OMG ! [Follow follow follow up. Dehumidifier experiment #4]

 我的天啊‼️ 81% humidity

Spent some time clearing the filled containers & pouring new ones into them around the house before my much needed shower. It was a chore a dread going through the motion of washing the container, drying them with toilet paper (I used up more toilet paper.) in the heat. Was so happy when I finished the last containers and “little umbrellas”. That’s it! Another day of having the aircon and fan turned on in my room. 

The time I started experimenting with this. CLICK HERE

Blog #2

Blog #3 

Ok….so this is blog 4. 

I can’t remember when I started using the little umbrellas for the wardrobes but I received them last Dec and only began using them this year after I’ve used up all the bags. Just did a first refill today. 

As the container is really small, it filled up faster than the other containers. 

Pros : (a) This is reusable. Can last longer than the hanging bags definitely

(b) so easy to hang up in the tall wardrobe without any stool 

Cons : (a) had to wash and dry the whole container. Particularly the pink part as I’d be pouring new beads in that portion. (b) was washing one container when the white “end top” dropped and I panicked, is that a decoration or for me to pour out the water? Then I realised I am suppose to remove the water from the bottom part. Then now it’s +1 more pros. Altho I wonder how secure it is, I cannot tape this part up and what if someone is so chor-lor and broke the thing? 

Do I prefer this umbrella over the bags type? Each has its pros and cons.    

Pros : (a) For the last few changes I did not clean the disgusting brown discharge in the bag and simply pour new beads. I saved toilet papers 😝. (b) Clearing the water was so easy and fast from the side. If I needed to rinse the water collection bag I can pour and swirl the water inside and pour out again. Takes a shorter time. But this can only go in the hanging wardrobe, I can’t use this for the shoe cabinet or the kitchen and toilet cabinets. 

Cons : (a) looking at the brown thing is an eyesore. (b) I need to put in new ones every 2-3weeks, with the constant change I may not want to see the disgusting thing and would want to throw it away after 3 changes, which means I’ll need to buy the refill quite often. (c) Have to ensure that the cap is closed back tightly if not I’ll get spillage in the wardrobes. (d) it’s quite difficult to hang in my tall wardrobe, I often need to bring the organ stool and climb up and down. 

So I guess it’s still more experimenting until I find a better solution. Buying the machine will take up space at home, surely that’ll be easier as all I need to do is to empty the container. Having the machine on means I need to suffocate myself in a closed windows room. Why there is no such thing as a ceiling dehumidifier? 

It’s really scary to think how much and how fast my walk-in wardrobe area accumulates all the water wealth. I have one container and 3 umbrellas in that small space. 

🍂 Frustrated 🍂

I’m just 🍂so frustrated with all the 🍂leaves dropping in my PES. Drawing 🍃the not-fully-covered blinds doesn’t help at all. I used to 🍃sweep the PES on a daily basis until I got so sick and tired of sweeping the leaves 🍂and some litters. I do it only twice a week now or if I'm even lazier once a week or when I give up on life - every fortnight.   

How bad can the leaves dropping be you might wonder. 

On normal days, I can finish sweeping the PES and less than 15 minutes later I see more than 10 leaves in the PES. 

When it’s the “naked season” the leaves just keeps dropping and dropping, even the condo cleaners have to constantly sweep up. They sweep outside I sweep inside. When it’s that season, I can be sweeping the other side of PES turn back and see more than 20 leaves on the floor. 我的天啊‼️我好累咯！ 

It's those stupid trees outside the compound, dunno simi species. I wonder if other neighbours get this same problem as I, maybe having nice northly southerly wind in my home has its disadvantages afterall - the leaves end up blowing into my PES. 

PES wearing clothes

Sometimes just so tempted to cover the whole PES up but it means the whole house will look like a dark prison. Some people likes the idea of using the PES / balcony as the dining area coz you know nowadays houses are getting smaller and smaller. According to JJ, they did the ziptrack for the unit opposite us and they converted that area to dining with custom cabinets outside. Eeeee…so weird. Why have cabinets outside? I mean I also have but it’s the outdoor cabinet to put all my plant stuffs. That unit keeps her ziptrak closed all the time, a few times I’ll see a small opening just above her gate. Does that mean she doesn’t open and leave from the PES? And it does look dark coz last time were only permitted to use brown. But last year they did the repainting to grey and white to the buildings, I’m not sure if they will allow grey or white ziptrak. All the ground floor units who did theirs are brown in colour. 

