An Eventful Week

I have been married for 10 years and after 10 years, Bob has finally decided to hold an open house. Technically Hari Raya is over when we host it but what the heck rite! Think of it as a get together for friends. Many friends! He is actually inviting his business associates more than anything. I am just jumping on the bandwagon and inviting only my closest friends. I wonder what it would be like. I can't imagine! We have had many people over to the house, the most 50 people I think. That was my cousin's gathering and the other day my GGG girlfriends and their families for buka puasa. This open house the guest list I heard is quite extensive. I guess that is what you get when you have never had one for 10 years! Hahahahaha.... I am quite looking forward to it.

Considering that it is such a last minute decision, Bob is busy, as I write, with his guest list. Wonder how long it will be, he has many many many friends and many more business associates (and such). This will be fun wouldn't it. Earlier today the tent guys came to check out the site. Hmmmm...interesting. There will be tents and all, macam kenduri kahwin pulak!

This week has thus started to get busy with me. My mom-in-law is also here. She arrived yesterday and there are some things she wants to do before she goes for her haj next month. My mother is also going to Iran on Friday. She is delivering a seminar paper at some conference. Can't even remember what the conference is but she is coming back on Nov 5 at 3am. Guess who has to pick her up.

On top of that, SISTA is taking a booth at the Eco Fest organised by Bijou Bazaar. Its for an environmental cause. That will be on Nov 1 and 2 at ASWARA (Akademi Seni dan Warisan) on Jalan Tun Ismail, off Jalan Parlimen. It starts at 10am and ends at 6pm. Hope to see you there.

Oh yes! I have also decided to send the two girls for extra agama classes organised specifically for the school holidays. It will be daily Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 12pm. Kinda early but at least their school holidays won't be finished playing with Barbie dolls only. I know it should be a time for them to rest and relax and what not but when they have so much free time on their hands it is not so good rite. Oh ya....I forgot they will also have to continue with tuition during the school holidays. Some time juggling for me to do there. My sis-in-law asked me if I wanted to enrol them in swimming classes yesterday for 10 hours. What do you think? I think it is good, they need to really learn how to swim. But now I am worried if I am taxing them too much. Or wait, they are too young to know what that means, aren't they!!! I don't realli like to stress them out but when they are so free they can drive you up the wall.

The last and most important bit of news. I am going on a buying trip for SISTA on Nov 5. Am going with my SISTA girlfriends. This will be the first time I am away from Ali. Am a bit worried about that but my girlfriends say I have to let go eventually. I will have to see it as much needed break, and I will come back refreshed just like any break is suppose to do for you!

God speed....

Nadiah turns 7

Nadiah, my second princess, turned 7 on Oct 24. She was a little upset we had no birthday party for her this year. I already told them no more. Maybe the next one when they are 12 or something. Birthday parties are fun of course, but it is tiring. Am trying to set a new trend to their birthdays. Let them know there are other more personal ways of celebrating a birthday. Besides, it was a school day.

Nadiah was a little upset that her birthday does not fall on a public holiday like her elder sisters. Which means she still has to go to school and parents still have to go to work.

She wanted to go to Chillis for dinner so we took her there. Didn't invite the whole family, meaning siblings, just my mom and my sister. We invited those who were not married yet!! Hahahaha

This is me and athe birthday girl. It is so hard to coax her to smile. She doesn't like taking pictures

This is Ali. He was so excted seeing the cake. The icing was hard so we let him have a go at the cake. He kept on prodding and pressing everywhere

This is my sister, Aishah, helping Nadiah cut her cake. It was butter cake when I had asked for chocolate ... hmmmm...

Nadiah starts to show some excitement here when she was about to cut the cake. We asked her if she should get all the waiters to sing her Happy Birthday like she has heard them to before. She screamed NO!!!

Finally a little smile on her face. It must be because she got in her head, I want to start destroying Barney. The little Barney on top is made from cake. She ate some then started mutiliating him. At the back is Bob trying to coax Najiahah to do what I am not sure. Some sibling rivalry going on the whole day

Nadiah trying to convince her aunty that yes, it is okay for me to hurt Barney!

This is my mom and here is Ali who was the most excited. He couldn't take his hands off the cake!

Finally, this is Barney with no eyes, his tail has been eaten and his face, well ... he doesn't look like him anymore. Bet he is not singing I love you, you love me right now!

All in all, it was a good evening and a good birthday. You know why these kids want parties so much. Cause they get all kinds of presents. Oh well ... better this than nothing Nadiah!

Happy Birthday Nadiah...

