Ramadhan is back!!!

Yeay!!! Ramadhan is here again. Time for more good deeds, hopefully. Every year, it is the same resolution for me. To khatam Al-Quran again... alas, never materialise... huhu... so this year, I hope that I can achieve it, so wish me luck peeps!!! 

This is my second Ramadhan in Khartoum, the previous one was challenging, being in Khartoum and such, so this time around, I hope I am prepared to face all the hurdles. The kids are pretty happy about fasting here. They take everything in their stride, as usual. Not much fuss. I do hope that Arif can cope with full-day fasts, considering he is now eating everything twice the usual amount since we were back in Malaysia. And everybody has been commenting on his weight-gain ever since we came back. But Arif being Arif, he just smile his smile and brush off people's remarks... :)

Bazaars will be held twice a month like before and there are many new faces who will be selling, so I can't wait for the first bazaar - a hiatus from cooking, that's why. 

In view of the arrival of Ramadhan Al-Mubarak, I would like to wish everybody, happy fasting and may all your good deeds be rewarded by the Almighty Allah.

The Making of Blueberry Cheese Tarts at Min's House

I must confess, I was a bit nervous initially while on the way to Min's house. Not because that I don't know her that well but what if I was not able to make the cheese tartlets all on my own. You see, Min has warned me that she will be guiding me but everything must be done by myself - from the beginning. So I will have to make the pastry, the cheese filling, bake everything and piping etc with my bare hands... and of course with Min as the audience. Hah... coupled with the feeling that I will be laughed upon if I make any mistake (nothing serious, just embarrassment, most likely, and no, I will not die of shame) and Nekrock will obviously be enquiring both of us the outcome.

Turned out that Min is a good sifu. She gave me the instructions, prepare the ingredients and I was ready to show off my culinary skills. Hahahahahaha... probably the skills of a 1st Grader. We were jabbering away while doing the pastry and soon after Min was laughing her butt off when I made some mistakes, I had trouble holding the plastic pipe - I have never done any piping before, and my cheese fillings were somewhat flat. I was laughing too... hehe... for making those silly mistakes. But Min was very encouraging. If I did something wrong, she would show me how it was done (a few times, sometimes) and I would follow suit. All in all, it was a good class. I had a wonderful teacher, so what could go wrong?

Peep, thus I would like to share the pix taken today. I had gobbled at least 5 of the tarts and they taste wonderful. Thanks Min for having me as a student and thank you for sharing the knowledge...

Good News

Was out the whole day, accompanying my friend to the hospital to get the latest result on her breast cancer. Alhamdulillah, she's cleared. So next step - radiation and she has been scheduled for a 5 day-a-week radiation course for 3 weeks. She underwent a scan again to map the radiation area and walllahhhhh... we are done for the day. Ooooppppsss NOT!!!!

We headed to KLCC for me to sort out the monthly parking charges and found out that it has been overdue for 2 months and I had to fork out RM360 for it. Hummmppphhh... there goes my allowance... but wait - maybe this is a sign for me to visit KLCC more often. Hehehehe.... that's definitely a sign not to be ignored. Next stop, One Utama. We ended up celebrating the good news with a buffet at the Seoul Garden (it was a good one, I may add) and shopping. Covered the entire OU - old wing and new wing and by the time we headed home, I was in dire need of a nice hot shower and a good night sleep. But it was all worth it, the good news, the food, the shopping and the good company.....

Aida's Little Man Birthday Do cum Nekrock's Cucu(s) Meet, Finally

Everybody has been excited lately, finally the meeting that the shopaholic girls at Nekrock's Boutique has been waiting for, has arrived. Aida invited us, the cucu, for Khalil's birthday party today and as soon as the clock struck 3pm, I was off to fetch Farin from her office. Luckily, she was transferred to KL (or rather, she was dying to be transferred, hehehehhehe) from Kuantan just a few days ago and her office is located at Kota Damansara, which is a stone's throw away from my house. 

