Living with Sarah

I went over to my mother's yesterday afternoon after sending Aliyah off to school. Brought along some fried rice with a few pieces of chicken nuggets. In the fried rice, I shredded a few belalai gajah leaves. Just as an added "nutrition". On a side note, I grow belalai gajah in my garden. From 4 sticks simply shoved into a flower pot, I now have quite a healthy little bush. Siap boleh bagi orang pokok lagi. I try to eat the leaves as ulam once a week. Blending them with green apples takes so much effort! Just this week, I had this funny headache right after drinking air mata kucing at Aliff. The drink was too sweet. Berdengung telinga, as I always say. After taking a few belalai gajah leaves for dinner, alhamdulillah, the headache went away. Anyway, back to my story. I sat with my mother throughout Friday prayers while my Angah went to the mosque. I told her I was not in a hurry. She ate some of the fried rice and savoured the nuggets. All the while, the TV was showin...

Within just days... Innalillah... Last night we received news that a friend from our university days has left us. This just struck me hard. Really hard. Even though I might not be close to this friend, still, he was a friend nonetheless. He was very talented with great voice. One of the boy band. The lead singer. I can still remember once the band performed Apokalips at one event. It was such a fantastic rendition I told Hubby - "jatuh cinta dengan suara dia"! He really was that good. The kind of voice that can touch hearts. We knew he has not been well. But his passing was such a shock. And to think that just last Friday we lost a good friend. Semoga dosa-dosanya diampunkan. Al Fatihah Zahidin Ghairi. You are now so far away. His song: So Far Away

I guess with the happenings lately, I have accepted the fact that one would have to just accept what one has in one's plate. Be it good or bad. At this age, I no longer wish to try to make things better. If it seems acceptable, then let it be. I'll just go with the flow and find happiness elsewhere. Even though many a time I thought - how would it be if things had turned out differently. So, it seems years have been reduced to this, which is fine with me. I have stopped trying and caring. And after some time, I guess the loneliness is welcomed. Embracing it leaves much space for thinking, and reading, and wasting time on rubbish. And nursing insomnia. What life...?

A friend shared one very interesting video a few days ago and ever since I've been having all these ideas in my head for a new project. I memang banyak idea. Nak buat je slow sikit sebab tak ada modal :(. However, this is something I got very passionate about. Because it would be one of the first toys I would've bought for Aliyah if I knew it existed. Some 13 years ago that is! Back then, we did buy her toys that stimulated her senses. I remember one of my ex-bosses Ida gave this caterpillar cloth book that Aliyah really loved. Know what, that little caterpillar still exists! Another toy she loved as a baby was this Chicken that has a belly full of small balls that she loved to shake. With small wings that has this funny texture. I think there's aluminium foil in it. And the chicken, too, still exists. Anyway, this morning Aliyah went to Festival Belia with her friend, chaperoned by her elder sisters. So, I had time for myself. And I experimented based on my "lesso...

I didn't check my phone till it was 10.30am today. I saw one update by Basri on this FB Group dedicated for our friend Atom. The group is called: Atom Wake Up! It is meant to be a temporary page for all who call him a friend. It contains updates, prayers and hopes, and donation drive to help his family. Earlier this week, there was an update about him waking up, and moving his hands and feet. When I saw there's an update today, I immediately thought that Atom has finally woken up. Perhaps he could be off the support machine. However, the update was the saddest of news. Atom has left us. Innalillah... He passed early this morning. On a drizzly and cool Friday morning. Subhanallah. Hubby and I didn't get to ziarah. We did go after Friday prayers, however, we couldn't find the house. Apparently, the address given was not correct. I finally read it was Jalan 6, not Jalan 16. At the roadside, we read updates. He's at the surau. When we were there, there were update...

Finally, buku MYSA Amira & Umar Meneroka Dunia Sains is now available at Pustaka Seri Maju, Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi. Asyik tangguh nak jumpa dengan manager, akhirnya jumpa juga last week. Alhamdulillah, hari ni siap hantar dengan poster sekali. Anybody has a bookstore and would like us to put our books on consignment, do give me a shout. Sekarang sedang bertungkus-lumus nak siapkan mini-book, a spin-off but still using Amira and Umar as the main characters. Niat dalam hati - insyaallah buat amal sambil cari rezeki. 

A few years ago, the word "mysa" was just one of the scribbles I wrote on a piece of paper. It was for a name of a product. It was just a dream. I just love finding names for products. Some I even transformed into acronyms. Today, we have Mysa Bike Hub. A bike shop. It just warms the heart when people say it out aloud. And then we have a small project called Mysa. Also started from a dream. Even though that is still very, very small, Alhamdulillah the product is there. And I thought of one bubbly little girl who inspired it all...

After my father passed, I thought of this idea, which I will not elaborate. And since then, we have been preparing. We appointed agents, we scrutinised house plans, etc. However, these few weeks' events made me think twice about it. Maybe it's not the best idea. I spent last weekend thinking hard and finally made my decision. I told Hubby and he agreed. I told Aliyah and she leapt in joy.  So, we made a 360 turn on that plan and made another plan. I don't care what people say if the plan materialised. Nowadays, I just smile and think - uishh, pahala banyak ooo... People can talk all they want. What doesn't hurt you will only make you stronger, right? Anyway, the whole thinking process made me realise what a wonderful home we have. Yup, there are parts to be repaired (immediately, if you ask me) but we don't have the funds for it yet. But still, it is a lovely home. It was built on blood and sweat, literally, by us...  Our little pond. The UV light has gon...

