AFTER ONE MONTH...............

Dah sebulan Bibik balik. How are we coping? So far ok. Buktinya... berat badan makin naik, bukan makin turun sebab kena buat kerja rumah! hahahahaha............

To avoid stress due to change in lifestyle, buat apa yang mampu saja. The house may not as clean as before but what the heck. We are happy anyway.

We have cleaning lady coming every Saturday to clean the house.
Baju yang nak kena iron hantar laundry semua.

We eat out most of the time for dinner. But I cook in the morning for the girls lunch and Ms M requested for a bento box for her lunch. Masa tak de bibik ni lah dia nak bento box. But mummy is more than happy to prepare her lunch box.

Overall, we are happy with the arrangement now. We may stay bibik-less if everything goes well.

But I really really need a holiday. Please.....

 

BYE BYE BIBIK

My maid of 10 years is going back for good next week. Life will be different definitely. And since we plan not to hire a new maid anymore, we have started making some changes starting a few month back to anticipate our maid less life.

 

I think we will be ok without a maid. There are a lot of working women out there who can manage without a maid. But may be because we've been having maid since Ms A was born, some 16 years ago, the thought of not having someone to help you with the housewhole chores is quite nerve wrecking hahahahaha.....

 

The thing is, not only me but also En ID has concerned about life without maid. Can we cope? YES we can. Hopefully......

 

In anticipation of a maid less life, we have:

1. Move Ms M to a private school. Because in her previous school, she has to go to school in the morning for co curriculum, then come back at 10am, then go again at 12.30pm for classes. With no one at home, we are worried to leave her alone at home and to manage all by herself. So we move her to a private school where she will be at school from 7.30am to 5pm. (Yes... Ms M is 13 but I'm an over protective mum yang sentiasa over worried about so many thing.....)

2. Built a patio and fenced up the backyard. Senang nak sidai baju tak kena hujan. And the fence is to prevent our cats from wondering outside or outside cats to come in and pop at the lawn.

3. Buy easy to use kitchen gadget macam airfyer, noxxa cooker. Minimize kerja kerja nak membersihkan dapur lepas masak.

 

Frankly, after reading a few blogs of working mums with no maid, I feel more confident. I don't think it would be that difficult. Its just 3 of us at home. Ramai orang lain yang anak masih kecik and ramai pun boleh cope. Siap boleh masak or ambik tempahan baking lagi. May be it would be difficult for a start but life will be ok after a while.

 

To my bibik, thank you so much for your 10 years with us. You'll surely be missed. Semoga bibik diberi kesihatan yang baik dan dilindungi Allah di dunia dan di akhirat. Terima Kasih Bibik

 

 

Ms A with Bibik. We went to visit Ms A yesterday so she can say good bye to bibik.

 

 

 

28 Ramadhan

Its almost the end of Ramadhan of 2015.

 

How was the Ramadhan this year for us? It was a quiet one. I always love bulan puasa. I feel very peaceful. And I feel this year, it passed by so fast. 2 more days and its Hari Raya already.

 

I think this year, I am more organised. Be it for Ramadhan month and also for Hari Raya celebration. I planned properly what to buy, how much to spend, avoid impulse buying, and avoid last minute shopping so tak membazir.

 

For buka puasa, I cooked most of the day. Small portion. We don't usually eat nasi with lauk. Just simple meal like noodles, soto or cucur udang. Sahur baru makan nasi. Itupun, although with small portion, my fridge is full with left over lauk.

 

For the first time in many years, we did not go to pasar ramadhan Stadium Shah Alam. Dulu, tiap tahun mesti kena pergi sekali pasar ramadhan Stadium Shah Alam, Pasar Ramadhan Taman Tun, Pasar Ramadhan Seksyen 14 and a few other famous pasar ramadhan. But this year, I think we only went to the one near our house twice, once to the one in Kota Damansara and once to pasar ramadhan in Greenwood when buka puasa rumah mama.

 

For Hari Raya, I buy most cookies from the usual suppliers. Only managed to make Krispy Almond / Florentine Biscuit last 2 days. Baju raya awal awal dah tempah. Guna saja kain kain yang dah ada dalam simpanan. I bought a few sarees from my last trip to India. And a few kain cotton bought in Arab Street during my frequent visit to Singapore. Sebelum kain ni semua reput dalam almari, baik la di hantar tempah.

