Essential aquisition...

Haven't gotten around to narrate my recent trip to Sandakan.
My lappy has been giving me unncessary hassles that would require a trip to Karamunsing in the very near future to seek that unavoidable treatment.
I am not happy.
I think Kakak is also not happy.
I have imposed myself on her lappy.

But I am happy about other things.
Things that somehow imposed themselves on myself as well as hubby.
Things which we are obliged to acquire.
As a result of the trip to Sandakan.


Essential No. 1...

...I have no proper camera bag...used this customized bag that was previously used by hubby during his early involvement in photography...borrowed Adek's bag to transport the camera around during the Sandakan trip...

Self : Can buy me camera bag ka?
Hubby : Can...
Self : This one? (sling version)
Hubby : Ndak berapa practical...
Self : You choose la...you know better...

So, hubby bought me this...

...just nice...sufficient enough to store my Canon 400D and other small camera thingy things...

...my new camera bag...Lowepro Flipside 200...thanks babe...

Essential No. 2...

It got torn during one of our trips to the Crocker Range at Tambunan if memory served me right.

It was not a big tear really.

I guessed what really upset hubby was the fact that it did not meet his heavy dutiness expectation.

His Columbia trekking shoes that is.

So we looked around.

Not that must find now-must have now kind of looking around.

Just looking around.

Finally on Deepavali holiday...

...highly recommended by Seng...Salomon trekking shoes...lucky it has a 30% discount...

I am happy with my aquisition.
Hubby is happy with his aquisition.
But hubby is finding himself in a dilemma now...
Can't make up his mind...
Can't arrive at a decision...
Whatever decision you will arrive at...eventually...
I support you all the way...
For me babe...
...I'm doing just fine...

A debt settled...

Monday...

Momoi : Eh, ya...mana suda tu Ton? Kalau kau ndak cakap tadi lupa suda aku...
Self : Susu expire...

Kakak : You buat?
Self : Ndak...susu rosak...


Tuesday...

The same question from office mates...additional info provided...

Self : Ndada susu tu di kawasan I...

Alli : Mummy cakap mau buat...
Self : Rosak susu tu baby...


Wednesday...

The same question from office mates...the same excuse provided...they give me the solution...

Momoi : Nes, cuba dulu kau kasi beli dia susu tu...
Anies : Brand apa juga susu tu...
Self : Betul ni...my place ndada susu tu...ndak biasa guna susu lain...

Thursday...

Cleaner : Besok jangan pula kamu beli makanan...
Self, Anies, Momoi : Syukur-syukur...
Self : kalau aku dapat susu malam ni...
Anies : Kasi jadi la malam ni...I kan mau belayar Monday...nanti kempunan pula...

...these...

...has finally move to another step...

...2nd final journey...

...end of journey...

Our lady cleaner has informed us that she will be bringing the kolopis tomorrow...we did not ask her if that entails the full set...kuah sate perhaps...rendang perhaps...curry perhaps...whatever dish you presented, besar tapak tangan nyiru kami tadahkan Kakak...

So, in the morning, 2nd floor will be a bit happening tomorrow...
So, in the morning, 2nd floor will have a mini raya party tomorrow...
Before we adjourn to another raya mini party...
...ehem...
...lunch at 1Borneo...

(pics taken with my BB)
(was supposed to post this last night...an update...our kakak brought chicken curry, kuah kacang, kolopis and nasi himpit...bless you kakak)...

Unwelcome...

Abhorrence to the core...
I don't know about the others...
but that's what I felt...
the moment I was made aware of the fact...

Honestly speaking, don't you just detest it if someone would just lend themselves your things without having the decency of asking you first...
How do you think Nasha Aziz felt when she discovered that some jerk had done a peeping tom on her?...

And pray tell me how on earth would you react when you got wind that someone could access things that you never share with them...things that you considered private...for your eyes only...meant for you...not others...

Dumbfounded...
Flabbergasted...
Astounded...
Incredulous...
Speechless...
...take your pick...

