REMINISCE

It was a "tradition" in my family to had a photo taken when me and my siblings were 6yrs old, in our kindergarten wear. Mine was, of course..in black and white. Mom had it printed enlarged and framed, and hanged on the wall in sequence,...the eldest to the youngest respectively. The frames are not the same. You can guess what year/erra was the photo taken by looking at the frames. Mine was obviously the most ancient!

I recently took it all down from the wall and had sent it for reshoot, edited and printed. It was all printed in black and white.

I still remember the day I took the photo shoot, way back in 1981. Taman Melawati had no photo studio at that time. Even the rubber plantation was still around at certain areas. The school transported us to Taman Bunga Raya by a chatered school bus. We had to take turns for the shoot. But I had a problem. They couldnt find a graduation hat that fits me. I then learned that my head is...BIG! (laughing out loud)

After several attemps, finally,.. a hat that's quite fits my "slightly" big head was successfully forced onto. My bestfriend, Miza was just the opposite. She has small oval head. The teachers couldn't stop giggling looking at both of us.

I was in the 2nd row, most left. Miza was in the front row 5th from left.

CALMNESS IN THE DARK...

Earth Hour

DUSTY!

Mamamia! my blog is all dusty and much decorated with spider webs... So its time to for me to start typing my thots...

I've been up and down with my mood swings, hours of watching tv, days of wondering, tonnes of words typed in chatting with close frens, family and hubby in YM, messenger, Facebook, ichat. several video calls in Skype, surfing d net looking for historical info in various war ( i didn't realise since when do i have much interest in that)... and I realised it took lotsa my time from blog hopping, gardening, updating my filing and more over going out in the sun...

However, I'm glad that I went to the Hot Air Balloon Festival in putrajaya last week. And I went on the 1st day! Hahahah!Coz was so looking fwd for dat event... and a reason to go out in the sun in such an early hour.. Kluar rumah pukul 6:45am tu... (chuckles)

I'm glad i did:

- went to see baby Balqis with amab frens

- had dinner with Ely Afiq and Lazly at Bkt Bintang.(Gosh! the seafood are heavenly great!)

- had sleepover at Ainon's wit Ojet (with energetic Akmal jumping on d bed)

- removed my excessive keloid scar on my right earlobe for the 3rd time ( takut nk gi gomen, takut kena marah nape tak gi inject every month biar tak tumbuh balik)

- join Mom and Dad with Anna and Amyn tag along for a lunch at Restaurant Jaring, Sunway ( ikan bakar and gulai tempoyak sedap giler)

I'm so looking forward for:

- Kerabi trip with Ely and Lazli!

- Reshoot and printing of photos of me and siblings when we were 6 in our kinder uniforms for the frames on my wall of fame ( kononnyer!)

- for a call for interview wit Pusrawi college (yeah, i need a job!)

my current to do list

+ re organise my wardrobe/books/office room

+ select and print photos for the frames

+ call the electrolux service ctr AGAIN

+ updating my files

+ laundry

+ start my project on painting my towel rack into white

my project lists:

+ painting the flower pots in d garden, the towel racks, the guest room bed, a few folded tables-> in white ( to match other furniture)

+ to finish writting my children book ( well, its was barely 30% drafts)

+ thinking of painting a cartoon image of giraffe on a canvas ( knapa ye?)

+ a trip to kl Bird's Park.. ( dont know with whom...)

+ play kite with Ainon's kids at Kepong..

And i wud really love to own a nikon D90 and a wing chair in my bedroom with a floor lamp beside it! Hehehe!

CANDLE IN THE WIND

TAMARIND HILL, JLN SULTAN ISMAIL...

Was being too naive... and weeping tears in the ladies room

I was SO looking forward for a quiet, classy, fine-dinning dinner for this event. I just wanted to actually celebrate it. At least this year. Never really have the chance before. Took a while to dolled up and get pretty and all..Just once a year... but i guess i was asking for too much.

Maybe a big dinner with more people is more like it..

why did i even smiled at d mirror to have this shot, i dont really know... maybe was too vain to have ugly photos taken?

WINNER TAKES IT ALL

I was having a flu,... been drugged by the medication... i slept the entire morning after a light breakfast and of course the medication. I woke up around half-past noon, checked my messages on my cell, then I grab my laptop by the bedside and checked my emails... responding to few emails and comments on photos I posted on Facebook...  My stomach grumble lightly... I went to the kitchen  to grab a bite and saw a few DVDs on the coffee table. Owh, yes!  I bought some DVDs last night. While waiting for my baked potatoes done, I decided to watch Mamamia.

