A Singaporean In Australia

Knock knock.

"Dinner's ready!"

The usual knock on my bath door and the call. The first thing coming back from work was straight into the bath. The timing was perfect tonight, I finished my bath just as Jen called out. The aroma of dinner slipped into the room tonight, that wasn't a norm. Together with the 13C cold Autumn evening, it motivated me into changing up quickly.

It was baked rice straight from the oven. The cheese topping, browned to perfection, was a pleasing sight. It was responsible for the aroma that filled the rooms. Herbs were added in the rice generously yet not overpowering. A layer of leftover tomato paste was sandwiched between the artfully prepared rice and the layer of divined baked cheese.

"I wanted to choose a white sauce, but we didn't have that," claimed Penny, who was the masterchef tonight.

I was the one who finished dinner first tonight. Another warm delight lied lurking in the oven. Jen's apple pie. I love apple pie. I love it so much that I tried baking it many times in the past. Never once was I pleased with my produce but apparently Jen had gotten it right after her second try. It was just the way I want it, presentation, texture and taste. I finished my share of pie before the second person started.

Back home, having dinner at 1800hrs or 1900hrs on a working weekday was near impossible, let alone home cooked dinner. Let alone by my wife. Back then, she couldn't cook or bake for nuts. 8 months later, she baked a better pie than I did. Would there be a day when she would cook better than me? I look forward to the day. It isn't that hard, I'm not exactly a good cook.

With an adorable baby, a reinvented wife and fresh home cooked dinner on the table, it was worth working my guts as a sole bread winner. I wouldn't be able to enjoy all these should I stay in Singapore, I don't want to kid myself. It was scary, it still feel scary doing this but I'm beginning to start feeling it is a good idea.