Journey of Hope...

“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness...”- Friedrich Nietzsche

With Iwan and Sara went to Tanglin to have nasi lemak breakfast. This morning we will be attending MAKNA's 9th Anniversary Periwinkle day celebration at Menara Kuala Lumpur. I had a car park reserved for me. We were ushered up the lift to the function room where I was seated at the VIP table together with Dato Farid, the Chairman of MAKNA and Tan Sri Aziz and wife.

There were presentation of gifts to cancer patients and cultural performance by the Menara KL cultural group. We had brunch while being entertained by Saiful and Adibah Noor. The function ended at noon with each of us was given a goody bag full of souvenirs from the cancer patients. At night we had dinner at Laksa Shack at 1-Utama and missed watching the movie, as the queue was long.

Received a late call from a friend and slept very late listening to the hill tribe music.

Thailand: Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai - Rose of the North...

"A traveler's life is one that includes much pain amidst its enjoyments…”

Chiang Mai is the second-largest city in Thailand, with cool mountain climate. This small city offers a much more pleasant atmosphere than Bangkok, but still has all the modern amenities. The location of the city lends itself to excellent trekking and exploration of the lush surrounding nature areas. The heart of Chiang Mai is its old city, circled by ancient walls and moats and offers an old-world feel, despite the heavy traffic circling it.

(AA visit to the souvenir shop)

(A local cottage industry outlet) 

My Travelogue: Chiang Mai/ Chiang Rai 2005

The way we were...

'“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony...” - Gandhi

'

It was like we were 30 odd years ago. We have a lot to talk about and we feel as if we never grow old and never got separated from each other.

We woke up early and got ready to go gallivanting. We had breakfast at Devi in Bangsar and went to Mala’s at Bandar Utama. Went to Low Yat and met up with Ani's sons and cousins. With their assistance, Senator Ubai managed to purchase her laptop. I had the opportunity to apply for a phone line and Streamix for our Sri Putramas Apartment.

In the afternoon, we said goodbyes with heavy hearts. On the way to send Bee, we stopped at Section 14 to have lunch at chicken rice house. Detoured to Kak Nora's house to say hello. After sending Bee home, drove to Taman Melewar to send Senator Ubai.

Back at our Bidara house, I had pizza with the three stooges.

The gang’s reunion...

“Silence make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying, but the never needing to say that counts...” - Margaret Lee Runbeck

(SMKB girls)

At 4.30 a.m. Airah called from Putra Bus Station. Their bus was early. Still feeling groggy from lack of sleep, drove with U to fetch them. Airah’s hubby and children went their separate ways and they promised to meet up after our reunion. At the apartment we had early breakfast and started to prepare some quick simple gourmet for lunch. We cooked sup tulang, daging masak kicap, sayur campur, ayam goreng and sambal belacan. Nik Aminah will be bringing sambal udang petai and daging dengdeng. The gang started arriving before lunch. Adilah came early, followed by Rozimah. Nik Aminah came with the extra nasi and lauk pauk. While we were busy preparing food, received distress calls from Nik Fauziah and Nik Fatimah. Both cars ended up at Masjid Wilayah. Nasidah and Tik with their 2 kids were with Nik Fatimah. Mala and Sara came later. We had so much to talk about and ended up splitting into a few groups to manage conversations. The apartment was full with excitement. Food was abundance and we had a lot of photo taking to capture the moments.

In the evening we said goodbyes to most of the friends. In two cars, went to Nik Aminah's house. The house was in a mess as she was in the mist of packing to move to their new house soon. Later we stopped at Kak Jon's house to say hai. Later Nik Aminah sent Airah and Rozimah to KL Central. The rest followed me back to the apartment. Iwan came from Setiawan with Ella, her mum, dad, sister and baby. We prepared dinner for them and after that they drove to our Bidara house to stay a night there. Tomorrow they are going to Kuching for a holiday.

The rest of us had late dinner and slept late again tonight.

p.s.
To Kid in Wellington, We wished you were here with us.
To all the hubbies, thank you for letting the wives time off to be with the Big 5…'

Old girls gathering...

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one...” - Dr. Seuss

(Senator Ubai and Bee at my Putramas Apartment...)

