Joy killer...

It was nearing the end of the day when I was summoned by the top man...


Man : So, how's the presentation going?
Self : Cun-cun...120 pages...
Man : Oi...banyaknya...
Self : Bah, the new proposal ja 59 pages...I just cut and paste to the powerpoint now...later I will translate to pointer form...I'm bringing it home...
Man : Ok...(pausing)...can you email to me on Sunday?
Self : (eyes popping out)...huh...
Man : I might not be coming in Monday morning...
Self : Eh, biar betul you ni bos (the board meeting is on Tuesday)...you will not be coming in in the morning or you will not be coming at all...
Man : That's the thing...some of them are coming down this weekend...some Monday...I'll be busy...



Great, just great.

We were supposed to have a camping out for 2 nights with the group at the Crocker Range. We have not picked the dates yet and I was crossing my fingers that it would not be this weekend. I was relieved when hubby told me that the guys have not confirmed on the camping yet for this weekend. Phew.


We went up to the range early morning at the 1st day of Harvest Festival, a day trip affair. We hitched a ride with Ron and Hazel and met up with Chai and Sie Sie at Donggongon's 7Eleven.


On our way home at about 5.20pm, Chai called up and asked if we could go camping the next day. I was like...oh tidakkkkkkk...not without me. I was looking forward to that. After discussing with hubby, we decided to forgo with the idea at this point of time. One, because I have to finish up the presentation. Two, we need to spend some time with the kiddos and then send them off to kampung. Another phew....


Then Ron texted. He wanted to know if we wanted to join him for another trip tomorrow...1/2 day trip only. OMG, the temptation. Ok, fikir waras sikit Zaiton. I unfortunately did. With a heavy heart tho. I told hubby to go as I have to stay back.


So, here I am. On a Saturday. On a holiday. In a few minutes, going to open up the presentation file. In a few minutes, pleading with my sluggish on holiday brain to help me finish off this task, by hook or by crook, by today. Arggggggggh...



Before I left the office on Friday...


Man : Have you transferred your file to the pendrive...
Self : Yes...
Man : Have you check...
Self : Yes...



One happiness deprived employee...

Exhaustion...

I was the early one to open the office at 7.30 this morning. I was the last one to close up at 8.15pm. Dedication. Jauh api dari panggang. Committed. Try again. Neither one I'm afraid.

I had just finished up and submitted my paper to the secretarial people. The papers were due, not today, but yesterday. I would not take this blame on myself. There are other people involved. It is just a waste of time talking about it. I am just thankful that I've completed the job. But it is not over yet. I have to prepare the presentation for the 3rd June board meeting. No smooth sailing yet, choppy weather up ahead.

I was humming with myself when I reached the office this morning. I was prepared for the worst. The worst being, working thru lunch (won't kill me actually), glued to the computer (macam ndak biasa) and listing all the available excuses for the KL people for the delay.

But I was not in hell prepared for the POWER FAILURE!!! Of all day, SESB picked today. Other day, I would welcome it with arms wide open. The power failed close to 10am and only restored past 2pm. I was not exactly looking at the clock, I was more concerned on the loss time.

But what really ticked me off today is this fact. The fact that in my disoriented condition, I bite off a friend's head. I have never done this before. But it happened today. I must remind myself to apologize to him tomorrow.

I am still exhausted though. I can't really feel my flow of thought as smoothly as I like. I still feel...

...yup, that sums up what I feel today...

Nothing a good night sleep could not fix...

p.s Just remembered that I forgot to bring the KFC back...sucks...

Tg Aru Outing...

Brought the kiddos to Tg Aru just to kill time.

Alli monopolized the BenQ camera.

The Canon EOS400D kept changing hands between me and Kakak Long.

Kakak Long I believe has good eye for photography.

Like father, like daughter.

...Kakak Long's shot...

...my shot...

(I have posted some of my shots at my new blog...ZY's Images)

Babe...
I have a new competitor...

I'm letting them go...

Inukshuk and Miatuk had their first litter almost a year ago. Inuk delivered her babies the night before we departed to the National Park for the Harvest Festival Holiday. She had 5 of them but 1 died while we were away. As they are the first batch, we decided to keep all of them.

