Friday the 13th

Uhhhh... spooooky.... NOT!!

My darling son Zareef,

Today marks the day you turn 4. Another milestone in life which Mummy and Daddy feel very fortunate to be a part of.

You started the week with falling really ill when your temperature spiked up to 39c at 3 am thanks to Daddy's virus which unfortunately caught up on you complete with cough, flu and you even complained of headaches. Alhamdulillah, the worst is now over with just an occasional cough and snort looming over. What a way to start celebrating your birthday.

Through it all, you've been very strong and cheerful about it which simply amazes me. But you have been that way from the day you were borned when you were left with no fluid at all in Mummy's tummy for 4 whole days and managed to survive, when you fell down from the trike and distorted your nose when you were 1, when you had your chicken pox at the age of 2 and most recently when you were lost from my side for a whole of 25 minutes at Mid Valley at the late age of 3. I'm proud to say that you have survived through it all.

Your constant inquisitiveness has made Mummy and Daddy to be constantly on our feet hence sometimes driving me up the wall when all that you ask for are answers to your innocent yet thought provoking questions to quench your thirst for knowledge. You have turned to be quite the chatterbox too but only with people that you know especially Atok, Nenek, Wan, Pak Ngah and Pak Chu. Sometimes I wonder whether you've aged beyond your years because when I listen to you talking to Atok, it seems that you've gone light years ahead.

You have learned to help around the house like locking up the doors, fetching things for Mummy when she's too lazy or too heavy to get up and get it herself, started to learn to clear the table and wash the dishes (only the plastic ones though. Hands off on Mummy's Wedgies, Porties, Nories and Royals), water Daddy's prized Philippine grass and plants, wipe the counter top and ohhh.... not forgetting your favorite, helping Mummy when she's baking. You would stand on the stool for hours on end trying to help me with baking from start to finish. I know you meant well but sometimes, it can become quite exasperating.

You are really looking forward to the arrival of baby adik. From the way you've separated your toys ("This is for baby adik. Nanti Zareef can show baby adik how to play with it".) to helping us set out the cot and changing table to volunteering to getting her nappies and other stuffs and saying that "Nanti Zareef jaga baby adik for Mummy". Your eyes shine whenever you looked at baby adik's ultrasound on the monitor. And that, my son, I know that you will be the responsible brother that we hope you would be.

Like I've written down in last year's post, I'll say it again and I will not stop saying it. I will move heaven and earth for you to make everything go smoothly your way. I will beg, borrow and even steal for your wellbeing. Anything for my son.

You have complete Mummy's and Daddy's lifes and now with the impending arrival of baby adik next month, that will be an added bonus. I simply cannot imagine my life without you. Not a single day, not a single minute. And because of that, I have decided to give up pursuing my career and instead stay at home to be with you so that you can get the best possible care that I can give you. I must say, it has been worth it. You have bloomed right in front of me, surprising me everyday with your antics, your wit, your concern and your thoughts. Not once have I ever regret giving up my job to raise you myself.

My son Zareef,
On this joyful and wonderful day, Mummy and Daddy vow to make it the happiest day of your life. But it won't stop today, it will go on for as long as both of us live. You're our angel, our love, our life. You're just the perfect son that we've always wanted (but can you please cut down on your merajukness and hard-headedness? That would really help, thank you!). We love you very much son. May Allah bless you with all the good things that life has to offer. Amin!

Ramadhan

The holy month of Ramadhan is here again. Alhamdulillah... This will be our first Ramadhan after experiencing the past 4 in Loughborough. I'm pretty sure it'll be a shock to both of us because I know it'll be scorching hot compared to fasting in the cold winter, the long hours compared to only fasting for only 8 hours and last but not least, I'm pregnant now which will make a lot of difference. I just pray that I'll be able to make it for the entire month without facing any problems whatsoever.

Preparations wise, I'm done with Zareef's baju raya. A pair of red baju melayu (he chose it himself at Alamanda) and loads of shirts, t-shirts and pants which I've bought during last summer sale and shoes pun melambak hasil hobby mummy yang suka bershopping kat carboot.

B pulak, hmmm... he says he doesn't need anything new except for a pair of khakis due to his ehem ehem expanding waistline. However, I do plan to get him a new pair of baju melayu because the one that he has is almost 3 years old now.

As for me... no baju kurung would fit me now and I don't see the point to make new ones considering my present condition. So, I'm just gonna wear my maternity clothes which I think would just suit me fine.

Cookies and cakes... I'm planning of baking our favorites which are choc chip cookies, honey coated cornflakes and pineapple tarts. I've been getting orders for my carrot cake for people to bring home to their hometown for Raya. Other than that, I'm thinking of baking blueberry cheesecake, prune cake and choc fudge brownies. Tu pun kalau larat la.

Other than that, I'm trying my best to prepare our house to be more homely. We've yet to buy a dining table and chairs. Boxes need to be unpacked and stuffs put in its proper places. Zareef's toys... oh dear.. what shall I do with his toys. We need to buy lots and lots of storage bins so that his toy room can at least look like one. For now, it looks more like a dumping ground for toys.

Oh not forgetting the impending arrival of baby adik (as Zareef has been calling her). I have got to dig out all the baby's feeding accessories, clothes, travel system, swing, bedding etc. from the boxes. I have to remember to prepare the hospital bag and put it in the car in case she decides to make an early appearance which I hope won't be for another 3 weeks (that's when I'll be at my 36th week). Kalau boleh nak la beraya dulu... hehehe...

But most importantly in this holy month of Ramadhan is to do as much as amal ibadat as I possibly can and pray that all my deeds will be accepted by Allah Al-Mighty.

So to all my muslim readers out there, I wish all of you Ramadhan al-Mubarak!

My Worst Nightmare, EVER!!

My worst nightmare ever is to lose Zareef in a public place. So, just imagined how I felt when it became true last week at MidValley.

Both of us (I'm notoriously well knowned to drag Zareef for my shopping rendezvous when everyone else is slogging away at the office), went to MidValley after finishing my chores at the office. My plan was to grab lunch, do the groceries and get home before everyone else shoots off from the workplace to avoid traffic jams.

We had lunch then it was off to Carrefour for groceries. Nak buat cerita, Zareef fell in love with a bicycle there and he simply had to have it. Given that Zareef has been having 2nd hand toys for the longest time ever, I didn't have the heart to say no to his pleas for a new black shiny bike. I told him, just this once I'll succumb to him. Otherwise, it's a definitely no-no.

Since we've just moved to our new home, my trolley was filled to the brim with all kinds of stuffs from pots to storage bins to perishable items. All this while, Zareef was happily cycling around Carrefour on his new bike while happily ringing the bell around corners signaling that he was coming through.

After paying for everything, we slowly made our way to the lift near Manhattan Fish Market, me pushing the trolley and Zareef cycling his bike. We got into the lift heading down to P2. When the door opened, I got out first because I wanted to hold the door for Zareef to get out. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough and the door closed on Zareef! I was horrified!! I pressed the button repeatedly but the door won't open. Instead, it started to make its way up. Ya Allah... nak gugur jantung dibuatnya. I prayed and prayed that Zareef would stay put in the lift. The lift made its way up to the 5th floor and down. That was the longest wait that I had to endure.

When the lift arrived and opened its door at P2, it was empty! Oh my God! Now, I'm a total wreck. I started crying cry my eyes out. I didn't know what to do at first. I was rendered helpless. I went in the lift and decided to stop floor by floor to search for my boy but it was hopeless. He was nowhere to be seen. I went back to LG and got out. There were a couple of MFM's staff there and I asked whether they've seen a boy on his bike get out of the lift.

"Ada kak. Dia keluar lift naik basikal. Dia carik akak kot"

I was devastated. How was I supposed to find Zareef in a mall as huge as MidValley? I cried and cried. People looked but I didn't care a hoot. A lovely kind lady approached me and asked what's wrong. I told her I just lost my 4 year old son.

