So...

Salam everybody!
My guess was correct! She likes something 'Inglis', tak gi sana lagi pun, doesn't matter.
Wait ah, I 'll call to know the RM????

Never too late

Salam everybody!

It was over lunch one day that Pn Faridah brought up the news. The ladies from BAKAT (Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Isteri-Isteri Angkatan Tentera) at Kem Bt 8 Kuantan, wanted to learn English, conversational English. A former student of SMKTA, had suggested Pn Faridah's name to the coordinator (well also from SMKTA, though only for a year!) and Faridah being Faridah just could not say NO (her late father was an army officer, so how not to help).She has no experience in teaching English (she's a Bahasa Melayu specialist), so she suggested Datin Narimah's name (Oh, this lady is THE one). These two people can work together. She wanted to get me involve too. Sorry, gang, I have other commitment, not permanent here, okey. But I can help if I'm around. Anyway, I haven't been to the army camp before. So I just accompanied them that afternoon for a getting-to-know-you-session with the participants. So it's good to know that these ladies, wives of you know who, want to improve or upgrade themselves in English, spoken English. At least they will be able to speak with confidence and able to converse with foreign visitors over tea or dinner or any social gathering. Not just saying "hello", '"how do you do" shake hands , smile and remain quiet. So the two 'teachers' will list down the topics to be done, mostly related to daily life, vocabulary, reading of current events and the like. According to Pn Rafiqah, the project coordinator, it will be a 3 month course (like Akademi Fantasia!) . So Narimah and Faridah, go for it! Every Saturday afternoon for 10 weeks!! As for the army camp, I dare not take any pictures. We cannot simply enter the area, ikut suka. We had to wait for Pn Rafiqah at the main gate. Oh, oh macam ni rupa camp! So peaceful, with golf course, hangars, classrooms, training grounds,living quarters... Datin Narimah explaining while Pn Farida (in blue tudung),

Pn Rafiqah (standing) and Pn Lee (if not mistaken) listening

Pn Rafiqah welcoming

Registration
My name is ......, while others writing their script!

During the getting-to-know-you session, the participants introduced themselves in English. Simple situational conversation were carried out. Just hemtam sajelah, Labu..... never too late.

4U2C

Salam everybody!
No, No, No. Please don't get me wrong. I'm NOT related to the boss of this 'house' neither am I promoting the product, no personal interest at all. I just want to share with you these beautiful pieces, very the English you, somebody loves these, I know. I do!

Another one?

Salam everybody!
We were at this so called House of Porcelain. Considered a strategic place: few doors away from the famous designed furniture shop and above is the newly opened all in one beauty 'station'. Actually the visit to this 'house' was not in our agenda but how not to avoid. The owner is pretty Pn Zuraidah, another enterprising lady. We were at oohs and aaahs looking at the attractive well crafted porcelain. But the famous 'Nice to look, nice to hold but, once broken, considered sold,' keep reminding me to be careful. Your home, especially your dining table will look nice if you have this collection. But if you can afford it lah. Otherwise, the 'pinggan batu' plates like the ones used during Ning's wedding are good enough.The pictures tell all. What about you,collectors?

Way 2 grow

Salam everybody!
This is my friend, very closed friend, Farida Kazi. Once upon a time her dream was to open a nursery, yes, garden, because she simply loves gardening and landscaping. She loves to watch plants grow and flower. Look at her garden....

Neat and well kept!



But now Farida, your dream HAS come true, NOT the flower garden but helping bringing up kids and special children. The children there are very well taken care of just like how she keeps her plants, healthy,strong, beautiful and disciplined. And another thing need mention is the school where Farida is in charge now is right in front of MPK's nursery. Well, nursery all around you. Ape-ape aje lah!