Inuk delivered her 2nd batch of 5 litter on last March. That amounts to 11 domestic long-haired cats in the house. That is pretty too many. Hubby and I decided to give them away at a very reasonable price to friends due to maintenance issue. I have even cautioned the children on this matter as I would not want them to have any emotional attachment once I give them away.

My friend Nor has been bugging me to post some of the photos as I have denied them visitation. She booked a pair, one for herself and one for her niece. After a few attempts, I managed these...

...dear old dad...Miatuk...

...can't distinguish...that is either Boris or MJ (Miatuk Jr)...

...Sora...

...the big grumpy one is BG (Big Girl or Baby Gorilla)...she was the big one among her batch...I decided to cage her together with her little siblings as the other cage is occupied by all the boys...tau-tau la kan...

...two of the kittens...there's another one at the background...

...if I were you Nor, I would take this ('wink')...

I have the intention to give away the adult litter. Hubby hesitated as he has strong emotional ties with them.


He became the midwife when Inuk was in labour.
I do not blame him.

Exhilaration...big time...

My fingers were trembling with excitment while typing this post. I am still seeing those black spot everytime I blinked my eyes. Even my heart is still racing fast like a rapper than its usual R & B slow and steady beat. I'm feeling a little bit light-headed now.

Just got off the phone with hubby. The boss had texted him last night that his application for a week long leave in early June has been approved. This would translate as...

1. Hubby will be back to KK on 29th night and return to Labuan on 9th June morning. 10 whole bloody days!!! Yeay...
2. Quality family time during the harvest holiday.
3. Send off the kids to kampung after the harvest holidays (not being selfish, they have been wanting to go there since forever).
4. Take leave on 4th June...Board meeting is scheduled on 3rd June, so all leaves are being frozen (sucks!)
5. Honeymoon with hubby again...LOL...101% on photography outing that is...

Am I being overly board over this? Nope. That's what you would feel if you're in my shoes. Opportunity like this is not something that comes by easily. When it is given to you on a platter, it seems like you have just found an oasis in the middle of the hot blazing desert. You count your lucky stars and thank God for the small miracles. You would thank God again for the big miracle that you believe He would bestow you in the near future.

Ron...
Chai...
Are you guys reading this?
Just in case...
They are our partner in crimes...LOL...

Yippedidoda, yippediday...my oh my what a wonderful day...

Catch of the Day

I guessed deep down everyone was disappointed. No significant catch was recorded. No significant sightings were available. The high expectation is diminishing quickly. The high hope is losing ground by the minutes.

When Chai suggested that the group tried out the new place that he had discovered before, everybody was game. It is still early and I believed nobody wanted to go home without any prize trophy under their belt.

This time round the birds did not disappoint us. The guys were having a great time and tried their best to outdo each other. I on the other hand did not fare well. No one's fault actually, all entirely mine. Hubby always told me practice makes perfect. He walked the talk. I did not. And that is a no no when shooting bird photo as they never stand still. The camera should act as part of your limb, moving harmoniously with you. Mine seemed like an artificial limb.

I was preparing myself for disappointment but as fate would have it, I was saved by this...

The guys spotted this nest located about 30 feet away from the roadside. It was on eye level. They even caught glimpses of its occupant but could not determine the species. Based on its whitish underpants with rufous and dark streaks they guessed that it might be a cuckoo. Ron was almost attacked twice by the bird. We believed that it is the parental instinct going full throttle. Any parent would do that to protect their youngs. On the way coming down, we saw the same bird for a fleeting second. It did not return to the nest. We then decided to rest a while at the hut and returned again later.

...only an eye and a small part of the head was visible...

The bird was in the nest when we arrived and everybody started hitting their shutter button furiously. With speed as lightning, it flew out quickly as soon as it spotted us.

This time round we stay put and waited. It was a long wait but still we did not budge from the spot. The bird flew around a few times and at one time tried to attack hubby. Based on its gliding motion, the guys were convinced that it was a raptor. They also theorized the attack on hubby as due to this...

...the night before the trip, hubby camouflagized his white lens...from afar it looked like snake skin...the bird of prey might have mistaken it for food...we could not stop teasing hubby about it...we even wanted to make him as bait to lure the bird out...LOL...



