The Welcomed Guests 3

I know I owe some friends on the story of the progress of my welcomed guests – the bird(s).

Remember the entries on the two eggs? And the nestlings? Well, on one scorching hot day in May, one of the lil birds died. Apparently the nestling couldn’t survive the heat since the nest was facing the beastly hot evening sun on that May 13. My maid Nani took the dead bird and buried it on the side of the road. Poor birdie.

So we were left with one, which was named "Spikey".

We waited for it to grow its feathers and all, and we were so amazed with the rapid changes it made. The feathers seemed to grow like an inch a day!

The first four pix were taken on May 15.

*We put it on the Golden Chain plant while it waited for its mom. Feathers are not fully grown yet


*Still waiting for Mommy...

*Mommy's finally here!


*Hanis was so excited. Her Spikey was so manja with her!


* May 17 - Spikey on Hanis's shoulder


* June 8 - Another new egg in the same nest. I'm not sure whether it came from the same couple or not. The egg is quite small compared to the old ones. I doubt it will hatch though :{


Spikey left us when he knew how to fly on May 20. But we could still hear him chirping away up on that tall tree behind our house and my Hanis would go "Pie-tee, tumb here!" Budak pelat, LOL!

My dear old friend, Che Sepachendera

Thank you Google. Today I just found out that my dear old friend’s name was Che Sepachendera.

She was around 90 years old when I first saw her. I was around 6 at that time. She was old, but never frail. We bonded up pretty fast, and she became my bestfriend ever since... until I said goodbye to her when we moved out when I was 15.

You see, my family used to live in a teacher’s quarters on a school compound. Most who lived in the quarters (7 families altogether) were either working in Pejabat Pelajaran or teachers elsewhere. Like my AYAH, who taught in SAHC/KSAH from 1/6/1968 - 31/12/1980. The house that we lived in was a small one-story semi-d. There was a small river behind my house. It was located in the compound of Sekolah Rendah Tunku Abdul Halim, Kampung Baru, Alor Setar - an all-boys primary school. The whole area was fenced up in a 7-8 feet of brick wall.

And Che Sepachendera was my neighbor. The oldest one there, but no doubt the strongest one of the lot. She’d never fail me. She’d be there for me, rain or shine. I'd spend my time with her almost everyday. I adored her so much but I never bothered to know her name then. So ignorant of me.

Sigh.

My sister, brothers, girlfriends, boyfriends and I used to play with her all the time. We’d walk around her, hugging her all the way until we made one complete round. We’d sing songs, play hide-and-seek and tell ghost stories when we were with her. Somehow with her, the ghost stories seemed so real. I guess it was because she was old, and ghost stories went extra-ummph with her around.

I remember one enormous tree in the compound. A Pokok Pukul Lima -which was really humungous. We were told that the tree was hundreds of years old. The roots were so large and protruding that we loved to play on them all the time. On school days, the SRTAH boys would even climb up that tree!

We used to play in our big compound which I think had 5 buildings for classrooms, one canteen, one building for outdoor toilets, a covered space for bicycles/cars, two badminton courts, one big field, two small fields, long/high-jump sand-pit, enormous trees and some climbing areas - where we could play rounders, toi (galah panjang), roller skates, hide and seek, police and thieves, buaya-katak, lumba lari, batu tujuh, jengkek, and many other made-up games.. or simply lazing around.

Oh how I missed those days... when your mind was free and you had nothing to worry about. You laughed, played and played and only came home when it was Maghrib or when your mom called out for you.

And in all those times, this old friend of mine would watch out for us. I knew then that she also watched out for the hundreds of SRTAH boys, whom I believe worshipped her too.

That was my Che Sepachendera....
Istana Che Sepachendera to be exact.




Pictures taken from here, TQ:) This is the short write-up on her :
"The Sepachendera Palace was an old palace situated at Jalan Kampung Baru, Alor Star, also known as 'Istana Kampung Baru'. This palace was built by the late Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah in 1882 for his first wife, Che Sepachendera upon his ascension to the royal throne. The architectural design of the palace has the influence of Thai architecture".

And I found an entry on her by Kotastar. TQ Pak Non :)

I cried when I first saw the pictures. There she was, looking so old and lonely... and beckoning me. Oh, how I missed her!

Goodbye MJ

It's a sad day today. MJ's gone.

I first fall in ‘love’ with him when he was with Jackson 5. The song BEN was my favorite, even until now.

I had my first on-stage dance performance in MRSM Kulim - with his song Off The Wall. It was Friday Night Special2, May 1980. I was in Form 2 then.

I was always amazed at how smooth a dancer he was.

And a brilliant singer.

Goodbye MJ.

Black or White, you’ll be missed dearly.

Pesta Malam Indonesia 3

Don’t ask me why we went. Tak pernah umat I pi concerts!

But somehow, on Saturday we went to Bukit Jalil for Pesta Malam Indonesia 3 and joined the crowd of bapak-bapak, ibu-ibu, mbak-mbak, om-om and many fellow Malaysians to enjoy the sounds of five Indonesian bands – Padi, Andra and the Backbone, Sheila on 7, Gigi and Dewa 19. I love Indonesian band songs, so what the heck – sekali-sekala!

Our group comprised of Dear Hubby, Hanna, Hasya, Haifa, my maid Nani, my nephew Zhafri and his friend Wafiy.

Here are some pix I took. I'll try to include the slides later :)

Duta of So7 - energetic performer & a friendly chap :





















Armand of Gigi - wow, this guy was simply awesome!





















Once of Dewa - love his songs :





















Ahmad Dhani of Dewa - also love his songs :





















And today I was on leave. Spent some time with Dear Hubby. Also did some serious gardening. There goes my manicure!

Double “Happy” Day

First of all – HAPPY 45th BIRTHDAY Kak Anim!

Kak Anim, I know I’ll be late posting this today, that was why I called you after midnite just to wish you. Sorry to have woken you up from your slumber :) We were having our midnite snacks at Kayu after our outing at Bukit Jalil last nite and I wanted to be the first to wish you. But apparently your son has already beaten me to it!

So here’s wishing you the best in life – panjang umur, murah rezeki, good health and great love. May you be blessed with successful endeavors and nurtured with patience and imaan.

And you know what, I want to post one pic here. It was of you in London, Spring of 1982. I was still in Form 4 when I got this pic from you.

You were still 17+ at that time. So, what’s so special about it? It's because of the flowers there, Kak Anim. I was so enchanted with them that I put this pic on the inside of my locker. Everytime I opened the locker door, I’d envision myself being there! But that didn’t happen...hahaha... but I guess that started the love I have in flowers. (Mak started my love in plants much-much earlier). Have a great day! LOVE you!

Secondly, it’s Father’s Day today. So, Happy Father’s Day to all daddies out there!

To these important men in my life – Dear Hubby, AYAH, Bemmie, Benjie and Adik – Have a good one today!

Spending Quality Time

The 2-week school holiday’s finally over. The first week was spent in the hospital and at home since my Haifa and my Hanis were still under quarantine. We had visitors - my parents, my sister and BIL who came to send my nephew off to UIA. The second week was indeed quality time spent with the children and Dear Hubby. We had a great and relaxing 3D2N at Palace of the Golden Horses Hotel. They were in the swimming pool until they changed colors!

