Friday, August 28, 2009

Desserts Galore ...

I had break fast with my mom last night and came back very full, as usual lah when you eat at your mom's place! Last night's event was made more memorable cause two of my aunties and two of my cousins came too.

We had Mak Itam and her daughter Sarah as well as her grandkids Ameera and Kristen. We had Mak Ngah and her second child Kak Hani. Kak Hani stays in London but is here cause her father had a cardiac arrest two weeks ago and is still in hospital. That's a different story.

She gave us some good news yesterday: she is coming back for good next year. She says she has had enough of living in England and wants to be with family. Infact, since her brother (who was staying in London too) got married last year and moved here, all her siblings are here.
My kids playing with their cousins after their stomachs were all full ...


This was dessert ... my aunty bought them from a place called Baker's in Ampang ... simply delicious! Aishah and I helped my mom with the bread and butter pudding. Now that I am writing this I am thinking non-stop about it! Sigh ... the falls of fasting..

It was nice to just sit and chat and eat ... share old stories and tell what's going on in our lives. It is not easy to get the whole clan together but this little dose is good enough. On the table in the big jar is the trifle my mom made, also very delicious. You are probably saying this is all dessert, what did we eat for break fast. Hahahaha ... break fast was good lah but never as good as the desserts!

From left: Mak Itam, Mak Ngah and Kak Hani. They were full but waiting for desserts!

A closer look at the desserts my aunty brought with her. The eclairs were to die for. The chocolate one used dark chocolate and I love dark chocolate so it was a real treat! Just look at the fresh cream .... yummy ...

It is very seldom that we get to buka puasa with aunts or uncles and cousins so this was a real treat eventhough the invite list was small. I hope to organise a buka puasa with the cousins but not sure if its a good time with an uncle being in hospital and all. Let us all pray for his speedy recovery.

Hope everyone is having a good Ramadhan ...

Monday, August 24, 2009

Happy Ramadhan

Happy School Holidays Moms and Happy Fasting to everyone. I started last week and the fasting month in Bukit Mertajam. Just came back last night, or early this morning. Internet access is not very good at my mom-in-laws place so was not able to enter any postings.

We went back there last Wednesday and ushered the Ramadhan with her. My two daughters succesfully got through the first and second days and I look forward to many more days before the school session begins next week.

Najihah and Nadiah surprised me by being ever so RAJIN in the kitchen. Growing up young girls that I hope I can count on in the kitchen when I get older. They helped their grandmother do everything ... from chopping garlic, to tauhu to frying roti arab.

Yesterday we broke fast at my sis-in-laws place also in Bukit Mertajam and they helped out too. Infact I had to go back to mom-in-laws place to pack our stuff and they wanted to stay there to help with the buka spread. What a proud mom I was!

As this week is still the school holidays, I will definitely spur on their interest by being in the kitchen today and making sure they are there to help me. I think by the end of the school holidays fasting would be a breeze for them and insyaallah they can get through the whole month.

I picked up our raya clothes during my stay in BM. Looks like we are all ready for Raya then. hahahaha ....

Plan to make some cookies this year, more for us than for guests as our cookies never look presentable enough for guests. Have too many helpers including little Ali.

Hope everyone has a good week ahead!

Monday, August 17, 2009

No School

I have declared next week a holiday for the girls from school which means they get a two week break only. This is a fluke too cause Nadiah who is in the afternoon session doesn't have school. An annoucement was made last Thursday they would close a week due to a case of H1N1.

Question: Why close only on Saturday onwards and not Friday which was the next day. Why was that Fridau so important for them to be in school.

Question: Why does the morning session still have to go to school. Even if it is a different session, isn't it the same building, same classroom etc.

I am sure many parent will not send their kids who are in the morning session either. As it is last week there were hardly many pupils in class and I suspect this week will be just as bad. Exams are over and there won't be much to miss I assume. I know it being a Chinese school there will be much the girls will miss but I doubt that is more important than their health.