'''
I received a huge fruit basket from a close friend. And Linda ordered a 2 kg carrot and walnut cake for our party tomorrow. Senator Ubai was at Bee's house early. After Maghrib went to fetch both of them and we had nasi goring dinner at my Putramas Apartment. We updated each other on happenings while relaxing and watching TV and ended up sleeping very late.
'
In Kota Bharu, Anie and her sister, Inah, Nik Airah and family boarded the bus at 9.30 p.m. ETA KL at around 5.00 a.m. tomorrow morning.''

Sri Kijang in Langkawi

“There is no unhappiness like the misery of sighting land again after a cheerful, careless voyage...” - Mark Twain

Our new resort in Pantai Chenang, Langakawi is ready for occupancy and staff can start making their booking starting from December.

Strategic Leadership...

“I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself...” - Rita Mae Brown

9th Senior Management Conference

Putrajaya Marriott Hotel

3 – 4 December 2005'

The Senior Management Conference is an annual forum for senior management to enhance teamwork, develop greater awareness of activities outside our respective functional areas and to contribute collectively towards capacity and capability enhancement within the organization.

For the 9th SMC the theme is ‘ Strategic Leadership and Alignment for Greater Organisational Effectiveness’. The forum was conducted at the Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, a retreat environment, away from the office. For these 2 days we were divided into groups and engaged in strategic conversations and discussions to discuss on our strategic results. 7 Strategic Results were presented during the plenary session on the second day. Because of time constraint, the remaining Strategic Results will have to be presented at another session.

Anticipated key outcomes of the SMC will be translated into initiatives and actions, bringing direct benefits to the organization.

Bonus time...

“Deadlines just aren't real to me until I'm staring one in the face…” - Rick Riordan

I have sent out a short memo to all my Managers including those at the branches

Dear All,

It was announced in the Senior Officer Meeting this morning that the bank-wide Performance Evaluation moderation has been completed. It was also mentioned that the overall bell curve has shifted to the left compared to last year indicating that the performance bar has been raised. The Director and I have made necessary amendments to the PRIME ratings of some affected staff in accordance with the decision of the Management during the bank-wide moderation sessions.

I will be distributing the PRIME forms to Branch Managers and Section Heads on Friday. Would appreciate if all supervisors could communicate the ratings as well as development plans to all staff and have the forms signed.

I will discuss with Director on the bonus allocation for all staff based on the quantum stated in the KA.

Regards.

Deputy Director

The announcement has created excitement among all staff and I have been receiving inquiries about the bonus. As stated in the KA, the budget allocated for each department is 3 months but the bonus quantum between the range of 0 – 5 months will be allocated for each staff, subject to their performance ratings. On top of that, for those with a rating of 4.7 – 5.0 are also eligible for standard merit bonus of 1 month.

I have prepared a preliminary list on the bonus allocation and will be discussing the list with the Director. Looking at the bell curve of the department and branches, safely I could confirm that none of us will get below 2.65 month bonus. And we have a few who deserve 4-6 months.

Alhamdulillah… Yeay!…

Year-end holiday...

“I must be traveling on now, ’cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.” ~Lynard Skynyrd

My court case in Bentong was postponed again. And I have a few more court cases pending before the end of year.

Next week, hubby will be flying to Dhaka on some consulting assignment. I wish I could join him for a few days there but with our special project coming to the end of the window period, heavy commitment is needed to monitor market situation.

And as the Project Owner, I am expected to be around. The Director is on leave for 2 days. Most of the Managers are also on leave to clear their annual allocation. My teams have been working very hard this year and have no time to take time off. Most are worried that they may have to forgo some. I have 18 more days to clear minus the 10 days that can be converted into cash, most probably I could only take a few days off and the rest will be hangus.

Our flight for our Chiangmai trip is still on the waiting list. I will have to ask Linda to book other dates if the flight is not confirmed by next week.

My Overseas Travelogue: musmun.blogspot.com

Pelajar Terbaik Wanita...

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire..."

(Summary of my result)

Last Friday I received a letter from Mesjid Negara, signed by the Imam Besar Mesjid Negara. Enclosed was the result for the Peperiksaan Persijilan Kelas Lanjutan al-Quran Pengajian Dewasa Mesjid Negara Sesi Jun 2003/Ogos 2005. I was the best among the ladies!