Me? I didn’t set even one toe into the pool! And I didn’t even read a single line from the books I brought with me. I’d usually read at least one book every time we stayed at the hotel. But this time, I was just being plain lazy. I took hundreds of photos of my children in the pool and around the hotel when we had our evening walks. Most of the time I stayed on the balconies of our four units, facing the pool and watched my loved ones creating havoc with their antics :)

The kids in the pool with the maids


Watching them enjoying themselves made my heart went soft. And my whole being was blanketed with unagitated state and calmness that was very hard to explain. The breeze that played over my face carried the sound of their contagious laughters, and I sat there feeling such joy from all of that. That was a reflection of a contented life. Alhamdulillah.


My Haifa and my Hasya feeding the fish

The spots on Hasya, Haifa and Hanis’s hands, feet and mouths from Coxsackie were all gone. We brought the girls to see Night at the Museum 2 and Zac Efron’s 17 Again. Watching 17 Again really made me feel so old, and I thought – would I go back to 1983 - when I was 17 - if I were given the chance to do that? Would I make any changes in the past?

Maybe I’d appreciate my family, friends and teachers more, strategize any paths to be taken, look positively at all angles in life and... be more open by letting go of any bottled-up feelings that I had with certain people I knew then. And of course I'd study HARDER! Who knows I’d be multi-millionaire ka....hahaha!


My Hasya and my Hanis


Anyway, later in the week, we did some gardening together. Dear Hubby and I went to Sungai Buloh to get some new plants. Penuhla jugak satu kereta.

The girls helped, of course, especially my Haifa who planted weeds (read: not marijuana!), instead of getting rid of them, LOL!

School Holidays with.... Coxsackie

(Updated : pictures of spots on hands and feet as I've been asked to show how HFM disease looks like...)

Last week on Monday, my Hasya came to me and showed a blister on her tongue.
“Sakitlah Ibu”, she complained.

“Maybe Hasya tergigit kot. It’s ok, it will go away in 2-3 days”, I said. So Oral Aid came to the rescue that night.

Then my Haifa showed me some red dots on the soles of her feet.
“Ibu, sakit sangatlah. Haifa tak boleh pijak. Haifa rasa Haifa pijak batu masa swimming semalam. Boleh tak Haifa pakai sandal pergi sekolah esok?”

“You might as well wear your Nike, it will hurt less I think”, that was my reply. And I put some ointment on her feet before she went to sleep that night.

When I came home the next day, Haifa showed me the palms of her hands. There were around ten red dots on her palms. Right there and then I knew that this was something serious.

Dear Hubby brought them to their pediatrician and after paying RM250, it was confirmed that they were infected with a mild Coxsackie disease. And they were to be house-quarantined until the rashes disappear.

I wasn’t completely satisfied with that, so I called Sime Darby Medical Center (f.k.a SJMC) and told the doctor of my worries. She confirmed with the first pediatrician’s advice. “Only come to the ER if they didn’t eat or drink, since it will be soreness in the throat or mouth.”

Thursday came, and my Hanis got it too. Her rashes were more - on her hands, legs and in the mouth. Went to the pediatrician again. And Hanis was to be house-quarantined like her two sisters.

So there goes our plan of watching Night at the Museum 2. (Lucky I’d watched Angels and Demons on the weekend when it was first shown).

I tried to find the source of the disease, like who and where actually it all started. Later I found out that :
1) Hasya’s tuition-mate just came back from 2-week absence due to Coxsackie
2) Haifa’s Sekolah Agama classmate had it last two weeks
3) Hanis’s kindy has reported a few cases prior to this
So, it’s actually everywhere. It’s easily spread especially to children below ten. The younger the child is, the worse it will become.

We brought Hanis and Haifa to the ER when they started having high fever and Hanis refusing to drink. And they were admitted to the wards.

So here I am, typing away in a double-bedded room in SDMC where my two girls are sleeping soundly at the moment. The girls are getting better, Alhamdulillah. The fever’s gone, and Hanis’s beginning to eat and drink. She lost a few pounds, I can see by the look of it. And my Haifa? She doesn’t look like she’s ill. Hah, that chubby girl, all excited with the hospital gadgets!

Pity them, school holidays and they gotta spend it in a hospital!

What? No Wedding?

Dear Hubby received a wedding invitation card around two weeks ago. It was on his desk when he came into the office. He brought the card home and it was sitting there in the mengkuang basket for like more than a week before he called me up at home last Friday to check on the Bride-and-Groom’s names. I just texted him their names to which he replied – check the groom’s parents, coz both the bride and groom r not in the office email profile. So when I checked the card, I realized the groom’s mother was someone we actually knew. So that settled it.

And I didn’t look at the card until the assumed wedding day itself, which was on the day after, Saturday the 23rd.

I had my usual Saturday breakfast (hailam coffee and kaya-butter bun)with my Hanis at the nearby restaurant while waiting for my Hanna, Hasya and Haifa to finish up their taekwondo class. It occurred to me then that I didn’t really read what was on the card. What if it was not today, I thought. But I just brushed it aside, and reminded myself to check it when I got home.

Coming back, I had to fetch Dear Hubby from the car workshop where he sent his car to get all his tires changed. And I totally forgot about the card. I had a quick shower and got ready with my kenduri attire. My Hanis wanted to tag along, so we brought her with us. We knew we had to be back before 4pm since the girls would be having their swimming lessons at 4:30pm.

Anyway, off we went. The wedding was in Batu Caves. I looked at the card for the map. Frankly, it wasn’t me at all that day. The usual me would read the card from top to bottom and left to right. But nope, not this time. The map mentioned a Makro Hypermarket on the left of the road, but what we saw was a Tesco. After 10 minutes, we realized something wasn’t quite right. So I called our friend, the groom's mother. It went something like this:

Me : Hi Ros*****, this is DDI.
Ros : Oh... hi DDI. How are you?
Me : Ros.. we couldn’t find your house. I think we’re lost.
Ros : (now sounded confused...) which DDI is this?
Me : Z***’s wife.
Ros : Z***? (now she got more confused) oooh... you’re coming to the wedding...
Me : u-huh
Ros : The wedding’s next monthla... sorry...
Me : (terkedu and started laughing) Oh is it? (laugh some more) BTW, there was no Makro on the way here...
Ros : Hahaha....I made a mistake.... It’s Tesco actually. Sorry DDI, I’m out at the moment or else you can come over.
Me : TQ (still laughing) Our mistake pun... bye!

My eyes darted back to the card. The wedding’s on 27th of June! More than a month to go!!

I felt like a fool for not noticing. Who in the first place mentioned that the wedding was on Saturday? Dear Hubby admitted -he did- but he said wedding cards are usually given like two weeks prior to the wedding, so he just assumed that it was that Saturday... and... errr... expected his Dear Wife to do what she always did – READ!

Aiyo!

The good thing that came out of this (other than listening to my Hanis's rendition of London Bridge is Falling Down and Old McDonald in the car) was we got to try the new DUKE highway that people were talking about. Pretty fast. Impressive.

And so we had our lunch at JM Bariani House in Subang Jaya instead. Macam nasik kenduri jugak, kan?

The funny thing was - the couple with two kids on the next table started a conversation with Dear Hubby when I went to wash my hands. Since it was mentioned that we just came back from a kenduri, apparently Dear Hubby had to 'bohong sunat to save face’. He had to say that we tak puas makan at the wedding, rather than telling the nice couple that we were two meatheads who got the wedding date wrong! LOL!

