Banana walnut muffins

The kids are tired of sandwiches everyday and asked for a change in menu. So I decided to bake banana walnut muffins as requested by Lyn. I've tried a variety of recipes but can't remember where I found or kept them. Today I decided to keep the recipe I use in this blog or else I will forget again. 

Did some changes to the recipe below. Used cooking oil instead of butter. Used half a cup of brown sugar instead of the amount suggested. Can still reduce a little as it is still too sweet. Replaced coffee with cinnamon powder. 

The product: fantastic. As the cups I have are rather big I have only 10 muffins instead of 12. I reluctantly let KC ate one after his dinner. All of us took a pinch. Really great because it is so so nutty. A good healthy snack for the kids' recess. 

Now I have only 9 muffins left. Need to ration them because Lyn wants to share with her friends too. 

Severe allergic urticaria

It all started last Thursday when Dan complained of itch. Thought it was just mosquito bites. Sent him off to school itchy. 

Rashes started breaking out later but not too severe. Put tiger balm n some cream to stop the itch. On Friday sent him for badminton. An hour later he phoned to say that he can't play anymore. He was totally swollen when I brought him home. Sent him to a doctor. 

The rashes came on and off ....he was especially bad when he woke up in the mornings. Saturday attended a party and Sunday went for a buffet. The variety of food wasn't helping him. By Monday he was bad and I decided to leave him at home. Come evening sent him to the doctor again who prescribed the same medications. 

Justine wasn't happy with his condition and wanted us to change to another doctor. He wasn't better after the medication this time. So I took Tuesday off to send him to the hospital. 

J introduced us to Dr Yap. Dan was admitted as he was coughing badly and his throat was constricted. He felt feverish and cold at the same time. I left him in the hospital. When I returned with lunch, the doctor was leaving with the anesthetist. 

What happened? He was to go on drips. The nurses couldn't find the veins because of the swelling. The doctor and anesthetist were called in to help. They poked him 13 times. His arm and wrists were so painful that I had to feed him. 

As this is his second tome staying in the hospital this year, we left him there on his own during the night. 

The sad and swollen boy waiting to be admitted. 

The next day morning I came with my toaster and bread. He wanted toasts. Hospital food is lousy. Gave him a hearty meal. He has good appetite. Must be the steroids. 

Looking much better here. He came home the second and third night. He rested better at home. So we had the room just for him to sleep during the day. 

Today I dropped him off at the hospital on my way to school. He walked up to his room like a boss. Justine brought him lunch and met with Dr Yap and the dermatologist. I came to the hospital after two and they were processing his discharge papers. 

He is home with a month's supply of medication. We really do not know the cause. Most likely environmental. Suspect the construction opposite the house with the cement trucks that keep coming in may be the cause.  The whole house is sterilized with dettol. I put the ionizer in his room. If the rash breaks out again we have to send him away to Justine's house. Will do an allergy test later when he is done with the medication. 

Been stressful for us. He is upset with what he is having. Can't understand why he's having the allergy. He's restless being away from school so long. He was bored in the hospital as he was left alone. We have to work. Hope he will be healed totally quickly. 

Development

After almost two months, kc and I finally were able to climb Kepayang Hill last Sunday. What a shock we had  when we reached the entrance to the hill....the whole stretch at the bottom of the hill has been cleared.

Whenever we get off the road into the path our first reaction is it is so cool. Now we have to use the umbrella all the way till we reach the shades of the tree.. 

I wonder if the hill will still be here for us to climb in ten years time. We were hoping to make this our regular exercise route when we retire. Think we have to look for another hill close by to climb soon. 

Not only has man destroyed the hill....nature itself has leashed its fury on the trees. Here is one tree which was standing two months ago but now fallen. Must be one of the storms recently. Over the years the hill has gotten thinner and thinner. 

Looking at all the changes to nature around us, I think that one day Earth may end up like Krypton. 

Confessions

Much hu ha in school this week over the school confession page on Facebook. I saw the page quite a while ago but didn't bother to check it out as it would be gossips etc and I just don't have time for such things. 

Anyway while the girls were reprimanded on Monday, I quietly sat behind and started reading the confessions. Wow.....

It was quite ok at first. I thought there was a lot of reminiscing like sitting around the longkang....birds chirping only during Mr Madhavan's class etc. 

When I reached the earlier posts, found them to be quite bitchy. It was more like a hate page....lashing out at teachers personally. One teacher was called a witch. Think there was a Rapunzel (I didn't see that) and a hamburger somewhere. It hurts a lot to be called names and to be mentioned in such an angry and hateful tone. Maybe somewhere in time some of these teachers have offended the students one way or other (who has not offended any soul before....must be a saint or out of this world)....but do they deserve public declaration of how bad they had been? Were they that bad that it is unforgivable?

