Sarah's PMR

Sarah took her PMR results with a brave heart. Anyone else (her mommy included) would have crumbled to see a "Donkey" on a result slip.  She took it all in her stride.  She did very well in most subjects, A's in Malay and English Languages, Science, Math and KH.  We asked her if she wanted to continue her Form 4 in a Religious School.  Her answer was a prompt yes.  Then she added, "as long as the school doesn't make me study the Arab Language."

Now that explains the Donkey.

Congratulations and keep up the good work, my dear.

A Srikandi in the making

Last night, as I was making dinner ( rice, ayam masak merah and fresh salad), Daddy came up to me quietly and nonchalantly said, " Iman dapat STF."

I screamed first, then asked,'' What?? Iman dapat STF?? Betul? Abang jangan main-main ni.."

I had to pinch myself to believe that my 3rd child is going to my alma mater.  Then I jumped, danced and screamed.. and hug and more hugs..  All the while, Iman was smiling. The tears came afterwards.  No, I didn't cry buckets like I did the day she got her 5As results last month.  These were humble tears.. special tears for Iman who will one day be one fine Srikandi.

Syukur alhamdulillah.. Allahu akbar.

One night in Pekan

Sun 11/12

Left home at 10.30 am after saying good bye to Ryan at his Mak Nor's house.  Stopped at Genting Sempah for lunch and some chestnuts.  Arrived at a Homestay around 6 pm.  Ample time to jama' zohor/asar, and then maghrib/isya'; before heading out to find dinner, in a heavy and furious rain.  It's a good thing that Ryan stayed behind with his Mak.  Our little guy doesn't like to get wet!! Neither the hot sun nor being cramped in his car booster seat in an 8-hr journey would make his day any better!

Mon 12/12

Found our way to MRSM Tun Abdul Razak.  The reason we were in Pekan.  The interview started at 9, and our Iman was briskly escorted (along with about 20 school-uniform-clad 12-y-olds) into a classroom.  She looked nervous but sure-footed.  She came out around 12, smiling.

Ya Allah.. please give her the best and grant our wishes... Amiin.

Penang Butterfly Farm

Batu Feringhi Beach

Penang "Angry Bird" 4-7/12/11

   I call this mini vacation "An Angry Bird Getaway".  The game was played through out the journey, during the stay in Penang, at the beach, while shopping, while waiting for the rest room turns, in the restaurant, in the parks and before the lights-off. And I'm not talking just about the kids.   At the end of the vacation, Daddy (being Daddy), bought each one of the kids their favorite Angry Bird momento.
   I bought 5 kebayas with lots of embroidery..no..not with Angry bird motives.
   We stayed in a Bayu Emas Apartment, next to Batu Ferringhi beach. The apartment looked old and tired from the outside, but was surprisingly comfortable and adequately-furnished.
   The best part about Penang vacation is the food of course. Char koey tiaw, tandoori, biryani and ayam madu in various places.  Even nasi lemak tastes heavenly, when eaten near the beach.
   Reached home yesterday at 3:30 pm.  Mr S says : 50.1 kg.  Ooops... too much Nasi Kandar!

Menzan Guest House.
Warren 04-8908196.  Email yapeddy@yahoo.com

Maal Hijrah 1433

Enjoying a quiet day at home. Reflecting on our life as a family.  In 10 months and 10 days, we will be celebrating our 23 rd Hijrah wedding anniversary.  Life sure is wonderful and I'm the luckiest wife and mom.

A week in Terengganu 20-26/11/11

Tagging Daddy along when Daddy got work in Kertih during school holidays has been our family tradition since Daddy started teaching some seven years ago.  As always,  Awana Kijal Golf, Beach & Spa Resort becomes our home-away-from- home. Different rooms, but almost always the same resort. So much so that my kids have already memorized the color of the bathroom tiles and the pattern of the carpet and the bedcover. When it comes to the shortcuts to the game room, play centre, swimming pools and the beach, they are way waaay ahead of me.

