Walking slow and deodorant

I had to undergo an emergency surgery last Friday. It sounds frightening, right? Indeed it's frightening. The surgery was to remove a twisted right ovarian cyst and it hurts so much! I'll try to write about it someday.

Since it's been a week since the surgery, I now feel a lot better though I still walk so slow like a slow-lorry. Funny thing, Mok my beloved grandma is at our home now.
Nada said : "There are two people walk so slow now... Tok and Mommy!". ...... Aku cili jugak kang mulut budak nih!

Since I came back from the hospital, I can't walk up the stair to our bedroom. So, Harris took the trouble to bring down the bed downstairs to our multi-purpose room for my usage. I've been sleeping with Mok's company just like during my childhood years.

Apart from the bed, I also asked Harris to bring down my daily stuff. One of the request was, bring down the organizer box, make sure to put inside my comb, baby powder and deodorant.

He did just as that. Only thing was......

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the deodorant was not mine! I didn't realize till I wanted to use it, Harris was at work. So, I text him :

It says : "Why do you bring down your deodorant? Mine is white colour. Man... Just use!"

 

and he replied me :

It says : "Make you stronger.."

 

Yeah,.. that's my hubby. He also sometimes has loose screw... I love him lots, nonetheless.

 

Note : Trust me, that's my 'high-tech' phone. See the trouble I had to go through just to get the text into this entry. Every body's laughing at me.!

My husband's pyjamas

Everybody loves comfortable, loose and soft pyjamas. So is my husband. Well, he doesn't really has pyjamas. Mostly they were only tees and sarong!

 

We love the comfort of our pyjamas, most of the time we do not mind small tear or anything like that. I say small tear. Small tear ok. Nothing like what's gonna be posted here. 

 

Look at Harris's tee pj after the last laundry.

 !!!!!!!!!

Hence, I wrote a love note for him and clipped it together at the hanger. Soft warning, I would say.

My note is in red which says : Hello ! Do not wear this roti canai (paratha bread) anymore.... love, love, love, love.

 

He got the chick to reply : Lagi garing Lagi sodap (The crispier, taste better)

Eye-candy :

 Paddington Underground Station, London

Somewhere near Westminster Underground Station. At the background is the famous Big Ben, London.

Messy but not Dirty

There's a BIG mess in our multi purpose room now. Bad, yes. However, I want to take it at a good side. It means projects are in tow....

 

 

In my list, I have :

- Curtain for the guest room. Curtain again?

- Smock garmet at 12month size, definitely not for Nada.

- Play dress, yup for my girl.

- Another smock dress for my girl also, Blossom from issue 88, Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine.

- Shoulder bag from Cath Kidston sample.

- Hot pot holder. (badly needed in my kitchen)

 

Too ambitous, huh? I don't know which one to start first. There's no priority. Well, it should be curtain.

 

Harris said : "Start all at one go. If you are bored with one, go to another...." He sure has the right thing to say, doesn't he?

YA, I think I'm gonna start all at the same time and see when all would be finished. Next year, perhaps? Heheheehehehh

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.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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.

Be wise with time

I was browsing through our photos in the hard drive and found this one captured by my beau.

Totally don’t remember the photo and also don’t remember mending this dress of Nada’s while on a drive – of course as a passenger. Good thing about crafting, it can be done on-the-go, and it sure help to have my girl strapped in her car seat at the back. I have my hands free of holding a kid and could be used to benefit time spent in travels.      

"school"

Couple of Saturday ago, we attended the regular bi-term Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM) at Nada’s school.

I guess, I do owe a write up la about Kindicare Montessori & Pre-school. In case, someone google to find out about it, at least my experience herein could be made as guidance. Like la this blog gonna appear at all in google search…, I’ll write anyway.

When I was looking for a school for Nada to attend last year, I had in my mind something like NO FRANCHISE!. I am not sure of my own reason, but I am also not saying SMART READER, Q-DEES or the like are not good. It’s just the matter of choices we have. I just don’t fancy the sort of chain for pre-school.

Kindicare was introduced to me by a friend. I visited the school before enrolling Nada and it just fit into my wants and needs. It is a modest, small scale school with homely environment. Each class contains small numbers of children. The big part of me actually, I don’t really want to send Nada to ‘school’ as yet. That’s why I was avoiding those with daily uniform schools.

I remember myself being a free kampong kiddo, unschooling until primary. It was a fun childhood I had, tagging along my big brother everywhere he goes. I played a lot. Underneath our on-stilt-home, climbing trees, running in the meadow full of ‘kemuncup’, sometimes in the woods collecting rubber trees seeds, when monsoon season came – we played in the stagnant flood water! My brother would catch fish (read : tadpole and worms) or even did some stunt, doing summersault into man groove. I was his most trusted and loyal spectator. Dangerous it may seem, but it was F.U.N.

