End of year entry

Got some cupcakes from my student! No...no, this is no bribe. She's just thanking me for the grade she got for last semester.
*p/s: Adihana, aaa...mcm ni le contoh yang bagus :P


Thanks, Rajiah... for the yummy cuppies :)


Later for lunch, Zana & I went out to celebrate Sab's birthday at Kenny's. It has been a while it is postponed actually. But since it is still December, kira ok la kan?


Happy birthday, babe! Another year older, but not to worry...


We also went to see the latest car of the dream - the new City. Awesome, eh?

Xmas hols... Hohoho!

Actually, I just came back from a long break. We went back to Penang, actually just to attend my best friend's wedding. But of course there were other agendas pre-planned with Acik too.

This is me & Aziah, the friend I have been friend with since the 2nd day at kindy.


I remember when I 1st saw her, she was playing under her granny's house. (Mat Salleh mesti tak dapat imagine 'under the house' kan?) :P
Since then, we were friends although we were in different classes in the 1st 3 years of primary school (me in kelas Hijau, and she's in kelas Merah). We were only classmates in Standard 4 to 6. Then, that's it. We went our own ways, and rarely saw each other after that, but the friendship remains. Considering her effort coming all the way from Penang to Shah Alam for my wedding, I think it's worthy to do the same, meriting respect to her parents.

Anyway, congratulations to u both, Aziah & Zamani. May u have a smooth sailing and enjoyable life ahead with adorable kids.


And as I said, our other agenda was... going to the zoo with Acik's family.


It was drizzling when we arrived but wasn't really bad. At least, it's not too hot for us to walk around.


I'm not gonna upload the pix of all animals I took, but here are several interesting ones.







Yes, that's a bear! And this is the bear family! :)






The brotherly Iman walked with adik Adam, yet the little munchkin preferred to walk by himself.


Look, Mama! It's staring at me!


... That's it about the zoo thingy.

We also went to the Queensbay (it was my first time, despite being a Penangite!), Feringghi walk (which has turned to be a must for us since our 1st visit) and having cendol/ais kacang by the sea (the dream I kept since 10 years ago, everytime I passed by the area while heading to Intel)...


After reciting doa hujung tahun with the family, we enjoyed the Big Apple donuts. Nyum nyum!



And just before we headed back to Shah Alam, mak served us with this sagu, that definitely reminded me of my previous entry on my hopeless tastebud :P





Gelagat masa cuti...

Hello, Doraemon!


Iman sliding happily at the playground


Hubby's notty face, showing off his 'body' (childhood term for 'muscle') to prove that he was strong to bear the pain of removing warts


Acik's surprised expression when getting his belated birthday gift- perhaps bcoz it's not a comb as he expected


Munchkin was trying hard to eat (or more like playing with) onde-onde using a spoon


The cousins had a dropped jaw, looking at the video game at Queensbay


Ina & I ... obviously I lose to her when it comes to curling eyelashes. Huh!


My munchkin before and after he discovered the excitement of playing in the piles of pillows

Adam's milestone II

15 months and growing.
These pix paint a thousand words...

Hie, Mama! Need a ride?


I'm thirsty...


Tok Wan, let me help u raking the dead leaves.



Dush! Dush! Wachaaa...


Fabregas Tapioca is in action b4 scoring a deflected strike.


Yes, who's that?


I'm gonna upload some of his latest videos soon.
He can now dance to the beat of certain songs, esp. Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, etc.
He teases us by shaking his head when we wanted to give him something that he actually wants.
He likes playing with his tongue, making the bla-bla-bla sound.
And the one that melts my heart is when I spelled M-A-M-A, and he continues "Mama".

Visit from a French friend

Bonjour!

Yesterday, we got a visit from Caroline. She flew from London (where she's doing her PhD) and stayed overnite at Concorde as I recommended.

Then, we started the day with a breakfast at the hotel, updating each other on the latest progress and friends. She actually just came back from Asheeta's wedding in New Zealand.

*no pix though, as we were bz chatting and chasing Little Adam*

The first destination that we brought her to was Masjid Sultan Salahuddin (a.k.a the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior). She was amazed with the structure that incorporates elements of Malay and Islamic architecture as well as the fine decorative calligraphy on the curve of the dome and walls (Aren't u, Caro?).



Next, we drove her to the so-called-world-class-university, hehehe. Just to show her the place where I am servicing.




As time was crucial, we just managed to bring her to the must-go tourist attraction, the KLCC. (Pix will be uploaded once Caro email 'em to me).

Then, we rushed for a quick lunch at the Awan Besar R&R, for Haji Samuri's famous Satay Kajang. Well, the venue might not be stupefying, but she really liked the food. Good selection, hey?!


Finally, off we sent her to the airport as her flight to Singapore was at 5.


Au revoir, Caro!
U better start finding a good man, so I have good excuses to go to France! ;)

Finish up the line...

Complete these sentences with the first words that come to your mind...

1. A person is only as good as ... he can be. Hehe..betul kan?

2. Friendship is always … about being truthful.

3. To love is … nothing. To be loved is something. To love & to be loved is everything!

4. Money makes me … rich! Hehehe.

5. I miss … my loved ones... and my life, back in BNE.

6. My way of saying I care is … checking whether everything is alrite & helping whenever I could.

7. I try to spread love and happiness … to many people, as I think I have too much love to give.

8. Pick the flowers … err..pick the lilies and give em to me ;)

9. To love someone is … to share and to care.

10. Beauty is … in the eyes of beholder.

11. When I was 13, what I remember most was … friends kept teasing and wondering why I haven't got my 1st period.

12. When I was 21, I remember … sharing a house with several other nice housemates, including an ungrateful 'kambing biri-biri'.

