Me, cooking?....

I don't why but it has been ages since the last time i cooked. Possibly since the trip to Cameron Highland at the end of February. I don't know why, i even get up late this few months. My last attempt was 'rebung (bamboo shoots) masak pajeri' last week. My MIL gave a biscuit-container full of homegrown raw 'rebung' via my husband who attended a conference in Penang on 13-15 April. He dropped by Perlis and brought us back a box mixed with banana and mangoes too.
The bamboo shoots were left for nearly a week when my husband asked me whether i've cooked the bamboo shoots. I knew i had to cook by then and felt really guilty for not being able to serve my husband before he mentioned it. I attempted cooking the shoots that same night and luckily the dish was edible (although the gravy was a bit too thick for me).

I really want to start cooking again.....but when? sigh.....I really need to motivate myself to do a lot of things right now!!!!!!...I'm really sorry Abah, hope to serve you better.....

Porch_progress report 2

This is the 2nd week since the project started. The trellis and 'pergola' is nearly done. They've started on setting up the ceiling for plaster ceiling. I've chose a new door. It took me 3 days to finalise the design that i want. Not because i was particular, the design that i wanted was not available. It frustrated me as the catalogue showed various choices but due to time constraint, i have to settled with what's readily available. As usual, i don't want to have what others already have. Today, i told the contractor 2 choices....1st choice is 2 panelled glass with some blue (the door will be white). 2nd choice would be moulded door with 1 clear glass panel.
1st choice (with different panel design)

I think the contractor is a bit slow this week. Not much has been done. Once the door arrives, he'll knock down some of the front wall to position the new door. Next week will be more of action hopefully... wiring, new door, window and plaster ceiling. This is only the first part. Now i have to think how to furnish to complete the new living room. Budget is tight so i have decide wisely where to spend the hard earned money most.

Porch_Progress Report 1

I applied for leave today to monitor the progress of the porch renovation. It has been 4 days since it started. So far so good. There were times when things done were not the same as I described. That is why it is important for owner to be present and monitor the work.

Porch is more complicated than kitchen, i think. It is the first impression of the house. And having a limited space also requires careful thinking in order to incorporate maximum use of the space. Currently my porch is just for drying clothes, storage for shoes and bicycles and potted plants arranged along the drain. My wish is to make my porch more inviting by having a spot to hang out. The hang out place will be in front of the sliding door, and a wooden swing will be placed between the pillars. A polycarbonate shed with timber trusses will be placed at the opening in front of the sliding door. New things i learn are about gutter and tiling. Not much has happened to show the progress. Most of the job were demolishing and getting the floor ready for tiling.

Blogging on a weekend

Thanks to my HP netbook! Heh....It's Saturday afternoon, hubby's gone out, Kasyif is having a nap, the girls are chatting among themselves.... thus i can have some time for myself. A bit tired from browsing the web for colour schemes....
Yep! I finally appointed a contractor for my plaster ceiling and porch area. My original plan was to purchase sofa and dining sets around 7k. Add 'replace main door and sliding door' would come out to 10k. There was no plan for renovation at first. Then, decided to provide some budget for small renovation  to complete the makeover around 3k. So called in the contractor and tell them what i plan to do to the house.

One contractor qouted me 15k. You wonder why the figure changed drastically from 3k to 15k? Let me outline the add ons and why....

1. Decided to re do the ceiling as we need more lighting for the living room. Normal plaster ceiling is around 2.5k. But normal plaster ceiling will make the ceiling looks so low and makes the room looks smaller. Thus another 1.8k to have a L box and beamed ceiling.

2. I've always hated the position of the main door resulting a dead area behind the door when it's opened. It's an eyesore to me. What if that corner is still an eyesore if i didn't do anything about it during the makeover? I would regret for not including it in my plan, don't you think? So add 'relocate main door and window' apart from replacing so that's another 2k.

3. I have long plain walls which i think i need to break it up and give it different depth to make it more lively. What i decided to do is build a wall for our future plasma TV (still a wishlist, not being crystallized yet). Idea comes from this picture:

My shelving unit is floating exactly like that but a cheaper version, IKEA LACK shelf placed horizontal hung on the wall. Tha new wall costs 1.2k

4. Now the porch. I elevate about 3x20 ft the outside floor of the entrance because i think you really need to climb up to get into my house. It's obvious when you see elderly would need to hold the door frame and press their upper thigh to get in. Then i want pebbled wash border to the tiling, a customade shoerack, timber trellis and small polycarbonate with timber trusses to cover a 5x6 area. A mere tiling job costs about 2.5k including materials but this one costs about 4.2k.

5. Next, another eyesore. The gigantic built in garbage compartment on the front pillar... It is just too big.... I like the fact that the access is on top, not beneath that you will have to bend down to put the rubbish in. BUT IT'S JUST TOO BIG! I did quite a lot of thinking here. Modify? Make the pillar and compartment smaller and access from the side? Remove the compartment all together? Convert to a storage area and place rubbish bin outside the compound?

With budget constraint as the main factor, i decided to remove it all together and place a garden tap there. And to add a bit of interest decided to have a slab underneath the tap like in this picture. So this idea and other requirements costs me about 1.6k.

Lifestyle change: need to take out the rubbish outside the main gate.

 

My common dilemma has always been whether  it's worthwhile for the budget set. The final outcome weighing that thought is the renovation figure has climbed up to RM17.3k!!!! I know it sounds expensive but given the things i want to do and the satisfaction being able to revamp the house (am i trying to justify myself???), i hope it will be an investment.Wish me luck! Wish me luck!(crossing my left hand fingers and biting my right hand nails)  I'm a bit nervous now....

 

The project starts on Monday and will last about a month. Bismillah.........