I enjoyed myself playing back then - I wanted the same for Nada because PLAY is a child’s job.

Would I been a SAHM or a WAHM, she would most probably be a homeschool or an unschool child. The fact that I am a typical 9-5 (read 10-9, sometimes 10-10) office working mom, I just don’t have the opportunity of providing the luxury of homeschooling. Quitting my job is an option but not really possible, I have my mami that is my responsibility all my life.

The fact that Nada is sent to an Indon Nanny while I’m at work added more points for her to be in a place where she could play, interacts, make friends, exploring creative minds and develops or else she’ll just watch Indon soaps on tele all day long. She needs to be at least in a more conducive environment, I hope so.

During my visit to Kindicare earlier, these were my questions :

1. Would there be homework ? Answer : NO
2. Would there be ‘examinations’? Answer : NO
3. Would there be grading of children, like No 1, 2, 3, 4….. in class? Answer : NO

All the NO answers makes me happy. I really don’t get it as to what is the need of homework, examinations and grading pre-school children? They are “babies”. It’s intimidating for me to hear parents telling me : “Ooo, my child got number ONE in his/her 3year old kindi”.

At this point, it’s not my objective to know if Nada is the smartest in class or less smart or least smart and I do hope it will never be my objective.

For now, all I want for her is to play like I used to. The difference would be the sorts of playing I had with her sorts and my play was free but hers is at cost! .. O, well…

I did ask a lot of questions and this one really got into me :

“ What happen if my daughter feels like taking a nap? ”

Aunty Jeane (the principal) gave me the most diplomatic answer : “Awwww… you’re not ready to let her go yet, don’t you? Not to worry, we have all the fun activities,  Nada won’t get sleepy.. trust me. Besides, a child shouldn’t be sleepy from 8am to noon. If she’s sleepy, that means her sleep routine is not right, mom! ” 

So, Kindicare offers the needs of what I was looking for in terms of it’s “syllabus”. But what actually captured my heart was the warmth of the teachers or all being called as Aunties. They are lovely, humble people, and they enjoy being around children, I can see. There’re a lot of hugs and kisses, dear and darling in their words.   

They also treat us parents with kindness no matter what car we are driving. J It so happen, every other kids’ parents drive or being driven in monsters the like Porshe, Beemers, Merce, Volvo, Audi, Vellfire bla-bla-bla. I am the cheapoket one, not wearing Christian Louboutin or Hermes… still very nicely treated.

Kindicare is also well-organized, Nada thus far never mistakenly brought back other children’s stuff or other way round such as bag, containers or water bottle. I don’t know how they manage it as no names written on any of the stuff being brought to school. What I do realize, they make it a habit to scrutinize every and each child every day. Example, when I hand Nada to them in the morning, there’ll be greetings like :

“Hi Nada.. Good morning darling.. hey look at you…..Today you are wearing plaid smocked dress. Did Mommy make this dress also? Is that new Barbie snack container you bring ?”…. Things like these, give me confidence.

I’ve experienced other nursery for a short period that I sent Nada when her Nanny returned to Medan, the very first day she came back home, all her stuffs were name written. Towel, milk bottle, milk dispenser, food container… yet they still got mixed up!

Nothing is perfect I would say. So far, there’s no big blunder that could make me angry except couple of small encounters at Kindicare. I didn’t receive school newsletter which in the later I checked, I was told it had been distributed. I couldn’t blame the school also, because it might had been given and dropped in the chartered car that ferries Nada after school or it could be at her Nanny’s. I don’t really know. It’s no big deal, anyway. Other than that, Aunty Jeanne is very-very careful and meticulous.

So, for this time PTM, we were briefed of Nada’s progress and what-not, which was fine.  

Until towards the end, Aunty Marie (the class teacher) told us, again in a very diplomatic way..

“Nada is an independent child, confident, she knows what she wants but……….. she’s rather BOSSY.” Toing! Tu… dia.

Apparently according to Aunty Marie, my girl has the tendency and very much successful in directing and ordering her friends around. She would get agitated if they don’t listen to her. OMG! whose DNA does she inherits here? I look at Harris…. Harris look at me.

OK-OK-OK –OK.. that would be Mommy.!

Aunty Marie also told us, despite her bossiness… she does have close friends (that she also directs around).  Three of them are clique. They play and learn together but they can never agree with each other. All have their own opinions. OOOOOhhhh.. This,……..Mommy like. Good!

My Saturday morning routine this couple of months. Inspecting my cousin, Mentibang Paku’s house renovation. I’ve been ordering the contractor, here and there, practically treating this house like mine. Mesti Cik Ripin berbulu dengan Mek.

