Seia Sekata

I'm watching Seia Sekata SchAwal and practically crying......

aahhhh... i love weddings.

What has gone wrong?

My friends and I spent some time at A&W for ice-cream after visiting our alma mater , the activity we used to do during our weekend outings back then.

We talked on a lot of things and of course, matters on our children are priorities.
A friend brought up a subject which I agreed with her and so keen to improve on my parenting skill.

She told me making reference to her very own off-springs : “Mario, I find that they are very smart with their words. They perform well in school, their vocabulary and their knowledge are way advanced than what I myself had when I was their age… but I find that they are actually “empty”. Example, I asked them to wash their own school shoes, given the brush, soap and they just had to ask me : How to wash ?” 

“How can they not able to figure themselves of a simple task in washing a pair of shoes ?….”

For a mother to confess such situation, I totally appreciate it. I know her kids, getting on stage for educational awards is like ‘kacang putih’ for them.

As we always want to see our children as ‘smart’, statements like this would make us grounded and realized : Yup, it could be true…….. and what should we do?

“Which part of our parenting skill has gone wrong?...”

“Haven’t we given them enough exposure to be a self-starter?..”

“Haven’t we created enough critical thinking, problem solving situation to our kids..?”

"Haven't we venture enough to instill the importance of creativity in our kids..?" 

It is indeed challenging, more over with our education system of seeing nos of A’s is so much important than nurturing diversity and EQ, I am so afraid I would be trapped in the same scenario.

In bringing up Nada, it is actually one of the things that I am afraid most…
That she grew up being an individual that is lack of common sense.. lack of EQ. For some reason, these two can’t be found in a typical school classrooms.

I am still lost in search of ways to overcome this lingering questions which has already nested in me for sometime.  

... at Taman Tasik Seremban.

Isn't that Mommy made apple box-pleat skirt yummy? One for sure, I know my example to her in handmades making has got into her habit in one way or another. She's now so keen with my sewing machine.

This used to be my playground

Every year on the first of May, my alma mater would conduct a reunion for the former students we call it,  the Old Girls Day. It is organized by Tunku Kurshiah College Old Girls Association, abbrev. TKCOGA. Many would trail back to Bukit Merbah for a get together no matter in what batch you were.

Ms Dew insisted to write her name..

I have never join any TKCOGA events but decided to do so this year for few reasons.

After school in 1992, I did went back there twice. First was to collect SPM results and the necessary certificates, second was after I got married and staying in Seremban. It was just a brief drive through with only Harris on one Saturday morning.

The recent visit was indeed a bittersweet come back. It would be the final year Tunku Kurshiah College to reside Bukit Merbah before the commencement of 2013 education term in Nilai – the new ground for TKC.

There’s so much memory I had in TKC, it’s definitely a favourite playground after the best ‘playground’ I had underneath my Pale Green Home. A lot had changed, but the same passion could still be felt.

We didn't have those exercise equipments back then.

Plastic plate now, no longer the metal tray for dines

My room in '92, now has grille for safety reason.

 Quotes everywhere.. desk, notice board. Still being practiced. I only to realize that these two that attracted me to snap photo came from one same person after gotten home. She's sure doing well.

It was joyful to meet up old girl friends that many of them I haven’t seen for more than 20 years. We’ve long made a conclusion and agreed that TKC was the place that we found the best of friendship. What can you expect of five solid years growing up together during the tender years of our age, sharing tears and laughter…, Quarrel and Hugs! We’ll have Good Friends! that most probably think alike.

There is something about TKC that we kinda have the intuition when we meet a KURSHIAN though our path had never crossed in the home ground.

Almost everyone had such encounter of after talking to one, we could guess that she’s a TKCian, and we’re right. Somehow….. I also don’t know how.

A gorgeous friend of mine.... her physics looks like she never left school. *I'm depressed*

 With our Biology teacher whom just retired and was surprised with a full sponsored vacation to Turkey by TKCOGA.

