Random

In couple of months, wouldn't I write in this space it just meant ONE year of shear neglect. Hmmm…. I blame Mr FB for that. It has taken all the glory on updates about Nada’s antiques, my past time favorites, our family stories bla-bla-bla. Hehehehe… what a lame excuse. But today, I feel like blabbering.. on random things.

• Alhamdulillah, I’d don the headscarf on Harris’s 43^rd’s birthday last year December,27. O Allah, please guide me.
  Hi-Tea at Hyatt in celebration of our little family only boy's birthday.

• My beloved grandmother, Mok had a mild stroke early this year. She fell in the bathroom. I was devastated. 

           -         Once got the news, I can say.. almost ALL, ALL of the family members from near                       and far drove, flew, swam (err…) back home to see her. We gathered around her,                       we talked to her, we cried near her.... together. I’m proud of my big family. 

-          She eventually ‘recovered’ but not fully. She now has short term memory which is so not her just a year ago. Sometimes, she remembers my name. Many times she forgets. It breaks my heart every time, for I’m a self proclaimed her favorite grand daughter!

-          Recently, she gave me 16 sets of her baju kurung all nicely paired and folded in plastic wraps. Reason – those kurongs are now too big for her that she has lost weight and in a way shrunk due to ageing. Those kurongs suit me well.. I know, I'm always her favorite grand daughter.

-        Now, at any possible opportunity we have - we will go back home to visit Mok. We here means, my whole big family.

I love these colorful photos of may be just 1/8 of my cousins taken during 2013 Raya at Mami's house. Many times, people tell stories of how close they are with their brothers and sisters. Not many however, can describe their cousins like my family do. 

• We threw Nada the first birthday party (which actually deserve an entry on it's own) she ever had at Jungle Gym Bangsar. My favourite girl is 6!

 She was excited about the party, she didn't mind at all to make her own invitation card,

helped with the making of goody bags.

• ·         Nada is soon to start ‘real’ school in 2015. Yikes! Really? She’s gonna be 7? S.e.v.e.n? 

•         My cousin Ika married in March.

and I was entrusted to make the flower girls dresses. 

•   Then another cousin, Shasha got married in May. They are same age and both are now preggars. 

 Shasha - didn't I tell you she has the most beautiful eyes. Those are real lashes..

I made Nada a special dress to wear for Shasha’s wedding.

• Ika’s two younger sisters, Nina and Mira got engaged. Both in August. It will be a busy year again next year for us.
• Mira’s engagement was held in my cousin, Feby whom is Mira’s other sister living near us in Ampang. Since my family somehow, is fond of cooking for our own family affairs, it was decided cooking to be done at our home. Hence, we were the co-host for Mira’s engagement dos.

• We went for a holiday trip in Krabi last April.

• I so love travelling and totally agree with Diyanazman, that travelling is the only thing that you buy and makes you richer. Even if one invest on a property, one remains 'poor' until one sell the property off.
• For the love of travelling – we’re planning for another family trip upcoming October. Oh – I’m so excited
• Speaking about travelling, my most-trusted-sought-after aunt, Busu and her husband are now in their most sacred travel, being one of the selected ones to perform Hajj this year. I pray for their health and may they be rewarded with Jannah.  
• Harris and I celebrated our 10^th year wedding Anniversary last August, 20^th.  It’s been fancy years living with this man so far. I love him.

• I sure made few handmade dresses for Ms Dew in the last 8 months or so, which I'll put up photos later if I have the time.

I'm still here

It’s been long.. It’s been long!

The blog sure needs some mowing. I could see not only grass has gone wild in this pasture but cripples too has conquered many parts of it.

So many things and events had taken place for the last 5 months or so, good, bad and the in between. But let’s leave the bad aside and just cherish the good ones because seriously, there're too many good ones that the bad one just seems unseen.

In the big family, we had weddings, engagements, Raya this year which was so much better than last year’s though I was forced to do office work during the break, welcoming new family members … among many more other happy events.

Yeah, I know... the one showing fist is mine....

 At 3.45kg, Zairoul Naquib. My cousin's or more like little brother's son.

 

In my immediate family, of course Nada has the most to tell about which I just do not know where and what to start.

She really talks a lot now – Malay and English equally used. Kelantan dialect, she’s trying so hard to master. Sometimes I just can’t seem to believe what came out of her 5 year old mouth.

On  one Sunday at Ikea, she missed the boat in her queue to enter Smaland by just couple of kids in front her. I told her the next session would be at 7.30PM which really boiled her up that she had to wait for another 1 ½ hour.

In a single breath, she just needed to let the steam out, almost shouted at me :

“This all your fault. Not my fault. Why do you come here late? I am so upset with you and angry. You stay away from me. Don’t come near me!”

… o my.. I almost crawled on my knees hearing she said that.

One night, out of the blue she asked us :

“When Mommy and Daddy were children, you meet is it? Then, did Daddy ask you – will you marry me?”

... like, why would she thought about it?

We celebrated our 9^th year wedding anniversary the night before 20.08.13 at home. Only us, where I bought a Baskin Robbins cake for the tiny celebration we had. 

 

However to Nada, all cakes are for her. Hence, she wasn’t happy that the cake was not meant for her, till the extend she sobbed so badly. I didn’t want her sulking for too long and told her that the cake was indeed for her.

 

You see, she needed an event for herself to be having the cake.

She asked me : “Why do you buy cake for me ? My birthday is in January. Now not yet January”

Clever mom I am, I told her : “O… I bought you the cake because you did well in your spelling bee at school.”

She was delighted with the explanation.

The next night, that is the actual day of our Aniversary, we had steamboat at Johnny’s we called it “NADA’S SPELLING TEST EXCELLENCE CELEBRATION DINNER” instead of Anniversary Dinner. Talking about the extent parents would do to make their kid happy, huh?