Late that night, I received sms from Habsah.

Habsah:  katanya result dah kuar
Aku:        dah dpt. dorang hantar surat. my result alhamdulillah. Result u ok ke?
Habsah:  mine lum tau lagi.
Aku:        maybe esuk lusa dpt surat kot. kalau tak, gi ofis tanya. let me know ye..
Habsah:  ok. suspen betul. katanya pelajar kelas kita highest.
Aku:        ye ke? (segan pulak nak bagi tau yang aku lah pelajar terbaik tu. biarlah orang lain cerita... ha ha)

I never lied to you...

"I always tell the truth. Even when I lie..."

Some lie about who they love

Some lie about the truth

Some lie to save their lives

Some lie about their youth...

Some lie in the face of death

Some lie about their fame

Some kneel and lie to God

Some lie about their name...

I've lied for a stolen moment

I've lied for one more clue

I've lied about most everything

But I never lied to you...

Sabah flue...

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life...” – Michael Palin

It was coming to the end of the year and what a time to get sick.

When we came back from KK, I was feeling feverish and tired. I thought it was the aftermath of a long holiday. But when my eyes started to water and mucus drooling from the nose, I realized that I have contracted some sort of virus. The fever became worst at night and the coughing unbearable.

It the office, colleagues shooed me off from meetings and discussion sessions. I kept minimum contact with staff and visitors. Quarantined and confined to my room, I looked through some drafts and cleared the over-flowing in-tray. Lunch dates and planned rendezvous were either cancelled or postponed to another dates.

The residence doctor advised me to go home and rest. She prescribed a load of medications and granted me 2 days MC. I couldn’t recall when was the last time I was on medical leave.

A ringgit for your thoughts...

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed...” - Mark Twain

In conjunction with the Integrity Day today, the Working Committee is organising a campaign called "A ringgit for your thoughts." to seek thoughts, views, quotes on integrity from the staff. Staff will receive a personalised invitation card to visit the mini exhibition on integrity outside the Auditorium. At the back of the card, staff will find the space to pen their thoughts on integrity and drop the card at the Registration Desk in the morning. In exchange, they will receive a RM1 banknote as a token of appreciation.

Why only RM1? The campaign phrase was inspired by the English phrase "a penny for your thoughts," which is said when one wants to know what another is thinking about. In the local context, it was translated as "a ringgit for your thoughts" and they are serious - they will pay RM1 for your thoughts.

In the afternoon, there was Hari Raya Open House for staff and family at the cafeteria area. The choice and quality of food were improved, and the crowd was also controllable. What was most interesting was the RM10 duit raya that the kids got - is this a positive signal of the economy? In the evening, we hosted dinner for our corporate guests in the evening.

Sabah - Rejuvenate, body and mind...

“People think that foot pain is a fact of life, but life is actually better than that…” - Richard Swersey

We woke up in the middle of the night. It was raining heavily and rain water was leaking from the roof and onto our bed. We shifted positions to avoid the drips and by the time we settled down to sleep it was already morning. We had breakfast of biscuits and Nescafe. The rain drizzled throughout morning and we spent time to try the nature trail leading to nowhere.

We took the first available ferry to mainland and deposited our bags at Sutera habour Pacific Wing. Took a cab to Wisma Merdeka and indulged in foot reflexology. After lunch at the food court, we went to the hair salon to have our hair washed and my hair trimmed 5 inches shorter.

We stopped at the Pasar to buy a box full of ikan kering, udang kering, sotong kering and 5 kg of buah salak. We took a cab back to Sutera Harbour and solat at the hotel surau before we went to the airport to catch our 8 o’clock flight. The flight was slightly delayed and we touched down at KLIA before 11 p.m. Stopped at R&R Dengkil for nasi lemak dinner.

It was an enjoyable holiday. Although tired and sleepy, we were happy to be home.

Sabah - Sea Quest Adventure...

“By travelling to places you gather much more knowledge than what you gather by studying…”

After breakfast we checked-out and departed for Kota Kinabalu. The weather was clear and sunny on the mountain but halfway it rained quite heavily. We had KFC for lunch at Plaza Wawasan and later headed to Sutera Habour Marine Club where we returned the car back to Mr. Mobin and Mr. Tona. We took Island Ferry Service for a 20 minutes boat ride to Manukan Island - This shade-fringed island offers an ideal getaway for a short break from the city, is second largest of the 5 islands under Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Shaped like a dolphin, the island is 1½ km long and with an area of 51 acres.