As much as I savour the joy with my friends, the best part to me was still being able to share the happiness of going back to school with my very own favourite girl – Nada. Showing her what has been part of me, what has made me that actually never leave me.

Managed to mend her dress strap & button. It's red covered button replacing tiny flowers 

Though, I couldn’t say I manage to impart to her my appreciation of my years in TKC, I’m already grateful that by end of our tour that day.. she told me : “Mommy, I like your school. It is big and clean....”

Her second concert

Last year, she stood still on the stage during her first concert performance. This year however, she performed like a STAR! And I couldn't be less proud of my little senorita. I have a lot to say about the concert, but for now... let's enjoy the photos.

12.05.12

Before being ferried to school

Showing off tiny weeny bit of lipstick Mommy allowed on her.

Kind of festive..

Generous spread of pot luck food by parents

She's in Tulip class - performaing Frutti Senoritas

 excuse the photos.. after all that zooming it becomes smocky!

 Still enjoying herself to the Finale

A bouquet for Mommy, celebrating Mother's Day.

Ice-cream in return for all the excellant performers.

She and her imagination

An unfortunate incident happened to my family last Saturday. My aunt’s house was broke in and the culprit whom could be depressed because he/she couldn’t find anything to his/her liking that he/she decided to burn down the house. Isn’t that so pathetic?

My aunt was away in Penang, she had to rush back home upon receiving the emergency call from concerned neighbours that the house was on fire. Of course, once she arrived, the fire was already put down by fire fighters, with signs of breaking in from roof top and a left opened back door. Though aggrieved with the mishap, I am grateful that my aunt and uncle are safe.

Receiving the bad news, my cousin just had to fly back to check out on her parents. Since, it would be a quick trip, she went back alone. Hence, for a while the children came over to our place for play dates.

Children conversations, I over heard :

+   Kakk Izz : Rumah Ibu Tok terbakar, kakak jadi doktor, abang jadi Bomba. (Grandma’s house on fire, I want to be a doctor and Bro Aqil is the fire fighter.)

+   Abang Aqil : Alllllllaaaaa….. Abang la doctor.. Kakak jadi Bomba (oh noooooo… I want to be the doctor, you are the fire fighter…)

+   Kakak Izz : Okayyyylaaaaaa….. Nada? Nak jadi apa. ( Nada? What do you want to be?)

+   Nada : Nada nak jadi Superman. Boleh pusing-pusing.. tiup asap!!! (I want to be Superman. Can spin around and blow off smoke!!!)

TOING ! my daughter and her wildest dream…

I hope they'll forever be close and loving to each other.

Nada loves to draw, though her drawings aren’t necessarily justifiable in our naked eyes

This is train or shinkansen (too excited for Japan?) with Mommy, Daddy all inside and she’s at the driver’s seat mending the steering wheel !

This is Princess with big eyes, multi-colored hair, frolicking under passing blue clouds.

And this one… I asked : “Ni apa Nada ?” (What's this Nada?)

She answered : “Ooooo…. Ni TV rosak… No service!”

Waaa… I was so pissed off ! sometimes ASTRO  can be extremely annoying with No Service tagline. Really got cut off in the anxiousness of Bree, Gaby and Lynette in Desperate Housewives last night. What did they see in the woods?

Mario Mending

I am a ‘sucker’ of ‘my’ belongings. I don’t have many, but all that I have are equally love. Priorities are to Nada’s stuff, my school books and those that carry sentimental values. Come to think about it, most of our things have stories behind it and like I say, I am a sucker of my belongings. I love them that much.

I guess it is very much related to my upbringing when Mok always show excellent example of taking good care of things around her no matter if it is expensive or cheap. Until now, she still keeps her folded kurongs in clear plastic sheets before keeping them in the closet. That meticulous she is at 80+++++ years. Most people at that age, wouldn’t care less I believe. Having a living example like this for more than 30 years of my life, surely I’d taken a streak or two if not much.