We spread out at the spot to get the best angle when I suddenly spotted a movement further up high on one of the trees at the back. I zoomed out the camera. Yes, it was the elusive bird alright. Even at its maximized length, I could not be sure if I could get a decent shot at the raptor. Hitting the shutter button, I called to the guys giving out its location. I did not know if they had managed to get a shot at it. I was content with my catch. A very minimal catch tho. I prayed hard that the image will turn out clear even if it is one image.

Besra (Accipiter Gularis)

...the original shot using my Canon EOS400D, using EFS55-250mm, f/4-5.6 IS lens...

...after cropping (thanks babe)...a much clearer image of the bird of prey...

...the raptor must have pitied me...it turned around and gave me a different pose to shoot...(thanks again babe)...

It was a long shot.
It was my savior shot for the day.

1/2 Day Trip to Tambunan Rafflesia Centre

Aiseyman...5.30 am!!! Biar betul dorang ni I thought when hubby told me that he will be going to the Tambunan Rafflesia Centre on Wesak day with Chai. It was supposed to be a 1/2 day trip and he asked me to come along. We should be returning to KK around 10 or 11 am.

Chai picked us up at about 6 am and drove to Donggongon Town to meet up with Ron and Hazel to convoy. Along the Penampang bypass road on the way to Donggongon, I saw the sun was about to rise. It was a beautiful scenery and I decided to take my chances. But taking photo from a moving vehicle proves to be a challenge. To make matter worse, the uneven road surface is no help at all. I took one shot.

...the sun was peeking behind the majestic Mount Kinabalu...

When we arrived at 7.20 am, the centre has not opened yet. We were let in by the night security guard who had just finished his shift when we informed him that we wanted to do bird photographing. Luck apparently is not on our best side. The birds seemed to take the public holiday seriously as only a small number of them is around. The hiking up and down the trail also did not produce any desired result. Even the wind is not blowing.


Unlike me, the guys did get a few shots of the birds with the help of Hazel, our Spotter. Not wanting to go home empty handed, I took a few shots that took my fancy.

...attempting to get a good shot of the sun's ray piercing throught the jungle canopy...

...an attempt to get the sun's reflection on the spider's web under a huge fallen log...

But hey, I did get my 1st leech tho. If not for Chai, I would not know that I have it on my shoe. I have never seen one before except in photos.

...the one taken off from my shoe...parental discretion is advised...

After a rather disappointing viewing of the birds at the centre, we did a detour. Chai stumbled upon this place recently.

We had a gall of a time there. Okkkk...let me rephrase that. The guys had a gall of a time. That is another story tho.

We arrived home at around 4pm. I guess the 1/2 day trip was never meant to be...

Sunset at Mimpian Jadi Resort

I would not say that I am a sunset kind of person. I actually do not have anything against it. It is just that it would normally brings out that pesky annoyingly buzzing insect that loves to have their drinking session on the red cells. They love to give their undivided attention to me whenever I am in their company. Out of all the many people I am with, I will be their first picking. My slapping them away does not deter them to get what they came for. They did their business and then they had the gall to mark me. On my body, I wouldn't mind. On my face, red marks as if you had measles, that really pisses me off. That's it. Nothing else.

So when hubby asked me to take photos of the sunset, I was a bit reluctant because I am pretty sure that the whole colony will be partying around as the whole place is still wet from the storm the night before. But then I remembered that I saw the hotel's staff doing some fogging in the morning. I decided to brave the inevitable. I am glad I did it. If not I would have missed these...

...photos taken last April using Canon EOS400D...

...a missed opportunity it was not...

Guru's???

It was about 5 am in the morning...

It was the time to wake up the kids...

Alli snuggled closer to me...

Alli : Mum...

Self : Hmmm...

Alli : Happy Guru's Day...

Self : (Guru's????)...mmm...

Alli : You Guru kan mum...

Self : mmm...(totally blurry)...ya ka...

Alli : Iya mum...

Self : Ohhh...

Alli : You kan always tinguk Guru-Guru di internet...

Self : (smiling, smiling, smiling)...

Chegu Carol...

...sorry this is no gerbera...

...Happy Guru's Day...

Te-ri-ma Ka-sih Cik-gu

To all teachers out there...
Whoever you are...
Wherever you are...
In the past...
In the present...
In the future...
...for us yang sudah jadi orang ni...our utmost appreciation...
...yang ndak jadi orang tu...you have done your best...
Happy Teacher's Day...