 

Work wise, I did not travel anywhere during fasting month. Alhamdulillah, my boss understand and I can arrange my own travelling schedule. However, I think I'm slacking and so unproductive puasa kali ni. Macam beku otak tak leh nak pikir. Slow sikit lah... haishhhh!!!!!

 

Last Friday was Ms M last day in her current school. We're moving her to a private school which will commence in September. So in the meantime, she is so very happy duduk rumah tak buat apa.

 

As for Ms A, she'll be sitting for her IGSCE this October. Stressful for her and equally stressful for mommy too. Semoga Allah permudahkan semua urusan dia. We support her where we can. At the end, we believe in rezeki dan ketentuanNya.

 

Till then, Selamat Berpuasa ( for hari ni and esok) and Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ms M

Today is Ms M 13th birthday. My happy baby. My sunshine. No word can describe how much she mean to us.

 

Ms M at 6 years old

 

7 years later.......

 

Happy birthday Fluff.

 

Ya Allah, kau lindungilah anak ini di dunia dan akhirat. Jadikanlah dia anak yang solehah, teguhkan imannya, permudahkan urusan dia di dunia dan di akhirat.

 

Mummy, Papa and Kakak love you so much!!!!!

 

 

 

TO WORK OR NOT TO WORK

Of late, I have this urge nak berhenti kerja. Rasa macam dah penat lah nak kerja. Tapi kalau tak kerja nak buat apa yer?

Here is my angan angan apa nak buat kalau tak kerja:

1. I will do locum. A few hours a day perhaps. Enough money to pay my white horse.
2. I will bake and bake and bake. Siapa nak makan tak tau la.
3. Nak belajar jahit langsir. Tangan keras tak leh belajar jahit baju. Tak berseni
4. I want to travel around the world. May be visit my aunt who lives in the US. Visit my friend in London. Stay in Jakarta for a week... wah.... dah tak kerja mana nak ada duit nak jalan jalan????????

Taking the bold step to move outside our comfort zone is always frightening. The thought of "boleh ke survive?" "cukup ke duit?" will always in our mind.

Tapi tak cuba tak tau kan? Dan rezeki itu insyaAllah akan ada jika kita berusaha.

 

LIFE LESSON

Saya ada seorang kawan yang dah lama tak jumpa. The last time jumpa in 1983 semasa saya di sekolah rendah. Dia ambik tempahan menjahit baju di rumah. So, last week saya pergi rumah dia nak tempah baju.

Dia tinggal di rumah PPR. Bila masuk ke dalam rumah tu, the house is bare. Ada sebuah meja makan dan satu TV. Itu saja. Di satu sudut, ada mesin jahit dan mesin jahit tepi. Dia sambut saya dengan penuh mesra walaupun pertama kali berjumpa semenjak 32 tahun lepas.

She has 6 children. Suami bekerja di kilang berhampiran.
Dari luaran, she may not have much. Tapi she has what most of us always wanted.

Hati yang tenang dan kebahagiaan.
Suami yang baik.
Anak anak dia sungguh tinggi budi pekerti.
Anak lelaki dia yang berumur 14 tahun, terus masak air dan buat air tanpa disuruh.
Tutur kata sungguh sopan
Keikhlasan terserlah
Muka nampak telus dan tenang

Dia mula bercerita....
Dulu adik beradik ramai. Selepas SPM, dia tak boleh sambung belajar sebab kena tanggung adik adik. Lepas kahwin, baru suami tanggung untuk dia belajar menjahit yang memang dia amat minati.
Kami berbual panjang. Dari cara membesarkan anak anak sehingga hobi memasak.

In life, you can learn a lot not only from people who is the so called "success" in life but from all walks of life. From people like her.
Money is not everything tapi keberkatan itu lah yang paling penting.

I came home with a smile. Terima kasih Allah kerana mempertemukan saya dengan dia.


 

12/365 of 2015

Today, hari pertama Ms M ke sekolah menengah. Dah besar anak mummy....!!!!!!!

