What? What? Whaaaaaaat?

I just had to get out of the house yesterday. You know how some people are lucky to clock out at 5 pm and forget about the office. My job, on one hand, requires me to be online almost the whole time of my waking hours, and a major part of my sleeptime. On the other, I have a house to maintain in considerable, livable order while it is being continually messed up while I am actually cleaning up. In other words, my job does not leave me nor can I leave it. All that just so that I have a little dough to put aside for rainy days and shopping days. Ok, ok, it's more for shopping than the rain okay?

So I badly needed a break after a few back to back, back-breaking assignments, while trying to keep my faculties in check what with Aishah interchangably slipping into some kind of toddler nightmarish frenzy one moment and an absolute angel the next.

I decided against a soupy noodle dish called Mee Thye Mak which I thought might soothe my mental fatigue for Iftar and opted for Swensen's to lick the Yummy Raisin (with fake rum) off its cup clean.

Twas still early so the restaurant was not jam-packed yet. It's funny how a lot of mid-scale restaurants for our blue-collared budget here arrange their tables so close to each other that a mere pop of a tiny fart can be audible two tables away from you.

I chose a corner with a high partition that cordones off most part of the restaurant, you know, for little privacy. Apart from a lil din in the atmosphere it was rather cosy until a party of mother and daughter found the table immediately next to us.

I was intent on having a relaxing dinner but my plan fell flat on the floor as Aishah decided to play, let's-toss-the-salad-in-the-air game and whining obnoxiously, endlessly. She gets like that when she is self-conscious. That lady sitting next to our table kept staring at me and Aishah back and forth exchanging comments with her daughter. CA and I were already feeling hot in the head, supressing the urge to snap and throw a sarcastic remark. I even role-played in my head how I was going to poke that lady's nose with my own and then throw her against the glass wall- a scene from a retro Jackie Chan movie. I got so edgy, that the monster in me prompted me to straighten my back, drop my cutlery and stared back at the lady. I think it worked as she lifted the menu book and hid behind it. The whole time after that she cowered down behind the menu while the daughter spied on us on her behalf. Eh, tak reti-reti lagi tu...I stared back at the daughter and later she too hid behind the menu book. In the end, I managed to finish my Salmon Teriyaki without any more drama.

Sheesh, nasib baik I tak tukar jadi Incredible Hulk or Suria Perkasa Hitam. Eh, jadi Space Cop Gaban pun cool eh? Just don't mess with this frazzled, hungry, dog-tired, chocolate-deprived Mom of a toddler. Thank you very much.

Strange Meme

I don't really see the point of the meme, but then I've been tagged.

I am IT.

So just like any of my bendulful impulsive acts, here it is.

For you, Nadya.

The Rules:

1. Go into your archive.

2. Find your 23rd post.

3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).

4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.

5. Tag five other people to do the same.

My 23rd post was actually my long pot-pet entry about being nice to each other. Reading it again made me shudder, as I am reminded of the ensuing repercussions of my statements. The drama and the sticky mess that occured thereafter.

Here's my fifth line...

"I have been observing passively like a spineless coward, the ruckus over nitty gritty things almost with voyueristic fascination and had kept my protests very quiet in order to avoid conflicts with other people"

YIPES.

I am tagging :

kakteh

who has just been freed from the shackles of the big D

kak tenah

who needs a little break from her Permanent Head Damage paper

iJun

just because

anuarfariz

who's been waaaaaaay too quiet

foxymophandlemama

because I miss you

Mission Accomplished

I have always wanted to put my name on a book cover. You know, something to show-and-tell my anak cucu, so that one day they can say, hey, that's my Makwo's book. Heh.

Although I must warn you that I am just making baby steps into publishing, so there are definitely teething problems. Like they say, those who can't write, edit. But I am sure a lot of editors out there can and do write. I am just testing the waters. Don't get mad if it is not up to scratch.

I am just happy that a book that consists of real life accounts of nursing mothers is going to be launched this Saturday. This is a book that tells you things like it is, or at least, that's the intention. Nursing a baby isn't always a clip from a Baby Johnson's advertisement. The snags of motherhood can be really a drag and horrific. There are also tips and alternative treatments to common nursing problems.

Most importantly, this book goes to show how people who have not met each other in real life, only via an online forum, a mailing list and email can really do something big together. What makes it even more heartwarming is that this is a book for mothers by mothers. Syabas, to the contributors from Ummiku Sayang and especially Nae, for being there for me during the darkest moments.

And to Kak Teh, for keeping me company during those graveyard hours. I am especially grateful to Allah for salving my guilt of taking time off from Aishah with the birth of this book. I just hope that my intention to share inspiring nursing stories with others in hope that more people would nurse their own babies into toddlerhood justifies all that time I spent working on this at Aishah's expense. Luckily for me, I have an understanding husband who practically lets me do whatever pleases my crazy little head(as long as I let him keep his marine tank and play music. Heheh) and inlaws' who practically let me get my way and spoils me rotten. Alhamdulillah.

Oh, I have so many people to thank but I do not want to risk sounding like an acceptance speech for an imaginary Oscar. So I'll just say this, all of you who have helped me make this happen, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

Click this to find out more.

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Sigh....

Am just back from visiting my Mom. She has been feeling a little under the weather. I have not recovered from that pang of guilt I felt when I hugged her before I left Bangi. Something on her face tells me that she did not want me to go back to Singapore yet, sort of longing for me to make what she is feeling at the time go away by some kind of magic.

I am not in the best shape to update properly just yet. You guys take care okay?

Pesanan Dari Penaja

Adeh, lenguh senyum...Dah ke belum?

Mari kita main stare-stare, sapa kelip mata dia kalah eh?

P.S: That's Safa', Aishah's best friend. More ads soon!

Anak Abah

Ma: Aishah, it's time to talk to Allah. C'mon, time to say Allahu Akbar.


Aishah : Okay, Mommie.
Where aaaaaaaare youuuuuu Allah?
Yoo Hooo....Where are you?


Ma: Come here and stand on your sejadah, lah nyot nyot ! C'mon, let's ask Allah to help us make Aishah a clever girl.


Aishah: Allaaaaaah...please , please make me aeroplane, please. Aaaaaamin.

And then she ran off to Abah who was busy tinkering with the fishtank chiller.

Aishah: Abah, look, look Aishah is chee yoooot. (cute)

Abah: Eh, eh anak Abaaaaaaaah.

Apa saja anak abah ni...

Mak Dara Berembun

Gebangite Naz with Gebangite Raudz

Newbie

The Gebang Gang is pleased to introduce its newest addition, Tety G, elder sister to our Ely Greenfield. She managed to tear herself away from her lovely daughters for a night out with us gebang girls, after having prepared a scrumptious lunch for everyone at home. Ely tells me that Tety could use a break, so here we are.

