groceries a chore, but with closed ones its a delight

Have you ever been forced to do something, which would bore you to death and you do it week after week after week, doing the same thing for the same purpose on the same day around the same time and wasting half of your day. yes for those who stay at home under your parent's roof and don't lift a finger;this is grocery shopping.

Like the table of contents in a book, it was an agenda for every saturday around 12. We caught the 12.15 bus and headed to on of the nearer towns called Glen Waverly. Well, there is nothing much there, a few asian grocers, hair dresser, a few banks, a cinema, a slot machine gaming area(Tabarets) and a shopping complex equivalent to the size of Pyramid back at Sunway.

First on the list was to keep out stomachs quiet, because most of us didnt bother waking up early to eat any breakfast. The "grand tofu" was our destination. I had the today's special which was crispy hainanese chicken rice for 8.20 AUSD. Being enthusiastic as specials would taste fulfilling, that was my hopes as well as Joleen and Kit Mey. The meal was nothing special but brownish blackish burnt on the skin of the hainanese chicken. The portion was ridiculous, it was just a drumstick with a bit of thigh on it, which was very small for an australian portion and the standart mold of rice from a chinese bowl.what the heck meal is this? i had enough of scrutinizing it and stating questions in my mind all within the few seconds while the waitress handed the "meals" to us, so i shoveled voraciously with a feeble attempt to keep myself satisfied.

Today i had extra plans on this day,
1. Get my eyes checked
2. Buy some special spices for my Asian style pork chop i was going to cook tonight.
3. Look for formal pants for the MRS ball

I went to 3 optometrists in the Glen Waverly shopping complex, and to my astonishment, it will cost me 60 AUSD to just get my eyes checked. If i was a PR in australia, i could just flash my medicare card and the bill can be claimed from taxes(bulk billing is what they call it over here). Desperate for an eye check but now willing to spend, i guess ill just wait to check out the campus center's optometrist to see whether its any cheaper, if its not, ill just have to pay for it. Back in malaysia you would have to pay NOTHING for an eye check so paying an amount like this some what made me a scrooge.

All of us were shopping for ball clothes and all of us were just too dissapointed with the prices as we converted it to what it usually costs back home. Some of us half-heartedly bought some clothes. I was saving my money for a better buy for a buck in the city.

So we went about doing our weekly grocery shopping routine after that(to Safeway and then the asian grocer). It was suprising how the day felt so short with your friends around there to keep you company, say stupid things, give you constructive criticism, keeping tabs on your emotional state, exchanging view and life plans and plainly having a good time together,

We then got back home about, 5.45. I didnt have time to rest, remember the special spices i needed to buy? yeah i was planning to cook this. :). Trying hard not to dissapoint my panel of judges, instead of marinating the chops for 6 hours in the fridge, i had to boost the prep time by 3o minutes in the freezer. heh! Followed everything in the recipe but the sherry. My friends said my replica tasted good, i was content.

Asian-Style Pork Chop Bake

Submitted by: Valerie Serao

"Baked loin pork chops with an Asian citrus flair. The marinade will thicken in the oven, creating a thick glaze for the meat." Original recipe yield: 6 servings. Servings: 6 (change)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 dash ground allspice
• 6 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops