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.