When we first came  in 2004, nothing much was around here. Mostly empty shoplots, with a clinic and a laundromat. Fortunately for us, Kijal does embrace progress, albeit slowly.  The shoplots in front of Awana now house 2 laundromats, a Cafe, KFC, sundryshop and a Steak House. Within 20 minutes drive there is a Mesra Mall and a Giant Hypermarket with the surrounding area earmarked to be the next Nilai 3.

Day 1

Arrived at 11 pm after 7 hours traveling from Mak Tok and Tok Ayah's house in Tanah Merah. Dinner in Marang, followed by supper of jagung bakar at the roadside. Tired and full, sleep was peaceful.

Day 2

Pool duty after breakfast. Met fellow Petronita, Suhaila by the poolside. We meet almost every year at the pool corner. Since we are both teachers and our husbands are collegues, catching up is effortless. Lunch at KFC.

Contrary to "popular" belief, tagging along hubby who is on a tight work schedule isn't all rounding-up the kids and planning for the next meal and bath time. Sometimes when the older kids are engrossed with their electronic gadgets, and the smaller ones taking   nap, I simply sneaked out and take a walk along the beach. Me and my thoughts, alone  and blissful. I could just sit there, looking at the great ocean and let the time slip by.

Day 3

Pool duty after breakfast. Earlier than Suhaila and her kids today. Read Surah Al-Kahfi on my Tab, while keeping one eye on the kids in the pool. Isn't technology great?

During nap time, I sneaked out to the gym. I stopped by at the gym yesterday but couldn't make myself work out alongside with the buff men there. That's me being modest. But not today. I already wallopped nasi dagang, fried noodles, pancakes and pastries. (And that's just for breakfast). So step aside Ms Modesty, this Mom-of-6 needs to burn her excess.

Late afternoon, I got to spend an hour on the beach with Iman, Dayana, Izzah and Ryan.Sarah and Daddy joined us a bit later.  Dinner was in Mesra Mall. Sarah and her nasi goreng kampung. Iman, Dayana and Izzah : nasi ayam.  Daddy and me had Nasi Kukus Paka.

Day 4

Rain and more rain.  No pool duty.  I'd love to spend another hour under the duvet. But  the little voice inside me reminds me to think mature and act responsible.  So off to gym I go, while kids are still in their own dream world.

Only two machines were occupied. Great. I spent 30 minutes on a treadmill and 10 on a stationary bike. Burnt 250 kcal there, equivalent to 2 buttered toast (?!). Not bad eh.. fora 41-y-o makcik on vacation. At the risk of looking too buff, I did some reps on the weight-training machine and fiddled with the dumb bells.

Daddy doesn’t have to go out to Kertih today. Instead, he's giving his talk right here in the hotel lobby. That means we get to meet him at lunch break and I have a car at my disposal for the whole day. But what good is a car when there's a hailstorm outside. On  the news, it is reported that hundreds are being evacuated from Kuala Terengganu and the surrounding flood areas. I don't feel like driving, anyway.

Dinner is at the Awana Ballroom. It's Wednesday; barbeque night. Live performance by The New Joy Band, featuring singers Sara and Adnan. I think they are married, and I hope for their sakes, to each other.

Dinner was a great selection of meats; chicken, beef, lamb and mutton, choice of sate, sausages of varying sizes, assortment of gravy, rice, noodles, pasta and potatoes, and  an array of to-die-for desserts. Alas, there's no point in crying over spilled milk. Damage done. Verdict: Ate too much. Defense: temporary insanity (makan tak ingat dunia).  Sentence: weight-lifting for the next 365 days. (yeah.. right).

Day 5

It doesnt really matter how much I ate last night, I'm still very hungry in the morning.   But, at the very least, during breakfast this morning, I managed to walk past the pastry corner, and straight to nasi lemak section.

Keeping Ryan company at the playroom, while Sarah, Iman, Dayana and Izzah play in the pool. Still raining.  Daddy attends the RITEF seminar closing ceremony here in the hotel, and finishes at 3.  Not going to the gym today, but found other equally strenuous way to burn the calories. Went to Mesra Mall for late lunch. Dinner at the Zara's Cafe.  Love the som tham.

Day 6

Start packing.  Kids still want their pool time, this time with Daddy holding the camera  in the water with them.  Strolling on the beach with Daddy and Ryan, while the girls shower and change into traveling clothes.