For the love to stuffs that we have and meant something to us, sometimes mending works is required to ensure they are well presentable. I created an album in my FB that I call it Mario Mending. Let see what do I have thus far.

Dew came home one day with a torn dress like this.

She told me… “Alisya, sit on chair.. Nada pull shirt. Koyak…”

I was disappointed for it’s Zara Kids dress. But then, what did a then three year old care about Zara Kids, she just thought of getting her way out. I wasn’t at all angry but I knew I would do something to mend it.

And so, here it is.

Simple stuff, but it works.

The mending also went to this appliqué dress. I always have this feel of ashame if Nada wears un-neat outfit. Cheap never mind, but if it frails, lose thread.. ahh can't take it. 

Ugly frail edges of the original bunny applique on the right.

Possibly, the mending is also because I want to keep the dress a little stretch longer. It is one of the dresses I bought in Bandung during Nada’s first abroad trip, when she’s just above a year old.

I earlier posted an entry of Nada’s excitement for her school trip to the Zoo. She reminded me again and again for a water bottle with string to be brought with her to the Zoo. Indeed, I didn’t have much time to survey for one, but more of it I was contemplating to make my own string to be attached to her existing bottle.

It was in fact what I did.

This is Nada’s first water tumbler. Hmmmm, she has her first water beaker, first water tumbler, that’s different by my definition. Harris would never understand, all are water containers to him. J

Broncosaurous to compliment...

 and a pelican..

Excited for trip to the Zoo

One mending project that would probably made Harris proud is this one.

The Shirred Shirt-Dress, inspired by Disney, an amazing crafter.

My baby bump only to show towards the end of second trimester, during my pregnancy. Being anxious to put on maternity clothing, I finally got the chance to do so. Hence, I really was on spree shopping mode for maternity clothing. For someone whom is careful with shopping, I wasn’t at all careful with my maternity clothing. In the midst of getting the clothes for myself, I pitied Harris that he was left behind.

One day during the shopping, we chose to buy him this then shirt…

So,… sayang nak buang.... eventhough it's been off the closet for quite sometime due to frail collar.

Sometimes, my collegues labelled me as ‘kedekut’ for having this habit of difficult-to-let-go-loved-stuffs. I used to carry a worn wallet out to lunches and many times being mocked : “Akak ni.. beli la wallet baru, dah tak de rupa wallet ni…”

Definitely it was a worn wallet, but I told them, my younger cousin brother, GG gifted me with the wallet. In 1996 after his Form 5, he worked part time at Mobil petrol station in Sri Gombak prior to SPM results. When he got his first salary, GG told his Mama, my aunt Cik Ra that he wanted to buy for me something. Cik Ra suggested a wallet and that’s what they got for me in surprise.

It was Bonia and I carried that for about 10 years. The fact it was gifted by a boy whom just finished school, it really meant something for me….. mestila Mek sayang the wallet.

I also have my old pencil case being used in the office which many times being ushered for a change. Man.. I am pissed off!.

That’s my pencil case since I was Form 3. For more than 20 years it had followed me in school, in uni, at work… unless tsunami hits us and drowned my pencil case.. never ask me to let it go.

She may be old but she had done nothing wrong.

 Still have my school friends photos...

Youngsters, I told them..... there is a vast difference between 'kedekut' because you treasure something so much and 'kedekut' because you're afraid you might lose your money. Don't judge a person too quick.  

I have many more in my mending list, which I’ll take every and each at a time. At the moment, there’s one stuck at Lada Gaga.

The next, it should be a pair of legs or new shoes or new boots to Baby whom just changed name to Ary.

She is Nada’s FIRST stuffed DOLL, and she already ‘lost’ her legs for more than a year!

Bad Mommy.

** Today 20.04.12, Nada let go her imaginary friend, also named Baby. I asked her to read (no, she hasn’t exactly read) her Goldilocks and the three Bears to Baby in the car on her way to school.

She told me : “Mommy, Baby not here anymore. She go to rumah dia already..." Sign of growing up..