Warkah buat Atuk (kat wad Hosp Sban)

Assalamualaikum Atuk,

Harap Atuk dan Nenek sihat walaupun Along, Ain n Apit tau Atuk tak berapa sihat sekarang ni.

Kat Malaysia sekarang ni tengah cuti sekolah Chinese New Year kan? Kalau kat Malaysia, time cuti panjang macam ni mesti Ayah dan Ibu bawa kita pegi cuti-cuti Malaysia...ke Penang, Kelantan n Terengganu, Cameron Highlands, Bukit Merah, Kuantan rumah Pak Lang, Melaka dan mana-mana la tempat menarik kat Malaysia. Tak pun, Ayah Ibu bawa Along, Ain dan Apit balik kampung je...Port Dickson atau pun Rembau. Kita seronok balik kampung. Kalau balik PD, mesti Atuk dan Nenek bawa kita breakfast roti canai kat tempat favourite Atuk Nenek - kedai Motai. Dah jadi tempat makan favourite (Apit kata 'shebet')Along, Ain, Apit dan Ayah Ibu gak. Roti canai dia best giler...sedap dan garing, Along mesti tak cukup satu hi hi. Kedai dia kat tepi pantai, best dapat tengok laut dan angin tiup kuat. Lepas makan roti canai Motai, kita selalu jalan-jalan kat tepi pantai tu, kadang-kadang mandi laut terus. Best..

Ibu kata Atuk dimasukkan ke wad hospital PD dari hari Ahad lagi, sebab kencing manis. Orang putih kata diabetes. Kesian Atuk. Kaki Atuk yang sakit hari tu makin teruk...ada nanah, darah dan berair. Ibu suruh kita doa supaya Atuk cepat sembuh. Along, Ain dan Apit serta Ayah Ibu selalu doakan untuk Atuk. Atuk tak kasi bagi tau kita kat Dubai dan Pakcik Amam n family kat Holland sebab takut kita risau. Tapi Mak Ngah selalu updatekan tentang perkembangan kesihatan Atuk kat Ibu thru sms, Atuk dan Nenek tak tau. Mak Ngah kata 2 hari lepas Atuk nampak dah segar balik lepas Doktor cuci kaki Atuk. Makan minum pun terkawal. Paras gula Atuk pun dah turun sebab Doktor dah suntik insulin 3 kali sehari. Ain tanya insulin tu apa? Insulin tu ubat la nak turunkan kadar gula dalam darah, eh betul ke? Nanti la Along google tentang insulin.

Semalam Mak Ngah sms bagi tau Atuk curi-curi makan kuih manis. Ooo Atuk naughty ehh...Doktor tak kasi makan manis Atuk makan lak. So, gula dalam darah Atuk dah naik balik dari 7 ke 16, Mak Ngah cakap. Doktor kata Atuk bila-bila masa je akan di bawa ke hospital Seremban. Atuk dah mula risau, Nenek pun susah hati. Takpa la Tuk, kat hospital besar tu kan lagi ramai doktor pakar boleh ubatkan Atuk. Nanti Atuk lagi cepat sembuh insyaAllah, Atuk jangan risau ya.

Subuh tadi, Mak Long pula sms kat Ibu kata Atuk akan dihantar ke Hospital Besar Seremban (Hospital Tuanku Jaafar) pagi ni. Mak Long suruh bagi moral support kat Atuk sebab Atuk risau sangat-sangat. Ibu pun risau. Semalam Ibu ada sms Atuk tanya kabar, baru la Atuk cakap kaki Atuk dah teruk. Pagi ni Ibu nak call Atuk tapi tak jadi sebab Ibu takut nanti Ibu meleleh. Along, Ain n Apit tak pandai nak pujuk kalau Ibu nangis. Kalau Ayah ada, Ayah boleh pujuk Ibu tapi Ayah kat Egypt lak sekarang ni. Lepas 2 hari kat Iran, Ayah terus terbang ke Egypt. Ayah cuma sempat balik sekejap je semalam untuk makan tengahari dengan Ibu n Apit (Along dengan Ain kat sekolah masa tu) sebab flight Mahan Air yang Ayah naik dari Tehran tu transit kat Dubai. Along, Ain n Apit kena faham, Ayah ada tugas. Nanti la Along, Ain n Apit cakap kat bos Jepun Ayah - Tanikawa tu jangan la bagi Ayah kerap sangat outstation. Kalau ada emergency kan susah. Tapi Ibu selalu update tentang keadaan Atuk kat Ayah thru sms kalau siang, kalau malam YM macam biasa.