To my kids...

...mum and dad is your teacher...

...for life...

A Chance Encounter...

I would normally take a shortcut to Alli's school.
A hilly shortcut route.
I would not say that I am a fan of the hilly road saves for the fact that it would save me time.
I would not have to stop at the numerous traffic lights that just can't seem to stop mushrooming.

This afternoon the road was a bit crowded much to my liking.
I saw from my rear mirror that a car was trailing behind, another much to my liking.
In front there are a few cars manoeuvering ever so slowly so as not to graze at each other's body. I do not need this.
Not at all.

I drove slowly to let the car from the opposite lane to pass through when I noticed that one car was flashing its headlights.
I drove ever slowly as the Ipsum's sensor was beeping furiously.
Only then I noticed the car's number.
He stopped his car.
I stopped my car.
I rolled down my window as he rolled down his.
It was Sean.

Sean held out his hand.
I automatically held out mine.
We shook hands.

Sean : Happy Mother's Day...
Self : (I was a tad surprise with that greeting)...thank you...
Self : Sean, I haven't...
Sean : (looking in front of him)...you still have my number...
Self : Yes (looking behind me)...
We nodded at each other and drove away.

I met Sean in early January.
I did not know him from Adam.
He did not know me from Eve.
It was a chance encounter.
Sean's muscular Toyota had accidently gave a soft nudge on Ms Ip's bumper.
Ms Ip suffered a slight injury.

...broken paint and small gap at the boot...lucky the brake light is spared from damage...

...Ms Ip lost one of her 5 sensors...

I am thankful that we did not make a scene.
There were no screaming matches.
There were no kicking at the tyres.
We behaved like a lady and a gentleman.
We did not request for each other's IC.
We did not request for each other's driving licence.
He consulated somebody over the phone.
I consulted hubby over the phone.
We exchanged our cell's no.
I punched his car number into my cell.
We agreed to contact each other.
We parted amicably.

I was forever thankful for that.

I mean to meet a stranger on a misfortunate incident is not high on anyone's agenda, much less me.

Worst things could have happened.

I mean who would in their right mind purposely hit on another car.

I guess no matter how careful we are there are just things that are beyond our control.

Accidents do happen.

And when they happen, we would blame it on recklessness most often than not.

I would have thought that Sean was reckless.

But then I was myself reckless before.

Been there, done that.

Rewind a few years back...

It was early morning and I was driving home after sending the girls to school.

I did not know what happened.

I did not know how it happened.

For the life of me, I swore I did not see the car.

I was at an intersection when it happened.

It was just a few metres away from home.

I was making a right turning when I heard a loud bang.

I was jolted but I still drove on.

I did not even see the car.

I only stopped when I heard a dragging sound.

The prado just hit a kancil.

When I reversed the car, the lady inside could not even get out from her door.

The impact of the collision damaged the driver's door badly and she had to go out from the passenger's door.

Both of us exited our car.

Lady : Kamu ndak nampak ka saya tadi...

Self : (still in a daze)....sorry, sorry (apologizing profusely)

Lady : Nasib saya ndak apa-apa...

Self : Sorry, sorry...(the only appropriate thing to say)

We agreed to go to the nearest police station to settle the matter.

We did not exchange any personal details.

I still remember some parts of that incident as vividly as I remembered the green flourescent-like Ascis shirt hubby wore on our first meeting 16 years ago.

I rememberd wearing my purple sleeveless shirt.

As a rule, I would not get out from the car wearing sleeveless shirt.

That rule was broken that morning.

I remembered wearing my old short knee pants.

I was very thankful for that coz at times I would just drove the girls to school in my sarong!

I remembered that hubby has to report duty at the Karamunsing head office.

He was just transferred back from Sandakan.

Talked about bad timing.

I remembered waking up my brother and asked him to accompany me to the police station.

We went to the Karamunsing police station, it was the wrong station.

We went to the old station at downtown KK.

The lady was nowhere in sight, nor was her car.

I waited and left after a while.

I thought she would know how to locate me as the security guard at the building near the accident told her that my father is the Village Head at my place.

She would have no problem to trace me.