"Oh my goodness. This is bad. Never mind, I'll helf you find him"

I looked at her and could only manage a gratitude smile for I was so caught up in crying for my lost son.

"Why don't we go to the information counter and ask the people there to make a page about your son?"

Wonderful idea I thought! Apasal la aku tak pikir pasal benda nih?! I called B and told him I lost Zareef feeling all wretched and useless for losing my son.

"You kat mana?"

"I kat MidValley"

"Ok. I'm going there now"

While I was on the escalator heading upwards towards center court, I heard a page.

"Perhatian kepada semua ibubapa. Kepada mana2 ibubapa yang kehilangan anak lelaki berbangsa Melayu, berumur sekitar 3 hingga 4 tahun, memakai baju biru dan seluar cokelat, sila datang ke kaunter informasi sekarang juga"

I felt a relief washed over me like I have never felt before. I thanked God that nothing bad had happened to Zareef. From far I could see my boy at the information counter crying his eyes out. I rushed over and swept him in my arms hugging him tightly, all the while crying myself thanking God that he was safe and sound.

"I'm so sorry I lost you. I'm so sorry I was careless. I'm so sorry that you had to endure a traumatic moment", I whispered in his ears. It was a tearful and emotional reunion for the both of us.

The undercover security guard told me that a couple found him in the lift all alone going up and down. Concerned for his safety, they contacted a security guard and told her of a lost boy in the lift. She coerced him to come out of the lift but he wouldn't budge. She asked him, "ayah mana?" He replied, work. She asked him, "mama mana?" He pointed his fingers downwards. Blessed him, my boy for knowing exactly where I was. Then she asked him, "baru beli basikal ke?" and he nodded. Seeing that Zareef would not get out of the lift, she told him that she will help him to find his mummy. Only when hearing this, did Zareef agree to follow her and she brought him to the information counter.

I was eternally and still am grateful to the security guard. May God bless her kind soul! The security guard then accompanied us to our car seeing that both of us weren't in the right frame of mind. He praised Zareef for being a smart boy and being wary of strangers and for trying his hardest to find me.

We went home immediately both of us quiet having just endured a harrowing experience. I was so relief to reach our sanctuary. I carried a sleeping Zareef in and we cuddled on the sofa waiting for B to reach home.

I simply cannot put to words the feelings that I went through when I lost Zareef for a good 25 minutes. It may be short to you but to me it was the longest 25 minutes of my life. Horrible images passed through my mind but I am so thankful that nothing of that kind happened to him or else, I can never forgive myself.

That night, I held him and hugged him to sleep, never ever wanting to let him go. He's my life, my soul and my love. I could not imagine even for a second losing him but I had. God gave me a second chance to prove that I can once again be a better mom. And I thank Allah for that.

A Fairy Tale Wedding

It was a sweet yet grand wedding. One of the best that I've ever attended. Mostly because they are the two good friends that I've known since my Boiler days plus the fact that Roslee made a special performance for his bride, Sal by playing the saxophone, serenading her with Now and Forever and Getaran Jiwa. We were astounded to find out that Roslee has a hidden talent. Not that I've heard him play while we were at Purdue.

Anyway, the wedding was held at Sheraton Imperial last night. I had to attend it alone since B was at home recuperating from an appendix surgery (that will be featured in another post). A magnificent ice sculpture greeted us at the entrance to the ballroom.
I sat at table 13 with Emi, Fred, Iwan, Lin and Cobou. The other four were Sal's friend whom we didn't know.












Here, Emi is seen writing in an autograph book that Sal had specifically placed on every table especially for her guests to jot down a few words as remembrance. But, Emi being Emi, was busy writing away as if the autograph book belongs to her... heheheh... Don't blame her though. We all wrote quite lengthy stuffs in there. All of us even had to squeeze writing in available spaces after watching Roslee play the sax.





After the wedding, it was picture-whoring time. Can you believe it that none of us brought cameras!! All of us had to rely on our phones which explains the rather grainy pictures. Tak pe la, Sal had a group of photographers roaming around taking pictures. So at least, some of our pictures were professionally taken. Sal's' wedding had a garden concept which I must say is simply beautiful!





Standing L-R: Lin, Aida, Lina
Sitting L-R: Cobou, Me, Emi, Fred












Cobou was in a rebellious mood. He neither wore a lounge suit nor a traditional costume.












The end of a glorious wedding. Sal looked absolutely resplendent and gorgeous in her white gown. I would like to wish them all the happiness in the world and may Allah bless their lives as husband and wife forever. Two of my good friends, united at last!

l-r: Iwan, Roslee, Sal, Emi, Fred, me, Lin

A Different Story

First of all, let us say a prayer for all those who lost their life in the massacre in Lebanon. May their soul rest in peace and blessed by Allah. Al-Fatihah!

I have never written anything politically-inclined in this blog of mine. But the unjust and inhumane happenings in Lebanon is just unthinkable that I'm sure some of you if not all, share the same sentiments as I do. I just wish I have the superpowers to get rid of Bush, Blair and Israel so that world peace can be restored and all these genocides can be stopped. You know, like possessing powers like Magneto so that I can crush all their ammos and fighter jets. Or the mind of Jean so that I can control the surroundings to be in my favor. Or even, the powers of Storm so that I can cause turbulence in Israel hence letting them taste a dose of their own medicine.

Since I have none of the above, I shall opt for another way. If I can't fight them in a battle, then I can very well do my bid in not supporting their economy. So far, I've stopped going to Tesco, McDonalds (even though Zareef has been wailing to go), Starbucks, KFC and anything remotely American. Yes people, I'm boycotting all American and Jew related products. You see, from the way I see it, every sen spent in their store is like buying them bullets that will kill the Lebanese and Palestinians.

It's quite hard though because some of my favorite brands are to the likes of Gap, Osh Kosh, Victoria Secret, Esprit, DKNY, Nike, Timberland and the list goes on. And I do have tonnes of these stuffs bought during my student heydays in the States. But I can't do anything about the past, can I when all money was spent shopping like crazy during Thanksgiving Sale and at the Factory Outlets. However, I can make a change now.

I'm trying very, very hard not to go into these stores especially now that the Mega Sale is on. Even shopping for groceries takes me twice longer because I have to select which products go into my basket and which goes back to the shelves. I'm crazy for Vanilla Coke but now I have to resort to Kickapoo. I love Mars bars but now I think I'll have to buy Kandos. Instead of eating KFC or Kenny Rogers, we now go to Nandos eventhough the smell of KFC can make my legs turn to jell-o.

I try where I can. It's just something that I fell I'm compelled to do because I can't bear to see the heartbreaking news showing pictures of children going about in their ruined city that has been torn to bits and pieces. They have no food, shelter nor clothes and some to the extent of being recently orphaned. Sumer sebab Yahudi punya pasal. I try to imagine, what if it was Zareef and my soon-to-be-borned baby. What if it were to happen to them? No... I can't let that happen to them.

So there, I've said my peace. What's yours??

Back to Normal

After a month long of football overdose (that's B. I only joined in the fun during the quarter-finals onwards), it's back to normal sleeping hours for him and me. Why me? Because usually after watching football, B would come into bed and start to kacau me.

Then, there was Wimbledon. I was flipping back and forth between channel 82 and 83. It's a wonder the remote didn't konked out on me. I'm so happy that Mauresmo and Federer won. But what was Federer thinking wearing that white jacket when entering the center court? Argghhh... someone should shoot his stylist! Such an overkill!!

