Aktiviti Cuti Sekolah

School holidays almost over. Travel di sekitar Putrajaya and KL sahaja. On Tuesday, we went to watch The Lorax. So-so saja lah. Ok but got no impact. Flashback menjela-jela...

Comel la jugak Lorax ni, kata Aliyah...

Yesterday, we went to Petrosains. Aliyah memanglah sangat lama nak pergi. Just that both of us really hate to go into the city - unless untuk aktiviti mencari rezeki. Too many people, too many cars, too noisy, too expansive... But then, as long as she's happy, we are happy... We had fun :)

At lunch hour, while waiting for 2pm to get in, we went out to the park for a picnic. It just stresses me out to see people queuing outside of restaurants for lunch. It was so nice outside with the two towers at the background, even though the fountains are out for major renovation. There was this bunch of girls practising choral reading. Teringat zaman sekolah dulu!
I saw this - teringat Kiki our cat!
Aliyah with the Dino the rapper.
Turun dari slide...

Meeting an Ex-Colleague

We took the day off today to take Aliyah out for a movie. She quietly said to me yesterday, if possible, can she stay home on Wednesday. She must be so bored spending time at the office. My poor little girl. We decided, instead of spending Wednesday at home, let's take today day off to watch a movie. Deep inside, I proposed that because I don't know what our schedule will be like this week. Don't want her to be frustrated...

Anyway, after the movie (which I will talk about later), we had late lunch at Sushi King (where else?). I noticed a few seats away, an ex-colleague during my ex-company earlier days - Anita with her two kids. She was then our legal officer. She was about to pay when I caught her eyes and waved. Her face lit up and she came to our table, happily asking about us. She has always been a warm person. We exchanged name cards. She now operates her own Montessori at the kondos at IOI Resort. I know she has always been a person who loves kids.

However, what made the meeting a heart-warming one was the fact that she looked at my card, recited my company name, looked at me and said: "Siapa bagi nama company ni? Must be you!". I said, "Yup, it's Latin". She grinned and said, "I knew it!". She then said she too has a Latin name to consider. I can't remember what but she said it means "intelligent".

My conclusion: women are really good at this!

Bila Hujan Turun...

Last weekend was so cool. It rained both days. Alhamdulillah duduk rumah sejuk... Kucing-kucing akak pun mengambil kesempatan untuk melakukan aktiviti favourite para kucing...

Tidurr... Tak boleh harap langsung, makan tidur je kerja.

Bila hujan, perut pun lapar kan. So, akak pun masak. Untuk tengahari - spaghetti bolognese recipe sendiri favourite Aliyah. On Saturday we went grocery shopping, had dinner at Tesco food court (mana lagi nak makan kat Tesco Nilai tu?). One bite of her spaghetti, Aliyah said - "Mommy punya lagi sedap...". Terus request masak spaghetti. Let's see - mine is very simple yet yummy sebab I tak guna tomato puree, but I use canned whole tomatoes. Sweeter and bit fresher in taste. But colour is a bit pucat, so letak cili sos sikit. Also, no canned mushrooms - I hate those funny looking and funny smelling brown stuff. I use oyster mushroom because that's Aliyah's favourite.

Petang masak kuah kacang and nasi impit. Macam nak raya pulak. Akak sebenarnya memang fail masak kuah kacang. I don't know why. Actually, masak 2-3 kali je tapi memang tak jadi. So, this time around, dengan full determination, proses memasak dimulakan dengan goreng kacang dan kupas kulit kacang secara manual. Minyak lebih sikit dari selalu. Siap cangkul lengkuas kat tepi rumah. Masak 2.5 jam. Letak kerisik sebab my SIL Lia kata dia masak letak kerisik and rasa sangatlah sedap. And finally! My 4th attempt telah berjaya menjadi kuah kacang Kelas 1.

Lebihan untuk direfrigerate.

Bersyukurlah Ada Kerja...

Boleh tak the next person who whines about having so much work to do on FB, Akak nak baling kepala dia dengan senduk besi? Dah tau kerja banyak yang kau sibuk melayan FB tu buat apa? Seriously I am so, so angin.

Know what - bersyukurlah awak ada kerja. Hujung bulan tentu-tentu dapat gaji. How about those yang unemployed? Or yang kena laid off? Or terpaksa berhenti kerja atas sebab-sebab yang tak dapat dielakkan (seperti...?). Or orang macam Akak yang gaji tertakluk kepada project payment? Kalau kerani akaun yang proses payment Akak tu orangnya asyik komplen kerja banyak tak sudah-sudah kat FB, itulah antara punca payment Akak lambat dapat. Kalau dia focus buat kerja, settlekan semua invoices dalam file atas meja dia, tak pegi makan sampai 3 jam, tak de nya komplen kat FB. Sah-sah masa cukup nak buat kerja.

