chayohome2020

Andrea’s Advice: Time to Get your Home Hacks Together!

If you meet Andrea, you will never imagine that once upon a time she was happily living a “life of order in disorder”, as she now describes it. She comes across as an organised and efficient lady who gets things done! When we had a chat about this blog, she got straight to business: “WhenContinue reading “Andrea’s Advice: Time to Get your Home Hacks Together!”

Val’s Amazing Lunch Boxes

What’s amazing about Val’s lunch boxes is that Val cooks the most amazing meals while coping with a demanding job as a nurse during the pandemic. We can imagine healthcare professionals arriving home exhausted with little time to rest before reporting to work again. I had heard a lot about Val’s famous lunch boxes, soContinue reading “Val’s Amazing Lunch Boxes”

P’Pew’s Mum’s Arroy Chicken Recipe

P’Pew is a childhood friend of mine. You might be wondering how to pronounce P’Pew. (The P’ is pronounced as the letter P, so it is “Pee Pew”.) Phi or P’ is the way Thais address an older person in a familiar way. It actually means “elder brother” or “elder sister”. The idea is thatContinue reading “P’Pew’s Mum’s Arroy Chicken Recipe”

A Reason for Every Season

I never really understood the expression “Season’s Greetings” on cards. One would be expected to be more specific about the season. I have been getting photographs from friends in different countries, and they all look the same because there is snow covering gardens and garden furniture. It’s definitely the season of winter. In many countriesContinue reading “A Reason for Every Season”

“The Coconut is Not a Nut” Story

I don’t know if you have heard Ryan Cayabyab’s song “Da Coconut Nut“. It talks about the coconut not being a nut. The coconut is not a nut, it’s a fruit, although there has been lengthy discussions on the issue. But it’s not just a fruit, it’s an amazing fruit. I discovered its amazing propertiesContinue reading ““The Coconut is Not a Nut” Story”

“Stretching the Turkey” lesson

For some reason, turkey isn’t everyone’s favourite meat, especially in South East Asia. It might be because you need an oven to bake it in, and not every household has a big oven or an oven. Most of the time, when turkey is served at home (in South East Asia) it would be bought alreadyContinue reading ““Stretching the Turkey” lesson”

The Curry in a Hurry Lesson

At my first attempt at cooking curry, I learnt that I couldn’t cook curry in a hurry. It all started when I found what looked like a bar of soap with the words “coconut cream” and a curry recipe on it in a grocery store in London. It seemed like the solution to what doContinue reading “The Curry in a Hurry Lesson”

Cooking and the Web

The Internet has changed the way we learn. There is no doubt about it. There are people who have learnt to swim before entering the sea. I knew someone who loved to swim. She would be the first person swimming in the sea when we went to the beach. The amazing thing is that sheContinue reading “Cooking and the Web”

The Priceless Gift

I started my first job during the time that there was “car-pooling” to work. It meant that if there were four people in a car, there wasn’t a need to pay the toll to get into the CBD area (Central Business District). The lady who gave me a lift to work everyday lived in myContinue reading “The Priceless Gift”

Home Protection: Monkey-Proofing

I never imagined that “home safety and protection” could include protection from monkeys. Although, come to think of it, when I was a child, I had a shock when the neighbours called out to us from their fence to tell us that there was an intruder in our garden – an iguana! It was hugeContinue reading “Home Protection: Monkey-Proofing”