My husband won’t eat boiled eggs if the surface is not smooth, so I have to be careful when peeling the shell so it doesn’t have pits. This is tricky, and the results are often disappointing.
This afternoon, I tried a new method. I boiled two eggs for about 10 minutes until the shells were darker. After removing them from the pan, I dried them for a few minutes, and hot steam was released.
I cracked the shell of the egg in several places to fully release the steam inside. A few minutes later, I peeled it.
Taraa,,,, the results were perfect. Smooth eggs without pits.
Do you have any other tips for peeling boiled eggs? Please share. Many thanks, my friends.
I am fasting for 30 days of Ramadan. Regarding this fast, I always have three foods available when eating Sahur (early breakfast) or breaking the fast:
a cup of warm tea
fruits or pudding
vitamin D or B complex supplements.
All three rekindle my spirit after not eating or drinking for about 12 hours. After that, I eat rice with side dishes rich in protein and vegetables.
Comfortable, low-heeled, and neutral-colored genuine leather shoes are my go-to choice for various office and outdoor activities. I have long believed that good shoes are valued not for their style but for their comfort.
If we meet, you will see a middle-aged woman wearing plain shoes that might seem old-fashioned. Many other women prefer trendy shoes and high heels. I choose simplicity.
Since I was very young, I have been unable to wear high heels. The maximum heel I can tolerate is only 3 cm. My calves will hurt all day if I force myself.
I feel confident and no longer feel inferior in low-heeled shoes or sandals. That’s what works best for me. I no longer need to pursue the desire to look sexy or taller.
The reality is that my body is indeed petite, you know. No need to feel ashamed.
Sorry, but the best gift I ever received was a gift I gave to myself. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the gifts other people give me, but over time, they give me things I don’t need.
They may give me expensive and niche gifts, something from abroad or a faraway place, but they’re not things I need. I’m only happy for a moment, then I put them away somewhere until I forget.
I appreciate things that I can use every day. Things that look sophisticated or too stylish but can’t be used for everyday purposes end up in a corner of my house.
I like these types of gifts:
Mukena or clothes for prayer
Cosmetics, especially facial serum and lipstick
Biscuits, crackers, dark chocolate, or foods that are low in sugar and carbohydrates
Flowers, especially types I don’t have or rare plants.
Unwanted gifts can lead to unexpected conflicts. You must address this issue honestly and thoughtfully, so don’t overlook its importance!
Once, my husband gave me a pair of high heels. The model was elegant. But I never wear high heels. It was difficult to explain that his gift didn’t suit me.
If I didn’t wear the shoes, my husband would question me. However, if I forced myself to wear them, they would hurt my feet. Eventually, I asked his permission to sell the shoes to my friends and use the money to buy a new pair.
Although disappointed, he agreed. It was a moderate way to solve this problem.
The journey won’t always be easy, but in the journey, we grow and change.
I just returned from an 8-day trip, starting from Jambi City, Pekanbaru, Siak, Bengkalis, Duri, Bukittinggi, Padang, and back to Jambi. That was not an easy trip for me and my husband.
How is my feeling right now? I feel confused. My trip started with explosive joy, but now my mind is full of many thoughts. I need to think and digest everything slowly.
I have experienced this type of fatigue before. This is part of my process for digesting information, which I will use to improve my life in the future. Below are the results of my reflections over several days of the trip:
My siblings, relatives, and the people I meet seem to be getting older and losing their joy in life. Their enthusiasm has been replaced by calmness or resignation, and they appear more tired. Perhaps I look that way to them as well. Am I?
The people I met showed a greater interest in waiting to hear other people’s perspectives. Unlike before, we no longer competed to share our life experiences first.
Meeting children and siblings that I initially thought could ease my anxiety has turned out not to be entirely true. Secretly, something got in and disturbed my mind, such as the lives of my children or my nephews in the future. Can they solve their problems well, not get frustrated easily, and not go crazy?
It seems that my nurturing side as an older person is exaggerated. This is dangerous, I think.
There are still many things that I have to digest slowly. I will get through this and find peace. I hope.
Nature is a place for humans to learn, and that concept has guided me for a long time. My husband often reminds me that not everything is suitable for me. I must filter what I see and selectively choose the good aspects to incorporate into my life.