Well, we have no money to renovate ours.. at least this feels like ours!.. hehehehe..

Harris sure can be awarded as Bapa Mithali. He let his daughter step on his foot not wanting her bare foot on the ground whilst little miss uses her slipper to play sand.

Could it be me, I would just shout : “ It’s OK !.. You sit on the sand, later wash your feet ! ”

Beijing in Grey 2

Day 2, we headed to the Summer Palace.

Though named as such, the place resides no palace as it is actually a garden consist of manmade lake and hill. Lake known as Kunming Lake and hill as Longevity Hill. The fact that the lake was manmade hundreds years ago awed me. It is a huge lake ok…. Goodness! China.. China.. China..

Apparently, the English couldn’t find a mean to translate the way Chinese named it, that the vocabulary in describing the lake with peace, good health and the hill with longevity. So, they call it Summer Palace since the garden was always visited by Emperor during summer, something like that.

There is a tale lies beneath The Longevity Hill. It is a hill which was formed from the dirt that was excavated for the lake. Rumor has it that, it was not meant to be when the Emperor wanted the lake. However, during the excavation works, concubine tombs from Ming Dynasty were found. There was a signage shown at the tombs area which read… 

“Do not disturb us.. or we will disturb you till you die” *
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii hi hi hih....* background sound.

Huaaaaa!!!!!…. So, the project architect cum project manager of the garden development reported to the Emperor of the situation. 

-_________-

The Emperor was terrified himself ! “Aiyak!.. this cannot be..”, he said.

So, he ordered his Project Architect never to disturb the tombs, instead got the force labor to dump more dirt over the tombs and make it as high as possible.

He also ordered for a temple to be built on top of the hill so was to ensure the concubines souls rest in peace even more.  

…. And they live happily ever after…. The End.

Heheheheh.

The Longevity Hill in the background

With or without the tale, I like this place. It is so beautiful. We went there during Winter and it is a picture perfect scene. I could imagine how it would be during Spring, Summer and Autumn. It would be just as beautiful in it’s own way.

All in the shades of Grey in Winter

Specks of Red, Pink, Purple .. would be color full Spring

Blue, Green, Yellow and shining in Summer

Golden, Brownish in Autumn

Summer Palace is also secluded with perimeter wall, I guess about 10~15 ft in height. In winter, it obviously act as the wind breaker which came gushing from the open wide lake. We didn’t realize how bad the wind was when we arrived at outside of SP. But the moment we went inside the cordoned area, it was totally out of control.

The 17 Arches Bridge

If it’s not because of my overweight Body Mass Index, I must have been flown off by the wind. Nada was almost in shock, Harris got to pick her up from the stroller and carried her all the way crossing the 17arch bridge.

It was just so cold, like living in a huge freezer and top up with high speed wind from a giant fan.

Hot Buah berangan dry fried in beans were very much of a joy after being punished by the cold strong wind of Summer Palace.

Mek trying to make the layers of quilt with silk balls

We then visited Silk Factory which is operated by the government and I couldn’t resist myself but to buy the silk quilts. First I thought, one set for us would do since the price is rather steep. It’s about RM700 per set. Then again, Nada should also have one for herself right… So, I bought two sets and there goes 2800yuan. Much of the reason I picture the price here is because it almost gave me a mild heart attack.

My beau accidentally left the quilts in the bus body when we were sent to the airport on last day to depart home. I was busy attending to Nada and he was supposed to take care of the luggage and stuffs. As we enter the airport, I didn’t see my quilts on the trolley so I asked him – “Where’re my quilts?”

He asked me back “Where do you put it?” (It was actually him who did the loading and unloading)

I panicked, because I knew then he must have totally forgot about the quilts, which is so unlikely of him.

I kept on saying : “My quilts! My quilts! My quilts!”

Only then it snapped to him and he went running back to the bus. He ran so fast I believe Usain Bolt has finally has a par rival. 
I do not know if he was afraid more to loosing the quilts or afraid of me loosing my temper. J

It was lucky enough that the bus was still there and my quilts were saved! Pheeeeewh.

Those are my quilts.. safe and sound

After the silk market, we went to watch Chinese acrobatic show. It was no difference than of what we watch on TV. Skillful acrobats.

One thing I realized the way Chinese do, they don't treat the performers like a star.... Just after the show ended and they made their last bow, all of the performers gallop off the stage to the hall entrance and start selling the performance DVD! May be they also get their commission from the sales. 

Lipsticks and Pinking Shears

At 21, I was gifted an Estee Lauder lipstick by my aunt, Cik Ra. It was my first lipstick and I thanked her so much. (Ya, I’m just that type of person whom remembers minute details……. Especially the every kindness bestow to me)

By average I guess it’s pretty late that I started with lipstick, huh? At that time, my uni friends were definitely having their lips in multicolors. As always, I am not easily influenced, I do things at my own want.

