Antiques

Many-many months ago, our little books closet shelf collapsed being not able to hold the load it has to bear. After almost 2 months, my beloved handyman got it fixed and he willingly arranged back the books into the supposed shelves. Of course, it was not the same way of how I did it.

I am contemplating to re-shuffle the whole cabinet with noblest idea to create more space for more new coming books, especially for those colorful, full of pictures, less words books! This means some have to make way. I saw a section of my part ‘collection’ during uni time which by priority of usage, should not be accommodating the shelves anymore.

However, I so treasure my school books, notes and stuffs that some of them I still have today making me very difficult to put them away. Offer me to trade them with Zirkon jewelry, I would chose over my notes a thousand times. Offer to trade with Platinum.. I might consider only. J After every semester during uni, I would compile my notes according to subjects, bind and labeled them. Every single compiled notes has a story of it’s own.

For example this one. It was an elective subject under Engineering course that I took because of the lecturer. He was a handsome! Hehehehehe. Where got architecture student go and learn up about designing highway... So not cool ok.

See above assignment which I was supposed to get 7 out of 10 marks but being down graded to 5 marks because it was submitted later than the dateline. 7 is already not a big number... got cut some more! What can I say… I loaned the completed assignment to a class mate for reference which she promised to submit for me timely but she didn’t make it. My fault to trust. It was heart breaking right, to see that crossed. Lesson learnt!

There's one that has such an interesting story. Building Engineering subject and it is a compulsory subject that most students hated. Many hardly understand the lousy lectures and being architecture students whom always live in drawings and dreams, calculations and structures are so raw, boring and blergh!

We had our finals done, but results yet to obtain. A friend informed me that the lecturer wanted to see her, one other friend and me at his room. So we went. Lecturer’s name A***n Ch**bi.

When we met him, he went telling us about MLM, CNI products, he’s an agent… so on so forth. Then about our exam marks that we were in the A- range very close of getting A (border-border gitu as he said). The magic conclusion of the meeting was something like – join MLM under him/buy products = got A! Hah! Tu dia… I remember my two friends went out of the room with packets of CNI coffee, CNI soya drinks… Meanwhile I told him – “Just give me a ‘B’ or Fail me – I don’t really care”

That night I went to my class studio – Goodness…. There were packets and packets and packets of CNI products on many drafting tables, we had CNI feast.

I came to know almost everybody were called to his room with offer of B to A-, B- to B, C to B (if you buy more).. or even Fail to B-. I thought : I was so screwed up for not going with the flow and imagined the RED color mark on my results transcript. How were I gonna tell my mami about the to be Fail ? Not that she’d have a clue about it, scold me or be worried.

Results came out : I got ‘A’. Best part, I know I deserved it. Mek keras hati ok…..

Besides the stories behind each, I love my notes because they’re orderly and soothing to look at. So happened.. my handwriting is neat. I mean it. If I write, I make it a point to write properly. You should see my Geography notes during secondary school. I still remember how it was done very neatly. Too bad it’s no longer in my possession, lost somewhere along the line due to moving from one house to another. If it hadn’t for that, surely I’d still have it… even my primary school books! I sayang them all.

During uni, I hardly skip lectures. Ya-ya-ya.. Call me nerd if you want but I have reasons for it. I felt tensed up if I miss classes because I only trust my own notes! He he.

I was one who can’t stay late to study which is SO NOT an architecture student. Stay late to watch tv – can. Again unlike other architecture students the least my own batch, I was an active one. I like co-curricular, I got to hit something in the late afternoon. Usually by 5pm I was on turf with my hockey stick. I don’t spend much time studying. (The bad habit from school continues, I guess)

I did other things – panjat bukit – gunung, campings, sports - … And asal ada cuti, Mek balik kampong or down to kl to my cik ra’s house.

That’s why classes were so important for me. My studying time was mostly during classes.

For always attending classes, it made my notes were among the comprehensive ones and always being used by my piers as reference.

That’s the reason which makes me not very keen in joining study group because many times in a supposed to be group study, we’re referring to the same notes, and it’s my notes. I didn’t even know when they photocopied. Well, situation was… you owe it to one or two or may be three persons, then for all you know it’s already well circulated. Frankly, I don’t mind.

So, see.. I can go on and on and on blabbering whatever related to my school stuffs. These are my treasures money can’t buy. It may not be valuable to others but it cost so much for me. I’d rather carry all of them in a big-big bag rather than hanging big-big gold necklace to my neck, although I’m pretty sure no pawn shop would want to receive them in lieu of money! Tak laku….

But hey, I need not have to worry for burglars wanting to steal my precious belongings. Contradicting if I have a box of gold that every time I want to leave the house, the box has to follow me. Like the usual people do fear being stolen.

