Up North

Ok here's our holiday summary, but before we began cerita, all this is unplanned. In fact we decided to go holiday only the day before, in fact it was in the evening, when suddenly in the car me (3x) got the inspiration to just pack up and go. so anyways....

21st December - Friday
Kulai Johor
Together with Syurgawijr gang, we met at the hotel at Kulai. For SGD$40 this place is value for money. Its peaceful and serene, and the toilet is open concept, I like. There's a swimming pool and free cycling. At night we ate dinner at Marybrown, and it was there and then we all decided to go Cameron Highlands the next day.

22nd December - Saturday
KL
When we reached Machap, Bibik called the hotels at Cameron Highlands, but all was fully booked, every single one of them. So we had to change plan, its either Fraser Hill or KL. One call to a hotel in KL, and its available so off we when to KL. Punya banyak keter SGD kat expressway, sibuk aje... hehehe macam aku jugak.
After reaching, we went to Avillion, to check out the most expensive shops in KL, and in the evening we met Yan/Herman and Waksam company for dinner.

23rd December - Sunday
Kajang - Prescott Inn
Well Bibik wanted to stay at KL, but we had our own idea to go to Cameron Highlands. So we went off on our own, and guess what - took a wrong turn, and in the car I had visions of my favourite place - Putrajaya... so off we went there. We wanted to stay at Marriot, but thinking this was a budget holiday we want to stretched our money to be on the road as long as possible, we scrapped the idea and head to Kajang, took a wrong turn somewhere and we end up at the Prescott Inn for RM$112. This hotel is value for money, it had about all the 5 stars have, got internet WIFI somemore. We called Bibik and they also came and stayed with us there. And in the evening we went to Air Terjun Sungai Gabai, had a swim in the rain, and we ate Satay Kajang HJ Samsuri for dinner.. yummm yummm...

24th December - Monday
Putrajaya
Bibik had booked a hotel at Rawang, so off they all went in the morning, while we stayed at Kajang for another night, because we were impressed with the hotel at such a low price. (they never checked how many people go breakfast - good). So the whole day we spent at Putrajaya, had lunch there, and visit the mosque, all the buildings - Putrajaya is my dream place to live and work (...oneday ...oneday). In the evening, we went swimming at the hotel club house.... nice...

25th December - Tuesday
Negri Sembilan, Port Dickson, Tiara Beach Resort
We set off to PD, and met Bibik and Co in the afternoon there. Big place with big swimming pool, and of course the children had a whale of a time, sliding every slide there is, including me. But no deep pool, nevermind lah. At night after dinnner, we watched a Drag Queen beauty pageant... potong steam... but it was all right.

26th December - Wednesday
Cameron Highlands
Bibik and co set off for home (I think), while we still undecided where to go next. Since we wanted to go CH eversince we arrived, might as well do it. So off we went from 2pm to 6pm was the journey, from PD to CH. Surprising this time the kids did not vomit. Once we reached Tanah Rata we booked a budget hotel at rm$80 for the night. Extremely cold, we had "smoke-breath"... cool.

27th December - Thursday
Cameron Highlands
We stayed at Brinchang, another budget hotel rm$88, very clean. The whole day we went all over CH, first to Balas Tea Plantation, had a walk among the tea bushes to the BOH tea plantation - nothing beats drinking tea on the mountains - cool! Favourite place on earth! Its not like we never been here before, 10 times already I think, but its the cool atmosphere... mountain tops... the greeneries... its just divine!

28th December - Friday
undecided

See you all Saturday at Austin !

Life - Being Happy

I was going through some soul searching this past few days, and some emotions have been getting the better off me. What exactly do I want, or everyone wants? And there's actually only 1 thing and that is Happiness. Think about all the things that you want, doesn't everything leads to it - Happiness. If you want money or relationships or health... isn't it because you want to be happy. Its actually an illusion, you think it will make you happy, but as soon as you get it, give it a few days or months, and you will get sick of it and forget the happy feeling.

Happiness is not given nor taken, its actually always with you. Its you who decide to be happy or not. You can be in debt, with no money, no relationships, sick of your job and feeling unwell, but if you decide to be happy there and then, then you are happy. Its a state of mind. And the secret to being happy, is Gratitude, being thankful for what you have.

Imagine this, you have a splinter in your hand. You feel discomfort and you know that the splinter is stuck there. First of all, one of 2 things had happened :
1- You placed that in your hand
2- You got the splinter from something
If you placed it there, you know that its gonna hurt, but you still did it and you had your own reasons. If you got it from something, then you can actually be thankful for it. It sounds bizarre but there are things that you can be thankful for.
1- You got it from your brand new wooden furniture, be thankful you can afford and own it.
2- You got it while helping someone to repair something, be thankful you have the skill to help people
3- You got it from somewhere and you didn't know, be thankful that its a warning and reminder for you to be careful next time.
4- Most of all be thankful that the rest of your body is still healthy, and its only a small wood in you hand, while your other hand, legs, body, heart are still functioning fine.
You see the list can go on and on, if you really want to find gratitude.