CA was generous enough to take time off tinkering with the fish tank to mind Aishah for me. Like they say, the way to a man's heart is through his tummy. After a huge pancake breakfast and pasta marinara lunch, henceforth the only way, was my way. Heh heh heh!

So happens that Mija, CK's friend came all the way from KL to visit her, CK could not join us for the Tabung Amanah Aidilfitri Mega Warna Concert. So we arranged to meet at Secret Recipe, Plaza Singapura before which I managed to do a supermarket sweep at M&S and Body Shop with Tety. Initially, we had intended to go to Shahi Maharani, but we did not want to miss the buy one free one promotion. Alih-alih, they ran out.Sheesh! I am so disappointed with the restaurant because the ran out of a lot of things. So sorry peeps!

After dinner, we grabbed a cab straight to the Kallang Theatre. It was really a bizzare experience because the cabdriver thought it was funny to say that we were going down with the newly repaired Nicoll Highway as we were ascending the elevated highway. Alhamdulillah we got there in one piece, greeted by other mak dara and anak dara dressed to the nines with no children in tow. Wah, imagine how many babysitters and husbands gnawed their nails at home that night.

We gleefully walked hand in hand, Tety and I, giddy with excitement because this was a rare moment that we mothers get to go out without our girls, malam-malam pulak tu. As we walked towards the entrance, Noreez gestured at someone and called out my name. And there he was, my long lost friend, Nor Kamal Hazami. It was really overwhelming, I almost hyperventilated, to see that friend with whom I shared great many fond memories as struggling student artistes, 18 years old we were then, when we had great big dreams of making it in the music industry but had to get our studies out of the way.

Hazami, my vocal sifu, with whom I spent hours and hours training by roadsides, stairwells, playgrounds and over the phone during holidays before I could get over stage frights and got great big breaks at places I never thought I'd be romancing the microphone. At that time, "gospel choir" style singing was in fact very rare in Malaysia, we managed to do something out of the ordinary. Oh, the good old days. After we both completed our preparatory education, we went separate ways. It was last Sunday when old friends reconciled and connected just like old times. I must thank Allah and Noreez for orchestrating this precious Jejak Kasih moment.

The reunion was not to be brief. We carried ourselves, Noreez, Raudz, Tety and I, well enough to pass off as Hazami's entourage. Like hyperactive groupies, we cheered him on while he went through soundchecks and obediently tagged along all the way into his dressing room. Hazami was indeed still the Hazami I have in my heart. His cheeky sense of humour is ever so heartwarming. He quickly put everyone at ease with his banter. It was amazing to see Raudz's face light up everytime there was a punchline. I was sitting at one corner giggling like an airhead. There was just so much to say, so much to catch up on. It was really unbelievable. I also learnt from Hazami that Safri, the Malaysian answer to Tevin Campbell is also doing very well, singing while managing a hospital. All that singing at the carpark paid off huh?

Hazami, Mak Dara, Adik Dara, Kakak Dara and Mak Dara-Dara

When it was time for Hazami to wow the stage with his vocal prowess, the four of us mak dara and anak dara scurried off to our seats and cheered him on like obnoxiously hysterical groupie, flashing out cellphone LCD just so he could see where we were seated. Later, we learnt that he had to try hard not to break into a guffaw watching us behaving like overzealous fans. The icing on the cake was when he dedicated a song to me. God help me, I hope nobody noticed my presence in the audience, I was behaving oh-so-juicy for paparazzi, it might not look good on Melodi.

Peace to the World!

Like all working artistes, Hazami had to leave as soon as he finished his performance, rushing off for another engagement. We quickly left our seats and and went straight out to see him off. It was really like a secret rendezvous whereby we had to be ushered to the basement foyer away from public scrutiny. We sang our goodbyes in the form of a medley, while Tety hopped into their ride to show them the way out of Singapore. Incidently, prior to the show, they had got lost on their way to Kallang. Raudz wished she lived in Woodlands, just to be in the same car as her current interest, and I am not talking about Hazami.

Just as we saw them off, the three of us, adrenalized by what just happened that night, sat down on the steps in front of the Indoor Stadium under the somewhat starry skies while waiting for CA to come pick us up. We chatted a bit and suddenly it dawned to me the hikmah of all that has happened since the Gebang gang first met. There is a definite bond between us. God meant for me to be gregarious, rambunctious and fun-loving, that is why He sent me Noreez, Raudz and CK. As we excitedly talked about the birth of the KL Gebang Gang and new additions to our small group, it is just empowering to know that my blogger family is growing. Suddenly Singapore is less grey and less sterile for me.

Mak-mak dara like Tety, CK and I really do cherish all the fun-filled moments away from the monotony of our lifestyle with that dash of youthful energy that is so Raudz and Noreez. Thank you peeps!

Soon the Mak Dara are only too happy to be reunited with their own anak-anak dara. My anak dara really thought I had run away from her. After a lil pep talk, my anak dara still thinks her mommie is a star. Oh, what a night!

Back to planet Earth!

Ramadan Mubarak one and all.

Of Kebaya and Kurung

You know, there is still a great number of norms and customs that I observe when I go back to my ancestral home in Melaka, one of which includes making sure that I dress up appropriately when visiting my elders. That would mean a modest baju kurung with headscarves and strictly no pants.

I learned that the Malays have this romance with the kain after having graduated from loincloths and/or whatever the people from the early age wore that is before the discovery of woven fabric. For the women, it was the kemban that was synonymous with the image of a Malay girl living on treehouses as recorded in post-colonial history books. Kemban is actually a Balinese traditional attire before kebaya came about. People from various parts of the archipelago were also big on this strapless, shoulder-baring sensual concept of beauty. In fact before the internet age, before anything electronic came into being, kemban-clad girls were the subject of interest for raging testesterone.

With the influx traders coming from all ends of the world, the Malays began to conceal most of their bodyparts with different fabrics and styles. Islamic traders who spread the word of Islam further encouraged people to cover up. The adaptation from jelabiyya and whatever the far east and west brought upon our shores was localised and soon became part and parcel with adat istiadat. After years of wearing kain batik, pelikat, dewangga or what have you, somebody adapted the style of salwar kameez and made pants out of the sarongs by cutting and sewing the middle part of the sarong creating what we know today as seluar. Of course by this time the Malays have seen the practicality of wearing pants. However it was never questioned why women at that time could not wear pants. These pants are then paired with slip on blouses that probably have Gujerati and Chinese influence. We girls got stuck with the airy and sometime clumsy kain worn with whatever that can kurung and ikat our body.

