Pimp my ride

[Recent hiatus / lack of posting due to a couple of crap weeks;  major flare ups of pain and more Coeliac attacks WHEE.  Of course I missed a few lessons which is most upsetting; I’ve really come to rely on them as points to head for, to get me through the weeks.]

So I had a birthday a few weeks back – thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes in comments / emails, it means so much – and I was fortunate to get some pretty nice loot, some horse-related.

A brief tangent:  What’s your opinion vis a vis Gift Cards?  I’ve been told that they are mercantile, unimaginative and thoughtless but I think they’re FABULOUS. 

Olympics 2008

Warning:  Rant Mode ON

Okay so like just about everyone, I’ve been watching – only occasionally mind you – the Olympics coverage in Beijing and Hong Kong.  I thought the pageantry and artistry of the opening and closing ceremonies was amazing, all that beauty and symbolism;  the organisation, coordination et al of the Games was sensational.  Most people were so blown away they even forgot about things like certain promises, environmental conditions [smog, algal blooms], and human rights aberrations.  Excellent PR for the People’s Republic of China.  [The UK has a hard, hard act to follow … especially given the starting handicap of a truly crappy logo.]

But -  and it’s a BIG but – I am so pissed off by the programming, coverage of events and commentators here in Australia  I could spit.

It’s my party

… and I’d rather not cry at all thank you VERY much.

So the birthday was yesterday – very auspicious and lucky with all those eights – 08-08-08 [what a pity I wasn’t born in 1970 then I’d have been 38 on 08-08-08 … oh well no-one’s perfect and I was an accident anyway]  – and I’m feeling damn fine about turning 39.  Given that I was told, at the age of 22, that I wouldn’t make it to 30, and that despite other dire predictions from “medical professionals” and EDS statistics, I’m still not in a wheelchair!  W00t!  Go me, etcetera.

It’s been a really nice week as Tuxedo took the whole week off; he really needed the break from work, and it was absolutely lovely having him around, being able to hang out together or do our own thing, just knowing he was there.  Is that too cutesy you want to puke?  Apologies.  Anyway he got in a lot of quality time on Guild Wars while I had my pony time and lots of sleep.

So yesterday – Friday – we’d planned something a bit different for my birthday celebrations.  The usual practice – as far as we are “usual” or “normal” in any way – is to head out at night for a big fancy dinner and for Tux to surprise me [ie shock me into stunned and round-eyed impressed silence] with a major and totally unexpected present*.  This year, given we’d bought a house and all and are somewhat financially challenged, Tux’s idea was to have a Grand Day Out;  brunch / lunch at our favourite café in the city and then a bit of a shopping spree for me. 

Whee!

Endorphin rush

I had THE best horsey ride this morning.  I had a couple of recipe-ish posts to post up but they’ll just have to wait.     I was on such a high afterward I thought I’d have to take some downers or something to get back to normal.   

I’d had a good lesson on Tuesday; I’d worked myself really hard, focusing on position and stability and just being as disciplined as I could [thanks for the advice Scary!].  It was a rewarding lesson as a result and I was quite sore afterward – sore in the good “ooh done some exercise” way.  I wanted to keep that progression and focus going. 

The Thursday morning ride is usually a bit tougher because of the time – like most people I’m not at my best in the morning; then when you add in the severe chronic pain “ouch” factor on waking it can be a bit rough.   This morning I moaned and groaned a bit but after missing both lessons last week due to shite weather and pain there was no way I was not going. 

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of my absolute favourite foods. I was first introduced to it whilst on holiday in Kuala Lumpur when I was sixteen [staying with a school friend who boarded in Perth] and oh my goodness did I have a good time there.  I, who had always been the pickiest eater known to mankind, who was pathetically skinny and sick and looked about eight years old, ate everything in sight and put on about five kilos in as many weeks.  [maybe this should have been a slight hint, just maybe, that I was gluten-intolerant, that I was well when eating all that rice? Duuuuuh.]  Finding a good HCR in Perth is just about impossible so the only solution when I get that craving is to make it myself. 

HCR is a classic Singaporean dish – it’s comfort food and everyone loves it; it is said the best way to start an argument amongst Singaporeans is to ask where to find the best HCR.  It’s really very basic; steamed chicken, accompanied by rice cooked in ginger-infused chicken stock, a couple of dipping sauces [traditionally a soy-ginger sauce, and a sweet chilli sauce], and a bowl of broth.  Generally the chicken is neatly sliced and arranged over sliced cucumber on a central platter with each diner having their own bowl of chicken-y rice and broth.  Add little sauce dishes around the central platter and everyone digs in.