After we checked-in, we rent some masks and snorkels and headed for long stretch of white sandy beach which offers clear waters and beautiful coral reefs at the deeper end of the sea where there are coral reefs and multicolored coral fishes. We stayed long in the water and had ample time to examine closely the anatomy of the gamats which we found in abundance at the shallow waters.

Later, we took turn to bathe, as water is sporadic and trickling. Our chalet overlooks the South China Sea and we spent time at look-out point at the jetty to watch the magnificent and beautiful sunset of Borneo. This spectacular scenery is almost a daily affair for the locals.

We had dinner at the Perahu Restaurant with some Mat Salleh couples. The Island Restaurant offers a limited selection of Asian and Continental cuisine but the goreng pisang with honey was a nice dish for dessert.

A card for my 50th birthday...

"Friendship is a slow ripening fruit...” - Aristotle

Have I told you lately?

How much I love you -
Your gentle touch, your smile,
Your laughter, and your hugs?

How wonderful it is having you
As my very best friend –
A friend I always count on
To laugh at my jokes and listen to my problems?
How often during the day I think about you –
Remembering the good times we’ve had together,
Looking forward to the fun yet to come?

How much it means
To know you are there, to help, to care,
And to understand me better than anyone else does?

Just in case I haven’t told you lately –
I love you…
Very, very much

Happy birthday, Yang

Sabah - Home of the spirits...

“Look at the stars lighting up the sky: no one of them stays in the same place...”

After breakfast, we departed to Kinabalu Park and had a leisure walk along the nature trails and listened to the sounds of the jungle and observe nature's plants, trees, orchids and butterflies. The Nature Park boasts an estimated 4,500 species of plants which includes 1,500 species of orchids, 77 of which are endemic to Kinabalu. The park also supports 289 species of birds and 290 different types of butterflies. The world’s largest pitcher plant, the “Nepenthes Rajah” grows in abundance here.

From the Timpohon Gate viewing platform, we had a majestic view of Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia. In a clear day, the mountain will look even more spectacular with a sheer wall of granite towering a few thousand meters from the virgin forest floor and ending in jagged peaks. Before we leave the Park we stopped at the Natural History Gallery, a small nature museum displaying the flora and fauna from the park.

Then we headed for another interesting natural wonder, the Poring Hot Spring located approximately 47 km from Kinabalu Park. Poring Hot Spring, named after the tall bamboo plant that is abundant in that area, is a natural spring where hot sulfurous water emit from the ground. There are Japanese Baths where visitors can soak themselves and let the invigorating sulfurous water stimulate the body. They are also heated swimming pools. We indulged in a leisure jungle walk and tried the canopy walkway, where suspension bridges are suspended and watched the tropical jungle from the top of the huge trees.



We had a hefty lunch at the Rainforest Restaurant and departed from Poring Hot Spring late afternoon to Kundasang. Tonight we pampered ourselves in body massage and foot reflexology at Perkasa Hotel and again had our dinner at Pines Resort.

Last night before we slept, hubby handed me a lovely card and wished me ‘Happy Birthday’. When asked what I want for my birthday, I told him that I already have what I want and I couldn’t ask for more… 

Sabah - The Land of Eco-treasures...

“Those who will not travel have constipation of the mind...” 

The past few days were busy making arrangement for our holiday in Sabah. It is supposed to be a family holiday and we are going to celebrate my 50th Birthday at some nature park. Unfortunately Ja just started work and Iwan is preparing for his final exam. Only Sara is free to tag along with us. We woke up very early, drove to KLIA and boarded the 7 o’clock flight. When we arrived at KK airport, we were greeted by Mr Mobin, who will rent us his car at a cheap rate.

Our first destination will be the Mesilau Nature Park, which is part of the Kinabalu National Park. The journey took approximate 2 1/2 hours passing by villages, paddy fields along mountainous roads that wind along the Crocker range. The view is fantastic and spectacular.