And one of 2 things you can do when you had that splinter :
1- Wallow in self pity and think about the hurt that shouldn't be there and don't do anything about it, in which case I will think that the splinter will be there forever.
2- Be thankful for it, and either it will drop off on its own, or you do something to take it out.

The rule in life is simple, think happy thoughts, and if you don't have something, who to say that you can't own it. Imagine it and feel that you have it already, and immediately you feel happy. And from that feeling, you will eventually get it. All of us have done this at some time in our life. Create the images in your brain, if you want a car, imagine driving one all the time, and it will manifest in your life sooner or later. And most of all, never ever stop or quit thinking about it. If you want something so bad, you will get it eventually.
Imagination creates possibilities and envisions the future.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” - Albert Einstein

Thank God for what he has given to you.
Feel Good and Be Happy Always.

Farhana - Jinbara

From the band that brought you "Kasihnya Laila" - Jinbara, here is their new song this year, Farhana. Equally heavy and catchy. My favourite song for this year. There is still hope for malaysia rockers. Brutal!!!

Let the pictures do the talking

The One that I look forward to going home everyday.

3X says "My daughter Nadhirah is the most beautiful girl in the world. I can look at her face the whole day and I never will get tired. I've taken countless pics of her and her face will always look gorgeous. She will always be my perfect precious little girl."

The unnamed feeling...

3X says ""There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass"
(Charles Kuralt).

mel·an·chol·y
NOUN:
1. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom:
2. Pensive reflection or contemplation.

The word suits my feelings. Particularly when I start thinking that's been in my mind for the past few months. Some things are difficult to talk about, and expressing it in the blog is even harder, because you may write whatever you want, but you're not sure how your readers will think about it, or about you.

Anyway, the thing that has been on my mind is something which concerns the lives of certain individuals. What they have been through in their short span of live so far, is more thorns than roses. And what they have been through I shall not revel, as it will not be appreciative to your ears, but all I can tell is that most will not experience what they have gone through.

We take our lives for granted, and we even take the lives of our love ones for granted. We expect to see them the next day and the day after , next year and the year after. We made plans together for the future. We daydream about how the future will be like, together.

For some, the dream never came, and the future is completely different from the norm. They have to make do with whoever that can share some of their love... and for them... not many unfortunately.

back to why I'm feeling melancholic...

Start of next year, their live will begin in another place. I'm sad and I've cried silently. Though many have said its for their own good, I remain defiant. What good comes from separation is beyond me. But that's just me. I can give all that I can give, but ultimately its not my decision.

I dread when the day comes. Everyday the vision of that first day for them haunts me and my brain goes into denial mode as I am not in favour of it. Say whatever you like, I cannot accept it. I've grown attached to them and vice versa. If it were up to me.....

but alas ... its not my decision.

I pray to God Almighty, please keep them together.... Amin

The Singapore Science Centre

3X says "Last Sunday we made a trip to the Science Centre. It was suppose to be an educational trip for the kids. But as it turns out, they were pressing every button or turning every lever or pressing anything that can be pressed... running to basically anywhere and tinkering with anything rather than understanding the science behind it.

So in the car I asked them "Ok what have you all learn today?"... the answer was "Nothing!"... answered unanimously of course.

Anyway, surprising for me, the video of the woman giving birth, in the Life Cycle section, is still being showed. I remember 20 years ago, while in Primary school, I got a shocked of my life, when I stumbled upon that at the very same place.

2007 Year End Report Book

- 2007 Year End Results -
Class Position

Pri 3 - Juliana - 19th
Pri 2 - Iman - 16th
Pri 4 - Mustafa - 3rd
Pri 2 - Sumayyah - 8th