Dare it

Salam everybody!
She is an engineering graduate. Why? She has fulfilled her father's wish - Good education with a good and secure job. But her passion is interior decoration and to start a beauty house. "Saya minat kecantikan. I want to be a beautician." So she dare it ! Now her dream has come true. She has a beauty house : Harum Kasturi, traditonal yet modern. The enterprising young lady (former SABS girl) together with a friend, (former SMKTA) started a company (above picture). Her beauty house is one of the 'activities' . Others in the list will be a hair salon, SPA, boutique and tailoring. Oh my, all in one, under one roof, no more worry, running here and there! So yesterday was the eventful day, the opening ceremony of the 'business house'. Of course the food was nice. Couldn't eat much, just had breakfast and a rich one too. Thank you. Red is the theme of the decor, bright, happy and hopefully will bring 'ong' or luck or rezeki to these young ladies. Since I was the first to sign up (001 was my number) I was given a free facial. Relax lah, thank you again, Adila. The moral of the story is 'Follow your dream' and 'Dare it'. I know many people like her. To them, 'Good Luck'

Lest they forget

Eh, what are they doing?Red flag? A policeman standing by?

Salam everybody!

Yesterday was the replacement school day for some schools whose venue had been used for the recent General Elections. The SK Bukit Sekilau together with the local mosque, Masjid Saidina Ali, held a gathering to commemorate the birthdate of our Prophet Mohamed S.A.W.After some events at the mosque, the participants took part in the procession. Participants were the school children, boys and girls, as well as the school teachers and local people from Bukit Sekilau. However, the school children out numbered the adults! It was a colourful procession, participants dressed their best in baju Melayu and baju kurung. They carried bunga manggar and banners, written were words praising the Prophet, making the procession more colourful. They walked the route I used to take for my brisk walk that is from the mosque along the main road, passing the school, up the hill ,down the road facing my house and end up at the mosque. The picture above shows the officers on duty controlling the traffic passing through the route. The school children were cheerful and bright but some were quite indisciplined, running out from their group, maybe they were excited. But most of them, the girls especially behaved well, as they walked while reciting the 'selawat'. Lest they forget our Prophet's Birthday!

Leading

Serious adults

Pretty girls

Good boys!

Happiness

Salam everybody!
My sis sms'd me : Got 2nd out of 7 in..........Very happy. Emotional while reading. Hee...hee.
Me: Very happy for you, dear sis. You really earned it. Yes, emotional, if you read with feeling and understand the meaning(in AF case, faham maksud lagu, bayangkan...dengan perasaan, like what ibu FN says lah), how not to. You have a very good memory, yah! (ye ke?). Respect you lah, angah!

Way 2 Go

Salam everybody!
Good to know that Iddin (5 plus going to be 6 coming November)already can recite his two times table. CONGRATULATIONS to the teachers! Now he is learning the three times table. He can also tackle subtraction (minus) sums problem. His addition (plus) is not bad too. His school that he is attending teaches the kids solving maths/arithmetic ,first ,by using their tiny cute fingers applying the abacus method of counting, which I myself till now cannot follow.Well, the 'old' school! No surprise. Why not Daddy or Mummy go to this site so that Iddin and Sis Amal can have fun learning and mastering basic problem solving in maths. Have fun!

Latest addition

Salam everybody!

These are salt rocks or "batu garam"

Put them in a beautiful handcrafted vase, with an eletrical bulb.
When the bulb is lit.......

the whole pieces of salt rock become illuminated

as seen from the cover, or....

from the side...
with a lovely eye catching glow

The salt crystal or rock lamp in the corner of my living room. Supposed to keep the air around you healthful, clean, ionized naturally and energetic.
Hope so!!!

Inspirational

Salam everybody! As I was running through the songs that the participants in AF6 will be singing this coming concert I was thrilled to find that one of the songs will be 'You raise me up", very inspirational!. I wanted to know the lyrics and I stumbled upon this . Can't tell you more, just pay a visit! H2H, Missy, Mr Sorr and, I think, PHLP will LOVE this site. Happy singing!

UPDATE: Visit this too! Listen! Very lovely, soothing to the ears and calm the soul.

