Happy Merdeka!

Happy National Day to everyone! Has everyone been enjoying this long weekend?

To avoid the dreaded day-before-long-weekend traffic jams, our boss let us go back earlier to work from home. In between juggling reports and replying mails since Hubs was at MIL's place with Bubs, I whipped up this garlic thyme roast chicken.

It looks a lot more complicated than it actually is. Because I like to Live Dangerously, butter was used. Liberally.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, stuff garlic, butter and fresh thyme under the skin. Sprinkle more garlic, thyme over the chicken and for more artery clogging goodness, add butter over the chicken. Trust me on this one.

And because I didn't want to blog up Bub's baby arteries, for the sweet potato coins, I used olive oil Sweet potato is my latest obsession and easy as chips (pun intended) to prepare. I peel them and slice then as thinly as I can get them to be. At first I tried using a veggie peeler to slice them but got fed up so went back to hacking them with a knife.

Pop them into the oven while I get back to more work.

After a while, the whole place smelt heavenly and just when Hubs and Bubs got back, I smugly served them this. To quote a certain furry red monster, ta-daaaa!

I did my duty to boost the retail economy by getting this pair of shoes. Being on a Strict Budget, I contemplated over them for a few days, decided that these were a Necessity and promptly bought them.

Did anyone in Penang go to the Big Bad Wolf book sale at Times Square? There were books galore and surprisingly, not as crowded as I expected it to be, or maybe we were just early. Spotted many childrens' classics (Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, anyone?), whole collections of Roald Dahl, Dr. Seuss, popular fiction like Lisa See and Sophie Kinsella to cookbooks by Gordon Ramsey and Nigella Lawson, it was all an eclectic mix.

I ended up lugging back these. I am crazy over picture books and keep telling Hubs that these are for Bubs but I'm usually the one curled up in bed, reading them and oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the illustrations. Of all the bargains I got, I was the proudest of the Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss collection, marked down from RM500 to RM199 with an additional 10% off for members, score! I didn't grow up with Dr. Seuss but look forward to introducing these to Bubs when he's a little bigger.

Last day for the Big Bad Wolf book sale is tomorrow - opens from 10am to 10pm at Times Square Penang. Be prepared for lotsa bargains ;)