20.12.2008

as i told you earlier, i ended up making 3 tiers cake, instead of cupcakes. and out of the 3-tiers, i bake only one of the tiers. which was the base, butter cake. these are the ingredients for the butter cake. i baked this on thursday.
joyce bought lots of oranges but i used only one because she said, i will need a firm butter cake, not a moist one. so that it can withstand the weight of the two fruit cakes.

these is the mixing bowl. as you can see, it almost overflowed because the batter is too much. it's a 12 inch butter cake.

oh ya, i did some blueberry-filling-cupcakes too, so that it's easier for the guests to eat. and also, another reason, because Joyce is imagining her wedding cake will be surrounded by cupcakes. the paper cupcakes are specially imported from China. haha. actually, Joyce bought this back from Beijing. arent they cute?

June helped out with the cupcakes.

These are the fruit cakes. Joyce baked these earlier and they can last longer because the fruits are soaked with rum, a few days before.

the cakes are not as high. they are just as tall as my palm. ermm..or my hand is big? hehe..
and these are the cakes that i have to cover with fondant icing.

this is the decorating on the first tier cake. and on top of the cake is this couple, which represent Michael and Joyce. Kim was asking, why Joyce bought orang putih one? haha..

ta-daa..reprensenting the cake!
you see the big pink hearts on the 3rd tier? the purpose is to cover all the cacatness of the fondant.

and those cuppies after decorating with cream. i went to Joyce home early in the morning to put the cream on and that's the final part of preparing the cakes.

at first, i have no idea how to decorate those cuppies. Joyce has no decorating pipe, and she bought only the plastic piping bags. what i did was just pipe the cream out on the cake. i dont know what shape they are, but they dont look presentable. luckily she has those little hearts and silver dragees, and they look nice on the cream. dont they? =)

this is how they look in the church hall.

(^,^)v

19.12.2008

i was alone at Joyce's home. her sisters were not in. Joyce need to go and bring her in-laws around.
i took the fondant icing out of the fridge.
i knead. i put icing sugar. i rolled. i lift it up. it stuck on the table.
i knead again. i put more icing sugar. i lift it up. it stuck on the table again.
again. i knead. put more icing sugar. i lift it up, and again, it stuck.
i almost gave up. then, auntie (joyce's mom) came back to prepare the food. i tried again.
still, the fondant stuck on the table. and the fondant dried up because too much icing sugar. i took out some fondant from the fridge and mix it with the dry one. it was better. then, uncle (joyce's dad) came back to help auntie. i tried again.
from 3:00pm till 4.30pm, finally i managed to cover the base but it's quite messy. at last i got the trick. i knead on the grease proof paper, lift it up EASILY and put on top of the cake. Grr..why cant i think of that earlier? what was i thinking? i wasted lots of precious time. anyway, i was glad i did it. hehehe..and i covered the 2nd tier also. Joyce did for the 1st tier fruit cake.
by the time i should start with the decoration, i am exhausted and postponing it to after-dinner. i hope June/ Kim could help me later. i'm getting old and i got tired easily.. ;p

*update*

now is 11.49pm. i just came back from Joyce's house. went there for dinner, and then continue with decorating the cake. Joyce did the fondant icing for the 1st tier cake, but she did not put enough icing sugar on it. the fondant icing become sticky when leave it out in room temperature. so, i have to re-do. and i realized the last one was the most tiring one. my hands are shaking now, while typing this out. and my eyes are very tired!
Kim did helped me out to put the hearts around the 2nd tier of the cake. June pula volunteered her room to let me sleep with her, so that i dont need to drive back, because i am very tired. Auntie said it is such a privilege for me because she never ever let anyone sleep with her..haha. So cute..
Whoa~, at last..I DID IT! *relieved* i'm going to show you the picture tomorrow. i wanted to snap some pictures just now, but my camera is out of battery and i malu want to snap with my camera phone. also, the quality is not as good. so, tomorrow, i will take as much as i can, for it is my hasil kerja. hehe. (^,^)v

19.12.2008

He heard me and has answered my prayer. last night it took a while before a fell asleep. too nervous about today.
i've just came back from Church. i am in peace. i feel so relieved. i was waiting for bunie at the back row and the numbers of people getting more and more and yet, they went fast because there were 4 priests in charged of the English group.
as we were getting nearer to our turn, i was getting more nervous. walking to the altar makes me feel like fainting. but, praise the Lord, everything was fine. FINALLY, i've managed to go through the penitential service. and that means, i'll be able to receive Communion which i have been longing for all this while. Praise the Lord again for He is forever merciful!
while doing my penance, i feel that God is great. How small and lowly i am in His presence. in Mary's song of praise, Mary said,

"My heart praises the Lord:
my soul is glad because of God my Saviour,
for He has remembered me,
His lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me happy,
because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.
His name is holy;
from one generation to another
He shows mercy to those who honor Him.
He has stretched out His mighty arm
and scattered the proud with all their plans.
He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has kept the promise He made to our ancestors,
and has come to the help of His servant Israel.
He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham
and to all His descendants forever!"
- Luke 1:46-55 -

i has been two years and now i am so glad! Praise the Lord that He has never condemned and praise Him that He is love. For all the wrongs i've done, He still bless me with wonders. i feel sooo freeee! yeay! i'll have a great Christmas! He is the reason of the season!

18.12.2008

i am so tired, coming back from Joyce's house baking her butter cake. and they (Joyce's family and her in-laws) will be having dinner in Gayang, the seafood restaurant. they actually invited me to go along. June called me earlier, when i was still in the office. but i dont feel like going because i don't feel comfortable. hehe. June and Kim even asked their parents to persuade me to go. luckily, the cuppies were still in the oven, the time when they need to leave (Joyce and her in- laws are waiting for her parents in Kolombong). so, i have a very reasonable excuse not to go.
it was my first time baking a 12 inch cake, and i tell you, it's not easy. my hands were shaking because i have to hold the mixer while mixing the batter. it was about 30 minutes of holding and mixing. and, thank God, June was there to help. it turned-out that i baked the base (butter cake) and Joyce baked the 2nd and 3rd tier (fruit cake). about the fondat icing? IT IS NOT EASY..it sticks everywhere and after rolling, the icing stuck on the table. my gosh~ i hope Joyce can save the situation. leave it to the pro..hehe. just hope that she can! ;p

the fondant on the table. sticking everywhere.

*****

i'm still nervous thinking about tommorow. i MUST and i WILL be strong to make it a good one. i will not be thinking about the past anymore. i thought, i should keep 'it' in mind, because that's what i've went through in my life. but, on second thought, why should i? if 'it' has changed me not into a better person, then why should 'it' be given space in my memory? makan space saja! i am going to let everything out, once and for all. and will try to get 'it' out from my memory..

still praying..

18.12.2008

fToday i'm taking half day leave, mainly because i will have to help Joyce in baking her wedding cake which will be serve in the church on Saturday (hmm, maybe i can get take some time for me to do some shopping, hehe ;p). initially the plan was to bake 100 cuppies. when i listed out all the ingredients that i need, i think she was shocked and would like to try another option. it is because there are too many things that have to be bought, and the time is not enough for all of them.
now, our plan B is to bake a 3-tiers cake and cover them with fondant icing. i have never play with fondant icing before but information that i got from books and the net, saying that it's easy. especially when it's a ready-to-roll fondant. well, i hope it will be as easy as they said. Joyce will be baking fruit cake for the base and i'm going to bake butter vanilla cake for the 2nd and 3rd tier.

*****

i've been preparing myself for the coming Christmas (i'm not sure if my preparation is enough). Comparing this year to the previous years (erm, to be exact, 2 years ago), i think it will be a bit different this year. tomorrow will be the day, that i've been looking forward for, for this whole month and since the first day of Advent. i'm waiting for the day to come yet, i'm very nervous whenever i think of it. *sigh*

just pray that tomorrow, everything will be fine and a good one. i'm praying....