Baju kurung have many names based on its specific style namely cekak musang, teluk belanga, empat saku, pesak sebelah, gunting jubah, kancing tujuh, and belah bentan. Depending on one's social strata, during the days of our forefathers, the penghulu adat will make sure one observes adat pakai Melayu, which simply means that there is a certain way one should dress according to one's social protocol. In other cultures, dressing up a lady in the past has always been a tad bit tedious. In adat pakai melayu, dressing up a man is taxing nonetheless. Imagine, upon discovering that the seluar, before the invention of thongs and CK briefs, orang kebanyakan were only allowed to put on thin and cottony fabric, so in the hot sun, what's beneath the seluar leaves very little to the imagination. So it was ruled that the baju and seluar has to be worn with a samping. The anak raja, pembesar and orang patut-patut could wear their samping kneelength while the orang kebanyakan must wear theirs labuh. In fact, kita-kita dan awak-awak (people like you and me) were not allowed to dress flamboyantly while the upper class had to observe different ways of wearing the destar, tanjak, keris among other ceremonial gears. There were issues of color, material and susun letak to be considered when dressing up.

Another well known baju is the kebaya. Even the kebaya has an interesting history. Said to have been inspired by the abaya, or long overcoat normally worn by Arab women. The shorter and thinner version was made popular in Singalaga, Bali where the kemban girls were advised to slip on a badju and secure the front opening with pins to avoid the roving eyes of expatriate Dutch officers. Soon it became a way to identify who's who. The upper crust and Dutch officials could wear fine fabrics like silk, rich muslin, velvet and brocade, the Eurasians were only allowed to wear white kebaya trimmed with European lace, while the working class and the poor could only wear cotton. Soon the kebaya was made a national symbol for Indonesia, popularized by Ibu Kartini. So much for covering up, the traditional kebaya is worn form-fitting over somekind of body binding or corset, together with a wraparound figure hugging sarong, major hindrance for movement and breathing. One would think, hey, sensual beauty through restrictive clothing has become a thing of pride. Clothes for menfolks continued to be breathier and lighter and more comfortable(thanks to the Ozzies and other beach culture, Malay men nowadays wear bermuda shorts more often than pulicat).

There are many types of kebaya too date, for example, the kebaya pendek nyonya-style that Kak Endon is actively bringing back to life, and then there is the kebaya labuh, also a Nyonya style, where an anak baju is worn under long loose fitting blouse, with kerongsang and cucuk sanggul. In Indonesia, there are a great variety of kebaya for various occassions. The Sundanese version is the most popular, while the Kebaya Kota Baru is often associated with old peasant village women, The Javanese potongan lurus is appropriate for the more ample bodied. Remember when Megawati Sukarnoputri was sworn in, she wore the tight fitting Sundanese version which was considered a major fashion and istiadat faux pas. Rules, oh , rules....pening!

Nowadays, the possibility of improvising traditional kurung and and kebaya is endless. They have been improvised and metamorphasized to myriads of fashionable extravaganza. Some designs even goes back to zaman tak cukup kain and zaman orang tak pakai baju.

Both kebaya and baju kurung are often associated with propriety and manners. While the former became highly controversial because of its form-fitting nature, the latter is often associated with religious festivities.

Ramadhan is just around the corner, my baju kurungs are ready for Hari Raya.

Leher bertebuk bulan-bulan,

bersulam insang pari,

yang ada tulang belud,

yang itu jari lipan,

disemat kancing sebutir,

buah baju tunggal-tunggalan,

yang ada bulat menelur burung,

bertangkai menudung petai,

serba molek dibawa majlis dipakai santai

potong pesak gantung

paras lutut kelam bayang melintas anjung

kain bersusun ombak mengalun

tertib langkah sopan santun

cantik berseri baju kurung

tatarias adat pakai Melayu

pantas anggun buang yang canggung

Maka berkata orang tua-tua....

Kain Melaka dua hasta

Baju raja ke Inderagiri

Bukannya malu dipandang muka

malu hamba diri sendiri

P.S : Kak Tenah, a peek into my shiok sendiri activities.

One Last Bit

I have typed and retyped yet I cannot make myself write about anything else but my romance with food. What can I do? It is not my intention to be a bad friend and entice you with graphic details of the the junk I stuff my face with, oh my dearly beloved expectant expatriate friends, nor am I trying to be cheeky parading my foodie adventures on this page much to the dismay of friends who are trying to psyche up for Ramadhan. Please be kind enough to let me blog about my recent meetup with friends and then I can breathe easier and try to blog about other things, okay.

Moving on very quickly now.

Last Friday, I made plans to meet Uja at Qi Ji, Century Square for a little tete-a-tete over Chinese snacks. I just had to see her again because the last time we met I did not have the chance to pass the kiriman hugs from all across blogsphere since it was really a wham bam thank you ma'am kinda meetup. This time around, we had only two hours before Uja had to speed off to JB for another makan sakan gig. But it was enough to expand my girth all directions like an aerated balloon. I was a little early so I decided to browse around at Exclusively Hers, the whole floor dedicated to all things girly wurly. So I tried that little black thingy in the size I am so accustomed to wearing ( and I am not going to tell you what size I wear), and found it oh so oversized!!! I had to get it in two size smaller!! Wowee...And I am proud to say, I was not in any GI or diet save for ganti puasa. And by now, you all would know what and how I eat right?? That's a morale boost indeed. Dropping dress sizes, having eaten so much at that. So I rewarded myself with that nice black thingy, and a long beaded necklace to go with it. I leave it to your imagination how I would use that necklace.

While wrestling and detangling the knotted lil black thingy out of my ample anatomy, Uja called to tell me she's reached Qi Ji. Made my purchase and ran down to my favourite place to buy goodies for my inlaws. And there she was, looking ravishingly fresh, not unlike those faces you see stepping out of spas and beauty parlors. Mind you, this lady knows where to go to have a little girly pampering for the price of a regular meal. So rather than that perfunctory so-called professional handshake we just threw our bumpers at each other and locked in a oh-so warm an embrace, I was on the verge of getting sappy not unlike a grandmama. And then just like the last time we met, Uja asked me the question that's a sure fire way into my heart,

"Apa kau nak makan?", what do you want to eat?

So we ordered giant popiah basah, with prawns and extra chilli, soon kueh and chee cheong fun. We had to stop at that before I go overboard and order mee siam, mee rebus, tauhu goreng and what nots. So like a guru besar, Uja told me to cerita-ceriti because she was in the mood to listen. That wasn't very hard. You know how I can bebel kan? And I have grown up to be quite obedient, you know?( Iza Sofia! Stop sniggering this instant!!!)

After we makan until we terbodoh, Uja suggested that we look for some chi-chi coffee and chit chat some more. She made me order low-fat latte, and I halfheartedly obediently said okay. Low fat and Nazrah don't really get along. But then Uja's gebang prowess kept me captivated. While I gulped my low fat latte to the last dregs, oh, I pimped it up with extra syrup, Uja only drank half of hers. Hey this woman on a diet or what? Yes Ayu, I know, I know, we should keep a healthy diet. Quit rolling your eyes already. I brought my besar gedegak camera but sadly, I forgot to load the battery in. So no pictures lah, Uja took some, so maybe I'll post them later.