13. I am most happy … when things are in place and my loved ones are around.

14. Nothing makes me happier … sounds similar to the statement #13.

15. If I can change one thing, I will change … my childhood days, my history with the stupid ex's, and the opportunities I slightly missed in life.

16. If smiles were … measured based on the no. of teeth displayed, I'd be the 2nd runner-up after Ziana Zain & Anuar Zain.

17. Wouldn’t it be nice … sound like the song from the Cadbury ads.

18. If you want to … be a good person, u have to stop being yourself! Oops!

19. Money is not everything but … it can buy almost everything. How pathetic!

20. The most touching moments I have experienced … Getting back in my Laling's arms

21. I smile when … I see my Laling dancing bouncily like a cute Teletubby.


22. When I am happy … I forget my hard times.

23. If only I don’t have to … control my anger.

24. The best thing I did yesterday was … grooming myself with highlites for a fresh new look.

25. If I ever write a book, I will give this title ... If Only I Could Turn Back Time, I'd Be A Much Better Person!

26. One thing I must do before I die … repent & recite the syahadah completely.

27. Doing this survey, I feel … confused. Ain't I supposed to update my lecture materials? Hehehe

Spell-it-right

That day, on our way back to Endau for Aidiladha, we stopped at Pilah to buy some lemangs. And I snapped a photo of this catchy banner...



Know why?
Let's have a look at another one.



If there were no Roman writing, will u be able to read the name of the place? If u say Yes, then u gotta be 'lacking somewhere' too.
How could u, if I don't even know what Arabic/Jawi letter is that after the Alif. It's not jim, not ha, not kho, and not cha.

p/s: Mati la kena kutuk dgn org Kampung Semanyiaq balik japgi :P

Not bcoz I was a cikgu before that I am concern of the spelling. Okay... u may excuse the banner, maybe it was just a small business (which is not even an enterprise), but what about the signboard for the village? Shouldn't it be clearly and correctly spelt, just like roadsigns?


* Ohh..itu saya tau, cikgu. Yang ini saya kenal ni. Ini huruf M.
** Itu la Pak Abu, lain kali jangan suka ketawakan org. Yang ini bukan huruf M. Ini huruf Kho!

Love thy neighbour

Yesterday, when we arrived home after work, Ah Pei was outside shearing the shrub. As usual, I greeted her and after unlocking the gate I approached her, telling that soon we will be moving out. So, just in case if she sees lorries loading our stuff, she wouldn't be so wary and start calling the guards/police.

Apart from Ah Pei & Mr Leong who live next door, there's Purwanes' family and Kak Bad's. The rest in the row is anonymous. Hehehe.
Occupying the corner lot means that we have less neighbours, which is a bonus to us. Not that we don't socialize. But I just can't stand snoopies.

The other row facing the side of the house are Mr Leong (again, but a richer one), an unknown neighbour and Sofia. While in the backyard, there's this family whom we 'hi' to once in a while, and they even helped us when a snake got into our house that day.
Ahhh... very little that I know, eh... after two years renting there. What a bad neighbour I am!

Back to Ah Pei & Mr Leong... they are the type that I really like. We greet & smile whenever we see each other. Yet when there are earth-shattering news (yes, I am exaggerating :P), we'll let each others know. e.g when someone broke into their house before.

Yet, due to their hardworking nature... beautifying their house and doing gardening, Sham & I always 'create' the dialogues they might have had about us.

Scene 1
Us : Wah! Doing gardening, eh? So rajin!
Neighbour : Ya la. Sikit-sikit saja. U don't do meh?
Us : No la. We love growing the weeds.

Scene 2
Us : Why do u do gardening up to here? This is already our compound.
Neighbour : What to do? U don't want to.
Us : Ehem, wanna be sarcastic eh?

Scene 3
Neighbour : Hey, guys. U don't feel like cutting the grass/weeds ah?
Us : No la. Just let it be. It's not our house anyway.
Neighbour : The problem is... when your weeds are tall, we couldn't see if there's any giraffe in your yard.



Hahaha. That's just our buruk sangka on the nice neighbours.

Actually I once had nosy neighbours in BNE who loved prying meddlesome-ly. I only noticed when another Malay (who lived miles away) bumped into me at the Saturday market and asked, "Whoa! U joyfully take piccas outside ur house, eh?"
My mind quickly told me "It must be the Malay couple who live across the road."

My oh my... Malays are like that. I thought when they are abroad, they wouldn't be as kepoh as they are in the home country. Boy, was I wrong!
That's why until today, I refuse to live in a typical Malay community. I'd rather have multi-racial neighbours although I have to tolerate the loud bangs of firecrackers during Chinese New Year and the noise made during the Hindu parade once in a blue moon.

BTW, Rasulullah (SAW) said it was not right for a Muslim to sleep with a full stomach after having had a good meal but let his neighbour starve. Nowadays, we sleep like pythons after having swallowed a goat. Errr... there's no starving neighbours in BBR, right? Teeheehee :P



I wonder... Soon when I move in to the new house, what type of neighbour will I have? Nosy? Concern? Ignorant? Friendly? Kaypo chee?
I might not exchange delicacies with them that often as the kampungites do or let my kid(s) cry obstreperously in the middle of the quiet nite. But if there is no emergencies, I surely will leave them alone.