Well, let me just say this...

...this relationship does not give us any authority to cross into each other's boundry...

...this is my box...I stay in my own box...you stay in yours...
...unless I invited you in, of course...

So, how about it...
...invade my privacy, please don't...
...intrude my space, don't even think of going there...

never ever...
never again...

(pics taken with my BB)

Affection...

Into the afternoon, the weather turned ghastly.
If not for the pelting of the rain against our heavily tinted office window, we would not have known that sunny Monday morning decided to change its appearance come afternoon, conveniently at the time to fetch Alli from school.

...the Twister movie never fail to come into mind each time I come across mother earth's preview of her powerful strength before unleashing her wrath...

When I reached the school, Alli came running to me, a bit wet...ndak sah kalau ndak basah time hujan...I decided to treat him to lunch at the canteen...he ordered mi basah ayam and myself nasi goreng kampung...

...I guessed he must be very hungry coz he ate in silence and concentrated on his food...very rare this tabiat...

While waiting for him to finish his lunch, I recalled our recent lunch at a Malay stall located inside a chinese restaurant across the road from All Saint's School. I had rojak daging minus the veges...Adek and Alli both decided to have soto ayam. After I finished my rojak, I started feeding Alli the noodles...

Adek : Eh...budak tahun 2 masih kena suap ka mum...
Self : Affectionate ba ni...mum and dad selalu buat ba...mum pun suap dad...
Adek : In public?
Self : Yes...
Adek : (silent)

Then I recalled another incident at Alli's school...
He would normally kissed my hand before we parted and at one time when I wanted to hug him, he became stiff. I noticed that his eyes starting to roam about looking for the other kids. I guessed he was embarrassed if one of his friends caught him while we hugged. I quickly gave him a brief hug. During the drive home that day...

Self : You malu ka tadi masa mum mau hug you...
Alli : (silent)
Self : You afraid your friend laugh at you ka...
Alli : Ya...
Self : It's OK...kalau dorang ketawa sama you...you cakap my mum loves me very much and I love my mum very much...

We never broached that subject again afterwards and I guessed no one laughed at him or teased him as up until today our routine remain...
...kissed mum's hand...
...a quick peck on the mouth, forehead, cheek...
...a hug...
...sometimes in the corridor, sometimes in the classroom...he just could not seem to be bothered with his friends...
...sometimes we repeat the aksi for the 2nd time
OK juga la...but sometimes dia lebey-lebey...snuggle2 his face on my chest like he used to do at home...manja betul budak ni...

Last night as I was browsing through old photos...I remembered something funny when I came upon a particular photo during the family trip to the Crocker Range...

We left the children behind to set up the tent before proceeding further uphill for bird photography...
Upon our return to the resting hut, we overheard this conversation coming from inside the tent...

One sister : Tepi! Tepi!
Other sister : Eh jauh sikit la...
Self : Kenapa juga tu...jangan la gaduh...
Kakak : Alli ni bah...mau dekat-dekat saja...
Self : Biar la bah dia...dia suka snuggle2 ba tu..kan dia biasa buat gitu sama mum...
Kakak : Ya tau...tapi mum...dia ni...kakak ndak suka...dia macam...
Self : Macam apa...
Kakak : Meraba ba mum...

All of us burst out laughing out loud after that...we just could not help ourselves...

Self : Tidur dekat kakak saja...jangan pegang2 dia...
Alli : Sejuk ba mum...
Self : Pakai blanket...nanti kakak pukul you, mummy ndak tau tu ah...


Affection...how does one describe an affectionate gesture...
...a subjective matter...
...a matter of one's opinion...

Without going overboard...
I am not afraid to hold hands while walking with hubby.
I am not afraid to give him a hug everytime we meet at the airport.
I am not afraid to give him a quick peck on the cheek nor the mouth when we parted.
Mengada-ngada, some people would perceive it...so be it...
Menunjuk-nunjuk, some people would interprete it...so be it...

