Minor Change of Plans

I was supposed to go buy the Braun blender The Don and I have been planning to get for our new place. You know,.. the one that can crush ice and is a blender cum juicer. Well anyway when I got to Robinson's this afternoon, I realised that the Braun blender do not come with a mill attached. (a mill is the small blender used for dry stuff that usually comes together with the blender) As I was contemplating if I should just get it anyway, the fumbling but friendly salesman suggested Phillips coz all their models come with a mill. I turned to look and THEN I SAW IT. The exact same (ok almost) blender that was stolen from Will Smith in the movie "Enemy of the State". (Damn those product placement!!!) I remember us both wanting that blender after seeing Will Smith put in strawberries, ice and milk in the blender and out came a smoothie.

So I went and bought this

The Phillips Essence Smart Blender

It blends (obviously!), makes juice, smoothies, mayonaise (dun ask me how I'll have to read the manual) purees, chops amd of course crushes ice. Has a timer, quick clean function and even has a pulse button. (this is supposed to be a good thing to have on a blender but why? I'll tell you when I find out myself)

Of course there was that tiny, little infinitesimal matter of it being 50% more costly than the Braun one. But seriously... could you blame me??? *gives the eye-lids flutter pose* I just hope & pray The Don will not access my blog in KL and reads this before I get a chance to think of a story about how that hundred dollar went missing from his account. (Internet banking scam?? errr...His best friend asked for a loan?...I used it to buy a present for him?)

On a less guilty note, I found my wedding shoes - a super glitzy silver J West shoes on bargain at Taka. Nothing makes me feel more alive than retail theraphy!!!!!!!!!

Starry Starry Night

It was quite a night I had last night and phew! it was very hot under the glare of the spotlights!!

It started out with The Don and I finally finally making the time to break fast at his parents'. Ibu made (made from scratch not instant hor!) Roti Prata and cooked chicken curry while we brought back Mee Goreng, Mee Hoon Goreng & Otak Otak Udang. It was quite a spread!! After maghrib prayers, we went to Ba'alwie Mosque together with both his parents for Terawih prayers.

Ibu was visibly thrilled at finally getting the chance to show her future daughter-in-law off. While it was a novelty at the beginning, I didn't expect the spotlights to be turned up full throttle. Habib Hasan's Umi apparently has been very curious to see the Arab girl The Don was gonna marry so immediately after Witr prayers, Ibu brought me to her. My! Ain't she a lovely lady. She looks very beautiful, even in her old ripe of age of 80. I think she must be a real beauty in her sunny days.

Anyway when Ibu mentioned that I was The Don's fiance, she immediately touched my cheek after I salam-ed her. She asked "Sharifah?" - asking for confirmation that I was indeed from the same ethnic stock as she was. She asked for my name, family name and the ensuing conversation consisted of my outlining my heritage, both my mom's and dad's, and her singing praises of The Don. She reminds me a lot of my own late grandmother, always interested in genealogy and gets especially excited at seeing a fellow ethnically related person. It makes me wonder what went through her mind as she was talking to me. That I am lucky to have found such a nice man as The Don or that I am unlucky to have "fallen" into the hands of a man of generic race instead of preserving my ethnicity by marrying into the same racial group. Whatever!! I understand the implications of my decision but I know I am making the right choice. Funny why I still bother to wonder what people think. Can't help it I guess.

In any case, she looked mighty pleased to have finally met me. And me, her. It seems she has been asking The Don to bring me down to the mosque but I dun fancy going with him coz usually he will stay long till after the whole event is over to help out and leave me waiting alone in the car, sometimes for hours. That really makes my blood boil so I steer clear unless I have company, like last night.

Then as we made our way through the mosque on the way out Ibu stopped to chat with quite a few friends and I honestly felt like a prized chicken as she introduced me one after another as her daughter-in-law. And the people looked at me, smiled and went "Oh iye? Ni tunangnye THE DON ? Cantiiikk orangnye....." and 20 other variations of the same sentence. The thought of having to go through this over and over again right up to maybe after the first year of marriage is enough to make me shudder..It sure is hot being under the spotlight!!!

I NEED A BREAAAKK!!!!!

I NEED A BREATHER!!!!!!!!!

