Food in need is food indeed.

Morning Wednesday, December 29, 2010


I am alone again, as my sister and my brother-in-law went out. I was supposed to rest--meaning "sleep" in their dictionary but I just can't.  Since my headache and dizziness appear less, I want to do many things speedily as ever. However, my strength has not returned to its original level. My legs and feet are still too heavy to lift and shift fast, my head and eyes seem not coordinate well after a short while of reading or thinking. It is rather frustrating. Well, I have to cool down myself a bit.


So, let's talk about food.  Think of any tasty dishes that make your mouth watering and your mind full of imagination of bits and pieces of ingredients in the dishes. Yes, the feeling is a combination of heaven and hell,  especially when the food is unavailable to you when you terribly crave it.  Welcome to the cruel world of need.


I love food. I love the look, the aroma, the taste and the texture of food. I even love all those components more when food passes my taste buds and sits securely inside my awaiting stomach. Thai food, Chinese food, Italian food, Japanese food, Mediteranean food, Middle East food, French food or Indian food. You name it. Food is good. Period. Do not try to dissuade me from food or convince me that food is monster. That has been my belief until I get sick.



Your favorite food can be your worst enemy when you are sick. I feel badly nauseated just see some of my favorite dishes. How? I do not know exactly how our best friend food turns away from our trust but it does happen to me.  If cutting the complicate details of science, the causes can be due that our body system gets messed up by illness and decide to reject something in its composition--flavor, scent, taste, texture, etc.  Luckily, such change of heart is temporary in most cases.


In my case, I hate fried eggs, ham, sausage, milk and so many other kinds of food when I become sick. That is a truly dangerous sign of my body. I suppose to love all as I do when I am in good health.  When I am sick and with some strength left enough to swallow some food, my favorite menu includes porridge or boiled rice, salty egg, pickled cabbage and fried salty fish. That's all. Those are my heaven on the table. Hot water is the only drink I welcome to my heaven ground of the table. 


Ayway, here is some good news for those who wish to lose your weight, copy my menu and you can thank me later.


I call those dishes, my food in need. :)

I am back and ready to say good bye to the outgoing year 2010

Sunny Tuesday, December 28, 2010

I guess it is not too late to say Merry Christmas and probably not to early to say Happy New Year  to you all dear readers as well.  I am quite late to show up here and send all dear friends my best wishes on the greeting season of Christmas. But I have my good reason. I have been terribly sick; even at this moment I am not so well back to my best healh.


Well, at least I can crawl  back to my keyboard.  Greatly thanks to my sister and my brother-in-law.  I can't feel good if not showing my best respect to the Lord Buddha and all holy spirits that I clinged to during all the suffering period of my illness.  And my tired body and mind can not gather back their strength again if no lovely messages and calls from many friends. 


Thank you all.


Wow, is that I who wrote such sweet lines above?  I did mean that. Every word above came from my heart but I must say it could be some side effect from medicines I took or the virus doctors suspected being the cause of my bad illness.  Normally, sweet words and I are hardly friends. Those who are familiar with me, regardless of love, said I have a big herd of fierce dogs in my mouth.  They shoud at least be happy that they are honest dogs.  I have tried to make those dogs behave, so far I fail.


Okay, back a bit before I feel too tired to carry on for a long piece. I was infected by some virus during my holiday trip in Chieng Mai. I arrived there by plane in the evening and just checked in at a new and very lovely hotel called De Chai Hotel on December 17. 


First night was cold because of sudden change of the weather there. I slept very well after went out to have dinner at Night Bazar.  We walked along the quiet streets since there were not many tourists there, which is very strange considering it is high tourist season. The next day my sister, my brother in law and I walked around down town Chieng Mai. We came here two years ago and since then the couple love this northern city very much. We dropped by to visit an old temple named Wat Mahawan at the entrace of the lane where our hotel is located. We spent quite an hour having a great conversation with a monk there. I will share with you all later how interesting this monk is. 


Then, we went to have good coffee at our favorite place, Vavee Coffee Shop. The coffee shop is not far away from Ta Pae Gate and AUA English teaching school. I had a big mug of strong coffee. It was a bit too strong and too much  for me whom my coffee lover friends said my coffee was a bit stronger than just plain water. Hey, I love the aroma of coffee.


Then, we just walked around, taking photos of the places and people while witnessing the changes of this cutural town during the time of our absence.
At night, we walked over the brigde across the Ping River. We finally landed at an open-air restaurant on the river bank  called Deck-1. The main reason we chose it was due to its life jazz music performance there.  We were led to a table a bit far from the stage. It was the only table available at that time. Fine.


That was the first time I felt something wrong with my body system. Nope, no other peculiar signals except I felt my usually-huge appetite nearly disappeared. I did not feel wanting to eat anything. How could that happened to me, if not serious illness? So, I ended up with a big plate of grilled, mixed vegetables. It was yummy, despite my near-zero appetite.


The bad truth came up the next day. I became headache, dizzy and nauseated.  They were under my firm control in the morning. We went out of the city center to Baan Tawai where wood crafts and home decorations trades are popular.  My brother-in-law's friend and his girl friend came to pick up us from Ta Pae gate. We enjoyed touring the market place of the crafts and had a simple but delicious lunch at a restaurant there.
On the way back, my control slipped. I vomitted and lost all energy in our friend's car.


That 's the beginning of my long suffering period during this holidays season.




Okay, suppress your curiosity a bit. I need some rest, as you already knew I am on the recovering process.


Don't bite me.  It is a greeting season and everyone supposes to love themselves and others.


I love you, too. :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!