a month away?

MKLand has promised us Flora residents that the F block shall be ready by next month. I am preparing for that. Both my wife and I are anxious to move into our new home, as well as anxious about the payments we will need to start our life out there on our own.

Everyone has different degrees of comfort. It certainly does not help me to prepare a budget as though I have RM100,000 in the bank and I am willing to pay RM50,000 for the electricals, fittings, furniture and other homey stuff. So naturally, we went window shopping.

We calculated that the basics will cost us at least RM7000. This includes a fridge/refridgerator unit, a washer, and a dryer. No kitchen yet. And since we already have a bed, some lighting, a steamer, a toaster, a juice maker, and some other stuff, I think we'll be OK in terms of urban survival for the first few months.

The other day I had to pop the question to a friend of mine, who happens to be a consultant for kitchens and restaurants. RM4000 is "a very small budget" for a stove hob-exhaust fan-oven combo. I scratched my noggin. His one cost RM12000, and that was just for a stove hob and the exhaust fan. I scratched my noggin again. I proceeded to ask no further.

Later in the evening, my mom suggested I should just go with a cheap RM50 brandless dual-burner stove top. I was thinking more along the lines of some cheap-ass pasar malam single cookers that have as many holes as a fly has compound eyes. Those are the ones good char koay teow sellers tend to use. I thought it might help my cooking. Mom retorted something along the lines that implied my gas tank will empty faster than I can finish cooking a proper dish.

So....... I don't know. It's hard to compare RM-thousands worth of stainless steel metal and cast-iron grill and a RM50 cooker that simply does its job.

But then, how do you compare washing machines? I guess since I am trained in the ways of electronics and electricals, I have some vague idea. But only for a bit.

I just get really tired and frustrated that Malaysia doesn't have a website that helps me to do comparison tests on electrical appliances and home furnishings and gas cookers of different brands and models. Thankfully, the ESH guy was pretty knowledgeable, but I'd have to take his word for it.

Bah....... one more month to go.