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).