Now, we can start concentrating on more pressing matters like... doing up our home. Work is currently in progress. The grilles are in, the electrician is rewiring the whole house, the plumber will be in to connect our pipes to the main supply so that water pressure on the upper floor will be stronger and install the hot showers, then the electrician will be in again to install all fans, aircond and lights and finally... the people from the kitchen shop will install the kitchen cabinets and built-in wardrobe. Lepas tu barula upacara membasuh rumah. Then can we only move in. Phewwww... sounds tiring.

All our money that we've saved up has been used. We've been sucked high and dry. Did I mention furnitures? You're right... I didn't because there will be none, save for a two-seater that we bought before we went to UK, our bed which I bought when we were getting married andddd... that's it! Oh my... that's it people. Our home will be a Japanese-Zen like style. The living and dining area will be bare until further dough comes rolling in. Come to think of it, what the hell did I bring back in that 20-footer container of mine? Hmmm... toys, toys and more toys! Goodness!! Why the hell didn't I buy 2nd hand furnitures over there?! Waittt... I know why. Our house then was so tiny, we couldn't possibly fit in anymore extra furnitures unlike some of our friends who went furniture-hunting like mad on ebay and bought truck loads of them and were lucky enough to have garages for them to hoard their finds.

Hmmpphhh... maybe I should sell a set or two of my chinas so that I can buy myself a decent set of sofa for the living area and a dining set. If I do, any takers?? Or... I could hold a garage sale and sell off half of the stuffs that we brought home. Hey... that's an idea! Or... you people out there can start buying from me medical cards and education insurance for your family and children. You know... these two things; hospitalization and education are not getting any cheaper. We know that hospitalization and surgeries cost a bomb nowadays and I know for a fact that scholarships and education loans will be scarce by the time Zareef is ready to head to college. So... give me a call people and I'll try my best to sort out your woes and misery.

A Month of Celebration

The month of June will always be a long month of celebration for us. It is the month where both B and I celebrate our birthdays, the month where B gets to enjoy his day as a dad and the month which marks our anniversary as a couple.

The celebration kicked off with us going to Penang. B had it all nicely arranged to coincide his one day work with my birthday on the 14th while taking a few days off. Thank you sooo much darling! We first stayed at Hydro Majestic Hotel (formerly known as Ferringhi Beach Hotel) but moved out to Paradise Sandy Beach Hotel. Reason: the former was a crap! Don't stay there. It's not even a beach front hotel and yet they claim to be a 4 star hotel. The latter turned out to be unsatisfactory too (not worth the price that we paid for) but having the sandy beach literally at our doorstep made up for the lack of everything else. The three of us had a whale of a time on the beach building sandcastles, Zareef rolling down the sandy slopes like the Wiggles, the three of us just soaking in the sun, inhaling the refreshing salty air and having a wonderful quality family time together.

A trip to Penang would not be complete without the gastronomical affair. B and I (or maybe it was just me who couldn't help myself) gorged down on pasembor, mee rebus, popiah basah, Line Clear's Nasi Kandar and ntah hapa2 lagi. Unfortunately, time was too short for us to savor other food. Takpe... next time we'll come back with a vengeance.

Then it was Father's Day. Truthfully, I totally forgot about Father's Day because I was so knocked out from attending SSP's reunion the day before. One whole day at the school meeting old friends and teachers and cheering like a mad fat cow on the sidelines literally zapped out my energy. Now that I'm writing this, for the love of God... I just can't remember what we did on Father's Day. Sorry ye B.

Then, on the 22nd was B's day. He took the day off and we went to Aquaria. Am I alone on this or does anyone else thinks that the entrance fee for children is a bit steep. I mean, I don't mind paying RM 28 for us adults but RM 22 for kids... shesshhh... that's a bit too much. They should make it half the price of adults since they are half the size of us. Anyway, I was quite impressed with the displays. Even though Aquaria is quite small compared to other aquariums that I've visited around the globe (and believe you me, I've paid some astronomical entrance fees for it), I must say, the people at Aquaria did a great job especially in the deep sea department. Zareef got a real close-up view of the huge sharks as they passed by (B carried him to be close to the glass display) . B and I were amazed to see the gigantic arapaimas in the Amazon section. Goodness! If ever I were to catch that fish, it would last me for a whole year.

After ooohhhing and aaahhhing at Aquaria, came my favorite pastime. Shopping! Heheheh... Well, we didn't actually shop. Window shopped to be exact. Luckily Zareef chose that time to have a nap in his stroller so we had a peaceful time weaving in and out from one store to another. Since it was B's birthday and I haven't gotten him any birthday gift yet (teruk kan!), I told him that he could have anything that he wants. The sky is the limit. My sky that is! We were so tempted with Aigner's sale. 50% everywhere! B was looking for a belt to go with his khakis but none pleased his eye. On the other hand, I was so in love with one their begs and it was 40% off! B made a face and said "You know it's cheaper in the States. Tunggu I ada conference kat sana then you can shop all you want". Yeah.. yeah... I do know tapi bila la tu??!!! If it wasn't for the Burberry watch that I got for my birthday gift, I would have kept on begging. But... beggars can't be choosers, can I?! And Burberry was having 50% sale as well. I immediately went in to check the price of my watch. B breathed a sigh of relief coz my watch wasn't there.

Hmmphhh... I've got a good mind to wire some money to Zoow so that she can go to Bicester Village and get me a Burberry bag that will match my watch. Gosh... just rereading the last sentence that I've just typed made me realized what a prat I am. But... but... they are cheaper there!!! Boleh ke Zoow?

Then we went into Laura Ashley. Now, this is a place where both of us have mutual taste. We were contemplating on which chandelier would suit our new home. It's either getting an 8-light or two 5-lights Lavenham. Hmmpphhh... decisions, decisions, decisions. Zareef saved the day by choosing that moment to wake up and insists that he wanted to go to the toy shop.

In the end, we didn't buy anything. But now I know what to get for B. Hihihi... would you believe it that it's been a week and I still have not gotten him anything! Talk about being a bad wifey. Not that I didn't want to, I do! I've pestered him on what he wants. He wants an Ipaq but he said not to bother to buy it for him because he can get if for free. So... can't say that I didn't try.

Today, 29th June marks the 12th year that we've been together as a couple! Wow... it has been ages! Do I get bored of my man? Nahhh... B has his quirky ways and unexpected small things that makes our relationship spicy and flavorsome. Plus... I'm his Wonder Woman now nyehnyehnyeh... Thanks to La Senza and Victoria's Secret.

Yes... life has been good for us this year. Syukur Alhamdulillah! Like B put it... we've got a wonderful new house, a stunning new car, a gorgeous son and a bouncing baby due in November. What more can I ask for? I just pray to Allah that He will continue to bless our family with bountiful of rezeki, good life, good health and good wealth. Aminnnn...

I Feel Soooo Ancient

I'll be 30 in next month but already I'm feeling quite old and battered. I need to rejuvenate myself. Something that'll refresh and energize me. I need to revive my senses. Goshhh... I think I need to be pampered. Hmmm... a spa should do it. Alinggg... *hint hint!*

Pregnancy wise, it's progressing along fine albeit still feeling queasy and nauseous 24-7. This is my 15th week into the pregnancy and I still feel the strong raging hormones wreaking havoc in my body. I can't wait for all these to end.

I'll be heading for Sukma's wedding this Sunday which coincidentally coincides with my mom's 66th birthday. Hmm... what can I get for mom? Maybe I'll take her shoe-shopping. She said she badly needs a nice pair of shoes for formal occasions. Yeah... that's it. Metrojaya is having a sale. So I think I'll take her there.

By the way, any Boilers out there who are going to Sukma's wedding? Want to convoy? Call me ya!