My sister was telling me that in Australia, the number of cases for H1N1 was so high that they couldn't be bothered anymore about taking precautions so it is business as usual for them. In Mexico, it was just the opposite. Death numbers was rising so the Government closed down everything which resulted in a major decline in the economy. Wonder where we are ...

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Ali in Hospital

What a weekend I have had indeed. When I got back from Bandung last Monday my son Ali was down with the flu and a fever. I took him to our family GP on Tuesday and was given flu/cough and fever medication. His fever subsided by wednesday but on Friday his fever was back and he was so lifeless.

Of course worried I took him back to the clinic and the Dr was also worried so he asked me to take him to the hospital. Reasons being because the fever came back and Ali was weak. Ali was also in the risk group so he didn't want to take any chances.

Immediately we left for SJMC, sorry SDMC now, and that was about 7pm. The doctor here ran a blood test and results came back showing a viral fever and low blood count. Oh no .... dengue??? Yikes, Ali was admitted and I have been here since.

Tonight would be the third night at the hospital. His fever subsided already on the second day we stayed here so I was confident we could go home today but alas, doctor wanted him to stay one more day just to be sure he returns home fully recovered.


It's not dengue and I doubt its the H1N1. It is just a viral fever thank god. He was extremely active today and I think the other patients are probably cursing this noisy little boy on their floor. Today he was all over the hospital room. Silly me I didn't know there was a fridge here and Ali found it for me. Hahahaha...
Ali here is crawling the walls with boredom. He was feeling better and active!

Today was extremely funny too. My mom came back and brought Ali this little aeroplane not realising that the noise it made was really loud. Am sure the entire 3rd floor could hear it so we had to take the batteries out. We had to tell Ali it was spoilt and the little boy was really upset.

He is dying to get out of this room, everytime Bob comes by and is about to leave he would climb up and ask for a car ride. Must be dying of cabin fever my little Ali.
Hopefully the doctor will say it is okay for us to go home tomorrow. I don't think I can take another day here either. It is kinda restful being away from home, treat it like a little holiday eh ...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Scare ...

I should write about this flu bug but I think all has been said about it by other bloggers. My kids school is not yet affected by it and so far there seem to be no cases of H1N1, thank god but of course you worry about it all the time. School is supposed to be a safe place not a place where you have to wear masks and worry about the kid next to you.

Try explaining it to your kids, it is not that simple to tell them why you should be extra careful and chances are they won't remember anyway cause they have been with their friends for the whole school year so how do they differentiate when it is safe and hazardous. I gave them each a mask and told them to put it on which they do for awhile and then they get hot and bothered under it. Of course the mask comes off.

Everyday I tell them to put it on especially if there is someone sick in class but you know what!?! It wouldn't make a difference lah, the mask doesn't really help. You would need to wear an authentic gas mask if you want to prevent disease. The best way is to just make sure your immune system is at its best.

We have had all kinds of disease scares but this is a pandemic which means we need to be real careful. People are dropping like flies ... ebola style. Hmmmmm ....the world is coming to an end they say. A very negative way to say it and seems like an easy way out but all the signs are there. This is God's way of saying look out perhaps.

Shopping in Bandung

I had a great weekend. A weekend that is different from other weekends. I spent it doing what I love ... Shopping! In Bandung too. Went there with 2 girlfriends and my princess Najihah. We left Saturday afternoon and came home Monday night.

From the minute we walked out of the airport, we shopped the afternoon, evening and night away. Sunday we got up really early to be at the Pasar Baru at 8am and we stayed there until about 1pm I think. Even the driver was surprised that we asked him to pick us up from the hotel at 8am, we told him we wanted to be early before the crowd. That was a very wise decision indeed. The shops were just opening when we arrived and we had a the kind attention of all shopkeepers being early and all. Our stomachs told us it was time to leave about 1pm. By that hour we were at the few topmost floors and the crowd was thin there. Making our way down was a real feat, it being Sunday the market was packed like sardines.