Admit and Apologize

I wonder why it is so hard for some people to admit or apologize for their mistakes. I mean, if you were to borrow something from a person, it would be expected of you to return the item in the same condition when it was taken. Especially when the lender already told you of the do’s and don’ts in caring for that item. It’s your responsibility to follow the advice so that nothing bad would happen to the borrowed item.

If you spoilt the item, do admit your mistakes and apologize to the owner.. and at least make lah an attempt to compensate, although in most cases would be denied by the owner.

For example, say these:

“Sorry aaa... I tried to mend this thing but I couldn’t make it work. Please tell me how much this cost so that I could buy you a new one”

OR

“Sori. Could you please try to correct this? If you can’t, let me know so that I can pay you the amount you paid for that in the first place, or at least half the price”

OR

“I’m so sorry I did this. I must have spoilt it last nite when I was out collecting some cow dung in the paddy field which was so muddy after a heavy rain the evening before. But I’ll pay you back with the money I got from selling the cow dung”

Sorry, the last one was exaggerated unintentionally.

The lender would then say this, with only a tint of regret :
"I know you didn’t mean to spoil it. It’s OK. I’ll see what I can do. Thanx anyway”. (read : thanx for admitting, but hey, I don't want your money)

But since that person never said any of the three above, we’d have to get into that person's mind to get this out. Here’s the person's unspoken version:

"I know we don’t know each other well. In fact I think I’m only just one of the familiar faces you see around. But I still wanted to borrow this thing from you coz I liked what you have. I know you told me to take care of it coz it was quite fragile.

But I SWEAR to you, I didn’t spoil it. I did nothing at all, it just happened. I know that when I brought it home for one night, it was in a good condition but I SWEAR to you I didn’t know why it was spoilt. I tried to ‘unspoil’ it but I guess by doing that, it got worse. See, it's now totally spoilt, thanx to my effort.

Sorry lah you can never use it again. I suggest you find the solution to make it right, coz it was yours to begin with pun. Use your own money and don’t you dare asking me to compensate coz I didn’t spoil it!"

So who did it? Martha Stewart?

Some people just don’t have the common sense. A non-living thing don't spoil by itself, OK? C'mmon, we're not talking about an apple here. I know the thing cost less than a hundred, but where were your manners? Couldn't admit your mistake, could you?

My friends warned me not to layan that person anymore. But me being me, still do that. I just don’t know how to totally ignore a person. And you know what, that person never asked for the update on the spoilt thing. To him/her, it's water under the bridge.

Now I have to get me a new one. Or get it repaired.

Or perhaps I should just throw it away.

Sigh.

A Hostel in Memory of Donni

..... I'm so proud to be part of this :)

NST Online » Local News
2009/05/15

A HOSTEL IN MEMORY OF DONNI
By : Joniston Bangkuai

TUARAN: Soon, about 100 students from far-flung villages in Kiulu, about 20km from here, will no longer have to endure a tiring long walk to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Fuad Stephens.

Thanks to the alumni of Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Kulim in Kedah, who call themselves Killerbatch, and the Sabah Credit Corporation, a hostel is being built for the students.

The ground-breaking for the project, which is estimated to cost RM200,000, will be held today in the presence of the students and their parents.

To kick-start the project Killerbatch, which was represented by Raja Ali Raja Othman, presented a donation of RM56,567 to SCC general manager Datuk Vincent Pung yesterday.

He said the rest of the funds would be collected through more fund-raising initiatives such as the staging of a play entitled "Ghazal Party Queen" which is scheduled for Dec 12.

Raja Ali said the heart-wrenching story of Donni John Duin, an 11-year-old school boy who committed suicide two years ago to ease the burden of his poverty-stricken family, prompted Killerbatch to embark on the project.

"The dormitory will be named Asrama Donni in remembrance of the boy," he said.

Donni, a Year Five pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kinarut in Papar, had apparently taken his own life as he could no longer take the teasing from his schoolmates who likened his food, which was packed by his mother, to dog vomit.

"We were all greatly saddened by the heartbreaking event when we heard about it and decided that we must not let it pass unnoticed.

"The hostel is our way to ensure that what Donni went through does not happen again," another representative of Killerbatch, Hasnan Jamaludin, said.

Killerbatch also noted that a recent article in the New Straits Times had stated that about 5,000 teenagers in Sabah had dropped out of school before sitting the Penilaian Menengah Rendah examination.

This was largely because of the long distances the students had to travel to and from school each day.

Describing the project as a bridge between Malaysians in Kulim and Kiulu, Raja Ali said it was in line with the 1Malaysia concept espoused by the government.

New Experiences ... and a New Lens ;)

The weekend’s over, and those two days were pretty hectic for me.

Dear Hubby and I went for a wedding in Segamat on Saturday. Lucky that the groom has given us the detailed instructions of the route to his house via sms, or else we’d never have found the address. It was a good (and looong) six hours of driving thru estates and small towns. And guess what, I got to see Mount Ophir or Gunung Ledang for the first time! If only we got time to spare, we’d have stopped and embraced the beautiful sceneries and gulped in the fresh air...

We came back at 4pm just in time for the kids’ swimming lessons. They had to skip their taekwondo class in the morning so that we could leave earlier for Segamat. Hasya came to me and told me that the baby birds have grown some fine feathers and their eyes opened. So I took out my camera to take some pix and heard something crashed. I was so stunned to see glasses everywhere on the terrace floor. At first I thought my camera had broken. Luckily it was just shattered glasses which used to be the filter. Lucky, lucky me! Only the filter! What if it were the lens??

Apparently Dear Hubby didn’t place the lens cap properly that morning, thus letting the filter exposed to its rounded ends. That was how the filter shattered. Anyway, since we need to use the camera on Sunday, I must get me a new filter.

Dear Hubby sent the girls for their swimming lessons, and I.. dengan kepenatan segala had to mandi etc and left for Subang Parade.

I came home that night smiling. I got myself two new Hoya 58mm filters ... and..a new lens!!! Yay! The lens that came with the camera was a basic one – 18 to 55mm. The newly bought one was a basic one too - 55 to 250mm - but at least I can do a lot of zooming from now on.

Happy happy me. Self-bought mother’s day gift, and thank you Dear Hubby for approving :)

Came Sunday. My Hanna, Hasya and Haifa’s first swimming competition which was held at PADE Shah Alam. We were there at 7:30 am. Many swimmers and parents were already there when we arrived. All three of my girls participated in 50m breaststroke and freestyle. So you can imagine how busy their Ibu clicking away with her new lens...hahaha....

But it was very tiring. Very very tiring especially the waiting-for-the-event game. However, watching the girls trying their best really made me proud. It was indeed a good experience and exposure for them, and their parents as well.

I came home hopelessly wishing for a good body massage. Too bad I was too exhausted to leave the house to get one. I just couldn’t let my maid Nani to massage me, eventhough she was a kampong masseur back home in Indonesia. Segan... better a stranger than a person I know.

So I conked out for a good 2 hours on Hasya’s bed instead!

Happy Mother's Day!

To all current and future mothers - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

A very special wish for my dearest Mak in Alor Setar – Selamat Menyambut Hari Ibu.

No words could describe how much I appreciate all the things you’ve done for us – your boys and girls. Only Allah could repay what you’ve given us all these while. May you be blessed with a great health, infinite happiness and be embraced in a realm of imaan.


I’m happy that you like the cake that Zue has baked for you.

Thank you Zue for making a splendid cake for my MAK :)


Gambar dicilok dari blog Zue!

The Welcomed Guests 2 - Eggs Hatched!

I’m THRILLED! The eggs have hatched! Yay!