After the hugs and kisses with Farin, we headed to Aida's house. Aida provided us with a map to her house and it was pretty easy to reach there. Guess what? Both of us were the earliest to arrive - at 4pm. Berkobar nye pasal kan.... Min called up to say that she was still at the PLUS highway, Seremban, to be precise. So, not very long then. I had earlier during the day picked up the Cara Berlauk I ordered at Damansara Jaya, trust me, they are really good, I can gobble a few pieces at one time (huh, talk about food and I love em), so passed the kuih to Aida and we talked and talked and talked....

Surprisingly, it was easy to connect with Farin. She's the bubbly type and we got on very well. It was like in the chatbox, but in person. So of course, during our chat, the topic of handbags is something that we would not miss, and not to mention Nek. Well, that was how we met, so it was to be expected. Min arrived soon after (Min can make you laugh, a lot, and her comments, phewwwwww...) and we were soon oblivious to other people. Hahahahahhaha. Also to be expected. Food was simply secondary, it was the joy of meeting each other that showed on each of us. Min brought her famous cheese tartlets (these  are simply fabulous) and Nek sponsored the cake and cupcakes that her daughter-in-law made. Gosh the cupcakes are beautifully decorated and Khalil had his Thomas-the-tank-engine birthday cake. :))

People came and they went and we were still at Aida's house. Reason? We were waiting for Iffa to come and when the sweet Iffa arrived, the cucu were all there. Ina, Ereen and Lieen could not make it so only 5 of us were able to make it but it was an enjoyable gathering. Aida, thank you for having us at your house, Nek, thank you for the cuppies and cake (they were good) and to the rest of the clan, we should meet again soon ;-)

Farin surfing Nekrock's boutique?? Or searching for photos??? hmmmmm...

Khalil's Thomas Cuppies

Min's Cheese Tartlets

What's left of Khalil's birthday cake, courtesy of Nek, and made by Puspa, Nek's daughter-in-law

Satay, sedap gilerrrrrrr

Cuppies by Puspa

Cara Berlauk

Mihun Goreng

Iffa with Bambam (errrr tak bam dahhhhh)

hmmmm Farin still staring at the photo eh?!!

Khalil wants Gordon!!!

Danish's Birthday

Hmmmm... Danish is finally 4 years old. How time flies, he is a year older and I am not getting younger either. And I must remind myself, he is not a baby anymore, so I should stop treating him like one. But it is really difficult doing so, I cannot stop mothering him since the elder boys are now entering the teenager stage (Thaqif more so than Arif) and they would not like me kissing them in public that much ;-) and Danish is the one who always tag along with me wherever I may go. I can even ask him about a handbag and he would either say, it's gorgeous or not. And he will be the one saying, "Mama, mama asik tengok handbag je" because he is usually by my side 24/7 and he knows what I do, day in day out.

So when he asked for a Ben 10 birthday cake, I was like phewwwwww!!! It costs a bomb if I order it from Secret Recipe and besides, nobody would be able finish the cake and it will be such a waste. So I resorted to the next best thing. I went to Bagus (bakery supplier) and managed to get two Ben 10 edible sheets at the price of RM12. Danish chose the pix himself so, I hope he will be satisfied with what I have in mind. Next, off to Secret Recipe to find a whole cake and ended up with New York Cheese Cake and I got the girl there to just place the Ben 10 edible sheet on top of the cake. Whalllahhhhhh.... a Ben 10 birthday cake. We decided to have dinner at Italiannies and when the cake was served, Danish blew the candles with a happy face.... and it made my day (and night!)... so remember, Mama loves you so much and no matter what, I cannot stop mothering you or Thaqif or Arif, for that matter.

Danish trying hard to cut the cake

the finished product *winks*

happy boys, I have...

Breast Cancer

A friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer recently and the news jolted me from my reverie. She is a close friend and has helped me a lot, and I was at a loss on what to do, what to say and so on. I wanted to comfort her, but I don't know how. So, I did what I do best. I took her out shopping and dining. I don't know if she was comforted or not, but I didn't want her to be alone and I wanted her to know that I am around, if ever she needs me... I don't pretend to know what she is going through, but I know it must be rough.