I really really do. I've been such good girl, going home everyday after work and staying indoors even on weekends. All because we're on a super tight budget. Why so extreme you ask ? Me being me, every trip out would surely cost me (actually The Don) at least $100 buckaroos what with dinner and the impulse shopping. So one surefire way to save the moolah is to stay home. (Oh and yes I have resorted to keeping my credit cards at home under lock and key too!!)

But I'm suffocating. It has been hellish not being anywhere near a shopping centre for the past 3 weeks. It's almost like the shopping centres have all obtained a Personal Protection Order against me. It ain't easy going Cold Turkey!! I have almost forgotten the soft cool breeze of the aircon vent as I walk into a store, the musky sweet smell of leather as I trawl the handbags section, the click-clicking of heels as ladies sashay around in the stilettos on sale and the soft silky feel of a blouse brushing the tip of my fingers as I squeeze through aisles and aisle of garment. Oh It's all coming back to me now....(so drama mama)

Tis' the problem when the word "average" just doesn't seem to exist in my dictionary. I tried, honestly I have. (M would attest to this) but I just can't make myself settle for something that has anything less than the word "Best" on it. So as a result I have to suffer and scrimp and save just so I can have things my way. Well at least I am using my own money (his money is my money too what!!!) so I dun have to answer to anyone.

Well anyway.. I feel like I have my head dunked underwater (ala the commando on trial) and I dun even get a chance to come up for air. I think it's time I cut myself some slack. And with the Metro Warehouse Sale going on and extra moolah coming in this month, what better time than now? And with The Don away for a business trip to KL on Fri, I won't have to shy away from looking in his eyes the way I usually do when I ter-overspend. hehehe



So I got it all planned out. Come Friday, M and I are gonna paint the town red on Friday. First stop the new chic Halal eatery for our breakfast then off to Expo for the Metro warehouse sale. Ooohh I can almost smell the barely dried glue of the SALE signs hanging all over the Expo. hehee

AAAHHH ....CHOOOO

Both The Don and I are down with the flu. A bad bad case of flu... And headaches too. Between the both of us we have used up 3 boxes of tissue in two days. And in his case its even worse coz he has a sore throat too. Cian dier...

We've both been pretty irritable and not much in the mood of talking to other people so we cancelled all our plans for breaking fast at his mom's and just had a quiet low key one at our new place. Just the two of us. I wish we were both in better health to put in more effort to make it more romantic but at a time like this its just each other's company that matters most.

We dropped by West Coast after work to get me my much longed for Laksa. And to Marsiling to get The Don's Murtabak. Both were supposed to be tasty but in our condition everything tasted bland anyway.


After that was couch potato-ing watching that mumble jumble guy (Sly Stallone) drive that delicious, mouth watering looking racing car. Oooh la la... The story wasnt that good. I could hardly figure out what in the world Sly was mumbling about. I watched it purely for the adrenalin filled races they featured. When oh when can I go down to Sepang to watch an actual one. Who know's I might b able to catch a glimpse of Schumacher. I missed my chance when my cousin's hubby got free grandstand tix. He didn't know I was interested and didn't inform me till the races was over. *sheesh!!* GRANDSTAND TIX!!!! Imagine.. and he didn't tell me!!!! Now every year I will ask him if he gets any more but sadly no more so far. To make up the next year he brought me to the Sepang circuit and the closest I got to the race was to stand at the carpark outiside the circuit and hear the deafening roaring of the car engines!!!! Itupun da shiok!!!!

But halfway watching the movie the flu medicine took effect, my eyes blurred out and I fell into dreamland.... hahaha. So much for that romantic dinner....

Bunga Telur & Rossettes

Despite The Don's unwillingness to be subjected to the traffic congestion at the causeway, he acceded to drive to JB on Sunday morning to get more wedding stuff.



