Silent Night (And Days..)

I suppose it is the end of the "season to be merry" for me - classes have started again on campuses and that means the boys have all gone back for classes except Eirfan of course.

Last night we sent off the last of the three whose classes will start on Mon. Registration is today though.

Eirfan is again on his own - no more tagging along and moping around the house with the abangs. Cant act so "macho" with his friends anymore either - he does that whenever the abangs are around. He refused to get out to the padang and when friends came to invite him to play he always said no (punya lah seronok nya abang ada kat rumah..)

The house is silent again - no blaring music or game sounds from the pc; no hungry prowlers in my kitchen; no sounds of door / floor creaking or anyone tiptoeing in the late night.

I can always tell when classes have started..

*****

A Gloomy Sunday

Woke up this morning with a premonition that it might not be a good day today (trust an emotional person like me to say something like that!)

I guess we are not going for our morning walk today - it's a wet morning - it rained last night; which is a good thing as the weather has been hot lately. Wondered what I should do for the rest of the day..

Come to think of it, I could bake the cheese cake that I wanted try; I have the sour cream it needed but not the cream cheese - Giant doesnt have the kind that I like when I was there yesterday.. or maybe I could re-pot my plants that bordered the neighbor's house - I need more shrubs there to block the view a bit more (if I know him, he'd be washing his car in a short while - he does that without fail every Sun.. dont get me wrong - he's a good neighbor actually)

Or maybe I should start digging the ground for my vege patch. Or should I visit the bookstore? I saw a cd that a friend was looking for the other day and I could get a book or two for myself too. Come to think of it, I have lots of books I borrowed (ie that means trashy junks..) the other day - I've finished 4 and have 2 more to go and I do plan to finish them before Christmas..

Or maybe I should visit the mall - they say shopping can cure a lot of ailment, after all.. I also have my bead project that need completion - I could finish that..

Or maybe I'll just sit here near my pond with my coffee (nes-lo actually) blogging away with Gwen Stefani entertaing me with her rendition of 'Early Winter'.. (this beats surfing at Starbucks hands down any time. Dont you just love wireless technology..?)

*****

Time Out

We took time out from everybody's busy schedule and went to see / ride on the Eye On Malaysia last night.

It was quite daunting actually once you are at the very top of the wheel and when it made its way down towards the ground again. The line was long - maybe everybody waited till the last minute to ride it.

It reminded me of queues at big amusement parks but surprisingly the management of the long lines was quite efficient considering we are in Malaysia.. (a cynic that I am..)

As usual, of course I've got photos..

There is just a small flicker of KLCC..

The eye changes color.

Standing in the middle of the eye

From a distance

*****

Raya Again

This aidil adha was very very simply celebrated. Not much to tell unlike the previous aidil fitri.

But as usual, when we celebrate raya at home we manage to get interesting / fun photos..

*****

Cool!

Had a chat with a friend last week - oh, about this and that..

As she got up to leave, she said 'You ni cool lah..'

I beamed. I thought it's cool to be called cool. Thanks to friends who make our days, huh?

*****

Trying To Be The Happiest Woman In This World

Now how do we go about achieving that? - to be the happiest woman in the world?

Recently I found a book with that title - "The Happiest Woman In The World". It is actually a book of reminders written by Dr A'id al-Qarni and was first published in Riyadh. It is quite interesting.

After finishing the book and then thinking about it, I doubt I am the happiest in the world.. Nevertheless, I am left with a bit more contentment with what Allah has bestowed upon me.

Dr A'id is also the author of the book "Dont Be Sad" - a bestseller. The description of the book says "It is full of practical advice on how to repel despair and replace it with a pragmatic and ultimately satisfying Islamic outlook on life.It exposes to the modern reader how Islam teaches us to deal with the tests and tribulations of this world. So, take heart and hold firmly onto the rope of Allah."

I was thinking of buying it some time ago but when I looked at the price, I had second thoughts about it.. I think I should ask my sister to look it up in the library the next time she goes there..

Lesson of the day : Being happy does not come easy. It is not about having more; but to be more appreciative of the things that we do have.

*****

Something I Dont Know About..

I am currently doing some reading on - you'll never guessed it - secularism. Hummph.. it is a tough read because first, it is a serious subject and second the subject matter is discussed by Yusuf Qardhawi.

If you know me well, I dont usually do this reads - it is too serious for me. But I am plowing on.. I suppose I am thinking that having lived for almost half a decade it is time to be serious about well.., stuff..

*****

Finding A Place To Call Home

Do you feel like sometimes life is a huge void?

Maybe I should sign up with Mukhriz on Aman Malaysia to make the world a better place - or maybe join Tian Chua for a more liberalized Malaysia or maybe.. the list is endless but only true self can decide.

Zana, are you reading this? You should go into advertising..

*****

Just Us Girls

Went out for scones and some English Breakfast tea (all thanks to our tutor Dee..) at Bangsar today. 'Twas nice girls. We have to do this again soon; but with proper waiters and all at the other branch.

The scones just now wasnt as d'lish as the ones we had before, kan? And unfortunately I terlupa nak tangkap gambar laa.. And nobody else remembered either..

*****

Winter Wonderland

Isnt this beautiful? (I got it from the web - not on my camera - sob..)

Lately when you turn on the tv there's bound to be a Christmas programme showing.

