Bittersweet Symphony

2009-06-13T00:01:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum, Ahmad Emyr

2009-05-23T23:20:00.003+08:00

AlhamduliLlah, Ahmad Emyr bin Ahmad Feisal, a.k.a. Baby E, has been safely brought to the world through the Ceasarean Section incision, at 6.24pm on 23 May 2009.

The decision for the C-Sect delivery was made after certain considerations were taken, including Ahmad Emyr's weight which was initially estimated at 3.8kg and there were no progress on the 2cm dilation.

Apparently, Ahmad Emyr is one sturdy cute baby whose weight is 3.9kg.

Welcome to the world.

-The Proud Father-

Hello!

2009-05-18T14:34:00.004+08:00

InsyaAllah, Little Man will arrive this weekend, fresh from the oven in a package replete with Love :)

Little Man is still happily ensconcing himself in his warm cocoon, prompting my doctor to induce his arrival this weekend.

Hopefully all will be well even though my brain is constantly mixing up visions of what-ifs and what-to-expect; and my body, well, heavy.

But I keep telling myself that trust and faith must be placed in oneself as our human body is capable of extraordinary things. Amazing and magical things.

Semoga dipermudahkanNya.

Freestyle cooking with fruits!

2009-04-29T16:00:00.008+08:00

Roasted Strawberry Chicken in Mango sauce

Feisal and I, well, We're bored of eating rice. So this week is Western Week.

On Monday, I had strawberry jam (opt for cranberry jam if you have any) smeared all over the chicken thighs. Together with crushed garlic, ground cumin and fennel, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Then, just pop them into the oven for an hour.

For the potatoes, I just boil them. Smear butter whilst potatoes are still piping hot. A dash of salt and chilli flakes.

For the salad, add apples for extra crunch. Lemon juice and tartar sauce for the dressing.

For the sauce, puree mango and add a squirt of lemon juice. Easy!

And last night's dinner, Mutton Stew with Apples

1. Marinate the mutton/lamb shoulders in cumin powder, chilli powder, salt and pepper.

2. Preheat a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil to the pot, covering the bottom in a thin layer. Then toss in enough meat to form a single sizzling layer. Sear the meat on every side until it's evenly browned. As it browns remove it from the pot. Once the meat is done discard the remaining oil but keep all the browned bits in the pan. (They'll add lots of flavour, scrap them off if you must)

3. In the same pot, saute onions until translucent. Add the browned meat, tomato paste, carrots, apples, and chicken stock to just barely cover the works. (Add celery and mushroom if you have any.)

4. Add dry basil and bring the pot to a simmer. Continue cooking until the meat is almost tender, about an hour.

5. Serve with meatballs and toasted buns. Seriously easy and tasty.

Random-ness

2009-04-23T17:19:00.006+08:00

Perut sakit on and off, Little Man terajang like nobody's business. Braxton contraction every 15 minutes dah. Nak pakai seluar pun takleh angkat kaki. Apa aa, tak macho dah.

Last weekend, Feisal and I made a decision. Well, I managed to persuade Him to let me stick to my current doc. So rakan-rakan, I won't be delivering kat SJMC. Berat hati nak tukar doctor. I love my current doc.

So InsyaAllah, Little Man will say hello to the world at Pusat Perubatan Naluri, somewhere in Wangsa Maju. Haha Aunty Nadia lagi kena datang tau!! dekat dah ;) Tapi even Us pun tak survey lagi Pusat Perubatan tu, maybe this weekend We'll go there. So I'll be at home waiting for labour to kick in, ditemani Mr Cat and Mr Rabbit :)

I told Feisal, wouldn't it be nice if I could deliver next week, tapi Feisal cuak! haha. apa aa, lagi awal lagi bagus. He's already 2.6 kg what. Tak la besar sangat nak push. ye ke?

Of my Dad

2009-04-16T10:54:00.005+08:00

"Esok Mumy pergi ke Kapit for a week supervising her students. Mummy sedang enjoy anugerah bintang popular. Nampaknya Farah Fauzana menang banyak anugerah".

Those are excerpts from my Dad's email, who is no longer incompetent with the computer and internet. He's hooked I tell you. Selamat Ber-internet Dad! It is never to late, way to go!

2009-04-14T15:32:00.007+08:00

The ascent of a 49kg me to an acceptable 62kg. Yes, to date, I have managed to load a healthy 13kg of water, baby fat and mummy fat into my almost nine months pregnant body. 13 is always a good number, though I reckon the number of weight gained will not remain stagnant.

Little Man's movements and pokes are anything but gentle, responsive to every sound and movement, especially to his Ayah's voice. Although many times I would have to stagger rather than walk steadily, or occasionally feeling seedy; this journey has been a stupendous one.

Some of the piddling details about me and my nearing-the-end-of-pregnancy:

I love taking cold showers, at least 3 times a day. Absolutely no hot shower, whatever the time. I love nibbling and munching on ice cubes. Similarly, only ice cold water may wash down my throat. At times, bedtime will call for both air conditioner plus fan for me. Cleaning and cooking, I still love. Especially cleaning, totally obsessed!

A satisfying meal for me is one that ends with sweet chocolate ice cream or ice blended mango, leaving me with an uncomfortable heartburn. And heartburn is best remedied with fresh milk, so I love fresh milk. I do not take special formula milk for pregnant mums, for no specific reason.

Also, I did not sign up for labour class. Do not feel the need to. Watch youtube only. Feisal and I never went for a detailed 4D scan as We feel babies look the same, and complications, if any, could also be detected through normal ultrasound. Alhamdulillah, my fabulous doctor felt the same, optional she said. We are the play-cool couple, semua tak payah :)

And above all, have a positive attitude, and have faith that things will fall into place at its own pace. Oh, one more thing, jangan manjakan badan. Exercise!

Home Sweet Home

2009-04-08T15:40:00.005+08:00

On this day, when We were supposed to be gallivanting around Jakarta and Bandung.

Of course We did not just sit around at home. Ate until I nearly burst, searched (and bought) some practical mini nursery items for Little Man, purchased an excellent Wodehouse book, watched the Malaysian Monsoon call a halt to the F1 race and best of all, proposed a slight alteration to Little Man's name.

From what Dear Feisal was able to glean (after sensing the akwardness in the name), it appears that now Little Man's name carry three wonderful meanings instead of just one previously. After much persuasion, Feisal concurred. And I smiled with glee, a befitting name indeed.

Addicted

2009-04-03T11:07:00.007+08:00

background image

And the decluttering has begun. Some people regard this as 'nesting'. I don't know what it is, but it has certainly emboldened me to declutter everything I can lay my hands on.

And those magazines, are only a product of one book shelf and a magazine holder! I managed to fill a huge garbage bag with small clutters from drawers and shelves. Oh am I satisfied, knowing that drawers are near empty, neat and clutter free.

I have always liked Peter Walsh, who refers "clutter" as an all-encompassing noun. It means "anything that stands between you and the vision you have for your best life." And I agree.

Knowing full well that our home is not a museum led me into chucking almost everything-unused away, be it tiny momentos or things that stand in the way of my vision.

And Our trip to SSF tomorrow (to redeem my voucher) will see me buying cute boxes or baskets to store most of out stuff in.

Little Man deserves this :) And this is only the beginning of Our Little Project Nursery. Having a clutter free home will certainly lend free rein in our imagination and creativeness, or lack thereof!

Check this Out

2009-04-02T10:14:00.009+08:00

Just found out about this online store that sells only flats and gladiators. In Jakarta. hmmph. Love the shoes. Check out Wondershoe people.

And for those who dig in heels or stilettos, check out Yunique Paradise. Also nice to look at! Kaki saya bengkak darab lapan so definitely won't buy any, not even to be worn after Little Man's delivery. Duh. Selipar jepun is the way to go, ha ha.

My diaper bags arrived yesterday. I know, why buy two. The black one does not look like one, it looks just like any other handbag. So I opted for two. Guil.ty Plea.sure. Give me a break.

To Shuey

2009-04-01T12:49:00.001+08:00

All cats go to heaven :) and of course other animals too. Jangan sedih-sedih sangat ok babe.

Checked!

2009-03-25T17:33:00.014+08:00

After a dreary Friday, Feisal and I were prompted to clear our shopping list for the Little Man come weekend. Little did we know that shopping for baby's essentials and mom's too was easy. As long as you know perfectly what to buy and most importantly, sticking to its practicalities, you are good to shop. Alhamdulillah, after only three shopping trips, Little Man's checklist is cleared. And mine too :)

There is no need to share the pictures of every single essentials that we bought. Same predictable stuff I suppose. Last weekend and yesterday, I bought these for myself :

Left to right: More comfy pants and few more comfortable tops. Cotton pants and button-down tops for confinement. Check out the bunny pants! Only RM 17 at Subang Parade.