We passed a small town of Nabalu, where there are rows of native stalls selling fruits, vegetables, local produce and handicrafts. We decided to stop on the way back to KK later. We stopped at Kinabalu National Park to ask for direction and proceed to the town of Kundasang. We missed the junction to Mesilau and ended at the Pine Resort where we took a short break and snap some photos.

En route to Mesilau Nature Park we passed the Mesilau plateau and were captivated by the spectacular views of the Kundasang valley, and parts of the scenic beauty of the Kundasang Mt. Kinabalu Golf Course, a challenging 18-hole golf course for avid golfers, undeniably, the highest golf course in South East Asia.

We arrived at Mesilau Nature Park at noon, feeling tired and hungry. Had a light lunch before we headed to Witti Range Lodge. We will be staying 2 nights at the eco-friendly Mesilau Nature Resort, which is nestled amongst the trees at the foot of Mount Kinabalu at about 2,000 metres above sea level. The mountain air is cool and refreshing. The 3-room chalet is large and cozy. They have heater in each room to keep us warm at night.


After a refreshing nap, we drove to Pines Resort to have sumptuous and filling dinner of seafood tomyam, buttered prawns and sweet sour fish.

One of those nights.....

“In time, the hurt began to fade and it was easier to just let it go...”

One of those nights'
'
The joy of this lonely heart
to hear a voice, breaking this silent night
How I miss the sweet little laughs
And the twinkles in those starry eyes

'From within this peaceful heart

Something flickered and lit a spark

The fire grew, the heat intense

No monsoon rain could ever quench

Ja is a dispatch boy...

“My ambition is handicapped by laziness…” - Charles Bukowski

This morning when I woke up, I was a little disoriented. Couldn’t tell where I was and what day it was. Then when I looked around and saw Sara under a pile of comforter next to me then I realized that I was in the study and it was already 7.30 a.m. No wonder it was already bright, the kids have left the blinds wide open. I have to wake Ja up if not he will be late to work.

Today is his second day at work and I don’t want him to be late. Although it is only a temp dispatch boy, the next 3 months will be a good experience for him. The salary is minimal but at least an opportunity for him to earn his own money. At least there will be contribution to EPF, no matter how little, Socso and insurance coverage too. Although we want the best for our youngest son, we want him to feel how hard it is to survive without a job.

Ja can be a difficult boy at times, but he is still my baby…

Grief find no remedy....

“Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us…”

I hold it true, whatever befalls;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
This better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

Post Raya Shopping...

“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves...” - Federico García Lorca

We had breakfast early and get ready to go to Zain’s open house. Aya was already there helping in the kitchen. The rest of the family came much later. As it was Friday, the men went to the mosque to solat Jumaat. The ladies stayed home to watch drama melayu. When the men came back from the mosque we had lunch and later excused ourselves.

(Pretty curtain for Putramas Apartment...)

Went to Carrefour to buy curtain for our Putramas apartment. There were a lot of material to choose from and it took us quite a while to decide on the material and color. In the evening we went to Ikea to buy towel railings and DIY shelves for the bathroom. Later went to Jaya Jusco to buy bed sheets and comforters for the bedroom.

We ended us having late dinner at Restoran 23 jam.

Eidil-fitri Mubarak...

“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win...” - Stephen King

We went to the mosque for Solat Eidil-Fitri. Later, all in the family had breakfast and packed some food to bring to Noh's house and some for Mak Melaka. This year everyone will gather at Noh's house. We were the first to reach there. Later the rest came and we had makan-makan and had our tradional Raya photo session. Only Zain and family were absence this time.

Mak followed us to Melaka. We reached Melaka quite late and had dinner with Mak and Abah. Zai and Amah came later. Abang and Ngah will only balik kampung a few days after Raya.

We started back to KL around 10 p.m. and reached home around midnight. Feeling tired and sleepy...

Maaf zahir & batin...

Selamat Hari Lebaran

Minal 'aideen wal faaizeen

Maaf Zahir & Batin

(A nice hamper from a special friend)

In the sea of friendship....

I've found someone rare and precious....

Here's me wishing you all the treasured moments of happiness,

on Eid Ul-Fitr and always!

Semua balik kampung...

"Thanks to the highway system, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything..."