So, bersyukurlah pada Allah sebab ada kerja. Kalau tak, resign je dan bagi peluang kat orang lain.

This Path

Last week, we were at that potential client's office in KL to discuss our proposal and managed to catch up with our ex-colleague, or rather, one of my ex-bosses. He was in such a hurry, apologising for not being able to talk long due to abundance of work on his shoulders. He mentioned about having so much work that he usually comes back home at 11pm-midnight - daily. And while about to walk back, he said that we are lucky having a business that allows us to spend time with our family. I told him - it comes with pros and cons. Yeah, he said with a smile.

Just minutes ago, my Jobstreet email suggested a job vacancy that I so, so, so qualify - Masters in Corp Comm. It's for a agency, with job scope that I so, so, so have the expertise in - strategic comm planning, writing, website & intranet, budget monitoring, corporate governance... I seldom even glance at job vacancies, but this just grabbed my interest. Location = the heart of KL. Salary = I calculated, with my current spending habit, I may just save up for my retirement in just 3 years.

But then, I've been there and done that... I don't know if I have the drive to be back on life on the fast lane. As it is, things are tough, but to have someone holding a director's title in a public-listed company who envies me for the path I'm leading - that is priceless. An eye-opener.

What I'm doing now gives me the peace of mind. Knowing that I will always be there for my family at all times (almost!). It is also challenging - beating the odds that come my way, for this little company I call my own. It allows me to work like crazy, it also allows me to be lazy like crazy. I swim through the ups and downs. And I pray for many more years to come.

Like I always say - I'm taking the road not taken...

Cuti Sekolah?

Oh my, holidays already? I still have no idea on what to do this one-week school holidays. There are just too much work to do. Not that I'm complaining. So much work to do = good for business. But pity Aliyah... We know she will not complain. She can quietly do her stuff, play games, read, draw by herself at the office.

I'm thinking a short jalan-jalan in KL or Putrajaya or a splashing time at a waterpark or pool nearby... Let's see if my Kak Long's grandson, Harith, comes down from Alor Setar. Then can arrange something. It'll be havoc when he's around.

Bukan Saja-saja

At times, when stress is high, when things look so bleak and though, when cash is low and the next payment is weeks away, it is easy to forget how lucky we are being bestowed with His gifts. A friend posted this on her FB. Made me feel better :)

BUKAN SAJA-SAJA ALLAH meletakkanmu dalam BIDANG itu..
BUKAN SAJA-SAJA ALLAH mengurniakanmu KEPAKARAN itu..
BUKAN SAJA-SAJA ALLAH memberikan UJIAN sebegitu..
BUKAN SAJA-SAJA ALLAH membiarkanmu mengemudi dalam KEADAAN sebegitu..

MELAINKAN ALLAH tahu kamu akan memberikan sesuatu dalam bidang itu..
MELAINKAN ALLAH tahu kamu bakal membiakkan ilmu-ilmu itu..
MELAINKAN ALLAH akan temukan kamu dengan insan-insan ikhlas membantu..
MELAINKAN ALLAH mahu menguatkanmu..
MELAINKAN ALLAH mahu kamu tahu betapa tingginya kasih sayangNYA padamu..

All About Cats

The 3 little kittens have found their new homes. Alhamdulillah... last time we visited, they looked so cute and adorable. Tahan sabar untuk tidak membawa pulang ke rumah. After 1 month at the vet's, Mimi has gained some weight and we could bring her back. Along with a big cage to keep her for the time being.

Just some pictures of our other 3 cats. They are a handful!

This is Tabby, the wakil rakyat of Jalan 3/9. He visits the neighbours as part of his routine. Quite smart though. When we reach home, he would quickly come back, walking into the house together, as if he's been out for just a while. Fatso.
This is BoboiBlur. Sangat blur. Muka pun blur. He lives in his own world. Very manja tapi malas nak layan sebab sangat suka kan comfort - our bed. We always have to close the bedroom doors because he would quietly go upstairs to sleep.
And this is Eecah. Another fatso. And "eksyen" sangat. If you call her, she would look at you with this look that says - "what???" and turn away. Sangat manja dengan Kakak Aliyah. About 7mths old.