The Ultimate Love Song

My love
I will never find the words my love
To tell you how I feel my love
Mere words could not explain
Precious love
You held my life within your hands
Created everything I am
And thought me how to live again
Only you
Cared when I needed a friend
Leading me through thick and thin
This song is for you
Filled with gratitude and love
God bless you
You make me feel brand new
For gold blessed me with you
You make me feel brand new
I sing this song cause you
Make me feel brand new

Without you
Life has no meaning or rhyme
Like a song out of time
How can I repay for having faith in me

It is by The Stylistics and has several remakes by Dionne Warwick and more recently Simple Red

Busy Busy Busy

It has been a rather busy week for me. Started with Monday and how time flies, it is Thursday today. Funny how time waits for no man. So cliche!

A lot has happened this week in my household. The best thing to happen is my Nadiah's 7th birthday tomorrow. There will be no party this year. Told her big girl already lah, we take you out for dinner okay. She has asked for escargots by the way. Her favourite dish! Not bad for a 7-year-old eh...

I did get her a cake though. She asked for Barney. I said Barney, as in the purple dinasour? Aren't you a little too old for Barney??? She said no, her rationale was easy. I have never had a Barney cake before. Okay lah, it is your birthday, so colour yourself happy then.

Do you like birthdays? I do ... I like the presents and that special feeling where it is your day. Ob my birthday I usually make it a point to not work and have fun the whole day, doing what I want to do. I have been contemplating asking the girls to skip school tomorrow so we can do some fun stuff. Stuff they like of course since it is her birthday. Maybe catch a movie, or go to Aquaria. Then I figured it was not so ethical for a mother to ask them to skip school just because it's a birthday rite. Rite?

What else happened this week? Monday was the most eventful day for my entire family. Especially for my mom. I do want her to know though that whatever her decision, we, as in my brother and sister and I, will be beside her no matter what. We are always here to support you mom.

Tuesday came and went. I can't remember what happened. Oh yes! My cousin who sells Indian cotton came by as my aunty wanted to see. My aunty bought about RM1k plus of material so that went well. I was also cornered into buying a piece. Not the word is cornered! Ya, rite!

Yesterday was a good day too. Oh ya! I am going to Jakarta for a SISTA's buying trip. I have missed the last few trips due to my body being needed here by Ali but I stopped breastfeeding him so now I can go. I am quite excited about the trip. Can only imagine what 5 women can do in Jakarta besides buying for SISTA of course. I am anticipating a lot of fun and laughter. It has been awhile since I went somewhere without the family to take a break. I am a bit apprehensive about leaving Ali as I have never been without him but you have to learn to let go. That's what my SISTA's say.

Hope you had a good week so far!

What Works for you

What is the hardest thing to keep? I think it is a relationship. Keeping it going is not easy, it needs love, attention, tenderness and losta fertiliser. Not many people have the drive and energy to keep this going but it is something we all have to learn and do sooner or later.

Be it a friendship or a marriage, even a parent-child relationship, all require gardening! I am 36 years old and have seen all kinds of relationships, good and bad ones. I have tried my best to keep tending to it but it isn't always easy. Some are harder than others, especially the mother-daughter one.

The way we tend to our garden is very different from the person next to us. I have come to realise that, especially when we take advice from friends. Maybe pouring more water worked for you but it didn't for me. Which means we have to be careful about what we do and what advice we take. This is probably because all of us are made differently. Man. Woman. All of us are different.

I know sometimes my friends and family question things that I do in a relationship. I can explain all I want about why this is that and that is this but sometimes they just don't understand. All I can see is what works for you does not work for me. I wish sometimes that life was so easy as to all of us being the same but alas, we are not that lucky. Each individual is exactly that, an individual.

I also realised that I have matured much in my thinking and outlook in life. Just the other that I was telling a friend about why I do some of the things I do for a certain older couple and family. The explanation was simple, there is nothing wrong about being nice to them. I may not be absolutely crazy about them but they are there and say what you want, you have to live with them. Better to make the best of it and don't make them your enemies. I don't think I would have said that 10 years ago. Probably than I would have said %**&%*&(*!

But it is true, how you guide a relationship has a lot to do with the level of maturity. I know some people think the best way to find a solution in their relationship is to fight it out like cats and dogs. I think that way is such a waste of time and energy. But hey! If it works for you, go colour yourself happy lah.

I love my family and my friends. I hate to see sadness and I have come to the point where figthing it out is just not the way for me anymore.