Oshin's Box

Salam everybody. Do you like this cute craftwork? Since we have Oshin's bag, let's name this so comel craftwork as Oshin's box. My sis did this for me, I think in the early 80's, loonnnnggggg time ago. I still keep this masterpiece, besday present, lor. Maybe my sis can tell you more about this work of hers.

Look, it has a drawer too,

exact measurement is important

Once upon a time, I watched her made these boxes. You have to be precise and exact to get a perfect box. She used to make these boxes for jumble sale in her college or as gifts for her friends.
Hello sis, have time to make some more? Your friends will oooohs and aaaahs. Cutenya....

Eeer so cold

Salam everybody! Recognize me? Iddin lah. I've got a story to tell.

Can't remember when but in BC. Still small me.

This one taken last week in Nek Lang's house. See my round head and chubby cheeks?

When we were in Rantau Panjang , Daddy bought me two pairs of baju..(pant suits)what else if not my favourite super heroes , Batman (all black with cloak) and Spiderman (all red). Before, my baju was size M but now, I'm more comfortable in size L. Big boy already lor... I love those bajus...long sleeved T-shirt with long pants. We were in Nek Lang's house in Kuantan that night, Daddy said to rest before we continued our journey to Melaka the next morning. That morning, bibik washed my spiderman baju because it was dirty. But me, being me, wanted to wear THE baju although it was damp. Well, of course, the elders, I mean the adults, ALL scolded me, said" Nanti demam lah. Belum kering lah! Jemur dulu ya..Nek Lang spin dulu. " Everybody was mad at me. But I insisted. So, Mummy, Daddy, Tok Lang, said "Biarkan". So let it be. Proudly,I wore 'Spiderman' though I knew it was damp and I would be cold. You know children, if they love the baju, shirts, pants, they'll wear it no matter what! I often do that! We went for breakfast at a food court.It was quite cold that morning .There was quite a strong wind. My seat was closed to the entrance. I could feel the cold air through my skin. Still, I faced it, like nothing was happening.But, actually,I was shivering. Eeeeeer,eeeer,eeerrrr, so cold! The rest just looked at me and smiled. I wasn't angry. Normally, I will mengamuk! I just looked at them innocently. I felt guilty. I couldn't stand the cold any longer. I moved to another table where Nek Lang was seating, away from the cold wind. I felt better. And of all things, I took iced tea. Biarkan juga. Let him! Nek Ngah said, I will be a light traveler who needs just a pair of baju - the wash, dry, wear type. " So easy. But this one not yet dry. No patience me. Anyway,I finished my hot Soto, not the iced tea. When we reached home, Nek Lang's house, I quickly changed into my dry Batman baju. Now, I should have listened to them,the adults. I must listen to them more. Can I? Being me? Well, they know me.......! Always have my way. "Biarkan aje and he will learn his lesson."
Sorry, no picture. Maybe Mummy or Kak Iman can take picture of my two new superhero baju. (Bought new camera, ah, Mummy?)

Doing okey

Salam everybody,

11.30am, received phone call from TM KL.

TM: Cik, line talipon dah ok?
Me: Belum, nampak lampu kelip-kelip lagi dan dial tone masih bising.
TM: Kami dah tukar port dah.
Me : Ok kita tengok hari ni, kalau problem, saya lapor lagi. Terima kasih, encik.
TM: Ok. Terima kasih.

11.45am.krinnnng, krinnng ..... house phone.
Voice : Saya dari streamyx. Dah ok kah streamyx cik?
Me: nampak ok. Saya akan lapor lagi jika ada problem. Siapa yang call ni?
Voice: Tini
Me: Terima kasih, Tini.
Voice: Sama-sama

Everything is working well now only after yours faithfully called a contact person in TM to look into it (maybe not).Well, that's it. Now, it's noon. Please excuse me, I want to follow USRAH @ TV9 , Dr.Fatimah Zaharah tafsir Surah Yassin, Part 3.

PS: I learned that other users also had a problem in internet connection during the GE.