A latte and potato chips later, it was time to go. So we did a major boink-boink hug session, one from Kakteh, one from Ely, one from Maknenek and one from me before we parted ways. Ha? Empat aje dia tanya? Well, let's just say the whole of Sentraal Station was there in my big embrace.

After that I went to the supermarket to get some groceries, and picked up some more goodies for the peeps at home where a dinner of assam pedas was waiting for me. We were all so stuffed that immediately after isya' it was lights off!!

The next day CA enticed me to follow him to this aquarium at Upper Changi Road to view this 2 foot tank, before which he had wanted me to try out this new Yong Tau Foo joint. It's called La Mian Yong Tau Foo. I must say it's a pimped up place for fish products in somekind of soup. I have pictures but blogspot won't let me upload. Bleargh! And oh, CA bought another fishtank. Please God, save my poor soul! As if 11 children was not enough! You wonder why Aishah has no adik? She has 10 tiny swimming ones...all with the same hippie freestyla temperament!

So anyways, days passed before I could blog again, yet feeling somewhat cautious about writing too much about food. Somewhere in between writing new songs, nursing migraine and PMS, I managed to arrange a reunion with a long time friend Aminah Azira. She had just found my blog recently. I got to know that we got hitched to dashing Singaporeans( kasi kembang sikit cik abang tu) around the same time and that she's been in Singapore about the same number of years I have.

I remember Minah as that cute lil girl with ponytails who really loved cats. There were so many feral cats back then at MRSM Beseri. Imagine, everytime we had a meal 2-3 cats would be waiting inches away from our trays hoping to share our nasi kawah. So some people actually decided to make it a huge project to basmi kucing from our campus. So together with a girl named Farina,who if remember correctly is a daughter of a vet, ganged up to save as many kitties as possible, while another group of kids chugged those poor unsuspecting feline into gunny sacks to be disposed off at the town market. I also remember Friday afternoons in a communal bath, well, it's actually the typical kolah air that 10 people can waddle in. So before the people of Block A washed the kolah as a weekly ritual, they were kind enough to let me bedebush in the pool with them. I was a Desa Ekhwani illegalos.

So we planned to meet after 13 years. The umpan was sup kambing Upper Boon Keng. So happens that CA was taken ill that day, the severe heat was really getting to us poor poor migraine sufferers. But then he had to pop in at the office for a while. So he drove us to Minah's house. When I got there, I got the lift system mixed up but finally found her place. The door was open but nobody was there. Aishah and I gave salaam and yoo hoo-ed but there was no answer. Maybe she was nursing. So I just made myself comfy on the steps outside her house and played pat-a-cake with Aishah, giggling and thinking about all that excitement over a few pieces of pancakes elsewhere in the world.

Aaaaanywaaay, I decided to text Aminah after 15 minutes and she called me back telling me that she's on the way home. Yeay! My soup, my soup!

So we got comfortable as soon as I was invited in. Lovely,lovely home. And lovely, lovely time I had. Gedabak Gedebuk, it was makan time, so I assembled my bruschetta and she had let me use her broiler. While waiting for the cheese to melt, I had a grand time playing with Aaqil who is such a darling. He reminds me of Aishah at that age. An Energizer adrenaline machine indeed. As usual looking at baby boys made me feel all broody again.The kids took a while to warm up but there was not that much drama. Good girl, Aishah. You did not terrorize anybody today. Minah was busy setting the table.

Soon after, I walloped lah all the kambing I could eat. Muahahaha. I am glad Minah liked my bruschetta. I had brought fudge cake too but then I thought I couldn't possibly eat anymore as I have had my fair share of cake for breakfast earlier.

Two hours went by like the speed of light. It was time to go when CA rang me to tell me that he's on the way. Little did I know, he was actually savouring tau huay downstairs from Minah's block. And by the way, Minah, the tau huay is one of the best he's ever tasted. Second to my favourite stall at Serangoon Garden. So it had to be au revoir for now....almost getting sappy again, we promised to meet again. Longer this time. I hope to introduce Minah to my Gebang Gang so we can go out and melantak sama-sama. Like Noreez says, the more the merrier!! Some Beseri friends are coming over soon, I can't wait for that too!

Okay, that's it folks. My last post about food until maybe Hari Raya. Please Allah give me strength and inspiration to write about other things. But then this weekend I am meeting my Gebang Gang again. How la dey?

Intermission

You Are 20% Weird

Not enough to scare other people...But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

God, how do I start blogging about what I have been up to without writing endlessly about how much food I have consumed over the past few days. I think I would spare the horridly delicious details this time, kesian rakan-rakan di benua lain, kempunan nanti...

Be back blogging later in the afternoon. Thought I should update before people get sick of the gebangite entry below.

Gabbing Gebangites

Aishah, Mak Dia, Y, Raudz,Noreez, Rafthah and CK

Yesterday, I decided to give myself a treat just because. So I figured, wouldn't it be nice to see my lepak gang again. Noreez was on leave, and Raudz conveniently took time off from work to squeeze in a job interview just before joining us. CK and Y welcomed the idea enthusiastically. Rafthah finally managed to tear herself away from her hectic job. Our designated party planner suggested that we meet up at Sweet Secrets(sure or not?).Luckily Noreez arranged to meet me at the interchange, otherwise I might get lost, considering the fact that I am an incurable kancheong wreck when it comes to taking public transportation. My sense of direction is a laugh too. Good thing Aishah enjoyed the bus and MRT rides. We went straight to Secret Recipe. I do remember she had said that we were to meet at Sweet Secrets. Imagine if I were to be left to my own devices, Argentina will hear me cry while I comb the entire 3rd floor looking for a nonexistent delicatessen. CK on the other hand had to walk around blindly looking for Sweet Secrets with a kid in tow. Poor darling. Isn't it very telling how Secret Recipe in Singapore is not yet a household name? Thumbs up for the floor manager, for being very hospitable.

Mini Gebangites

While the Mak-mak Budak and Bakal Mak Budak engaged in serious schmoozing parley, the little ones had a little ngobrol moments of their own. CK brought children's activity books and pencils to amuse the girls while the olders girls share a little tete-a-tete. It is inspiring how composed, calm and collected Y remain despite Aishah terrorizing her. CK is right, I need to be firmer with Aishah. What is a mother to do? Must go and do field study, and watch CK at at home lah laidet.

Dara Pingitan bersama Mak Bonda

Everyone seemed to have a lot to tell, we were jabbering jumping topic to topic effortlessly. Halfway through, I realized Raudz and Rafthah spoke the least. Aiyo, next time must let other people talk, Nazrah. In hindsight, there were stuff that Noreez , CK and Raudz brought up that I need to follow up in an email soon.

Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice

I am wondering what is CK's secret to parenting. Y is such a darling at the table. In fact throughout the meetup, she did not give much trouble at all. Unlike my own adrenaline machine, in below picture, who demands her own way of doing things.

Sundae Slayer

I should have know that Aishah was not interested in the sundae, she just wanted the M&Ms. Sheesh. Some sticky moments occured which is normal everytime Aishah is near food. Lucky for me, supermom CK knew what to do when it happens. I maintained my shameless blurrness. So much to learn from CK.

Raudz@ Soo Nar Tee

Soo Nar Tee and her charge

Y seems to be really attached to Raudz, which is wonderful to see.Wonder what Aishah was up to?Doing sticker artwork on the restaurant chair if not hiding under the table.

Gebang goodies from Noreez, Nurul and CK (Thank you)

It is always Christmas when the gebangites meet. But I must insist, not for the lack of grace of course, that the next time we meet, no expensive gifts please.

What's next?

Great World Nasi Padang jadi ka?

My Precious Boys

Some of you know that I spend a lot of time at the inlaws especially on days that I just can't deal with the Bukit Timah of laundry that needs to be folded. What do I do? Pack up an overnite bag and Tampines, here we come. You must also know that CA's parents are superbly enthusiastic when it comes to extrinsically motivating me to eat and eat and eat. Both of them are great cooks and really know how to enjoy food. That's why I absolutely love them. Another reason that keeps me going back mid-week and every weekend is this.

Abang Izz Irfan and Baby Izz Harris with Pak Long

Now, tell me, who is going to let me have their senduk? Or how does it work again? I want to make rotiBOY!!!! Getting broody again, aren't we? Must be the rainy season.

Map to Heaven

Muwor Part 2 :Bandar Maharani

Tauke Wah San Kopitiam, established since 1931

To top off our lavish lunch, we washed down a cup of molten orgasmic experience christened Kopi 434 by the Kopi Merchants of Muar. It was buttery, mildly sweetened, yet it has enough kao factor to set your eyeballs up to heaven. I was ooh aah-ing like nobody's business, it sounded almost inappropriate according to kopitiam etiquette. The approving look from the tauke allowed me to just let go and let the kopi take me to parallel realms.

The icing on the cake was that everything totaled up to just RM8. Tauke happy, me happy.

Mamak Cendol and Rojak

A few steps from the kopitiam is a makeshift stall that sells cendol and rojak. We were too stuffed to sample any. I later learned from Lollies that the mamak makes the best rojak and cendol. Aiyooo...rugi.

We drove around that little town, I could not help but noticed the remnants of past glory. A rundown cafe complete with a renaissance balcony, perfect setting for a Romeo and Juliet play, aptly named Paris Cafe. An old majestic hotel that might well be where uppercrusts of yesteryear had a ball. The Customs Building is a pretty sight too. Moorish accents here and there, with a little romanesque influence. It has the look of a church actually, but the dome made it look like a mosque.Save for the ugly modern windows they installed, it's magnificent.

I wonder who ordered the glass windows and the awnings?

A few rounds along Jalan Sulaiman and Jalan Abdullah, I noticed that there is a clan-ish aura about the whole place. Like it's been taken care of by a secret society whereby things are done in a certain way, administered by an authority more powerful than the local administration. I am quick at detecting all these things. Lollies happily gave me a little bit of background and I read a bit here and there.

Muar has a colorful history. During the early Hindu empire Majapahit period, Muar is one of its states. Hindu fortuneseekers traveled here in search of gold. The Ortelius map records that Muar was already significantly populated by the 14th century. Not only it was established as a fortalenza for the Portuguese against attacks fro Aceh it was a trading port. Maybe Kakteh has some info about the romantic take on Muar based on Hikayat Malim Dewa-dewa Deman, in search of the Muar princess, Puteri Bongsu. Interestingly enough, my paternal ancestors also dwelled here. Oh you know the Malay vikings from Sulawesi.

As far as the Melaka empire is concerned, Muar proves to be a favourite hideout for the royal family. After Parameswara, the founder of Melaka, murdered the Temasek Sultan, he seeked asylum in Muar and built a fort in Pagoh.

Sultan Iskandar of Temasek also exiled to Muar when he was defeated by Majapahit, building his own Kota Buruk fort at Biawak Busuk. Muar continued to be a famous getaway for the Sultans that one of them chose it as his final resting place. Sultan Alauddin Riayat Syah I's mausoleum can still be found till today. Funny story about the cause of his death, some said he was stabbed by a pin. He must have been gangrenously diabetic, due to all that cendol mamak huh? Some said he was white blooded, like Mahsuri. Dunno..

If I remember correctly, a few of the Sultans' wives were from these regions. So you can say that Muar, is home to many a fallen(in love and in war) Sultan. Even Sultan Mahmud fled to Muar when the Portuguese attacked in 1511.

The father of modern Johor, Maharaja Abu Bakar also had a wife from Muar, hence the name, Bandar Maharani. It was recorded that he planted an azimat, or talisman at Tangga Batu when he officially opened the town, if you are keen on excavating the ancient relic, dig somewhere near the makan place near Muar Bus Station. This place continued to flourish with the influx of migrant traders seeking fortune here. The polarization of races was apparent during the British reign where the Malays stayed in the kampung, leaving the Arabs, Chinese and Indians who did business in town. Naturally there were chambers of commerce, secret societies of mafioso calibre that kept the town in order. If you look closely, you will notice that even the Coffee Merchants has a serious gang going on. We are talking about the coffee cartel. Serious enough to send shivers down your spine, if you are in the commodity business that is.

You will notice that the hustle and bustle down here reminds one of Chinatown, accentuated by architecture that is typical of shophouses found in antique and rustic business districts all over Malaysia. Sadly, conservation of historical buildings here leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, you will sense that the locals are not in a hurry to modernize Muar because of its rich sense of history.

Singaporeans should checkout the upscale kopitiams here, it really puts Yakun to shame. Trust the 434 connoissuers to hypnotize you with the superb coffee, while you soak in the ambience of pseudo-Shanghai glory. The town is also dotted with Portuguese and Dutch influence here and there. And the people seems to be naturally friendly and happening. The girls also have a distinct moon-shaped features on their faces that is so serenely soothing to look at. That must be why Sultans love them huh? It is Bandar Maharani after all.

Muwor Part 1: Mee Bandung

I have a confession to make.

As much as I would like to go on a serious diet (because I obviously need to lose at least 20 lbs to fit into La Perla without holding my breath and/or turning off the lights), I have a problem with compulsive overeating.

Okaylah, let's just put it this way, I am passionate about food, what to do? Or is that an understatement? As you may have noticed, my attempts to lose weight is fraudulent. My love affair with food is so out of control, any talk of going on a diet is a merely a guilt trip that follows a bingeing episode. If I fast, I'd start seeing floating desserts and the only books I would read are recipe books. But there are days like today, I'd just keep to a liquid diet, to detox the junk.