The last time my mom went to JB, she spotted a very nice Bunga Telur set in line with my wedding colour theme.(Bunga Telur is an elaborate arrangement of ornamental flowers with an egg attached first placed on the wedding dias and later given to the guests as a gesture of thanks. The egg is a symbol of good omen, eggs=fertility) So off we went to the place to get it. Well true enough, it was indeed very nice. Slightly different from the usual bunga telur, this one is in cream adorned with maroon heart-shaped cystals. Costs about double the usual but I guess you pay for what you get. The shop does arrangement as well but my mom has a family friend (Kak Lila) who does all things related to weddings for everyone in the family so that settles it. *It helps to have many contacts* *grins* While we were there we picked out the bunga rampai holder for the male guests.(bunga rampai=shredded pandan leaves given to guests after the solemnization ceremony. Purpose? Honestly I have no idea. I'll let you know when I find out hehe) A nice shiny maroon pouch to complement the white tissue holders my aunt has sewn for the ladies. And we got nice little rossettes for the family members to wear on that day.



The shop had everything and anything needed for a wedding - wedding favours, wedding invites, hantarans (gifts), baskets etc etc. Everything you can think of. And at a much cheaper price than the overrated SSF at Plentong. Thanks to Kak Lila for recommending the place.

Next stop--> Larkin. To collect The Don's baju nikah (outfit for the solemnization ceremony) My uncle has a shop there selling traditional medicine and next to his shop, is a Men's tailor shop. Apparently he sews for many bridal boutiqes in Singapore and he came very highly recommended. Alhamdulillah, the recommendation was not in vain. The baju melayu turned out just fine and now even my bro-in-laws frequents this shop. We even allowed the owner to recommend the right samping to match the baju.

On the way back, it was quite a wait at the Customs. Thank goodness it was not as bad as the previous weeks when one of his friends supposedly had to wait in line for 5 hours due to the stringent 100% checks conducted by the Singapore customs. It also helps that The Don has many friends still working at the Checkpoint coz the car in front of us had to unload all of his things from his boot for them to check while the officer just gave a cursory glance at ours while exchanging salams with The Don and exchanging news about old squad mates. (He served the Singapore Police Force during his National Service and while he moved on up and out, many of his friends chose to stay in uniform)

Alhamdulillah managed to settle most of the wedding stuff but I still need to find small round baskets for my lil' flower girls to carry. Any lobang's anyone??

IFTAR

Its 12.55am and The Don just dropped me off at home!!! I just came back from our new place where we held this year's Iftar for the usual gang. This year the gang shrank to 5 (not too bad actually now everyone can finally fit in our car)

It was a potluck thingy considering the fact that my kitchen belum berasap and the result of it --> WAY TOO MUCH FOOD!!!! I prepared Mee Goreng Seafood, egg salad and honey-glazed chicken while Lisa brought Murtabak and Nani brought a "biskut Marie sumthing-sumthing". Hafiz came much later armed with epok2.


We were supposed to have an iftar + terawih at our house but we ended up chit chatting the whole time away. hehehe Its been a long while since we met up so there was just soo much stories to catch up on. After makan we caught the rerun of Singapore Idol and then watched Starsky & Hutch and before we knew it it was already 12 midnight.

I didn't take any pics on that day so I'm waiting for Lisa to load hers before I pilfer some.

Mummy's Girl

As we started preparations for the wedding early this year, I received a lot of cautionary tales about how tempers will fly and arguments will arise not just between The Don and I but also between Umi and I. It seems almost etched in history that at every daughter's wedding, the mother will have her own set of ideas and will want things to be done her way which are usually in direct juxtaposition with the daughter's. To be honest, I saw it happen first hand during the preparation of my sister's wedding some 3 years ago. Back then my sister refused to have a pelamin (dias) and wanted to do away with the Malay custom of berinai / tepung tawar (u noe the one where ppl anoint the bride's and groom's hands as a gesture of blessing) My mom of course went livid & insisted and after numerous "discussions", my sister finally conceeded. So you could say I was quite prepared for a battle.

Surprisingly everything was smooth sailing. No skirmishes whatsoever, Alhamdulillah. I expected strong criticism about my choice of clothes, decor, color, music, timing etc etc etc but hey none at all. My mother and I have been very civil about things. Perhaps its due to efficient division of labour. Or perhaps we both learnt from past mistakes and vowed never to repeat it. Or most probably, its our close, friendship-like relationship that made planning the wedding a breeze.