Christmas reminds me a lot of things too - chewwaahh - well, most importantly it reminds me of winter time, obviously.

Christmas reminds me of winter and snow and lights in the streets and winter sales and snow storms and looking out of the window at the snow falling outside and yet remaining warm inside within the apartment.. and on and on. But surprisingly it doesnt remind me of the freezing temperatures. It also reminds me of the first so-called "going away" party which also happened at Christmas coincidently.

I find winter with snow magical and fun and full of fond memories.. Yeap, I'm doing a roll-back to some twenty years or so ago..

*****

Save The Hills!

If you've been driving around Melawati, you'll noticed the hills have been levelled to make room for more (and more..) houses.

.

I really hate that - there goes the greens that have always been associated with the area AND .. the lorries are horrendous - they go fast, they bring dust and they are dangerous - they have in fact knocked down the stop sign AND a couple of lamp posts at the junction close to home! Luckily there were no one was hurt - THIS TIME!

.

Thus the house owners, us inluded, had summoned the developers for a meeting and warned them that we would get a juncture for site closure if they do not behave. So there!
.

Anyhow I was in Pasar Tani last weekend and there were a few people asking for signatures for a petition to save Melawati Hills - of course we signed up!

*****

A PNB Affair

Iman got problems with her ASB account - none of the agents at the banks know what's wrong but her account is non-active. So we went to PNB to get it sorted out. Turned out that some of her documents are missing ie not collected by the agent - that's why.

PNB scrutinzised all her legal docs which made me so mad. If they need a copy of her IC then get the copy but do they do that? Noooo - they act like they are the JPN instead and wanted to look at the sijil warganegara under the microscope and etc etc. Now, are they implying they do not trust the JPN? Blah.. blah.. I can go on and on..

Nevertheless, so as not to lose my temper I read the papers (I cynically said - no wonder newspapers are strewn around the waiting lobby ie they need the investors to be diverted a bit from the red-tapes.. they dont accept cash so we had to find a post office then come back to finalise the transaction - is that ** or what? cant find a word for that..) and walked outside. There was a big tent and nasyid was sung.

Turned out Raihan was practising there for their show later. So I snapped their photos.

.. no, the fact that Raihan was there didnt soften me one tiny bit.. unfotunate actually because they are really good even at practice..

*****

Busy, busy..

Well, I've been thinking (.. uh-oh, thinking has always gotten me into trouble..) that since I've finished painting the living room and potted the vege plants that I've bought (although I dont have the vegetable patch yet) and made those bangles and cooked some new stuff.. I want to do something else.

I have been thinking that I would like to start planting some orchids. I had bought a few pots some years ago and they had.. died. But that doesnt mean I cant try again, right?

Maybe I will just take a slow drive to Sg Buloh and see what plants are available there. Anyhow it has been ages since I've been to the nurseries.. Or maybe I will drive to the orchid farm in Serendah and see what they have got there.

*****

At Istana

We went to take pictures at the Istana Negara - the boys were resigned to the fact that they had to follow me there with Eirfan..

.. the gates were open and there were outriders waiting outside. HRH might be leaving for somewhere..

.. with the guard..

*****

A New Voice

There seem to be a new muazzin at the mosque. Occassionally he would be calling for prayer and he sounded very much different from the regular voice.

I'd give him an 'A' for his efforts (he stretches himself during the azan) but maybe a 'D' for results (can I say something like pitching dia lari? It does..)

I remember an ustaz who compared a muazzin's call to prayer with the singing of a celebrated singer. He said if the azan is called 'correctly' (I wouldnt know how to define correct) it would / could be the most amazing sound that we'd hear.

I think he has a point.. the azan, especially for the fajr prayer, could be so soulful at times, dont you agree? And I hope the new muazzin wouldnt take too much time to improve..

*****

The Good Old Days

I found Ms Warwick's 1967 "I say A Little Prayer For You" and 1968 "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" and also 1984 "Heartbreaker". Not forgetting too from Iglesias' equally golden era "Begin The Beguine".

Along the way I came across Andy William's "Moon River" (which is oh, so dreamy) and his version of "Fly Me To The Moon" and of course "Love Story"..

Which reminds me of the guy in office whose ring tone is the theme from "Love Story".. Is he a man or what? - I mean here is a guy who is not shy about his ring tones girls..

*****

It Came To An End

I've been preoccupied with a lot of things lately - like painting the living room as I've desperately wanted to do for so long - and been a bit creative ie I've designed a few bangles (designed? sounds glamorous for the humble couple that I did) and doing cooking and more cooking for the boys.

Nevertheless..

We got a call from someone close today. Her divorce proceedings finally came through and she is finally and irrevocably divorced. She cried.

I didnt shed a tear. He wasnt man enough for her. He made her life miserable for years. Ignoring the kids. Carelessly leaving all responsiblities for her to shoulder. Her / The kids' lives were in turmoil for years. If I had any tears, that would be for the innocent children who didnt understand and who were emotionally affected by it all..

She bought a new house and planned to move in there next weekend. All the more reason for her to cry, I think - the house that represents the most fragile link between them is finally gone. It really has come to the end.

I told her not to look at this as something that has ended. But as a new beginning instead. A new and exciting life for her and the children.

I pray she'll be fine in her new home. I wish her and the children all the happiness, peace and blessings from Allah..

*****