The office was quiet today. Only skeleton staff was around. By lunch time only a handful stayed back. There was an announcement by the management that all staff are allowed to go home at 4 p.m. except those manning critical services. I stayed back till 6 p.m. to authorize some last minute transactions.

Earlier this morning, Iwan and Sara went to Giant with their Abah to do some marketing. The two of them later went to 1-Utama to do last minute shopping for baju raya. When I reached home nobody was at home so I decided to take a short nap. But when I woke up, it was near berbuka puasa and everybody was home.

After dinner start cooking the Nasi Empit and Rendang. Tomorrow I'll cook the Kuah Lodeh and Kuah Kacang.

The storm..

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever…” - Lance Armstrong

Calm before the storm.

Should've been more careful

Should've seen the signs

While all was calm,

I guess I should’ve read between the lines

Now I'm standing in the cold

I've never felt like this before

Can't believe my heart's been broken

Just like waves against the shore

A full hectic day...

“I always channel my emotions into my work. That way, I don't hurt anyone but myself…” - Suzanne Collins

(Sri Putramas Apartment)

Iwan followed us to Klang to ziarah kubur Aruah Bapak, Buyut, Az and Adik Man. We stopped at Meru town to buy kain putih for the batu nisan. Shah, Noh and Ros were already at the kubur. Noh had fetched Mak from Lan’s house earlier. We cleared the area around the kubur and later recite the yasin and doa for those who were no longer with us.

Noh and Ros drove to Cheras to ziarah kubur Aruah Nenek. We decided to go to our Putramas apartment to wait for the furniture to arrive. The TV and Home Theatre set came first, followed by the mattress for the master bedroom and guest’s room. Sofa set was delivered next. We need to collect side table from the furniture shop later as they forgot to bring it. The dining set came when we were about to leave for dinner.

The Laksa Shack closed early tonight so we had dinner at Burger King at 1-Utama.

Heaven's Door...

“The past is never where you think you left it...” - Katherine Anne Porter

Heaven's Door

Life used to have meaning, used to be so good,
I had everything a woman wanted, or so I understood,
Cars, houses, family, money and an ambition for still more,
But now I spend my lonely thoughts just knocking,
knocking on Heaven's door.

Penang: Blissful escape...

“Traveler’s heart never settled long in one place…”

Penang - KL

The alarm woke us up at 4.45 a.m. We heated the food we bought last night in the microwave and had ice-cream for dessert. The master bath-room had no hot water so we showered in the other bathroom. Need to report this to the caretaker. After subuh we continued our sleep till 9.30 a.m. Later, we handed over the keys to the caretaker and took the Balik Pulau route to get out of Penang Island.

The journey home was smooth except for a few road blocks and speed traps. We reached Tapah R&R and took an hour nap then continued our journey after solat. We reached home before 5 p.m.

Penang: Relaxing retreat...

“We travel as seekers after answers we cannot find at home…”

Mount Pleasure, Penang

My mind was bogged up with work and heavy job-related assignments. With the on-going project needing close monitoring, a short break away from office would be therapeutic to the body and mind.

This morning we woke up for sahur at 4.30 a.m. after subuh started off to Penang. Stopped at Tapah R&R and had an hour nap. We were rudely woken up by people passing by the car. Continued our journey and reached Penang Resort Kompleks around noon. Collected the key to Mount Pleasure Condo. We were supposed to check-in after 4 p.m. but the caretaker was kind enough to allow us to check-in early. Bought some tit-bits at 7-eleven for the berbuka. The double-story apartment was at 14th floor and the scenery was nice, overlooking the long stretch of the Feringgi Beach.

We slept the whole afternoon and woke up in time for berbuka. After solat we drove around Penang town and stopped at the food court at Fort Conwallis and had sotong bakar for starters. The food stalls at one time used to be bustling with people, but now were empty and showed little business Bought some cheap CDs but unfortunate for the seller, his stall was raided just after we left. Decided to go to Nandos for dinner and later had an hour of foot reflexology. Went to Subaidah Restaurant to pack some food for the bersahur.

Too sleepy to watch CD, we retired early to bed and sleep soundly.

Family Iftar...