My current wide open airy PES

I have plants. And I need plants 🪴 . We need plants for positive vibes lah! You know in fengshui you need a brighter looking space and house must have 🌬️ 通风。I don’t even think Grandmaster Tan would advise to cover up the PES also. I prefers to have light colours in the house to make the house look spacious 哪里可能会 make the house look dark and dull with an enclosed blinds but sometimes circumstances may make me change my mind. .  

So was thinking If I select a clear ziptrak can? I mean my purpose is to avoid having the stupid leaves in my home not for privacy. I hate to think but do we look like animals in a zoo? 😂 

Clear ziptrak also problematic, later dirt ji-tak ji tak so obvious, ah nia end up need to do extra work in cleaning and washing the blinds. Sigh….solve one problem but create another. 

If I install ziptrak 

With ziptrak installation I would definitely opt to do a wooden flooring outside. End up wasting so much money just to solve the stupid leaves problem. If I'm not wrong other neighbours have asked if it's possible to chop off that tree and plant something else but MA say cannot.  

With wooden flooring I also need to consider about the water feature there and change all the ceramic pots to something lighter. Will my plants survive in the first place? 

With wooden flooring, I can probably just vacumn (buy an extra vacumn roller attachment) and mop (use a different mop for outside). I don’t need to throw Dettol and forcefully scrub the floor. 

Fix awning / roof is another thing I need to do as there's an extended open area in my PES compared to the above balconies. Then I end up blocking my view when I want to stargaze. Can choose clear awning? But if litterbugs throw rubbish I’ll look up to pieces of tissue paper , cotton buds etc.. instead.  Another question is - who clears the rubbish left there? My upstairs neighbour or me?

Another solution I thought of

Is to get a leaves blower and just blow the leaves to one side and then sweep up. Very noisy leh!

I hope I can find a solution faster. 

Why my food taste horrible

Hate to cook - and their different taste. Girls like jap he don’t like. He likes Chinese the girls don’t like. Sometimes I want to cook just one dish, he choose not to eat says he will pack food outside. Why can’t you just eat whatever is laid on the table? 

With his health issues, he not scared meh? Got HBP, diabetes, liver and kidney not good etc.. why can’t he be more responsible for his own health? Gf W said it’s easy for her coz M will eat whatever she cooks. Even if she can say things like ai chiak mai chiak suat, he will eat. If I said the same thing, my family will end up “ok lor!” They will be happy coz they prefer outside food. My family is that jialat. I’ve seen friends cooking meals and posting on FB, all family members just eat. 

Wanted to cook one day when hubby passed a heartbreaking remark “ the food you cook is not nice” I was so angry. Fine! Then you can go out and keep packing food for the family every meals coz I’m always lazy to leave the house. 

I always wondered why they don’t like my food. Yes, I’m not a good cook. BUT even when I follow recipe to the tee, even if I follow recipe on THERMOMIX they don’t like it. They want to eat like rich people is it? Eat to live. Why can’t they be like other family who eats whatever the person cooks. If like that, I cook also 甘愿 开心. 

Even the premix soup pack I buy hubby also comment dunno what soup I cook. I put less water (coz dowan wastage) and more pork bones - somemore choose the pork bones with some meat, it tastes better) he said “don’t cook soup anymore. Dunno what you’re cooking.” My goodness! All the rock sugar that is added in the soup outside made it nice. No wonder a lot of people with diabetes, kidney and HBP. 

It’s not a self defence post. Oh ok I think it is since I took to write it out now. 

And it’s not that I love cooking. I hate cooking BUT I wanted to do it for the family. AND THE NEGATIVE REACTION and feedback from the family only made me hate cooking for them more. Too used to outside food? MSG laden food. 

Think think! Outside stalls will use cheap ingredients, if not they have to pass the cost to consumers and consumer will be unhappy to pay more for a plate of similar food. 

Oil - I’ve always been using EVVO olive oil for my cooking. And since I did keto, I switched over to a better brand. I think the oil used affects the taste. Price too! EVVO is more expensive than vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil etc.. I even used EVVO for deep frying. I don’t cook everyday so I don’t keep any oil for second usage.

