Accidental Deletion of Files

I have accidentally deleted at least 1-2 thousand of my latest photographs a few days ago. I normally have backup of my files but it so happened that I have not done it consistently lately. My photos are kept in a large external drive.

One Sunday, I was trying to clean up my disk and found a directory called System Volume Information with 9GB on it. I was surprised that I could access it and then I found lots of photographs amongst other things in that directory. So I started to delete the directory and also check to see whether the "actual" files also get deleted. They seemed negative. So I started to "clean" the directory. Only later after I reboot, I found what the system did and to my horror, my latest photos are mostly gone!

System Volume Information is a directory whereby Microsoft used it to "roll back". I am still wondering why is this done on my portable drive. Therefore, you may want to remove this function in a safe way if it is not wanted. So be careful with is directory.

Esther and Stephanie passed their exam
It is good to know that both of them have passed their 3rd year medical! Their biggest concern is the much feared OSCE where A grade student also fail. There are two more years to go.

Congratulation to them and all those who have passed. For those who didn't make it due to the much feared OSCE, just be "cool" next time. Take a deep breath may help. Just don't panic.

For Janice, her exam is still a few more weeks away. Study hard, ok!?

For those who don't know what is OSCE, click here.

Sweden thru the eyes of Esther
At the Botanical Garden

One of the parks in Lund, Sweden

9:30PM Summer Sky in Lund, Sweden

10:30PM and the summer sky is still bright!

Professor treat them to a dinner in his garden

Prastost cheese (the smallest available but very nice)

The cheapest bread available. Cost RM9.

Her Room in her apartment

The shared kitchen in her 2-room apartment

Organic Fruit Juice
A friend has an organic farm in Sibu. He planted a lot of fruits tree. During weekend, he would return to Miri with a load of assorted fruits. Often he make them to delicious juice...
Papaya

Blend different type of fruits, sugar cane, papaya, guava, sugar cane juice, soup sop, etc.

And this is the outcome! Delicious drink full of natural goodness.

MINISTRY VS JOB

Some people have a JOB in the church; others involve themselves in a MINISTRY.

What's the difference?

If you are doing it just because no one else will, it's a JOB.

If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it's a MINISTRY.

If you quit because somebody criticized you, it was a JOB.

If you keep on serving, it's a MINISTRY.

If you'll do it only as long as it does not interfere with your other activities, it's a JOB.

If you are committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it's a MINISTRY.

If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you, it was a JOB.

If you stay with it even though nobody recognizes your efforts, it is a MINISTRY.

It's hard to get excited about a JOB.

It's almost impossible not to be excited about a MINISTRY.

If our concern is success, it's a JOB.

If our concern is faithfulness, it's a MINISTRY.

An average church is filled with people doing JOBs.

A great and growing church is filled with people involved in MINISTRY.

Where do we fit in? What about us?

If God calls you to a MINISTRY, don't treat it like a JOB.

If you have a JOB, give it up and find a MINISTRY.

God does not want us feeling stuck with a JOB, but excited and faithful to Him in a MINISTRY.

Author: unknown

Tamu Mihibbah - Native market
Native market is perhaps the most interesting. They have all kinds of goodies for sales.
This is a type of jungle product call petai. To eat, the shell is peeled off and the seeds are fried with balacan, chili/ikan belis (anchovies) . It has a strong smell, so strong that after consumption, you smell them when you pee, sweat or when you breath out!! I understand it is very nutritious.

This banana is for "frying", ie, making pisang goreng (banana coated with batter and deep fried, ie, banana fritters). In UK, they have "cooking apple" and here we have "cooking banana" ... hahaha. Fair, right? By the way, this banana is also very special in the sense that each tree bears only a few pieces, probably around 6-12. So far, I haven't seen a big bunch.

This creeper is extremely bitter - suppose to help those with diabetic!

Native bringal... sour in taste. For cooking curry, assam fish/fish head/tom yam/ikan bilis. Best for cooking soup.

Yam... boil them, fry them, etc. For frying, the skin must be peeled off first.

Tapioca - for making soup or cake.

Assorted goodies , veggie seed, utensil, etc.