Hopefully

Salam everybody! It's 3.30pm and Thursday. The DSL light on the modem is not quivering. And I hope it'll remain. Touch wood! For the last few days it had been blinking and quivering to my frustration. Well, I had lunch with my friend, Faridah Kazi. Where to? Seri Arfah for Nasi Ayam? No. So common. Wak Suffian for Nasi Padang? Parking problem. Biduri for Makanan Panas etc?? Not used to the place. Finally our choice - Patani @ Jalan Sultan Ismail, comfortable, easy parking. We had white rice with Tom Yam Patani Special,(mixture of sotong, prawns, vege) Kailan Goreng Minyak(also got sotong, aiseh!) Telur Bungkus ( smaller size now) Sweet Sour Udang ( more prawns), Sambal Belacan with timun. Sorry, left my camera. So no pictures. While waiting for our food,

Salesman : Maaf, saya ada buku.....(showed some books on Agama)
Me n Faridah : Terima kasih, Kami dah tua, dah ada buku-buku tu.
Salesman: Ni buku untuk kanak-kanak, lagu kanak-kanak (started to sing )
Me : Terima kasih kerana menyanyi tapi kami tak mahu. Eh, Susah ye nak berniaga ni.
Salesman: (Smile) Tapi kami banyak sabar. Terima kasih puan (and walked away)

If we don't go to the mountain, then the mountain will come to you, so goes the saying. But in this case only special books not sold in book stores. Not me lah, I don't have the face to meet people and start telling them, with a smile, ' Puan, beli buku ni puan. Untuk derma...(blah,,blah). Not me,These young usahawan have to have the art of persuasion and thick skinned face!

At Patani, we met En Abd.Latiff Wahab (former art lecturer) having lunch with his family. He is spending his time doing nothing (tak buat apa, he said) but painting.
Well the food was nice. Hungry mar ...... licin semuanya. Sent Faridah back to her 'kantor'

Me: Thanks Faridah for the newspapers and stamps. (Faridah belanja I!)
Faridah: Thanks for the lunch!
Me: Not at all.
(BTW, the light is cooperating.Hopefully .....)

In a whiz

Salam everybody! Cupcakes? To eat, stare or keep?

Four pretty cupcakes with cute butterflies in cold storage.Thanks Mr Sorr.
Two for alang and two for angah

Don't waste, taste it! Meant to be eaten!

Oh! The thick fondant on top is removable as lid. If
you can't finish the fudge, put the lid back. Maybe someone
can finish it for you.

But in a whiz, clear everything, sweet moist choco fudge!
The 'lid' too sweet lah...(and hard too..)

Friends

Salam every body.
At 2.00 pm, JY remembered that he had a wedding invitation. Aisehman, yours truly has just finished cooking and the table set for lunch. But that was not a problem. After all the invitation will be until 4.00 pm. Old friends, must go, mar. So after lunch, quickly got ready. "Eh, tak payah gosok-gosok baju," he sounded. How can! At the wedding, we met some of our pensioner friends, not seen for quite some time. There was Dato' Hj. Abd.Rahim, ever so friendly former State Education Director and Tn.Hj Hashim Joko, former lecturer now a canteen operator. We had a nice time chatting with them. So it's not the makan (I only ate a little) that's important but meeting friends and the company that matters. Here is a picture with some of them. The two ladies are still working. Our former colleagues are from left: Tn Hj Anuar (former officer from District Education Office Kuantan), Tn.Hj.Yaakub (the host, JY"s closed friend and former Principal), YM Tengku Fathi (former Music lecturer). Now Tn Hj.Yaakub and Tengku Fathi are 'guru simpanan' (teacher on called or pooled teachers)meaning that their services will be needed to replace teachers who are away attending courses or on long leave.

Ne'er mind

Salam everybody! At last I can work on my blog.The last two days the connecting light had been blinking at me. It seemed that the streamyx line in my area was 'hijacked' (?) for PRU purposes. So, the jing jang gang from BC was here. Oh, the pictures below tell you what they did... they came , they saw, they conquer. Ha, ha, ne'er mind, as tok lang said, let them.

Missy on the rocking chair, my turn now!