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter...” - E.E. Cummings

When he came home we decided to go to Sungai Buluh R&R to buy satay Samuri for the berbuka puasa. As they have just open for business, we could either wait and have a nap at the surau or come back an hour later to pick-up our order. The traffic was heavy but we were lucky to ride the Big-bike and managed to beat the massive jam.

Tonight we have organised berbuka puasa for the family. Lan brought nasi lemak bungkus for main dish, I prepared kuah lodeh and nasi empit. Noh brought fruits for dessert and Latif brought roti boom. Shah, Zin and Ros couldn't join us tonight. While the men went for Terawih, the ladies were having a good time touching base with each other.

As a parting gift, I sedekah a set of telekong for the ladies for them to use for Solat Aidil-fitri.

Majlis berbuka puasa...

“Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about...” - Marilyn Monroe

(A spread of sumptuous dishes)

These past few nights, I have been having berbuka puasa with vendors and suppliers.

Last night, Dato' Nik invited us for berbuaka at Diatas Brasserie, Legend Hotel. The night before, MCM organised the iftar at their office in Shah Alam. And tonight, the department is organising the Iftar too. Somehow I have to choose between joining the Puspanita or my staff and I decided to be with my people. We managed to gather quite a number of staff and family although we have mobilised nearly half the department for courses and consignments. For those who were unable to join, we have packed some kueh-mueh to bring home. Hubby came from work and Sara came later to join us. The committee has invited an Ustaz to deliver ceramah and also to lead us in Solat Terawih. We ordered food from Che Dan Catering. The food was in abundance and tasty.

After solat terawih, they cleaned up and packed us some food. Sara and I drove home separately. Slept quite late watching movie on Astro.

Imam Mesjid Maluri...

“You can only be young once. But you can always be immature...” - Dave Barry

I drove to UIA to fetch Sara. Sara and I will be going back to Melaka. Tonight we were having the berbuka puasa with the family. Zai came earlier to help in the kitchen. Abang and family came later in the evening together with Abu Dzar. Ever since Abu Dzar came back from Cairo, he has been appointed the Imam in Mesjid Maluri. Before iftar, we had a small kenduri and tahlil and later went to the masjid in 2 cars.

Tonight Abu Dzar led the jemaah in Solat Terawih and we felt so proud of him to be able to lead as imam at an age so young.

Cultured stones...

“Life isn't finding shelter in the storm. It's about learning to dance in the rain...” - Sherrilyn Kenyon

 

After office we drove to 1-utama and berbuka puasa in the car sharing a bar of chocolate and half a bottle of water found in the glove compartment of Sara’s car. 

After solat magrib at the surau, we shared a bowl of Asam Laksa at Laksa Shack for dinner. Tonight we decided to look for taps and bidets for the bathrooms of our Putramas apartment. Jusco Home Centre was quite complete with home furnishings and we found what we were looking for. We also have a look at cultured stones and imagine the living room will look cool with one wall plastered with these stone.

We must remember to take the measurement of the wall the next time we visit the apartment.

The Car Clinic...

“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace...” - Robert J. Sawyer

Yeah! I’m on leave today. Hubby is on off half day and will be going to work in the afternoon. First, he sent the Kia to the workshop. The car is in need for a little repainting job and I will be using Sara’s car to go to work. Then he checked on the Big-foot. The Big-foot has not been able to start since I can't recall when. Called the mechanic to tow away the 4x4 to the workshop. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. Have left the big-foot idle for too long.

At home I prepared cream caramel to bring to Subang. At Zu's house the makan-makan was meriah and they prepared plenty of food. We solat terawih at the nearby mosque then I drove home and slept early feeling dead tired...

Leisure, relaxing retreat...

“If you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison' it is certain to disagree with you sooner or later...” - Lewis Carroll

(A relaxing tranquil date...)

We slept again after subuh and woke up very late.

We were supposed to go back to Melaka for our family gathering. But yesterday I received a call from Mak to inform that the kenduri tonight has been postponed to next weekend.

Today we decided to go for urut at our spas. We drove to Sri Hartamas. We dropped hubby at 3R spa to indulge in a strong body massage by Pak Su. Sara and I went to Sri Dewi Spa for our traditional massage. I have only one session left and need to sign-up for a new package. Later, the two of us berbuka with roti canai and roti boom with rendang daging. Sara went to buka puasa at a friend's house in Sri Gombak.