When I arrived at the office in the afternoon after sending my girls home, one of my collegue told me that a seargent from the police station wanted me to return call.

The seargant told me that the lady has filed a police report after waiting for a long time for me to turn up.

I was looking for her outside.

She was already inside.

The seargant further told me that lucky he could trace me as he would have to issue a warrant of arrest should I failed to report the accident that day.

I grabbed my car keys, gave my statement and paid the summon on time.

I gave the lady a call and gave my assurance that I have done the necessary on my part.

The insurance took care everything.

Back to Sean...

We met again during one weekend at Sean's friend's workshop.

Hubby could not join me as he had to attend a training, would you believe it, training on a Saturday.

While there, I was a bit worried as they kept conversing in Chinese.

But I guess I worried for nothing.

Sean instructed his friends to bill him for all the repair done.

I was to only bring Ms Ip back to his friend's workshop.

I agreed to take Ms Ip the next weekend for her treatment.
However, weekend turned into another weekend.
Month turned into another month.
I have yet to send Ms Ip to the workshop.
Ms Ip's bumper needs to be dismantled and respray.
Since I do not have a spare ride, the thought of driving Ms Ip without her bumper is something I do not look forward to.
So I procrastine, still do.
I did not hear from Sean after that.
We are incommunicado.
Until today.

Our chance meeting today gave me the much needed relief.
Relief that our arrangement still stand.
Relief that this young man did not abscond from his responsibility.

Sean...
If you are reading this...

Give my regards to your mum...
Tell her, Happy Belated Mother's Day...
Tell her, she has raised a responsible and fine young man...

Note to self : Should in future I encounter this sort of situation (palis, palis, touchwood)...get all the details right...we never know...malang itu tidak berbau...bukan semua orang baik...just need to get that in my head...

Birding Photography...

Bird photography is no easy task.
I knew then.

I know now.

But I am grateful with these results.

These are among the best shot taken, my shot that is.

Temminck's Sunbird (Aethopyga Temminickii) ...a petite beauty...to get a decent shot is truly a struggle...

...need to crop the photo in order to enjoy the beauty of this sunbird...

...the sunbird drying itself...

Hubby will be coming down this weekend.
Chai has made a good offer.
Mesilau or Kinabalu Park.
Hope Chai could spare a space for me.
Crossing my fingers...

How la...

Hubby called me asking if I have called Mummy.

I haven't done that yet as I wanted to wait for all the kids to wake up to wish Happy Mother's Day together.

I called Mummy but my call went unanswered.

Mummy might have gone to church, after all it was Sunday.

As usual I would be in a limbo kind of state whenever hubby is not able to come down for the weekend.

And last Sunday was no exception.

I reckoned that I need to bring the kids out and treat them to lunch, what more on Mother's Day.

And as usual the bickering would start to roll off on the venue for lunch.

Alli wanted to eat at KFC but Kakak Long wanted to go to Restaurant Indah at Sadong.

Without any interference from me, she managed to convince Alli to go along with her wish.

The waiter at Restaurant Indah was a bit confused with our orders and had to repeat them a few times.

3 nasi briyani.

1 mi basah ayam.

3 roti telur.

There are only 4 of us.

After lunch we proceed to Karamunsing Complex as I wanted to shape my brow.

This is adengan yang tidak diingini by the kids and not forgetting hubby also.

Adek : Why ba you always need to pluck your brow...

Self : Because it's not balance...it will not take long...

When the beautician finished her work, I was surprised to see Alli making himself comfortable on the next bed.

We then roamed around the 1st floor with no particular thing in mind when I decided to stop at Lowe's.

Alli wanted me to buy him this but when I told him that it is wayyyy beyond my budget, he asked me to snap a picture of him with it.

That I can do.

Then he saw this.

He saw this at Anies' house.

He saw 2 of these at Anies' house, Aby's and Aly's.

Alli started pestering me to buy one for him.
He trailed me high and low in the store.
He was getting on my nerve.
He asked me if it was expensive.
As the price is veryyyyy reasonable I relented to his request.

...one happy boy...

And then I blurted this out accidently...


