Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!

Sometimes I find it hard to motivate myself to write here.  It feels like I have alot more to say when I'm writing to someone, an actual person!  So I think I'm going to try this... posting excerpts from emails that I've written to friends or family.  So if you are reading my blog and realize that it is sounding pretty familiar, then lucky you, the email I wrote to you has been selected for the post of the day!  Haha...  *cheating*

Today marks 50 years of independence for Malaysia.  For the anak-anak Malaysia, how well do you know your sejarah?  There is an interesting but somewhat long summary from wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Malaysia ).  It's quite a different viewpoint from the way our textbooks are written, just not the way I remembered it while studying it in school.  It goes to show how easily even history can suffer from the bias/objectivity of the writer.

Can you tell I have a little bit more free time on my hands these days?  Back in Sunnyvale, I would at least take advantage of a quiet period and leave earlier.  Here, I'm stuck until Stef is ready to go, which is usually quite late.  I suppose I could take the public transport home, but I'm lazy.  Yes, it's my own fault!!  It's only a bus ride to Famagosta, then a couple underground Metro stops to Porta Genova, then a regular 20 minute train ride to Abbiategrasso where we live.  Then probably another 10 minute walk to the house.  I know this only in theory, because I can't get my lazy ass to actually do it.  Sigh...

Today is also my 9th year anniversary as a loyal and faithful employee of Maxim.  Ahhhhh!  How did that happen?!  9 years is a long time. 

Lastly, today is the last work day before we leave on our 2 week vacation on the island of Sardinia.  It should be interesting and fun.  I've never spent 2 whole weeks on vacation before (trips back home to Malaysia don't count - it's not the same).  We're driving to Genova on Sunday and getting on the ferry with our car for a 10 hour overnight trip to the island.  From there it will be beach-hopping and more beach-hopping.  Finally we will meet some of Stef's sailing friends who live there. 

Ok, my stomach is growling and asking for lunch.  Will it be pasta again?  (Probably). 

"Arredamenti Provera"

I took this picture of our living room last weekend. Stef's cousin saw it and his comment was "eh, arredamenti provera...", poor man's furniture! It is true, we have yet to buy a divani (sofa), but you can see those Kartell chairs!! They are the clear chairs in the corner that Stef bought some weeks ago. These are apparently designer chairs and they don't come cheap. Fortunately a friend of his had a relative working at Kartell so he was able to get these for a good price. They look pretty cool but I must say that they are made for people with slim posteriors only. The seat is not very wide...

Monday Blues

Ciao, how was your weekend?  I'm so weekend-lagged.  We spent the second weekend in a row in Sondrio.  Actually, the cool and fresh air and the slower pace is very nice.  Up until when we have to come back to Milan.  We don't leave till after Sunday dinner, around 9.30pm.  And it's a 2 hour trip so it's past midnight by the time we get to bed. 

 

Anyway, this weekend we had Stefo's best friend and his wife visiting.  We had a fun time hiking on Saturday.  It was the first time I got to see and touch (and taste) a glacier up close.  Sunday, we had the famous Valtellina pizzoccheri dish, prepared by his mum.  It's this dreadfully sinful pasta dish made with buckwheat pasta, potatoes, cabbage, a load of cheese and a even bigger load of fresh butter.  Yikes!  It's good, but definitely wins hands down in the calorie and cholesterol-busting category.   

 

Ok, it's time to try and start the work week.  Next week we are off for our long-awaited vacation.