Ok la Atuk, dah panjang ni. Atuk jangan risau sangat ya. Kat hospital besar tu lagi ramai doktor pakar, insyaAllah Atuk akan cepat sembuh nanti. Tahun ni Ayah Ibu kata kita balik raya kat Malaysia. Eee kita rasa tak sabar...Bila kita balik kampung bulan 9 nanti, Along, Ain n Apit gembira kalau tengok Atuk sihat macam sebelum ni. Nanti kita makan roti canai kat kedai Motai lagi ya Tuk. Kirim salam kat Nenek, Nenek pun jangan susah hati sangat. Kita selalu doa Atuk Nenek sihat. Sampai jumpa lagi...


Salam sayang dari cucu-cucu yang jauh di mata,

Along, Ain dan Apit
Dubai, UAE.

What A Rainy Night In Dubai

I've been 'absent' for almost a week. There's so much to blog about but something happened that caused me to be in a tizzy. Hubby brought the camera to Tehran hoping to capture a pic or two of the beautiful snowing Tehran...the camera with all the many pics yet to be downloaded. What frustated me was that I had planned to blog about all the pics. Although hubby had emailed the pics to me the next day, I'd lost interest to blog...there and then. Tergencat emosi sekejap he he...merajuk la lebih kurang...(Yang, I tak marah you ya, I cakap je).

So, just to warm up emosi yang dah tergencat sikit ni, just want to share a few pics depicting a rainy night in Dubai for our remembrance once we return to our homeland. It's nothing special if we're in Malaysia but it's something in Dubai as it is a desertland where rain is a very rare thing. It only falls during winter.

It feels so good to actually drive in the rain in Dubai as we've never experienced it since coming here seven months ago. There was less traffic because it was around 6.00 pm, Maghrib time. We were on our way back from a friend's house at Dubai Marina.

The famous Burj Al Arab looks so magnificent at night especially in the rain. However, this pic was taken by the not-professional-at-all photographer (...yours truly :-) ) from inside the moving car.

These twin towers have really attracted us as they resemble our world-famous twin towers in KL. So stunningly beautiful at night though we have yet to find out what building this is. This pic was captured by Along. Seems like she's after her father who loves photography.

p/s - It's CNY tomorrow. I miss the free oranges given by students.

At The Eleventh Year

Last Thursday (15.1.09), Along got out of the school bus with this big paper bag in her hands. Grinning from ear to ear, she showed the paper bag to me.

Once inside the house, I peeped inside the paper bag and these are what I found.

Presents and cards...Tickled pink, she opened one of the presents.

She received this card from her teacher and classmates. One of the presents given by one of her best friends revealed this manicure and pedicure set for children...several bottles of nail polish, nail polish base, artificial nails, nail adhesive for the artificial nails, nail brush, nail glitter, nail sticker roll, and what not...The things that I myself have never paid much attention on but she'd always had her eye on everytime we went shopping/window shopping.

Along and Ain had a good time trying on the new manicure and pedicure set. Quite honestly, these things have never really attracted my attention but to these girls...Well, girls nowadays...

Ain and Apit say Happy 11th Birthday Along!!!

Along was really in seventh heaven when Ayah and Ibu presented her with this birthday present...which she had always hinted that many of her classmates already have a pair.

To our dearest eldest daughter, Nurlina Khalidah bt Haza Hilmy, Ayah and Ibu wishes you many happy returns on your 11th birthday. May this eleventh year gives you more maturity and sense of responsibility. May you be a very good daughter, sister, grandaughter, student and a wholesome person in the future. May success always be with you in your academic, in your life, in your future. Ameen...

Honey + Lemon

Thanks to all the well-wishers, my concerned friends. Thank you so much for your prayers. Due to your kind prayers, I'm now back blogging. The headache, the muscular aches and pains have subsided but I'm still not feeling myself yet. I'm still left with coughings and a sore throat which are about to subside too.

As expected, some have presumed that Along, Ain and Apit might be getting an adik baby he he...How delighted hubby and me if it is true and nothing but the truth. But no...no such thing. I won't be knocked up as my protective shields are just too efficient he he...Well, unless it's "kun fayakun.." hubby and I will be more than happy.

Hey, I've just been under the weather - I've caught a cold. I didn't go to any clinic though. When hubby's not around, no way I'm going out of my shelter (unless my kids are sick). So, I've been depending on honey and lemon these few days.

Scientific research shows that by taking a spoonful of honey (with or without water) can help you get rid of the irritating phlegm when you have a cold and also sooth your sore throat. When mixed with a few drops of lemon juice, not only it tastes good but also helps reduce the flu as lemon contains a lot of vitamin C. Thanks to honey and lemon. Without them, I can't seem to shake off this persistent cough. My cold's better now. Alhamdulillah.