Amal: Nek Lang, can I borrow your t-shirt?
This is my office

Nek Lang, your computer can play CD or not?

What is this, Nek Lang?

I want to see what's inside?

And when they went off to Kota Baru the next morning, heard some one said, " Eh senyap pula bila dia orang tak ada!'

In a maze

Salam everybody.
My streamyx connection is giving me a problem. The connecting 'light' went blinking: blink, blink,blink yesterday and this morning too. Connection error. So this morning I had to go to T*P*t to inquire why as well as to pay the bill. Normally I did it online but since I had to settle the modem problem, so it was best for me to me the bill too. Oh my, I went to the office. The guard said "Sudah pindah cik, near K.md.r" So off I went to the said place. But sorry, wrong info given. That's one of the problems paying online. Always on cyber that you don't know reality. So went round Kuantan, in a maze, looking for the new office, luckily it's a small town. A passerby directed me to the new office which is now in a new building, patutlah tak jumpa. While waiting for my number to be called, I made friend with a nice, pretty, young lady, dealing in marketing . We exchanged notes. I introduced her to blogging, the good things! She has heard of blogging but doesn't know how to go about it, how to start. She requested for my blog address and I proudly gave PHLP and H2H address too. She was amazed to know that there are junior bloggers in the family too. So if you are reading this posting, Maizurah, we hope to 'singgah' your 'house' too. Start blogging and you'll know what fun you will have (ye ke?)jotting your experiences, sharing feelings with fellow bloggers 'hopping' to other bloggers' 'house'. Now back to my streamyx problem, the person in charge advised me to call the technician. Back home, at this time of posting, the blinking light surprisingly is stable. Maybe the connecting line was busy yesterday or the weather was not too good (hujan), what with 'pilihanraya' everybody wanted to be connected, so modem 'down'. Hope, no more interruption lah . I don't want to call the technician just yet, duit lagi! Now, I'm waiting for the Wish family to arrive from Melaka. So Nek Ngah, the TV all yours now. Aiseh, the modem light is blinking again!! So amazed now!

Nek Lang (sms d to Missy): Dah bertolak?
Missy (replied sms):Dah lama dah! Now at Tangkak!

If only...

Salam everybody!
Yes it was raining all the way from Melaka.Tension you. Normally I avoid driving in the rain. But what to do. Already on the road when it started to rain. And with the lorries, tension, deary me...If only JY was here. "Be careful, here (Melaka) also dark" my sis replied my SMS. So played Aspalela. Recited the Al Fatihah many, many times. Drove carefully. And thanks to Allah, after four and a half hours journey, arrived safely in Kuantan. Kuantan was wet too.
What about these pictures? Well, Mr Sor and MsHart requested me to bring along these pretty cupcakes, 5 boxes of them, transit in Kuantan on their way to Kota Bharu for the big occasion. Another reason to drive carefully, in case a sudden brake or stop will 'frightened' off the butterflies on these cupcakes!!! Oh no! Die lor. Di manakan ku cari ganti? You know what, when MsHart was little, she loves cupcakes with 'butterflies', sold once upon a time in coffee shops (now kopitiam). Anyway are these pretty cakes for eating, staring or keeping? I will stare and keep in the fridge. Too pretty to be eaten!

Nice, pretty, cool, GREAT! If only I have the talent AND the patience.....

.........like whiz........

and the cheese cake, with lots of peaches....

SMSd to mIssy: Cheese cake got some more or not?
Missy :I'm eating it. Why you haven't tasted ke? Dunno it will last long.
Me: Did taste a bit, yes a bit, just a corner.(To self, please bring some to Kuantan tomorrow if only there's any more left. Surely won't last long, the cheese cake is simply yummy yummy!

Sweat it out

Salam everybody! It was another morning of sweating out. This time the cikgu led the 'tai chi' team with the set steps she had arranged to the song Aspalela. Wow, we 'lela, lela' d all they way. Two rounds, man! That would be about 5 minutes of aerobic, the low impact one.

