The Good Egg

I was in a baking mood this past weekend. Must be the rain. It was windy and raining outside. Inside, the sweet smell of baking filled the house. The oven heat slowly warmed up the house (at least the kitchen area). Perfect thing to do on a rainy day.

So I baked a kasutera on Saturday with Robert. On Sunday, I made a kahlua chocolate cake for Julia, who visited me in the morning. Then I went for the ultimate cream puffs in the afternoon.

All three used similar ingredients, but added the eggs in different ways. For kasutera, it was 3 whole eggs and 9 egg yolks and white in the form of meringue. For kahlua, it was 4 whole eggs right into the mixture. For cream puffs, it was adding eggs one at a time. Hmmm... same egg, different process, different result.

I wonder how did people know what to do with these eggs? Well, lucky me. I just have to make and eat the cake.

Egg. It's a good thing.

Canvas in the Sky

There were lots of clouds but it wasn't a cloudy day. I walked out of the door this morning and was greeted by this beautiful scene right before my eyes. I was mesmerized.

These were not the usual thick clouds that covered the entire sky and they weren't those puffy cotton candy clouds either. Each one seemed to glow and trimmed with gold. The entire sky - as far as I could see - was decorated by these glowing clouds. It was such a rare sight.

What kind of cloud formation is this? After googling, I want to say this is the "Alto cumulus" cloud formation. Correct me if I am wrong please. Inquiring mind wants to know!!!

I learned that different cloud formation forms under different weather conditions. "alto" clouds are mid level clouds that may bring some precipitation but they are not rain clouds. Hmmm, maybe that was why it was kind of humid today.

The clouds spread out for everyone to see. A magnificent display only Nature knew how to do. Lucky people like those of us who left the house early got a very special treat.

Of course all things come to an end. These altos were gone by midday. We were back to the plain old blue sky.

Viva Chile!

Wow! Just can't peel myself away from watching the rescue effort that's currently underway to bring all 33 miners up from 2,300 ft below. I'm totally fascinated by the ingenious engineering and the incredible human will power to stay alive and to remain undeterred.

I wonder what was going through each miner's mind in those lonely 15 minutes traveling through rocks in the dark. Night and day, life and death. It's all so close...

What is equally incredible is the bravery of the two rescuers who descended to the cave in that tiny capsule. Just watching the capsule being lowered through that tiny hole into the darkness gave me a sense of claustrophobia. Wow! Hats off to you, rescuers!!

69 days. These 33 miners are the lucky ones. They were located; they got light, food, medicine, beer, computers and their country was determined to get them out. Not every miner in mine accidents were so fortunate.

Soon, this will be a very famous history of how human perseverance and modern technology saved 33 men from a impossible situation. It's almost like the rescue mission of Apollo 13. If there's a will, then there is a way.

Life is precious and that's why people work tirelessly to bring these miners home. We all should count our blessings.

Updated: I recommend the book 33 Men by Jonathan Franklin.