So happens that last Friday I was fasting, and in between chats and emails about jeng jeng jeng and Enigma De'grip (Atiza, check this out!!!), Anedra mentioned that she'd be in Muar for a family function.

You see, it's a bit like the Pavlovian classical conditioning, I am operationalized to react like those salivating dogs, not to bells or metronomes but to names of places and the food they are famous for. Muar reminds me of Mee Bandung Abu Bakar, the same way La Cappuccina, San Gimignano reminds me of wild mushroom and basil risotto. Kangar reminds me of Laksa Belut and the list goes on and on.

So since CA was on leave for Chu Sok, Korean Harvest Festival, I'd rather not let him tinker with the fishtank on my time. My negotiation skills won me a trip to Muar, on the quest for my mee bandung. Woo Hoo! We had Song Pyon , a Korean traditional dish normally served with other Chu Sok delicacies during Thanksgiving, but we ate them like kueh koci for breakfast. Sacrilege to a 3000 years old Korean tradition. Heh.

Rice cakes with lotus seed, mung beans and peanut paste centre

These babies are made in preparation for Chu Sok in autumn

and can be kept through winter.

I enjoyed the drive up through small kampungs, with views of lush foliage and farm animals as we took the jalan lama. Jalan Abdullah was easy to track as I remember my trips there with Pakwe when he was making his rounds collecting rents back when I was a wee one. Right there, next to Klinik Ho, is Wah San kopitiam. The place is exactly how I remembered it, lively with cheeky banter. You come in, and somebody would yell,

" Haaaa, dia dah datang!!!", as if they were really expecting you.

I find that the shop is more spacious now. The ambience is not pretentious, once you step in, you'd feel like you've just entered a place where everyone knows your name (play the tune of "Cheers" in your head please). We ordered 2 bowls of mee bandung, a mild mee mamak and 10 sticks of chicken satay. Unfortunately they ran out of beef and mutton. It was a little before noon and they ran out? I find that utterly strange. So we slurped the lip-smackingly delicious concoction of mee kuning, fresh shrimp, bits and pieces of beef and lungs, fried tau kwa,sprouts, greens, and egg in an amber colored gravy.

The stove is definitely not for the fainthearted, all that caked

reminders of mee bandung from the past cooked together

with your fresh bowl. Maybe that's the trade secret

Pakcik Mee Rebus who took the trouble to clean up his joint

before I was allowed to capture him at work

The masterpiece

But I could not get over the fact that they had not enough satay for me. Hairan bin takjub. Until a shiny, black kereta kebal double parked right in front of the shop and out came a broody character I found very charming in a rogue-ish kinda way, he then picked up packets after packets of cooked satay. That explains the shortage problem. However, he looked especially familiar. I could not place where I have seen his face, but when I peered over to scan the face of that J to the LO-esque lady in the passenger seat, my heart played an African beat. I just knew it was her. So I waved frantically like a mad woman hoping that she would recognize me. She was a bit hesitant to wind down her glass screen and before you know it, she was right there in front of me, J-Lo in kebaya moden, fragrant and bejewelled. The next thing I knew we were locked in a bear hug and she rattled on like a bullet train, telling me how late she was for that kenduri, while I stood there gawking at how beautiful she is, mersmerized and almost speechless. You can bet how spooked our husbands were at the display of such familiarity and intimacy, considering Anedra and I have never met before. Incidently, Kakteh sms-ed moments before that passing me Andera's number, I had left it at home by accident. How strangely the universe works. The Grand Design brought all of us kindred spirits reunited in the strangest of circumstances. Isn't this symptomatic of a Yaya sisterhood?

By the stroke of sheer chance, I am not sore at all about the satay. That brief encounter with the person I have learnt to love through blogs and especially at Ely's Kedai Kopi, is priceless.

P.S: Anedra, I'd be so mad if you are still going on a diet, YOU DON'T NEED TO!

Gendang gendut tali kecapi

P.S : Rotidua, bukan saja percik kat tudung, lipstick pun sengaja kita padam supaya tak bercampur perisa mee bandung.

Day Out with the Sunshine Gang

Bapak had to go for a checkup at Alexandra Hospital, and I managed to persuade CA to take a half-day off yesterday. So we packed the brood for a day out. We had planned to go to Sentosa at first, but since I have arranged to meet my cousin in Woodlands in the evening, we labak-ed at the club instead. While waiting for Bapak to get his stuff done, we had lunch at the famous Everton Boneless Chicken Rice joint at Queenstown. Waaaaa...sedap sehh! I marveled at the skills of the masterchef at removing the bones out of the sharp end of the wings. The chilli sauce, sap fan hou sek wor!!! Senang cakap, New Hawa pun kalah! Rex pun tergugat! But the only snag is that the place is so jammed packed at lunch hour, you'd be served just when you are on the verge of upturning the table. What made it harder was the fact that the neighbouring stall sold really exotic Chinese fare, Peking duck, a smorgasbord of cured meatstuff, char siew and get this, live frogs! There was a big cage of those big fat slimy amphibians a few steps from our table, singing some off-key number a capella. Gosh! my mom would probably freak out and swear off Singapore altogether if she sees this. Aishah on the other hand was making conversations with them. Ewww...

After lunch, Bapak was still not done, so we headed to Ikea for the free coffee and a little dessert. Packed some Swedish ginger biscuits, toffee lollies and, whooops, truffles. Ok, ok, not for me lah, I am a GI Jane whaaaaat? I am meeting my Cape Malay foster parents, Bapak Ismail Petersen and Ibu Hawa tonight, so perhaps they might like them munchies. Depa tak nak pun takpa...Heh heh. Will blog about them soon.

Later, we picked my inlaws' up from the hospital and headed towards Seletar Air Base, my favourite place in Singapore. It kinda reminds me of Butterworth, Penang. I really love it there. Maybe someday I'd be lucky enough to live in a single storey pre-Merdeka bungalows, who knows eh? The streets there are named after various locations in London. The tiny roundabout is called the Picadilly Circus, there's Edgware Road, Baker Street etc etc. If you like period movies, you'd definitely like Seletar.

Aishah and Abah ad a great time splashing about in the pool. Mak shared with me stories of the times when she used to be an Army Sargeant, and tales of her childhood. I really treasure moments like this. Bapak kept to himself at one corner, his legs are giving him problems lately. Poor Bapak. I hope he enjoyed getting some fresh air while watching CA relive his youth. Mak says that Bapak was the one who taught everyone how to swim. Now CA is teaching our daughter. Definite Kodak moment this one.

Later we headed to(panjang story lagi ni, ni bukan atenahism dah ni, ni nazrahism) Sembawang Satay Club for dinner since my cousin is still stuck in the jam at the checkpoint. Ya ampun, saya tak rekemen makan kat sini. Nuff said.