My alma mater will be having a high tea reunion at the new SSP in Cyberjaya on the 17th of next month. I've signed in. Actually, I'm feeling quite psyched to meet old buddies and at the same time, I'm quite curious to sneak a peek at the new establishment. I've passed through it a few times but have never had the opportunity to see the insides. From pictures that I saw, there is even a rock-climbing wall. If I weren't pregnant, I would definitely have given it a try. So my dear SSpians out there who happens to read this, do come by the new school on 17th June from 8.30-4 pm. Ohh by the way, it's for batch SPM 91 onwards only. Don't ask me why. I'm not the one organizing it.

AIA's fixed home loan rate of 5.99% will end on the 31st of May. After that, it will rise to how much, I have no idea given that BLR is now 6.75%. So, anyone interested in refinancing or purchasing new homes, please email me at noresh_anshar@yahoo.com for more details. I assure you that you'll save at least a few hundreds each month by refinancing to a lower FIXED interest rate.

It's Been A While...

since I last updated my blog. Lots of reasons why which are totally unavoidable.

1. Streamyx at my parents' area is driving me mad, mad crazy!! The dsl line kept on blinking non stop and sometimes, it just goes off completely. I've been complaining non stop and at least 3 technicians have been trying to fix the problem but everytime, they blame it on the old copper lines at my area. So, one day, a lady from streamyx called to say that they've downgraded my subscription from 1Mbps to 512 Kbps. But I told her the problem still exists. So she said, "Kalau camtu, Pn. Noraisyah kena terminate je la streamyx puan". Cehhhh... ada pulak camtu. You guys should be the one to look into the root of the problem and solve it. Not opting to take the easy way out. Boy... was I pissed!!

2. Freak thunderstorm and lightning which have been happening almost everyday for the past few weeks have wrecked havoc to my parents' phone line. The phone line died on us for a week before someone from TM could come out here to check on it. Two technicians came. The first one was an idiot. He climbed the house's roof and declared that the line was fine. It's the flooding and rubbish on the rooftop that's causing the line to be faulty and he had the cheek to ask my 69-year old dad to clear it up. I told my dad not to do anything about it. Instead, I called again TM and complained (I know... I'm such a whiner but hey... I'm paying the bills and I expect a service or else it's like I'm paying for nothing!). A second technician came and he declared that the phone cable is fried due to being strike by lightning. He said he can't do it. A contractor has to come to fix it. The contractor came yesterday and now, Alhamdulillah... I get to type this post.

3. Little baby has been causing havoc to my body system. I puke all the time. My nose has become extra sensitive picking up almost all unappetizing odor that causes me to gag and throw up. I shiver and shake everytime I drive the car. Occasionally, when it gets too much, I have to stop by the roadside to vomit. Very ugly sight I must say. I just pray that this phase will pass quickly so that I can enjoy the rest of my pregnancy.

4. I've only been with AIA for 3 months now and already I've gotten a dose of kiasuness from one of the cha-ya-nun-aliff agent who is a manager to boot! Goodness!! She has the nerve to call up another manager to ask that manager to call me and to warn me not to go to a certain developer because she (the kiasu agent) has an exclusivity there. Exclusive my ass!! That kiasu agent has not been servicing the developer for quite some time now and when I stepped in through proper procedures, she went berserk. Oiii... tell it to my face la!! Penakut punya manusia! And she even told me not to come to the developer's soft launching of a new housing project. I was fuming angry and fucking mad! I tell you, there are nothing straight about these kind of people except for their hair!

5. I've just got an insider information that BLR will be increasing again either next week or the week after. Yupp people... this time it's going up to 6.7 or even a crazy 7!! So... sape2 yg nak refinance their house, quick call me or email me (noresh_anshar@yahoo.com). The 5.89% fixed rate won't last any longer.

6. It'll be a 3-day weekend and we're going off to Janda Baik again. It's back to peaceful and serene kampung life. I've a good mind to let Zareef to play with the goats and the ducks and just roam about with his cousins finding their own adventure. It'll be a good escape. Not forgetting taking a dip in the clear cool stream. Such bliss!! And... it'll be a test for our new car.. nyeh nyeh nyeh. I suppose, I can't call it a car anymore since it has 4WD and more. At last, our wait is over. We even got the registration number that we wanted. Goody!!

Alright people... have good long weekend! Take care!!!

This Time Around, It's Worst Than The Last

It's the pregnancy that I'm talking about. I know that each pregnancy is always different and unique from the last, but I can't help but compare. When I was pregnant with Zareef, it wasn't this bad.

Now, I get nauseaness all the time. No more morning sickness. It's 24-7 sickness. I can't keep my food down. I throw up whenever I smell something frying. I get dizzy after driving. I'm exhausted all the time. My face is full of teenage zits. Big ones I might add. My ankles and feet swelled worst than a balloon. I can no longer traipse up and down shopping malls all day long because the last time I did, spotting occurred.

Ya Allah... please give me the strength to carry this child until the day he/she is supposed to be borned. Amin...

ps: I so crave for a good yummylicious plate of char kuew tiaw. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

My Wish List

Dear B,

Seeing that our 5th anniversary is this Saturday, I'd like to list down a few of the things that has been swirling in my head since forever. I assure you that it's alright if you can't get it for me now, but sooner or later ya. Actually, sooner would be very much preferable, thank you very much! Here goes...

1. A spa treatment. A whole body massage, body scrub, body mask, the works.

2. A business bag that can fit in all my paperwork, laptop and other knick knacks. The one that I have in mind is the Coach Soho Signature Business Tote going at USD $398. Okay kan the price...

3. A chunky elegant dinner watch. I'd love to have the Fendi that I showed you. You remember kan. It's the one with the pink leather strap and a chrono one to boot.

4. Our BJB 676. Tender pun... tender la. I've been seeing signs of nombor apit (as you call it) everywhere. Maybe it's meant to be??

5. A laptop which you've kindly bought for me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear! But... that's work related. This is for me to enjoy. Me and only me. You get what I mean? It's like you getting your RC car, your Timberland Chrono watch and your Subaru shirt. Yeahhh... that's what I mean.

I think that's about it for this year. Take a pick darling then surprise me, hehehhehe... The list can always be brought forward. If all fail, then I'd really love it if we can spend dinner alone gorging down on Jap food... hehehhehe...

I've been tagged...

by Along. She tagged me a month ago. Sorry ya. Who says I have plenty of time in my hands? WRONGGGG... By the way, this is my 100th post. Heheheh... thought I'd never reach this mark. So here goes...

Four Jobs I've Had:

1. Housekeeper - This was at Purdue's Union Hotel. My duties were to keep the rooms looking spick and span. Didn't like it at all! Quit after a couple of months.
2. Stripe Shop - My duties were to make pizzas, breadsticks, be the cashier and clean up the joint. Fun job despite burning myself several times. The plus side: I get to eat lots and lots of pizza and breadsticks dipped in cheese or tomato sauce. Yummmm!!
3. Prime Lab - This one was a bit on the heavy duty side. I had to sit by the computer for 8 hours and observe the ongoings of a HUGE machine whose job is to carbon date materials situated 4 levels underground. I had to climb, fix, change and do others things to the machine that runs on thousands of volts and had rays that could kill your body cells in an instant. (Betul ke Bogo?) The plus side: I got extra studying done, used the photocopying machine for free and downloaded songs at T1 speed...hhehehe...
4. Grader - Hah... easy peasy! All I had to do was grade student's homework while lying on the bed once a week. And for that, I get paid $6/hour for 10 hours. Absolutely love this job!

All the above were my undergrad odd jobs. After graduating, I was stuck at an IT company as a Systems Engineer. This was fun. I get to go up and down the KL Sentral office suites before anyone else. After that, it was downhill all the way. In the UK, I was a domestic engineer full time while in the mornings, I worked as an office assistant. The pay was enough for me to travel, shop and sent some home.

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over:

1. Anything that has Reese Witherspoon in it. I absolutely adore her!
2. The Fast and The Furious and its sequel. Fast cars simply does it for me.
3. All of Harry Potter's. Yupp... this I can watch with Zareef. My boy can even memorize some of the lines.
4. Dead Poet's Society. This is a classic one. B could never understand why but I love it!