I took the two-featherless-baby-birds' photos while the mother was away. I wasn’t able to get the best shots since I was in a hurry to get ready to send Dear Hubby to KLIA this morning. I hope to get the best angle and post later - with their mouths open and necks extended.

See - the nestlings aren't that pretty lah, in fact they look rather ugly! But I’m sure when their feathers have grown, they’ll look like their handsome parents :)
The nestlings- eyes closed and naked.

I'll keep on updating their photos. And you know what ... I guess I'll never be able to eat Burung Puyuh Goreng after this!

***update: pics taken at 7pm on 5th May



Notice the insides of its mouth?


Aww... the hungry lil birdies...

Haifa is 7 Today!

Happy 7th Birthday Haifa!

I was very happy to see your excitement just now! I knew it - you’d definitely love the cupcakes, the rabbit cake and your presents. They were simply awesome, weren’t they?

Ayah-Ibu's do’a for you Haifa sayang,
May your life be filled with serenity and peace, love and affection, happiness and laughter, great health and wealth, success and winning, patience and perseverance, and most of all - imaan and taqwa.

Ayah and Ibu hope that you get the best out of the goodness in life!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Love you! Love You! Muaaaahhhhssss!

Dear Haifa

My dearest daughter Haifa,
I know you won't be reading this since you have limited access/permission to the internet, but I want to write you anyway.

It’s only a day before your 7th birthday’s here. Last year you got what you wished for – a bicycle – which was bought a month prior to your birthday. You rode the bicycle almost every single free minute you got. I just couldn’t imagine seeing you without your bike, since you were practically riding it all the time. You liked it so much, right? So this year you hope to get your wish fulfilled. Again.

But Haifa... I’m so sorry to tell you that this year Ayah and Ibu won’t be getting what you wanted. Eventhough we know that you want them really really bad, we just won’t get them for you. The rabbits you’ve been wishing for just don’t rhyme with your birthday song. I’ve checked the rabbits out at the Amcorp Mall last month. They were pretty soft and cute. And cuddly, just like you. But I don’t think that you’re ready for them yet. Or them you. Can you wait until you’re a bit older, before I get them for you, Haifa? Or when I could go off to work without having this worry that the rabbits would still be there when I get home? I know you can, right?

Haifa sayang, rabbits are gentle animals. And fragile. Errr... just like you. They are like babies who need the TLC that I’m sure you’ll be able to provide. But sayang, they need to be stroked lightly, not vigorously like you did the fishes (RIP) a few months ago. I know you did it out of love, but dear, too much of a good thing wasn’t good either. I know I may be able to teach you the how tos... but can I do that when you’re a 'lil bit older? And oh, I really hope you'll stop chanting "I want two bunny rabbits" after this. Please?

We also have a surprise for you sometime next month. When the bird’s eggs have hatched, you’ll be seeing two baby-birds in the nest. Not that I don’t want to share the news with you now, it’s just that I want to give the mother bird some peace and quiet. And give you a surprise. You understand that too, don’t you?

Anyway, for your birthday this year Haifa, you’ll be getting some books (as usual) and a Baby G watch. I know you’ll like them for sure. And please don’t lose the watch this time, ok? And before you start asking me – Yes, the watch is water-proof. You can swim up to a hundred meter down the pool to prove it. Kak Hanna’s wearing the same brand, so I know that it’s tough enough even for an active and curious girl like you.

Till your birthday on Wednesday.

Lots of Love,

The Welcomed Guests 1

Two weeks ago, this young couple started coming to our house. They seemed like a nice pair. We didn’t know where they were from, but it didn’t matter coz we actually liked them. They loved to stay in the garden and would talk incessantly near my potted palm tree on my side terrace. I didn’t quite get what kind of language they were using, but their voices were soothing to the ear.

They appeared when the morning arrived (since the house was quiet without the kids screaming about) and stayed until dusk came. They were planning something big for sure, and my guess at that time would be on their new home. My maids would watch them thru the kitchen windows and would sometime walk by them to let them know that there were people living in the house. They were trespassing alright, but we didn’t mind, as long as they didn’t give us any trouble.

Over the weekend when I was home, I’d peep at them thru the sliding door. At times I’d use my binoculars and watched them working. Such patience they had, and I wished I could be like them. How well they planned their work and how hard they worked towards getting what they wanted. And such a loving couple they were.

Yesterday was a special day for the pair. I came home from work to a beaming Hasya. She *whispered* to me that the gal has given birth! I was overjoyed! (*the whispering was a crucial one since we didn’t want Haifa-The-Curious-One to know about the couple just yet or that would be the end of tranquility for them*).

This morning, when the gal left (I think to get her breakfast), I sneaked to her new abode and took this pix.




That was before I left to work this morning.






When I came home this evening, there was a surprise – another one!

Notice how intricate their new home is. Such delicate work. Weaved with love and affection.

Now there are two! Maybe there'll be more tomorrow. Who knows? And you know what, I'll be happy if they decided to stay here permanently :)

My Lil Bro is 37 Today!

It was the year of 1972 when a 30yo mother gave birth to a cute baby boy. The boy was the fifth sibling in the family. The fourth sibling - Ja, a girl - was 6yo at the time. She just couldn’t understand why this baby was getting all the attentions from those well wishers who came to her house. The houseguests kept on increasing day by day and this made Ja rather jealous of the attentions that the newborn was getting. After all, she was the princess of the house for six whole years! This newborn was bringing chaos to her world, so she thought.

Now, at 43 yo, she could still remember the conversation that took place in her house at 108, Kampung Baru, Alor Setar.

Pak Ngah Ariffin (now Arwah) : Ja, suka dak dapat adik?
Ja : Dak
Pak Ngah Ariffin : Awat tak suka?
Ja : Tak suka lah. Pak Ngah nak, ambiklah.
Pak Ngah Ariffin : Pak Ngah ambiklah, ka Ja nak juai?
Ja : Satu ribu (or was it satu ratus?)
Pak Ngah : Oklah, Pak Ngah bayaq, nanti Pak Ngah ambik adik tu.
Ja : (somehow felt rather bad) Tak maulah Pak Ngah.
Pak Ngah : Awatnya?
Ja : (couldn’t answer.. and left. She could still remember the orang-orang tua laughing)

So a few days after that, she saw the baby sleeping on her mother’s bed. He was all alone, all cute and clean. She climbed the bed and looked at the baby closely. She was curious. So this was the baby who was stealing the limelight. He was kinda cute, she thought. What if I step on his face? Would he cry?

So Ja lifted up her foot slowly... and when it barely touched the baby’s nose, she stopped. Suddenly she realized that she actually liked this boy. She remembered Mak saying something like this boy was going to call her Kak Ja when he could speak. She quite liked the thought.

And she left the bed. The baby boy was left unharmed.

ADIK,
That was my two Dosa I made to you! Although I can’t remember a lot of things when we were younger, those two I remember crisp and clear. There you go - Confessions of a Sister!


I’m exteremely glad that I didn’t step on your face Adik, or you won’t be having the mancung nose you have now..hahaha!

HAPPY 37th BIRTHDAY ‘LIL BRO! May you get the best in everything you do. May you be blessed with great health, abundance and happiness, lots of love and laughters and most of all, be blessed with a beautiful heart and imaan. May you and your beautiful family live life the best throughout the year, and many more years to come!
Adik on his 4th birthday in 1976.

Eewww! Gross!!