Lunch on Sunday was at a nice place, Kedai Nyonya. The ambience was really nice. Where are the pictures you say? I didn't bring my camera, only because I didn't want to. My intention was to SHOP not to take pictures. Hahahaha ... I left it to my girlfriends to do all that touristy stuff so if I get their pictures I will post them here. Anyway, I had this satay kambing. It was delicious. Meat, fat and meat ... cooked terriyaki style. Must have it again next time.

Some of my friends asked me why I like Bandung as they prefer shopping in Jakarta. Jakarta is bigger and the comparison would be Tanah Abang for Pasar Baru. Tanah Abang is HUGE and I think very much for the business people who intend to buy in bulk. There are more clothes at Tanah Abang wherelese I feel there are more textile shops in Bandung's Pasar Baru. That is what I bought most anyway. Other shops are the same like telekung and t shirts. There are textile shops in Tanah Abang too but the variety doesn't seem as much as in Bandung. Besides, Pasar Baru is smaller and you don't need to walk around as much.

There are many facttory outlets scattered all over Bandung and you can get some really sweet deals for kids' clothes. For adults, I haven't really looked cause not really to my taste but I know t shirts are a steal there. I had a chance to visit the Paris Van Java Mall and it's so so lah. I prefer the Bandung Supermall but it is a bit too far out.

We only had 2 nights in Bandung which means that doesn't give you time to sight see. Shopping alone took up most of the time. Which is a blessing in disguise I guess cause than we would need to phone home for money!

Bandung is not as congested as Jakarta, no traffic jams everywhere, at least not the few times I have been there. Jakarta is a city, like Kuala Lumpur so of course the lifestyle is different and the "activities" would be city driven - movies, karoake, clubs and fancy restaurants. Bandung is a small city -- somewhat like Ipoh so the activities are simpler. Althought my sister did say she went clubbing there and it was not that bad. Bandung has a pretty interesting art scene too and you can see artistes putting up their work along the roadside.

The weather is the best in Bandung ... cool and crisp. Not much humidity so you get less tired. It seems to have been any annual event for me the past three years. Which means I must go again next year!

Friday, August 7, 2009

MISSING

I realise I have not written much this week. What happened was I fell sick. Felt the flu bug creeping up on me and went to the doctor right away. He gave me this really strong stuff that knocked me out cold. All I needed was rest I guess and now I feel much better. I will be off to Bandung tomorrow till Monday. Going with some girlies for some pre raya shopping. This means that I don't get anymore raya shopping money for hubby so better spend well there. hehehehe ...

Take care babes ...

Monday, August 3, 2009

A Part to Play

Have you ever taken some time to wonder what is happening to our country, to our world and to our lives in the long run. Have you ever taken the time to think how we can help make this world and this place we call home a better place. I am sure we all (at least I hope you do) cringe and sigh in disbelief at half if not all of the things that take place these days. You name it and it is happening. All too scary for me.

Crime. Black magic. Dirty money. Irresponsible civil servants. Corrupt corporate sector. Hate. Distrust. Pollution. Disease. Am sure there is much more but that is all I can think of for starters.

Of course we all want a better place for ourselves, for our kids, for our families and for our loved ones. I am also very sure all of us is doing a part to keep these things from affecting our quality of life. But how much do we do is enough! I ask myself that all the time, if I am doing my part to help my earth, to help my people and to help my country.

Sometimes it seems futile and whatever we try to do gets lost and drowns in the sea of good deeds cause there is so much bad and evil out there already. It is not like Hollywood movies where the good wins over the evil in the end of the day. It seems like however much good we do to try to make things better, it gets even more lost. For our good to fight the evil we have to join forces and be united. But it ain't that easy ... I can see that.

But I really hope that this little bit that I am doing will eventually pay off. Ya, it might not mean much when I am the only household along my street that recycles everything but I pray that it will eventually and others will play their part. I assume one person doing it is better than none.

That is only the tip of the iceberg of what we have to do to make this place a better home. Michael Jackson sang about these things before ... Man In The Mirror I think says a lot.

Let's all look in the mirror and ask ourselves these questions.