Deepavali Outing

MacRitchie Reservoir

Bowling at Orchid Country Club

Week in Review

Iman says "Hai kengkawan, last week hari Rabu, sekolah kita tutup. So Abah bawak kita pergi jalan-jalan. Pagi-pagi lagi kita orang dah get ready dengan sports shoe kita, untuk hiking naik Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Kita orang naik sampai summit. Lepas dah berpeluh, Abah bawak kita berendam pulak kat Jurong swimming complex.
Nadhirah says "Pada hari Sabtu lepas pulak kita orang pergi picnic dan Barbeque kat Changi Beach. Kita orang beli sotong, ayam, hotdog dan macam-macam lagi makanan untuk di bakar di tepi pantai. Kita sambil makan, sambil swimming sekali kat laut."
Juliana says "Actually pada minggu lepas juga, kita orang sempat pergi hospital untuk tengok sepupu kita Kak Mai dan Kak Oja, yang baru melahirkan baby mereka. Cute-cute lah dua-dua babies tu. Satu Shakira, lagi satu Shahira, kalau kita ada adik sekali, boleh kita namakan Shakila... hehehe. Wah tahun ni, ramailah babies kita dapat tengok... Abah! Mama! bila nak buat projek?... hehehe"
Dusty says "Hmmmm, bagus lah korang semua jalan-jalan, so dapat aku tidur kat rumah dengan nyenyak. Kalau tidak, macam nak meletup kat rumah, tak tahu diam semua, sampai aku kena sembunyi bawah meja..... *yawn*... mengantuklah... bye."

Anak-anak Raya

Welcome to the world to all the Hari Raya Babies

Suriani (Nani) dan Zaini (Kakak Yati), Kuantan
No.5 - Hana Mawadah , 17/10/07

Huzir dan Norwati (Adik Yati), Air Hitam
No.3 - Safiq Salihin , 24/10/07

Mai dan Anis, Geylang Baru
No.4 - Sofea Shakira , 29/10/07

Oja dan Arin, Woodlands
No.2 - Shahira , (coming soon)

Dengan ini, Yati menambah 2 anak sedara dan 2 cucu sedara.

Sentosa - Songs of the Sea

3X says "Dah penat jalan raya, sekarang the kids tengah sibuk spend duit raya, semua dia orang nak beli, macamlah duit raya tu beribu dollars. Beli mainan, beli makan.... beli High School Musical magazine, beli remote control car... asyik nak shopping aje.

Anyway, today we went to Sentosa, for a picnic and swim and then, at 8:40pm we went to watch the Songs of the Sea (click here to read) Normally I don't have the habit of promoting anything SG, but the show was really "WOW!". Real quality and worth the $6 (per person) that we paid for. Heck, even if it costs $20 I would say it's still value for money, and I'm not a person who is easily impressed.

Basically its a show by the beach, with a kampung house settings, and a huge water projection against the backdrop. With lots of pyrotechnics - like balls of fire, water, lasers and even fireworks at the end.




The pictures doesn't do justice, you have to be there for the spectacular sights and sounds of the show. We've never seen such a grand show, and its only for $6. So if you have the time, go there for a swim during the day, and stay for the show at night. There's only 2 slots, 7:30pm and 8:40pm.

Sentosa Siloso Beach
The girls soaking the water at the Merlion fountain

Third Day Hari Raya - Kuantan

Iman says "Hari Ketiga raya, pagi-pagi kita dah ke Kuantan. Kita tahun ni raya kat sana, pasal Aki dan Wan kat rumah Mak Long, yang akan melahirkan anak pada raya ni. Kita duduk kat situ sampai hari Rabu. Sempat jugak kita pergi Air Terjun, dengan sepupu kita Mubarak, dia seronok dan kelakar. Nadhirah asyik berkepit aje dengan dia. Selepas kita pulang dari Kuantan hari Rabu, Mak Long dah selamat melahirkan anak-nya yang ke lima. Alhamdullilah."

Second Day Hari Raya

Iman says "Hari kedua, Maya dan Mus pagi-pagi dah kat rumah kita nak pergi beraya sama. Kita orang pulak baru bangun tidur hehehe... Kita seronok mereka dapat join kita sekali untuk collection raya, so dapat jugak dia orang rasa macam mana kita selalu-nya celebrate. Kita tak sarapan pun kat rumah, terus pergi rumah Mak Ngah, so kita dapat makan dulu... hehehe"

Nadhirah says "Bermacam-macam rumah kita pergi, dan tahun ni meriah sungguh, pasal ramai join convoy, dan semua rumah ada orang, so takdelah rumah kosong. Makanan yang disajikan pulak, foooyooh semua ada! Dari ketupat -lontong - roti kirai - kekenyangan betul."

Juliana says "Last rumah kat Punggol, rumah kak Eti, by that time dah nak dekat pukul 11 malam, dan kita dapat main fireworks lagi. Seronok betul kita orang semua. Maya dan Mus gembira betul dapat jalan-jalan dengan kita, kita suka dapat kasi mereka happy sama. Terimakasih semua yang menjemput dan menjamu kami pada hari itu."

Selamat Hari Raya 2007 - First Day

Iman says "Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf zahir dan batin. Anyway tahun ni kita orang Hari Raya kat Singapore, dan nak tahu tak apa kita makan pagi Raya tu.... McDonald breakfast - delivery... hahaha. Maklumlah mana nak cari ketupat atau rendang, so talipon aje McDonald, perut dah lapar. Abah dan Iman pergi sembahyang Raya kat basketball court di block 856."