This is yeast for making rice wine.

The best rice money can buy.

They have lots of assorted local (high land) rice. Very fragrant.

Esther is now in Sweden
Esther had her last exam paper on Wednesday (21 May 08) afternoon. On Thursday morning, she went to change some Danish krone and Swedish Krona. On Thursday afternoon, she cooked some food (rice + roasted chicken) so that she could take along for her long journey. She left Leeds on Thursday afternoon at 4:00PM by coach arriving London at 8:30PM. Then she proceeded to Heathrow Terminal 1 for a Danish flight to Copenhagen at 6:40AM the following morning (Friday morning). She didn't sleep for the whole night. Then she took a 45 minutes train ride to Lund, Sweden, at a cost of 110 Danish K (almost RM80). She reported at Lund University immediately. By the time she found her apartment, it was afternoon. She was completely knocked off by 4:00PM local time after 30 straight hours of no sleep. She managed to MSN with me and after 3 lines, there was silence! I think she was literally knocked out! hahaha. Anyway, this is an experience of a life time for her.

Her photos can now be viewed at her photobucket.

Visit to Tamu Muhibbah
This tamu (market) is interesting. You can literally buy anything from green farm produce to native wild product, etc etc. I will post later for the other pictures I took last Saturday.
Lemon Grass - a type of spice

Lady Finger

Spring onion and parsley

Local lettuce

Cai sim

King's veggie (Sayur Raja)

Baby corn shoot

Bai Cai (Literal translation: white vegetable)

Kang Kong (in Hong Kong/China it is know as Kong Sin Cai)

Long Bean

Siow Bai Cai

Kai Lan

Pure Breed Dog Exhibition & Contest 2008
This morning after church, we went to see a dog exhibition and contest organised by Miricommunity.net. Quite a lot of nice dogs. We went there a little late and missed the demo by K-9. To see more pictures, please go over to my entry at miricommunity.com.


"Big dog" category champion

"Small dog" category champion

Me and my "garden"
I have three "bushes" of banana. I may call them "unhealthy" because they lack nutrient. The bunches of fruit weren't that big anymore. Anyway, this is how baby banana looks like. See the new shoot coming out from the base of the trunk.
The soil near the banana bush used to be yellow clay 25 years ago. However, after so many years of long grass, cutting, burning, etc, the patch now has some one foot deep "top soil" with plenty of earthworms.
Since Tuesday, I have been "gardening" and you can see 4 beds with ashes spread on the top ready for planting. The ashes were from the dry grass, leaves and branches. There are two more beds elsewhere in my humble garden. Normally, I have visitors like butterflies, small snakes, dragonflies, etc in the garden. But now, they are all gone as the land is now barren... haih, good and bad. On the far end, you see the mango tree with brownish leaves due to fire.
I have planted "King's veggie" and one bed of sweet potatoes.
This is the fruit from that "coconut" mango tree. This tree is from my late father. It is about 20 years old now. The fruit is extra sweet but doesn't really produce much. It is unlike the kuinin tree (local mango) which is taller than the house.
Ever wonder why I worked so hard? You can imagine me sweating all over. Ya, the motivation is from my poor blood test result which showed a "total cholesterol" of 6.0 mmol/L. This should ideally be less than 5.2.
This also reminded me the tip to good health from the bible:
Gen 3:17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Gen 3:18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

God threw out Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden because of their disobedient by listening to the serpent. God demand obedient just like our own parents demand obedient from the children.

I need to sustain with the work in the garden. I need to produce lots of veggie, etc. Now that the land is barren, I must do something quickly. I need to knock off from work latest by 5:00pm.

Cell Group
Introducing the "stars" of my cell: Amber
She is the cutest... we all adore her! She is less than 3 years old and love to post for pictures!
Amber with Angeline... see, she post like a star!
Angeline, Roseline and Grace.
Our very special couple... they taught us sign language. They will be in front of our group using sign language to sing. So we also learn sign language!
Peter was having severe stomach pain last night. So we went over to see him and at the same time drop into Regina's cell to see how is every thing going. James said they are a super dynamic group with 17 people last night!