A Homemaker’s Diary

We finally managed to go to BBW sale last Friday..well actually it’s not Friday..it was 12 am on Saturday..spent like 3 hours plus browsing the romance/general fiction and best sellers aisles while Hubby checked out the children section.

Told myself that I will only buy books that I’m going to finish reading in 2013..so I was so happy when I found two books by Alison Weir. Last year I bought Innocent Traitor and love it so I have been hoping to find The Lady Elizabeth during BBW sale this year.

The afternoon before we went to the sale, BBW Facebook page advertised about J.K Rowling, The Tales of Beedle The Bard. I was not really hoping to find the book but while browsing the activity books for children, I saw a few pieces left so I grabbed one and put in the box..heh!

I found one Jude Deveraux and just took it. Hopefully it’s a good book. I’ve never read Alexandra Potter so why not give it a chance this time. My friend mentioned about Steve Berry a few times so I thought for RM8, why not? If I really can’t stand the story line or the style of his writing I can always give the book to someone else later, right?

Mama Kucing mentions about Manju Kapur in her FB and blog, so since I found one..I just take it. I bought Rani Manicka’s The Rice Mother two years ago but still couldn’t find the time to read it so I’m not sure whether I will like Manju Kapur’s book..huhu! But then, that’s the beauty of BBW, it gives you the chance to buy and try to read author’s work that you might not even consider spending RM40 per book in retail bookstore. And if you find you like the author, you will be looking forward to his/her next book and wouldn’t mind paying the full price for it.

I am so happy to see Mitch Albom’s Have A Little Faith in stack. I have been eyeing the hardcover book since last year in Borders but since it is so expensive, I just tell myself, next time if during BBW they have it, then I’ll buy it..huhu! I’ve read most of his books and really love his writing. His latest fiction is The Time Keeper, published last September.

Unfortunately there was not much choice in craft section that day. I managed to get 4 related books, one of them is Papercrafting by Donna Dewberry. Oh, I also found a Maths book for 4-5 year old. I hope I could use it to homeschool my son next year.

Overall I am happy with the outcome of the visit to BBW even at such wee hour. People with sleepy eyes were walking like zombies by the time I paid for the books..haha! So for those who still couldn’t make it, check out their last sale this weekend. Hopefully they have another 60 hours mission so that night owls like me can go and do massive book shopping (again???)..hahaha!

These are the reasons why I couldn’t sleep tight for the past few weeks..hehe! My son is now 4 and he requested to have a birthday party. The theme is Disney Cars like last year. Actually we held a small party last year with minimal decoration and limited invitation.

The bright red and black latex balloons were bought from Glowing Party House. I found their FB a few days before the party while looking for Cars foil balloons. The rest of the latex balloons were bought in Toys R Us the week before.

For the balloon sticks I bought 50 of them at SeaStar Party Shop.

If you are planning to get a helium filled foil balloons, you can get them at Glowing Party House. If you want to fill with normal air (like the small foil balloons I bought from Toys R Us), you have to tie it to balloon sticks.

Fruit tarts, cheese tarts and cream puffs were ordered from Kak Yati of Kay Bakery. Birthday cake, brownies and chocolate chip cupcakes were ordered from my friend Sya of Luscious Brownies & Cakes.

SIL came earlier on the party day and helped me to fry the nuggets and steam the hotdog. Hubby and niece were the one who decorate those tidbits with the printables and arrange everything on the table.

For the cupcakes, I just add on the Disney Cars cupcake toppers. Been doing the cutting and sticking job at night after son has fall asleep..huhu!

Overall I am happy with the outcome of this Disney Cars party. Perhaps next year we could find more Cars related items in the market. I’m sure it will take years for dear Son to get over his obsession with Cars..haha! I can always keep most of the party decoration and re-use them year after year.

Next in list are to get checkered flags, black and white checkered table cover and more Cars foil balloons.

It’s that time of the year that I really, really look forward too..The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale..hehe..even though I still have loads of books bought from the past 3 years unread..

For those planning to go this year, the event will be held at MINES convention centre..yup..I know..I somehow prefer MAEPS like last year even though I have to take a tram to the book sale and later Hubby came with car to fetch all those boxes full of books.

This time I think I will be more moderate in choosing what kind of books I want to buy..make sure I really want to read them, then only I will buy..(I saw Johanna Lindsey and lots of Danielle Steele, have to check which titles I already have in possession)..oh, dear Son also wants some books based on what he saw on the BBW website..

Oh, for the first weekend, 6-8 Dec, they will be open for 63 hours non stop..so you can always go and buy books after a teh tarik at 2am..Hubby said we should go after son’s birthday party on Saturday, that if I still have energy after being a hostess and blowing like 100 balloons..haha!

See you there people, bookworms 🙂

It’s that time of the year again. For those who love plants, fruits, to see livestock and farming machinery, this is your chance to check out MAHA 2012.

I’ve been to MAHA every year, mostly to check out the floriculture booths selling plants and fertilizers..haha! But this year I can’t wait to bring dear son to check out the farming machinery. Last year we brought him to see the livestock though I personally hate the smelly goats, sheep and cows..huhu!

MAHA 2012 will start tomorrow, from 23 November till 2 Dec 2012. If you are not sure what to do with your children during this school holiday, bring them to Serdang to check out the exhibitions. I’m sure it will be one great, educational trip for them.

Google Books synopsis:

A haunting portrait of a fascinating age-Japan between the Meiji Era and the end of World War II

In Meiji-era Japan, where the standard of beauty is the graceful geisha and the greatest joy a woman can hope for is to produce healthy heirs for her husband, an idealistic Japanese politician named Taku takes Emi as his child bride.

Emi, a gifted koto player, cherishes Taku’s doting love. But the couple can’t conceive, and Taku’s work takes him away more and more often. When she finally gives birth to a healthy son, Emi dares hope that the preternaturally intelligent Jun will help mend the rift in her marriage.

That is, until she meets Hana, an extraordinarily beautiful and wicked geisha, and discovers a betrayal so devastating it would take the aid of eight million gods and demons-the number of deities in the Japanese pantheon-to overcome.

When I bought this book at BBW last year, I thought it’s another book about geisha and all Japanese culture related. However as I read through, the story actually revolves around 3 generations of the Imura family. You can check a full review at curledup.com.

It shows that not all Japanese people were happy to be part of the War, men and sons were drafted to foreign land in the name of honor for the Emperor. It gives me a different point to ponder. This is certainly not an easy book to read but I managed to finish it in 2 nights.