Nope, there was no celebration actually. A stay-home Sunday. Aliyah had to study for her mid-term. But I did get a warm kiss and hug :) Hubby went for a ride to Jeram Kedah and brought back the famous nasi lemak ikan keli. Since yesterday I didn't get to visit my mother, I went today bringing her carrot slice from Secret Recipe. I told her it's for Hari Ibu. And she looked so appreciative. She took two mouthfuls and put it aside, saying she will eat it later. After kissing her goodbye, I went out and peeked at the window. She told me she has finished the cake! Aik? Kejapnya. Sedap katanya :)

I guess the best thing to do when you are sick is to seek treatment. Fast. I'm having my bout coughing now. Setahun entah berapa kali kena sampai lost count. And once kena, sure lama. This time around (so far lah), agak cepat dapat ubat batuk yang OK. Masa di rumah SIL Nor last week, she noticed my cough and offered this cough syrup. She said she had a bad cough a few months ago and the syrup was introduced by her neighbour. Apparently, neighbour dia dengar dia batuk depan rumah! Now, my cough is containable. Tak lah teruk sangat macam selalu. Walaupun dah kena one round of nebulizer. Plus another type of cough syrup, antibiotics and a few more pills. At least boleh makan dengan agak aman. Selalunya, asal food lalu kat tekak, terus batuk. Let's see how long this lasts!

It has been 2 weeks of emotional turmoil. A lot of things going on. Sedih ada, kesal ada, sakit hati ada sikit... Mostly - kesal dan sedih. Both personal and work wise. Tiba-tiba dapat dugaan demi dugaan yang agak berat di bahu. Dalam hati rasa sangat ketat yang tak hilang-hilang, sampai physically betul-betul jadi ketat sampai terpaksa pergi klinik ambil nebulizer. Yup, musim batuk sudah kembali. Semalam presentation for our last milestone di office baru powers-that-be yang sangat cantik. I looked at the marbles (or are they tiles?) of the floor of the lobby and thought - the cost of the flooring can sponsor many, many of our projects. Or can buy many, many bikes for stock at the shop. Rasa perbezaan langit dan bumi cara berbelanja powers-that-be dengan rakyat marhaen macam I.  Presentation outcome - personally, not so good. Not our fault. We have worked our best, done our best. We wanted to be the pioneer and we still are, though this time around, even though technology i...

Our friend Asrul or fondly called Atom is now in ICU due to TB and lung infection. Hubby and I finally got the chance to visit him today during lunch hour at Serdang Hospital. We could only watch him from the glass window. He's in induced coma. He looks so frail and thin breathing from support machine. I didn't get to meet his wife or relatives. There were too many people outside the ICU I couldn't ask around. I also didn't catch any familiar faces of friends. I guess we both came quite early. Atom attended our launching last March. He looked tired and thin but as jovial as always. He's one of the pioneer of my previous company. I worked with him throughout my 8 years there and then as partners after I started my own business. We are quite close in a way, always helping each other. Our last project together was the Miros enhancement work last December. I pray he will get well soon. His wife and children must be missing him very much. Insyaallah Atom will wake up...

Hari ni tahlil and get together di rumah SIL Nor @ Denai Alam. Also birthday celebration of BIL Mie which happens to be today. Swimming pool rumah Nor baru 2-3 minggu ni siap, anak-anak sedara tak sabar-sabar nak mandi. Since Aliyah dah jadi anak dara, dia tak pack pun swimming suit :(.  As always, good food, good conversation, and good time. Semua ada except SIL Angah Mas and family.   Kili, Hubby and Haleem. Lepas Maghrib buat tahlil, then buffet dinner by the pool. Just hours before, the kids had a splash in the pool. Ngam-ngam before Maghrib baru berjaya mengeluarkan semua. Such beautiful house. And very practical. I made mental notes in my head. If ever our plan menjadi, I have formed my checklist. The birthday boy Mie. 

It's a long weekend holiday but, as usual, we are here. Tak ke mana pun. I have this files upon files of urgent reports to proof-read. Deadline is Tuesday. Bahu pun dah start sakit. Dugaan mencari rezeki. Sempat juga kayuh semalam. Akhirnya KTM masuk off-road juga di Ladang UKM. Kali ni tak sure sama ada rider yang dah ada stamina sikit, atau basikal yang power. Sebab kayuh dari bawah sampai the first batu tanda kat simpang tiga ladang tu boleh kayuh saja naik bukit tanpa berhenti. OK, OK, basikal yang best! Tapi at one point, tiba-tiba urat kat belakang sampai ke tengkuk macam tergeliat sikit. Macam sakit salah tidur. Tak cukup stretching kata Hubby. Jadinya, hari ni patut ulang kayuh kat sana dengan Along terpaksa dibatalkan. Esok kena cuba. Elok dah kot... Lepas kayuh makan roti banjir kat Asik Maju. Gambar pembakar semangat untuk Along berkayuh balik selepas dia demam teruk dulu. Hehehe... tercabar oleh Ateh dia.