Long before we actually enquired and booked the services of the wedding supplies providers, my mom and I had regular talks about what we each want for the wedding. I recognise the fact that altho this is MY wedding, she has as much investment in it emotionally as I do. It is as much my event as it is hers. And especially given the fact that I am her only child, surely she has her own ideals on what would make the wedding wonderful. I found that sharing my aspirations and imaginations with her work coz despite it being only talk, she has a rough idea of what I have in mind and I too can see what she has in hers. We discuss extensively and while our ideas are similiar, the ones which are different we either compromised or give in. By the time we actually got down to book the stuff, we were both in tandem.

Between my mother and I, we actually set out a division of labour. She takes care of the guests lists and everything there is to do with the guests. She does this with the help of my sisters of course, from preparing the guest list, inviting them, the layout of the reception and even the menu. I'm also leaving all the adat adat stuff to her. I'll gamely go along with whatever she wants to see us do whether its a tepung tawar thing or the dinner thing. Oohh I'm such a good daughter aye?? But she completely lets me make my own choice whether its the decor, photographer, room or clothes. But still, I usually seek her advice nonetheless and ask her to come along with me & my best friend when I make my final choice.

Our long long discussions oten go on till 3 or 4 in the mornings. We will talk about everything under the sun even those usually taboo subjects that are avoided by most daughters like the plague. Especially recently, she has been very open with me about her own personal experiences of getting married and her period of adjustments. It has been truly eye-opening and my admiration for her has amplified greatly.

Its wonderful having a mom you could almost count as a buddy.

POLITICKUS

In case you dun already know, I work for my bro so I'm sorta a celeb in the office. I always get preferential treatment (altho I try my darndest not to take advantage of it) and I get along famously with everyone. Well they do have to get along with me now dun they?? hehehe (evil grin)

So anyway when I came back to the office this morning after 2 days of MC (another perk: unlimited MCs) my bro's secretary filled me in on what happened the two days I was MIA. Apparently the recep at my office complained to the other lawyer saying how the rest of us in the office are insensitive to her plight. She says that all day long we all go on and on about the latest sales in town, scour the newspapers for the latest bargains and go on and on about getting ourselves new blings-blings and always go to the latest eatery in town. The secretary and I felt especially slighted coz usually its our mouths that go yakking non-stop about sales and diamonds all day. She says we are insensitive to her financial situation. She feels "left out" and "inferior" coz she cannot participate. WHAT THE F???

Dun misunderstand me, I'm not the cold, heartless bitch I sound like today. I'm only this way coz I'm so infuriated at such petty, childish office politickus going on. I do sympathise, I understand that she makes a whole lot lesser than I do (in fact a whole lot lesser than everyone else in the office) and that she and her hubby does have two kids to feed. But hey, TO EACH HIS OWN!!! I mean its not as if we dun have our share of problems albeit not so much of a financial nature. And its not as if we are inciting her to buy or shop or go eat. Or shoving our wordly items in her face. In any case, the conversation is between me and my bro's secretary only with occassional interjections by our other colleagues. No reason for her to feel pressurised at all!!! After all the other people in the office dun feel it why should she? I can't help my inborn shopaholic nature and no one said she has to follow suit. No one's putting a gun to her head saying she has to keep up. No one ever said life is fair. You simply make the best of it, somehow.

Let's not forget it was moi who started the idea of a "makan fund" in the office so that we can all go n eat sumwhere nice and non-food-court-like for lunch. Only problem is the money can only last us for one lunch outing a month and sometimes when there is a special buffet somewhere in the middle of the month I will highlight it and ask if they wanna go anyway. (on the basis of going Dutch) We always ask her along but she usually declines, citing some excuse of other. So we usually go sans her. The way we see it, its her perogative.

And when we go to the mosque for Zuhr prayers, the other ladies there will usually make snide remarks like "Pergi makan besar lagi hari ni?" "Makan kena ajak ajak org tau" to my other two Muslim colleagus. They dun target me coz at the mosque I'm a "salam and go" person. No time to chit chat with the makciks2 about their mother-in-laws from hell stories or what their maid is doing at home while they're at work. **rolls eyes** Apparently she has been going round telling ppl we dun ask her along when we go lunching or sumthing to that effect.