The page is abused whenever a teacher is personally condemned. It is not a confession then. I am sure the purpose of the page is noble...if used in its exact context; confession. Infact I found many many uplifting comments, jokes, reminisces, reflections and yes...interesting confessions. It would have been so nice if we have all kept to the original intent...and not abuse the page. 

Kindness is in shortage today. I used to tell the students to rub some kindness around. I don't feel very kind nowadays. What has happened to society? What is freedom of speech when the speech creates anger, unhappiness, ugliness? 

Here is another proof of the failure of our education system. 

Nasi Lemak

Today is sports day. Held at Stadium Paroi as usual. This year I was given the task of herding the students up the busses to and for the stadium. 

Herding....yes. I felt like a cowherd. Busses were waiting outside the gate. I told the girls to cross the road and get on the bus. I turned back and found I was the only one crossing the road. I walked back and shouted at them to get moving. Most girls were taller than me as I wasn't wearing heels. They just look at me poker faced. 

They were too busy selecting busses and waiting for friends to arrive so that they can get on the same bus. 

Anyway after that awful task, Zu, Has and I went off to the stadium and stopped for breakfast at Gerai Pak Ali at the stadium. It serves all kinds of noodles, roti canai and Nasi Lemak. The Nasi Lemak comes with dishes of your choice like chicken rendang, clam sambal, clam rendang, squid sambal etc etc. Zu says the Nasi is great. My knees went jelly when I saw the clams and squids. But can't be greedy. So I had clam rendang Nasi Lemak. Fantastic. One of the best Nasi Lemak I've ever tasted for the price of RM4.50. Even the teh O kurang manis is nice....doesn't taste like drain water. 

At the end of the sports event we had to herd the students up the bus again. A different experience this time. As the weather was hot the girls stopped to buy drinks. As the bus drivers were rushing back to ferry their own regular passengers back from school,some didn't even wait for the bus to be totally full. Despite all our shoutings,  we were ignored. The girls dallied along and finally the last two busses were jam packed. Serves them right for expecting the bus to be there for them till they are ready to leave. 

Anyway....thank God for the Nasi Lemak. Gave me the strength to do my work today as a cowherd. 

Food in Melaka

It was kc's family company day. Since we are near Melaka, decided to ask Kor join us so that can bring him around the place a little. This time my purpose was to look for food as recommended by food bloggers. Using Garmin and even Waze, we did find the place. Here is one excellent restaurant. 

Taiwanese beef/ pork chop spicy noodle. Beef is tender and pork chop is really good. Am glad we found this place and tried the food. 

On the way to A Farmosa Resort, we stopped by this dusun. There is a shed with tables. People sit around the table and they are served durians!! The durians we are we very sweet and rich in flavor. I am a die-hard bitter durian fan but this was GOOD. Comes with the price too. RM 18 per kg and we spent RM120 for 3 miserable durians!!!

Exam and marking fever

Met BS in church and she asked why I've not written for quite a while. I've been so mega BUSY. April was a bad month. Nelda went back for a month. Brother and sister came to relieve her. 

May....life is more normal but it's also exam month. English and history are bad combinations. I've completed two classes of English paper 2; essays and some structural questions. Earlier completed 3 classes of history paper 3. Marked like a zombie. Was disappointed that S didn't turn up for the paper. She did the same thing last year too. If she does it for SPM she's going to fail and that is bad for the statistics. Wanted to ask her not to come to school today too so she doesn't have to sit for her papers 1&2. I know I'm nasty but paper 3 is a breeze. I almost gave them the answer scripts ... What else does she want? 

Anyway....the students are in a frenzy themselves preparing for exam. Managed to catch a picture of the stationary used by one of the girls. It was arranged like this. I only pushed them closer. 

The English paper which I marked. A sample of an essay from the weakest class. No wonder the writer was tired...had to carry the bicycle. Marking English essays can be fun. Lots to laugh about. One writer had to pull her bicycle home....like pulling a cow!! 

Here's a sample of history paper. I dislike this type of handwriting. Too close...no paragraphing. 8 pages of this and my eyes can't focus anymore. In fact I don't even understand what I read as the words refuse to form in my brains. 

My next goal is to finish 2 classes of form 4 history and 3 classes of form 5 history papers before the holiday next week. It is a marathon. I have to do it or else suffer during the holiday which will be a busy time too cos lots of activities lined up already!!!!