Off to Gombak to visit Kushairy.  Family dinner, doubles as celebration dinner for Iman who scored 5As in the UPSR, at Ayam Penyet Sri Gombak. Sent Kushairy back to his hostel, and pushed off to Wardah's house in PJ.  Arrived just before midnight.

Day 7

Woke up hungry (what else is new?). Grazed the candies and cookies that were put strategically on the dining table. Read the paper while waiting for everyone else to wakeup.  Still news on the big bad flood on the east coast. (Thousands have now been evacuated).  Real breakfast was roti canai and  curry, eating with Wardah, Nasa and their children, Danial, Syamil and Elsa. Went out  strolling and shopping at The Curve shortly before noon. Pit stop at McDonald's. Real lunch with Wardah and family at a Yemen Restaurant,  Restoren Nakheed Hadramawt in Kota Damansara. Neither Daddy nor me could pronounce the menu, so Wardah accepts the honor of ordering for all of us. I wish I could remember how to spell the name of the dishes we ate. I remember they were delicious. At 5 Daddy dropped me at Wardah's favourite spa (fast becoming my top favorite  too). Body massage and facial treatment by beauty consultant, Liza. Picked up by Daddy at 8.20 pm and off to Ipoh.


Reached home at a little before 11.  Consulted Mr S.  48.8 kg.  Now I can sleep well.

Doa pembuka 12 pintu.

Ya Allah, bukakanlah untukku pintu-pintu kebaikan, pintu-pintu keselamatan, pintu-pintu kesihatan, pintu-pintu nikmat, pintu-pintu keberkatan, pintu-pintu kekuatan, pintu-pintu cinta sejati, pintu kasih sayang, pintu-pintu rezeki, pintu-pintu ilmu, pintu-pintu keampunan dan pintu-pintu syurga. Ya Allah Yang Maha Pengasih Lagi Maha Penyayang.


Amin..


Bought Galaxy Tab 10.1 today.  Beginning to wonder how I survived without it before.  Better late than never..

The day of Arafah

9 Zulhijjah 1432H

Dua'a on the day of Arafah :

La ilaha illal-lah, wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul-mulku walahul-hamd, wahuwa AAala kulli shayin qadeer.
 
None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and He is over all things omnipotent.

To Ah Fatt

Yey.. finally the last day of school before RAYA.
It is a good day today, I managed to get many things completed.  Not like yesterday.

Yesterday I got home at 4, after a long long meeting at school.  Tired and hungry ( I only got to eat a small plate of nasi lemak in between classes and nothing else until 9pm!).  Once at home, I carried the giant basket full of dirty laundry down the stairs, only to find that the door knob to my laundry room is jammed stuck.  Argghhh.. Why do things ALWAYS get broken at the wrong times (read: at times when Daddy is not home!!)?

The first thing I did was call my friend Ah Fatt, the locksmith.

Me:        Hello Ah Fatt. Ini Lily.

Ah Fatt: Hello, ciggu ah?  Ada apa hal?

Me:       Ah Fatt, boleh datang rumah saya? Itu lock pintu bilik saya rosak lah.. boleh repair?

Ah Fatt:  Aiiyaa ciggu.. sikalang ahh.. tatak sinang lorr.. aku ada kija luar Ipoh oo..

Me:       Ah Fatt ada kawan boleh rekemen datang repair?  Banyak susah la.. macam ni, saya tak boleh buka ini bilik..

Ah Fatt:  Aiyaa.. ciggu ahh.. lu pigi kedai hardware beli lock, suruh dia datang pasang lorr..

Me:       Ohh.. boleh ahh??

Ah Fatt:  Bolehhh.. ok ahh ciggu..

The second thing I did was start the Kembara engine and went out to search a hardware store, in a heavy stormy rain, mind you. (Honest.. I'm not trying to dramatize the situation!)

The hardware store owner was having drinks (Tiger beer on the table) with his friend. Both their faces were red from the drinking.  Their breath reeked. He showed me a a knob with horizontal handle. Not what I had in mind.  He asked me to follow him to the back to show me another "quality door knob".  I followed (really, what was I thinking?).  True to his words, the knob was quite pretty. Altogether he wanted to charge me RM 120.  Sounded reasonable - for a panicking husbandless lady with a basketful of dirty laundry at home.  But just to be sure, I need to get Daddy's OK first.

