Hello 2010!

2010 is here. I have no resolutions. They just don't work for me. To me, everything is a day at a time. Since the last post, I came down with viral fever, so did Reza while Sarah had food poisoning and diarrhoea. I recovered first followed by Sarah and last was hubby dearest.

So now am back on the tadika run. My 'me' time are weekday mornings from 8.30 am to 11.30 am. I usually go to the market, have breakfast there then ronda-ronda (wander/window-shop) the stalls. If not, I would come home, catch a nap (I sleep very late at night) then wake up just in time to drive back to tadika and pick Sarah up. Thereafter, we usually go to a nasi campur joint (Sambal Hijau) in Sg. Penchala; sometimes we eat there, sometimes we bungkus (takeaway). Sarah will only eat catfish with soya sauce so that is her staple lunch. A variation would be unagi and miso soup. Her dietary habits really stresses me out so am not going to go in to that here.

Anyway, the Sultan of Johor passed away...the notorious and cantankerous one - Al-Fatihah. Also, Robert Lam, the news reader, whose voice I really loved hearing, has died - may his soul rest in peace.

Here is hoping 2010 will be a good one for all.

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas eve. Sarah and Reza are curled up on the sofa watching a horror movie. I can hear it while surfing and typing this. Another Christmas is here again. I hope my family in Perth, US and UK are ready for a great weekend and that my Christian friends are all with their family.

The whole month the malls have been so crazy. Even the folks who are not celebrating Christmas also took the opportunity of the sales that are going on. I made sure that we only ventured to the malls on weekdays either early in the morning or late evening as that is when there were less people. The only mall I know that never gets super busy is Giant, Kota Damansara. It is my favourite place to shop for groceries. When I was growing up in Lembah Keramat (AU5), the first Giant store opened in Taman Permata which was a mile down the road. Almost everyday, my mum and I would go there to buy groceries even though our fridge was full. My mum loves to have a look-round and that habit has brushed off on me.

Thus, if I don't visit a supermarket (any one will do but Giant is preferred) for a few days, I get restless. It is an addiction. I don't buy much, just want to look-see, you know, to window-shop. Yes, I know what the supermarkets have and how much the items cost but I still want to go and wheel the trolley round the aisles. Do I need therapy?

Anyway, Merry Christmas!

Field Trip - Bomba station

Sarah went for her first field trip today, to a fire station in TTDI. She was all excited and woke up without much fuss this morning.

The bus was late so the kids only left around 9 am. She got back to the tadika at 1 pm where I picked her up and asked about the trip. She said the fire master told them the equipment were expensive, she got a chance to try the water hose, sat in a fire truck and wore a helmet.

She was more excited about their pit-stop at McDonalds where she has nuggets, fries and a toy rather than the visit to the fire station. That's children for you.

The month of October came and went in the blink of an eye. This whole month has been non-stop eating and not because of open houses but due to pure gluttony. My appetite just grew overnight and so did my tummy. The lady that runs kiddie rides at The Curve asked me if I was pregnant. Gotta to diet and exercise. My main problem is over-eating. Moderation is not in my vocabulary when it comes to food.

We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on the 26th with dinner at Friday's. Sarah came too because we had no babysitter (grandma in Perth). I remember our nikah day at the mosque near my house with only 3 office colleagues in attendance and family in attendance. Reza and I were around 30 and 15 kilos lighter respectively. I wore an anak tudung which I hastily bought at Semua House because I was ignorant about which type to buy and too embarrassed to ask; so served me right when on the day, a friend asked "why are you wearing a shower cap?" - adoi!!!

Syawal 1430H

Panic, panic because today is the last day of September and I haven't updated this blog. Well, Ramadhan came and went which I miss. Now Syawal is here and somehow my cooking skills have vanished. The assam pedas I made a few days ago was awful that I threw it away. The tom yam soup yesterday was too sour. What the fick!!!??? Ah well, it's just one of those unsolved mysteries of my life.

Raya was good because in the end I heard Black Dog Bone's Cahaya Aidilfitri only twice. Woohoo!!! We didn't take a family photo this year. Just plain simple forgot. Open house visits so far - 1.

Ramadhan is here

Today is the first day of Ramadhan 1430H. It is ten minutes to five pm now. I imagine the bazaar ramadhan stalls are up everywhere and the sellers putting out their trays of food. In an hour's time, there will be hundreds of people buying food for buka puasa. In the past, everyday during Ramadhan, I would be one of the first to throng these stalls and buying more than I can eat. Mata lagi besar dari perut.

Not this year. This year, I will restrain myself and only go to the bazaar a few times a week. The same goes for buka puasa. Before this, every year I will buka puasa 5-6 times outside and checking out the papers for buka puasa buffets. In short, fasting before this was only about abstaining from food and drink - I thought that was good enough. How ignorant I was. Well, I have changed and this Ramadhan for me will be more about ibadah as Allah has commanded.

37 and counting

I had a gorgeous birthday today. Spent it with my darlings - Reza and Sarah. We planted a small plant at the garden out back then had dinner at The Gardens Mid Valley. Reza bought me The Essential Michael Jackson - yay! Had lovely birthday greetings from friends here and afar which really made my day. I feel so blessed to be here. Syukur Alhamdullillah.