Four Places I Have Lived:

1. Klang, Selangor. Born and bred here for the past 30 years.
2. West Lafayette, Indiana. This is were Purdue was. Simply priceless!!
3. Seksyen 16, PJ. Just behind Taman Jaya and Amcorp Mall within walking distance, MidValley at the next exit, only 10 minutes to Bangsar and 20 minutes to UPM. Best giler dok sini.
4. Loughborough, Leicestershire. Zareef's birthplace. We built our lives here. Broke my heart when I had to leave it.

Four Television Shows I Love to Watch:
Seriously... I watch way too much tv shows. In fact, I'm absofcukinglutely crazy about tv shows. But the top four would be

1. The O.C
2. SATC
3. Desperate Housewives
4. One Tree Hill

Four Places I Have Been on Vacation:

Goodness... this is hard. I've traveled a lot thanks to my degree days and B's postdoc days. I managed to cover almost all of Northern America, Canada included and 5 countries of the EU when we made a road trip in 2003. The best places were...

1. New York. Yes, the Big Apple. I could totally live here. I loved everything about it. I even went here twice!
2. Switzerland - Interlaken, Lucerne, Geneva, Zurich . Rolling snow-capped mountains, bluest sky you'll ever see in a lifetime, fresh crisp air, big fat cows rumbling on well-kept grass, huge lakes that seem endless plus the best milk and cheese that I have ever tasted, bar none!
3. Italy. We travelled all over Italy for a week covering Venice, Rome, Lake Garda, Florence and Pisa. Best pasta and gelato I have ever had!! Can you believe it that a cone of gelato was only 1 Euro! I whalloped a minimum of 3 each day. They tasted like heaven, every time. Yes... every time.
4. West Coast, US. B and I went for a 3 week holiday. Felt like a movie star when we walked the Hollywood Boulevard, visited the infamous Alcatraz in San Francisco, got wet through at SeaWorld in San Diego, window shopping at Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills. Best! Best! Best!

Four of My Favorite Dishes:

I'm not a fussy eater and an adventurous one too!
1. Japanese food. Yupp... I'm a nutter over anything Japanese
2. Any kind of noodles. I'd always pick noodles over rice, anytime!
3. Iqbal's Briyani. This small shop located in Leicester is a gem! They serve excellent, fluffy briyani rice with equally delicious, succulent, moist lamb. Simply the best!
4. Seafood. My all time favorite would be the stalls at Kuala Kedah. 4 thumbs up and al cheapo too!!

Four Websites I Visit Daily:
1. I'm vain so I visit mine daily. Just to see who has read my blog. Hahahah...
2. Yahoo Mail
3. Maybank2U
4. Blogs listed in my Favorite

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. At home with Zareef, which I am
2. A spa. God knows how much I desperately yearn for a good massage and someone to just spoil me rotten.
3. By the sea in a Mediterranean country which is doable coz B is having a conference in Cyprus sometime in May. Gotta check my account balance and see if I can spare a few thousands. Sighhh... baru check. Nope. Not gonna happen. Hmm... but Redang will do.
4. Shopping either at the many, many factory outlets in the States or Bicester Village.

Four Bloggers I Am Tagging:
Anyone who hasn't done this who's reading this right now. Yes you, you and you. hehehheh...

Boilermakers

I know this post is long overdue. Many things happened that has rendered me temporary blogging disability. Firstly my ever loyal Toshiba laptop conked out on me after it was struck by a lightning. Plus, I don't know what the hell is going on with the Streamyx. I have not been able to go online for several days which has totally irritated me. I got so pissed, that I called the hotline to complain. Ye lah, dah bayar mahal2 every month kan, dapat connection seciput je. Camni baik pakai dial-up. Yes Along, it has been a nightmare using the Streamyx for the past two weeks. Baru yesterday boleh log on. I seriously pity the guy who had to listen to my complains. His ears must be bleeding.

Anyway, we had a dimsum buffet to bid farewell to Yaya who is going to embark on a life journey. She'll be heading to Calgary to join her husband who has been transferred there. Yeahh... dah ada port kat sana. I'll be sure to ask B to find a conference there so that I can join him and we can bunk at your place. You did say yes. Hehehhehe... So good luck living there ya!

I could only manage to snap a couple of pictures before my Ixus ran out of juice. So enjoy....

Meeting Shu, Bobbi and Mac

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet my girlfriends at MV without Zareef tagging along. Where was he?? He tagged his dad to see his Wan (B's mom) at Subang. How did I feel? FREEDOM!!! Yeah... that's what I felt.

Don't get me wrong. I truly love my son BUT when I've been with him from day one uptill now (he's four this year, by the way) every single minute every single hour every day, a few hours alone did wonderful things to my soul.

I enjoyed walking and yakking with my close buds without Zareef trailing and whining. I enjoyed eating my huge bowl of curry laksa while yakking (again!) with my friends without worrying about feeding Zareef. I enjoyed immensely going in and out from out store to another with my crazy girls while yakking (goshh... we women do yak a lot, don't we!) without having to keep a watchful eye over Zareef, worried that he'll go wandering and get kidnapped by crazy people.

Eventhough it was only for a mere 3 hours, I came back feeling refreshed, filled with renewed love and passion for my boy an husband, appreciating them more than ever. Tu baru 3 hours, imagine if I were gone for the whole day or even a week for that matter.

Anyway, we went to Shu Uemura to try on some makeups. Not one of the sales rep approached us to ask us if we needed any help. Instead, one did but from our behind while religiously following us or eyeing us with her watchful eye in case we popped an eye shadow or two in our bags. They were rather unfriendly and didn't even bother to make an attempt to be nice.

Then, we made a beeline to Bobbi Brown. Surprisingly, we were greeted with a warm smile from one of the sales rep. Since she did make an effort to make an eye contact, I started asking her about some of the products and told he that I particularly love their lipgloss range. Then she showed me a blusher cum lipgloss and she even applied it on me! Along and Liza looked on and oohhhhed and aahhhhed at me. Both of them said that it looked really natural on me. Hehehhe... free makeover for me. I even told the sales rep that she is way friendlier and nicer than the people at shu uemura. She glowed and thanked me. That should make her day. But seriously, this isn't the first time that I got a great treatment from the people behind Bobbi. The first time was at Subang Parade's Parkson Grand. They were really nice to me too even after I've tried some of their stuffs and walked away with nothing.

We moved on to MAC. Equally friendly and helpful but they didn't offer to try on the products that we queried on us. So, minus one point there. However, I do love the feel of their eye makeup. Talk about good quality stuff!

That's it. I'm going to save up and buy Bobbi's stuff after this. Not just because of their quality makeup but also due to their helpful and friendly staff that made a world of difference. I truly felt appreciated. That certainly made me a very satisfied customer.

Presenting Our New Home

It's just 15 minutes away from UPM. So, B would not have the stress of making long commutes from Klang anymore once we've moved in. It's ours after the bank had finally called us last week confirming that our loan has been approved. Alhamdulillah!!

It's an odd end lot. The land at the side is not that big. It's just about 8 feet. When we visited it yesterday, B and I have already made plans on designing our garden. B left it entirely to me to design the garden of my dreams. Hehehehhe... this should be fun. I'll do all the creative work while leaving all the toil and labor to B.

Zareef having a feel of the house. Although the land at the side is just 8 feet wide, we are well compensated with a huge piece of free land at the back courtesy of Majlis Daerah Sepang. We've already decided to turn it into our backyard where we can sit down and relax after a hard day's work. I was thinking of building a wakaf in the middle enclosed by clusters of fruit trees and a patch of herb garden.

