yesterday it was a rather overwhelming 31 degrees, sunny and humid. so there were no steamy bowls of hot soupy noodles at the end of the walk to chinatown as the sun began its descent. instead it was a large plate of vietnamese roast pork and barbeque pork and porky-glass-noodley garnish on rice — three kinds of pork! and tangy pickled carrot and um, radish? and sweet-salty fish saucy dip! slices of cucumber and tomato! how did they fit it all on the plate? how did this overladen plate fit onto the tray with the obligatory bowl of msg and spring onion soup, and a large plastic cup of dried longan drink? how did i eat it all?

i don’t know.

also, i don’t know how today it is 19 degrees and cloudy and drizzly, but it is the perfect weather for getting out of the chiller all those prawn heads left over from yesterday’s farewell-mother lunch, putting them in a pot with some garlic, and simmering away until a rather concentrated prawn stock results. this i will save in the freezer for a(nother) rainy day.

what with the oil burner i lit to temper the prawniness in the air, the house is now filled with a heady aroma of prawns and lavender. it really is not a bad thing.