Alli : Yesterday Alli ada play game di handphone Aby...
Self : Aby or Aly...
Alli : Aby...Aly tiada handphone...
Self : She got one...
Alli : Tiada ba mum...
Self : Ada...
Alli : Siapa kasi tau mum...
Self : Mummy dia la...
Alli : (quite for a while)
Self : (ooops, oooops and ooooops)
Kakak Long : Aly tu darjah berapa mum...
Self : Tadika...
Kakak Long & Adek : Oohhh...kids nowadays (sengaja kasi marak api)
Alli : Mum Alli want handphone...


Tulung la nak...

The Making of 500 Cupcakes...

After office hours last Friday...

Momoi : Make sure your handphone is always on...

Self : Huh?

Momoi : And stay in town...

Anies : Your presence is most welcome...

Self : Alli got Kem Bistari Solat...

Self : And I might go to Melinsung...I need to get my Astro cards...

Momoi : There ok but not out of town...you know what I mean...

Self : Ok...

Momoi and Anies joint-venture and has committed themselves to baking 500 cupcakes for Mother's Day.

Ambitious.

Definitely.

Will they deliver?

That is the million dollar question.

After picking up Alli, I texted Anies...

Self texted : Siap suda ka...

Anies texted : Siap ko bilang. Blum makan lagi kami ni...

That was 2.06pm.

I could sensed that they are in desperate need of an extra hand.

I did not text back but instead drove straight away to Anies' house.

Let them think that I just could not be bothered about their desperation.

When I arrived, I saw that every single hands are on something.

4 pair of adult hands plus 2 pair of smaller hands, Anies' husband, maid and daughters.

I was immediately given this task.

Anies : Ton you tulung paitung la...

Self : Paitung? (is this a baking term that I should know?)

Anies : Ya Paitung...macam yang Azmi buat tu...

Self : Oh ini pula paitung (level the cream onto the cupcakes)

Self : Macam mana sukatan ni...banyak ka atau sikit Mi?

Azmi : Pandai-pandai la...harga simen sekarang mahal (the joker)

Self : Ok (restraining self from laughing terbahak-bahak coz everybody was deadly serious)

We worked non-stop around the clock.

We cracked jokes along the way.

Self and Momoi had our lunch at about 5pm.

Anies did not take hers.

Along the way Anies received phone calls from friends who were not on her list asking after their orders.

We found out that these people had texted her to order but somehow rather she did not receive the sms.

She remembered that at one time last week, her BB was having some technical problems.

She panicked but good PR saves the day.

Momoi : Ton ko mau blog ka ni...

Self : Eh kenapa pula...this your project...you blog la...

Anies : Mana ada masa...

Momoi : Ko ndak mau ambil gambar ka...

Self : Ok la...sikit sikit ja...

...one of the 3 ovens used for baking...

...Anies decorating the smaller cupcakes...

...counting and packing process...

...one of the finish product...

I left around 8pm, much as I hate to as driving at night with my limited eyesight is normally a struggle.

I learned a few things during this project...

1. Determination will help onself to achieve one's goal.
2. Friendship will go a long way in one's lifetime.
3. When one have passion in what one are doing, one will find means and ways to reach it.
4. Spousal support will give you the extra boost to reach your dream.
5. We get to have a good laugh when we are old and wrinkled (voguely and gracefully that is)
6. A lifetime experience among good friends.


The next thing on their agenda...
Father's Day cupcakes.
I am invited to joint-venture.
I have to check my schedule.
I admire their determination.
I admire their passion.
We have to start somewhere to achieve our dreams.
They have started theirs.

What more can I say...
You go girls...

p.s. Father's Day cupcakes anyone? Feel free to visit Momoi's and Anies' blog...

Early...

Last Wednesday night...

Alli : Mum tomorrow can you give 2.50...

Mum : Why?

Alli : I wanted to buy something at school...

I forgot about it...

He forgot to remind me...

After school, Thursday afternoon...

Alli : Can I skip Mother's Day Sunday nanti...

Mum : (don't understand but still answer)...ok...

Alli : Good, I want to give you these...

Alli : You like ka mum...Happy Mother's Day...

Mum : Mum like...thank you baby...

Mum : How much you buy this....

Alli : 1 ringgit...

Mum : (I remembered seeing this posted in the school's notice board, 50 cents a piece) ini ada 4...

Alli : Oh sorry, 2 ringgit mum...