Last two weeks, the doctor informed me that the amount of my amniotic fluid was on the high. So she performed a routine MGTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) to confirm whether I have gestational diabetes. Ran a couple of blood tests and fortunately, I'm cleared of the suspicion. Raging hormones I suppose.

The thing was, I had to fast for half a day. Feisal and I felt bad for this Little Man, sure hungry and all. So, a short shopping trip interposed between the two hours blood test. (You have to draw blood, drink a very very sweet solution and wait for two hours for the blood to process the sugar, and draw blood again).

So, we bought him five rompers for "We feel bad for our hungry Boy". Basically, these three rompers will be worn by him upon his arrival, InsyaAllah. Funny cartoons befitting the ocassion,no? Monkeys, Alligators and Emergency Vehicles :)

Having experienced my students' disordeliness led me into buying these for our Little Man last Friday night. Poor him, had to endure hunger and restlessness as well. Mommy's sorry poor Boy.

Hopefully you will grow into a well-meaning and polite person just like Paddington Bear. And Paddington also loves to 'try so hard to get things right'.

And these are among the nine rompers given by my sister Dedek few months back, and also our Baby's first set of clothes.

And most importantly, after a short shopping spree with Dedek yesterday, we did not get my Boy anything. So I made a dash into Lovely Lace, which led me into buying this cute white box. That tall giraffe was a gift from his Ayah last weekend :) A good start for our own little project nursery.

There, a short story on some of our Little Man's things. Having bought and prepared everything does not necessarily precipitate labour, does it? Hopefully not!

The disturbingly inconvenient truth

2009-03-21T04:17:00.008+08:00

"Mdm, why did you not invite any real lawyers to judge our mooting session?

"Can we start at 9:30 a.m instead? There are some stuff that need to be settled. The opponent also".

"Mdm, we are in the midst of binding our bundle and written submission".

"We will send to you our bound bundle only after we are done with our oral submission".

* After making me wait for a solid one hour, had the audacity to enter the mini moot court without apologising for their untimely lateness*.

*chewing gum during the proceeding*.

" *digressed in their submission, for the most part* ".

8:45 am : You had the audacity to dilly dally at God-knows-where whilst I rushed on my wobbling feet to grab the keys to the mini moot court, only to find the same rather unsightly. So, I had to rearrange the furnitures to resemble a proper court room setting, intermittently chowing down my breakfast bar. Sat myself at the bench, only to find myself waiting for a solid one hour when in fact you should have started on your submission 15 minutes after my arrival.

Because of your stupid group, you have made the other teams wait anxiously. Because of your blatant ignorance, I was pressed for time and had to give my allocated time for quick lunch a miss. Unlike you lot, I hate making people wait in an unopportune hour, even if they are just students. Your untactful inconsiderateness have caused my poor Baby his lunch, leaving me blanketed in wrenching guilt every time he squiggles.

I care not if you speak flawless English. Ample time was granted for solid preparation. Flaws have been pointed out during lecture. Pompous and bodoh sombong. I repeat, bodoh sombong.

And you expect me to invite my lawyer friends to listen to your unstructured and jumbled-up arguments? And make them wait for your well-timed grand entrance? And witness your utter disregard for proper court's room conduct? And wriggle their fingers through your un-bounded bundle? Utterly foolish.

And until now, you have failed to submit to me your group's bundle and written submission. No sms, nothing. Too bad, your group have lost 30 solid marks there. And for all I care, I do not care at all. Deservedly so.

There you have it, the inconvenient and disheartening truth on a fraction of my Compulsory Moots students, on their submission day : Their Final Exam.

BODOH SOMBONG.

2009-03-18T13:31:00.010+08:00

Blogging proves to be boring these days. I would rather have my eyes transfixed on the TV. Or let my passion for cooking take charge in the kitchen, which I do so often. Leading me, more often than not, to blog on cooking/recipes.

What I prepared for dinner last Monday:

Asian Inspired Roast

* Marinate the chicken parts in chili powder, ground cumin, fennel and coriander, crushed garlic and ginger, and salt.

* Chill in the fridge for few hours.

* Roast the chicken in a pre-heated oven for an hour, adding the bed of carrots and broccolis in the last 20 minutes.

Creamy Baked Potatoes

*Boil 4 medium potatoes (cut into quarters) for 15 minutes or until tender. Leave to cool.

*In a saucepan, add 4 tbsp butter, 2 tbspn milk, salt and pepper; beat until fluffy.

*Beat in grated mozarella cheese. Sprinkle with paprika.

*Pour the creamy mixture onto the potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle handfuls of remaining grated cheese onto the prepared potatoes.

* Bake, uncovered, at 200 celcius for 20-25 minutes or until cheese are goldenly brown.

* To serve, dollop spoonfuls of mayonnaise and chili sauce mixture.

Home made Banana Split

* Chocolate Sauce - Melt heaps tbspn cocoa powder, 1 tbspn butter, 3 tbsp condensed milk and fresh milk in a saucepan. Pour onto the vanilla ice-cream and chopped bananas. Top with crushed peanuts.

Simply delightful!

2009-03-03T15:29:00.004+08:00

I am entering my final trimester, and the skin on my tummy and abdomen is getting itchier by the day! Tiny, red spots have also appeared and these eruptions are definitely annoying. I can't help but scratch them. Other than that, I have no other grouses to air.

It is heart chuckling to be able to feel my baby's feet, elbows and hands everytime he elects to surface on my tummy. Not only that, he punches his Ayah a lot these days. One nudge on my tummy by Feisal will eventuate in two strong nudges by Little boy. Little boy sure knows how to be cheeky with us.

I really can't wait for the day! And last week, I had the chance to waltz around with a toddler, my cousin's daughter. Qaseh is simply adorable!

Comfort Food

2009-02-26T15:33:00.014+08:00

Mummy used to make this almost on a weekly basis when we were young. Now, all she did was email me the recipe and prompted me to try make them myself. Sheesh! So Feisal and I did just the same.

You will need :

* 1 tbsp butter

* chicken breasts

* button mushroom

* spring onion

* carrot, broccoli, tomato (diced)

* diced pineapples

* slices of bread

* grated mozzarella cheese

* 1 cup fresh milk

* 2 eggs

* 1 tbsp mayonaise

* salt and pepper to taste

1.Melt butter, add in chicken. Fry till almost cooked.

2. Add in mushroom, spring onion, the vegetables mix, salt and pepper.

3.Cut bread into squares. Place in ovenproof dish. Spoon in mixture no.2, together with the pineapples. Top with remaining bread.

4. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.

5. Place eggs, milk and mayonaise in a bowl and whisk to combine.Carefully pour egg mixture over bread mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

6. Bake for 50 - 60 min or till slice is firm.

Ours was not as tasty as mummy's, but it was a simple yet filling dinner!

New Look

2009-02-25T17:50:00.002+08:00

To one in my state of mental and emotional upheaval, change is direly warranted. After a few hours of nutting things out, I have decided on this look. Boy am I contented.

I love it, hope you do too!

Here's to my Bittersweet Symphony's new look, in its most natural.

Shop shop!

2009-02-14T18:34:00.015+08:00

I am in love with designer diaper bags by JP Lizzy.

Unfortunately, not all designs are made available by its international retailers in Malaysia. I am planning to get this soon :

Not only is the diaper bag chick, it comes with a changing mat, cosmetic bag and a wristlet. Totally worth it!

I really like this black tea tote as well, mainly because it does not scream diaper bag! Unfortunately, it is not available here, so I would need to order straight from the retailers in the US. Shopping, it has been a while. Aahh, simply gratifying.

2009-02-11T16:21:00.009+08:00

I decided to try a Middle East recipe for dinner yesterday. The original recipe can be found here. It is so simple that anyone could whip this up. I am glad that Feisal loved it, and so He had seconds. All you need is:

* 500 gm fresh medium shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined. Marinate the shrimps in :-

* 1 tspn gingerrot

* 1 tspn ground coriander (ketumbar)

* 1/2 tspn paprika ( I used chili powder instead)

* 1/2 tspn 5-spice powder

* 1/4 tspn ground cumin (jintan manis)

* 1/4 tspn ground turmeric

For the rice,

* 1 1/2 cup long grain rice

* 3 tbs margerin ( I used ghee instead)

* 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 red chili, finely chopped

* 3 1/4 cup chicken broth

* Fresh coriander

1. In a large saucepan heat margarine/ghee until margarine/ghee is melted.

2. Add onion, garlic, and red chili. Saute until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Next, add rice and saute for few seconds.

4. To the rice, add chicken broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or till rice is nearly done.

5. Lastly, stir in the shrimp mixture. Return to boiling; reduce heat.

6. Cook, covered, about 5 minutes more or till shrimp turn pink and rice is tender.

7. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Somehow I find it gratifying even just to cook one dish. Just like this chicken briyani Feisal and I whipped up some time ago. Campak the briyani mix and chicken into the rice cooker. Of course, must eat veggie. Salad is always the way to go.