Soy sauce - low sodium. He was the one who bought it. Taste different coz when I eat food outside I like to dip the chilli padi or green chilli in their soy sauce. Lil’ one always asks us to bring home the chilli + soy sauce if we pack food from outside. Like one stall owner claimed to me “我们只用好的酱油、我们用老抽。” Initially I DIDNT UNDERSTAND him what is Lao Chou but checked mine also 老抽 but coz ours is low-sodium so tastes different. 

Black soy sauce -  I use premium black soy sauce which is a little sweeter than usual

Salt - not the cheap cheap table salt but I use Himalayan or seasalt

Oyster sauce - I use the premium one without all the enhancer or flavour enhancer shit. It is thicker, richer and less sodium. 

Black vinegar - once mom told me the vinegar we used at home is not nice, suggested to use a dog brand. I bought that and hubby hated that. He bought back the previous vinegar, well maybe coz he was accustomed to the taste of the vinegar my MIL used? 

Honey - if you are not aware, the honey sold off the shelf are laden with sugar! I go for those really UMF honey and the taste is totally different 

Sugar - I omit. I used to use my lakanto but it does give an aftertaste coz of erythritol

So really home can use better quality, WHETHER MY FAMILY CAN ACCEPT THE LOUSY TASTING FOOD IS ANOTHER.  

No MSG indicated in most recipes but eh…..there are MSG in sauces. So I make sure whatever sauces I buy do not have MSG inside, even the chicken stock cubes I buy those without MSG. Ideally should make my own since I have a Thermomis but I’m so lazy. 

I asked lil’ one have she ever wondered why they only like my 3 dishes? - fried rice (Haochi), egg porridge and mee hoon kueh soup (chicken stock cube) . Such that when I cook cleanly they ALL refuse my food! 

It really does take a whole load of EFFORT in re-educating the family. I mean I’m not an angel when it comes to eating healthily, but when I went into the keto route I realised how much of junk I put in my body. I want them to change coz when they’re eating outside during lunch; have gatherings with friends etc they already put in. BUT MY FAMILY IS EXTREMELY STUBBORN. 

To make my point I chanced upon these info in Health Hub. 

LOW - SODIUM

https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/nutrition-hub/healthy-recipes?utm_source=mediacorp-brandstudio&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=fy24-salt&utm_content=fy24-salt_mediacorp-brandstudio_video_chefbob-tastetest#filter-lower-sodium-recipes

Prepack soup

Was at a lost on what soup to cook for our meals until I came across these prepacks online and ordered them. Ordered tea packs too. They’re quite costly tho very very convenient for lazy people like me. Will give them a try and review (if I ever remember) them another time.

1) handmade soothing throat tea $9.90

2) ladies nodes dissolve tea bag $10.90

3) liver protection tea bag $20.90

4) morel mushroom dangshen black tea walnut soup $13.90

5) lotus root peanuts soup $8.90

6) papaya eye bean soup $6.90

7) water chestnut sugar cane dessert $7.90

8) white radish scallop cuttlefish soup $11.90

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More information about the teas and soup

1) Benefits :

• Reduce Phlegm and Heatiness
• Ease sore throat or loss of voice
• Nourish Lung

2) Benefits :

• anti-oxidation and anti-aging
• Improve sleeping quality
• Dissolve knot and blood stasis
• Regulate emotion

3) Benefits :

• - Liver Nourishing
• - Lung Nourishing
• - Helps with eye vision
• - Benefit those staying up late e.g night shift workers
• Reduce body heatiness
• - Boost The Blood & Qi

4) Benefit:

• Immunity Boosting, Especially For Kids
• Brain Boosting, Especially For Kids
• Help to grow taller for young children
• Strengthen spleen and stomach
• Improve appetite

5) Benefits: Boost immune system and Nourish spleen and stomach

I believe this will taste nicer than the one I boil 😂, they may not want to drink my soup next time. 

6) Benefit:

• Family Immunity Boosting
• Strengthen spleen and stomach

7) Benefit:

• Relieves Coughing
• Nourishing Lung & Throat

8) Benefit:

• Family Immunity Boosting
• Strengthen spleen and stomach
• Nourishing Lung