She had the operation done this morning and spent a few hours there. I wasn't able to accompany her as I am currently in JB and the op was done in KL. But a couple of our friends were there so I was glad she was not alone. I was also dreading the news after the op. Has the cancer spread? Or not? What stage is she in? And finally I got my answer - her lymph nodes are all clear. Alhamdulillah... Next stage? Probably radiation therapy. Another challenge but fear not dear, we are here to support you.

So to all women out there, get your mammogram done asap. I am going to get mine done as soon as I am back in KL. It is better to know than not knowing at all. Btw, here is one article about breast cancer - click here, so happy reading.

2 Weddings and a Doa Selamat

Arrived JB quite late on Friday night as the highway was all jammed up right from the Mahameru highway all the way to Seremban. The kids were pretty starving when we arrived at the Seremban R&R and we decided to have dinner at KFC. As soon as we arrived in JB, we were greeted by hugs and kisses from my mom and dad. Phewwwww... I have just realised, I missed them terribly and the kids did too. The kids were ecstatic to meet Atuk and Nenek and vice versa. I couldn't help but smiled... Both Atuk and Nenek didn't get enough sleep that night, attending to their grandchildren, one wanted apple juice, the other wanted something else and Danish wanted Atuk to himself. Hehehhehehe...

We were up late the next morning and left JB for Batu Pahat rather late in the afternoon. Went straight to my second cousin's wedding in Bagan (ok, we were late, but better late than never kan) and had Nasi Ambeng. Perghhhhh... sodap!!! The kampung house has a "kolong", a void under the house - sort of a basement but sits on the land itself and the  wooden house is built several feet above the ground. The kids had a blast there playing with the "bunga manggar" and running around the huge compound. My parents were happy to meet with all  our relatives, reminiscing a bit here and there and then it was time to go. 

We went straight to my grandma's house in Peserai (still in Batu Pahat, not far from town) and she was really happy to meet us. I didn't have a chance to visit her during our trip last December due to limited time and of course it was high time for us to visit her. There is nothing more that makes her happy and I could see it in her eyes. I wish I could've visited her more often and I would do so while I am here.

That Saturday night, we went for the doa selamat as another cousin was getting married on Monday. Menu was white rice with fish sambal, asam pedas and a lot more. I was filled with glee simply by looking at the dishes. hehehehhehee... Met a few more relatives, reconnecting with more people and then back to grandma's house. Of course, I had a good night sleep bearing in mind the food that I have ingested... sigh... makin tembam la...

Sunday was a wet day and we started the day late. I was supposed to take my grandma and my aunt for check-ups that morning and of course I missed it and my mom and dad ended up taking them. Everything was ok, both of them got their hypertension meds but nothing to worry about according to the doctor. My grandma is about 80 years old I think, and although she can walk on her own, she still needs someone to watch over her and my aunt, Mak Zah is the one staying with her 24/7. Luckily another aunt, Mak Yek, lives behind my grandma's house, so there are people close by that they can rely on.

Later after Zuhur, we left Batu Pahat and headed to Kluang for another cousin's wedding, errr probably a niece's wedding. I am not sure anymore of the ties, we are not that close, so a bit difficult to zoom into the exact relationship, suffice to say that she is one of my relatives. hehe.. Had Nasi Beriyani at the wedding and we left soon after.

Arrived back in JB exhausted and a few loads of laundry to do. sigh... but all in all, it was a good weekend, a lot of ticks on my to-do list and I am happy :) 

Danish's Unfortunate Accident

Danish sustained 2 deep gashes late last night. All because I was about to stumble off the stairs and due to reflex, accidentally pushed him (he was in front of me) causing him to fall face first against the edges of the stairs. Sigh.... My overwhelming guilt does not help the situation either. 

We were supposed to spend the night at my in-laws' place, instead we spent the night at the Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital. When the GP took a look at his cuts, he advised Danish to go for stitches under the general anesthesia and since he had just had dinner 3 hours before the fall, he could not have it done during the night. So this morning, the plastic surgeon, Dato' Dr Jalil, stitched him up and the whole procedure took about 15 mins to complete. 