Cooking cut short, a wholesome meal indeed!

To Lily

2009-02-10T16:48:00.001+08:00

"My heart is reaching out to you,
For what you’re going through,
I’m thinking of you frequently,
And praying for you, too".

I apologize for failing to contain my emotions yesterday. Stay strong girl.

Listen to my ramblings

2009-02-05T18:17:00.003+08:00

I don't know what is up with Astro, they are like sloth that it is not even funny. Only that, sloth is much cuter. They should have installed a new astro set for us since last week, but being the sloths that they are, they have not. Do not be deluded into thinking that they offer a decent customer service. It is nowhere near decent. Let alone great. Rot if you may.

On the flipside, thanks to the tv ariel, we can now make do with tv3 and the likes. I hate watching the news though. So full of bull if you know what I mean. But, I enjoyed watching the Juara Lagu special show just now. Stacy can really dance and sing in one breath like it is nobody's business! Really love her showmanship. Speaking of local talents, I enjoy listening to Bunkface, more than I do Hujan or MUH. Bunkface rocks. This is me doing my bit in 'menyokong industri tanah air'.

Now that I am six months plus along, I should actually start buying baby's essentials. Plus, my feet are beginning to swell, so I shouldn't be on my feet for too long a time at once. We have gotten a baby car seat cum stroller thus far. That's about it. Having prepared a checklist will definitely obviate the need to overspend, or so I hope. Speaking of babies, all the best to Farah Nini on the very-soon-to arrive baby no. six!

Oh, this is the exact 3+1 stroller set that Feisal and I got for Our Little Man inside :) Chick ey?

A Little Note

2009-01-30T13:30:00.006+08:00

To Dearest Asni, my Best Buddy, I am happy for you. Now that the 'cat' is out of the bag, I am sure everyone will be praying for your tiny miracle's well being and health. So will I. So, your paranoia and anxiety, enough already! Just take care, take your supplements daily and be happy! If anything, Abdul will be there to spoil you. ha ha.

2009-01-28T21:59:00.007+08:00

My Life's happenings for those who wish to know :

1. Been watching 8tv for the past three days. Astro cable had been gnawed through to its last breath by none other than si putih nakal. Not that we can't watch tv3, last night saw us both 'listening' rather than watching Buletin Utama as the vision is akin to millions of bees on the screen. I'm sure you can conjure up that image in your mind. Feisal can't do without news, so at 8pm, He would ask 'boleh imagine tak muka orang dalam tv tu macam mana. As long as you boleh imagine the image, ok la'. Yeah.

2. I can now gauge my Baby's sleeping pattern. No, not the rabbit. The Baby in my tummy. He'll sleep once Feisal hums to him, which is few minutes after I lie down, not forgetting, after several karate kicks. He'll then wake up at 10:30 a.m. EVERY morning. No kidding! (I once played a whole Green Day song to my tummy at 9:30 a.m and he refused to budge an inch). Hopefully, he'll be tardy for school and stuff. What's "tepat" in Arabic? Maybe we should call him 'Ahmad Tepat'.

Oh, that's about it. My life is so simple :) Ah, now back to watching 8tv.

1, 23.

2009-01-23T00:36:00.001+08:00

For a 28 year old; considerably young still, my Husband's facade screams otherwise. But, He's becoming more of a kid by the day. A big bully, a cheeky and funny guy He is. Thank you for painting my life with colours of all sorts. Anything but soul destroying.

His becoming of age is just another day. It's Father's Day that I am looking forward to. InsyaAllah :) Will Our son inherit His signature eyebrows? ha ha. I Love You nonetheless Feisal Boy.

Ginger

2009-01-21T16:42:00.005+08:00

Last Saturday, I met this little fella at our uncle's family get together, amid cheerful children and not to mention a clown. Looking so forlorn and agitated, I felt obligated to cuddle and calm this little fella down. So there I stood, overfond of this fella, silently hoping that Feisal would say yes. Yes to my wanting to take this fella to the vet, and yes to my forlorn hope of keeping him.

Perish the thought already. Of course it was a no. Mainly because this cute creature is owned by the condo's management. So I had to let him go, and not that I know not how, I just love him already. All creatures big or small must be in want of love and care, and it seemed to me that there was a scarcity of the same. Too bad, and on our way home, I blurted "His name is Ginger".

Check out his expression. The same night, this little boy merajuk. He took one sniff at my baju kurung and instantly he smelt something foreign. It's only Ginger silly, your it-was-not-to-be buddy.

Cooking made simple

2009-01-20T13:26:00.005+08:00

With the weight I'm carrying, I try to keep cooking fast and simple. One that requires minimal dexterity and preparation, so as to minimize, if not prevent a nasty backache.

And this little Boy loves it when I cook, that's when he's most active, besides after every meal that is.

Check out the recipe here!

Perpetualness

2009-01-12T14:28:00.002+08:00

Kuching - Perpetual rain, flood alert, can't wait to fly home again.

Kuala Lumpur - Perpetual kicking and poking, baby alert, can't wait to meet him.

Gaza - Perpetual carnage, on perpetual alert, can't wait for it to end.

Pan Boy

2009-01-07T01:29:00.008+08:00

I'll be flying home later today. And Feisal and I have just dropped my cutie pie off at my cousin's, just two floors away from us. And here I am, away from my bunny, strucked by a phenomenal amount of sadness.

My cousin's unit and ours, its distance is nothing. But I can't come knocking on people's door at 2 a.m. can I? Only to then tell them how much I miss my bunny and needed to see the same right away, after being apart for only five hours. Deranged.

I can't help but imagining him hopping around happily around my feet, silently asking for treats. Delirious.

Sorry for you have to sleep in your cage as opposed to your favourite spot in the living room Pan Boy.

I'm in for a bunny meltdown!

All I need.

2009-01-02T21:50:00.003+08:00

I loved 2008. And I will feel the same for 2009.

Everyone had their fair share of having to take the rough with the smooth. As did I. But I love my life nonetheless.

Just don't stop loving. Here's to permeating and surrounding oneself with love. Hello 2009. And of course, I love you all.

Seafood!

2008-12-24T13:20:00.009+08:00

Earlier this month, I prepared these palatable seafood for lunch. And my parents loved them, so did Feisal and Achu Dedek. We had asam pedas kepala ikan jenahak, ketam masak lemak and udang galah kicap.

1. Soak the fish head in tamarind juice.

2. Saute belacan, turmeric, garlic and shallots (finely pounded) until almost crispy.

3. Next, add in few tablespoons of chili paste. Fry until pecah minyak.

4. Add in the fish head, together with a cup of tamarind juice, not too pekat nor cair. Let simmer.

5. Lastly, add in tomatoes, bendi, daun kesum and bunga kantan. Season with salt.

1. In a pot of water, add in crushed cili padi (a handful), santan, turmeric and salt. Let simmer.

2. Add in the crabs and simmer until cooked. (15 minutes)
For this, I used the same recipe as any masak kicap. Only that, I added few tablespoons of chili paste for the extra kick.

Happy Feasting!

four.five

2008-12-23T17:33:00.005+08:00

20th day of Ramadhan, 5:30 a.m.

The anxiety voices and crowd in my head have finally unassembled, so I made my way to the bathroom. After falling over myself to sneak a peek, I finally saw the lines. There were two, bright lines. Rubbed my eyes. Nope, wasn't a fallacious line or two. Still there.

After what had seemed like a dream, I made my way out. Sat myself on the bed whilst Darling Feisal sneaked a peek at those two lines. The blank facade that He flashed at me wasn't helping much! The anxiety voices and crowd assembled once again, slowly invading my giddy head.

It wasn't a ploy nor was it planned with fastidious details. There We were, secretly rejoicing Our new found glory whilst waiting for the sun to come up.

27th day of Ramadhan, 11 a.m.

There it was, a black bubble on the screen. We smiled with pride.

Sometime ago that was. People often ask, why the rush? Enjoy while you are still young. I would silently answer, why not rush and enjoy? Life is short. Some would blabber away and dismiss it as a trend. Everyone's sashaying around with one.

Well, on mature reflection, it is most certainly not a trend nor a fashion statement. I have not any plans to waltz around with expensive-branded-wearing toddler if that's what trend is all about. They can't even decipher alphabets, much less read Osh Kosh or BabyGuess. No offence, that's my own opinion and plan.

I know I am ready as my Husband has always been ready. I know I can make a good parent as I am more than certain that my Husband will be a fantastic one. I know I can brave this as my Husband is here with me. In many ways, more than one.

Yes, He had the Couvade Syndrome and secretly wrote, 'For my wife, I will take that anytime'.

Alhamdulillah, because of that, I didn't have to endure morning sickness.

Alongside all the many reasons to be thankful for, what more can I ask?

We are half way there, four.five months. InsyaAllah, Darling Feisal will have a buddy to kick football with and support ManU with as this cute Baby of Ours is A BOY!