Nadhirah says "Tahun ni kita raya dengan Dusty, dia pun over-excited jugak. Dia kan asyik mengacau aje Abah dengan Mama bila dia orang tengah kemas rumah. Kelakar seh... Bila kita orang angkat barang dia pun ikut kita ke sana-sini. Bila Mama nak taruk langsir, dia pulak yang buat main langsir tu, sampai terjatuh-jatuh... hahaha. Seronok sangatlah dia ni."

Juliana says "Kita sampai kat rumah tok pukul 10 pagi. First to arrive, maklumlah, takde sedara lain kat sini, Mama punya side semua kat Malaysia, so Abah punya side ajelah kita beraya untuk hari pertama. Anyway bagus jugak kita sampai dulu, so Abah boleh test semua makanan, nak tahu something, sebelum orang sampai dia dah test makanan 3 kali... hehehe. Pada malam hari pula, kita orang main mercun. Tapi tak boleh cerita banyaklah... Bedentum!!!"

...and then there are those...

3X says "While we wait anxiously for Hari Raya, and thinking how we would celebrate with our close family and friends, anticipating laughter and joy, happiness and celebration.... there are those...

A few months ago, one of my close friend, Zul, same age as me passed away after battling with his throat cancer (ironically he never smoked in his life). My last conversation I had with him, was on the phone, and his voice was barely recognizable, and he ask me how I am, and asks for forgiveness. I knew he was struggling with the disease, and I thought I would still have time to visit him. I couldn't make it.... He leave behind his wife and a son of primary six.

A Makcik, at one of the stall in my college, was crying one day while cooking, earlier this year. She was clearly distraught and sad, as her daughter-in-law died of stomache cancer, diagnosed as soon as she gave birth to her only daughter. Makcik was sad for her menantu, but she was crying thinking about her son, who kept staring at his wife's clothes, eversince his wife's demise.

In our neighborhood, there's a mother and 3 children, who earn their living, collecting tin cans and cardboard boxes. She would bring them everywhere, and even sat at the void deck till midnight, folding boxes they had collected throughout the day. Eventually, the residents here reported them to Children's welfare services, and her 3 children was taken into custody. Nowadays, we see her alone roaming, still collecting tin cans.

Then there are those, who lost their father to the gallows, for a crime he had committed. Their mother, who is now the soul breadwinner, is even thinking of voluntarily surrendering them to the children's welfare, as she has obviously, was at a lost on how to take care of them. But as my boy wrote in his diary, we love them too, and we constantly on the look out for them.

So as we think and worry about what new clothes to buy for ourselves and our children, what colour to paint our house, and what kueh to buy and put on our table... there are those who have to make do with what they have left in their family.

So let's pray for their happiness during this holy month, and hope they, especially the children, will still be able to smile on that day.

"Ya Allah, ya tuhan ku, Kami bershukur atas perlindungan daripada mu dan kami bershukur atas pemberian mu dan kesihatan yang kau berikan kepada kami.

Lindungi mereka, terutama kanak-kanak yang sudah kehilangan atau terpisah dari ibu atau bapa mereka. Kami memohon agar mereka bahagia, sebagaimana kamu telah berikan kami nikmat hidup berkeluarga kepada kami. Berikan mereka kekuatan menghadapi dugaan dan ujian daripada mu.

Ya Allah, tuhan segala alam, sesungguh-nya Kau yang memberi dan Kau mengambil balik. Amin"

Ramadhan Rocks!

Who says we can't have fun while fasting in Ramadhan!
We had lots of fun! Ramadhan Rocks!

Iman says "Hi kengkawan, Kita sampai sekarang belum buang puasa tau, so lagi berapa hari aje dah nak dekat Raya, so Insya'Allah kita akan puasa complete tahun ini! Alhamdullilah! Tahun ni pulak kita ada kawan, Maya dan Mus, so kita bersahur sama-sama dan buka sama-sama, seronok bila kita beribadat sama-sama."



Juliana says "Kita orang ni kalau bulan Puasa, kita tak suka duduk rumah. Masa jalan slow sangat, nanti asyik tengok jam aje, kira pukul brapa nak buka. So kita jalan-jalan pergi Jurong Point, Vivocity, Whizz Kidz kat Courts, Ikea, Giant, Punggol Beach... tup tup dah masa nak buka."


Nadhirah says "Bila kita berbuka puasa pun kita suka bertukar-tukar tempat. Kita berbuka di McDonalds, Bedok Corner, Chua Chu Kang Park, Bazaar Causeway Point, rumah Bibik dan rumah Kak Yan..."

Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya
Maaf Zahir dan Batin