There are some things better done in private. But there were so many times when you stumbled upon these people who did their 'thing' in public.

I remember around two months ago when we were having lunch at Bukit Jalil after the girls’ squash lessons. We were just finishing our drinks when we saw this Indonesian helper/waitress leaning against a pillar, picking her nose! And there were more than ten customers eating! Eeeeww!! When she came over to get the payment from us, we gave it to the owner instead. And the helper got a short ‘lecture’ from me. C’mmonlah, you’re serving food, apa? Duh!

There’s one Bangladeshi guy working at the Shell station near my house who loves to pick his nose. I think it’s a hard habit to break. Everytime he comes near me or my car, I’d say, Eh, don’t come near me, I saw what you just did. He’d just smile and acted as if he did nothing wrong.

But the worst was yesterday. I was at Mydin yesterday afternoon with my Hanis to get some books for my Hasya. Was waiting for my turn to have my fruits and veggies weighed at the weighing station when I glanced around and saw this man doing something really gross. I wished I hadn’t seen him but too bad, I already had. He was a customer in his early fifties, wearing a pair of shorts, a brown t-shirt, a pair of slippers and a pair of dark sunglasses. He was actually standing two feet away behind the man manning the station, so I was sure that those 10 to 15 people standing there with me saw what he was doing.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw what he did. I mean, why didn’t he do it in private, instead of doing it in front of two long queues of people? Hello, public etiquette... you forgot? This man actually picked his belly button, and brought the boogers(?) or dirt to his nose, and smelled them as if they were roses!! Gross!! He did it more than twice, at least, coz the nauseous feeling made me turned away after the second act. Luckily my breakfast was long digested and I haven’t had my lunch yet!

It's disgusting when people acted as if it was ok to do these things in public. This morning while stopping at a red light, this man in the car next to me was digging up his nostrils. Really deep. Gosh, I wished I would just stare ahead, instead of glancing outside the window.

Maybe it was an invasion of his privacy. He was in the personal comfort of his car. So, was I in the wrong here?

Absent: Sepang F1 Race 2009

Jenson Button won the 2009 Sepang F1 Race! Good for him! A torrential thunderstorm halted the race at its 32nd lap and Button was in the first spot for the 31st lap. So he won the race.

I waited anxiously in front of the TV - practically on the edge of my seat - for nearly an hour for the race to restart but that never happened. Unlike previous years where we got to watch the race live in Sepang, this year we didn’t go. The girls didn’t request for it either. I think they didn’t even know the race was back. Dear Hubby wasn’t keen this time... he was out with the girls for their swimming lessons. So it was just me getting the adrenaline rush watching the race on TV. And wishing that I was there – right infront of the pitstop like the usual. Sob.. sob...


This is the nearest I got to Button - on TV that is. How pathetic is that?



Come to think of it, I think I should be thankful. No more sunburn and sweaty necks. No more parting with the money for the tickets and the t-shirts/shirts/caps/food/drinks etc. Now I could buy myself a new Tag watch or get myself the Coach handbag I saw last week on the net.

Sour Grapes!

In reality, I actually missed being there. Listening to the sound bites of roaring F1 race cars, the screeching tires and the ever-so-excited crowds! The excitement just wasn’t the same watching them on TV.

Oh well, look on the brighter side. At least I got to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic on Friday night. Loved it. The girls loved it too. Dear Hubby got himself a ticket to Fast and Furious4. And before you start asking – no, I didn’t finish the books as mentioned in my previous entry. Couldn’t find the time. Or maybe I didn’t read fast enough. At the moment, I’m still at page 215 of the first book. So much of an optimist!

What gives?

Maybe I should join the speed-reading course. I read it somewhere that there is such a course here in Malaysia. Maybe they give out free tickets to F1 2010 race if I were to enroll??

Kids After the Hols

Now that the holiday’s over, things got back to routine. Back to school for my older children and back to kindy for my Hanis. Well, last week was a difficult week for me - having to listen to Hanis’s crying “Nak Ibu, Nak Ibu” everytime I dropped her off at the kindergarten. And it broke my heart to pieces everytime she did that.

But today in the car she smiled and sang to the tune of her favorite song - Sunday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday (that’s actually the complete lyrics of the whole song!) Can you imagine me listening to this song over-and-over again for like 10 times before reaching her kindy! Every single day. She refused to listen to anything else. Tak jemu pulak tu.

My Haifa got her first shot at school last week. That was an immunization injection given to Standard One students at school. She came running to me with tears in her eyes when I reached home that day and told me her sob story...
"Sakitlah Ibu tangan Haifa dua-dua ni..."
"Macamana Haifa nak buat punch untuk exam taekwondo nanti? Tak boleh lah Ibu..."
"Ibu, macamana Haifa nak buat backstroke swimming nanti.. tangan Haifa sakit ni"
"Ibu, Haifa rasa Haifa tak boleh pegang racquet squash lah Ibu, tangan Haifa sakit sangat ni. Tengok ni"
I said to her that the pain would go off in a few days.
She said, "I don’t think so lah Ibu, tengok ni, tangan Haifa tak boleh angkat ni.. sakit" And she showed me her muka sedih.
I said "Nanti Ibu sapu minyak Mustajab, nanti baik"
Two days later she was up and running, as if nothing ever bothered her at all. Haifa...Haifa...

Today my Hanna got her shot – given to the Standard Six pupils at school. She called me up just now telling me that she cried after getting the jab. So painful she said. I think that was the Rubella injection. I remember getting this shot when I first arrived in the States in 1986. It was painful... and many of the International Students there with me fainted, I mean they fainted before getting those injections!!

My Hasya has been asking me for another cupcake making and deco session. I know that I've promised the girls. Been dillydallying it for months already. And now they've been 'harassing' me. I think I better give in. At least I can bring those cupcakes during my Haziq and Husna's school party this weekend.

In the meantime, I'm trying hard to finish reading Sophie Kinsella's two books before I got to watch the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie. I hope I will finish them in time.

A marathon reading for me!

... and now Back to Work

The one-week school break’s over. I was out of the office for nine days and I’d say that those nine days were quality time spent with Dear Hubby, my kids and my parents who came all the way from Alor Setar.

We went to A Famosa Resort, Melaka. Checked in on Monday and out on Thursday.

Monday night was Cowboy Town night. It was pretty much the same when we were here a few years ago. Was it worth the money spent on the tickets? Frankly I think it was way overpriced. But the children loved the parade show, and that was all that matters.


A Malaysian 'Cowboy' with an Albino snake?







Can't avoid having goosebumps looking at this pic - a Malaysian 'Red Indian' playing with fire. Hasya was the one who pointed this out to me. Click on the pic and look at the 'smoke' behind the man. Spooooky!

We played Tourists on Tuesday. Walked around Melaka town, in and out of the museums, tried the trishaws, and finished it off with a great meal - assam pedas with fried crabs. Yummy!




St Paul's Church













The A Famosa









Wednesday was Water Play day. At first I was a bit disappointed with the Water Park since there were only a few spots for the kids to play, but then Dear Hubby layan them for seven hours with repeated rides and water playing. Seven hours, and they continued playing for two more hours in the pool when we got back to the villa! Kids!

Their Ibu? Sunburned. A terrible one this time. Should’ve known better. Should’ve squeezed more sunblock from the tube. So now I’m suffering - this itchiness on the face.... urrgghhh!! But it’s oklah, I actually had a great time. Loved every minute of it. The kids also enjoyed their break. Also took them to watch Race to Witch Mountain. Great movie for the kids to watch.