Yes, I agree with him. I realize that I am not a special woman. I have limitations, but I also have preferences. I will follow the developments in the world regarding the things that interest me.
I like to learn. I admire the achievements of others, not because I want to imitate them, but because I want to learn and maybe apply their philosophy in other activities.
Like today’s experience, I went to an Arabica coffee farm on Sonsang Hill, a small village in West Sumatra Province. The height of the place is about 1100 meters above sea level. I drove the car uphill to reach the destination and continued on foot.
The journey was not easy, but I was enthusiastic. I was happy to see young coffee trees. They grow healthily. Some are already bearing fruit. The view below was nice and soothing.
Some of the lessons I learned today include:
Never stop dreaming of starting a personal project. The coffee farm belongs to my brother-in-law. He lives in Jakarta. Previously, he had so many problems. Finally, he found an opportunity to establish this coffee plantation. Good job.
The location of the plantation is on a hilltop. The difficulty of starting a plantation a year ago must have been very heavy. One must have a strong commitment to achieve success.
Not all efforts will yield results but don’t view it that way. After carefully assessing all the risks and working hard to achieve your goals, let God decide to grant you success. Currently, the price of coffee in the international market is high, and I pray that it will be like that forever so that my brother-in-law will profit from what he has done. But if the opposite happens, there is no need to despair. Try again and wait for the best results.
After the coffee plantation grows well, the surrounding farmers who previously refused to join in planting coffee now start to see it as a potential future business. Humans need good examples. My brother-in-law has set a good example for society. I think it’s a good contribution to the community in this village.
My mother was very creative with household matters. Her cooking was delicious, and her Lebaran cakes were famous throughout the neighborhood. She also enjoyed making handicrafts.
She was very diligent when she was my age. Even though we lived in different cities, I often asked her for help with cooking Rendang and Dendeng, which she would send to me in Jambi. While I can cook Rendang myself, her version is much more delicious.
I was a teenager when she asked me to make a hand-embroidered pillowcase, my first project with my mother. The pillowcase still existed far after she died. I am proud to have done that in between my duties and completing my education.
Although her education only reached the junior high school level, she diligently acquired skills by herself. My sister and I often joke that our mother was more clever than our father, who was a college graduate. It’s just that she didn’t have the same opportunity to attend college as he did.
It was my mother’s intelligence that was passed down to me. Thank you, Ma.
For some people, possessions are not for their own enjoyment. They might give them to others without thinking twice. They don’t expect anything in return or gratitude.
I refer to Sultan Syarif Kasim II of Siak Indrapura. I visited his palace during my trip for a reunion with my brother.
This sultan is known in Indonesian history for donating 13 million gulden to the Indonesian government at the beginning of independence.
His sense of nationalism must have been very high. However, was there another reason behind his decision?
This sultan inherited wealth from his father, the previous sultan. I saw the remains of the palace and luxury goods purchased from mainland Europe, especially the Netherlands, Germany, and France. In the early 1900s, only very wealthy families could bring in goods from abroad.
This sultan had no children as heirs. Perhaps, for this reason, he donated some of his wealth to the Indonesian struggle at the beginning of independence.
Another thing that convinced me that he no longer wanted wealth was that he also gave a crown full of diamonds to the Indonesian government in addition to the 13 million gulden and declared his sultanate was under the Indonesian government.
No sultanate in the world is quite like the Sultanate of Siak Indragiri, which willingly declared its submission without making any offers or seeking a bargaining position. The sultan even threw the key to the royal safe into the river to avoid any potential conflict within the family over the money and gold stored inside.
In his old age, the king lived a simple and quiet life in his palace. Long after his passing, the people of Siak continued to speak his name with great respect. Even I, not being from Siak, felt a sense of awe when I entered the old palace.
Those who have achieved a certain level of spirituality view money and wealth as ordinary aspects of life. Wealth is merely a tool, not the purpose of existence.
My dream home is simple. A home where I can feel at peace, surrounded by books and flowers, and where I can continue my work as a writer.
Occasionally, I can host extended family and friends and serve meals together while talking and laughing. The home should be beautiful enough and open to nature. From my bedroom and study, I can enjoy coffee or tea.
I hope my husband is not too loud when I need time. He should have enjoyable activities so we can connect while still enjoying each other.
my thoughts on the environment, travel and life reflections 