On a Lazy Day

2008-12-14T13:03:00.008+08:00

We decided to stay at home and laze around. More of pig around. Watching movies incessantly whilst munching on kerepek.The Husband decided to be a chef for the day.

For breakfast, We had these. Cocktail sausage with omelette and melted cheese.

Iced longan in fresh milk.

And He prepared this for lunch. Yummy mushroom sauce!

Now that is why Feisal is My King! A feminine one at that though.

SSF

2008-12-12T13:22:00.005+08:00

I love going to SSF. I love its products, from small scented candles to extra lush flowers, to intricate porcelains and furnitures. What is not to love.

Mix and match ought to be applied though, not a fan of one-colour-one-type-only interior deco.

On Friday the 13th

2008-12-09T14:42:00.010+08:00

The date often considered to be a day of bad luck.

This horror film will be released February next year, on a Friday. Friday the 13th. 2009 will welcome three Friday(s) the 13th, as opposed to one this year. But this year's was nowhere near horror.

Darling Feisal and I officially became an item on Friday the 13th, 2004. And got married almost four years later, also on a Friday the 13th. The only Friday the 13th for this year.

Anything but bad luck.

Seafood at Home

2008-11-25T14:02:00.009+08:00

To get cooking down to a fine art is something that I would love to achieve, but not just yet.

Last Sunday morning, my Darl Feisal and I went to the market and thereupon, fresh, fatty crabs caught our eyes. Bought them we did, together with some sting rays.

So yesterday evening, after a splendid chat with Miera, I cooked the seafood whilst Feisal went to "sepak bola" at the poolside. It's called "sepak bola" and not "bola sepak" as He kicks the football all by Himself. Towards a wall or something. See, His love for football is incontestable.

Enough digression, back to cooking. Here are the end results :

Pari Bakar with Air Asam.

Place the pari (season with salt and turmeric) on a grilling pan, pre-heated with butter.

Air asam

*Finely crush 1 cm belacan, red chili and sugar in a pestle. Pour in tamarind juice (1 tbsp asam jawa with 1/2 cup water) into the pestle. Add in finely chopped shallot and tomato. Lastly, add in lime juice.

*I love using the pestle (lesung batu) as it intensifies the taste. Original kampung style.

Sweet and sour crabs.

*Saute sliced garlic, ginger, onion and red chili in hot oil.

*Add the crabs, let them fry for 5 mins.

*Next, add in chili sauce, tomato sauce and water, to your taste. Also, add in sugar and salt.

*Lastly, you may add tomato, pineapple, carrot and coriander into the simmering dish.

Cooking is indeed therapeutic!

It has been a while

2008-11-24T14:16:00.007+08:00

Prepping spaghetti is easy right, so no need for recipe. I like mine slightly sweet, with grated parmesan cheese to top it all of.

Also, tastes much better with these sticky wings!
Smother the chicken wings in honey, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, oyster sauce, chili powder and cumin marinade. Bake in preheated 190 deg oven for an hour.

My favourite cake, besides plain gooey chocolate cake.
The recipe, well, I kind of lost it. I placed it on my fridge with a magnet and my cute, rascal bunny decided to nibble on the recipe. Up to its very last shred of paper. But I am sure this recipe works just fine.

2008-11-20T18:46:00.006+08:00

Should my blog be in the form of a physical journal, it would certainly be collecting dust by now. I reckon it has been permeated by the sound of rocketing crickets.

Not only have I no cogent reasons for such neglect, I am also literally home-bound. A stay at home wife, doing nothing replicating the same. ha ha.

Last weekend was fun. We filled ourselves with nonsensical gossips and jokes, replenishing our depleting in-need-of-laughter souls. See you girls in December.

And, I have found a new love. The name's Jaspal. Replete with colourful and up-to-mark tops. Bought myself a black top and Mira a gypsy-like green. Nice! And what's more, they are affordably reasonable.
Jaspal rocks!

2008-11-13T11:21:00.003+08:00

After a long hiatus on buying things, yesterday's shopping spree with my aunt-in-law and sis-in-law was liberating. Gosh have I forgotten how great the feeling is! Subang Parade is fun to be in. So much so, during lunch hour, sneaky Feisal sneaked into Subang Parade as well to get himself a new pair of boots for his football match tomorrow. Gila gung-ho. But no, we did not bump into him! hish.

Crosswise

2008-11-05T17:10:00.007+08:00

America, it is time to change your ways. The coveted baton has been passed to the deserving Obama, incontestably so. Whilst America will be making its headway with the newly elected President, who undoubtedly will reposition America in our eyes, we will be falling into a state of disrepair.

For starters, what is with the perceptibly deranged malay guy who sued the State Government of Penang for erecting multilingual road signs in the state? Once again, deranged. And need I begin with the Malaysian cruddy, world-of-not-unlike-monkeys politicians? Their heads should be clobbered. And boy am I enamoured with our Government's laughingly firm contention that economy meltdown will not befall Malaysia. Maybe after drowning Japan and Singapore's markets, just to name a few, Mr. Economy Meltdown decided to give us a miss. Duh.

Oh boy, Well Done America. Good Luck Malaysia.

Happy Birthday Mar! Lagi best makan aiskrim dengan kau.

My Best Friend's Wedding

2008-10-28T23:19:00.003+08:00

Just look at her pretty face. Deserving every beautiful moment indeed.

Nah, no words could ever describe my feelings on those two eventful nights. Speechless.

Songs for you, Truths for me

2008-10-23T12:43:00.005+08:00

Honest to goodness cuteness.The only singer who could command my attention from first to last. My flippant attitude aside, I'm busy analysing the lyrics to his latest album when I should actually start on my essays on Constitutional Law. Oh well, amost anything goes for me these days.

That aside,
In two days' time, she'll be a gorgeous bride. She'll be at most very, very happy. I am very relieved to know that everything is well. Everything ought to be, InsyaAllah. Because she, my Best Girl, deserves the best. The very best. And to her, the person who knows me best, i love you. And now it's my turn to usher you on your Aqad night. Honoured :)

Eye Candy

2008-10-10T09:58:00.002+08:00

Oh cuteness. tak tahan. geram. so cuddly, so innocent. nak kiss kiss!

2008-10-06T16:42:00.003+08:00

I can't wait for Miera's wedding at the end of this month. But final exams will be knocking on my door right after. I can't wait for the semester break (or the end of Masters) to continue on doing what I do best ie. lay idle.The Uni people have asked me to sign in forms to become permanent teaching staff. But I have new considerations to consider.

Until then, I will be floating. As Miss Ahlam funnily puts it, "dark clouds hovering above your head".

Actually she mentioned something in light of Company Law. Not dark clouds. That's just me.

Of Hari Raya

2008-09-25T12:52:00.017+08:00

Given that this would have been Feisal's first Raya in Kuching, it would totally be new. However, it was not to be. I had to capitulate to my parents' wishes of wanting to celebrate Raya here, instead of the usual Kuching. In need of a nice break they chided.

Raya will still be a totally new experience this year, nevertheless. As much as I miss the breezy air of my hometown, the kek-lapis baking and the storming in my neighbour's house at any time; I am grateful for this will be my first Raya together with Feisal and His families.

My Father has already planned what to do and where to go to with Feisal the night of Raya. Mummy and I, on the other hand will be cracking in the kitchen, overlooking the gigantic KLCC. Something different ey.

It will be different as both my brothers and SIL won't be here to share with us the joy of Raya. Different as we will only be surrounded by families instead of our lovely neighbours and friends back home. Different as the short and colourful Raya lights will be hung on the balcony of our apartment as opposed to the countless bulbs needed for Kuching's home. Oh ya, Feisal and I bought ketupat-like lights last night.

*Raya with the crazy in-laws*

Although I miss the comforts of Kuching and its people, InsyaAllah, Raya this year will bring a whole new meaning to a whole new life of Ours as husband and wife, Amin (*wink*).

Eid Mubarak to all.

Walnut!

2008-09-17T16:43:00.006+08:00

Since we had nothing else better to do other than idling at home on a public holiday, I decided to drag Feisal this morning to buy walnuts and butter at the bakery's. Got this recipe last month from a cook book, which I believe looks better than mine!

* Cream 150 gm butter until white and fluffy.

* In a seperate bowl, cream together 135gm castor sugar, 135 all purpose flour, one tspn baking powder, 3 eggs, 23 gm ovelette and 35 ml water.

* After mixing, pour the batter into the butter mixture.

* Lastly, add in 125gm walnut (baked for 5 minutes and chopped coarsely).

*Bake for approximately one hour at 175 celcius.

A simple meal

2008-09-17T12:13:00.001+08:00

I hate cold sores, especially those appearing right on my inner cheeks. It hurts to talk, much less chew and bite. So I prepared chicken porridge for buka puasa yesterday. A simple yet tasty meal. Furthermore, I was eager to watch the newly downloaded One Tree Hill Season 6. So, cooking cut short led to this :

* Prepare chicken broth : Chicken parts in a pot of water with cloves and cinnamon. Salt to taste.