BEFORE

a bit anxious

  posing!!

pretending to be asleep

just before going into the OT 

AFTER

still sleepy after the GA

A mere 15 minutes for everything to be completed but I could not sleep peacefully last night knowing that I was the one who caused it to happen. Which mother wants her kid/s to suffer due to her fault? None, that I know of. Sigh... I wish I could have reversed time and prevented it from happening. I wish I was watching where I was going and not stumble. I wish it was me who fell... I wish for a lot of things but I believe everything happen for a reason and this is just a minor test from Allah. All that I can hope now is that this incident will not happen twice and I would not want to experience the anguish again.

I love my kids deeply and I am truly sorry Danish, for allowing this accident to happen.

I'm Baaaackkkkkkkkk

Back in Malaysia!!! Woohoooo!!! Since Friday afternoon, actually. Came home, tired (after all handling 3 kids without my husband along was really challenging) and inadequate sleep. Hah.. economy class kan... kaki sakit la, pinggang nak patah la. Luckily the journey was only about 9 hours plus and I had Mek Na, Kak Nia, Kak Ina Wahab with family to accompany us. Otherwise, I honestly can't say, probably I would have been detained in Dubai for screaming my lungs out at my kids. Not that I didn't feel like screaming, mind you. One wanted Ben10 chocolate, the other one wanted sweets, later another one wanted some other things. And Danish... Danish wanted everything. Every single item that pleased him... sigh... kopak nak oiiiii...

My parents in law met us at the airport and of course, our luggage were too many to be dumped into the Perdana so Mekna and I decided to share a van to Kota Damansara. Of course there was barely enough space for the passengers but we managed as the kids went off with my in-laws. Reached my messy home feeling elated, of course, after a period of time spent in Sudan, anywhere in Malaysia seems like heaven. Hehe... my in-laws decided to treat us with Roti Tisu from Kayu.... wahhhhhh... sedap giler. Licin beb!!! Didn't even remember to take pictures. Sorry peeps!!!

Although I was tired, the kids wanted to go out, so I relented. Had sushi for dinner, went to Tesco to buy a few things and that was already around midnight. My hubby called a few times checking on us (probably because he was bored and was wondering what his wife is spending his money on) and also to ask where the salt is located at - yeah, after not cooking for like ages, he had to call la kan. 

All in all, I am happy to be back, the calendar is starting to get filled up and I can't wait to go shopping!!! Oooopppssss... already done that and more to come!!! Hahahahahahahaha...

Goodbye

Saying goodbyes are always tearful for me regardless who is leaving. Mata merah, bengkak, air hidung meleleh... adehhh... These past few weeks, one friend after another went back to Malaysia for good, leaving me behind to face the ups and downs in Sudan.... sigh... Tried putting up a brave face, failed every time. Hmmmppphhh, hampeh. 

So, another friend left Sudan yesterday. K.Adek arrived here about the same time as I did circa December 2009, perhaps a few days earlier. She is known for her cooking especially making soups. All kinds of soup, you name it. Bakso, Soto, Nasik Air, Sup Tulang and various other recipes. In short she must have loved cooking so much that I would usually get invitation from her for morning coffee, tea, lunch errr not dinner though.. hehe... a seller at the bazaar, a Petronita cook, eeeee macam-macam lah. She is one iron lady, she braved all challenges without fail. So I will definitely miss her cooking and her presence here. Errr don't think I will ever forget Annual Dinner! :))

A few weeks ago, K. Maz and K. Maria left. Next 2 weeks, Najwa and K. Masdiana leaving. And since I hate goodbyes, I decided to go back to Malaysia next week, on 20th May. So that I don't have to face goodbyes anymore. I will be back here in a flash (believe me, 2 months are not long enough) and a few more empty apartments will welcome me back. Ugh, not a welcoming prospect, I know.

But life goes on whether you want it or not so better make the best out of it, not that I won't be seeing them in Malaysia, in fact, K. Masdiana has invited us to come over to her mom's house on 15th June for a makan-makan session. Something to look forward to besides seeing my parents and shopping :)

To those who have left and going to leave, will definitely cherish all those happy moments always and hope that the friendship that we built will last.