Day 4 with Machika 13March2011

JY continued with her Sudoku addiction the next day while Machika was engrossed in a book on worms - 'There is a hair in my dirt' by Gary Larson. A hilarious book about a young worm that learns how a strand of hair got into his dinner dirt.

The boys with their toy soldiers on the Cluedo Junior board.

Fai drawing a dragon with the help of a 3D model still encased in plastic. The boys were forbidden to open it until they are much older.

Ean looking for someone to join him in a game of Twister. No takers.

So he played by himself with mummy as the spinner. Left hand blue, spin, Right hand yellow...spin...

Ean got the rest to join him much later.

Photo by Ean entitled 'A driftwood and my foot'

Machika and JY spent 4 hours under the afternoon sun on their Loch Ness and Castle sand art. Read her sandcastle post.

Taa-dah...their masterpiece.

HYan and WLeong dropped by for a visit. I was hoping for some cooperative raptors and starfish to show my first-time visitors but luck was not on my side. So I had to contend with 2 hermit crabs.

My boys were much better hosts, taking their new friends Shanyang and Xuan to their rock pool. They managed to catch a few shrimps (not prawns, says Fai) and some rock crabs.

Just an hour before their arrival, hundreds of raptors hovered overhead.

I texted to HYan: 200 raptors in Tg Tuan

5 minutes later: 300!

Another few minutes later: Too late...they flew off

HYan texted back: You sounded like you were at an auction...200, 300, going, going, gone.

That was hilarious.

It was wonderful having HYan and family around. Their obvious love of nature makes me appreciate my beach even more. Thanks for sharing your evening with us

Ean absolutely forbids me to step on the sand bubbles created by the tiny crabs. He loves picking the little balls of sand up and would pass them to me for keeps.

Day3 with Machika 12March2011

It was the annual Raptor Watch weekend and the raptors were an awesome sight to behold as they soared in the afternoon sky. These raptors hovered just above my house. We gave the event in Tanjung Tuan a miss and chose to stay home instead.

The first thing Machika asked was "Any shells?" She managed to collect quite a number of sundials, top shells and cowries.
JY and Machika spent the afternoon discovering the beach and building sandcastles.
Machika told us that PD is much better than Hawaii, her family's summer holiday destination. Hawaii, she says, is crowded and the water smells of suntan oil.

Machika's first satay meal.

Machika managed to get JY hooked on Sudoku

We visited the weekly pasar malam and JY introduced peanut pancake (apam balek) to Machika.

Then it was back to the beach to hunt for hermit crabs.

We planned to go to Melaka the next day but Machika and JY decided that they would rather spend another day at the beach instead. So the beach it is. We will keep Melaka for June, when we get to host Machika again before she ends her 1 year as an IYE student.

Food

With 4 kids in tow with varying food preferences, dining out can be a frustrating experience. I have become a little wiser lately and will now decide where I want to go for food and not give in to their protests.

"But I am not hungry!! I don't want to eat!!" is usually heard when I say I want to stop for food. My usual reply will be " You don't have to eat, just keep me company. Mummy is starving." But the moment food is served, they will usually scoff down whatever that is placed in front of them. Oh well...

I have been viewing food blogs lately. Especially looking out for eateries in PJ area. Although I have been in PJ for the past 4 years, I have yet to find anything particularly good.

Nambawan in Taman Sri Manja was mentioned in a few such blogs. Since it was pretty near and Mer was around, we headed for this place.


The menu. The pork burger at RM6.90 was value for money. The patty was tasty and succulent. The fries on the side didn't look too good but the boys wolfed them down. They were starved by the time the food arrived.
- food came very slowly. We had to wait at least 30minutes for the drinks to be served.

Han couldn't get enough of their carbonara (RM8.90) It came with crispy bacon chips.

I didn't get the chance to take a photo of their sausages. Jianyi says they were delicious and worthy of a second visit. I must remind myself to bring some books to while the time away.

For Kent and I, nothing beats going back to Cheras for a bite.

This is my favourite CharKweiTiau stall in Taman Midah. Fried by this auntie on the left. When her son is left to tend to the wok, I will head for the chicken rice stall at the market. Photos next time.

After Sun Moulin(KLCC) , this stall has the next best doughnuts. Situated next to the CharKweiTiau stall, it offers an assortment of deep fried goodies.

But nothing beats simple homecooked food...especially something you have caught or grown yourself.

The sweet, firm flesh of a freshly caught crab can never be bought.