Mum : Alaaa...why you buy so many...you only have 1 ringgit left (pocket money is RM3)...did you eat...

Alli : Ada...

While waiting for Adek, we ate at the resaurant...

Alli : Mum Alli mau kasi habis this nasi...Alli lapar...jangan share ah...

Mum : Ok...

I was sad and happy.

Happy caused he took the effort to buy me something for Mother's Day.

Sad because he has to get hungry to please his mum.

We sometimes share our meal as he don't normally finish his.

Thursday night...

Alli : Mum give me 2.50 tomorrow...

Mum : What for...

Alli : I wanted to buy something for...

Mum : For who...

Alli : Forrrrrrrr...

Mum : For your girlfriend ka (teasing him)...

Alli : Ya for girlfriend (fast to answer)...can mum...

Mum : Can...

Friday morning...

Alli's classroom was located on the 2nd floor and I would normally send him up as I feel pity that he had to carry the heavy bag.

I stopped at the 1st floor where a notice board was located to read the latest news when I heard him said...

Alli : Alamak, pecah sudah rahsia Alli...

I pretended I didn't hear him and proceeded to ascend the staircase.

I knew that he was having a hard time to keep mum.

He was trying to be very secretive and I didn't want to disappoint him.

Friday afternoon...

As Friday's lunchtime is longer, we had our lunch at the school's canteen.

He then proudly present me with this...

I was very touch with his gesture.

I was very touch with his thoughtfullness.

My little boy has become a little man.

A mother's dream.

This mother's nightmare.

Wouldn't You...

Just picked up Alli from the Kem.
With plentiful time to kill, I decided to make a visit to Anies' house.
I was contemplating whether to announce my arrival or not when my cell rang.
I stopped to retrieve it as I forgot to attach the earphone.
It was hubby.
We talked a while when...

Alli : Mum, give, give...Alli mau cakap sama dad...

I started to move the car when I heard...

Alli : Daddy, kalo daddy rich nanti bolehkah kita jadi real family lagi...
Alli : Alli rindu ba sama daddy...rindu kuat kuat...

It breaks my heart...

What I No Longer Have...

I had a mother...

Innocent Minds

Saw this at one of the forums I frequented...
Gave me a good giggle...
Put a smile on my face...




Dear God, are you really invinsible or is that just a trick...Lucy
Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I get big but not with so much hair all over...Sam
Dear God, did you mean for the giraffe to be like that or was it an accident...Norma Dear God, I keep waiting for spring but it never come yet. Don't forget...Mark
Dear God, instead of letting people die and having to make new ones why don't you just keep the ones you got now...Jane
Dear God, you don't have to worry about me. I always look both ways...Dean
Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that ok?...Neil
Dear God, I think the stapler is your greatest invention...Ruth M
Dear God, I am American. What are you...Robert
Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I'm not praying...Elliot
Dear God, thank you for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy...Joyce
Dear God, I bet it is very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it...Nan

...at one moment in time...

...we might have these questions...

...childhood memories revisited...

...or things which are best left unsaid...

Saturday Limbo

The alarm clock went off at 5.45 am...
Arghhhh...
Gave Alli a soft shook on the shoulder...
Alli has a Kem Bestari Solat at 7.00 am...
He did not make any move...
I moved to the other room...
Check the necessity for him to bring...
Noticed that the Kem starts at 7.30 am...
Arghhhhhhh...
Should have set the alarm clock at 6.15 am...
Went back to the other room...
Went back to sleep...
10 more minutes I told myself...

Sent Alli to school...
Bought breakfast at the canteen...
Caught in the sudden heavy pour...
Filled up gas...
Ate breakfast...
Watched Mcleod's Daughters...

Waiting for 1.30p pm...
The Kem ends at 2.00 pm...
Counting the minutes...

Last night Kakak Long asked...
Are we going anywhere tomorrow?
Don't know yet I said...

Still don't know...

Forget...

Just now...

Self : Alli wake up...bangun sayang mummy...

The moment he woke up...

Alli : Mum don't forget Bahasa Arab...
Self : Ok...

Alli was very angry with me for forgetting his Bahasa Arab book last Friday.
Alli himself sorted out his books that day instead of me.
I did not re-check.

After bath...