That's our house, No. 74 Jalan... erk... can't remember pulak. Anyway, the CF is out and the keys are due to respective owners today. How I wish our loan is all finalized. I'm just itching to get in there and start decorating the house, laboring it with all my tender, love and care. It will be a long and laborious work but I'm sure I'll love every single minute of it.

Potty-Training Zareef Imran

Mama Farizal asked me how did I potty-trained Zareef. Well, to answer your question, I waited and bid for the right time to do it. But let me stress that each and every child is an individual. Therefore, as their moms, you know your child best when he/she is ready for the huge milestone. What I'm writing here, is purely based on my own experience with Zareef.

Last year, when Zareef started talking eloquently, I thought I could potty-train him. Me, being the religious reader of babycenter.com and all books alike, I thought it was the right time. But... I was sooooo wrong!

Zareef was only 2.5 years old then. Although he could talk and say whatever it is that he wanted to say, he would seldom tell me when was his time to go to the loo. So, I bought the Pampers Pull-Up pants and told him that he's a big boy now. Mummy bought special nappies for him to be potty-trained and to tell Mummy or Daddy whenever he feels like weeing or pooing. Hell, Mummy even bought the baby seat to be put on our loo for that matter.

The first day, he was excited. He even managed to say out twice that he needs to pee. But it soon stopped there. Everytime when I asked him whether he needs to wee, he'll just simply shake his head. But at the end of the day, I would always find his nappies to be wet and heavy. I was furious with my boy but that was that. I couldn't possibly punish a two-year old for wetting his nappy, can I? I mean, he's just two. He doesn't even know how to control his bladder. So, I gave it a rest. I told B that Zareef is not ready yet. It wouldn't help at all with me screaming down his throat everytime he forgets to tell me that he needs the loo thus making me seem like a monster to him. It would just make matters worse. Plus, it was winter at that time hence the cold weather requires visit to the toilet more often and not forgetting that our home then was wall-to-wall carpeted. So, it would be a horrible, horrible job cleaning up the carpet every two hour or so if accidents do occur.

I waited and waited quietly bidding for my time. By then, friends would make a snide remark or two on Zareef still being on the nappy although he's already three. But, did I care? Nah!! I didn't give a hoot about it. My son, my problem. If he were to pee everywhere in the house, would you be there to clean up after his mess? No? I thought so!

When we got back home two months ago, to our despair we found that Zareef couldn't fit into the Pampers XL nappies (despite me lugging home what seems like bundles of nappies from the UK). That's it then. Potty-training time, again.

We told Zareef that it's time for him to be potty-trained, firmly this time. We told him that he's a big boy now and no nappies could fit him anymore. Since he was a year older and a little bit wiser, he could understand and he was willing to have a go. We went out to buy briefs for him at Jusco (menyesal aku tak borong banyak2 underwear cartoon characters kat mothercare before balik They were going at 3 for the price of 2! Damn!!).

The first two days was a disaster! He would forget entirely what B and I have repeatedly told him that is "Cakap kat Mummy or Daddy kalau Zareef nak kencing tau!" We would caught him peeing in his pants. Nasib baik rumah nenek dia lantai marble sumer. Very easy to clean up after him. To teach him a lesson, I let Zareef feel the discomfort of having a wet pants. Then I told him "Kalau Zareef tak cakap Mummy nak kencing, nanti seluar Zareef basah. Do you like it?" He would feebly shake his head. After three days of feeling drenched in his own pee (which he is totally geli about), he picked up quickly from then onwards.

Now come the trickier part, teaching him to poo in the toilet. It has become Zareef's habit to hide quietly behind curtains or sofas everytime he does the No. 2. So, I told him that he has to poo in the toilet bowl. He refused at first but I told him that if he doesn't poo in the toilet bowl, he would make a mess in his pants and it would be soiled. "Would you want your pants to be dirty and smelly?" to which he shaked his head vigorously. And so, I slowly showed him how it is being done (Yes, you do have to show them. Or else, how would they know the right techniques of doing it. It does sound gross, but believe you me, it works like a charm! heheheh...).

After weeks of diligent perseverance, whackings and threats, I can proudly say that my son is now a pro at potty-training. However, I still put him on the nappy at night when he goes to sleep (Thank god for Mami Poko's XXL!). I don't trust him enough to not wet the bed because he still can't control his bladder in his sleep. But I'm taking it off soon because his nappies have been dry for the whole night for quite some time now. Give it a week or two and he'll be 100% free from diapers.

So there, that's the story of Zareef. If you plan to start with your child, a sure indicator is that he/she is ready is that your child has a dry nappy the whole night through. Next, please make sure that:

1. They are old enough. Yes the books say you should start at 2 or 2.5 but I say BULL! Girls would usually start earlier than boys. The safest bet would be to start potty training your child after their 3rd birthday. By that time, they can understand better and comprehend what you're trying to teach them.

2. You are firm. Don't start potty-training them one day and then put them in the nappies the next day. Your child would be confuse.

3. Your child can say out clearly that they need to go. It's no use asking your child to tell you that when clearly that he/she is unable to say it.

4. You put them in their underwears. Not pull-ups like what I did with Zareef. Even if they imitate underwears, they are still nappies. Your child wouldn't fell that they've wetted themselves if they wear the pull-ups. If they are in their underwear, they would know what's the feeling like when they have to pee and the consequences of not peeing in the potty.

5. Be very, very patient. Although I do admit that Zareef did receive a few blows from me but it was after tens of times of telling him. You would have to endure countless times of cleaning the floor, tracking down where the pee starts and ends and changing them like 10 times a day.

6. Do it in an environment that your child is most familiar with. Eg. your home. If you plan to go on a holiday, then put it on hold. It's not advisable and fair to the child because again, they would get confused and you would end up blowing up a fuse. That is why I waited till we were back in Malaysia.

Hmmm... I think that's about it. Again, these are all based on my experience with Zareef. Yours would be different. Ultimately, it would all boil down to your child. So, good luck Llah!

No title would suit this post because...

it's a mixed-up post. I realized that I've not written anything about us settling down in Malaysia. So, for record purposes (future reference in case I forget), let me jot them down although not in order because like I say, it's all mixed up... I think I'll work my way backwards.

1. Zareef has been potty-trained. Yeayyy!!! Now, I can use the money that is usually spent on his nappies on the Home instead.

2. I went for an interview at GSM for the post of an administrative officer in corporate communication. It was set at 8 am and I arrived nice and early albeit some butterflies performing a tornado in my tummy.

When I arrived, there were a number of interviewees already there. All of us (about 25 of us) were ushered into the lecture hall. We were given forms to fill and.... an essay to complete. Bloody hell!!! To write an essay on the spot at the wee hours of the morning is certainly not my cup of tea. Not when my brains refused to cooperate and come up with any ideas on "Why do you think GSM needs the services of an administrative officer (corporate communication)". I didn't remember what I wrote but I do remember bull-shitting all the way. Hah! I hope they won't ask me what I meant in my essay because I sure don't know what I even mean to write.

Waited for a long time for my turn. When it was, I was bombarded with way too many questions. I was grilled until I can be grilled no more. The main issue that struck them was me converting from an engineer to a corporate administrator. I tried my damnest to convince them which I think, they didn't really buy it. After an hour of interview, the panel had really squeezed and exhausted my brain up to the point where I could only smile and say nothing. Imagine being bombarded with questions upon questions from all corners of the board room with only a few seconds to spare. Damn! my brain was tired and my tongue was dry. Tak bagi chance langsung!

When I got out of the board room, I had the feeling that I would have to find another job. What is it about these people that they can't grasp that an engineer CAN switch to do mundane jobs! Called B and we had lunch where I poured and whined and whinged my heart out. Oh well, I've done me best, kalau ada rezeki adalah. Kalau takde, I'm off in search of other jobs then.

