend and dismissed her quickly to hang up. She sounded sad when she hung up. Aww.

11 November this year, despite my mom’s birthday and the good things that happened that day, proved to be quite unlucky in some ways. I was rushing at the supermarket. I got stuck at the cashier because the barcode on the crab meat couldn’t be read. It took the supervisor 2 attempts to the section to get me another packet with a barcode that can actually be detected. 15 minutes at the cashier when you’re late, sheesh.

I got into a cab. Just as we got out of the tunnel at CTE Cairnhill, the sky vomited rain like he lost badly over a drinking game. And ever so suddenly, I saw the bumper of the car in front speedily magnified while I was jolted out of my seat with all the glass bottles in the plastic bag stumbling hurriedly on my foot, all at once. Most painful E brake ever. Thankfully, the bumper was not half as hurt as my foot.

When I was at mother’s place and about ready to start the cooking with my brother, we realized there was no gas! Perfect.

In the end, my mother arrived before we were ready. But it was still an awesome surprise; possibly the first ever planned for her She really didn’t suspect anything and was already broken throughout the morning thinking her children forgot amidst their busy schedules. Hee.

Menu for the day

- Soft shell crab pasta

Entrée by Helmindra which could’ve been the main)

- Lobster Bisque

By me and I couldn’t eat anymore after.

- Beef in Crumbs with broccoli

By me. Should’ve been very young beef but I couldn’t find the young ones.

- Berries in jelly

By me. Wanted to do something else but couldn’t find gelatin leaves so we had to improvise. Didn’t like that the jelly was strawberry flavoured. Yuck.

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1. The fault of chicken rice