My Little Ali is growing up so fast

I took Ali for his immunisation shot yesterday, it was due when he turned one but you kinda get caught up doing other things don't you. Dr said he hasn't put on much weight, he is 9.7 kg and I should step up on the milk intake because for his age, he should be a bit more heftier. What do you expect! Ali is like a windup toy, he never stops moving around, climbing, finding new things to explore and do unless he is asleep. The other thing is he hardly sleeps in the day too. You are lucky if he sleeps for one hour in the afternoon. He is always the busy camper!

Ali made a mess of the cupboard. He ransacked all the clothes and gave me a toothy smile after

This is Ali trying to help his father check the tyre pressure of the bike. Bet he can't wait to grow up

This is Ali in a bag, going somewhere perhaps!

maids! (they don't even deserve a capital "M")

You can't live with them and you can't live without them. All kinds of horror stories we have heard about maids kan. Have I written this post before? No that was about foreigners. Not maids per say ... so that doesn't count.


This maid I have has been with me for seven years. She is very good. Hardworking. Quite efficient and trustworthy. Which I feel are the most important points. The only thing I cannot stand is that she is getting forgetful. Then when you ask why or what or whatever she will say oh sorry I forgot. Haiyah...so easy to say one. And what can you say when she said she forgot right?


My friend just this morning was complaining about her maid. It is a new maid who just came and the maid put chillie in coffee. HUH? Stupid is as stupid gets right. Oh well ...


I know there are mixed feelings about whether to get them or not. How about me? Can I live without a maid. If I don't have a maid I would probably go a little crazy I admit. Cause then I would have to worry about keeping house clean, laundry, getting the kids ready for school, their meals and Ali running around the house. If Ali was a little older, yes, it would not be a bad option to do without a maid. I could be like some of my other friends who just get cleaners who come in on a regular basis.


But really, the problems some of these maids give you. There is always a friend who has a maid problem. It all boils down to luck I think. We should just thank our lucky stars we don't get the maids that abuse our kids till the extent we have to install CCTV's all over the house. Or we don;t get maids that out soap powder in milk formula. Just this morning my friend was telling us about this Indonesian maid who pissed in the drinking water in the office. Go figure lah ...


It is as if maids or should I say Indonesians, are a different species of human beings like that. Which is so unfair and degrading to look at them that way. But sometimes they don't act like they are human. I have relatives who are Indonesians so am trying best to see them in a good light at all times. But honestly! That ain't easy.


So for all of us with maid problems ... try and smile a little.

Datukship and such

It was on the front page blurp on Saturday and since then his name has been on the tip of almost everyone's tongue. Yup, Shah Rukh Khan, the King of Bollywood, received a Datukship from Malacca. Why? Cause he shot some movie there in 2001 and since then Malacca has been blessed with so many tourists.

Yes, I like Shah Rukh Khan and I will try to argue this objectively (?????) So many people are asking why him and why he deserves it. For that matter, some argue that Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones as well as Jodie Foster should be given awards.

If I remember right, when Sean and Catherine shot Entrapment here, the then Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir had complained that the movie showed the bad side of town, ie Petaling Street. Those scenes were not favourable and made the streets look dirty. The "hotel" they were staying at in those scenes were also not the 5 star ones but the rumah tumpangan types and they caused a stir. It was even debated in Parliament. Remember? So why do you want to give them a datukship since you didn't like the scenes they showed anyway???

As for Jodie Foster, what movie did she shoot here? I thought it was that King of Siam one which was shot in Thailand wasn't it? Forgive me if me memory fails me.

Now we have the local artistes creating a fuss. Upset I guess cause some of them haven't got a datukship yet. Well, what can I say? Maybe you haven't done enough for your country but then again, we can buy a datuk-ship now right. Some time ago, last year I think, some women my friends and I know got a datukship from Pahang. Every one of us asked why cause she hasn't done anything for the country. Hmmmmm....

So, let's see, what has SRK done for the country? He shot Don here and made Malaysia look great didn't he? Better than how it looked in Entrapment anyways. Which is why no Ministry complained. And Bollywood movies are watched everywhere in the world, it has a global audience. I don't think Mami Jarum 1 or 2 is watched in Norway! And neither is Cinta no matter how many local awards it has won and neither is some drama which is aired on Tv1 or Tv3 in Munich.

He is the King of Bollywood isnt't he? The highest paid (I think) Hindi actor and most popular in the world. He even has a model of himself at Madame Thusauds in London. I don't see them rushing to put Azean Indrawarty there or even Tan Sri P Ramlee. Which means Bollywood actors are bigger than Malaysian artistes. Maybe they should put Datuk Siti Nurhaliza there ... point to ponder. She already has a datukship so I guess that is not an issue rite!

