Living with Sarah

Sejak semalam, morning routine ialah ke my parents' place untuk mandikan my mother. Alhamdulillah ada pembantu - Along Iwan, my nephew. Kalau I nak angkat my mother macam hari tu agak menyeksa badan. Stamina tak cukup, kederat pun tak seberapa (dah tua!). Nabil kata - "beralih buah pinggang". Nowadays, we make a pact to meet at 9am+. And the routine is smooth. Along angkat gi toilet, I mandikan, dia angkat semula ke katil, I siapkan. The whole process usually takes about 30 minutes. I usually would bring simple breakfast from home - these days french toast - for her to nibble throughout the day. Despite occasional protests from my mother like refusing to take a bath fearing I might be late for work, I sternly ensure that her morning routine is not disrupted. So, bath is a must! Also try to massage her a bit especially her legs. She requested for her tongkat to be put nearby. I don't think she would use it very soon but that's the spirit we want from her. Every...

My brother Angah, SIL Kak Ros, nephew Ejat dan wifeynya Ekin selamat berlepas untuk menjalani ibadah umrah pagi tadi. Alhamdulillah, semuanya dipermudahkan. Nampak seronok sangat mereka pergi. Doa kami semoga kami pun dijemput menjadi tetamuNya. Sedih juga ni... My Angah has become a pillar of strength. So, bila tak ada ni rasa rebeh juga sebelah bahu. Kebetulan pulak badan agak sakit-sakit penangan sesi mandikan Mak I secara impromptu semalam. Bukan apa, sebab tak prepare. Jadinya, teknik mungkin tak berapa betul. Sampai pagi tadi Angah still geleng kepala in wonder - "macam mana Mak boleh mintak kau mandikan dia?". Sebab Angah nak mula mandikan dia dulu pun takes time. Pujuk macam nak gila. Semalam Mak sendiri yang mintak I angkat dia ke toilet dan mandikan dia. Dia tanya "boleh tak kau buat?". Bolehhh... (dengan confidentnya sambil melihat luar, bila lah Angah nak sampai ni...? Sebab patutnya semalam nak study macam mana dia dan Kak Ros buat je). Terus dia meng...

Today we conducted basic mountain biking class to SMK BSP's Kelab Basikal. Our CSR project. The first activity for the school that I joined. Selalunya Hubby dan Archot yang pergi. At 8am (we were a bit late), berkumpul di sekolah. Hubby gave briefing on the day's activity. Then, we cycled to the nearby park in front of Vista Apartment. I think there were about 30 students with various types of bikes. Ada a few "regulars" with high end MTB bikes (who, despite their age, regularly join the adults for biking activities), some low ends, some BMX and fixies. The club's advisor used the school's folding bike. As we reached the park, I saw a girl having difficulty handling her bike. Rupanya handle longgar. Tools pula tak bawak. So I lent my bike to her. Let her experience the adrenalin rush of going up and down the hills. And I spent the next 1 hour with the club advisor, listening to her story. Anyway, it was a fun activity. And tiring. Sure budak-budak tu penat...

In my opinion, di dunia ni ada 3 kategori orang yang berani. Saya akui, saya memang bukan seorang yang berani. 1) Atheist - recently kecoh pasal kes murtad orang Islam jadi free-thinker. Sebelum kita bash up these people, buatlah a little bit of research. Pasal apa dia orang ni beralih arah. But my point is not on the cause. Who am I to judge? However, to me, such people are very "berani" sebab hidup independent. Very independent. Without any reliance on a supreme being. I cannot imagine such a life. Kalau I tengah susah, ditimpa masalah, sedih, etc, secara automatic akan doa dan minta tolong pada Allah. Allah tempat bergantung. Sama dengan kalau tengah senang, gembira, dapat rezeki, etc, secara automatic akan berterima kasih. Alhamdulillah. Susah atau senang kita tahu yang ada satu supreme being yang mencipta kita sebagai manusia dan pada Dialah tempat kita mengadu dan bergantung. So, kalau ada orang yang boleh hidup di dunia ni tanpa bergantung kepada Tuhan (no matter wha...