It was indeed a great musical. Perhaps because I love the songs.. I literally cried watching the movie. Maybe its because I'm being too emotional ( lately) or maybe I'm too attached to the songs which I practically grew up with. These songs took me back to the long journey of balik kampong with me and siblings cramping in the car singing, the journey of our short holidays to  Port Dickson, Malacca, Morib and Desaru...via jalan kampong (those were the days when we had no highways and tolls).  We memorised the songs by heart due to the repeatable audio that has been programmed un-intensionally to our brains. Besides ABBA gold greatest hits, mom's Benjamin S java songs and Kenny Roggers  greatest hits songs were also been memorised my heart. We didn't realised that until one day Dad decided to rent a van for a trip to kampong for raya holidays. We had grown bigger and all of us couldn't fit in a sedan car. The rented MPV had no cassette player. So after a while, we got bored and started singing. We end up singing the songs from the cassette that we used to listen while we were in the car. Abba, Benjamin.S, Kenny Rogers, and Sound of the Music soundtrack...

I love Meryl Streep and Colin Firth. Meryl was so full of energy in this movie. My favourite song among all is no other than "Dancing Queen"!!! Thats the song that could make me run to the dance floor and boogie! Same goes to my karaoke routine. It will not be a complete event if I didn't sing that song, mostly terribly.. 

I laughed at Colin Firth's dance... at the end of the movie. He was terribly cute! And nevertheless, my high school crush, Pierce Brosnan... has never failed to amazed me. I had a crush on him since his debut in Remington Steel. I used to have his poster in my room back then, and some were at the back of my text books and files..

ANCIPATING

I'm doing my last minute baking... raya biscuits... I'm going off to Batu Pahat tomorow. According to Dad, we will be leaving by noon... but i know it'll always be late afternoon...

I still haven't finished my laundry, so don't ask me about packing yet... Owh I hate packing erghhh... I always end up bringing extra luggage because I couldn't decide on clothes... Luckly I'll be driving my own car...

Looking forward to see the glowing face of my grandma... My mamadah ( she stays at Kelantan, thus I saw her only once a year), Mak Long, Mak Ndak, Mak Uda.. owh i can't mention all of them coz my mom has 13 siblings... haahaha! I miss my cousins... i have about 60 of them..

And I'm looking forward to breathe the kampong air...

I wish all my moslem brothers and sisters.. Eid Mubarak... Hope all of you have a good one... Maaf Zahir dan Batin..

THRILL AND SUSPENSE

Bukit Kutu, Kuala Kubu Bharu...It was indeed an adventure. Especially to the beginners. I thought the "bukit" was not so challenging. I googled some info about the trip. A lot of people been there. Some of them managed to the top, some couldn't find the trail. I heard about several river crossing. And some did mention how steep the trail was.

I was eager to know how true is that. plus there were remains of 2 bungalows on the top of the hill. Used to be the weekend getaway for the British...

Of course my worries was my stamina.. can I really make it to the top? And 2nd was the leeches... I had never bitten by any. Don't know whether it will freak me out...

So we started lil bit late, 10:30. After just about 200-300M of trekking up d hill, I was already panting.... I successfully throwed out my nasi lemak I had for breakfast... lol

Actually felt much better after that...

Indeed, it was steep. According to the Renjer, macam "lemang sandar"...

We managed to get to the summit at 5p.m. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners. we've been told that the journey was considered medium level, but the raining had make it tougher.

At some point the trail were barely visible, some are dangerously steep, some were very edgy, some were slippery. We did had to crawl at certain places, slides at muddy steep tracks.It was suppose to be a day trip, not involving moonlighting. But we were delayed, the weather played a part, plus we were exhausted.

It was getting dark, luckly I had brought a head torch and a torch light. And there were other 2 torch lights in the team. We climbed down... sometimes slides down. We were in a hurry,.. to get out before dark. but the trail were confusing. The Renjer couldn't put it together. Though he's been climbiing up and down Bukit Kutu for nearly 13 years of his life. But nite trekking was different.

Due to the rain, some branches, trees were blocking the trail beside the darkness in the forest. It was tough, walking thru the jungle, without the trail, to be extra careful in the dark.

We managed to get to the trail for several yards then off trail again... At last we found another trail, barely used.. just by the orang asli maybe... and I didn't care, as long as it was leading us out... it was already midnite. My hp been ringing non stop. Occay, f.y.i there's quite good phone reception in the forest! Thank god!

Any way,.. we managed to get out and reach our car at 3a.m. My parents were so worried! My mom was on her sejaddah reading surah Yassin non-stop. Of coz my whole body aches but that was still tolerable! my toes were swollen and d nails wer all blue black. Weeks later,.. I end up losing 5 of my toe nails. Ni belum naik Everest lagi beb! LOL!

