Biskut-Dengar

Come Raya, we’d usually hear of Biskut-Tunjuk and Kek-Tunjuk. This is when - instead of making them yourself - you just Tunjuk (point) at the Raya Biscuits/Cakes and buy them.

Last week I managed to add one more entry into my vocabulary – BISKUT-DENGAR.

Have you heard of it? Biskut-Dengar (dengar=listen) is when you order your Raya biscuits via phone without you knowing the look/taste/names of them cookies. It is actually meant for those desperados out there (moi, one of them!) who realized at the very last minutes that they haven’t ordered enough Raya biscuits and wouldn’t dare to do a random Biskut-Tunjuk for fear of getting bland-tasted biscuits (Wipedia – add this in, capish?)

Every year, I’d religiously write down the ‘tunjuk’ orders I’ve made into my notebook so that I know what biscuits/cakes I bought. This year I was a bit laid-back thus the lack of orders made. I found out on Wednesday last week that there were only 3 orders I made via my officemates – biskut samperit, biskut makmur inti susu and kuih gunting! My kids are sooo going to kill me for this! They love Raya biscuits, especially those chocolate ones. In fact I had to order a few balangs of biscuits to be consumed during Ramadhan for them earlier on.

I was lucky when this colleague of mine, Yani had an out-of-town friend who was coming to visit her and bring her the Raya biscuits she had ordered earlier. I asked Yani to call her friend whether there were still some for sale. And the answer was YES! I asked Yani to let her friend bring whatever she thought were good. I was that desperate!

And when I got the biscuits... and Alhamdulillah... they LOOK and TASTE gooood! Nasib baik.... Not bad for a Biskut-Dengar!

So now, I’m left with the Raya cakes. I think I’ll bake them myself lah... Or maybe I should do a Kek-Dengar? Hmmmhh....

Happy 46th Birthday Benjie!

To my dear brother Benjie/AbangJie aka Kochie to his friends:

Happy 46th Birthday!!!



Wishing you a full-of-Happiness-and-Love birthday. All of us here hope that everything is beautiful easy for you. May Allah give you the best in everything!

You’ve been a supportive and a wonderful brother to me. And such a big influence you have on me. Thank you Benjie, for just being you :)

Happy 3rd Birthday Hanis!

This is the last birthday cake we'll be having for the month of September. It's my youngest birthday today. Since I was out the whole morning till 5pm with Ayah, I just managed to get her pix after coming home just now.

So my dear princess Hanis - HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY!


You're such a petite 'lil girl that I didn't realized that you're such a 'big' girl now..hehehe....

Hanis, Ibu and Ayah hope that you'll be an anak solehah, a bright and caring girl and a tough cookie! Life is a long journey which is full of roses and thorns - so Ibu and Ayah pray that you'll be successful through out the journey no matter what happens. Remember that our do'a will always be with you Hanis.

Have fun with the clown and the Barbie doll(s) :) We'll cut the cake tonite after iftar ok?

Of Nuzul al-Quran and TV3

Today is the 18th of Ramadhan. Yesterday was Nuzul al-Quran Day which falls on every 17th day of Ramadhan. Nuzul al-Quran as we know is the day to commemorate the revelation of the Holy Quran for the first time to Prophet Muhammad, pbuh.

Talking about Nuzul al-Quran, I remember the time I was on the national TV, nearly making a fool of myself.

It was Ramadhan 2006 or 2007 (which I can’t really recall). It was a routine for us to get some kuihs for iftar at our favorite restaurants or at the nearby Bazaar Ramadhan. I was walking with Ayah and the girls when I was stopped by this pretty lady. I didn’t realize who she was at that time but when the microphone was out, and the video cameraman came into view, my first reaction was ALAMAK, habis aku!

That girl was a TV3 reporter and she started shooting off the questions at me. I was nervous, what with the camera and people surrounding us and all. I remember the Q&A went something like this:

There was an increase in sugar price recently, what do you do to cope with it?
Emmm... aaahh... Our sugar intake is not on the high side, so I think we’ll manage it.

Does your husband help you at home?
Emmm... aaahh... Of course he does. But since both of us are working, the daily chores are done by the maids.

Do you argue about whose kampong to Balik Kampong to for the Raya?
We’ve made a pact when we got married. Only one kampong per Raya. Alternate system. So no problemlah.

What is Nuzul Quran?
Whaaa...? Could you please repeat the Question again? (duh... )

What is Nuzul Quran?
Emmm... aaahh... Hari pertama turunnya Quranlah.

