Living with Sarah

It's finally completed yesterday. What a day. The day actually didn't start early enough. It's a school day so had to send Aliyah to my parents' place. Then we started cleaning up the house. The grill guys didn't show up, but it was OK because the only work outstanding from them is the installation of the iron rods. We can wait. We actually didn't know where to start cleaning first. The workers have cleaned the rooms upstairs, however, the whole level was still quite dusty. Then Hubby and Miqdam tried to install the cooker but then found that it doesn't fit just by like one millimeter. It seems that nobody thought to test the size these whole time including us! So Miqdam had to go back and get the grinder. Oh no! The grinder! The tiles need to be worked on so the whole kitchen will be covered in dust (again!). So, we decided to go back home, get some rest and ready ourselves for Report Card day. After fetching Aliyah from school (about her later), sent Aliya...

I don't really like to take photos. I ni tak photogenic. And I don't really put my photos on these pages. But here's an exception. Because there's a story behind them. We were having dinner at Haji Tapah on Friday night. Aliyah took our picture and then Hubby demonstrated to her how to use secondary camera and bluetooth. The story is that we were both so very dirty and smelly after working at the new house. Well, Hubby was even dirtier and smellier than I, of course! Aliyah took this first. Muka dua orang parents yang penat gila bersihkan rumah... Hubby demonstrating secondary camera to Aliyah. Baru nak ambik gambar mesra-mesra errrkkk... - "Bau masam, ketiak siapa busyuk?" (La, dah ambik gambar?) Lepas ni kena jauhkan sikit... Wait, wait... nak betulkan tudung! (La, dah ambik gambar ke?) Let's see... which angle do I look better. Left or right... (La, dah ambik gambar!) Oh my God, are those eye-bags? I got eye-bags! (Hah? Dah ambik gambar?) Oklah, ambik j...

You know, a mother's heart is so very fragile. I fetched Aliyah from school today and saw she has brown spots on her baju kurung. After I took her school bag, she showed me her palms. There are spots of dried blood. She said she tripped over some stones and fell down. I didn't get to examine. We then went to the new house and then I had the space to inspect. Both her palms have these big spots of cuts - she obviously fell and her palms got injured on some small stones. Then I saw a hole on her kain. She also scrapped both her knees. Then I saw she also has cuts on her right side of her face - near her eyes and a bit of a scratch on her cheeks. The one near her eyes was a bit swollen. That's a bad fall. She told me she didn't cry - "Aliyah tahan". I can't imagine how difficult it was for her to hold back her tears with that kind of cut. And she fell before school starts. She had to endure the pain for hours putting on a brave face. Sedih I.

Finally the end is very close. I am so, so glad the work is almost completed. It's been quite an adventure. Today, the grill guys completed all works in the house. Tomorrow, they will install the iron rods for the concrete fence. All lights and wiring works have also been completed. This evening we even got Dylan to come install a new fan - with shorter blades for the kitchen. The current one looks so dangerous. I bet if my brother Abang Ben were to come into the kitchen, his head will be millimeters from the fan. He's like 6' 2" you know. The sliding door has received its grill Tomorrow Miqdam's guys will complete all touch ups. Late afternoon, they will clean the house. Really? I just got to know just now that Miqdam's services also include cleaning up the house (termasuk samak sekali). We already planned cleaning up the house on Saturday morning and I have already visioned Hubby and me terbongkok-bongkok mencuci lantai... So, Saturday we'll do some moppi...

The contractors missed the deadline. It was a stressful weekend especially for Hubby. The contractor for grill appointed by Miqdam did a bad job. I ni malaslah nak sebut perkataan "inilah contractor Melayu" but then memang dah teruk. Certain windows were OK, but there are a few which did not fit or like an inch smaller, but they crammed the grills anyway. The one at our bedroom was so flimsy, Hubby managed to pull the grill down. We installed the grills not to make the windows look pretty, we wish for security. Kalau nak cantik memang tak payah pakai grill lagi cantik. And they scratched the tinted windows. Miqdam had a hot day on Saturday, not only from the heat, but also some "high notes" from Hubby. We don't really put the blame on him, but I guess he trusts those contractors fully based on previous works and didn't come to check. They even forgot to make emergency exits for the bedrooms. That's the law now, we don't need to request. Hubby took a ...

I went to visit on Wednesday afternoon and the house was full of activities - Miqdam's workers doing touch-ups and 2 vans of workers doing wiring and installation of lights. So, most of the lights already installed but touch-ups are needed because certain parts of the walls were being hacked (again) for new wiring. Our little chandelier at dining area. First picture of the house at night :) Hubby sent me a few pictures he took when the house was still under development. We used to park our car at the top of the hill every weekend and look down at the house seeing work in progress. Blood, sweat, tears and effort have gone into acquiring and renovating it. Sacrifices by both of us. That's why I sangat-sangat angin and sedih when ada orang dengan selambanya kata nama I tak ada pun dalam S&P, so if anything happen, senang. Senang apa? Senang get rid of me and you stay at that house? Some things are sacred between a husband and a wife. Like this house. There's a long...

I just realised today was the only day for the past one month that I'm actually quite free. After a meeting this morning, I sat in the car surprisingly with time to spare and no where to go. So I went shopping - bought a sofa for the office. My office has become too crowded nowadays. I have people coming for discussions and work with not many chairs to sit. The sofa I chose has no arm rest, so one can actually sit with a laptop and work on it. It also comes with a big square stool, another place to work and sit. Anyway, I'm just putting some pictures of Aliyah I took recently. And also of Bubu. He is so naughty! In fact, right now he is pretending to be sleeping just beside my laptop while I type this entry. I can see his eyes half closed watching my fingers just waiting for the right time to pounce. I hope he doesn't pull the cable. Aliyah with Bubu sleeping on her stomach. That soft toy is his favorite. Lepas main, penat, tidur... tak senonoh pulak tu. My little girl...