After settling my mom's orders with my cousin, we headed home. Lepak! Penat! Flat! Kondem!Pancit! But definitely worthwhile because I was in the company of the people I love. Will do this again soon.

Oh by the way, Ayu is leaving for SF today, she will be meeting up with Ely this weekend! We'll see how that turns out. Word is ,Ayu is making Laksa Penang, she is bringing assam keping all the way from home.

Tomorrow CA's site is closed for the Moon Cake Festival. Yeay! We will go out again!

I got a box of really huge Raffles Town Club mooncakes in the kitchen yet I do not know if they are halaal. Does anybody know? Well, I don't really like eggwashed cakes anyway...and the yolky one are not so sedap pun...Sour grape!

Boisterous Blahniks

A girl can dream big dreams eh?

Life is like wearing shoes. Some shoes you wear everyday, some shoes you keep for years and years waiting for the right occasion to wear them. Some shoes you are willing to forget, some shoes you refuse to throw away. Some shoes fit well, some bite you. Some shoes you buy just because. Some shoes are simply shoes that protect your feet and take you places.

I would not say my upper secondary school stint at MRSM Beseri was anything I look back with fondness except the fact that that is where I found my true calling, which was everything that did not require Additional Maths and Science subjects. I was an arty farty angsty feminist stuck in a junior science college popularly known as Serambi Mekah where heads had to be bowed 90 degrees to the floor just so that boys and girls could not main mata. Tough luck for a girl who just came out of a convent. I guess the fun bit was not what and how I did in class, where I slept through most of the classes,possibly due to low blood sugar, hey, Perlis was very HOT and the food was not all that good. Luckily for me, overzealous testestorone enjoyed leaving peanut butter jars under my desk for my snacking pleasure.

I was already actively writing chronicles of my adventures in a journal and managed to persuade an abang senior to write with me in a freewriting experiment. Ok, ok this guy thought I was the love of his life and we figured that if we were to write letters in a book and leave it under our desks, it would be inconspicuous. What do I know about love at 16. I just loved to write. Psst..psst, at the time I already had a off again-on again childhood sweetheart who wrote to me regularly from Southampton that there was always mail for me almost everytime I checked. And how I loved stamps from the UK. And he sent me chocolates too. He is now a good friend, happily married with a kid, and still a computer geek. I met the abang senior not too long ago at One Utama, he's married with kids, looking every bit like a bookish mathematician. And don't let me start on how many geeks I have dated, but decided to marry a rocker instead. But then he is a closet geek. Heh. And so am I. Perfect match upstairs. Alhamdulillah.

Oh, I digress.

Beseri had this weird MCP thing going on that girls and boys could not mingle socially without being thrashed at the surau if not under the hot sun. Suffice to say, I was royally miffed by the fact that we were treated like second class, so low that some holier-than-thou guys had to cover their faces with a book to avoid that sinful gaze when talking to you. We always got the bad seats eventhough we were called pelajar puteri, my glorious derriere! The happening tasks of deejaying, emceeing and stage performances were not privileges enjoyed by the girls.

I grabbed the opportunity to make a difference by collaborating with the English Department and organised a concert commemorating Earth Day( guess who became the lyrical Mother Earth). We had girls and boys masked and dressed androgynously just so that we would not tick the surau people. Yet I heard of mass solat hajat protesting our activities and a toilet bowl bombing when the show was going on. I didn't think, we did anything wrong , I still don't,but there were so many confused and constipated back passages then, who later became more notorious after we left school. Bah!

We also had a lil Speaker's Corner and by then I had already developed a proximity syndrome with the microphone, there were more and more girls involved. I was librarian then, in charged of newpaper clippings. And I loved it. I spent a lot of time there. Because I was anal about books and things arranged a certain way, some people nicknamed me Mama Bosan.

I had two other nicknames, P-Nut and Datin. The former is attributed to the fact that I love peanut butter(the food really sucked big time, ok? Save for the nasi lemak, after prep. Sadly, the guy who used to sell it to us suddenly expired recently) and the latter is between my larger than life attitude back then or it has to be because of the hand-me-down Datinesque baju kurung I wore. I was not very big on baju kurung back then, so I had too few and Mak let me use hers.

My father's friend, Hj Mat Din and family was my foster family with whom I spent weekends when it was inconvenient to go back to KL. They welcomed me in their massive home in Kampung Salang like one of their own, I feel that I am truly blessed.I first learnt how to make roast chicken there from Nicole Maree Mackay, a Kiwi who was an exchange student staying with my foster family. I remember rides on the maroon Jaguar which ferried me back to the place overlooking Bukit Gondol, feeling a little like a princess in the back seat.

I probably sucked academically, but it was there I professed a lifetime love for Edward de Bono and that has made me the person that I am today. The shoes I wore at MRSM Beseri were kept in the far end of my cabinet, because there were things I would like to forget. I would like to think I have moved on, but there are two teachers whose brains were in between their legs I really do not wish to meet again. Ever. And they are the very reasons why I would not send any of my children to boarding schools.

Above all, I cherish most about Beseri is the friends I gained, yet due to my own negligence, I have lost contact with them. Recently a guy from my prep (homework and revision time) gang found my blog, and that led to a visit from a long lost sister from my homeroom. Welcome to my blog Paroe and Aida. Incidently, they are the bloodline of our alumni, I look forward to reuniting with old friends again. I am glad my old shoes decided to see the light of day.

P.S: Positive blogging lagi Kakteh.

A Day at the Beach

I wanna build Ma a BIG castle

And a tall tower for her to skodeng Malaysia

So after my Saturday episode of muncung, we started Sunday morning with high hopes. So much for promises of Egg Benedict at Starbucks first thing in the morning, CA just had to touch the fish tank lah. First it was a noisy pump, and then, there were air bubbles in the water and then, kaplonk!! Banjir, saltwater all over my living room. Sigh. I was posing another muncung yet again. Luckily, Ely was there to pacify my nerves via YM. A little after noon, oooh a hungry man is an angry man, CA finally got the fishtank under control.

Aishah was already throwing tantrums, insisting that she would not go out unless it's the beach. Makeup on my previously matte face was getting a bit shiny, and my tummy was playing a maniacal symphony much akin to a Slayer piece. I was resigned, mana-mana pun bolehlah, tak kuasa gua!

He would not let up, so just I told him I wanted to go somewhere I could sit down and read the book Mak gave me, Grasshopper by B.Vine, and finally succumbing to the Da Vinci's Code bandwagon. So he packed some Padang food from Selera Bundo, and we headed to the East Coast beach semasa matahari tegak di atas kepala. We found a shady spot, at one BBQ pit and hentam our tapau-ed brunch. We were soon joined by another young family who were obviously on a special diet. The parents had cabbages, carrots and tomatoes while the kids had noodles and seaweed soup. The young boy looked at our lavish spread of ayam sambal hijau, rendang daging, bergedil, lemak pucuk ubi, sambal belacan and sambal goreng and had a longing look on his face. Nak pelawa, mak dia bawak dia lari pulak. Kesian. Either they have serious allergies to food stuff, or they weren't eating real food for religous reasons. They could not be on a slimming diet as they were all skin and bones.

