Ahhhh...life has been up down turn around.

Meetings, travelling outstations, events all one after another *sigh.

So much planning in my head. Nak buat ini nak settle itu but in the end only 20% was done. Anyways, at least somethings get done.

After nearly one year moving to tiga-tiga, we are now finalising the third phase of our house planning. Entah berapa banyak phase lagi lah kan. I have sooo many ideas for the house but I don't have the time to do it. I have ideas for the girls bedroom but I better wait till they can sleep on separate beds. Next year maybe. Hopefully cik kecik Hannah can finally able to sleep away from mama's ketiak.

There are so much to write on Afiq. He has really grown up.

I am going on the stage tomorrow. Receiving my Anugerah Cemerlang heh..heh...macam tak caya you....It comes with some angpow.

See I am not here nor there. My entry sounds like rojak. * sigh

Mr is currently attending dinner in Sydney. My turn to take care of the three children. He had done that last week when I was away in KK. Menjual air liur again giving out briefings to the state people. Btw, while in KK I took 3 hours to prepare the answer for Soalan Parlimen. My first time doing that. Got my staff to email me all the infos and there I was trying to construct good answers in proper BM. Selalu dengar je dlm parlimen (I've attended 4-5 parlimen sittings before) now must write answers and aaa...macam blank lah pulakkk.

I better stop before I got carried away.


See you next week, maybe.

Happy 35th Birthday to my beloved husband. Muah...muahhh

Date: Saturday nite
Time: After maghrib
Guest: The one and only aunty huda (1 family can't make it)

Menu:
BBQ Chicken wing, sausage, corn,
Fruit and vege salad (corn, red bean, mango, honeydew,lettuce drizzle with mayo),
Pita bread with chicken tandoori mix.
Homemade Cheesecake (birthday cake)
Ice cream (from Aunty Huda)
Pepsi & Kickap00

Notes to the calebration:

Mama yang tolong start api dengan kipas korea mari until Aunt Huda suggested tudung periuk * tepuk dahi kenapalah tak terfikir.

Mr said bbq is not his thingy sbb lambat api nak hidup and Afiq replied
"Never mind ayah this is for you. You can have a sit. We'll do everything for you" * I raised my eyebrow

When I was preparing the cheesecake, Afiq put up the brand new murah aje bbq pit. Semua tool box dia keluarkan.

At the end of the night we had GREAT fun. More bbq session to come.





Fathers day goodies from the children (made at school).


The homemade cheesecake. Sorry la can't put the gambar upacara memotong cake sbb moi was tudungless lah.


Acara makan-makan

Besides family planned activities during the last school holidays my children also had their kindy school holidays activities. Usually they had their water play but this time they went for a chocolate factory visit. The much awaited activity. My children slept at 9pm sharp the night before as instructed by Aunty Huda.

Excerpt from TunasSur1a blog

The day has finally arrived, 4th June 2008, a promised made has to be fulfilled. The children have been on their best behaviour and came to school early as expected. Beryl's Chocolate factory is located at the Seri Kembangan Industrial Estate, Serdang.

The programme began with a video presentation to show how chocolate is processesed. Beryl's chocolate uses cocoa imported from Ghana, other ingredients are locally obtained. Ingredients used are cocoa butter, palm oil, sugar and milk powder. A conching machine is used to mix all the ingredients together.

Here are some of the photos. Thanks to Aunty Huda.






We still have a few boxes of chocolates at home.

TENC Puppet Show

It was the day after the Chocolate factory visit, kids are still in a holiday mood especially some SK children who are still having another one week official holiday and Aunty Val brought puppets from the fairy tale " The Emperor's New Clothes". I managed to take some video clippings of the puppet show which the children - SK children and a few 5/6 year olds managed to put up with just about 2 hours of practice! Hooray for Aunty Val.

Afiq became the emperor and Sarah as the narrator. Adam (AJ’s son is also in the group).

Unfortunately I only have the video and no photos. Here is the full story if you are not aware of it.


Before that my children Afiq & Sarah keep saying this

I can't see Tom
I can't see Clare
But I can see
The Emperor's underwear


The Emperor's New Clothes
A translation of Hans Christian Andersen's

Many years ago there was an Emperor so exceedingly fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared nothing about reviewing his soldiers, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day, and instead of saying, as one might, about any other ruler, "The King's in council," here they always said. "The Emperor's in his dressing room."

In the great city where he lived, life was always gay. Every day many strangers came to town, and among them one day came two swindlers. They let it be known they were weavers, and they said they could weave the most magnificent fabrics imaginable. Not only were their colors and patterns uncommonly fine, but clothes made of this cloth had a wonderful way of becoming invisible to anyone who was unfit for his office, or who was unusually stupid.