3. Last weekend, I met with two dear friends to discuss some business propositions. InsyaAllah, we're all set to go. It's hard work going into the business where we know there are many, many who are well rooted and established but we're diving into it anyway, all heads two hands and feet. When we've worked out everything, I'll let you know ya! Hell, I'll even lead you to the website and give out our business cards.

4. Chinese New Year holiday was well spent with my entire family at Janda Baik. My parents, three brothers (sans the eldest) and their family and mine made our way up the rambling hill and lush forest to my uncle's place. We spent a night there. We had an awesome time!

The kids including their mums and dads had a whale of a time splashing in the cool and pristine river. Then, we headed off to the deep forest to visit my cousin's goat farm. The goats and their kids are so adorable! The kids (anak2 kambing) were so tame that we could even pat them like they were cats and not forgetting very clean and gebu because my cousin made sure that their pens were cleaned everyday.

At night, we pigged out over a barbecue and literally ate under the stars. It was so beautiful! For pictures, please go here.

5. Raya Haji was a family gathering of sorts. Yours truly got to meet all her aunts and uncles and cousins that she has not met for almost 4 years. They too, got to meet Zareef and gaped and gawked at me for putting on so much weight. Yeah... what's new eh?!

6. It took a month for Zareef to really settle down in Malaysia. Prior to that, he wouldn't stay in the same room as his atok and nenek. He would act hysterically if ever left alone in a room with my parents or B's mom and brothers. He refuses to shake hands with or talk to anyone. He didn't want to take a shower using the tap water, saying that it's too cold. So, his daddy had to fork out some dosh to buy and install a hot shower (daddy dia pun mentel jugak, kata sejuk nak mandi pagi2 nak pegi keje... chehhhh blame it on the son konon!). He was jetlagged for a month (and so was his mummy... hehhehhe...). He misses his Merc soooo much that he cried and cried for it on the first day we got back home. He refuses to go to school, saying that it's far, far away. He kept on saying his best friends' name, Abg. Firul, Sarah, Yana, Danish and Haiqal. None of his cousins here are his friends.

Now, he has warmed up tremendously to his atok and nenek (my parents) because his atok would bring him to the playground on his bike. His nenek would play throw and catch with him. At night, Zareef would play hide and seek with them. His atok and nenek are going all out to make him feel comfortable and settle down quickly so that I can go out and find a job.

However, he still refuses to be left behind alone with any of his grandparents which left me wondering, how in the world am I going to find a job with a son who kept on saying "Mummy tak boleh work. Mummy stay home with Zareef la. Daddy je yang work". My dear son, if it were up to me, Mummy pun malas nak keje but I can't. I have to work as we have just bought a new house and I can't possibly let Daddy work to the ground to earn all the dosh alone. Plus, Mummy needs her own money to spend as not to have a public enquiry everytime she asks Daddy for money to buy things. Isn't that what husbands are for? To provide for his wife and children? So B darling, jangan lupa bagi nafkah zahir kat I ye... even when I start working, be a sweetie and do provide me with some stipend.

7. How about B? He has been featured on the front page of Utusan's Mega a while back (please refer to my previous post). He's been complaining about the daily commute from Klang to UPM (sampai demam2 you!) Well... what do you expect. Masa kat Loughborough, boleh la drive 5 minit dah sampai. 15 minutes if you walk. Kat sini, commuting an hour to and fro is a norm. It'll be a different story when we move, though. It'll take only 20 minutes drive from the Home to UPM. So, lets pray that our loan will be approved soon and we can move in asap as the house is about to obtain its' CF anytime soon.

8) Me? I'm still adjusting to the weather. Even when we were at Janda Baik, when everyone else was cold and all wrapped up, I was feeling hot and bothered. Panas punya pasal, Dad installed an air-con in my room a day before we got back.

I finally got to pig out on all the food that I've missed and craved for the entire 3.5 years which then resulted in B and I coming down with food poisoning. Hahahha... our tummy just couldn't take it anymore.

It took me two weeks before I would even dare to drive around. I was so horrified with the Malaysians' attitude towards driving. Sekor2 macam pelesit. F1 drivers wannabe konon! Chehhh... I wouldn't mind if they keep their horrendous driving to themselves but when it comes to the point of endangering my family, then that's crossing the line! And, don't they ever learn about the yellow box? It irritates the hell out of me when people cram into the yellow box when you're not suppose to. I've a good mind to call up the police and have them come down here and ask them to stand in the yellow box everytime the traffic light turns red. Bagi saman sket orang2 yg masuk yellow box nih! Buat my neighbors and I susah betul nak get in and out of our housing area.

I still miss Lboro tremendously but I'm learning to let go. I'm learning to acclimatize myself to Malaysia. Yes, it's hard but I'm trying. Sometimes I forget and act like I normally do when I'm in Lboro like giving way to pedestrians and I get honked from behind by irate drivers. Thanking the cashier lady at Tesco and seeing their look of surprise. Cleaning up after every meals at McD and throwing the rubbish into bins with everyone around staring at me like I'm an insane person or something. Pushing my son in the MacLaren in the malls although he is getting too big to fit in with others gawking at me thinking that this boy is too old to be sitting in the stroller. Having a heart attack everytime I pay for groceries as I was so use to spending only £10 for a basketful of goods and now I have to pay RM100 for the same amount. Goodness! The numerical value is indeed something that I need adjusting quickly.

So, yeah... it's hard but we're getting there, slowly but surely.

B in the News...

Again!! This time it's on the front page of Utusan's Mega. I've never ever bought Utusan before but for this time, I'm making an allowance for it.

Now, to walk or drive to the Mobil near the house. Hmmpphhh... I think I'll walk. Some exercise will do me good.. hehehhe...

I am So PISSED!

at MPPJ. Yupp that's right. Especially at their parking system. So, allow me to rant, aight..

Yesterday, after having a splendid lunch with Lin at Midvalley, we went to Victoria's Secret Warehouse Sale at PJ. I dragged Lin actually because I know she would want to go (she being a VS worshipper and all).

After navigating through roundabouts, small lanes, junctions and traffic lights, we finally made it to Jalan Tandang (that's where the warehouse sale was held). Parking was a breeze and I quickly found a spot right in front of the building where the sale was held.

The sale was quite a bargain. One VS bra for RM19.90 and 5 VS panties for RM 10!! Their lingerie were going at RM20/2 pieces. There were Nike Dry-Fits for RM39 a pop. Levi's jeans going at RM 39/pair. Shirts by Billabong, CK and DKNY. I was quite disappointed with their Osh Kosh selections. They were only selling OK jeans for ages 6 and above and they weren't even nice.

Opppsss... I digressed.

So, after happily paying for our stuffs we headed towards my car and what should I see... but a guy in a blue shirt with a gadget in his hand standing in front of my car. I was shocked! I quickly ran towards him while waving at him frantically to let him know that I am coming, leaving poor clueless Zareef with Lin. But that guy boleh buat tak paham je and terus print out a tiket and tucked in behind the wipers.

I almost fainted when I saw the amount. It was RM 100!! Bloody hell!!! I could buy 5 VS bras with that kind of money. I argued with that guy

"Encik... takde signboard pun tulis kena bayar parking". Which is very true! I looked everywhere for a signboard. There weren't one in sight on the side of the road that we parked and even on the opposite side.