After lunch, we secured another shady spot under a tree to lay our mat, and chose another one where Aishah could build sandcastles. It was really sunny but luckily I had one of those F1 giant umbrellas, that worked as a parasol for my girl.Her hat was not giving her much sun protection. I am a puteri lilin wuss.

I had Super Big Gulp iced lemon tea, peanuts, Twisties and CA on my lap while I read my stuff. Sigh. Finally, some quality time for the two of us. A picture perfect afternoon.

Baru nak relax, a group of people invaded our temporary hideout by spreading a large mat 4 times the size of our tikar jerami and totally ignored the fact that they were really cramping our space. How rude.But then it is the weekend, and we have to share every bit of Singapore with everybody. I was not annoyed until they started playing out-of-tune hippy songs and making a whole lot of ruckus over the guitar player from Hell. Aiyoh!

Turned out it was some kind of a family gathering. Gathering of noisemakers and hooligans I should say. Not only the little kids were making so much noise, one of them stomped all over the castle that Aishah had built and kicked sand on CA and Aishah's face. I glared at the supervising parent, he only told that little rascal a lame, "Be careful".

To which spunky Aishah replied, "Stupid boy!"

I did not teach her that, I swear.

We left soon after, as things were getting strangely rowdier, and it did not help that we were outnumbered by this big group. I guess with limited space to lepak, one cannot main chop-chop tempat. As we approached the parking lot, the sky turned grey, we smiled conspiratorially at the clouds.

I needed to stock up dairy products for the larder so we headed to Parkway. Just outside Giant was this place, Pastamania that sells Vittoria coffee, so we singgah sekejap, java junkie that we are, and CA surprised me with a small serving of Italian Tiramisu. Belum sempat ku menjamahnya, bak seekor helang, Aishah menyambar tiramisuku tanpa segan silu. I managed to get a spoonful of it. And it was gooooood.

After Giant, we headed home and freshen up. No TV, no internet, no books, no touching the fishtank, just the 3 of us on our kingsized bed. Lights were off by 10. Woke up feeling very refreshed, and so in the mood for housework. Hope to keep this up.

So that was my Sunday. How was yours?

Tete-a-tete

Today is an especially slow day for me because I simply felt like living la vida lazy. I slept late last night, hammering my merajuk away on the keyboard ; sulking, because somebody did not help me clear up, and especially for forgetting to buy me tiramisu from Hiedstand for the SECOND time. Finished the song a little after 3 am, and chatted with a definitely woozy Ayu for a while. After a small glass of water for sahur, I just collapsed into bed. Next thing I knew CA woke me up, and it was going to be terang benderang. The Gajah pun dah subuh.

Hey, maybe I'd pass the song to Anedra and see if she is in the mood to write another set of lyrics. Nak?

So today, I am a stay-in-bed mom, only not as good looking as that blonde lady on Arrested Development. I have long tidied up the bed I slept on last night, now I am typing this in the comfort of the guest room where I have placed A's toys and all the necessary stuff to keep her from peeling my eyelids should I slip into darkness.

Some good news, Ayu has updated. Ok,I admit it, I am an addict. Ely has probably dropped 3 dress size as the South Beach diet is doing her a lot of good. My puasa ganti accidently reduced 5 lbs off strategic locations, Mak and Bapak noticed, and CA noted that the back end of my torso is shaping pretty nicely. And because of that, I gave The Cocoa Tree a visit and bought a bag of Belgian Noir minibars for ME!ME! ME!, Whittaker's Almond Gold for me and MIL, ( Nad, dia jual bar besar gila, Nad, bukan kecik2 macam dulu tu, boleh gila, Nad..) and heart shaped milk chocs for my babies. Ayu says, I am hopeless, no way I can diet like this. We were imagining if Ailin lived next door to me. She with her delish bakes and I with my sinful indulgences, Ayu said she's definitely stay away from our homes. I was like, hey, Ailin and I would probably keep our front door open, just so we can check put each others' kitchens and see what's cooking. Or we would not be cooking but YMing while sitting next to each other.

Another great news, people are really making serious hot kueh these days. Elisa binte Pok Ku sudah berjaya, MakNenek may have some news soon. I suddenly have this crazy longing for babies. But then, aiya..engineer husband must lay down the hard facts before we could make kueh shamelessly, recklessly. Something in me tells me I am ready. Hmm...

Oh, and I went shopping with the inlaws' yesterday. Had that delicious Thaksin Beef Noodles. Bapak had all the gearbox offal in his soup, we all had beef alat-alat. Jalan punya jalan, while Bapak had a massage at the reflexologist, lapar la pulak. So we popped over to banquet and had rojak buah, and fried white carrot cake, washed down with frothy teh tarek.

Balik je, sedih because he did not get me the yummilicious tiramisu and truffle cake. Luckily I stocked up at The Cocoa Tree. Maybe he is deliberately controlling my chocolate intake tak? Could that be remotely possible?

And with all that chocolate, a new bottle of B*rberry and a necklace(ooooh, and I so love it!), I still merajuk because I so wanted the tiramisu and truffle cake.The goodies were just $2.40 for a small slice, and halal ones are so hard to come buy. *sulk sulk sulk*

NVM, I have all the ingredients to make tiramisu, I will get those creamed strawberries for Cold Storage down the road, and make them a part of my kiss-and-make-up repertoire, IF I get lucky. I must and I must have my cravings satiated. Wajib!

While A was having lunch, I chatted with Kak Teh. She's doing okay, albeit missing AG to bits and main chop-chop PC dekat computer lab.. I told her about my rajuk, and she shared me a little story that's supposed to help me focus on more important things. Therapy with Kakteh always cures my muncung lah. Please don't start charging ah Kakteh lahleng?

She also shared with me some sad news about the demise of two Malay sailors who are very close to her heart. Panjangkan doa untuk Allahyarham Pak Arshad and Allahyarham Pak Majid, valiant heroes of their time.

We also talked about our similar habit of eating alone at restaurants with the company of a captivating book. That's a story for another day. Meanwhile, Kakteh, I am sure AG misses you just as much.

I am fasting again today, hallucinating floating mascarpone, fluffy cream and fairy chocolate dust. Uja says there is a Halal Food fest at Expo. Aiyaaaaaaaaaaa...masalah lah Labu! I hope CA would manja me and take me to that Cuban gig tonite, and join you in your kegiatan berfoya-foya. Labak, jangan tak labak!