Oh What A Day!

In between viewing houses and having her SMILEY* photo taken at school today, Danielle and I stole time to whip up a yummy tea-time treat just for fun. I'd wager a guess that every Mum, at some point in her matriarchal career, will engage in this fun-filled activity with her bairn- experiment with a recipe off a kiddy storybook.

Our cook cum story book of the Moment: No More Biscuits, by Paeony Lewis.

THE RECIPE: Magic Monkey Bananas!!!
And now, pls give it up for sous-chef, Mademoiselle D, who'll share her 'sweet secrets' with us via slideshow: (applause, applause)

This a fantastic 'time-filler' and takes all but 15 minutes to prepare. The result? A belly-happy kid who'll kowtow to your every bidding for the next hour! (hey, that's a long time!) Try it!

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Househunt Updates:
The H Road apartment was passable (yes, OK only) by my standards. Loft area was a little stuffy (only one window, lighting wasn't great), stairway to loft was a tad too steep for my liking (and I worry a little for Danielle, quite frankly), and apartment reeked of ciggie smoke becoz of the current tenant. Those factors aside, the reception was a good size, and I could see myself slaving in the modish kitchen. I'd give this unit a 3 upon 5 for Overall Look and Feel. Distance to the Tube: 4.

ladder-like stairs leading to loft

Next was a property about a 2 min walk from the afore-mentioned apartment. Located at Rudloe Road, this first floor unit has a charming garden lovingly tended to by the landlord, who resides on the ground floor. I was bowled over by the gorgeous reception, handsome bedrooms, and sufficient storage space. But, the damper? A miniscule kitchen. It's sooo tiny and narrow, I'd have to be waifishly thin (think skinny-arse Kate Moss) to fit into it. Overall Look and Feel: 4ish. Distance to Tube: 3ish.

Of the two, I definitely like unit 2 better. It exudes a warm, homely feeling - ideal for a family. But I'm not sure whether I can whip stuff up in the kitchen. My kitchen projects with Danielle will be hampered by space issues - not much elbow room, or room to manoeuvre.

The H Road property will likely be preferred by Dee for the mere fact it sits on H Road. I'd say he'd need to view both properties himself to make a final decision. In the meantime, keep those prayers vigil. I know this is no biggie, but prayers would mean a lot. We want to make a God-driven decision. So thank you, everyone.

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Today was certainly chock-a-block with activities! We went to St James Park for a playdate with Makiko & Dan in the afternoon. This was our first visit to the royal park. The kids had fun at the playground. And since it was such a lovely, warm Spring (is it still?) day, we took a slow stroll around the park, then stopped for a quick cuppa at a nearby cafe. I think I'll miss them when they return to Japan at the end of August. Makiko is lovely. Altho' she speaks halting English and we try best to understand each other, she's warm and sincere. And that's enough for me. I hope we continue to stay in touch after our stints in the UK...

* remember the teary passport photo some of you rec'd from me? Well, she's practically beaming in the latest photoshoot! What a difference a few months makes, eh! :)