Alli : Mum jangan lupa my Bahasa Arab...
Self : Suda...
Alli : Nanti ustaz tarik rambut kalau ndak bawa Bahasa Arab.
Self : (teramat terkedu) Ustaz tarik rambut where...
Alli : here (pulling his hair at the temple)...

In the car after dropping Adek at the Esso Station...

Self : Sakit ka ustaz tarik rambut you...
Alli : Bukan tarik rambut...cubit telinga...
Self : Aik, tadi you said tarik rambut, now cubit telinga...
Alli : Alli wrong mum, cubit telinga...sakit oh mum...sakit betul...macam mau putus telinga Alli...
Self : Ok...next time mesti extra careful...mesti check your books betul-betul...
Alli : Ok mum...
Self : (will korek about the tarik rambut time santai-santai)

How did I react this morning...mixed feelings...
I always tell the kids...follow all the rules at school and you will be alright...
I guess this sort of things happen all the time...
I guess no matter how careful we are, this do happen juga...

Suddenly I went down memory lane...
When I was in primary school, coincidently Kelas Agama...
The student besides me was talking to another student...
The Ustaz had his back to me...
All of a sudden he turned around and pinched me on the thigh...
He told me to stop talking...he taught I was the one talking...
It was a mighty hard pinch...
I could still remember that pinch until this day...
I could have sworn I could still feel that mighty pinch on my thigh...
I remembered like it was yesterday coz it was painful...
A childhood pain...
When I think about it...the humiliation is much more painful than the flesh pain..
That memory is embedded firmly in the brain..it wouldn't make itself scarce no matter what...
Will it do the same to Alli?
I recalled hubby telling me that hurtful things people say or do to us during our young days, we will tend to remember it sampai bila bila...

Before I left...
We did the customary...kiss, hug, kiss, hug some more, kiss some more...
I did out of the ordinary today...
I kissed his ear...

Cookies Anyone?

Yesterday...


At first I did not see this cookie on my table.
I saw Vee, the contractor for our office lepak at Anies a.k.a. Mummy Aby's cubicle...



Self : Hey, who give this?
Anies : Vee...
Self : Oh ya ka...thank you...
Anies : From New Zealand tu...
Self : Ya ka...how long did you stay there...
Vee : No...friend give ma...





At first I told the girls that the cookie is something to blog about.
But then I decided against it coz macam kumpau betul pula.
I thought of giving it to Alli.
I forgot about it.

Today...

As I was about to land my butt on the chair...


Anies : Ton, ada I want to tell you...
Self : What about it...
Anies : You know the cookie...I want to makan tadi...ko tau apa, suda expire...
Self : Hah! Bukan ada yang suda makan ka kemarin...
Sai : I suda makan...
Momoi : I juga...
Sai : I makan half coz ndak sedap...
Momoi : I habis...memang ndak sedap...tapi lapar kan...
Self : Adui, adui....
Momoi : Ko rasa itulah sebab aku ndak sihat sekarang ni...
Self : Ndak ba tu...

p.s. note to self and girls...always check the tarikh luput...
p.s.s. nasib baik bos belum makan his...

Alli In Action

The window of opportunity opens...
Could not let it passed by...
Tried to hone some new skills...


Scene 1
Self : Alli, you jump in...mum mau tangkap gambar...
Alli : Ok, mum...(ever so willing)...

Scene 2
Self : Kakak, Adek...terjun...mum mau tangkap gambar...(shouting as they're on the other side of the pool)
Kakak & Adek : (not answering)
Self : Kakak, Adek...
Kakak & Adek : (seemed ignoring me)
Self : (went over to them) Ndak dengar ka what mum said tadi...
Adek : Dengar...
Self : Jadi...
Adek : Sakit ba terjun tu...(putung stim betul)



Scene 3
Self : Alli, jump in lagi...
Alli : Ok mum...











Scene 4
Alli : Mum, Alli terjun...tangkap gambar...
Self : Ok


Scene 5
Alli : Mum, tangkap lagi...Alli terjun...
Mum : Ba suda la tu nak...mum tired suda...
Alli : Eh...you ni mum......Dad tangkap gambar Alli...(over enthusiastic)


The bad news is...not perfect yet...still learning...
The other bad news is...
Alli, you are now officially mum's guinea pig...