So the third thing I did was to call Daddy.

Me:        Hello bang, you otw oredi kan?

Daddy:  Yes.. dah sampai KL dah.. dalam 2-3 jam lagi sampailah. Why?

Me:       Pintu bilik laundry jam.. tak boleh bukak.. dah try banging.. lock dah rosak.

Daddy:  Laa.. call lah Ah Fatt.. suruh dia tukar lock tu!

Me:       Ly dah call dah.. Ah Fatt outstation, Ah Fatt suruh Ly gi cari sendiri kat hardware store.  Ni kat   hardware laa.. towkey ni nak charge RM120 untuk tukar satu lock.  Nak tanya abang lah ni.. ok tak? Should I let this guy do it?

Daddy:  Hmm.. Ah Fatt tak de?.. tunggu abang balik lah.  Kejap je lagi.

Me:      Oh.. ok then..

So when Daddy is finally home from his Terengganu stint, he tried unjamming the door with no luck.  By then it was already late and no sane hardware store owner would open his door, even to a desperate couple with a basketful of dirty laudry waiting to be processed.

Today, I finished my work at school precisely at 12 (TGIF).  And the first thing I did at home was.. call Ah Fatt of course!

Me:  Hello Ah Fatt.. hari ni ada senang?

Ah Fatt:  Ciggu ahh... aa.. ok ok ada sinang sikalang..

Me: Boleh datang repair pintu?

Ah Fatt: Boleh.. sikalang datang..

Me:  Ah Fatt.. tolong tukar lock itu main door oso lahh..

Ah Fatt: ok ok.. dua lock ahh..

Me: Thank you Ah Fatt.

In the end, Ah Fatt changed the lock to our laundry room and the main entrance door, for a mere RM100.  (I would have to fork out RM240 if I were to go with the HW store guy).  And the best part is Ah Fatt also fixed the little gate at the bottom of our stairs to hinder Ryan from walking up the stairs on his own - very much to Ryan's annoyance!

May Allah bless all the Ah Fatts of the world.  (and the world will be a much better place when there is Ah Fattisme in each and every one of us - reminding myself, especially).

After Paris

Exactly a week after Paris honeymoon, and I'm still reeling from it.

19 Ramadhan 1432

To start off.. let's see what do we have for iftar today..

White rice (of course)
Kerapu bakar - charcoal-grilled
Air asam - to complete the grilled fish
Sardin masak kicap
Sayur campur- stir fry 'cincai'
Acar rampai
Kuih abuk-abuk sagu
and.. lots of clear water (followed by hot java later before terawih)

And today Kushairy received a package sent by Photo Bucket.  He just won a Canon, almost what he actually wants.

About France.. passport renewed, a-week leave approved (remind me to buy a gift for the Pengetua), baby-sitter informed, parents agree to take care of our PMR-candidate and most importantly, kids agree that this Mom and her bff deserve to go holiday all by ourselves!!

Counting the days to Paris!!

Cure for chocolate addiction

1 Syaaban 1432

    To cure your addiction to chocolate you need to immerse yourself in chocolate making.  That was what my 4 daughters and I did today.  Two kinds of chocolate - white and dark. Five fillings - ground nut, peanut butter, golden raisin, blueberry conserve and desiccated coconut.

    We started around 3, after attending a wedding at Desa Pinji, and were done around 6 pm.  Total weight of homemade chocolate = 2.5 kg.  The hardest part was the clean-up.  The clutter was indescribable. Chocolate drops and the excess filling were everywhere; and I had to turn down a visit from an ex-student (who wanted to push Amway products). Sarah and Iman are very quick and efficient at cleaning-up .  Creativity award goes to Dayana, who pretty much decides the design, arrangement and the filling.  Izzah was an honest taster.  Daddy didn't dare to enter the kitchen, so he busied himself with bill-paying chore upstairs. Kushairy and Ryan amused themselves in and out of the house. I'm not sure if it was the clutter or the chatter in the kitchen that scare the boys off.
  At the end of the day, the sight and the smell of the chocolate didn't entice me that much anymore.  Let's hope that the cure is permanent.