I don’t know what would be the end for the stuffs. May be again, I could pass them to Nada!

Ayat Drama : “Nada, Mommy tak punya emas-permata berkotak-kotak nak dibagi buat kesenangan Nada. Tapi Nada ambillah buku-buku dan nota-nota Mommy ini untuk dibuat panduan. Walaupun mungkin ia tiada lagi kaitan dengan keadaan semasa, lihatlah dalam perspektif berbeza. Akan kesungguhan Mommy dalam sesuatu hal."

Yup, when I always pray that she would inherit most of her dad’s values rather than mine… patient, polite, good temperament, soft spoken, stable, smiley, .. I hope she’ll get this one from me. The determination.

I do not need much external force to get things done on things that I want.

Relating studies – I never need my mami to breathe down my neck ever since I started learning A,B,C. Looking at these antiques, I am so unsure if there’s any significant for me to still keep them. Very much of me, I want to keep.. but I don’t want to be a hoarder ! Nanti Oprah datang interview Mek pulak!

Oh tough decision for me.

Clear the shelf. Clear the shelf NOT. Clear the shelf. Clear the shelf NOT. Clear the shelf. Clear the shelf NOT. Clear the shelf. Clear the shelf NOT.

I don’t know…

Name Quiz Session

Nada, what is daddy's name? * Abdul Harris * - perfect

Mommy ? *Safariiiiiyanti Maiyo*

Nek? *Rojan* (read : Norjan)

Tok Wan ? *Abdul Aziz* - perfect

Tok? *eeeeeemmmmm *.... Mommy has to start : KA.... She continues *Mayah* (read : Kamariah)

Pak Tam? *Hazidi* - perfect

Uncle Pi? *Rafiyuddin* - perfect

Abang Nya? *Danial* - perfect

Tok Ngoh? *Machine!* (read - Hashim) .... GOD! Mommy better not do name quiz in front of Tok Ngoh for he can be a real machine.....

Cottage Patch

I was supposed to have a working appointment yesterday morning, but was postponed to late afternoon, then evening which only materialized today morning. It's not about the appointment that I want to blog, but since I had free time yesterday, I decided to go for applique class! He he he..

The low back cut dress. I got this multi color organic print in Bangkok the other day... Baru jadi baju...

I came to know about this shop near to Ampang Point as a result of blog hopping. It is called Cottage Patch. Actually, I already noticed the shop for quite sometime as we've been using the road fronting the shop all this while. Anyhow, it never attracted me to hop in because it's located so near the main road with no place to park the car. Further more the shop front is old and just slightly better looking than 30 year old the shops that I find in my hometown - KB. This is a true record of what the quote says "Never judge a book by it's cover". Thanx to internet and the blogger whom I can't recall her URL, I made way to the shop.

The first time I went, I knew I will be going back and the shop owner has no choice but to see my face over and over again, which I think she'll be happy for that. Besides having craft and tailoring supplies, they take orders for patch works, appliques, smocking.. whatever. God! the patch works - No cheap-cheap ones, ok. Expect minimum, 4 figures.. 5 figures is pretty normal. But then again... it's handmade done so exquisitely. Enough said, you got to see for yourself, if u like all these stuffs.

Wai teaching me to attach the applique.Dew disturbing me with her own applique

So, i spent few hours yesterday, learning applique while my loves spent time at book store in Ampang Point. I know!... my husband is so kind, kan...

Frankly, I could actually figure out how to do applique if I just sit quietly and observe one completed work without going to class and spend RM200. But then again, it's always good to learn it the right way.. and...... "Menuntut ilmu biar sampai ke China"

After yesterday's class.. of course my applique is far from completion. All there, is a stem of a supposed to be tulip bunch. The good thing is I could go again anytime I want until the project is finished. Payment once only - ya I like the idea, no time constraint.

The hours spent is therapeutic for me.. similar to massage in a spa.

Those of you who are interested... Cottage Patch has good choices of cotton fabrics too.. not necessarily cheap, though.

Here's sharing what I crafted for the newest great-grandchildren of Mok's, Arik Adam.. but we call him Amsterdam :

I didn't take any photo before had them tied with the red ribbon, so I had no choice but to download the two pix from my cousin's fb. TQ Cik Byie.

On Father's Day morning this year,

... they had their own quiet time together, swimming.

Today I decided we should have our breakfast at Carefour for I also planned for some groceries shopping. Well... Mek felt like cooking and the first item in my groceries list was RICE ! It had been months.. I really mean MONTHS... since we last had home cook rice in our home. See, I told ya.. I don't cook.

I handed the groceries list to Harris while I made way to the bazaar section. Something interesting and worth to share happened as I was looking for a deodorant for myself.