Ok Kak, TQ.

So clever of her to make people Terkedu. The first three questions were on personal/family life, but the 4th question macam ‘out of scope’ pulak. When people ‘terkedu’ and nervous, they tend to make a mistake or start babbling.

My Mak called me later to let me know she saw me on TV3 answering the sugar (question1) and the Balik Kampung (question3). But I couldn’t wait to know about the Nuzul al-Quran question.

Until a few days later, an office colleague came to me and said:
”Kak Ja, I saw you on TV ”
Was it on the Nuzul al-Quran? Did I Iook and sound like a fool?
“No, you looked ok apa, and you gave the correct answer. Raaamaaai betul bagi jawapan salah.”

I guess the reporter was the one who made it difficult by posing the ‘out-of-scope’ question after asking the first three. Or else people will know what to answer. I wouldn’t want to know how embarrass I’d be to my children if I answered it wrongly.... Issshh....

Happy 44th Birthday, my dear Hubby!

To the man who stole my heart 17 years ago – (it's still in his possession!)







May your 44th year be a wonderful one!

A special day like this
Is the perfect chance to show
That I love you very much
More than you'll ever know

So even when I forget
To say these words each day
Remember that I love you
More than I say

You brighten up my life
With memories and dreams
As the years pass
They get better it seems

You had my heart
Right from the start
The love for you in it
Will never part....


May all your wishes come true and may Allah gives us the best in everything, dear.





(poem source: http://www.things-to-say.com)

Happy 11th Birthday Hanna!

My dearest Hanna,

14 September 1997... but it seemed only yesterday that I first held you in my arms in SJMC labor room. You were such a beautiful baby although at that time you were covered with blood and white vernix :)

Now you’re a young lady of 11. My girl, you have such a long way to go in life. And I pray with all my heart that you’ll get the fullest of what life has to offer. Remember that solat is the pillar of everything. Be tough, strong, and do your best so that you may endure come what may.

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY HANNA!

I love you very much.... MMmmuuuuaaaaaahhhh!!


Since you don’t want me to put your recent pix here (malu ke?), I scanned two from your one-year-olds album... hehehe... GOTCHA!

This pic was taken on your 1st birthday... that was what - 10 years ago?? Wow... you've grown soo much Hanna!

Happy 89th Birthday Tok!

This month is full of birthdays to celebrate and this is the first of the series of birthdays that are yet to come.

Today’s my paternal GrandMother’s birthday - Che Jah Lebai Othman of Kodiang, Kedah.

So here goes --- HAPPY 89th BIRTHDAY TOK!

Semoga Tok panjang umur, sihat walafiat, tenang di dalam pelukan keimanan and ketaqwaan, bahagia bersama anak-cucu-cicit-piut, dan dipelihara di dalam kebaikan dunia dan akhirat. Amiin.

Counting Sheep

I colored all my sheep with all colors I had in mind and decided that pink was the best color a sheep could look good in. It reminded me of cotton candy with four legs... The fluffy pinks melted in your mouth... aaahh...pure heaven.....

Eh, what am I babbling about?

I counted sooo many sheep last night that I’m still seeing them in front of me as I’m typing this. My head is spinning, my eyelids heavy and my mouth yawning 60 times in a minute. Thanks to my mistake in taking the wrong supplements at night – I was wide awake last night until 4:00am!

Since I forgot to take my supplements for the first day of puasa, I kept reminding myself to do it right for the second day. Last night, in haste, instead of taking my Glucosamine+Chondroitin, I took Surbex Zinc - a high potency B complex – that according to Abbott is to help increase your energy levels and improves your stamina! There I was – in the darkness of my bedroom, counting sheep like there was no tomorrow!

But you know what, while counting and coloring sheep and reciting some surahs, I could hear the breathings of my loved ones in the room with me. How those sounds brought tears to my eyes... and how grateful I was that they were alive and healthy despite those ‘noisy’ sounds they made.

I was also grateful for my children still want to sleep with me. Only Haziq sleeps in his room... the five girls are all my sleepingmates!! They each have their own room but when it comes to sleeping at night, they like to sleep with us.

Whatever people may say, I believe that as long as your children want to sleep with you, let them be. Once they grow older, they’ll slumber out in their own rooms. I just want to cherish the time while we still have it.

What about the parent’s privacy? Well, there are empty rooms to count sheep in :)