Now, with all these in mind, what is wrong then with giving SRK a datukship? Big deal lah people, let it be lah. Besides we don't know pun how long the TYT of Malacca will be in power. If it makes him happy, biar lah. If you all so desperately want one, go and buy lah. Or rub shoulders and cheeks with some Minister like what that women friend did. Why don't we worry or squabble about more worldly issues like our friends and relatives in Singapore who may be out of a job soon due to the financial crisis or jump on the bandwagon and wonder who will be our next Prime Minister.

After all, these titles Datuk ke Tan Sri ke are only in this world. When you die, it doesn't mean anything to God.

SISTA

I must share with you my latest venture with my girlfriends. There are 5 of us involved in this project. How it started? At Bob's Kedai Kopi Ara over a delicious lunch of ayam goreng, ikan masak taucu and assam pedas. No seriously!

Our project is called SISTA. We wanted to do something we liked, something that gave us the adrenaline rush we needed ... (???) So we decided on a business we all loved and enjoyed, clothes! We now have our own label called SISTA

What it is is exclusive cotton blouses. We personally hand pick the designs and colours. In a nutshell, it is clothes that we wear ourselves. They are stylish, colourful, trendy, and most importantly comfortable. Oh ya ... they are also very afordable!

These are the SISTA's: (From left) Hazleen, Suzana, Hayati (that's me), Raja Elona and Shariah

These are some of the clothes:

White blouse with handmade embroidery

These blouses come in various colours!

Gorgeous colour and cooling too

SISTA's with some of our happy clients

Simple and yet elegant. White never fails!

If you ever interested to see more of our collection, don't hesitate to call us. We are in midst of setting up a website, but till then, we would be happy to give you a private viewing.

What Will I Do

What will I do
When you are far away
And I'm so blue
What will I do


What will I do
With just a photograph


Hmmmm....I can't remember the words anymore. I can't even remember who sang the song. It's from that movie, the one where she is a mermaid. Haiya .... not Splash. Another one, with Demi Moore isn't it? I really can't remember. But I remember I loved that song so much. The movie was showing when I was studying in the U.S. Ah ... The Butcher's Wife!!! It just hit me. Have you seen the movie? This song in it is really great. Give it a listen. Or I will look for it in YouTube but I doubt I will find it.


Songs are great aren't they? They can take you back in time, make you sad, make you happy, all kinds of feelings and emotions. My friends and I have been going a little crazy posting up all our favourite hits from the 80s on our Facebook profile. It brings back a lot of memories. Somehow, I find myself stuck in time. Can't seem to find a song these days that I truly like.


Or maybe it is because I don't have the time to listen to music as I used to back then. I remember in school, music was such a big part of your life. Had to have a radio, then it was the casettes and then the CDs. Now I guess its the Ipod which I know nothing about. It is quite sad but I don't listen to much music anymore, only when I am driving in the car. When I am at home, where got time to just sit down and listen to music. There is always something or other to do. Gone are those carefree days when you can just do nothing and daydrea away with a song.


I have many favourite songs still. Songs that you hear and you go ahhhh....A favourite song doesn't have to be just one song does it? I have so many does that mean they are not a favourite. If I were to list it down, there would be too many lah. But right now a song going through my head is Dancing Queen by ABBA. Can't wait to go watch Mamma Mia. They say it's really cool show. I used to love ABBA. Grew up with that didn't I.


Some songs that I really like which I can think of right now:
Sheila Majid's Kepergianmu -- why? only because it brings me back to a first love
When Doves Cry by Prince -- only because I heard it last night and I remember how I used to dance to it
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
Saving All My Love For You
Everything of Madonna. But it stops at that disco queen album, don't quite fancy the songs after that as it is too techno for me
Mad About You by Belinda Carlisle
Lisa Stansfield's In All The Right Places
Basia's Time and Tide
Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of The Heart

Oh my, there are just too many songs for me to list it all down

U2's With or Without You
Lovely Day
Four Tops' The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine

Oh well ....I will have to continue another time. Or write it down each time a song hits me! In the meantime, have a good day dancing and singing to all your favourite tunes!

I am leaving you with:

Twinkle twinkle little stars
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are

Open houses and such ...

What comes after one month of Ramadhan fasting? Open houses and more food. Sometimes it so hard to juggle one open house after the next. So much so the weekends are all taken up with going to house after house after house. Quite tiring. It is even harder to juggle when you have so many houses you have to go to.

Suggestion: make priority list. Who should come first and second, third and so on. Take this weekend for example, I am packed. To top the cake, the girls are having their family day in school and they have music class too. And two open houses which I have to go to: one in Bukit Beruntung and one in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. I feel tired already just thinking about Saturday.