Father's Day

I woke up this morning craving for healthy brownies.. (if there's such thing)..
And oh it's Father's Day too.. all the more reason to bake for my Abah and my children's Daddy.

This is what I came up with..

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup chocolate mix ( I used Milo )

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1.5 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup oil ( I used sunflower )

Dry desiccated coconut

Put everything in a mixer.  Thick batter.

Place in greased 9x13 in. pan. 

Bake at 160 degrees C preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cool before cutting.

Sprinkle with dry coconut.

Breadmaking

WHITE BREAD 

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cups bread flour
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast

Bread Maker Method : 

Add ingredients into the bread pan. For best result, add all liquid ingredients first, then add all dry ingredients except yeast. 
Make a small indentation on top of the dry ingredients (not so deep it reaches the wet layer) and add the yeast in the indentation. 
Press start and sit back and relax. 
Bread is ready in 3 hours and 20 minutes.





Alternatively, bake it at 190 degrees C for 30 mins (after kneading it for 20 minute, let it rise until doubles, punch it down and let it rise again).

Kek Batik

My daughters' first attempt in making a cake.
4/6/2011

Kek Batik

(adapted from Majalah Kuntum, Feb 2011)

Bahan-bahan

300 g biskut marie

125 g mentega

3/8 cawan susu pekat manis

3/8 cawan serbuk koko

1/2 cawan Milo

2 biji telur

7/8 cawan air sejuk

Cara

1.  Patah-patahkan biskut kepada dua bahagian.

2.  Dengan api sederhana, masak serbuk koko, Milo, air dan susu di dalam kuali hingga mendidih.

3.  Masukkan mentega, kacau hingga likat.

4.  Masukkan telur dan kacau 1-2 minit lagi.  Tutup api.

5.  Masukkan biskut, gaul hingga rata. 

6.  Masukkan ke dalam loyang dan tekan hingga padat.  Simpan dalam peti sejuk selama 3-4 jam sebelum dihidang.

Gardening

The day we planted a mango tree - 15/5/2011

Daddy showing the way to do it.

Ryan Danial was eager to help.

The ever-helpful Dayana.

Brother and Sister

2 Rejab 1432

Started the day with cucur bilis+bawang+kucai.  Half kilo of wheat flour gone in a dash. With 6 kids in the house, breakfast is a big affair.  But we were hardly full yet.  Iman, the birthday girl, decided to make a Batik cake, using a receipe she read in Majalah Kuntum.

Lunch was rice, sardin tumis kicap and salad.

Then off to Greentown Mall for raya shopping.  It's only Rejab (I know), but there's 20% sale of baju kurung material at Nagoya.  Bought a piece for each of 4 daughters. Now what's left is to find a tailor who can stitch in time for raya.

Dinner was rice+fish for mommy and rice+lamb chop for the rest of the family.

Took Ryan to clinic and finished the day off with an old episode of Law and Order.

1 Rejab 1432

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَانَ

" ALLAHUMMA BARIK LANA FI RAJABI WA SYA'BAN WA BALIGHNAA RAMADHAN "
Ya Allah, berkahilah kami di bulan rajab dan sya'ban, serta sampaikan kami di bulan ramadhan.

midyear school break

I am bracing for another 3D2N without Daddy at home.  That means sleepless nights and napless days for me.  I'd wake up at the slightest noise at night and keep counting sheep for hours on end.  My days will be filled with endless errands and ferrying kids around town.  If you think that by keeping busy, I'd be able to stop myself from missing Daddy like crazy, you thought wrong.

Daddy has yet to pack for his trip to KL this afternoon.. and I already miss him so much.

Please Allah.. let him have a good trip, and bring him home to us safely. Amiiin.

O Allah.

"O Allah, I ask you for steadfastness in this matter, & I ask You for the resolve to adhere to the path of guidance, & I ask You for gratitude for Your blessings & to worship You well, & I ask You for a truthful tongue & a sound heart, & I seek refuge with You from the evil of what You know, & I ask You for the good of what You know, & I ask You for forgiveness for what You know; You are the knower of the Unseen."