We sent her to school. All of us, Papa, Mummy and Kakak.

I have mixed feeling. Excited, proud, anxious....

 

 

 

 

Ms M sekolah sesi petang. Lepas hantar dia, terus ke AG hantar Ms A balik asrama.

Sunyi balik dah rumah....

Oh I miss school holidays.

 

2/365 of 2015

1st day of work in 2015.

Tengok kalender.

Mmhhhhh no travelling plan in January. Apart from the monthly visit to Singapore.

Bagus....

February - Hong Kong

March - Bangkok

and the schedule is filling up.

Apa nak buat.... nama pun bekerja. Kena lah ikut arahan.

No holiday plan yet.

Mungkin year end nanti lah kot.

But overall, I have planned better in terms of work for 2015. Projects and targets all mapped out.

Semoga dipermudahkan semua urusan di tahun 2015 ini.



 

BYE BYE 2014, HELLO 2015

Hari terakhir di tahun 2014.

2014 yang penuh dengan pelbagai peristiwa.

Yang gembira, yang suka, yang duka, yang hiba.

It has been a challenging but interesting year.

2015

Tahun baru, harapan baru.

Azam baru? Tak ada. Azam lama pun tak buat.

But my theme for 2015

LESS IS MORE

I want to:

Eat less, exercise more

Travel less, read more

Spend less, save more

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015

 

OF EXAM AND ACHIEVEMENT

Ms A dapat result PT3 semalam. 9A 1B. B untuk Kemahiran Hidup.

To us, it is an excellent result. To her, it is not good enough. She was expecting a straight A's.

We talked to her and by afternoon ok dah dia.

Kadang kadang, as much as we want our kids to strive for their best, kita kena ingatkan jugak tentang qada dan qadar. Tentang rezeki dan ketentuan Allah.

With Ms A, I can talk to her like an adult. Kami boleh bercerita tentang realiti kehidupan. In life, we sometimes don't get what we want. Sometimes we tried but we still don't succeed. But we must try anyway. Sometimes in our life, people will hurt us, will fail us but be nice always. Life has its ups and downs. Sentiasa ingat, ALLAH ada.

Kadang kadang, achievement buat kita lupa. Buat kita mendabik dada. Jadi, Allah tarik sikit nikmat supaya kita sentiasa ingat. To keep our feet on the ground.

Every children is special in their own way. As parents, kita doakan yang terbaik untuk mereka di dunia dan di akhirat.

To all PT3 babies.... congratulations!!!!!!



 

BIBIK

Pejam celik pejam celik..... dah sebulan dah MyBibik balik cuti. And today is the day she suppose to come back. ETA 10 malam ni.

 

Bibik has been with us for almost 9 years. She joined the household when Ms M was 2. Then after 6 years, she decided to go back for good. For the next one and a half year, we had 2 helpers. After sending home the second maid, MyMama decided to call Bibik and asked her to come back and work with us again. Bibik and MyMama memang rapat and I think she decided to return because of her. She came back in Nov 2012 and has been with us since.

 

Contrary to many believe that kalau ada bibik, semua benda dari kemas rumah, masak hingga jaga anak serah pada bibik, that is not true for us. Bibik main task when we hired her back in 2004 is to take care of the kids. To ensure the kids safety at home. Ini termasuk keadaan rumah mesti sentiasa bersih.

 

At that time, Ms M was 2 and Ms A was 5 and went to kindy in the morning. I made her work timetable in detail. What to do at what time. She has to ensure rumah siap kemas before Ms M bangun sebab bila Ms M dah bangun, 100% attention is to her. Dah la Ms M ni tak reti duduk diam. She doesn't have to cook and she will do laundry only when we're back from office.

 

Bila my girls dah besar, I start ajar dia masak for the kids' lunch. But most of the time I still cook for them. I still prepare dinner until now.

 

Alhamdulillah, MyBibik ringan tangan. Rajin nak mencuba resepi baru dari buku buku resipi yang saya belikan. Kadang kadang tanya Ms M makan apa for lunch... ayam percik dia kata. Wah.... pandai bibik buat ayam percik. Kadang kadang dia buat doughnut, seri muka, sardin roll untuk teatime Ms M.