 

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Of course, handmade dos that I wish not to miss the blog.

I finally fixed Baby’s OR Ary's leg!

 
 
I also managed to make this cute baby smock romper for Baby Naquib…. And of course, a pair of cloth shoes to match. Owh.. I'm in love with that boy already.

 

I now can cross the ROMPER from my list.

Sit down and breathe...

 How I wish the luxury of having a craft studio like this :

 with nice big table, plenty of room for fabric cutting for any sort of projects.

or like this :

 cute and neat.

 

or like this :

 pale green in color and an island table.

 

or like this :

 colorful and chearful, full of stuffs.

 

images from Google

 

 

But what I have is :

just this tiny 4'6" x 4'6" space.

 

The trusted machine is an 80's inherited from Mami, named Lady Gaga. The console was previously my kitchen cupboard. Small-humble space it may seems, I however find peace here. I can't thank enough that my husband hung the light as a surprise gift for me while I was away in Britain. 

And these pair of butterflies are from my daughter : "It's for your curtain, Mommy..." says her.

 

Alhamdulillah, Thank You ya Allah Rabbil Alamin.

Cardiff and Shoes, not a rhyme.

One morning at Nada’s school few days before I left for Britain :

“How’s your shoes, Nada? Come, sit on the bench and let me check if they’re still good fit to your beautiful feet.” said Aunty Jeanne (the school principal) while she kneeled down and started pressing front of Nada’s shoes with her finger.

“Awww…. Your feet are getting bigger, leaving just tiny space at front. Strong big girl, you are!”

* I was standing right next to them*

“Mom… it’s time to find new pair of shoes ya…..”

I felt like I had been boxed by Muhammad Ali straight to my face. It sure hit me well, like, really I need someone to tell me my daughter’s shoes are tight?

I had meant to buy Nada new shoes knowing the one she’s been using for P.E class during school is getting smaller. I’m a procrastinator!

Until Aunty Jeanne told me so, never I felt that I’m such a slow-mow.

However, things have to be taken on a bright side. Wouldn’t it good that we have someone like Aunty Jeanne? Like I say, she’s meticulous. Children are her interest. Children are her priority. It’s just natural for her to do what she did, been doing and I believe will continue to do.

“Oh ya… it’s true Aunty Jeanne. Ah, I must find time for some shopping!” I reacted, trying to blame on ‘time’ which definitely will never be a good excuse.



 Shoes and slippers being washed for storage. No longer fit her feet.

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Aida and I hailed a bus from London during our Britain trip to meet our friend, Sawiyah whom has been residing Cardiff, Wales for 18 years. She was our wonderful host for 3 days that she had perfectly planned a tour for us despite her tight, I really mean tight life schedule.

The day we reached Cardiff, she just returned home from Essex for work with groceries supply done for our through out stay. Efficient!

Two days after we bid farewell to her, she’ll also be flying back to Malaysia, to her hometown in Besut for a surprise visit to her mom, then back to KL for a 4 days motivational program, off to Vietnam after for a girl trip consisting her mom, two sisters, three nieces. She then will fly back to Cardiff for 3 days stay and off to Sates for 3 weeks.

That’s just her lifestyle. I do not know how she adapts to time zones and jetlag!

It is so fortunate for us to be able to slot into her pocket time in Cardiff, as she told us, though she own a home in Cardiff, her actual time spent in Cardiff is only about 2% a year. Other than that, all over the globe.

In her BMW X3, we were driven around Wales covering bit here and there for visits and shopping whilst being awed with her spirit in embracing her life in all the humbleness that she has. I’m so proud of her, I’m sure Aida is proud too.

Aida's feet.

 

 

Sawiyah and I - traditional Welsh Village, Llandaff

 



 

The scenic Welsh Life Museum, St Fagan. We had picnic too, all prepared by Sawiyah without Aida and I realizing it. 

Penarth Marina for the rich

Cardiff Bay

 

Cardiff City

Sawiyah is living single and when I asked about having a family of her own, she has nothing to hide. She admitted how she longed for an other half and child of her own, but she makes a stand that if now she’s travelling only in Business or First Class, she will not make herself travel in Economy just because of love…. that her partner couldn’t afford. It wouldn’t work. Period.

I get her clearly and I salute her. BOLD.

Time and again, despite her clear vision of wanting to be Rich and Happy she repeatedly preach Aida and I that : 

“whatever we have now, we actually own nothing ....... it’s not ours” MasyaAllah, humbleness.

Sawiyah's Western Home.

View from her backyard

Yummy curry mee for farewell dinner prepared by Sawiyah. Here is me and friend from TKC, Adibah. She too has been living Cardiff for 20 years. A doctor operating her own practice.

 

One of the places that we toured, Sawiyah brought us to Bridgend Designer Outlet.

Sawiyah told us to go ahead with our shopping while she waited for us. For two hours Aida & I roamed the shops, Sawiyah was on her 4 phones - working! Once we were done, she handed to us :  "You all must be hungry, here I bought you guys donuts. Let's sit and eat!" - Allah s.w.t bless my friend. 

A-hah! Here, I found my worth-it buy. I like buys like this. A pair of Reebok shoes at a further reduction price for my energetic bunny. Reduction from 20 to 14 to 9pounds.

It could be clearance from last year Spring, but who cares, I don’t. My bunny sure doesn’t.

Suits her 40 pence Britain socks, huh?

 To school today.

Back home, not to my knowing, Harris too did some shoes shopping for the tiny feet. A pair of pink shoes for her P.E class. Hehehehehe, somebody also felt slap by Aunty Jeanne’s gentle reminder, I guess.

 

 and new slippers too.

 

Note : Most photos in this entry are credit of Sawiyah and Aida.