I guess now I'll have to deal with my sunburned skin - it will take around two to three weeks for these spots to disappear. Hopefully.

And this morning I woke up with mixed feelings. Going to work today will be such a hard thing to do. Hanis has been clinging to me since last night and an hour ago she held both my hands – Jangan bangun Ibu, sleep dengan Hanis please.

Alahaaii... this is normal whenever I took a long leave. I know she'll cry again when I send her to her kindy afterwards.

Sigh.

SPM Results Out Today

The SPM results will be out at 10am. So I was told by my nephew who at the moment is biting his nails off. What more could you ask for – Driving Test at 8am and getting the SPM results at 10am! Poor Zhafri. My niece Nisya who’s in KL is sure a nervous wreck too right now.

I remember when I got my SPM results. It was early 1984, and I was doing my English course in CML Slim River which was organized by MARA for some MRSM students who were waiting for their SPM results. A few days before it was out, I received a phone call from my Mak. And I got my results! Apparently my AYAH had a friend in the Kementerian Pelajaran and got it out earlier for me. It was an unexpected call, so my feelings were all mixed up upon receiving the news.

So I went back to see my dormmates and told them the good news (the results were OKlah, not excellent). And you could see their faces – all drained of color! That night, the dorm was unusually quiet, and a few of my friends cried. I asked them, why are you guys so gloomy? They said they were nervous, anxious and scared. You OKlah Ja, you got it overwith. Alamak – did I spoil the fun?

Anyway, good luck to all parents and those 17yos with the butterflies in their tummies. May all pass with flying colors!

To Zhafri and Nisya – did I promise you guys anything for As?

Love Hurts

Every Saturday and Sunday, we took Hanna, Hasya and Haifa for their swimming lessons. Last Saturday, I was sitting on a plastic chair by the pool, reading Jodi Picoult’s Mercy with Hanis coloring away on a bathrobe next on the floor when this guy came to me. I know him as “Joe” (not his real name). Joe is 22, a 6-footer. He’s a lifeguard/rescuer at the pool. I talked to him many times before, but never about personal things. So when he came to me with this question, I was a bit surprised.

“Kak, I’d like to ask for your opinion. It's a long story. I hope you’ll bear with me.”

I put down my book. I thought this must be interesting. “I’m all ears. Is it about a girl?”

“Yes Kak, and I hope you could give your opinion on this. I just don’t know what to do.”

So he began his story. Apparently he’s in love with this girl, Sue (not her real name). Sue, according to Joe, was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. So mesmerizing, he said - glowing skin, face of an angel, petite body and was a princess everybody was dreaming about. To make matters worse, they sat next to each other for three years – when they were in Form 1 until Form 3. He said he liked her a lot until it hurt so much inside, but he didn’t have the nerve to let her know. After all, they were like buddies, and Joe said he was a very very chubby giant when he was at that age and was sure that she wouldn’t like him the way he wanted her to be. He also used to be a postman for other boys who were interested in her.

He kept his feelings all to himself for three years. He said he understood that he was in a different league altogether and knew for sure that she’d laugh at him if she knew of his true feelings.

When they went to separate classes in Form 4 and Form 5, Joe became restless. He couldn’t think straight for this dream girl of his was no longer there in the classroom with him. It was so bad that his parents saw the changes in him and brought him to see the psychiatrist. He said he played along with the psychiatrist but he didn’t reveal the real reason why he has changed. He couldn’t let his secret be read like a book. He loved Sue too much to get her involved in the turmoil he was in.

So, Joe kept on seeing this psychiatrist until he finished his secondary school. Right after SPM, he left home. He said he needed the vacuum to forget Sue since he couldn’t let her out of his system. But he told no one the actual reason why he left. Since he believed that he was a born-rescuer since he was 6yo (remember the movie “The Guardian”?), he left for the islands and places which had oceans attached. He went on learning oceanography and perfected himself to be a true rescuer.

He was away for 4 years. Different islands and different places. He thought he could forget Sue, but he couldn’t. Sue still sits on that pedestal that Joe has created ten years ago.

He came back to his parents last year in January. That was because he didn’t want his mom to cry for him anymore. He didn’t want to hurt his parents no more. And he realized that being 4 years away didn’t even diminish his feelings towards Sue. In fact it was still there, occupying his heart in whole. And according to him, it was achingly painful just to think of her.

His exact words - "Kak, it's like a dagger punched thru the heart, everytime I think of her".

Ten years, and he said he loves her even more. For ten years he couldn’t see any other women at all, although opportunities were there. For ten years, he’s still at the same point where he left before. His heart still yearns for her.

Five months ago, he met Sue on the train. He said she looked as pretty as ever. And his heart went thumping like crazy when their gazes met.

They had a small chat. He said he stuttered. From then on, he tried to avoid her everytime he saw her on the train. And she looked so lovely from afar. When a week ago he couldn’t avoid her, they talked a while. She gave him her name card and asked him to call her.

The question that Joe’s been meaning to ask me was : “Should I call her, Kak? Yes or No?”

I looked at him straight in the eye and said – “Yes”

I told him, it’s not everyday that a person gets a second chance. Opportunity seldom knocks twice. This is the time for him to get to know her. But don’t rush into anything. Go slow. And be ready for disappointments for she may only be asking him to be her friend, nothing more. But most of all, I said to him, you’ll never know until you try... and putting yourself in a different league makes it even harder.

She might have liked him since she was 13, but he was too oblivious to notice it. There’s a possibility of that. If he were to pass this opportunity, he’d never know for sure.

Opportunities lost will be opportunities lost. Then regret will haunt him forever.

When I met him again the day after, on Sunday, Joe came to me and said – “Kak, I texted her. She asked to meet me for dinner. I’m meeting her tonite. And I’m nervous as hell.”

I’m really happy for Joe. I don’t know how the date went yet. I’ll know about it tomorrow. I just hope that he’ll be able to accept whatever the outcome is. I kept reminding him to be ready for a letdown, to be strong when things didn’t go his way. And I also told him, if that were to happen, remember that Soulmates don't always end up together.

What amazes me of the whole situation is, I’ve never thought that a young man like Joe can have this love so great that it hurts him inside out. When he said that his heart felt like being stabbed everytime he thought of her, I was speechless. I thought these things only happened in movies.

I guess Nazareth was right – Love Hurts after all.

The Mom-of-the-Year Award

I’ve been honored with The Mom of the Year Award from Wanshana who seems to think that I deserve it. I know I’m not a perfect mom but all mothers say the same thing. Nobody’s perfect, right? TQ Shana, I’m truly honored :)

And yeap, the award comes with a set of rules which include:
1. Admit one thing you feel awful about (involving being a mom).

2. List 7 things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you.

3. Send this to 5 other moms of the year that deserve a reminder that they too are the best moms that they can be. Remember to send them a note letting them know you have selected them, and also add a link to your post that directs people back to the person who nominated you.

So here we go:
1. Admit one thing you feel awful about (involving being a mom)

I think I have more than one. Or definitely more than 10..hahaha..

I guess the number one thing I feel most awful about is pretty much the same for most working mothers – not being able to be there 24/7 for their kids. If I were a deep-pocket, I’d be a stay-home mom – where I can do anything they want me to do. Cook their favorite meals, drive them to their favorite locations, spend time with them doing things they love and most of all, be there whenever and wherever they want me to.