* Pour the broth in 1.5 cups of rice. Add in sliced ginger and garlic. Cook until 'porridgy'. Right before it's cooked, pour half cup of coconut milk. Season with pepper.

Served ours with fried potatoes, shallots and ikan terubuk masin. Yum!

Fish Tycoon

2008-09-16T12:15:00.006+08:00

I'm hooked up on this game. You breed the fish, find seven magic breeds, sell the fish, buy supplies for the fish, feed the fish and care for them. They breathe and eat just like real fish do.

It is so addictive. Last midnight saw Feisal sleep talking, mumbling 'ape lah orang jual ikan tu, mumbling je'. haha. He's hooked too. So much so of wanting to install this game at His office's PC. A calming screen saver too I must say. The sound of oxygen tank. *Bluurp bluurp*

Favourite!

2008-09-16T00:00:00.003+08:00

May I present to you, my 'top of the list' favourite dish, soto; or chicken soup for that matter.

This was prepared even before I got married. Now that my brother is abroad, (who, come weekend, loves to 'order' soto from me) soto will only be prepared as and when I like. The last I prepared for one was last month when my parents came by.

* To make chicken broth, boil chicken breasts and carcass in a pot of water, together with cinnamon and one cube chicken stock.

*In a separate pot, place the usual spices (cloves,cinnamon etc.) into hot oil. Then add in shallots,onion,ginger,garlic (blended), and slightly crushed lemon grass and galanghal (lengkuas) . Lastly, add crushed fennel and coriander (jintan manis,jintan putih & ketumbar). Saute for few minutes.

*Add the prepared chicken stock and extra water into the mixture, one 'sup bunjut' and salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer.

*To go with the soup, fry sliced potatoes (fries-like). I don't like 'begedil' so I opt for fried potatoes. Also fry glass noodles (suhun).

* To prepare soto, place shredded chicken breasts on top of few cubes of nasi himpit, potato fries and suhun.Garnish with coriander leaves and fried shallots. Pour the hot soup. Trust me, heavenly!

For chicken soup, I have not the patience to prepare chicken stock. So I just fry the spices and blended stuff, add chicken and lastly water. I love chicken soup. Last week, I had three healthful bowls of chicken soup in between berbuka and midnight. Insatiable indeed.

I don't mean to sound condescending, but I love my own-made soup/soto. I am proud to say that my Mum loves my soto/soup much!

Monstrous Truth

2008-09-15T17:53:00.003+08:00

Queer, repulsive, unbelievable, funny and shocking; on the sexual orientation of those two boys. What more could possibly happen on this Holy Month.

There is something about the Swoosh

2008-09-10T14:17:00.006+08:00

My brother, who will be back from Doha for a short break asked me if there is anything that I want him to get me. He offered Nine West handbags as they are cheaper there. Also, perfumes as they are also sold at much lesser prices. But I thought, I do not need more than five handbags, unlike most, if not all girls. And boy, five perfumes at present should suffice.

He bought a pair of Nike sandals for Feisal, adding to the latter's plentiful Nike collection. So I thought, why not channel my brother's generosity towards our love for anything Nike. A couple of Nike baby-Ts would be great, so I could waltz my way around at home in them everyday. Yes, I normally wear them at home only, for reasons I can't seem to ascertain. Or a nice big Nike luggage bag to go along with our Nike toiletries bag, our Nike carrier bags and backpack.

I am eyeing at two Nike shirts I saw last week at Subang Parade. *drools*

On this Holy Month

2008-09-10T11:56:00.006+08:00

It has become hard for us to feel at ease even in our own country. Worst of all, improprieties are common.

People want to listen to fighting talks, but Malaysian politicians have been fighting a losing battle, whichever side they are at. Hence my inmost believe, in no uncertain terms, that these people are shallow. It would be ludicrous to think that things will take a turn for the better sometime soon. For all I care, I don't.

And what happened in Shah Alam is heartbreaking. Unwarranted. But they have been chosen to brave it as they are indeed brave. Oh we need more good hearts. Hearts unladen with hate, vengeance and bad faith.

Just like the politicians' discursive manner of talking and behaving, I too have a discursive style of writing.

Feast!

2008-09-07T11:34:00.004+08:00

Feisal and I decided, on a Saturday, to have a 'kenduri' like berbuka. As if the kenduri food in Penang last week wasn't enough. Insatiable, indeed. So what better way than to spend my hungry moments with cooking.

So I cooked these dishes for us (except for the salad of course). Savoured every bite, so much so that I had two plates of rice during sahur. So there, mutton curry, ayam masak merah, perut masak kicap (always has been a favourite) cooked for four (berbuka plus sahur).

*Perut masak kicap - Boiled for 30 minutes. Then saute blended onion, shallots, garlic and ginger, together with the spices (cinnamon, cloves,cardomom). After a while, add in oyster sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, one tspn of honey and water. Let it simmer, lastly add in the boiled perut.

*Ayam masak merah- Fry the chicken. Into hot oil, add in spices, blended garlic, ginger and two tbsp chilli paste. After a while, add in a small can of tomato puree, two tbsp chilli and tomato sauce, 1/4 cup of evaporated milk (didn't have any so I used coconut milk) and a pinch of salt.

*Mutton curry-Opt for mutton instead of chicken from the chicken curry recipe. But cooking mutton takes quite some time as its meat is tough.

There you have it. A kenduri-like meal for one pelahap couple.

2008-09-03T23:31:00.006+08:00

My aunt-in-law and I just shared lots of recipes this morning and I can't wait to try them out. Anyways, I have been meaning to post this recipe even before I got married since this picture was taken then, so here goes.

*Fry chicken parts (coated in turmeric and salt) until crispy.

* Into hot oil, saute chili, dried chili, shallots, ginger and garlic (blended together).

*Add chili sauce, one tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp tamarind juice and a pinch of shrimp paste.

* Add in the chicken and onion. Done!

Penang

2008-08-29T17:10:00.000+08:00

Heading to Penang later tonight. Mak Tok's throwing a party, haha, not. A kenduri 'menyambut cucu menantu' actually. Flattered, so cute of her! I Love Penang and most importantly, its wide variety of food. Batu Ferenggi for DVD hunting tomorrow night with Abu. A nice retreat indeed.

Favourite Dish

2008-08-29T16:47:00.013+08:00

I love chicken curry. Especially my Mummy's. This is a recipe I learnt from her, of course.

* Into hot oil; add star anise, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon.

*Add shallots, garlic, ginger, chili (all blended together), lemon grass and few curry leaves right after. Saute for 5 mins, then add in chicken parts and potatoes. Let it simmer.

*Next, pour in the mixture of curry powder (3 tbsp of Baba's curry powder in a cup of hot water) and add additional water, to your liking.

* After 10 mins, pour 1/4 coconut milk, one tsp of 'kerisik', 3 tbsp of tamarind juice (air asam jawa) and a pinch of salt.

My brother always say I make yummier curry than Mummy. awwh! This recipe makes for four. I like my curry to be less creamy and watery. Add more water and coconut milk if you like it otherwise.

Tradition

2008-08-28T12:53:00.006+08:00

It is a customary way of thinking. My big brother Fairuz reminded me from Birmingham through Skype, of today. Brother Fairul texted from Qatar, reminding me of the same. Dedek texted past midnight, asking me "have you?".

Us siblings, interwoven with our tradition. Exchanging intimacies through a new level, as indicated, we are world's apart from each other.

Happy 58th Dear Handsome Father of ours, Hj. Mohamed Zain Abang Ismail.

Might I chime in? Two tickets to Bandung and Jakarta next year for two. (Not for the Birthday Boy, whose eyes are only set for tickets to the UK). So Mira called. Asni phoned. I said sure, it'll be fun! And so it is, the wives-hood of the travelling pants.

Jakarta Zoo, oh so wonderful. InsyaAllah. Muna, make up your mind fast!

I don't write much. I eat much.

2008-08-26T13:15:00.015+08:00

The ever gloomy days eventuated in more eating and less writing.

* Sear the flour-coated beef. Remove. Fry chopped onion until caramelized, add in the beef, chopped potatoes and carrots.

* Pour a cup of chicken stock, two tbsp full of oyster sauce and tomato puree, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
* Lastly add the broccoli, one tsp courn flour, a pinch of black pepper and one tsp dry bassil.

*Serve with french toast or white rice.

And a simple dessert..

* Put 1 litre of water to boil. Add 100gm caster sugar, mango gelatine and a can of evaporated milk. Stir for 5 minutes.

* Cool in the fridge. Serve with fresh, sweet mangoes.

* This recipe makes a great longan pudding as well. Puree a can of longan, and just add agar-agar sheets instead of any flavoured gelatine.