"Those would be just the clothes for me," thought the Emperor. "If I wore them I would be able to discover which men in my empire are unfit for their posts. And I could tell the wise men from the fools. Yes, I certainly must get some of the stuff woven for me right away." He paid the two swindlers a large sum of money to start work at once.

They set up two looms and pretended to weave, though there was nothing on the looms. All the finest silk and the purest old thread which they demanded went into their traveling bags, while they worked the empty looms far into the night.

"I'd like to know how those weavers are getting on with the cloth," the Emperor thought, but he felt slightly uncomfortable when he remembered that those who were unfit for their position would not be able to see the fabric. It couldn't have been that he doubted himself, yet he thought he'd rather send someone else to see how things were going. The whole town knew about the cloth's peculiar power, and all were impatient to find out how stupid their neighbors were.

"I'll send my honest old minister to the weavers," the Emperor decided. "He'll be the best one to tell me how the material looks, for he's a sensible man and no one does his duty better."
So the honest old minister went to the room where the two swindlers sat working away at their empty looms.
"Heaven help me," he thought as his eyes flew wide open, "I can't see anything at all". But he did not say so.

Both the swindlers begged him to be so kind as to come near to approve the excellent pattern, the beautiful colors. They pointed to the empty looms, and the poor old minister stared as hard as he dared. He couldn't see anything, because there was nothing to see. "Heaven have mercy," he thought. "Can it be that I'm a fool? I'd have never guessed it, and not a soul must know. Am I unfit to be the minister? It would never do to let on that I can't see the cloth."

"Don't hesitate to tell us what you think of it," said one of the weavers.
"Oh, it's beautiful -it's enchanting." The old minister peered through his spectacles. "Such a pattern, what colors!" I'll be sure to tell the Emperor how delighted I am with it."

"We're pleased to hear that," the swindlers said. They proceeded to name all the colors and to explain the intricate pattern. The old minister paid the closest attention, so that he could tell it all to the Emperor. And so he did.
The swindlers at once asked for more money, more silk and gold thread, to get on with the weaving. But it all went into their pockets. Not a thread went into the looms, though they worked at their weaving as hard as ever.

The Emperor presently sent another trustworthy official to see how the work progressed and how soon it would be ready. The same thing happened to him that had happened to the minister. He looked and he looked, but as there was nothing to see in the looms he couldn't see anything.

"Isn't it a beautiful piece of goods?" the swindlers asked him, as they displayed and described their imaginary pattern.
"I know I'm not stupid," the man thought, "so it must be that I'm unworthy of my good office. That's strange. I mustn't let anyone find it out, though." So he praised the material he did not see. He declared he was delighted with the beautiful colors and the exquisite pattern. To the Emperor he said, "It held me spellbound."

All the town was talking of this splendid cloth, and the Emperor wanted to see it for himself while it was still in the looms. Attended by a band of chosen men, among whom were his two old trusted officials-the ones who had been to the weavers-he set out to see the two swindlers. He found them weaving with might and main, but without a thread in their looms.
"Magnificent," said the two officials already duped. "Just look, Your Majesty, what colors! What a design!" They pointed to the empty looms, each supposing that the others could see the stuff.

"What's this?" thought the Emperor. "I can't see anything. This is terrible!
Am I a fool? Am I unfit to be the Emperor? What a thing to happen to me of all people! - Oh! It's very pretty," he said. "It has my highest approval." And he nodded approbation at the empty loom. Nothing could make him say that he couldn't see anything.

His whole retinue stared and stared. One saw no more than another, but they all joined the Emperor in exclaiming, "Oh! It's very pretty," and they advised him to wear clothes made of this wonderful cloth especially for the great procession he was soon to lead. "Magnificent! Excellent! Unsurpassed!" were bandied from mouth to mouth, and everyone did his best to seem well pleased. The Emperor gave each of the swindlers a cross to wear in his buttonhole, and the title of "Sir Weaver."

Before the procession the swindlers sat up all night and burned more than six candles, to show how busy they were finishing the Emperor's new clothes. They pretended to take the cloth off the loom. They made cuts in the air with huge scissors. And at last they said, "Now the Emperor's new clothes are ready for him."

Then the Emperor himself came with his noblest noblemen, and the swindlers each raised an arm as if they were holding something. They said, "These are the trousers, here's the coat, and this is the mantle," naming each garment. "All of them are as light as a spider web. One would almost think he had nothing on, but that's what makes them so fine."
"Exactly," all the noblemen agreed, though they could see nothing, for there was nothing to see.

"If Your Imperial Majesty will condescend to take your clothes off," said the swindlers, "we will help you on with your new ones here in front of the long mirror."

The Emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put his new clothes on him, one garment after another. They took him around the waist and seemed to be fastening something - that was his train-as the Emperor turned round and round before the looking glass.