Why is it that we have to organise an open house? Don't get me wrong, it is not that I don't like going for them. But who came up with this idea? Everyone is so anxious to hold their open house and they rush for the weekends. Of course the obvious reason would be to meet family and friends and celebrate the Eid with them. But other than that, a time of giving and sharing I guess. Any other reasons ah?

The Ministry of Tourism organised open houses for every festivity the nation celebrates. They say it is a good way of celebrating with other Malaysians and to share the spirit of giving. When I was in NST tourism was my beat and I think I wrote about why they held these events without fail year in and out. But now for the life of me I can't remember those many good reasons anymore. If I remember, I was rather critical at that age and used to think it was a lot of money spent. They stage a cultural show and a parade, fireworks and tables laden with food. People who come from near and far would make a beeline for the free food and its like a tug of war. I didn't see the reasons why it was organised when all you saw was the way the people grabbed at the food. It makes me feel quite sad that Malaysians can be so uncivilised when it comes to the word "free". If you remember sometime ago, one of the government agencies held an open house for tourists and all these other "public" people came and they swiped the table laden with a simple fare of dishes clean. The tourists were left with nothing to eat but only a bad impression of Malaysians who were "free loaders" and "greedy". Oh well ...

When I used to cover the Gerakan open house during the Chinese New Year it was the same deal too. Tables of food and withing minutes, clean! Some people even come with plastic bags. When annual general meetings of public listed companies are held its the same deal too. Tables of food and within minutes clean. And they have to bring plastic bags. Why? Why does this happen????

It is that word "free" that gets to them. That word takes away all dignity, integrity and pride. It may not even be big or expensive things that they are making grabs for. It is just because it is free!

Anyways, have a good open house for those who are organising them and Insyaallah, I will make my way to where I have been invited. But sometimes with three kids in tow, it can be a bit of a challenge!

Hari Faya festivities

It was a good Eid for all of us. We were not caught in any heavy traffic to and from Bukit Mertajam or KL. Kids had a good time with their cousins. A lot of food was consumed. And much money was spent! Hahahaha..

We left for Bukit Mertajam on Saturday evening Sept 27 and thank god traffic was smooth. We broke fast with nasi lemak I made in the car. The kids enjoyed that little picnic. There was some rain in Perak but it was only a short spell so it did not affect our timing at all.


This is Ali making a fuss about being in his car seat on the way to Bukit Mertajam that night. The girls were oblivious to his cries as they were busy with their picnic of nasi lemak and raya cookies

The kids and their cousins had a hap-a-loo time in Bukit Mertajam. They played all day so much so they forgot about being hungry the last few days of Ramadhan. But on the last day Nadiah and Ikhwan (my nephew), both seven, failed. They couldn't take the hunger anymore and broke fast. They ended up having their own little picnic at the abck kitchen of my mom in law's place

My niece Arina taking a breather from all that play! The kids wake up early and await patiently for their cousins to wake up. They play all day until late at night when the mothers have to scream to ask them to sleep
Ali kept on trying to find his way to the kitchen the last day of Ramadhan while we were busy making ketupat and rendang. He has this habit of ransacking and taking things out of their containers. He kept on wanting to take all the ketupat we had so neatly folded out of the basin
This was the night before Eid in Taiping at my late grandparents place. We made our way there for the last break fast. On the way we had bought lemang as requested by my mom. It wasn't hard to find lemang as the streest were littered with them. The question was whetehr it was good or not. After break fast I told my sister to go loo for fireworks. There was fireworks sold everywhere in Taiping town and the kids had a great time. It reminded me of all my Hari Raya's in Taiping with my cousins where the house was filled with laughter and chatter. My mother has nine siblings, and many more grandchildren, so you can imagine the noise and chaos. The good old days!
Tried to get a picture of the "fountain" fireworks. It was very smoky. This was one of my favourite fireworks. The older cousins were always the ones in charge of lighting them while is younger ones could only watch and enjoy the sights. They made us happy by holding on to sparklers!

This is Ali in his baju melayu and sampin. It is very hard to make sure that little head gear remains on his head! I had asked for the smallest they had but had to change it as his head is quite big after all. His head size is 19 half already!


The two girls waiting for breakfast on Hari Raya morning. Hubby was at the mosque for prayers and they kept on asking the time and rehearsing their lines of what to say when it was time to "beraya"This is Ali and his cousin Zara. My cousin came for a surprise visit on Saturday afternoon in Ara Damansara the day after we returned from the Eid hols. It was good to see them after so long and these two got along just fine!

I wish we had taken more pictures but you know what happened, we left the camera in Taiping. So we couldn't take more pictures in Bukit Mertajam. Oh well ....

Happy Eid everyone!