Its really difficult working with someone who would better fit handling a childcare centre. (or perhaps even enrol in one) The smallest things offends her and she expects people around her to suit her moods and temperaments rather than change herself to suit her surroundings. She expects to be pampered and showered with attention and be treated like the "baby" of the office. I wish I can tell it to her face to GROW UP but my position as the Boss's sister will make it an extremely fragile situation.

I mean seriously, what the hell is she expecting? Are we not supposed to talk about our latest buys and plan-to-buys in reverence to her?? Do we not have a right to decide where to spend OUR OWN HARD-EARNED MONEY the way we deem fit??? I may sound harsh but I think where you are in life is where you have to adjust to being. And if you dun like the situation you're in then you'll have to do something to change it. You can't expect people to accommodate you every single time. Uurrghh !!!!!!!

And in case you think I'm haughty & bimbo-ish coz I have a silver spoon in my mouth, think again!!! These past months has been sufferable for me. Its no mean feat trying to equip the house as well as hold a wedding at the same time. Its been crazy making ends meet so if you talk about "sucking it in" I damn well know what that means. *My friends can attest to how many sales I have missed this year *sob *sob* and how I have been scrimping & saving*

At the end of the day I guess it takes simple common sense and the occasional reality check (mental checks would help too in her case) that will ensure you dun live a miserable life of constantly seeing life thru green eyes.

The Last Lunch

On the last day of eat-during-daylight my colleagues and I on our usual weekly makan outing. This time to Magic Wok (Capitol) a short bus ride away. We had to wait almost 15mins for a seat but the food made the wait a worthwhile one. Dun drool while you look at the pics ok ? (devillish grin) Sesungguhnya kami sedang berpuasa.......
Sweet Sour Fish Cereal Prawn Kang Kong

Anyway inspite of the temptation I just presented to you ...... SELAMAT MENJALANKAN IBADAH PUASA hehhee

Girls' Day Out

With my bro-in-law in KL for business and The Don busy at Ba'alwie Mosque, my sis, Umi and I had our regular shopping escapade at Plaza Singapura yesterday. My sis and mom were looking for new bedsheets to be worn on my wedding day. No not for my bed - for their beds!!!! It's a family craze - buying bedsheets. And we will find the smallest reason to justify buying new bedsheets!!!! My bedsheets + my mom's + my sis's bedsheets combined would fill up an Aussino store.

So anyway we spent almost the entire time at Aussino's and my sis finally got this

Since my mom already got me the 'Caroline' set from Aussino's the last time and I just got for myself new bedsheets from the last Metro sale, I resisted buying anymore. Till I saw that Aussino was selling their basic colours bedsheets ar SGD $9.90/-. I dun usually buy bedsheets at Aussino other than their Royal Symphony range coz I find that the quality of the lower priced ones are not so good. the colours tend to fade after multiple washings. But at $9.90 I guess its worth it, fade or not. And so I bought 3... hhehehehe

Next stop --> Spotlight. Where Umi finally found her bedsheet. Nice ?

We realised that Spotlight sells a bigger range of bedsheets and at better quality. And some are exactly the same as the ones at Aussino's, only cheaper.

Muhd Idris found his bedsheet too at Spotlight

and it costs a whopping $69.95. Hey how can the aunt's bedsheets cost $9.90 while the nephew's cost 7 times as much. HEY ! HEY! lawan tauke issit ??? Almost bought it but on 2d thots I'd wait till after the Don and I get him his car bed first at the end of the year.

Its great fun going shopping with my mom and sis coz we all share the same taste (more or less) and we all like to go the same shops and see the same things. And best of all, my sister is quick with her wallet. Me being the youngest sister, she spoils me silly and often insists on paying. (like she did with my 3 Aussino bedsheets) (She makes double what I make so I guess its only fair, hehehe)

Well I guess thus is the circle of life, I was the apple of her eye and now, her son Muhd Idris is the prince of both mine and the Don's hearts. Just like yesterday, we were supposed to go home on our own then The Don called saying he will fetch us from Plaza SG. He was worried that if we went home by cab we'd have to wait a long time for the cab as the queue for cabs are usually long. And Muhd Idris will be uncomfortable. Aaah.. the things The Don will do for his favourite nephew.