Something simple...

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once…” - Albert Einstein

 

Yesterday I berbuka puasa with Ja. Today when I reached home Ja was not at home but Sara was asleep in her room. She came back earlier after her class. Cooked something simple for our juadah for the berbuka. Later we drove to Mesjid Al-Firdaus for solat terawih.

After solat terawih I watched a movie on Astro but fell asleep halfway. Slept soundly until the alarm woke us up around 4.30 a.m. for bersahur.

First day of puasa...

“The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection…” - George Orwell

This morning we woke up at 4.30 a.m. enough time to solat and had a simple meal of sup and ikan kering. After subuh we slept again till 7.30 a.m. when we have to get ready to office. The whole day was filled with meetings.

As today is the first day of puasa, dinner was home-cooked and later we went for solat terawih at the nearby masjid in the drizzling rain…

Selamat Berpuasa...

Ramadhan al-Mubarak...

“Time is priceless, but it’s Free. Once you've lost it you can never get it back...” - Audrey Niffenegger

'

bahang ramadhan kian terasa

saat syaaban menampil diri

dan tanpa sedar berlari

meninggalkan kita

merentas hari dan waktu

tanpa perlu kita menghitung

dalam kiraan panjang kehidupan

ramadhan bakal datang

menjengah diri dalam

rekahan nafsu insan

yang bergelodak sepanjang musim

dalam diam meriak kesedaran

buat mukmin yang patuh

pada yang maha khalik

ramadhan datang lagi

untuk mengulangi tuntutan hakiki

sambil berputar fikiran ini

bertanya pada diri

apakah ramadhan kali ini

sama seperti akhir kali

yang banyak di biarkan berlalu

tanpa di isi dengan iqra dan zikir

tanpa tasbih dan takbir...

syukur pada ilahi kerana ramadhan masih sempat di tempuhi...

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT KEDATANGAN BULAN RAMADHAN AL-MUBARAK DAN SELAMAT MENUNAIKAN IBADAH PUASA 1426H

Kenduri kendara...

“Fools talk, cowards are silent, wise men listen...” - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

On Saturday, we went to the apartment to inspect the progress of the renovation. Not too bad. At least we could see some improvements compared to last week. On the way to Badrul's house in Segambut for lunch, we detour to have a look at the progress of our Mandy Villa apartment. It was near completion and I guess soon we have to look for tenants.

On Sunday, we went to Lan’s house at Bukit Beruntung for kenduri tahlil and cukur jambul followed by marhaban. All of Aya’s family was there. Except for us, none of hubby's adik beradik came. We had a good home-cooked meal although the weather was too hot for comfort especially for the men who stayed outside under the tent.

The Skeleton Key...

“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric...” - Bertrand Russell

It was a hectic week and I need a break. Tonight, we decided to watch a movie to release some tension.

Set largely in the dark atmospheric backwoods just outside of New Orleans, The Skeleton Key features Caroline, a live-in nurse hired to care for an elderly woman's ailing husband in their home...a foreboding and decrepit mansion in the Louisiana delta. Intrigued by the enigmatic couple, their mysterious and secretive ways and their rambling house, Caroline begins to explore the old mansion. Armed with a skeleton key that unlocks every door, she discovers a hidden attic room that holds a deadly and terrifying secret…

Kursus BM Berakreditasi...

"Yang kurik itu kundi, Yang merah itu saga; Yang cantik itu budi, Yang indah itu bahasa..."

I attended the presentation of certificates to participants for Kursus Bahasa Melayu Berakreditasi Sektor Perkhidmatan Kewangan held in the Auditorium. During the event we invited Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Nik Safiah Abdul Karim to present a paper on "Peranan Bahasa Kebangsaan dalam Sektor Perkhidmatan Kewangan dan Insurans." We also invited Penyanyi Puisi terkenal, En Zubir Ali to sing 3 of his popular songs and Dr. Rahman Shaari to recite him poems.

After office, we solat magrib in my room first before we drove to Sri Hartamas. The 3R is a spa for men and women where people go for reflexology and relaxation. For RM70 per hour we had a full body massage to release some tension and muscle fatigue. 

Tonight we retired early, held each other tight and slept like a log.