Nampak sangat tak de idea nak tulis apa kan? Today is a quiet day at the shop. I get to spend time to do the other mysa. Ada glitch. I'm so-called terminating a couple of partners and appointing a new one to do all the work. Almost. I've completed the contract and now outlining the exact scope of work. That's a lot of headache especially at this stage when the story is still in progress. Anyway... I'm still sending food over to my parents every working day. Nowadays, my mother has become a little bit "demanding" :). If she's bored of eating a certain food, she would push it aside. Or force me to take it back to give someone else. Even the ones brought over in the morning by my brother Angah. She said that my father has warned her that if she can't or won't finish the food I brought, don't eat at all. Oh wow, that's stern. I guess that's just my father's way of getting her to finish up her food. I bought her nasi dagang and nasi ...

We had a great time hosting a small makan-makan session last Saturday night. It was to celebrate my Kak Long's birthday, and also a thank you gesture to my brother Angah and Kak Ros (and also to Along Iwan) who take care of my mother every single morning (bathing, "prepping" and these days "intensive therapy"). Alhamdulillah, these last few days my mother can actually stand on her own and walk some baby-steps - guided of course. The makan-makan was also for the four who will leave us for umrah very soon. The idea started when Hubby bought some marinated lamb from his ex-colleague. We grilled the meat and tasted so yummy. We immediately imagined Angah's family, well-known to go gaga over grilled lambs, would really enjoy them. And having a few good reasons to gather the clan, plus not having any BBQ sessions for such a long time, we planned. We closed shop early on Saturday - at 6pm. I took the day off to go around getting stuff for the event with my Kak ...

The grass is always greener on the other side. Kan, kan, kan? After CNY, there was one day that I was alone manning the shop while Hubby and Archot went to survey stuff in Klang. And that was the day when we had a lot of walk-in customers. One of them was a guy who brought in an old Le Run. Rusty. Hubby finally finished doing repairs on his bike and he came yesterday. Apparently, he was one of the pioneers of the bike club in this area but he doesn't cycle much anymore. Why I said the grass is always greener on the other side? Because he drives an XC90 (Volvo) which is one of my dream cars, works as a lawyer, with a doctor wife who drives a BMW. Rich! envy, envy... However, he had a chat with Hubby and told him that he envies him/us for being able to open a bike shop. I was like... he's the one with XC90! Life is strange...

Have been really busy. What a week. With both mysas. And the usuals chores and duties. 1)  I finished processing the  bulk of stocks. Took me 1.5 days. And gave me back pains. Now, we have more variety of items. And finally - apparels. Not much but enough. Good to hear our customers say - "sini semua ada, tak payah pegi tempat lain!". Latest photo of the shop. 2) Within just 1.5 months of opening the shop, I actually met more people I've not met in ages than the years I spent holed up in my office (obviously!). Last week I met Nordin whom I used to work with for the Brunei project many, many years ago. He sent his bike for repair and was deep in conversation with Hubby when I stepped in after sending Aliyah home. Nampak macam familar. Lepas Hubby borak-borak and heard the word "sismi" being mentioned, terus ingat! Today, a guy stepped into the shop, I looked up and instantly know that I've worked with this guy before years ago. He looked at me, sai...

For the past month, every working/school day I would go over to my parents' place to send food. Either I cook or I buy. I would put lauk-lauk for my father in the kitchen (I bought a few nice plastic containers of various sizes, of the same colour, at Giant just for that purpose) and then bring food for my mother at her room, also in matching plastic container. And the scenario would be almost the same every single day. She would either be taking her nap (I would give salam and she would wake up in surprise saying she was just looking out the window waiting for me) or she would be already waiting. I would open the container, put a spoon in it and give it to her. She would fuss - saying "susah susah je, etc". She would eat a few spoonfuls and put the food on her small table, saying she would eat more later. And she would say - she eats bit by bit and will finish it up by evening. I would sit next to her and listen. Nowadays, talking really is not advisable, unless ...

The contractor we engage to install wall mounts and storage spaces came in the morning without notice. Good thing it's Tuesday and people have started to work. So, not many customers. It's like renovation time all over again - dust all over the shop. We swept the floor and mopped. And rearrange things. I have 2 bulks of stocks to process. All in boxes in the office. Will be a long day tomorrow! (There goes our iBook deadline! Have to ask for another extension.)  Wall mounts finally installed. The shop looks much more organised. I imagined the shop will look empty but it doesn't! Hubby has been wanting to have this pole from day 1. Nice display I must say.