 

Bibik rajin berkebun jugak and she has green fingers. Apa yang dia tanam menjadi. Cili api, serai, bendi, pucuk ubi, kunyit even halia pun ada tanam kat belakang rumah. And my small garden at the porch area is well taken care of.

 

We never have problem with laundry. Semua settle. Bibik gosok semua baju yang basuh termasuk la baju tidur and t shirt budak budak tu.

 

After working with us for many years, she knows what to do. Ada saja benda yang dia akan buat. Tukar langsir, tukar cadar, lap tingkap, cuci kereta, sapu sawang, lap dinding... semua tak perlu dibagi tahu. Sebab tu, in her spare time kalau dia nak tengok tv pun saya tak kisah. Sebab saya tahu dia dah buat apa yang dia patut buat. Lebih lebih lagi, with Ms A kat asrama now, tinggal Ms M saja kat rumah. Jadi Bibik ada lebih masa terluang.

 

We are quite liberal with Bibik. Dia boleh cuti bila bila dia nak. Dia boleh ada phone. Dia boleh keluar. Kalau tak nak masak dan saya tak sempat masak, dia boleh beli saja kat restoren dekat rumah tu. Tapi alhamdulillah, setakat ni dia tidak pernah lagi mengambil peluang atas kebebasan yang diberi. Dia jarang nak cuti, adalah 3 bulan sekali. Dia tak suka bersembang atau keluar rumah tapi saya akan suruh dia keluar kalau budak budak tu nak main di taman permainan. The kids cannot go out if Bibik is not with them.

 

I have my fair share of maid from hell too. Dari yang lari, yang menipu, yang melawan sampai lah yang menjual diri jadi prostitute dalam rumah pun saya pernah alami. But I want to count my blessings, not my misfortune. So, I thank Allah for sending us this Bibik.

 

And how was our life without Bibik for the last one month? Ok saja. Alhamdulillah, the girls dah boleh diharap. Boleh sidai baju, angkat baju and lipat baju. Ms A can cook simple meal using airfyer or even the stove. Boleh basuh pinggan sendiri and make their own bed. May be normal tasks for other kids but since these 2 girls dah biasa ada bibik, I'm so proud to see them being able to do the chores when bibik is not around.

 

Kalau bibik tak balik malam ni macam mana? Life goes on.... Things happen for a reason and we will accept it anyway. InsyaAllah...... she will be here.

 

 

 

PLANNING FOR 2015

Dah nak akhir tahun 2014. And its time to plan for 2015.

2015, Ms M will be in Form 1. New experience. New school for her.

2015, Ms A will sit for her ICGSE O Level exam.

So plannya....










TAK DE PLAN LAGI..... hahahaha

We go with the flow saja lah.

 

BERCELARU

Chaotic... bercelaru....

That's how I feel.
Sometimes rasa macam nak hybernate.
Nak curl myself away from everyone
Macam ulat gonggok, curl up duduk bawah batu

Kecil hati dengan beberapa orang
People close to my heart
Penat asik telan telan dan telan

Kerja banyak
Sibuk sangat sangat
Sesak nafas rasa

Tapi,
Alhamdulillah....
I am still surrounded by people who care
I have En ID who will make me smile in my worst day
I still have job that I enjoy doing it

Hope this sad feeling will go away.

Kena ingatkan diri for all the blessings from Allah
Sikit saja ujian ni.
Duhai hati.... sabar lah yer.

Minggu yang sangat sibuk. Will be travelling back to back.

Robbi yasir wala tu a'sir ya karim......

UPSR AJE KOT......

Semua orang bercakap pasal soalan UPSR yang bocor. And since Ms M ambik UPSR tahun ni, she was one of the affected student.

 

Heran lah saya. UPSR pun nak ada soalan bocor ke? UPSR aje pun. Why so kiasu?

 

Sebab nak naikkan rating sekolah and pusat tuition?

 

Sebab malu kalau anak tak dapat 5A?

 

Sebab nak jugak anak masuk asrama?

 

Alahai.... kita orang dewasa ni, kenapa bagi contoh yang kurang baik pada anak anak?