Well,.. that's a hell of an adventure for a beginner!!!

Ojet, Dboy and Aida... Hope this will not stop you from going trekking again...

Gadafi has been to Gunung Tahan b4, so I bet this one doesn't kill ya...

Faizal, mana best dari diving?

Hahaha!

CHERISH

I may not be the richest woman on earth, I may not be the prettiest either, nor the smartest or the luckiest person that could have it all. But I'm blessed to have a bunch of good friends. Friends that brings joy to my life, who make me laugh my heart out, who I ran to for advise, who chat with me online, who sms  me every now and then, who talked to me, whom I ran to when I needed a shoulder to cry on, who make fun of me, who were there when I had blind dates, (urghh don't remind me the details), who lend me their cars, who used to share clothes, make-ups, even their plate of maggi, who attended my wedding, who cried with me, who laugh at me, who were there partying with me, who introduce me to more circle of friends and foremost, who doesn't judge me.

To all my friends out there, I'm so glad out path crossed. Though maybe we are not as close as before, we cannot hang out as often as we used to but I'll never forget what we had and will always cherish what we shared... 

'MISSY' IN A MISSION

1st Aug, friday 2008. Girl is not feeling very well at Melbourne. Since Amyn just finished her final semester and doing nothing at the moment, she's been requested to care for Girl. In such short notice, the flying arrangements were successfully done. Amyn will be there for 3 months. So, Raya ni Girl and Jay akan lebih meriah dengan kehadiran Amyn yang suka memasak iteww... hahaha!

Dian was there during previous Raya Haji. Oh yes, mentioning about Dian. She's getting married this November. So, Amyn, Girl and Jay will be flying back to tanah air early November. I'm so excited to have all of us around. Hubby will be around too, he'll be on 3 months leave starting middle of September. I can imagine the joy on my parents face, and Girl will be jumping happily and fill with laughter being around relatives and friends she had not seen for over 3 years...

These are a few photos taken sending Amyn off to Melbourne. Amyn, kirim salam Girl and Jay. Girl, we all wish you well. Jangan lompat-lompat occay...hihihi..

TO SURVIVE

Happy 5th Bday, Adam Faiz!

Rasa mcm baru smlm I had sleepovers at Rina's hse... borak sampai pagi... hangout at modesto's, uptown, dome... we shared a lot of things... My family was in JB, so everytime i craved for home cooked meal, Rina's mom was whom I ran to...

Rina married Faizal somewhere around 2003. Faizal was the sweetest guy!!! I was so happy for her. I went to the weddings on the both side of the family. I cried during the nikah. Occay,.. rephrase... I cried in all nikah ceremony except mine..occay?.... ironic..

Well,.. we did keep in touch. Tapi susah nak jumpa and hangout. I moved to ampang and she stayed with her mother-inlaw at Puchong. We met at my wedding on Dec1st, 2005. I was having my make-up done in the room and I heard her voice on the door.. I couldnt respond. I just had a glimpsed of her,smilling at me... with his son, Adam Faiz in her arms...

I didn't managed to talk to her... I remember waving at her from my meja pengantin... Few months later, she called and invited me to her son's Aqiqah at her parents... I went with my mom. Adam was so adorable... I saw that Faizal is a good father, he's doing great as a father... Rina too... I was so glad..

We did spoke on the phone,.. untill I was away with Ray, sailing for 8 months. Everytime I was around Malaysia's coast, I send her sms, but it was never delivered. I thought maybe she changed her number. Well, I knew back then that I can just go to her parents place and ask for her number when I got back... So , I did... but there were nobody home. So I sent her an email. I keyed in "urgent" at the top of the message... i told her that I was away for 8 months and asked whether she changed her number. Yup, I received a quick reply, but it was not good news...

They went to London because Faizal was assigned to work over there for at least 6 months. She just wrote that Faizal had passed away, there. Two months before I sent her that email. Her new mobile number was stated at the end of the email. I called her that instant! I was glad to hear her voice,.. I learned that Faizal was just merely having a fever. But after a few days, they went to see a doctor and he was admitted to the hospital. After a several tests... he was diagnosed with leukemia. He passed away a few days later. I tried to control my voice, because tears was running down my face.. I wouldn't want her to know... She was already so sad...

I asked her out a few times, but she seemed not to respond. I understand... she was still in grief. I did send her sms saying that I'll always be there if she needed anything or someone to talk to. We finally met one fine day.. had lunch at secret recipe, alpha angle... Adam tagged along... we had a long talk...