2008-08-23T15:16:00.006+08:00

Every Friday would be Go-Western Night. However, Feisal and I attended a doa selamat-house warming at my cousin's, leaving us preparing for a western lunch on what was otherwise last night's dinner. * Coat the fish fillet (seasoned with salt and pepper) with beaten egg, flour and bread crumbs.
* Fry until crispy.
* Fry potato wedges (coated with curry powder)
* Mix purple cabbage with thousand island.

Quick and easy, always the way to go.

2008-08-21T16:09:00.003+08:00

So here I am

I've decided to succumb to my eager and bored fingers, and revamp the blog.

And write, although I have lost the simple ability to.

But I do want to fill the gaps of the many weeks I have left blank, leaving me writing in retrospect.

And I wriggle my fingers to start.

2008-08-20T11:32:00.002+08:00

A possible M.

My sunny life was interspersed with a dot. A seemingly harmless dot.

May I introduce to you; Life. Welcome to my life.

The month I adjusted to becoming a wife

2008-07-23T11:57:00.001+08:00

Attuned to Feisal's living pattern in Subang, I cook three to four dishes daily. Some lazy days, I make sandwiches. (Recipes will follow suit).

That is the only art that I had to get myself accustomed to. Cook fast and be a fast cook.

His on and of snoring and sleep-talking? (Mostly work related). I just turn a deaf pair of ears on. No art required.

The month I became a wife.

2008-06-22T11:13:00.002+08:00

Indeed, it was the most meaningful day of my life. Needless to say, my heart tumbled and jolted as soon as we were pronounced husband and wife, slightly unnerved I was. Friday 13th, finally.

Thanks to dear friends who offered their physical presence and love, and for sharing with us our blissful moments. I can never thank you guys enough. And of course you guys enjoyed the adventurous Sarawak trip! That much I know.

2008-05-09T11:00:00.017+08:00

He loves the wind chime hung on my bedroom's light.

But, he loves pan-pan more!

pan-pan: psst jaja, jom wrestling, as usual.

jaja: ok, no hal.

jaja: smell that?

jaja: smack that!
pan-pan: woi, dahla!! you win, as usual!

HAHA. Heart warmers aren't they. LOVE them to bits and pieces.

2008-05-06T10:53:00.010+08:00

The MAS low fare flights promo will only start in June, even so, I decided to fly home with MAS at the end of this month. My seemingly weak heart could not rough it anymore. Roughing it in with Airasia when I do not have the immediacy to fly home is fine. But I'm flying home for my wedding(!), so definitely MAS is the way to go, although a tad bit expensive.

My flight last week was horrendous, at least that's what I thought. My heart jolted and rattled over the floor. No way Airasia, not this time. Too wibbly-wobbly for me.

But I will be glad to be proved wrong on this account. Don't take offence, I still love your pilots Airasia! I have a thing for pilots. I really do ;)

2008-04-28T16:18:00.010+08:00

Another recipe with oats!

You'll need:

* Chicken breast
* Egg
* All purpose flour (add in crushed pepper and salt to taste)
* Coriander powder (serbuk ketumbar)
* grated parmesan cheese. (I didn't have any so opted for chili flakes. Owing to too many a time of ordering in Domino's Pizza, there are lots of them at home. So why not use them.)

1. Dip the slightly damp chicken breasts into the flour mix.
2. Dip them into the beaten egg.
3. Roll the chicken in the oats and chili flakes.
4. Deep fry in really hot oil until golden brown and crispy.

Credits to Zack (you TKC girls must know her), a very very talented cook. Stumbled upon her page, love it!

2008-04-28T15:46:00.007+08:00

He who loves to sleep!

2008-04-25T02:10:00.008+08:00

Started watching TreeHill four years ago, slightly before I dated Feisal Boy. Now that we're almost married, am falling in love with the show even more. It is not just any forgettable show. It brings out the life in me, so to speak.

These incredibly talented characters have grown into such amazing individuals, hearts filled with dreams and hopes; as it has always been, their lives enraptured in unpredictably intense drama. I'd be engrossed with watching them at any time, without fail. What's more, now there's Jamie, the ever handsome boy, whose charm and smartness endeared him to me.

Here's to hoping, dreaming and living our lives with the every motion of our hearts.

2008-04-24T16:54:00.005+08:00

I've never seen Feisal so annoyed until last night. Not the angry kind of annoyed, but the childish and stubborn yet so cute kind. Had I known holding an umbrella would make Him so annoyed and fatigued at the pasar malam, I would have held it myself. Only that, I have such an ineptitude when it comes to handling umbrellas, too bad. Now I know, He dislikes holding an umbrella in the rain. But I know for a fact that He's fine with holding on to one, to goof around and dance not unlike the American Idol rejects. haha. Feisal Boy, You never cease to bring chuckles to my face!

2008-04-24T12:55:00.011+08:00

A little Shout Out to Nur Shuhadah Md. Jamal !
On your birthday I wish you much pleasure and joy;

I hope all of your wishes come true;
May each hour and minute be filled with delight;
And your birthday be perfect for you!"-Joanna Fuchs-

2008-04-16T20:39:00.005+08:00

How do I even begin to describe him. He's the Bomb! Totally authentic.

Seriously, move over lah Akademi Fantasia. Pure embarassment, sheer stupidity, tak sedar diri, syok sendiri. Don't take offence, I'm just being myself. brutally honest.

Enough already, I hope David wins!!

This cute, adorably smart little 'Jamie Lucas Scott', I will get to watch tonight! After three weeks break, Tree Hill season 5 (episode 13) is back! 13 is always a lucky number ;) I love this boy lah!

2008-04-13T02:01:00.008+08:00

Insya-Allah, in 2 months.

Honestly, I don't see the fun in preparing for a wedding.

No offence, who cares about your wedding invites. Who would care to remember what flowers you picked for your pelamin. Who would even bother to scrutinize your wedding veils or dresses.

It can be a simple affair if you want them to be. That's Our plan.

For the unconditional Love Feisal showers me with, for the perpetual support and strength throughout, for the faith He has in me, and most importantly, in Us, I honestly couldn't ask for more. Thankful.

Indeed, all I want is a blessed and blissful Marriage with my Feisal, not a perfect Wedding. Amin.

2008-04-10T22:56:00.013+08:00

Had a good day to myself today, baked oatmeal cookies for Feisal Boy. See, He's not fond of eating oatmeal, so He requested for me to bake them as He Loves cookies! My pleasure :)

The recipe, got them here.

However, instead of using peacans/walnuts, I opted for cornflakes to add extra crunch.

Also, I never bought ground cinnamon, so what I did was; grate 1/4 of a cinnamon. And I added a small amount of chocolate rice.

hehe, tell me about modification.

Can't do without choc chip! Before headed to the oven.

and, walaa! End product.

Giant cookies!

Fit for my King :)

Happy trying! Fit for your loved ones as well. Easy!

2008-04-08T14:21:00.006+08:00

Exams are OVER, finally! Time to relax and enjoy. and care less, and feel free, and be merry. I have only my wedding to think of now ;)
*Finally, wedding mode switched on*

2008-04-07T16:37:00.005+08:00

"Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?"

My mum, in her quest of overhauling and renovating my room into bilik pengantin, over extended her authority. My teddies given by a dear friend back in Manchester were given away. That I can take. But there hung two most treasured posters on my wall, neatly framed. I reckon it has been there for more than 10 years. I know I shouldn't air any of my grievances to her, hence this outlet. To her, I'm getting married. So let's dispense with all the cuddly and colourful collectibles. So now my room needs to be womanly I suppose?

I have a special bond with this particular poster. Disney, i've always loved. So much so that I actually memorize most, if not nearly all of its scripts. Beauty and the Beast, Lion King and the likes. But most importantly, I remember watching Little Mermaid during my English class in primary school. My teacher was of course less than enamoured with my English skills, or lack thereof! I did relatively poor in English back then. Then only I started to read. and read, and read a lot. The movie, an inspiration it certainly was to me.That's besides the point.

It is every little girl's dream to go to Disneyland. So yes, this poster was bought in Disneyland, Paris, an experience most definitely not forgettable. The freedom and opportunity of gallivanting across Europe is of course, hard to come by. I'm not rich, nowhere near. So when will I get the chance to go again?

Nevermind lah. To whomever my mom gave this poster to, I hope you cherish it as much as I DO. May this poster illuminate your life with hopes and dreams, as it has done mine. May it bring happiness to you, little girl. A consolatory ending indeed :)

(I mentioned two posters right? The other one is Dedek's Beauty and the Beast. haha, no exception.)

2008-04-06T11:57:00.010+08:00

A delayed entry. Some two weeks ago.

His passion has always been anything football, hence His latest BABY :)
Nope, not us!

Nope, not me.

Yes, THE Baby.

It's an Art.

Now this is art ;p
Believe you me, TGIF pale in comparison to this yummy nasi lemak!

What an experience. FUN.