 

Kepada cikgu cikgu yang "tolong" kasi jawapan pada anak anak murid yang katanya lemah tu.... niat tidak menghalalkan cara yer cikgu.

Memang niatnya tu murni, tapi apa pengajaran yang cuba diberi kepada anak itu?

Tak apa untuk penipu? Nanti kalau dia kata "saya dulu masa ambik upsr, sebelum masuk dewan periksa, cikgu saya suruh hafal jawapan nya" cemane tu?

Nanti cikgu yang akan terima budak ni di sekolah menengah akan heran. Kenapa budak ni upsr bagus tapi satu apa pun dia tak tahu? Berkesan ke UPSR ni?

Banyak implikasi dari satu niat murni yang tidak betul cara perlaksanaannya.

 

Kepada ibu bapa yang berusaha cari soalan bocor ni untuk anak anak sebab nak anak tu dapat 5A..... again... niat tidak menghalalkan cara.

Dan... it just upsr for heavensake.

So what kalau anak tu tak dapat 5A? Exam is to test how much they understand. Exam is not a punishment. Kalau dapat 5A, alhamdulillah. anak tu faham semua yang dia belajar for the last 6 years. Kalau tak dapat, alhamdulillah, sebab kita tahu dimana kelemahan anak anak kita. Jadi belum terlambat untuk diperbaiki. Baru darjah 6 kan?

Kalau selalu disogok dengan "support" yang kurang betul ni setiap kali nak exam, sampai SPM pun masih macam tu jugak nanti macam mana?

 

Nak anak dapat 5A sebab nak masuk asrama? Masuk atau tidak asrama tu rezeki Allah. Tak tentu kalau dapat 5A dapat masuk asrama pun. And kalau dah dapat 5A pas tu tak dapat asrama, cemane? Mak ayah pergi cari kabel pulak ke nak jugak anak masuk asrama?

 

Giving full support for your kids success memang wajib. Semua ibubapa termasuk saya juga akan cuba sedaya upaya, semampunya untuk kejayaan anak anak. Tapi ada batasan dan etikanya.

 

And now, tak guna nak marah marah. Benda dah jadi. Our UPSR babies prepared and race but someone changed the finishing line. They just have to continue to race.

 

Good luck to all UPSR babies. You are already a CHAMPION even before the race end because you brace through it.

 

 

Ramadhan Yang Hampir Berlalu

Sedar tak sedar dah 24 Ramadhan hari ni. Rasa sekejap sangat. Sedih nak meninggalkan bulan Ramadhan ni. After 11 months of mundane daily routine, Ramadhan routine is something we look forward and enjoy.

 

Rutin saya dibulan Ramadhan ini, sahur selalunya dalam pukul 4.45. Selepas sahur, terus bersiap nak pergi office. Both me and En. ID keluar rumah pukul 6.15am. Less jam, less stress. Saya sampai office selalunya sebelum pukul 7. Peaceful office environment waktu pagi buat saya lebih produktif.

 

4.30pm, saya angkat bag dah. Bersedia untuk balik. Tapi petang petang ni jalan sesak selalu. Keluar pukul 4.30pm, sampai rumah dalam 5.45pm. Sempat la nak masak untuk berbuka.

 

Lepas buka, kami pergi solat terawih di surau dekat rumah saja. Dalam pukul 10 malam dah selesai. Kemudian boleh rehat dirumah dan siapkan makanan ringkas untuk sahur.

 

Itulah rutinnya setiap hari. Hujung minggu saya akan ke rumah My Mama atau My Abah untuk berbuka puasa.

 

Antara juadah berbuka minggu minggu lepas

 

 

 

Chicken wrap

 

Meehoon goreng putih

Ayam masak merah dan jelatah makan dengan nasi tomato

 

 

 

Lontong dengan rendang daging dan sambal sotong

 



 

Nasi lemak ayam berempah dan sambal udang

 

Nasi goreng ikan

 

Bubur Lambuk

Chili crab dengan mantou

 

 

And sempat buat ni cuti Nuzul Quran hari tu. Ini saja yang dibuat. Yang lain semua beli.