This morning, after breakfast, on the way to my mother's place to send Aliyah, I told Aliyah that last night I dreamed I was riding a bicycle and then both tires went flat. She laughed aloud and then told me her dream - she became a fairy but with tiny wings so she couldn't fly, but then the wings started to grow bigger and bigger and she finally could fly! We both laughed at each others' dreams. I then told her I usually dream in English and Aliyah was astonished. How come, she asked. I then remembered Enida's story about this grammar lecturer of ours back at PPP named Mr Santa Singh (proudly from BenTong). He told us in order to master English, we need to think in English and when we succeeded in thinking in that language, we will dream in English. At that time I thought that was such a brilliant idea and since then I tried very hard to think in English hoping one fine night I will dream in English. That was my ultimate goal. And know what, I succeeded a few months l...

It was a busy and so very tiring week. We are still waiting for the rest of the wiring and the grills to come in. We had a QC session with Miqdam yesterday and everything should be completed this week. I so very wish! A lot of our stuff are already packed and a house full of boxes is not a pretty sight. Insyaallah the buka rumah will be this Saturday. Hubby took 3 days leave last week from Wednesday to the weekend and he spent those days being a "buruh kontrak". He did touch-ups, painted the bathrooms, practically scrubbed off the paint for the stairs railing and repainted it (such perfectionist), even repainted the sliding doors at the stairs because I accidently "scratched" it with a rug and thinner. He came home everyday exhausted and flat. I had a meeting and presentation on Wednesday and Thursday, so my only contribution was to rush home after my work was done and bought him lunch. But I managed to clear my schedule on Friday and joined him. I cleaned up the to...

Only 2 things are left now - the remaining wiring and installation of lamps and fans - because the wire man was on leave for the whole week and have yet to show his face, and the grill - the reason is a mystery to me. Hubby has been busy doing touch-ups and cleaning-ups since last Friday. We have also started packing so our current house is in such a mess. There are boxes everywhere. Which are good places to play for Bubu the kitten. Anyway, here's the latest addition to the house - I don't know what to call it - it's a nyatoh sliding door covering the store room. So, now we can turn the space by the stairs into a sitting place with low table and cushions without having it look like it's right in front of a store room. Other than that the house is basically as clean as be - not too clean because more dust will come in when they start grill and wiring works. But at least we can start really cleaning up the rooms upstairs now which we plan to do these few days and insist ...

I took Aliyah to watch Hannah Montana the Movie yesterday. I actually promised to take her on Wednesday, but nowadays my schedule is so unpredictable. My days can be quite free on Monday morning and will be filled up to the brim by end of the day. I really don't like to break my promise to her, so I better take her when I have the time. It was just the two of us. Hubby was busy doing touch-ups for the new house but we did meet up for lunch together and then he went off to buy bolts for the doors of the new house. Anyway, I am not a Hannah Montana fan of course. And I always think Miley Cyrus' voice is kind of funny. I wanted to take a nap at the movie since my insomnia cycle has started again. But the movie was surprisingly quite OK. The Hoedown Throwdown song was very enjoyable and the song stuck to my mind. And the song with her father Billy Ray Cyrus - Butterfly Fly Away - was very nice. If Hubby were to watch it, I'm sure he would have tears in his eyes (hehehe...). So,...

I caught Oprah's episode on The New Earth tonight and I found my "a-ha" moment. You can read about the concept elsewhere about life's purpose and other stuff, but was astonished that I can relate to the "moment" by Billy Joel's wife. She was on Skype talking about her previous appearance on the show - how she was so nervous. Of course she got a big hug support from Oprah and her nervousness being "toned-down" by the supportive audience. But she said that at one point during her nervousness, she realised that nervousness is a selfish energy. Being nervous is all about "me", not about other people but "me". At that time, she looked at the audience and thought that - "this is not about me, this is about them, they came to enjoy the show and I will give it to them". And she overcame her nervousness. I watched that and this resounding "yes" appeared in my mind. I had that moment too! Remember I had to deliver ...

Biarlah dia dengan "kemiskinannya"...

Wardrobes were installed yesterday. Aliyah's wardrobe - in white and red. Ours in walnut - very safe colour. The sliding door in the middle is a mirror. Full length. Magic mirror. With a slimming effect. Because we stood in front of the mirror and Hubby did magic. He was wearing a white shirt tucked in and can see his boroi stomach very clearly. Then he took out his shirt and posed sideways, the "boroiness" lessen. That's why I say it is a magic mirror. Or may be holding one's breath and sucking in one's stomach contributed to the magic...

We had dinner at Secret Recipe yesterday. Aliyah suddenly had a crave for chicken lasagna. Hubby usually doesn't have much choice at Secret Recipe, but then there's a new menu - Beef Stew - so he ordered that. And nampak dia makan dengan yummy nya. Today, I came back from work with beef stew in mind - to cook, of course. I'm "closing" my kitchen this week. Need to clean and pack, so no more cooking. Beef stew seems the best choice since I have two fist-size frozen beef in my freezer and not much fresh vege. I searched for the recipe but I don't have some of the ingredients ie worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. So, I invented my own - throw in some other herbs, potatoes and carrots, and I'm quite pleased with the result. Aliyah and Hubby kata sedap. Heh, heh... That's my last cooking in this kitchen. My next one insyaallah will be at the new kitchen. (Sayangnya nak kotor kan...) My beef stew simmering in the pot Here's my very own beef stew recipe...