That night I received a sms from her. She said that she was glad we talked, and she was sorry that sometimes she just didnt have the mood to see or talk with anyone... She still didn't go to some places that she used to go with Fazal. She still couldn't do it yet...

We met again fews months later at KLCC for a buka puasa buffet. Adam was thrilled to see that they served sushi. erm.. me too... I SO love sushi!!! Rina was quiet for a moment. She looked at me. "Faizal and Adam loved sushi. I don't. Faizal will take Adam for sushi at least twice a month. And,... Adam did not have any since Faizal passed away..." Tears was in her eyes...

Last week was Adam's 5th Birthday. I attended his bday bash at Kidsport, great eastern mall. He was so happy. He's friends from school were there... Gosh... aku pulak yang sentimental, berair mata masa tu...

LOOKING BACK

One late afternoon, mom was cravings for bubur pengat pisang. Kedai kat blakang rumah ada jual, tapi mom like her pengat pisang sweet and not salty. So, she asked me to take her to a restaurant at Tmn Melati. We went there, but unfortunately, they didn't have it that day. So we end up having satay at Hj Samuri Satay Kajang... sunggoh jauh tersimpang dari category bubur and pengat...

The interior ada banyak gambar2 satay hawkers dari era 60's. Where it was carried in a kandar... orang yang makan biasanyer kena mencangkung. Mom cakap memang lah macam tu. Masa dulu kedai tak banyak. Itu pun kat bandar aje... Kat kampong mom tak ada pun...

I still remember when I was around 5 plus,.. 1980... my family just got back from sydney. Dad dah habis buat his Masters Degree. We settled at Jalan B2, Taman Melawati. Melawati masa tu baru sangat. Kedai pun baru nak siap. Yang ada pun mini market pernama.Sungguh sunyi bila malam. Boleh dengar bunyi harimau mengaum dari zoo kalau duduk kat luar pagi2 buta. Mana taknya, masa tu siaran tv dahlah start lambat, petang rasanya, pukul 5 ker 6. Habis siaran pun awal.. tak mcm skrg ni.. 24 jam...

Malam-malam, selalu ada orang naik motor jual putu mayam, ada yang jual sate... Me and girl melompat-lompat bila Dad kata boley beli sate... Selalunya bila ada relative datang. Dulu rumah tu memang meriah, ada ajer orang datang. Among the regulars were Pak Lang, Wak Talleh, Pak Ep, and of course our grandma's... X sabar rasanya tunggu pakcik jual sate tu... bila dia lalu jer, apalagi jerit2 lar panggil... Then the pakcik will stop... He will bbq the sate on his motor... normally jiran2 pon kluar jgk nak beli... Mom will chat with the neighbours with d plate in her hand for the sate...Me and adik2 will take the opportunity to run around, main kejar2 -police and thief ( masa tu sebut police and three) hahaha!!! "police and three, 1,2, jaga... polis mati, pencuri jaga"

huh,.. I miss that... masa tu asal dapat berlari main kat luar rasa hidup dah bahagia sangat... tak payah lar hiburan apa-apa... cartoon pun tak banyak lagi...

myself with mom and girl back then

TREASURE OF LIFE

HAPPY 34TH ANNIVESARRY MOM and DAD!

1st of July 1974

Yesterday was my parents 34th wedding annivesarry. They asked me to suggest where to go for dinner. Dad preferred somewhere near. Mom said, any where will do as long as its ala carte coz she wouldn't want to have buffet dinner. Dian will drive them. Several places been suggested. Fine dinning restaurants, Steak house, Hotels.

I dropped by at Mom's before I went to Bangsar to get something. I offered to drive them there, incase they wanted to have dinner around there. Turned up they decided to go to Armada, PJ.

To cut it short, they end up having dinner at Concorde, KL. hihihi... I was there at Mom's when they got back. Mom was in such good mood! And was rushing into the house and asked Anna to help her to unhook her outfit. We asked her how was the dinner. She answered,"Penat!" What? apa tu? penat? Then she explained, penat makan. Both of them wanted to have ala carte, but the buffet dinner was so tempting. So, they end up having buffet....Hahaha! Tu yang penat! hihihi Chomel jer...

Mom and Dad! Congratulations!!! May Allah bless you with good health, love and more happy moments together! We all love you! -aida, girl, dian ,amin, anna, dboy plus menantu2....

On their wedding day with Mom's siblings except Pak Hak and Pak Ngah

Their favourite R& R spot, Nilai

Goofying around at titiwangsa

Visiting Girl and Jay at Melbourne

Gelato....

Mom's 60th Bday, Melbourne

At Kunang-kunang on Father's Day