Taman Herba

Daddy cancelled his work commitment at the last minute.  Went to Taman Herba and came back just before Friday prayer.

School Break

I'm finally done with the extra classes conducted for the Form 5 and Upper 6 classes.  Huge relief.  Perfect attendance in STPM class and just so-so in the Fifth former class.  And tomorrow is already Friday, the last day of 1-week school break.  I've told Ryan's Nanny that I'm not sending him tomorrow, because we, as a family, are going to Taman Herba in Simpang Pulai.  Or rather, we WERE going there until just now, when Daddy announced that he would definitely have to go to work tomorrow.

I feel like pulling my hair now.

I am not much of a driver.  I was hoping that Daddy would drive, while I 'navigate'. Now it looks like I'm going to have to find that place on my own.  It's supposed to be an educational park with lots of plants worth knowing and owning.  Hopefully, the place is as good as it is rumored to be, because I plan to take my 6th former students there in June for a field trip.

Caramel Pudding

The last time I ate caramel pudding was when I was in Kulim 6-7 years ago in one of the potluck gatherings of Intelliers and wives.  So in my effort to raise my blood cholesterol and sugar level (hah!), I woke up at 5.15 am this morning and started working magic in my kitchen.  I guess normal family doesn't eat pudding for breakfast, but then again being normal is so overrated.

Here's the recipe, in case I'd forget the next time I'm craving for it again..

The body:

6 eggs whipped to perfection

1tsp essence of vanilla

400g of evaporated milk

The topping:

1 cup sugar melted/ caramelized in a casserole serving dish
2-3 tbsp of water to dissolve the caramel.  (careful, it's hot and I got a blister to prove it)

The how:

Pour the body on to the topping. Steam until it hardens.  Flip it on a bigger casserole serving dish (or just a big plate).

There you have it.  Loved by my kids.

Too easy? Anything harder than this should be commissioned to the experts.

4D3N

I was exhausted.  My children at home tried to make things easy for me.  But my children in school are just the opposite.  Only a handful turned in their CNY break homework; none met my expectation.  I was tired beyond words.  I needed to rest.  I wished for a break; and I got it. In the form of 4D3N in KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital.

I thought my life was going to end right there at the Emergency Room.  The room was spinning and I could barely see the back of my hand.  The doctors (there were 2, I think) asked for some basic information, but I could barely open my mouth without throwing up.  I was given a jab that was supposed to help with the barfing.  I prayed for the the room to just stop spinning, so that I can see Daddy and feel his grip.  I heard him ask for a single room for me to stay in.  No such luck.  It was Maulidur Rasul ( Tuesday, Feb 15, 2011), and we were told that the hospital was always full to the brim whenever there was a public holiday.

Once 'stabilized', I was wheeled to the room in Ward 232.  The were two other occupied beds. Daddy came up shortly after filling out the necessary registration forms at the lobby. And the rest of the day was blurr.

At 8.30, on Wednesday morning, my eldest cheered me up with a call.  He was about to sit for his Arabic Language Final exam and asked for me to pray for him.  He promised to call me back at 11, once he was done with the paper, but he called Daddy instead, and informed us that he was going to enter MASUM, bearing his Tae Kwan Do belt.  Could I be any more prouder?

My Mom and children came by that afternoon. The room was still spinning and I was the unfortunate axle.  Doc Hj Zakaria came with a pleasant smile and good news.  My MRI scan was sparkling clean.  He identified the cause of my imbalance.  An infection in the vestibular area. The bad news is it would take 7-10 days for my system to flush out the dizzy spells.

I could finally stand and walk around the room by midday Thursday.  Met and greeted my bed neighbors.  To my right was a 60-y-o widow who just had a surgery due to colon cancer.  Her two teenaged children took turns siting by her 24-hrs a day. I didn't talk directly to her since she was still heavily sedated and could hardly lift her eyelids.