"How well Your Majesty's new clothes look. Aren't they becoming!" He heard on all sides, "That pattern, so perfect! Those colors, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit."
Then the minister of public processions announced: "Your Majesty's canopy is waiting outside."
"Well, I'm supposed to be ready," the Emperor said, and turned again for one last look in the mirror. "It is a remarkable fit, isn't it?" He seemed to regard his costume with the greatest interest.

The noblemen who were to carry his train stooped low and reached for the floor as if they were picking up his mantle. Then they pretended to lift and hold it high. They didn't dare admit they had nothing to hold.

So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, "Oh, how fine are the Emperor's new clothes! Don't they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!" Nobody would confess that he couldn't see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success.

"But he hasn't got anything on," a little child said.
"Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?" said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, "He hasn't anything on. A child says he hasn't anything on."

"But he hasn't got anything on!" the whole town cried out at last.

The Emperor shivered, for he suspected they were right. But he thought, "This procession has got to go on." So he walked more proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high the train that wasn't there at all.

Everybody talked about it. I was away in M0rib without a car when it was announced. On the other hand mr was with two red alert petrol level cars at home. He didn’t join the queue. We have two petrol stations in PH alone but the queue was too long. Not worth waiting with 3 children in tow.

When I heard the news I pray mr will get a higher car maintenance allowance. 24k allowance looks great, no? That will cover both cars petrol, road tax, insurance and maintenance, insyaAllah. At least s40 is still with 2 free service, Alhamdulillah.

Mr is eying for a scooter. He loves motorcycle, had been riding one since he was in form4. He rode a Suzuki scooter when he started working. He rode as far as Banting and P0rt Klang for his job. Audit0r moves a lot. A scooter to send Afiq to tkd and swimming class. A scooter to buy breakfast and going to the surau. A scooter to watch F1. He said. A scooter for him then.

Besides that, mr is also planning for a work from home sessions on some Fridays. The main reason is to accompany Afiq to perform his Friday prayer. He’ll be 9 next year so we have to find a solution. Mr might end up taking his personal supir extra benefits . Let see lah. I am still looking for options.

We have started planning our weekend trips. All in one trip is the current fad. More time spend at home during weekends is not really a problem to us. We had started spending more time at home since we moved to tiga-tiga.

We had settled some of our debts which gives us some moolah to spend for the house. But again after thinking (as we do think a lot) we are happy with our practical minimalist home. We go for practicality rather than current fashion fab ha..ha..ha..Better keep some moolah for the apartment than. But again the pergola will gives the right side of the house a lil life.

Mr is going to Sydney in early July yey..yey..after looking at the flight tickets..heh..heh..I finally told him. Make sure you buy us some souvenir wokeh. 2008 budget for travelling has reached 80%. Heh..heh…Next possible travelling will be to balik Kb in august and Jb for raya and again KB for raya haji. Maybe..maybe…if we received the good news we might be able to celebrate somewhere during the christmas-end year holiday. That’s the plan.

OMG the beras that we usually buy cost rm43 for a 10kg bag. Mak Oiii which reminds me I have to give extra to my parents. Alhamdulillah I am now one level higher so logically I have to send home more. Expecting the price of other things will increase sooner. Should cut my extra rajin cooking session at home. Cook less desserts and minum petang and more main meals. Cut on eating out too. We have been trying quite a number of new eateries lately. Tak percaya tengoklah bill cc. Waaa…..That shouldn’t be a problem. I cooked a superb roast chicken a few weeks ago. Can lawan Italianiese lah.

Btw Mr is experimenting with his s40. He had been driving below 2000rpm since the day petrol price shoot up. I can sleep on our way to Desa M00cis last Saturday. The person who usually drive 80km/hr when other ppl drive 40km/hr (coming down from CH) the same person who drive 120km/h when others drive 80km/hr (through east-west highway) is now driving at 80km/hr for the whole stretch. I’ve been married to him for nearly 10 years now he reminds me of his eldest brother Abang Zi. He told me people stared at him on the road. Ya lah why choose s40 if you only drive 80km/hr kan..kan..He said try aje lah if save sikit tak worth lah. Time is more precious kan kan kan.

I got this in my email. This was written in 2005 but no harm in reading. Some points might be out dated.

15 WAYS TO NEGATE THE RECENT FUEL PRICE INCREASE*
by TV Smith
13/05/05

Improve your vehicle's fuel consumption - by as much as 40% - by changing the way you currently drive. There is a catch, though. You'll no longer qualify as a Malaysian driver...

1. Pump More Here & Pump Less There
Don't wait until your car senget one side before inflating your tyres. Low tyre pressure forces your engine to work and drink harder. Driving on underinflated tyres also reduces the life of the tyres. A lose-lose situation.

2. Dig Your Nose
Digging your nose is more economical than gunning your engine while waiting at traffic lights. Jack rabbit starts cost you even more. Never floor the pedal unless there's an express bus looming in your rearview mirror. Learn how to accelerate (and brake) smoothly for better fuel efficiency.

