Author Archives: Minci 先生

Getting groceries on my day off

Posted in Everyday Life, Home Management by

I like getting groceries on weekdays. That is when there is a less crowded area, and I get to walk down the aisle calmly. Most of the time, I would have blueberries and honeydew since my daughter and husband like them. I would alternate between getting apples and oranges. Guava, if I feel like it. Then there is the occasional dragon fruit. I used to love buying kiwis, but I find that they are a bit expensive nowadays. Strangely enough, Shining Muscats are cheaper. I would splurge on strawberries once in a blue moon.

A new bread brand has become famous lately. So I got that Sunshine bread as well. It tasted like any Gardenia bread. I don’t get the hype. But the packaging is pretty. Maybe that’s why people, including myself, have FOMO. Ha ha.

Farm Fresh milk carton was on sale. Of course, I had to buy it. Eggs are still expensive. Only this time I got the Gred C ones cause the D’s I bought before felt less satisfactory in my meals. The small portion size was palpable.

I did not buy any poultry or seafood. That would be for another day.

Workplace annual dinner – Cak Cak Cekuk

Posted in All in a days work, Good Things by

The last time we had some sort of annual event at the clinic was probably more than 3 years ago. Instead of sports day, this time we had dinner at a nearby hotel. The medical officers were expected to perform the song ‘Cak cak cekuk’ by Wani Kyrie. This was the first time I heard of the song, and immediately I loved the catchy tune. You might want to hear the original version on YouTube.

I thought I had enough time to memorise the song. I ended up singing the lyrics on my phone. Ha ha.

Anyway, we really enjoyed performing it for everyone. Here’s a snippet of it. Most are moms and dads. We tried our best. We hope our kids were proud of us!

Orange roses from Alice Florist

Posted in Good Things, Just For Fun, Online Store by

When I was a medical student in Preston, I often frequented my local grocery store and grabbed a simple bouquet of flowers. Simply because it looks pretty by my window. Flowers are somehow not a thing in Malaysia. Yes, you get flowers for special occasions. But less likely on days where ‘you just feel like it’ or ‘just because’. Hence, giving flowers became a seasonal and special occasion gesture only. The thing is, I am one of those ‘just because’ people. I would love my desk to have a vase of them ever so often.

Hence, can you imagine my joy when I saw this florist selling a minimalist option? No fancy paper or wrap. Just fresh flowers in brown paper. They are so budget-friendly.

I stumbled upon this option during one of my doomscroll days on GRAB. It was priced at RM26.50 per bouquet from Alice Florist, Jalan ONG KIM WEE. I immediately ordered it and had it delivered to my house. I bought 3 because I wanted to give them to my friends. Indeed, I received those mini packages of happiness in less than an hour. They were out of pink roses, but I was equally happy with the orange ones. Now, if only my husband could get me one of these every fortnight. That will be great. Ha ha.

Hidden ailment

Posted in Everyday Life by

For the past week, I have been troubled by a hidden ailment. I have contact dermatitis.

I was cleaning the little garden in the front yard over the long weekend. Being the reckless human being that I am, I pulled out certain weeds of unknown species, without using a glove. To make it worse, I scratched and wiped off sweat and a crawling red ant from my face without washing my hands first. By the time I realised it, it was already too late.

I did not experience any immediate reaction. Hence, I thought I was fine. The agony started by dusk. I was showering with warm water when I felt an intense itch all over my face. I did not think much of it. Furthermore, my face looked fine upon looking at the mirror, although the pruritus lingered till bedtime. I applied my usual lotion and went to sleep.

The next morning, as I washed my face, I felt that the skin texture was rough. Although there was no visible urticaria, my face did look slightly sunburnt. As I leaned closer into the mirror, I could see little tiny bumps on my face. Almost like the goosebumps effect on the skin you get when it is too cold or when you’re in fear.

Treatment

I had the utmost confidence that my skin would be repaired with mere local ointment. That was what I did for the first 3 days, when I just used hydrocortisone and aqueous cream. The itching and hyperpigmentation got worse. I succumbed to eating prednisolone after much coaxing from my friends. The rash got better in 3 days.

However, I did experience side effects.

I felt fat. Steroids are known to have water retention effects, but I wasn’t expecting them to start having such an effect on such a short course. I could feel my boobs feel a bit tight in my bra. Not only that, I was also experiencing indigestion, especially at night. I had to sleep with my pillow propped up slightly to avoid throwing up.

My rash healed just in time for the annual dinner. My skin felt as smooth as it was before, with minor acne. I could apply my sunscreen again without the sting. There’s no need for hydrocortisone cream anymore, and I am just on aqueous at the moment.

I have to be more careful when I do my gardening next time.