2008-04-06T10:28:00.012+08:00

One Fine Day

Since Prof. has already divulged what's going to be asked on the 8th (last paper!), we decided to lepak-lepak. It has really been a while...

Barbaric?

Fork attack!

TGI Friday? not just yet.

2008-04-02T17:16:00.004+08:00

Yes Dedek, tengah finals*

Another paper to go, AlhamduLillah, God has been very generous despite my innately laziness. I had six days to revise Private International Law and it was my innermost intent to only start on the fifth day. I may have been doing myself, or my grades rather, an injustice. But don't get me wrong, the subject is anything but boring. It did regale me with strikingly interesting cases, though absurd at times. The paper this morning was good. Islamic Jurisprudence last week was no different.

Smooth sailing thus far. Smooth though it has been, I wonder what makes a student a good student. Is it grades? or how earnest and tenacious one is at studying? I don't believe in the former, as I've seen students with good grades but performs rather poorly in the 'university of Life'. The latter, study all you want but if you suck in application, you just suck (don't take offence).

Thankully, I'm neither. All I want is a satisfying job that runs parallel with my passion. (Of course, anything to do with animals is most welcome!). And, after my last paper on the 8th, I'll have the earliest opportunity to read books written by great writers, not forgetting my daily dosage of NST. Knowledge in life is indeed great.

2008-03-21T11:51:00.004+08:00

"If I was one thing, I'd be a candle
Lighting the way so you can handle
Your life easier without woes
Not having to fight with your foes.
I'd help keep you from stumbling over
Things blocking your path to an open door.
If I light your path, life is easier,
Even strong winds, my light will not deter.
No matter what, I'm here for you
To cheer you up when you are blue.
Do not fret when times get tough,
If things look down or kind of rough.
Just remember, I'm always here,
In your heart, close and near."

Happy Birthday to one of the toughest girl I've known, Hida.
May Allah bless, Always.

To Af and Sha, Happy Birthday tomorrow!

2008-03-12T21:40:00.004+08:00

Pleasant surprise

Bumped into her this afternoon, exchanged pleasantries as any other acquaintance would, chit chatted about what we've been up to; when she suddenly and unexpectedly brought up this one particular subject. One that i've long forgotten and buried, much less give thought to.

She apologised for any misdeed/s she might have done sometime five years ago. Stunned I definitely was. She did nothing wrong. Nonetheless a beautiful heart indeed, to go along with her beautiful face. Good for you, I wish you all the very best. Indeed, pleasantly surprised I was.

2008-03-10T22:36:00.004+08:00

BOOOH!!

Meet our latest edition!

Our new baby, JAJA :) Miss you already baby boy!!

2008-03-07T10:37:00.009+08:00

SPOILER?

In my almost 25 years of living, never have I succumbed to watching any form of spoilers, be it movie's or reality show's, much less tv shows's. Watching spoilers is akin to committing minor sins! Well, Ep. 10 of season 5 aired in the US yesterday. My dear obedient brother downloaded it for the eager me, as had religiously been done for the past 9 weeks.

The usually healthful episode of TreeHill had a converse effect on me this morning, disconcerting me in every imaginable way. Thus it proved TMTH (check this out idol boy; yea that's 'too much to handle'. So long!). There I sat, embroiled in the discontentment with the outcome of ep. 10. Seven excruciatingly long days to go until the next episode (Yes dear people, I have my share of drama when it comes to TreeHill and OC). Be not alarmed.

Under normal circumstances, I would at all times be contented with the ending of every episodes, until this morning's (episode) that is. I was hoping hard that everything would return to normality come the next episode. But I thought to the fiendishly disturbed me; I have got to do better than just hoping hard.

There I sat, encased in my pile of pillows, less enamoured with the prospect of a disastrous outcome in the next episode. (At this juncture, you must be saying to yourself; come on, finish up your story already you dramatic tweet). The brilliant idea of watching the spoiler came to my mind, thus obviating the need for a week of ardous contemplation. Not that I have not enough things to worry about already.

So there, I capitulated to my nearly 25 years of principle; to never ever succumb to watching spoilers for it diminishes every speck of surprise element and mind you, it's a great deal to me. Oh what the heck, it was only a need-to-know basis. And you guessed it right; everything returned to normalcy after. But, my question is; how many spoiler/s did I actually watch? (Read with the utmost scrutiny).

2008-03-06T17:04:00.004+08:00

InsyaAllah.

Now might be the time to slowly heave a sigh of relief.

To slowly rid myself of all the bewilderment.

To slowly attain the pertinacity required to close the chapter for this semester.

To pray for the Best, the very Best.

How worried should I be about all this? Please give me strength to go through two presentations, three assignments and a test (and another two for my students) for the whole of next week. And one operation the week after next, to top it all. A long, arduous journey. And most importantly, Thank You ALL, you know who you are.

2008-02-27T20:21:00.004+08:00

Natural Law- Something I might know a thing or two about. Now, am expected to write an article on it, present papers ala seminar on it. Don't get me wrong, i Love Jurisprudence. By far, this is the only class depicting the real Masters level, as far as MCL is concerned.

Prof. Haseeb, you rock. The other two classes, disheartening. Nevermind that, next sem: Comparative Environmental Law with Prof. Haseeb yet again ;)

2008-02-25T20:46:00.004+08:00

I fell into oblivion; didn't know that course registration for classes next semester is today. duh. So i just did. Next sem, class on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. That leaves me with Thursday and Friday, free. Finally, (InsyaAllah) I really get to be a housewife (part time). yayyyy!!! Cepatlah habis this excruciating semester. grrh.

2008-02-17T20:46:00.004+08:00

Tunku Abdul Aziz on the need to be proficient in the English language;

"The notion that having a doctorate is all that is required of a university teacher is one of the reasons why our standards are dismally low.

Displacing English in the name of nationalism has put this country back at least 50 years.

The unintended victims are the Malays who can find reasonable employment only in government agencies. With an English education, they do not need crutches to make their way in the world.

A change of this magnitude requires of our leadership moral and intellectual courage of the highest order, but this will make a dramatic difference to the way we compete for opportunities: for the Malays, doing without the reliance on government largesse for basic survival would make them a more confident people."

I love this article. Need I say more?

2008-02-16T14:21:00.007+08:00

The race, amazing?

I like them both. Fiendishly calm, patient and full of fun. The winning Singaporean team, Adrian and Collin did great, deservedly so. Such an amazing victory! Malaysian team came in second but the best bit was; the 'hunk factors' of the race failed to maintain their positions as formidable opponents. haha.

Having had endured pain, exasperation and brutal adventures throughout 10 countries and 15 cities, it all boiled down to one final roadblock: one's knowledge in the different facet of flags. Ow boy. The race was undeniably amazing! In spite of all, I still love Paula & Natasha. They rock.

2008-02-14T15:06:00.004+08:00

Have you had any?

I have this indefinable something called "Happy Sleep".

It's when I suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, delighted at the thought of having had ample sleep, thinking that it's already time to wake up. But walaa, it's still way too early to wake up. It's only 2:30 a.m or 4:00 a.m. So I lay in bed still, gleefully encased in my comforter, delighted at the thought of having few more hours of sleep. The next day will definitely be a good day for me.

Thanks to my Happy Sleep!

2008-02-08T14:00:00.001+08:00

Once upon a Bunny Story

My bunny gila already! Yesterday, we had lunch together. I had nasi beriyani, he had them too. I had keropok ikan, he munched on them too. Had ice cream for dessert, he licked on them too. Help. Much help needed.

A recalcitrant, can't seem to satiate his hunger. A human in his previous life maybe. One day, he might even nibble on me. God forbid!

2008-01-30T21:33:00.001+08:00

Brag Much?

I have never had a good record as a student much less an unequalled record of success as one. Always saw studying as an unendurable experience, executed in the name of examination. Hence my quest in re-skilling the students with insights on what to expect in the years to come. In marking test papers, I would emphasize on English. They saw this as a threat. duh. If your sentence doesn't make sense, you can't make out your point kan.

I don't expect perfect comprehension of English or law for that matter. One's effort in improvising and developing one's skill is always commendable. I have great respect for this one particular student, Mustaqim. Very participative and committed, regardless of his sometimes incomprehensible English. Can't express my admiration for him much, but regard this as my being extremely complimentary about his efforts. Deserving of the 10% participation marks, totally. That was last semester.

The Kuliyyah had recently informed me that out of 16 part-timers, I am ranked at no. two. Muzaffar (very brilliant) scored 95.6% for the TER (Teaching Efficiency Rate or something). I scored 94.7%. The gap with the rest; quite a gap. For that, I am humbled and thankful. Don't mean to brag much. It's just that this is the first time of my attaining what I perceive as satisfaction. I was never great at whatever I did previously. Just the beginning, nothing to be proud of.

So now, the Head of Department persuaded me to apply this Fellowship scheme, to further Phd abroad. Once apply, granted, just go. But I feel it's too early to be doing that. Plus, baru nak settle down. Bile pulak nak dapat anak (InsyaAllah). haha. But in all seriousness, I have not the heart (yet) to be part of the teaching staff. Plus, talk is rife that it's hard to gain admittance as a lecturer. Furthermore, am unsure whether I can blend in with the familiar-yet-so new environment. It does get depressing at times when you are neither there nor here. Very inexplicably weird feeling. Can't seem to iron out my thoughts. What is it that I really want.

2008-01-27T11:20:00.001+08:00

Johan Jaafar in yesterday's NST wrote;

KHALED Hosseini's The Kite Runner is a brilliant and powerful novel -- in fact, one of the best I have read in many years. It is a story of friendship and redemption that spans more than three decades, beginning in Kabul just before the Russian invasion.

Yea, totally agree with him. The book is replete with beautiful characterization. It is invariably nice to have a book with you no matter where you are headed to. After all, I belong between the covers of a book. Being alone is always nice. That's a new way of life, at least for me now. Except for weekends, i have Him :)

2008-01-17T18:04:00.002+08:00

Cupcakes!

I'm not fond of cupcakes because I find them too sweet. Cupcakes appeal to my eyes though. This was taken some time ago, when we had nothing better to do one weekend. Back then, have not a mixer, so it took four hands to beat the egg whites until fluffy and light, just to make the white icing topping. Real fun, strenuous and rigorous workout. Now that's my kind of exercise ;)

2008-01-17T02:36:00.003+08:00

The past two days saw me frustrated with my students. Way too blur. eg: Miss, must we support our answer with the provisions from the Contracts Act? Duh. Is it not the primary source of law. 4th week of class, not even a single student brought the Act with them. Not my place to pass any judgment, i know. But, dah lukis chart cantik2 kat board pun still duh. Nonsensical. Questions from me would be met with blank buat bodoh face. Thus warranting my bebel. Weirdly so, I membebel in such a lembut way (you guys know how I talk, so not santun). Geli pun ade. Maybe I was so dejected. Maybe that's my 'motherly' instinct kicking in. haha, stupid. Perasan.

It's nearly 3 am but can't sleep. Wednesday's a busy day. Lectured Legal Method at 11am, tutored Contract 1 from 2-5 pm. Attended own lecture from 5-9 pm. Body was aching all over, thank God for my lovely Feisal. Drove all the way to fetch me. Somehow I'd be sleepy in Islamic Juris class. So during the 30 minutes break, went to Nescafe and grabbed a bite. Now I just have to get used to eating alone. Lunch everyday also alone. lala. One just needs to acclimatize oneself to the new surrounding. Only that, it's not so new. Decided on my assignments' topic. Animal Testing; for both Islamic Jurisprudence and Research & Methodology. That should keep me sane, at least for a while.

Great thing that Thursday is my free day! Today am meeting Muna for lunch, to make up for my missing the other day. After, nak register kursus kahwin. Then maybe loiter at Jalan TAR. *yawns* Owing to the silly stories that I've heard from the attendees of kursus kahwin, am not looking forward to attending the course. Ahhh, thank God for Ipod.

(I've come to terms that I've temporarily lost my ability to write proper. So excuse my language. This may be my new style of writing, lepak. No frills. 2008 should be a great happy laid back lepak year!)

2008-01-15T00:11:00.004+08:00

At your disposal cik Midah. I'll post entre'e and main course recipes when I have the time ok ;) This is my favourite recipe as far as baking is concerned. Easy peasy.

200 gm unsalted butter,
200 gm caster sugar,
200 gm flour,
3 eggs, (rule of thumb: gradually add in eggs one by one)
one teaspoon vanilla extract,
3 tablespoons chocolate powder(dissolved in hot water).

Whisk them all ala Nigella Lawson i.e. dump into a food processor and let the magic happen. (But I feel it is prudent for one not to mix the dry ingredients with the wet all at once). Before baking them in a preheated 180 celcius oven for 50-60 minutes, throw in nuggets of chocolates. Opt for Toblerone. The best. For topping, melt dark chocolate with few tablespoonfuls of icing sugar, butter and milk. Melts in your mouth ;)

2008-01-14T23:22:00.001+08:00

Four years, six months and two days later.

Season Five is on, premiered on the 8th. Watched two healthful episodes. The slightest view of One Tree Hill is always good company. Rekindling and reawakening the senses in me. A friend I've never had, totally. By the way, Jamie, (Nathan and Haley's son) the smartest boy ever. Well, to no one in particular and everyone in common;

"You can choose to blame your circumstances or fate or bad luck or bad choices; or you can even fight back. Things aren't always going to be fair in the real world. But for the most part, you get what you give. What's worst; not getting what you've wished for or getting it but finding out it is not enough. The rest of you life is being shaped right now; in the dreams you chase, the choices you make and the person you decide to be. The rest of your life is a long time and the rest of your life starts right now".
-Haley James Scott-

Inspiring, truly.

2008-01-11T23:36:00.003+08:00

Maal Hijrah. Tahun Baru but no new resolution. Since when have I started on having one anyway ;) Been trying to keep up with the pace. Now so malas to update blog. Not into writing anymore lah. Flair no more. Also no time to go online. Hari-hari class, morning teach, afternoon tutor, evening attend class. Go home at 9pm. Reach home an hour later. Then pengsan.

But today class ended at 7 p.m. So went to KL Stadium with my Feisal to watch football. So cool. Player No. 10, you rock lah. Tomorrow also want to jalan. Am looking for new bed linen. Also, contemplating on purchasing this Rm1000 plus fine bone china tea set. Simply exquisite, with rose motives. Exorbitant luxury though. Well, priorities and interests alter. So does mine.

Oh, Pull and Bear Pavilion so cool. Madrid shopping. Lots of nice cardigans and tops. Miera got herself a really cool jacket today, i like. She likes it too. The Spring; a shopping mall, just made its way in Kuching. Charles & Keith opening really soon. Weird, they seem to love Borneo. First Kota Kinabalu. Now Kuching. Shuey, in June go shop there ok. Now Kuching has its own Guess, Esprit and few more cool shops. Not bad. What else huh. I am currently madly in love with this particular song. Faizal Tahir's "Sampai Syurga". Beautiful violin and choir. Not bad a job fellow Malaysian. Life is good now, hope yours is too.

p/s: pic taken from decor8. Another great blog on home decor!

2007-12-31T09:50:00.001+08:00

Have a Blessed New Year all.

Apologies to all my friends for it was a really austere ceremony. Pictures here.

2007-12-28T13:50:00.001+08:00

2007 will be drawing its curtain soon. My self-created record of not setting foot into the movie theatre/s for the whole of 2007 is on the brink of coming true! (Note to Nadia): That's One random thing about me. I don't even watch movies at home, much less the cinema, incuriously so.

Hence, my fondness for TV series. The OC, Tree Hill, bits of Grey's and Housewives. Drugs don't work for me, these series do. Seth Cohen, Seth Cohen, Seth Cohen.

2007- The year I learned how to take the rough with the smooth. Part-time teaching, I love. Studying, not so bad. Chambering and practice, yucks. (Shue and Nad, yay so true!) Haha. Beloved pets death (One cat, approximately 8 hamsters), very hard. As opposed to Nad, i FANCY animals. Tiny, gigantic, ferocious, cuddly, you name it. (A not so random thing about me ya guys).

2007-Also, the year I celebrated my last Hari Raya with my family proper, InsyaAllah. Next Raya, it'll be Subang and/or Penang and/or Kelantan and Kuching. The best Raya ever, thus far was this year's.

2007-I did learn not to squander on unnecessary things. 2 pairs of shoes, few tops, no handbag, books, couple of ornaments for my room. That was it, 2007 shopping.

The year that saw three of my closest friends getting hitched, (One almost). Asni's, Mira's and Muna's ceremony was heartwarming. And tomorrow, (again Nad, random thing: I never knew how to spell 'tomorrow' until right now. honest!) there will be a small "merisik" ceremony at my place. Owing to the small sized apartment that I am living in, it'll only be us and close family members. Will upload the pics, maybe this year, maybe next ;)

2007-12-13T21:15:00.001+08:00

Little jerboa!

Incredibly, totally adorable! Meet our petite mickey mouse of the desert. Evolutionarily distinct, sadly, globally endangered. Welcome to the Encyclopedia little friend ;)

2007-12-08T18:06:00.002+08:00

The Little Teapot Shop Outing

Love the ambiance, the deco, the mag! Very cosy. SACC Shah Alam, just in case you're wondering ;)

Check out the teapots, real nice.

Thanks Dear Feisal for this! Senator Barack Obama!!

"Change we can believe in".

2007-11-30T15:11:00.002+08:00

Live n Loud KL.

Note: Speechless...

"I felt strange, a warm sensation rising up inside of me
Oh like a tidal wave came from nowhere swept me off my feet
Oh but somehow making me complete now".

I Love you James boy.