3. Pay It Again Sam
You may be using an alternative toll-free road as a sign of protest or as a means of saving money. If the the old route is perpetually congested and longer, you may end up burning more fuel than the toll saved. Sad but often true.

4. Go Look Stop
Are you one of those who frequently get stuck behind a stalled vehicle, crash into road humps or potholes? If you look further than 3 meters while driving, you can better anticipate obstacles and avoid fuel guzzling start-stop situations. Good reason not to tailgate too.

5. Make Up Your Mind
I don't know if it's kiasuness or indecisiveness that makes people drive with the other foot riding the brake pedal. A slight touch might not be noticeable to you but it strains the engine, wears out your brakes prematurely and confuses the poor driver behind. Make sure your handbrake is down all the way too.

6. Get Rid Of Freeloaders
The less passengers the less weight. The less load the better the fuel economy. If you want to car pool, pool the cost. Clear your boot by removing unutilised items like golf sets, prams, barbecue sets, scuba gear, etc.

7. Bear With Crow Shit
Park your car under the shade wherever possible. The hotter your car interior becomes, the harder the air-conditioning needs to work later, the more fuel the engine consumes as a result. The hot sun also increases fuel loss through evaporation.

8. Stay Safe & Save
Fuel consumption jumps dramatically after a certain speed. Keeping to the speed limit saves you more than traffic fines. Driving at 120 kph, rather than 100 kph, may increase fuel consumption by another 25 percent. The dangers of speeding far outweigh the travel time saved.

9. Get A Life
Stop pissing off your neighbours in the mornings and do yourself a favour. Most modern cars have no chokes or carburetors, so there's no need for long, noisy engine warm- ups. Hard revving a cold engine kills it faster than driving it.

10. Let The Bugger Go
There's no need to catch up with an offending driver just to show a finger or fist. You end up either paying more for fuel or a hefty hospital bill.

11. Learn From Your Mistakes
If your wife or girlfriend says she needs to pop into a warehouse sale for a quick look-see, find a parking spot and turn off the engine. Long idling wastes fuel and pollutes the environment.

12. Don't Be A Drag Queen
Remove that empty showoff roof rack or that ugly ill-designed Ah Beng spoiler as it causes unnecessary drag. Smoking with your windows down at cruising speed also increases drag. Newer cars (except the Juara) are aerodynamically designed for fuel efficiency. Stop adding unnecessary external accessories such as jutting elbows.

13. Meter The Meter
Keep track of your car's fuel consumption by monitoring the odometer or tripmeter. A sudden drop may mean mechanical problems. Timely oil change and other maintenance can save you significant amount of fuel.

14. Try A Different Nasi Lemak
All petrol are the same except for the additives and advertising. Contrary to what most Malaysians believe, you can mix your fuel. There's really no need to waste fuel by driving out of the way just to fill up your favourite brand and redemption card.

15. Get A New Boss
Use online banking or find a better employer. Stop driving to an ATM every hour just to check whether your salary is in.

*Your mileage may vary

The two weeks school holidays is finally over including my work related 'tour' around Malaysia. *sigh

Btw Afiq's eye surgery was postponed to the next school holiday due to some technical problem.

I had a briefing in JB from 27 - 30th June. Took a flight on 28th night and mr drove down with the children on 30th morning.

We went to Singap0re that very afternoon. After exchanging rm700 into not even $S300. *Sighhh

The journey into Singap0re was a breeze. The target was to see the Night Safar1. Mandai is very very near to W00dlands, we were early so we decided to drive slowly.

We were at the Z00 by 6pm, took some photos and took our early dinner.

It was great. The Night Safari was great. We were lucky they have this promotion for Malaysians where we pay the admission fees in MYR.

The fees:

Adult S$22 x 2 = S$44
Children S$11 x 3 = S$66

S$44 + S$66 = S$110 but we paid MYR110 woohooo... but we paid the tram in S$. Kira oklah tu.

There were sooo many people especially tourist from 1ndia. Mak oii tension jugak berebut-rebut especially when we had to q fr the animal show. Pity the children. Sakit pinggang mama kena dukung Hannah. Berpeluh sakan le.

We follow the proposed itinerary in their website.It help us sooo much in order to avoid the q to take the tram.

We watched the Tribal performance.
Embark on the fishing cat trail.
Continue with the Forest Giant Trail
Q and watched Creatures of the Night Show
Hop on the tram journey into the Night Safar1
Leopard trail
And finally we stopped at the retail outlet for some souvenirs especially for the children.

We had problem to top up our card to pay the toll *rolleyes and finally reached my parents house at 1.30am in the morning. There was a huge traffic at the Singapore immigration check point.

Will do the same trip again whenever we balik kampung JB. Next will be the 'Duck Tour', insyaAllah.