15.12.2008

1928 Born in Yunnan
1939 Baptized with his father
1940 entered preparatory seminary
1941 shifted seminary due to Japanese war
1943 anticipated entry to minor seminary
1948 anticipated entry to major seminary
1949 from China to Penang General College
1955 probation in Seremban
1957 ordination in Seremban
1963 transferred to Gabrielite's novitate P.D
1965 transferred to Tampin
1968 refresh course at the Philippines
1969 returned to Tampin
1971 transferred to Kuala Pilah
1983 transferred to Kuantan
1991 transferred to Kajang
2005 retirement to Monfort

this was taken from Fr. Leo Chang's Souvenir of his final transfer and retirement. i knew Fr. Leo Chang when i was studying in UKM. He was the priest who baptized me with holy water on 16th April 2004, a year before his retirement. and he was the one who supported us, the catechumens during that time, to be baptized during that Easter day.

i got myself, both of his souvenir's designs (one, he is standing in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and another one is a picture of him, when he was young,in his Chinese costume).and they are my bookmarks for my Sunday Missal.

i still remember, when i was still in UKM and when Fr.Leo is still serving in Holy Family Kajang, he used to sit outside the church, in front of the main door, reading his chinese morning paper before the Mass begin. whenever, i passed him, i will greet him, morning, father. he will reply my greeting, but his eyes were still on his papers. that's Fr.Leo.

his sermons were written clearly in my notebooks (the times when i used to jot down the homily given ;p).


is this your missal? he asked me, one day, when i arrived early in the church for Mass and i decided to sit with him, in front on the main door.

yes.

write your name on it ah. every week people will donate us their missal, rosary and bible. i dont want you to donate to us also.


that's why my name is written nicely on my Missal, together with my contact numbers, just in case i left it in the church. but, of course i never leave it anywhere and it is still with me until today.

somehow it gives an impact on me, when i received SMS from Hazel saying 'Fr Leo Chang died dis morning'. i was shocked and i was speechless when i read it. i immediately offer him prayer.

Fr.Leo Chang
(1928- 2008)

may his soul rest in peace and the light of the Lord shine on him forever.
Amen.

14.12.2008

the Christmas deco on the stage in Centre Point

Christmas time is just around the corner and everyone is in Christmas mood. Christmas songs can already be heard, especially in shopping malls. And last night, Milia told me that radio has been banned from playing Christmas song until the a week before Christmas..hmm, what a rule!
In the office, I do play Christmas songs in my desktop too, and when I am in the Finance & Admin Department also, I can hear Christmas songs playing from Shirney’s desktop. Hehe! I can already feel it.

Some songs are very meaningful and some songs are just for commercial purpose. One of the old-time song ‘the Twelve Days of Christmas’, some might think it as a commercialize Christmas songs, because of the lyrics where she receives different gifts throughout the twelve days of Christmas. But, do you know the real meaning behind the song? I just want to share with you, the article I got from the Supplementary Bulletin #23 from St.Simon Church Likas.

snowflakes and lights hanging down the mall

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two level meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for religious reality which the children could remember.
One True Love refers to God.
Two Turtle Doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French Hens stood for faith, hope and charity, the Theological Virtues.
Four Calling Birds were the four Gospels and/or the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Five Golden Rings recalled the Torah or Law, first five books of the Old Testaments, The ‘Pentateuch’, which gives the history of man’s fall from grace.
Six Geese a-Laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven Swans a-Swimming represented the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.
Eight Maids a-Milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine Ladies Dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.
Ten Lords a-Leaping were the ten commandments.
Eleven Pipers Piping stood for the eleven faithful apostles.
and The Twelve Drummers Drumming symbolized the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.

Here’s the lyrics of the song: Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

the gigantic snowflake