2010 has not been my technology year so far. First I lost some data on this site, then my computer decided to pass out on me the night I brought tonnes of work home to do. Updates on Peonies will be slow & through my trusty (I hope!) mobile so please bear with us poor souls.

Meanwhile keep rocking!

With much love,
C

Interesting name for a bike that’s so indiscreet. I wish he’ll lose the colour though. I usually like green but it just looks awful on automobiles & bikes.

I heard there is a sale at Mah Motors for those who are interested. Especially if you’re a hardcore Triumph fan like me Daddy.

Our pal Andy stopped over Singapore last week and we had a good time catching up. He moaned that he dreaded going back to the frigging cold in Switzerland and wished he could bring the weather here over.

Be careful what you wish for Andy, for the Ms Sunshine here has a BFF, Ms 100% Humidity, whom she brings along wherever she goes. Everything here rots and gets mouldy almost instantly. And I mean Everything! Just the other day I found a grey belt (which I thought was the strangest thing) during spring cleaning, only to find out on closer inspection it was actually a black belt covered in colonies of furry little mould monsters.

Anyway he sent some pictures soon after he went back, of the house which we stayed in for about a month during our visit 2 years ago. His place is in a nostalgic hillbilly town in Chur, parked on the eastern side of beautiful Switzerland. Almost immediately I missed that place terribly, and the super duper nice Swiss folks.

I took this photo from his window when I was there during our winter visit. It was snowing and so cold.

Andy’s recent pic of  the same window before the snow. Or was it after? Or maybe in between.

Then we decided to go up the mountains. It was so cold I forgot my name.

We took an old school locomotive rail up the mountains. Andy said there is now an express train. It shortens the 1 hour journey to 58 minutes.

Swiss technology, isn’t it amazing?

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I have a confession to make.

*deep breathe*

I have an uncanny love for elephants. I LOVE elephants.

There I’ve said it. I feel so relieved and released.

Every time I travel, and especially to Thailand, I must buy an elephant item. If I don’t, I wouldn’t be able to sleep and can’t board the flight until I’ve plough the streets and found a nice elephant article. That might explain why I love all things Thai so much. The Thais know their stuff.

These are a small fraction of some of the elephant memorabilias I’ve gathered over the years.

During my last trip to Bangkok last month, I tried to buy these elephants.

Unfortunately my request was firmly rejected by D-man.

I wonder why. Could be a luggage issue.

I also wonder why everyone has a special animal close to their heart, and the symbolic meaning of that animal to one.  As far as remember I loved elephants (besides the 687 other animals) but can’t really put a finger to why I simply do.

I read once that human love animals for their special traits, character and strengths. For instance if you love birds, you might wish you could soar freely into the skies like birds do.

If that’s the case, it might be in my wildest dreams that I could trample freely in the wild, always move in herds, be larger than life and yet kill no animal for food.

At least in one aspect I’m very elephant-ish. I am petrified of rats.

Thank you Disney for the tickets!

I don’t think I should write too much on it, except that I beg you to please watch it if there’s an ounce of fun and imagination in you.

Chocoholics be warned. One is never enough!
This is one of the simplest chocolate cake recipe I know, requiring only 5 ingredients, and is very difficult to go wrong.

Ingredients (makes 15 small muffin size cakes)
300gm semi-sweet chocolate chips
300gm unsalted butter
5 large eggs
120gm brown sugar
115gm self-raising flour

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In the shape of a Chinese Junk. I had to rub my eyes to be sure it was not an illusion. How cute is that? Anyone knows where I can get something like that?

Sorry I couldn’t resist, especially since it’s the last day of Lunar New Year!

Once upon a time there were 2 dogs. Their owners went to Thailand for a holiday during the festives, and bought the dogs new beds out of guilt. The dogs love their new beds.
The End.

The dogs specifically asked for beds in animal prints, because it’s so in.

It’s so cushy she gets lost inside.

“I’m not trading!”

Is there anything those genious Thais can’t make? I would love one for myself if it came in my size. I actually asked the shop owner. He was too polite to mention I might be a little too big.

It’s a classic of the classics, it’s Tim Burton, Johnny Depp is in it, and it’s by Disney.  What can go wrong with a movie like that?

Click here to watch the official trailer.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

May the Tiger Year bring you progress in your financial journey.

Over the past several weeks, Aunty Scroogey has seen hordes of people queuing up at the Toto booth, hoping to strike the jackpot. The Aunty just hope that these winners are equipped with adequate knowledge of how to manage their ‘big money’.

Click on these links to read about lottery winners who are eventually left penniless (or almost).

Jobless man blows $390,000 in 6 months
Teen spent all of her Lotto fortune in few years
13 million windfall long gone

We’ve talked about how to handle small money – that is, money that you earn on a regular, recurring basis, which may not be large in amount (eg monthly salary). And the best way to handle this would be to apportion it in the ratios 70%, 20%, 10% (http://thepeonies.com/relativity/) or whatever ratios that you are currently living on, say 60%, 20%, 20% or 80%, 10%, 10%.

How then do we handle big money such as bonus, lottery winnings or a windfall gain from selling your house? Assuming no debts to settle, it would be sensible to apportion it in the reverse of your small money ratio. In Aunty Scroogey’s case (where the small money ratio is 70: 20: 10), the Aunty typically uses her annual bonus in the following way: 70% – savings/investments, 20% – payment of income tax & charity donation, 10% – for purchase of frivolous items. The key point is, make sure you have a plan of how to deal with your big money before you lay your hands on it. Without a plan, you might just lose track of the amount you spent and before you know it, there’s hardly anything left. Do remember – financial planning is not an option, it is a responsibility.