Oprah says something like - “Everybody likes fashion and beauty, but some like it more than other or less than other….”

Hmmm… me, yup – I love beauty but I’m too much of a cincai person when it comes to make-up and such. I wash my face if I feel like washing, I apply toner if I remember, I don’t regularize make-up as compulsory either at home or even if I’m outside (and that’s when make up for me is just powder and lipstick).

Once, an office client asked me if I had gone for facial treatment that my face looked glowing. I told her, so far in my life, I’d only been for facial treatment once. It was more than 10 years ago and I didn’t even have it for my wedding day. If I look slightly better when she praises me, it could be I was thinking of having steak at Me'nate Steak House or D’Butcher for dinner! She didn’t believe me. Whatever.

We very much frequent the steak house, Nada receives special x-ra attention. She calls the towkey - Atok.

Another time, I declared it was my birthday during a site meeting that I attended. Y’know, when you’re an only female in a pool of more than 20 males, the Y kromosom will listen to X kromosom on aside issues like this for pleasure. They were asking me my age. I have nothing to hide, so I just said – “I’m 36” . Many were in disbelief, which apparently they thought I am much younger. (They should see my mami). One said – She looks young because she doesn’t apply much make-up. ???????? I don’t understand the relation : make-up – looks young – looks old. Anyway, that was one man’s opinion.

On another occasion, at another site……..I was chit-chatting with few people about our child(ren). Our hopes. Our prayers. I was telling if my daughter turned out to be like me in term of consideration towards mother, it would be far than enough for me. Because I know myself, though I appear to be a stubborn as my mami always says.... I have huge soft spot for her in my heart.

One Chinese man asked : “Melayu anak perempuan ada bagi makapak uwang ka?” (Does Malay daughters give their parents money?)

I said – “It doesn’t matter for us, whatever the gender is one can give money to their parents. I myself have never slip a month of not giving since my first tiny RM 800 pay. I had a fixed percentage for my mami ever then.”

Then, the man went : “Ya loooorrr… lu tarak pakai make-up, ada uwang lebey….” (Ya, you don’t wear make-up, so have extra cash) – DUH! Really ah like that ?

I don’t think so but I just layan the man : “Ya looooorrr… saya cincai la” (Ya.. I am very lousy)

He goes : “Tak paaaaaa…. Itu manyak pakai make-up punya ah… kalau tarak pakai, dia takot mau kluar lumah oooooo” (It’s okaaayyy…. Those women whom put on lots of make-up, if they don’t, they would be afraid even to get out of the house)

I told him : “Lu ah… cakap ini macam depan 5 perempuan… mesti lu mati kena bunuh ooooooo” (You speak like this in front of 5 women, you’ll get killed!) GULP!

Indeed, I wasn’t “supporting” what the man said. But then again, I do feel women shouldn’t depend on make-up for self-confidence. Make-up should ONLY help to elevate women’s self-confidence. Right? No?

As much as I am very cincai with make-up, I do carry lipstick… and believe it or not, I carry and have only ONE stick. I told Harris, how lucky he is that I never pester him to buy make-up and still I am a damn gorgeous person. (Talk about self-confidence, huh?).

To further make him feel guilty, I said he may check any other women’s purse… mostly will carry at least 2 sticks. Even those in a lower pay bracket than me would do so.

Look at my only stick.

Patahhhh ko!That is the result of having a 3 and half year old daughter who thinks she has right to try every mommy doing.

Couple of weeks ago, on a weekend morning, nature does it’s justice. My beau talked to her daughter : “Nada, wake-up. Get ready. We are going out to buy Mommy lipstick ! ”

Yipppeeee. So we went to Sogo which initially was opposed by Harris, saying I’d end up in Bunga Riben store. He was right, anyway.. I wanted to go to Bunga Riben that’s why I chose Sogo store at Jalan TAR. To my surprised, I found the long searched pinking shears (gunting gerigi-gerigi) at Bunga Riben and being the pathetic me, I told Harris : It’s ok if he doesn’t buy me lipstick, just pay for my tailoring needs. What could be worse!

Two types of additional scissors for me.

However, my beau is kind.. isn’t he? I still was gifted with new lipstick that day. Not one but two. Fuh.. so much to say about make-up.

The pinking shears had already been in good used. Two pairs of baby booties were conceived with it’s help.Cute!.. This is the first time that I used free downloaded pattern from internet.

Another cute stuff, one shoulder top for Ms Dew. This one, I tenang2 the dress design by Baby Gap at KLCC store and re-invent my own top version.

And.... this is tonite's dinner. Homemade beef Olio - Mario's version :-)

Not bad laaaaaa...