For me...
...a way of showing to hubby and the kids...
...a means of demonstrating to hubby and the kids...
...that I love them...
...that I cherish them...
...no words needed...
...no vocal required...

My affection...
...my version
...my way...

Facebook...

On her way to the toilet yesterday...

Adek : Mum, you're on facebook...
Self : Hmmmm...
Adek : You're on facebook???
Self : Why, anything wrong?
Adek : Auntie Aines also...
Self : Yes...
Adek : Auntie Sal?
Self : No...
Adek : Auntie Amoi?
Self : No...
Adek : Eeeehhh...you're on facebook...
Self : Kenapa juga?
Adek : Ndak la...
Self : You on facebook ka?
Adek : No la...I don't know how...(ndak tau konon...padahal ada friendster)...






My dear daughter...mum also got friends la...mum is looking for her lost friends...from her earlier life that is, Sabah College, UiTM, Sabah Gas Industries (now defunct), Petronas, Celcom...if along the way mum find new friends...that will be just fine...

Got hooked on Facebook only last week...kejangkitan dari c Anies...she signed up quite a while ago and only recently became active...I became interested when she told me that some of our friends are also on facebook...friends that I somehow managed to "misplace" and quite surprisingly two of them is working just a stone throw away from our office...hari2 limpas UMS...sana pula dorang...

Sunday...hubby called while on his way to Maggie's open house in Labuan...

Hubby : Buat apa...
Self : Mau blogging tapi ndak dapat...connection buruk...tinguk2 facebook...
Hubby : Ohhh...
Self : You sign up nanti ah...
Hubby : Ok...
Self : Sign up sebab ndak dapat simpan nama you...
Hubby : You sign up for me la nanti...you know la my wireless tu...ndak reliable...


I have not sign him up yet as the connection at home is lousy to say the least...

...blogging is a frustrating effort that would eventually if you're not really careful draw out that fiery monster that you would normally tried with all your might to abstain from surfing...why one would ask...because it's the weekend...and you have nothing to do...and the astro's programmes did not amuse you nor did they entertain you at all...I changed the port as suggested by hubby...still nothing substantial happened...the problem hangs around for you to fret about...

...and facebooking, well, I can write and upload photos but my patience was really on edge...one would ask, why edgy...how can I not...you typed 20 words...they did not come out instantly...they took their own sweet time and appeared...o.n.e...a.t...a...t.i.m.e...s.l.o.w.l.y...

So, Babe, if your connection is good don't forget to sign up...(FYI, blogging from office ni...shhhh)
And Ron, if you're reading this, if you consider me as friend, take la my invitation dari facebook tu...

Sorry ladies...

I told them I would do it this weekend.
They told me to do it tonight.
It seems...

...these 2 essential ingredients would not turn into the Kek Batik you ladies wanted...

So, tomorrow...we finished off dulu the Kek Lapis boss gave us today...
So, tomorrow...we go to Karamunsing and try to find the perfect dress for that friend of ours...
So, tomorrow...we go to Karamunsing to do a minor make over to that other friend of ours...
So, tomorrow...that particular friend of ours will gigit jari if she sees yet again another beautiful bag that she knows perfectly well will burst her budget...

No bag...
No bag...
Pleaseeeeee...

My little man...

Alli (his maternal grandfather) Izzette (a Turkish footballer) Presley (who else if not the King of Rock and Roll)...


Scene 1...

I once had a fall out with Adek...

Alli : Mummy...you say sorry to Kakak Adek la...she tidak angry suda...
Self : Why mummy must say sorry to her...mummy don't know why she angry...she is being very rude to mummy...
Alli : Biar la bah mum...Alli don't like...
Self : Mummy also don't like...mummy angry now...
Alli : Don't angry la mum...Alli want us to be happy family...

Self : Ok la...but mummy don't want to talk now...now mummy want quite only...

Alli the peacemaker...Alli the mediator...how you surprised your mum that day...


Scene 2...