Next to her was a 47-y-o Ustazah who had been having chest pain and shortness of breath.  An angiogram test was done.  She checked out that day, and was due back soon.  Her bed was soon taken up by a 44-y-o primary school teacher from Lekir who just found out about the malignant tumor in her  left breast 11 days ago.  She just had a complete masectomy.  I talked to her on Friday morning, almost 12 hours after the surgery.  Considering her condition, she was quite chirpy when she said, " Allah bagi pinjam (breast) kat kak kejap je.. lepaih tu dia ambik lah sikit-sikit.. setengah orang, tak sampai 44 tahun pun Allah dah ambik semua kan?"

Ya Rabbi.. I get it..

As I am closing this blog entry, I can hear the Dolls singing, "be careful of what you wish for.. coz you just might get it."

Our second Hajj, insya Allah

I went to Tabung Haji this morning, while Ryan was taking his morning nap.  I have been postponing this trip like forever, although TH is only 5-minute drive away.  Someone in school told me you can only register for 2nd-time Hajj 9 years after your first, so that's one of the reasons of my dally-dallying. The fact is only 5-year wait is needed - as told by the TH officer this morning.

Daddy went to TH alone to register for our first Hajj, back in Kulim in 1999.  Iman was 1-month-old at the time.  We were scheduled for Hajj in 2008.  Perfect, we thought, Kushairy would have finished his SPM by then, and would be old enough to look after the little ones.

But Allah had a better-than-perfect plan.  Our first Hajj was in Jan 2003.  We had to leave our youngest, 2y3m-old Dayana and 3y7m-old Iman with Bibik Asniar at my Mom's in Ipoh, 7-y-o Sarah in Pandan Indah with my lil sis Noi (Noi was a year-1 teacher Seri Bintang Utara at the time and Sarah was starting year 1) and UPSR candidate Kushairy with our good neighbor in Kulim.  Leaving the kids scattered here and there for 45 day was almost unbearable.

 While waiting for my turn at TH just now, my mind was twirling and thinking of the people I would have to approach to help me with the kids, especially Ryan, when we are in Mecca.

And guess what.. this time we are scheduled to go for Hajj in 2037.  Hmm.. I guess I didn't have to worry about the babysitting arrangements after all.. Ryan will be 27 by then.

I texted Daddy to tell him of our 'luck'.  Daddy texted back, "And I'll be a 70- year old man! .. and you'll be a sexy 68- year old lady..."

Funny eh.. here I am, being so wrapped up about my children's wellbeing, forgetting that in 26 years' time I might not have what it takes to make that trip.  Daddy's text, though sounded playful, is a serious reminder that I should consider ourselves to be very lucky if we could ever set foot in Holy Mecca/ Medina again.

New Year, New Rules.

I work better with rules, than with resolutions.  I feel guilty when breaking rules; I give up when I fail in keeping my resolutions.  Guilt is better.  Guilt helps me stay on the right path

1.  Trust my instinct more.
  When in doubt, I will follow my instinct, rather than my mind.  My mind is easily clouded by past experiences (not necessarily my own) and silly thoughts.  My instinct is far more superior, and has proved to be right on the money time and time again.  Qiamullail and dhuha help strengthen my instinct. Target: 75% on Q and D,

2.  Spend more, save less.
In this economy, saving my money will be fruitless.  I will invest more on blue chips.  My zakat this year will be 15% more than in 2010.  A new car for Daddy by August.

3.  Make the spa my second home.
This should be the easiest.  God knows I need this the most.  I will make the people in the spa my best buddies. After all, I need them more than they need my money. 50% more than last year's allowance.

4.  Eat tasty food.
I will not eat any food just because certain people (author or MLM people) say it's good for me.  I am through eating tasteless and bland food.  Food should be enjoyed, not endured.  I will cook meals at least 4 times a week.  Or make that 3x a week.

5.  Make Mr S love me.
Good food shouldn't equal to fat piling-up.  To make Mr S love me, I will fall in love with Mr T again. 3x a week.

6.  Read more.  Write even more.  Talk less.
Self explanatory.

7.  Teach less.  Learn more.
I will teach less the subject, and learn more with my students.

8.  Love more.  Preach less.
Love and preach are both verbs.  Both take energy, and since my energy is limited (and my days on earth are numbered), I'd better be wise.