The rain and me....

I love the rain. Where I grew up we periodically get rain. During this time I would shower in the rain, walk in the rain, or sometimes just tuck-in bed listening to the raindrops tapping on the roof. I love the sound the rain makes when it hits something solid and the cold air that it brings.

My aunt would not let me walk in the rain, she always thinks that we can catch all sort of diseases from the rain. Coincidently, some kids that did walk in the rain get fever the next day, but that’s the only thing they caught as far as I can remember - a fever. And every time my aunt talks me out of it I always think – well, it’s supposed to be clean because it’s from the sky, right? So how come some mother’s don’t let their kids play in the rain? Why some of us believe on something we have not witnessed? How come often people can’t agree on something so easily understood?

During the time when the questions are important to me, I would close my eyes and allow the rhythm of the raindrops take my mind to places where I can explore the questions further. I would tilt my head upward to catch some of the water that goes with the cold air, somehow the sensation fuels me to dig deeper. I would often get lost in this journey.

As the elements around me absorb my being, my questions were splits into words and then by syllables, making them hard to recognise. And when I open my eyes they are hit by the electromagnetic waves which everyone agreed to call ‘light’ and the different colours that go with it. The ‘acoustics’ in the air, which we call ‘sound’, relentlessly goes through my ears which my essence tries to decipher their meanings. What I call blue and loud maybe perceived by others as different colour and sound. We may agree on a name, shape or sound but really the perception of it is personal.

How are you?

Most of the plants around my house are low-maintenance, I hardly water them and yet they continue to grow and flower. There are two mad-flowering plants in front of the house that are taking advantage of the winter season, they just wouldn’t stop flowering. As I was walking to get the mail I noticed my jacaranda stopped growing. I checked its leaves, some are turning brown. I then I looked around, this is the only plant that’s suffering, although everyone is lacking attention. What is my jacaranda trying to tell me?

Everyday, before i get in the car, I quickly scan the plants around the house. The two mad flowering plants always caught my attention; seeing them flowering and healthy I then thought everyone is doing just the same - that everyone is doing well. It was a shock actually to see that my jacaranda is slowly dying when most of the plants are taking advantage of the cold and wet weather.

And then I thought, this must be the real me in all aspects of my life. Everyday I take a quick recollection about the people around me, and learning that one of them is doing well, I stopped and get on with what I’m doing. I forgot to call each one and personally ask them how they are doing. Some have started a family, graduated college, moved job or moved house and I don’t even know it. I just know that they are doing well.

I hope I’m not too late to save my jacaranda tree, this, amongst my plants is my wife’s favourite. I hope I get to remember to water it everyday before I retire for the day, and check all of them every weekend. And while I’m at it, I’d probably start making calls to the people that I really care… and ask them “how are you doing?”

How are you doing?

Anniversary

We went to this popular French restaurant in the city. The moment we walked in a girl in coat greeted us and took our coats. Then asked for our names and walked us up to our seats. I was really impressed on the warmth of their welcoming; it is something I don’t usually experience.

Then the same lady prepared our table. As she prepares our table she talks about the restaurant – like their chefs, their specialty, where the restaurant originated from and many more. Funny though I can’t remember a thing she said, probably because I was busy checking out the place… the place was just average though the Swarovski crystals and the lightings did set a somewhat special mood.

I must say the service is top class. And then I thought, maybe they’re popular because of their service. But then it all changed when I had my first canapé - it was delicious! The waitress gave us a brief introduction of the canapé but I wasn’t interested, I was ogling around understanding the arrangement of the place. It was indeed a first class restaurant.

Anyway, the starter – canapé, was very nice. My wife and I tried to understand what’s in it but we can’t seem to work it out. All we know is it’s a pretty good canapé.

Then the same lady walked towards us and talked about their menu and how it was set. She did mention a couple of specials. I don’t know what’s in the heads of the chefs of these first class restaurants, their menu is always hard to pronounce! Anyway, I ordered their wagyu special while the Mrs ordered some tuna. By the way I’m using layman’s language to describe what we ordered as I can’t work out their proper names.

For entrée I ordered baby rabbit, I was told that it was their signature dish, and the Mrs had some cuttlefish. We didn’t order dessert yet as we wanted to take time enjoying our meals.

After taking our orders a waitress walked to us and gave us some freshly baked breads. Just like the canapés, they're pretty good breads. Maybe because they were freshly baked or maybe the rosemary or whatever you call the green stuffs toppings makes it yummy – I couldn’t careless, they were good!

Then we were offered wine. As much as I wanted to have some but I’m driving so I have to say no. Besides my wife just got back from a surgery and she’s not allowed to have any alcohol.

I don’t think my words gave justice to the foods that we had, I’d just show you the photos and let you be the judge.












The Canape:













Entrees:














Mains:

Desserts: