Thursday, October 27, 2005

YAHOO

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I received a piece of great news today. My office will be closed next week from Tuesday to Friday YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Short of Monday we're gonna be closed for the whole week. I am spared from the teasingly cruel calendar of one day public holiday one day work day week. Of all 365 days a year what were the chances that the calendar would play havoc in one week. And an important week at that!! I was thinking even if I had to work I'd probably take leave or something. If I were somehow given a chance to have a say in the Government planner, I'd change the way things are run. You know how a Monday will be declared a public holiday if the actual one falls on Sunday right? I'd make it such Fridays & Mondays will be declared public holidays if the actual day falls on ANY day of the week. Heheheh maybe I should go live in France where they work 35-hour weeks (or less) They have 2-hour lunches ok!!!!

Anyway with the days before Hari raya work-free, I can bake all the Hari Raya goodies to my heart's contents and go have multiple last-minute Hari Raya shopping (1st-last minute shopping, 2nd-last minute shopping etc etc )

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

My 2nd Best Friend

I dun think I need to announce that I love diamonds. I guess you all already knew that. But its a long wait from one special occasion to another and one bonus to another to enhance my diamond collection so I have transferred my obsession to the next best thing ---> Swarovski crystals. They're beautiful and with the right choice of crystal colour they look as good as diamonds. Well... almost.
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Pretty ain't it?

My colleague is the one rsponsible for this mad frenzy of mine. She joined a CC class learning how to make jewellery using Swarovski crystals and when she brought it to the office, she offered to make me one. To-date I already have 3 such bracelets from her. I have even started designing the pattern I want and get her to string for me. In the works are 3 brooches and a few more bracelets.

They cost quite a bit but my colleague has refused to take any money from me. Now I need to look for a suitable gift for her so that my supply of Swarovski jewellery won't stop. HHmm.. maybe I should get for her more Swarovski loose crystals....... (vested interest at play here)

But this doesn't mean my love affair has ended with diamonds, real diamonds. They remain my one and true love. This is but a short fling. I promise to be faithful soon ok....

PS: to my hubby, The Don, pls ignore this entry. I still want that diamond bracelet I showed you!!!!

Monday, October 24, 2005

Food Fiesta

Having my mom stay with us is such a godsend especially this Ramadhan. Otherwise, I'd have to rush home from work like a madwoman on weekdays. On the few occassions that I've had to cook on weekdays, all I managed to whip up was one simple dish in the limited time before breaking fast. With my mom cooking, we get a spread daily and my sanity is kept intact.

But I make it a point to cook on weekends. And to make it up to my dearest Don who loves my cooking, I always make it a point to cook something extra special for him on weekends.

Last Saturday it was roasted chicken
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and macaroni goreng
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Its hard to believe that to-date, we have not eaten out during Ramadhan. In previous years we spent more days eating out than at home. Usually, by the 2nd week, we would have covered all the major Ramadhan buffets promotion, chief of which the one at Royal Plaza. This year despite the Middle Eastern promotion and live performance by Zubir Abdullah there, we haven't made any plans whatsoever.

The record however, will come to an end tomorrow night when we will be having Iftar with our usual gang @ Amirah's Grill. It'll be a refreshing change for me but the Don says he might be having withdrawal symptoms from not eating at home. hehehhe

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Wipe that drool off your face

This Ramadhan I shall assail you with photos after photos of food...finger-licking good food.... heeheehee

Yesterday my sister, bro-in-law & Idris came to break fast over at our place. Umi cooked fish briyani.
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with egg salad
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and dragon fruit and papaya & Mocha Almond Fudge ice-cream for dessert.
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hungry yet?

Monday, October 17, 2005

Tarts & Lap Lip

We went to Geylang Bazaar on Friday night together with my mom and again on Sunday with my in-laws. As always I find nothing interesting at the bazaar but I managed to get quite a few things at Joo Chiat Complex. I went crazy at RH Fashion, when I saw their huge array of sequinned and kilat kilat tudung. Quite exorbitantly priced @ $60 but they are oooh-so-lovely!!! I bought 2 to match my baju raya. I might go down to get more this week. Remember the shop selling nothing but brooches at the corner 1st floor of Joo Chiat Complex. Well, now the shop has closed but the lady selling the brooches set up a stall just outside her former shop. She has slashed all her prices by close to 50%. Imagine, a $56 dollar brooch selling for $29/-. Ape lagi ? borong lah.

I looked everywhere for a new tablecloth to match my curtains. I was fingering one at one of the stalls when my eye caught another shop across the road. Needless to say, I left the auntie in mid sentence and zoommed over to the other shop. My instincts were right again. They were not selling generic table cloth that every 3 shops in Geylang sells. Theirs is especially designed and sewn in Dubai. Apparently the shopowner's uncle has a shop in Dubai so this lady and her husband brings in the goods just for raya purposes. They cost a bomb but the table cloth is so nice, its imprinted in my mind. If I had not bought it, I'm sure I won't be able to sleep at night. Worse I might wake up drenched in perspiration, engulfed with pangs of regret. hahaha. I may be broke but I am happy. (my mantra for shopping)

The cookie making marathon has started. First up ---> Pineapple tarts.
I made one batch on Saturday. But seeing how I only managed to get a little over 150 pieces (excluding the ones My Don pilfered from the oven), I might have to make one more batch today.
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And the lights are up at our house. You can see it from a distance away but I think it's not enough as there is no lights inside the house. I want more!!! Hehehehe. It feels great preparing for Hari Raya in our own place. It costs more definitely but the fulfilment is more too.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Chef Don

On Sunday I was down with a high fever, horrendous flu and a bad case of sinusitis. My menu for the day was Western food extravaganza. I had plans to cook some steak, fish and chips and some breaded prawns but all came to naught when I could barely open my eyes and all I wanted to do was lie in bed.

My Don came to the rescue. He told me to stay in bed while he whipped up his specialty, Roti John. I had no idea he could cook and at first I was quite skeptical since he has never attempted cooking before. But then again, during our courting times, he ever did cook for me jemput jemput. But that was part of a dare. Still, I was impressed. The roti john my Don cooked was tasty. The meat portion was generous. And it wasn't too oily. I chipped in by making the sauce.
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Even my mom agreed it was fantastic. Looks like if I decide not to cook, he won't go hungry right? For such wonderfully tasty roti john and his utmost consideration in not allowing me to cook in my state, I give him 5 stars. hehehehe
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The previous day, my mom went to the Bazaar Ramadhan at Woodlands and bought a few many many kuih. Among them was ondeh ondeh. As with most things bought, the ondeh ondeh came short of expectations. And seeing how The Don and I devoured the ondeh ondeh nevertheless, my mom decided to make some.
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Yummy yummy yummy. Unlike those commercial ones, the glutinous portion was just right (not too thick) and the gula melaka was generous. (unlike the miserly shops) We'll never be able to buy ondeh ondeh again knowing we have tasted the very best.

Thursday, October 06, 2005


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This is exactly how I envision it. Alhamdulillah, my dreams have come true.

For the first time in my life,I did not wake up for sahur in a zombie state. Usually, my mom will wake me up 10 minutes before Subuh and I will eat with half closed eyes. No more chance. Now I wake up at 4.30 and prepare the food. But I do it with a smile on my face. It makes it all the more worth it when my dearest Don wakes up with good humour and we eat Sahur with a joy I have never known could exist after waking up from deep sleep just to push morsels of food into your mouth so that you won't faint during the day.

On the first night of terawih, my Don even decided not to go to Ba'alwie mosque like he does every night of every Ramadhan and for the first time, we performed terawih together. I've always imagined what it will be like but I didn't expect it to feel this wonderful. Subhana'Allah. If I could describe it in words I would but no word does justice.

To more Ramadhans ahead. Insya'allah.
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Monday, October 03, 2005

SEVEN HEAVEN

Se7en things that scares me
1. Losing the 2 most important people to me - Umi & Hubby
2. Steep staircases (overhead bridges are a No-No for me) refer to my earlier entry here
3. the dark outdoors (no overnight camping for me!!!)
4. road accidents (possibly due to the fact that I lost a loved one in a road accident)
5. Creepy crawlies (eeuuww!!)
6. That I will be a grumpy, nyanyok, old woman in my old age.
7. That I should die before I am fully prepared to face my Maker

Se7en things I like most
1. SHOPPING (enough said!)
2. Being treated like a Queen by The Don
3. Staying in bed on a rainy day reading a book (with a mug of Monbana Hot Chocolate)
4. Chocolates
5. Long car rides
6. Being around my Malaysian side of the family
7. Payday!!!!

Se7en most important things in my room
1. my King-sized Sealy bed
2. my satin quilt
3. my alarm clock (w/o which I'd reach the office even later than I usually am)
4. my built-in 12-foot long wardrobe (Which I am already running out of space in)
5. that box of tissue + Vicks Vaporub for my never-ending flu
6. My drawer of treasures - knick knacks from childhood, birthday cards collected over the years and love letters from my Don
7. the books by my bedside that keeps me company before The Don comes to bed

Se7en random facts about me
1. I don't eat taugeh. the smell makes me nauseous.
2. I dun like mushrooms
3. I dun need a pillow to lie my head on to sleep. All I need is The Don's arm to sleep. Suddenly I know the meaning of "berbantal lengan"
4. My hands are itchy. I can't spy on a price tag w/o feelin the itch to remove them. Or a tissue paper w/o tearing it into pieces. My frens have been known to grab away anything I hold for fear of destruction. hehehe
5. Despite being a section leader in BT Band and the one to give marching commands, I have problems defferentiating left and right. When someone tells me "Right" I take 2 seconds to think where is my right. hehehehee
6. If I were a non-believer, I would have thought I was reborn into the body of a Queen from long ago. I can't wear costume jewellery or I'll get rashes. Even my brooches cannot come into contact with my skin. Not even gold plated stuff, only REAL gold/white gold/diamonds. Can't wash dishes using liquid detergent other than GLO or else my hands gets all reddish n itchy. Can't be without aircon/fan for long or else I get inflammation of the skin.
7. I dun ever look at price tags and/or receipts. If I bought 3 things from a shop, dun ever ask me how much each one costs. I won't know. I once queued at the cashier to pay for my Cosmopoloitan magazine at KLIA. I got a shock when the cashier said "RM37.50, please". What to do? Just pay lah.

Se7en things I plan to do before I die
1. Go for Hajj with my Don
2. Be a better Muslim
3. Go to Paris and retrace all our wonderful honeymoon memories this time with kids in tow.
4. Make enough money to shop to my heart's contents
5. Learn to drive (finally??)
6. Write a book
7. Leave a legacy, something my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will know me by.

Se7en things I can do
1. I am a fully functional wife - ie. I cook for my husband daily, clean the house, do the laundry, iron etc etc despite holding down a job. No eating at Mom's or In-law's for my family.
2. I can speed read. I can finish a novel in 2 days max. I once finished Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy in 10 days, all of its 1500 pages. (I didn't skip pages, really!!)
3. I have great instincts. Proven yet and yet again. In the 9 years together, my Don has learnt the hard way by not listening to my instincts. Now when I tell him I feel something, he listens w/o arguments. (mcm psychic plak)
4. I can stay awake for 48 hours straight. Tried and tested. Actually I dun really need that much sleep.
5. I can tahan not going to the toilet for one whole day. No. not a case of holding it in. I just don't feel the urge but the moment the car enters the MSCP everyday, I will tell The Don "Quick..I need the bathroom" The urge just comes naturally. I guess nothing like ur own potty huh?
6. I can memorise well. Birthdates, phone numbers ... its like I have a special compartment in my brain for these things. I still can remember The Don's first handphone number (and he has had many) and all 18 nieces and nephews birthdates.

Se7en things I can't do
1. I can't do maths. Not even simple ones. My mind just goes blank when I see numbers. I suppose I could if I tried, seeing how I aced my maths at O levels but I ain't gonna do it.
2. I can't say NO nicely. Either I am nice and say YES or I say NO in such a way that the other person backs off instantly. Very useful when dealing with persistent salespeople but tricky when it comes to elders and relatives.
3. I can't pretend. Can't lie even if I will myself to do it with all my heart. Not even for courtesy's or propriety's sake Eg, Say I go to someone's new house and that person shows me around eagerly, showing her best buys and asks expectantly "cantik tak?" ("Nice right?")If i dun think so, I can't make myself say Yes even though I know it will mean so much to him/her. At most I'll smile or give a non-committal nod.
4. I can't hang out the bamboo pole for my laundry outside my kitchen window. I dun noe if its bcoz I'm vertically challenged or just that I have no strength or that I am manja (hehe) But my Don hangs out the laundry for me. If he's not around then I'll just hang them indoors in the kitchen.
5. I cannot sleep early. The earliest I can sleep on a normal night is eleven even if I have to wake up at 4.30am the next day. I envy those people who can sleep at 9 or 10.
6. I can't stand people who are calculative. People who count every single cent and how mny satay sticks one should eat. (u noe what I mean) And I keep far far far away from such people. (Uurrgghh!!!)
7. I have no sense of direction. Totally zero. The Don drives me to work everyday and you would think I know the location by hard but if you ask me to guide someone else I will surely lead them astray. (I once led my Malaysian uncle to Jurong West instead of Eunos Crescent. Dun ask me how!)

Se7en words I say most
1. "Dar..."
2. "I love you"
3. "OK lah"
4. "Umi"
5. "what?" (when somebody interrupts me)
6. "Giller ke aperrrr?"
7. "hello" (manyak calls mah)

Se7en celeb crushes
1. Jason Priestly (of BH90210 fame)
2. Fandi Ahmad (oh how I went crazy for this guy)
3. Tom Cruise (I still have the hots for this guy although I dun like his cradle snatching ways)
4. The voice of Ustadz Asri (lead singer of Rabbani) (I dun think he went into singing so that young girls will have crushes on him or his voice but really he sounds really really good)
5. Aamir Khan (Go watch "Dil")
6. George Michael (ooohhhh)
7. Jon Bon Jovi

Se7en people I'll love to see doing this
alamak... I'm gonna get brickbats for these
Oklah no obligation if u wanna do it, do it ok otherwise 4get it.
1. Lisa
2. Naniz
3. Maya
4. Naz
5. Musang
6. Ridz
7. Adam