Kak Pah : Eh, sweating lah! You tak berpeluh kah?
Me : Not so much.
Nas : I susah nak berpeluh.

Then as usual the pre Tai Chi warming up, the senam tera, followed by the 18 steps Tai Chi. Full concentration, 'tarik and lepas', the breathing in and out lah. This time if you really pull your muscles and do the breathing exercise correctly as instructed, you'll really sweat!

And of course, then, the Zapin. The 'girls' stood' in their lines, three in a row, waiting for cikgu to demontrate. In teaching theory, it is called the modelling technique. Ahem!


Cikgu : Kita mesti tahu tarian budaya kita especially zapin. Persatuan kita nak adakan walkathon pada bulan Jun ni. Jadi sebelum acara bermula, kita akan ada pertunjukan tarian ni sebagai senaman seni, panas badan, so semua mesti beri perhatian.

Nas : I tak nak lah.
Kak Pah : I've got something on lah. So I also cannot make it.


So the zapin we danced. Song: 'Sekapur sirih....sekapur sirih...seulas pinang.......'

Cik gu : 'Satu, dua, tiga, kanan, satu, dua, tiga, kiri...buat sampai lapan kali kiraan. Now, bergerak ke depan, satu, dua, tiga, kanan, ke belakang, satu, dua, tiga, kiri.....juga lapan kali. Tengok kaki saya.

And the 'girls' obediently followed, amidst laughter and giggles, though some still couldn't. So the 'tutor'(your truly lah) had to guide the 'not so fast learners' maklumlah, they had never do the zapin before. But they tried.


Cik gu : Sekarang saya nak ajar step baru.
Some 'girls' : Aik, dah masuk step baru. Yang ada tak pandai lagi.
Me : Ikut aje.

Cik gu : Kali ni kita nak pusing. Mula kaki kanan, satu,ke depan pusing hadap ke kanan, pusing dua, kaki kanan ke belakang tiga, kiri empat. Sekali lagi, pergi ke tempat asal.

'Girls' : Eh, macam mana? Terseliuh kaki!

So the cikgu demonstrated over and over again, with the 'tutor' helping out.

Cikgu : Sekarang semua tepuk tangan sambil kira satu, dua, tiga empat, satu, dua, tiga ,empat. Rentak zapin.

The problem was, they could not syncronised the beat with which leg to move. Those who had got it, showed their peers how to do the turning steps. Finally some of them after much practise were able to do it. Cikgu satisfied," Buat dari mula! On the spot,lapan, bergerak,lapan pusing, ulang!". Ok lah for a start, no hand movement yet, just the leg to the rythm of the zapin.

Me : Balik rumah praktis.
One 'girl': Aik, habis lah periuk kuali menari.
Another 'girl' : Nanti cucu tengok, ketawakan nenek menari.
Then,
Cikgu: Ada cadangan, kelas ni diadakan tiga kali seminggu, Selasa, Khamis dan Sabtu.OK?
'Girls' : (Happy) Boleh juga. Baguslah tu.
Kak Pah : Not on Sunday, ok lah.
Kak Nya Ros: Eh, I ada kuliah Subuh. 7.30 baru habis. I tak dapat datang. But I love this class. So now I have to choose,either one. My son said must exercise at least 3 times a week.


With that, the one hour or so session ended.
The 'girls' are looking forward for another morning of 'aspalela, tai chi. and zapin (or joget?) Thanks to the cikgu for making the 'girls' active and InsyaAllah healthy and happy. Alas, I won't be around these few days to join them, the active, happy, healthy 'girls'. I'll be back in Kuantan to cast my vote this Saturday. But missy, now a.k.a. the technique savvy person in the house,(oh yes?) had Aspalela 'burnt' for me. So for sure I'll be 'Aspalela, lela, lela' to Kuantan....and to sweat it out!!!
Cikgu : Orang Johor pandai Zapin.
Me: Nanti kita belajar Dondang sayang pula lah. Orang Melaka katakan.
Cikgu : Hissh, lagi susah!