Celebration and Culinary - Life after 40!

It's 6am in the morning, wake up early and now reminisce the moments of past few hours, and recollecting the journey past few months, my heart am so happy that I couldn't sleep. Just cooked up a dinner last night for a couple, spent moments simply sharing the current story of my life, and while I was still grateful of what God has been doing past 1 yr, one of the photographers sent me the link of a recent wedding we did at Shangrila-Hotel, and when I replayed the slideshow, my heart was happy.

I have seen so many wedding pix, but somehow this time, when I looked at my couple's pix, I felt really really happy, contented and fulfilled. I suppose you can say the slideshow reminded me of the consolidated journey I have been on, and the strengths God has perfected in my life to do what I do. 

I rediscovered the fact that I really do love what I do and He has given me everything to excel beyond what I would never have imagined. And this morning, this very fact gives me a new energy and perception to start my writing again. For some of you who know me, I have stopped writing for a while bcos there were events that happened in my life that bring about much disappointments a year ago. Last year on my birthday, I wrote about my trying moments and journey, and it was a birthday I dread to remember. This year, something new happened in my spirit, I remembered a good brother reminded me in 2012, you will think differently after your 40s, and he was right. This year, I moved into my new apartment, and found new joy decorating and making my home the resting place, but beyond that, it is a season in my life that I get to do what I always love to do - hosting parties,  and now with the full freedom of my own space. 

When I was very young, I said a simple prayer : Lord, make me rich. Not just in wealth alone, make me rich in my heart to contain people in my life. And since then, my life has never been the same. My buddies would tell you what I have been through, and I was stretched to contain all kinds of people and, I have understood what love does in your heart and is still a daily journey I embrace.

And I could still remember, even at the age of 10, I was already organising parties for my classmates on Teachers and Children's Day as the class monitor. I love the crafting up and gathering of people, filled with activities and laughter. There is lots of hard work rolling up your sleeves to organise an event, but the thrill of making something new has always been in my blood. And yes, I love to create new things, new ventures and I love to perfect the journey in each of them.

Everyday is an exciting shopping day!

This season of my life - I learn how to cook. Yes, I have never cooked in my life, except a few times I was an expat in Bangkok. Mum always cook, and my role then was to decorate the food. When I was just enrolled in Sec school, I still remembered clearly : the school registrar asked my Dad, so which social skills you want your daughter to learn - Technical or Home Economics (yes in those days, I could still choose my social skills unlike now), and guess what, Dad said : No need Home Economics, she will learn it when she is married, enrol her in Technical skills. I think Dad knows better, so after my year, the girls in schools were then forced into Home Economics, so all my younger sis studied Home Economics, and I am the only one who did it otherwise. So since young, my path of learning has always been different, and frankly, I love it.

Looking back, I am not shy to say I never really cook all these years... and interestingly I think bcos you never get to learn a social skill for so long, that energy within is hidden and ready to explode. I have now become a fanatic in being home cook. Everyday is like attending culinary school, go to work as usual, and after 7pm, I cant wait to rush to supermarket and pick up new veg, new ingredients and try something new again. And because I really love food, I get to critique my own food, and every week is a hosting time with old time buddies and new friends, bcos I can't wait to whip up new dishes.

I love to try new things and perfect it!

Cooking for my office team, and it is a new life!

The adrenaline rush within is ready to be explored...hahaha.. yes Life is beautiful!!!

So I decided why don't I start blogging again, and my buddies stand in agreement. One of them suggested : you should title your blog : Celebrations and Culinary.. and me being candid Hannah added : Yes, I will call it Celebrations and Culinary after 40!

So I trust you will discover the other side of me, other than being a wedding and party planner - the new home cook in town!

My first few dishes - cooking for my beloved family members. My cousins say : Hann, you can cook!