2. List 7 things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you.

1) I absolutely love it when my kids come running to me and give me the hugs and kisses when I reach home from work. Anti-stress prescription for sure.

2) I love the outings I have with them. They are full of life and every step they take leaves a vibrant color in me. They just liven things up with their different ways and personalities.

3) I so love spending time with them. Doing anything they like – baking, eating, singing, coloring, reading, playing, gardening, watching movies or just lazing around in the house with at least one of them in my arms. And the best part is when they fall asleep in these arms.

4) I love them unconditionally. No matter how they are like, they are the greatest gifts that I’ve ever received. My Treasure. My Life.

5) I love the fact that they look up to me. They even think that I have extra ‘eyes’ at the back of my head since I seem to know everything they do or think. They still wonder how I got that ‘eyes’. It’s called instinct, kids!

6) I love the hugs, kisses and I-Love-Yous they give me every night before going to sleep. And I love to watch them sleeping afterwards.

7) I love it when they make time for me.... like combing my hair or giving me a head or leg massage without being asked. I also love the letters, cards, drawings or notes they write me with words that can only come from the purest of hearts.

Seven already?

3. Send this to 5 other moms of the year that deserve a reminder that they too are the best moms that they can be.

I think I'm gonna award every mother on my blogroll, but that ain't the rule. OK ... now I'm bestowing this award to:
1) Queen of the House
2) Mamamia
3) Raden Galoh
4) Chahya
5) Mum and Roses
and... can I add two more? Rules are meant to be broken anyway:)
6) Nurazzah
7) Zlaa

You rock ladies!

Fishing Déjà vu

We were looking for this Sports/Hobby shop in Bandar Sunway on Monday to get Dear Hubby his thermo guard wetsuit for his 3x/wk swimming exercises. We found it after 20 minutes spent searching thru the fierce rain.

Once I stepped into the shop, I was overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. I was thinking – these things are so familiar, but what are they called? I couldn’t recall the names of the long poles, the round-thing behind the glass, the red&white globes and those things hanging from the wall. I stood there in awe, watching these things that used to be my companions. It took me quite a while... when suddenly all these vocabularies came flooding in - sinkers, jigheads, hooks, rods, reels, lures, lines, flies, rigs, floats, baits, swivels, Shimano, Penn, Daiwa, fighting belts etc etc.

You see, I used to love fishing. It was when I was in my early twenties studying in the States and lived a few blocks away from the North Pacific Ocean. Yeap, I was deep into fishing. You can call me a hardcore fishing enthusiast or Smelly Mackerel if you like..hahaha... but really, I was like that once. Every week, or whenever there was a vacant in my schedule, I’d go fishing with my buddies. On the pier, took a boat to the barge, or went deep-sea fishing at dawn and at dusk.

The best part of it all was when you got a nibble. It didn’t matter if you got to catch the fish or not. The joy of getting a nibble was enough to boost the spirit. And if you were lucky, the satisfaction of reeling the fish in was unexplainable. I remember catching Mackerels, Seabass, Sand Sharks, Barracudas, Snappers, Gelama (I forgot what Gelama is called in English), Halibuts and Stingrays. But Yellowtails were the real fighters, so I never did win them.

Fishing taught me to be patient - learn how to think positively and wait for the good to come. When you got your rod rigged, held the rod in your hand and began the waiting process. To breathe in the seabeeze, enjoy the sound of small waves, watch the birds in the sky and put a good song in your head really gave you the placidity of mind. And everything else didn’t matter.

Life was that simple.

It’s a fact that sometimes things that we once loved doing were forgotten along the journey of life we've taken. Things that we used to be passionate about and had become essential parts of the life we once lived. But when you stopped doing them altogether, you’d tend to forget about them in perfect total.

Anyway, now, I get my fish stock at the Pasar Tani. No more waiting for the nibblings and the undoing of the line tangles. Easy catch. Just show them the money and the fish sellers will gut and clean the fish for you. All you have to do when you get home is to re-clean them and cook them to your likings. Senang kan?

One thing for sure is - I don’t think I’ll ever fish again. I doubt if I still have the patience I once had. And I’m certain that my children’s screaming would definitely scare the poor fish away!

Weaning Hanis

I’d say that nursing your child is one of the best moments for a mother to experience. I breastfed all my six children and they were only being weaned due to reasons like another pregnancy (Haziq, Hasya & Haifa), performing Haji (Hanna) and weight problem (Husna).

But not my Hanis, who’s now a kindergartner at 3y 4mo. I have no reasons whatsoever to wean her off. Since she’s my youngest, I tried to delay the weaning process. But like all the good things in life, it has to come to an end. I started giving her the talk since December last year. She refused to acknowledge me whenever I started telling her that she was already a big girl and had to say goodbye to breast milk. Sometimes she’d sing out loud every time I began to open my mouth. That girl!

After many attempts to steer her away at night, she finally gave in. She’s been weaned off breastfeeding for six weeks now. Goal achieved, but how I missed the nursing relationship I had with her. The cuddling, the caressing and the warmth of her body against mine. Sigh.

Now she has acquired a new habit at night when I tuck her to sleep. I’ll have to lie down beside her. She‘ll take my hand and put it under her chin. Then she’ll start kissing the back of my hand, make some small bites and pinches. This will go on for a good 10 to 15 minutes before she enters a dreamless slumber. I guess she missed them...

But whatever it is, I’m glad that we’ve had that bonding for more than three years. The special feeling of closeness and coziness that only breastfeeding can offer.

And guess what - I got myself a new bestfriend... the ever so helpful - the Bust Firming cream! LOL!

The 30th Anniversary Reunion

The date was 4th February 1979. That was the day I registered myself as a Form One student in MRSM Kulim. That was 30 years and 6 days ago. To commemorate the day, we’ve decided to do a Reunion - 30th Anniversary Reunion of the never-ending friendship of our 1979 batch - The Killerbatch. I’ve no idea how or why this name was given to us in the first place - us 177 altogether, with the ratio of 1girl:2boys.

The last time I’ve seen most of them was like 25 years ago. That was when we left high school for good after the 1983 SPM. Now after more than 20 years, I was going to meet them again.

When I reached TEP with Hanna (my chaperone!) – there they were ... the girls and boys. My God, I realized how much we’ve changed. And how much friendship was left unattended all these while. My voice suddenly became hoarse for I just couldn’t contain the joy and excitement I felt inside while hugging the girls I knew who now had become beautiful women, and saying hi to the boys who had now become great men.

Although all of us have changed – the wrinkles, the extra ‘tires’, the pot bellies, the receding hairlines, the gray hair and all – they remained as 17 year-olds in my eyes. These are the people I actually grew up with. These are the boys and girls that had given me my five years of learning, exploring, making friends, getting new experiences and satisfying those curiosities.

It was a wonderful feeling I had that night. It felt tremendously good to meet up with old friends and realized that the 30 years of friendship has been brought up to a higher level -

... That these boys and girls are now my Brothers and Sisters...

Of this, that and Caterpillars

Selamat Hari Wilayah! Since I’m not working in KL, tomorrow I’ll be working. Dear Hubby will have one off day and hopefully he’ll manage to get thru the crowd in one Selangor bank to collect his new checkbook. And I leave the task of getting back the deposit we paid to Hanis’s previous kindergarten tomorrow to him.

And it’s not RM13XX as mentioned earlier in my posting. It’s RM1449!

You bet, we’ll be asking for all the school materials etc etc if they refused to give back at least half of the money.