A beautiful well-dressed tweenage girl, I guess her age is 13 or 14 and her daddy was also looking for a deodorant. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but from conversation of them both, I knew : The dad was helping the girl deodorant shopping.

I could see that the Dad is a real patient man, very helpful and so focused in getting his task done, i.e - "I must buy my daughter a deodorant today"

He was not ashamed of me, in-fact he didn't even bother that I was just nearby. Never he sounds annoyed with the girl whom was so confused in choosing her first deodorant. He read the labels on deodorant bottles, coaxing her child.

"This is for whitening... this one for freshness, this one supposed to be not sticky........ You don't want to try Dove?"

I heard the girl.. "Ayah, Nadira use this.. I think I want the same with hers"

I guess - Nadira is her friend, could be from school. We know how tweenage is so influence by friends.. right?

I left the deodorant racks once I was satisfied with mine, the two were yet done. I look high to that man for not many would want or have the capability of what he was doing and I thought he'd done a good job.

Wonder why was the girl not doing that kind of shopping with her mom. Truly, it's not for me to judge. How ironic - Shopping deodorant with dad on father's day. For whatever reason, I prayed that the girl would always remember and treasure such occurrence, how her dad loves her so much.

I sure hope my own girl wouldn't need to go to her dad in choosing a deodorant one day. She should come to me. But should for instance I wasn't able to be there for her, I would be very grateful if her dad could help her on that, which I know he would give his best.

I never have the chance............. or maybe I should put it, I never make the effort to wish my own father Happy Father's Day to appreciate him. It's my own lost, I do not blame others or even myself.

But, I would only have myself to be blamed if my girl does not realize how a great dad she has that she should never forget to wish him Happy Father's Day and love her old man every single day.

Happy Father's Day to my beau, that man that helps her daughter to buy deodorant and all fathers.

penang and australia

Last week Friday, Aunty Jeanne of Kindicare called me :

"Hi Yanti.. This is Aunty Jeanne. I want to let you know, Nada is adopting well in her new class. She participates in the activities with no difficulties. Aunty Sheila said at times when she passed by Baby-Buttercup class, she would take a peep and says hi to Aunty Liza and friends. But then she would still go back to Daffodils."

Mommy : "O ya?... She's been telling me new names : Ashley, Nicholas, Adlia, Mikel.... I guess these these are children from Daffodils"

Aunty Jeanne : "Yes..ooo she already has their names? Hmm, that's fast..., her full days in Daffodills were only last two days..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Last night, one and half week in the new class : She came home telling me - "Mommy, I want GO Osreylia"

I asked "You want to go to Australia?"

Full of confident she replied "YES"

When I thought she is clueless about Australia, I asked : "How do you want to go to Australia?"

Again, full confident she replied "Aeroplane"

OMG. Mommy almost fainted!

I swear, we have no plans for Australia vacation, at least for now... Mommy pokai.

Overstrait to Penang, ok.

photo by Nada

My top : OWN HANDMADE!

All she is

Her name appeared on the birth certificate is Nada Firas bt Abdul Harris
In Arabic ;

Nada is Dew

Firas is Witty

It meant for Witty Dew

Somehow, we came to know... Nadafiras means mud and when Mommy says Nada Firas!... that's when Mommy is angry with her.

Nek calls her Cik Embun

Sometimes, when Mommy writes, Dew seems lovely as a nick name.

Mommy also likes to "tease" her with love and calls her : Mek Robey... because she always acts dive - this and that. Varies colorful character she is. Macam-macam ada. And that she would know... She's pure Kelantanese - orang kampung habis... just like Dad!... heheheheeh

One day. while we were calling her, names.. she seems to understand she has many. She told us : Uncle Said (handyman at school) sings to her : Nada dan irama tidak dapat dipisahkan. It's like, that's another long name she has.

Mommy thinks she really thinks - she's a rock star or could be the next Justin Beiber. Mommy doubted anyhow, her dad is gonna give her full support on that. Dad would prefer her to be professional golfer.

Mommy's already tired fighting with her for sunnies and had no choice but to get one just for the little miss in pink - the now favorite color.

She asked me if she could have a Ben 10 watch in pink? Split personality, my lady. She has a bit of everything : the trying to be macho and the girlish needs deep inside. Mommy is right about her being Mek Robey....

Many say she has beautiful thick black hair. Mommy definitely agrees but couldn't bear the sweating and mess at this age.

There goes....

....... though she totally refused for she likes to wear it long

Long or short hair : Nada : Firas : Nada Firas! : Dew : Embun : Mek Robey : Nada dan irama tidak dapat dipisahkan .. She is always Mommy's favorite rock star.