 

 

 

 

A Sad Day

Tragedi MH17.


Ya Allah... ampunilah dosa kami
Tunjukkan jalan yang lurus kepada kami
Permudahkan urusan kami dalam mencari redhaMu Ya Allah.

These are testing times
Its time for the nation to unite
Bukan kerana si Polan yang itu banyak dosanya
Si Polan lagi satu telah jauh sesatnya

Kita semua ada dosa
Dugaan untuk negara, dugaan untuk kita juga
Tidak perlu menuding jari kepada orang lain.
Mungkin ini kerana dosa kita sendiri.
Hanya Allah yang mengetahui

Semoga Allah memberi ketabahan kepada keluarga mereka yang terkorban

Kerana Kita Seorang IBU

Saya cuba bersangka baik
Cuba memahami keadaan si ibu itu
Susahnya menjaga anak OKU
Payahnya menjaga anak seorang diri

Cuba meletakkan diri ini dalam kasut dia
Gaji kecik
Keluarga jauh
Tapi sukar untuk saya paham
Bagaimana hati dia sanggup melihat anak sampai jadi begitu

Yang pasti, satu benda kita serupa
Kita seorang ibu
Naluri ibu... sanggup berlapar untuk anak
Naluri ibu... sanggup derita demi anak
Naluri ibu....sanggup buat apa saja untuk anak
Walaupun harus bergadai nyawa

Balik kerja, biar penat macam mana sekalipun, anak lah yang dicari dulu.
Dah makan ke? Dah minum ke? Dah mandi ke?
Kenapa baju koyak yang dipakai ni sayang?
"I fell down the stairs at school" adunya
Sambil tunjukkan kaki yang lebam
Meruntun rasa jiwa. Mummy was not there to lift you up
Because mummy has to work.
But mummy is here now
To kiss the pain away

Semua ibu nalurinya sama
The unconditional love to their children
Sayang bukan hanya di mulut
Tapi sayang datang dari hati
Dan dizahirkan dengan perbuatan

Saya ada sahabat yang sangat rapat dengan saya.
Yang saya anggap sahabat dunia akhirat saya
Dikurniakan Allah anak syurga
Born with cerebral palsy
15 tahun juga umurnya tahun ini
Such an adorable little lady
Dan sahabat saya menjaga amanah Allah itu sebaik mungkin
Saya kagum dengan dia
Saya tahu tidak senang menjaga anak istimewa
But she made it look so easy
And anak itu membesar dengan suasana penuh kasih sayang
She is a live wire
Sentiasa menceriakan keadaan
Dan saya anggap anak itu seperti anak saya juga

Kerana kita seorang IBU.

GIGIH

Gigih nak siapkan kerja di office

Minggu depan nak pergi bercuti

STRESSSSSSSSS.......................!!!!!!

CUTI SEKOLAH

Hati dah berbunga bunga

Minggu depan cuti sekolah

Rumah akan bising dengan suara budak dua orang tu

Kejap gaduh, kejap gurau

Kejap ketawa, kejap menjerit

 

I JUST LOVE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!!!!!





 

TERIMA KASIH CIKGU

Kepada mereka yang memberi ilmu......

SELAMAT HARI GURU

 

Got this from my friend,

 

Guru,

 

Pemberi Paling Setia

 

 

Dialah pemberi paling setia

Dari tiap ilmu dan hati mulia

Pelita dan lampu segala ilmu

Untuk tiap manusia sebelum menjadi dewasa

 

Dialah ibu, dia bapa, dialah sahabat

Kesetiaan, kemanusiaan mengalirkan nasihat

Pemimpin yang ditauliahkan segala umat

Seribu tahun katanya menjadi hikmat

 

Kepada semua guru guru saya, guru guru anak saya dan semua guru guru anak bangsa. Dan kepada semua yang pernah menjadi guru saya secara rasmi dan tidak rasmi.

 

Terima kasih atas ilmu yang diberi

Terima kasih atas segala kesabaran

Terima kasih atas keikhlasan

Terima kasih atas kegigihan

 

You made me who I am today.

 

Hanya Allah sahaja yang dapat membalas jasa kalian semua.

 

TERIMA KASIH CIKGU