I blew my top when Alli made a big scene during lunch at Karamunsing's Singapore Chicken Rice...I did something which did not go down well with hubby...when Alli started to cry, I got chided by hubby...BIG TIME I might add...I drove the car to pick Adek up in silent mode...hubby tried to get me into conversation and when I did not utter any response...

Alli : Daddy...jangan marah mummy...Alli yang salah...
Hubby : Alli tau apa yang Alli suda buat salah...
Alli : Alli tidak listen and Alli bising-bising...sakit mummy cubit tadi...tapi sekarang tidak sakit suda...tapi Alli yang salah...Alli tidak behave...Alli bad...

I beg to differ my son...I was a bad mom that day...I am also a mom who loves her son to pieces...


Scene 3...

One night Kakak asked me a girl's question...the morning after, at dawn, Kakak, still groggy from sleep came into the other room asking me about something...Alli was behind her and I nearly burst out loud when I heard...

Alli : Kakak...selesa ka...(apparently he overheard our conversation last night)...

Kakak : (very silent...wrinkled her eyebrow...no response)...

Self : (bulat biji mata and trying mighty hard not even to smile)...

Early morning lesson...look around before we have our girls' talk next time around...Alli should be counting his lucky stars that his Kakak is still in the semi-fully-awaken state that morning...I could imagine perfectly what would happen if your Kakak is wide awake...phewww...

Oh ya...just in case you're wondering...Kakak's question...to wear or not to wear the brassiere to sleep...

How time flies...

I still call him baby..."I'm still a baby ka mum?" he said one day...I pulled him closer to me and whispered into his ear..."Don't tell anyone ok? It's our secret. Even when you are big nanti, you will always be mum's baby"...to which he gave me a big grin and nodded in agreement..."Promise mum, I will always be your baby" he said..."Promise" I answered...then we hooked our little fingers together...our official gesture...to seal the promise...

...Alli Jordan...(Michael Jordan's wannabe?)...hmmm...

Mum's little baby is fast becoming mum's little boy...
Mum's little boy is fast becoming mum's little man...
You can bring the best out of mum my sweet son...
You can also bring the beast out of your mum my beautiful son...

But don't forget...
And always remember...
No matter what...
No matter where...
No matter how...
Mum will always be there for you...
Mum will always love you...
...promise...

Still...

Many, many nights ago...before Ramadhan...before Raya...

Hubby : You ada update blog...
Self : Ndada...
Hubby : Kenapa...
Self : Eh ndak tau la...banyak juga mau blog...tapi keadaan sekarang ni macam mau blog pasal my whining saja ni...ndak syok juga gitu...nanti la...

Then I recalled something what hubby said to me...the blog would help him, sort of updating him in the ongoings of our life in KK...the life that he was forcefully against his wish left behind...the life that does not involve him...

On Raya day...

Ron : Ndak memblog suda...
Self : Ha ha ha...
Ron : Buka...Tuesday's fire saja...
Self : Blues ba...blues ja all the time...


Aiyo...how la...

...the culprit...the source of my unhappy-bleak-despair-melancholic-gloomy infested life...

(Babe...do you still remember this photo...taken at Labuan when you wanted to apply for a job in KK...I got it in bigger size back then...now it sits in front of me...you were still in your early twenties...masih muda ganteng gitu...still...my one and only...)

I recalled a conversation I had with a parent at Alli's school...we are not really buddy-buddy...I think her name is Lina...I do not really know her...still don't...I only knew that she is one of the committee in the PIBG...she was kind enough to give me her son's old PE's text book last year...we did the compulsory chin-up acknowledgement when we passed each other in our cars...we did the compulsory smile or 'Hi' when we crossed path in the school's compound...we were in the canteen buying breakfast not long before Ramadan...

Lina : So, how are you?
Self : Hmmm...gini lah...still alive and kicking...
Lina : Wow! I like that...still alive and kicking...

Yup, yup, yup...
...definitely much alive....
...not kicking as hard as I want to tho'...
but...
still...