Last night Dear Hubby and I watched Red Cliff 2 at Sunway Pyramid. We didn’t bring the girls along since we thought they’ve already had their dose of films for now – The Bedtime Stories, Inkheart, and those during the school holidays - Casino Royale, Madagascar 2, Cicakman 2 and some which I can’t recall.

To me, the film was good. It was much better than the first Red Cliff. John Woo did an excellent job with this one. Although we sat at the front row - and had to mendongak all the while - I managed to read the subtitles and watched the whole screen as well. Overall, it was an entertaining film.

How I wish the Gaza people could win the war like the Red Cliff folks did....

Anyway, just look who came back to town! These green things!


They were here a few months ago and now they’re back... Can you imagine these are found in the same plant? My Pokok Susun Kelapa.

What I wonder about them is – do these things fly? My girls, maids and I wondered about this since they appeared out of nowhere. For instance, we took out a whole bunch of them in the morning, but by evening, some more appeared!

Menggelikan, but these wiggly things look kinda cute, don’t you think so?

Gong Xi Fa Chai!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Chinese friends a very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year.

Let’s pray that this Ox-picious year will bring Good Health, Good Fortune, Happiness and Prosperity to all of us.

Moooo!

Tagged - 16 Random Facts about me

I've been tagged by Wan Shana since December 24. Been meaning to finish the 'assignment' but couldn't get to point #2 without being interrupted. So tonite, after kissing, hugging and I Love Yous, I tucked all 6 of my angels to bed. Dear Hubby will be in PD until Friday, and I know sleep won’t come easy when he’s not around. So here goes:

16 Random Facts about me: (This will definitely be a loooooong and boriiiing posting)

1) I like to read. I started reading very early. By 12, I’ve already read hundreds of comics, magazines and books. I guess this was due to my dad(AYAH) being a teacher/writer and his habit of buying all kinds of magazines, comics and books to read. My fav comic before I was 7 was Master Q – the Chinese comic. AYAH had a cupboard full of these... Then I got hooked to Kesah Sa-Ribu Satu Malam series... and these books were in Bahasa Melayu Lama. Imagine me reading Arakian, Cheritera etc when I was 11. I loved them... and the GOOD news was – I asked for them recently and AYAH gave me the whole collection! Treasure, treasure!

2) I had Hyperemesis Gravidarium during my pregnancies. My last two pregnancies were the worst. It was when I was pregnant with Haifa (2002) and Hanis (2005). I couldn’t see/hear/smell FOOD and abhor even listening to McD’s ads. It was so bad that I kept close to the bathroom door for easy vomitting. In 2002, I was admitted in SJMC for 2 weeks and was IVd with 60 bottles of glucose and what nots! Habis parut tangan aku!

3) But I looove being in pantang! The confinement period would mean lots of pampering. I adore the 44-days of Tungku, the 12 times of uruts and the tons of jamu! And the taking care of the babies... love it...

4) I believe that my special children – Haziq and Husna – are the biggest reasons for the strength we feel, the love we nurture, the rezeki we welcome and the laughter we share... Sometimes when I looked at the glass half empty, I’d think of their future – the What Ifs... But the positive side of mine would always steer me back to think of the roses instead of the thorns....

5) I was a US size 6 or 7 when I got married at 25. My shoes size was 5. Now at 42+ I think I’ll only fit into size 12 or 13 or 15. My shoe-size currently stands at 7. I don’t know when I’ll stop growing... poor me :(

6) I got my driving license when I was 32! I think it took me nearly 3 years to get my license since there were many disruptions along the way... such as pregnantlah, beranaklah, pergi umrah lah, pergi Haji lah etc etc. And finally in 1998 after my haji, I got the license! And that came with a Kancil – which I was forced to drive by Dear Hubby... takut wooo... but when I got the hang of it, mulalah panjaaaaang langkah ku ini..hihihi...

Laa... baru #7 ka?

7) What else.. hmmhh... ok, one thing about me, I soo love gardening! I love plants and trees, although nowadays I sort of neglect them. I love to have all kinds of plants in the garden that my Mak said that my previous house looked like a jungle. I had to part with my lovely plants at one time when we did the renovation with the old house. Gave away like 40 pots and plants to my neighbor. Sedey tau.... but later I got the new ones in no time! Now, with a bigger garden, I realized that I already have all the plants that I want. But why do I still make that journey to Sg Buluh?

8) I love local fruits – mango, mangosteen, rambutan, duku langsat, durian, dokong are my favs. And I planted these trees (except dokong) here at home. And I love cherries.. but I guess they are not local, right? And they are so darn expensive!

9) I don't watch horror movies! That means I’m a penakut. If watching a horror film would make me start imagining things, better not risk it lah, kan?

10) I take my supplements religiously. I used to take jamus when I was younger, but I started taking supplements when I was nearing 40.

11) I started my skincare regime when I was 33, when I started using SKII. Prior to this it was Oil of Olay cleanser, and that was all I used. When I was nearing 30, I tried using a Malaysian product, then Artistry for a year, Estee for a year before I got stuck to SKII. A loyal user ever since.

12) I love capturing moments on camera. Ever since I used AYAH’s manual Yashica when I was 13, I got hooked to it. I remember when I was in MRSM Kulim, I used to rent a camera at a camera shop..12 exposures would be doubled to 24, and 24 doubled to 48. So I got to take more pictures with minimal price to pay. My first camera was given to me by my big bro – Bemmie. But that camera was stolen when my house was broken into back in the States when I was still studying. Frust giler! My 2nd camera was Canon Prima Super 135, 3rd – CanonPower Shot A620 and my current one – Canon 450D. I took loads of pictures and my picture album cabinets are the solid proof of that...

Berapa lagi nih...

13) I don’t know how many ‘memberships’ that I have. Since I like buying things, and since I like getting discounts, I’d always become a member.. eg like a)bookstores – MPH, Popular, Big Bookshop, SPP etc b)Shops like Robinsons, Jusco, Metro, Aussino, Lovely Lace, etc etc c) All the varieties - Cosway, Amway, Avon, Gano, Era Edar, Nona Roguy, Elken, 4Life etc etc d) A ME time - Missy Nails, Reborn for massage, Fish Spa, microdermabrasion package and many many more... segan pulak nak cakap... I’d usually join to get the discounts la... or am I easily lured into something? Hmmhh... something to ponder...

14) I can’t wear flat shoes. Or I’d tend to walk funny. Weird, huh? Even during my pregnancies, I’d still have to walk in a 2-inch heels. All my shoes will be in their 2 1/2 to 3 inch range although at the moment now my weight is at its heaviest ever....takut pulak patah tumit kasut...huhu...

15) Apa lagi.. Oh, I like slow rock songs since I was in my teens. Nowadays I tend to listen to them only occasionally. Indon songs, and some 80s English songs are the ones being played in my car while driving to work. Mellow with age lah... but sometimes ada jugak Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple tu...hihihi...

16) Last, but never the least – (I’m pretty sure Dear Hubby doesn’t know this), actually it was love at first sight when I first met him. I don’t know how, but I somehow knew then that he was the one for me. Met him in February 1991, engaged in July 1991, and tied the knot in November 1991. It was an intensive getting-to-know relationship and that relationship gave me the most precious package – 6 beautiful babies wrapped with Love, tied with Understanding ribbons and served on a Caring platter....

So, I'm done. I guess I won't be tagging anyone for now.... Lenguh tangan typing ni.. so gotta hit the sack... ZZZzzzzzZZZ