"Ada, tu kat sana"
"Mana?"
"Tu bawah pokok sana"
"Laaa... mana nak nampak. Saya carik parking meter yang kita masukkan syilings tuh".
"Sini takde. Awak kena bayar kat orang bawah payung tuh".
"Mana saya nak tau. Kalau ada signboard kat sini or kat sana, dah lama saya bayar parking". And I pointed out to him that there weren't any signs whatsoever indicating that you have to pay for parking within 100 m radius of my car.
"Saya tak boleh buat apa. Saya dah print tiket so tak boleh cancel. Kalau awak nak komplen, pegi buat rayuan kat kaunter. Saya tukang check parking je".
"Mana boleh camni. MPPJ tak letak pun sign suruh bayar kat area sini. Tiba-tiba datang nak saman je".
"Orang kat sini sumer tau kena bayar parking camne awak boleh tak tau?"
"Saya bukan orang sini. Ini first time saya datang sini. Mana nak tau kena bayar parking kalau takde signboard or parking meter tempat masukkan syiling tuh! Kalau MPPJ letak signboard kat setiap block, mestila saya bayar. Takkan saya nak kena saman saja2 pulak. Ingat saya bodoh ke!" (Time ni aku dah hot sangat2!!)
"Awak jangan komplen kat saya. Awak pegi komplen kat kaunter". And he walked off!!! Boleh tak?!!

I was so angry at that time I couldn't help myself that I had to let out "Eiiii... fucked up giler la!!" to which he turned and gave me a venomous glare. Arghhh... lantak ko la nak tengok tapi MPPJ punya salah la. Sape suruh tak letak signboards terang2 kat every blocks!!! I would have paid you know! I'm a law-abiding citizen and takkan la aku nak free2 bagi duit kat MPPJ pulak. BodoohhhSSS!!!

Just to prove my point that MPPJ were careless in putting up signboards notifying the public to pay for their parking, I drove the whole stretch of Jalan Tandang. Guess what... for the whole stretch that was about 2 km long, there were only 2 signboards! 2!!!! And what makes my blood boil was that the place to pay for your parking was to a guy sitting under an umbrella who was in plain clothes at the start of Jalan Tandang. Mana la aku nak tau kat situ kena bayar parking. Ingatkan mamat mana la jual goreng pisang kat situ. At least, do wear the proper official uniform or put up a proper sign la. Ini tak. Memang saje nak mengenakan orang! And what if those who came and parked their cars at the very end of Jalan Tandang, takkan nak kena jalan all the way up front to pay. These MPPJ parking people can be so stupid sometimes that it's almost unbelievable!!

I was so fucking mad that I drove straight to MPPJ. I was lucky as they weren't close yet. I parked while Lin went to find the counter to pay for the fine. She, as me argued too.

"Ramai betul orang kena saman kat Jalan Tandang hari nih"
"Ye lah, orang ramai pegi sale kat situ. Sumer orang luar. Mana nak tau kena bayar parking. Kenapa tak letak signboard terang2 so that orang tau kat situ kena bayar kat orang bawah payung. Dah la tak pakai proper uniforms."
"Ohh... tu la satu kelemahan MPPJ." Goodness!! Is that all that she can come up with??
"Banyak la ye dapat untung hari nih. Kalau dah tau ada kelemahan, improve la. Letak signboard banyak2. Ni kat sepanjang jalan tu ada 2 signboard je. Jauh2 pulak tu. Kalau macam saya parking kat tengah2, tak tau pun kena bayar parking. Buat la pondok bayaran kat situ yg betul2. Tulis besar2 'PONDOK BAYARAN LETAK KERETA MPPJ' kan senang."
"Cepat la bayar. Kaunter pun nak tutup." She dah malas nak layan la tuh.
"Berapa kena bayar? Tak boleh kurang ke?"
"Paling kurang saya boleh bagi RM 30 je. Kurang daripada tuh, nanti saya yang kena bayar". Wah Wah Wah... minah ni perli balik pulak.
Lin paid and we walked off. She insisted that she pay half of the fine as she too were there to shop. Syukur Alhamdulillah dapat member camni.

So there. I've ranted. So to anyone who is working at MPPJ, please do improve on your parking signages especially along the roads near the industrial area. It is such a simple yet effective thing to do. I will definitely come back in 6 months' time to see if you've done so. If you haven't, then it proves that you are just out to get at the innocent public! No?

The TOUGHEST Decision Ever!

I have made some hard and tough decisions in my life but all are pale in comparison to this particular one.

Like the time I decided to switch from A-Levels to doing an American degree thus breaching a scholarship agreement. That was a no brainer. I had the time of my life in the states and managed to score an engineering degree from a top university with a CGPA that I'm very proud of (goshhh... I'm sounding rather vain here, aren't I?)

Then there was this one time when I decided to call it quits at my company where I had to serve 10 years because I put family first before my employer by following B to the UK. That was a hell to pay but Alhamdulillah, I persevered and so did my family.

Now... this is the damnedest of them all. Even B can't decide. We've slept, ate, drove, walked, scoured and prayed on it only to be still stumped by it.

I have to make a decision by 1 pm today or else, it'll be gone. Someone else will eventually get it. It's all about the future roof that we're going to put on our heads. It's no joke man! Buying a property that is.

When we got back 5 weeks ago, we've scouted and turned every single new housing development within 20 miles radius of UPM upside down starting from day 4. Us, being the fussy ones, will always find fault with the development i.e. it's near a power line, near a landfill, near the pasar borong, next to the main road and so on. Until we've seen one particular housing estate, there were very few that met our unforgiving requirements. But now, we have two! Tu yang makan tak kenyang, mandi basah sikit2 je and tidur tak lena (this one literally happened to me because when I woke up yesterday morning, I had a really throbbing headache just dreaming about the two houses).

Unable to decide for ourselves, I dragged my parents to see the two houses yesterday to show them the confusion that has boiled up and the state of predicament that we're in.

HOUSE 1:
-Freehold, 22 x 75, 4 bed 3 bath, odd end lot with 8 ft of extra land at the side and huge space at the back of the house courtesy of Majlis Daerah Sepang where we can convert it to our own open backyard if we want to, open space plan, on a bukit, lots of parking space for guests if we ever hold a kenduri or open house, a safety bumper right outside the gate so I know for sure that cars will be slowing down, requires lots of time, energy and money on renovation and beautifying the extra land.

HOUSE 2:
-Leasehold, 20 x 100, 4 bed 3 bath, intermediate with only 5 feet at the back and a seciput garden up front, very open space plan to which I have to use my innovative and creative mind to create depth in the house, gated community, well designed gardens and good future plans of facilities and infrastructure, 24 hrs security which I have to pay RM 80 every month, not much of a parking space for visitors, it's situated near a cul-de-sac which is good as I don't have to worry about cars ramming through at high speed, no renovation required on the outside and just a seciput garden to maintain.

Huarrghhhh... now I really feel totally and utterly confused. I love house 1 because of the extra land and it's a freehold. Period. But I also love house 2 because the built-up area is 2800 sq ft. The living and dining is so huge that Zareef can cruise in his Peg-Perego without any obstruction plus I just love that the master bedroom is humongous but the downside of it is it's a leasehold. Price wise, house 2 is cheaper by 3k which doesn't contribute to the decision-making factor.

Arghhhh... decision, decision,decision. Please God... give me a sign. Any sign to make it easier for me to decide.

___________________________________________________________________

It's 4.25 pm now. A decision has been made about the house that we'll be purchasing and call it Home. I would like to thank Nong, Lara and Along profusely for providing me with valuable insights, point of views, input and key questions that has made this decision possible (on my part as I couldn't decide which house to go with in the first place).

B and I have decided to go with House 1. Phewwww... I'm so glad that this is soooo over. No more heavy clouds over my head. B is at the sales office now paying the booking fees of 3k. Then, we'll have to come up with the downpayment in 30 days time. Gulp!!

The CF for our Home will be out by end of this month. So, maybe just maybe, we'll be able to move in by March (wishful thinking, Nora!). So now, I would have to save every single sen for the Home. And I mean it! No more shopping sprees (Oh help me God!!), eating out lavishly, spur of the moment purchases. Nothing! Nada! Zilch!

So B, congratulations on our newest purchase. May we live long, happy and prosperous in our new Home.