Honey is Allah's gift to humans and it is even mentioned in the Qur'an in surah An-Nahl. If you google 'honey' or 'madu', you'll find lots of information about the health and medical benefits of honey.

Not Feeling Well...

Ni dah masuk 3 hari rasa tak sedap badan. Nak kata demam, temperature taklah panas sangat, dedar je tapi badan sakit-sakit lenguh-lenguh yang amat, kepala pun pusing je. So, 2,3 hari ni dok berbaring kat katil je lepas makan panadol, pastu berselimut nak bagi keluar peluh. Kalau dah keluar peluh barulah rasa sihat sikit tapi sejuk-sejuk ni peluh tak nak keluar la pulak. Petang semalam, kitorang jalan-jalan ambil angin petang. Ingatkan nak keluarkan peluh juga tapi time winter ni peluh tak sudi nak keluar.

Hubby pula baru terbang ke Egypt subuh tadi. He'll only be back this Thursday morning. Minggu ni pula exam week for Along n Ain. Risau gak takut tak larat nak bangun pagi tadi preparing their lunchbox. Last night, dah siapkan bagi duit kat Along n Ain, in case Ibu tak larat bangun pagi ni beli je food kat school canteen. Alhamdulillah gagahkan juga diri pagi ni dapat la bekalkan Along n Ain even though it's only french toast. For lunch, nasib baik chicken soup hubby masak semalam banyak lagi, so panaskan dan masak nasi je. I cook poridge for myself sebab rasa tak lalu nak makan nasi. For dinner, Along, Ain n Apit tak kisah sangat. Dapat makan roti bakar with Nutella pun dah cukup especially Apit because it is his favourite.

For the whole last week, hubby ada kat sini tak pula demam. Time dia outstation ni, time ni lah nak demam...hishh...Last night. I wanted to cook beehoon soup for him instead, he turned out to be the one who cooked chicken soup for me and the kids. Nasib baik dapat gak bermanja dengan dia semalam time demam-demam ni. Ok la, kepala dah pusing balik ni..nak makan panadol and nak rehat...Malam karang nak YM dengan hubby.

p/s - Kalau kita rasa kita susah, ramai lagi yang lebih susah dan menderita di dunia sebelah sana. Sesungguhnya kesusahan yang sedikit ini meginsafkan kita bahawa kita masih berada di bumi bertuah.

Sup Ekor Lembu Chef Wan

Ini bukan sebarang sup ekor tapi sup ekor Chef Wan tau. Kalau jadi, this would be the second time I make ox tail soup...in my life. The first time I made, the recipe was taken from a recipe book. Hubby kata ok tapi I rasa macam kureeng sikit so, nak try sup ekor Chef Wan ni pulak. Dengar namanya aje dah boleh rasa macam sedap. Lebih-lebih lagi bila kawan dah tempek dalam blog dia so, mesti sedap punya. Dari hari tu lagi nak buat sup ekor ni asyik tak jadi je. Ekor tu dah beberapa kali keluar peti ais, pastu masukkan balik sebab tak jadi buat. Kalau ekor lembu tu tau merajuk, dah lama dia merajuk. 3 hari lepas dah semangat nak buat, sekali lada hitam n ketumbar lak takda. Nak turun kedai kat bawah tu malas la pulak. Esoknya dah beli lada hitam n ketumbar, skali tengok kentang n karot lak takda...ish ish..nak kena turun ke kedai lagi...alahai..Last-last ekor tu masuk balik dalam peti ais. Semalam bahan-bahan semua dah ada, dah ready nak buat, pastu baru teringat hubby ada budget meeting. Everyday terpaksa balik lewat malam nearly 12 sampai hari ni. So, hubby takda tak jadi lagi la nak masak sup ekor sebab takkan nak bagi Along, Ain n Apit lak makan sup ekor. Tak elok...sebab orang kata sup ekor ni aphrodisiac. Tapi sebab dah teringin nak makan tapi tak jadi-jadi juga buat disebabkan pelbagai alasan yang boleh dielakkan (sebenarnya penyakit M dah datang!) so, I just put the recipe here which is taken from a friend's fp. Thank you Nor! Moga-moga dengan adanya resepi kat sini, tiba-tiba boleh datang balik semangat tu... Resepi Bahan-bahan 125 ml / 1/2 cawan minyak sayuran 500 gram ekor, dibersihkan dan di potong-potong 2 sudu besar ketumbar serbuk 1 sudu besar jintan putih/halus serbuk 1 sudu besar jintan manis/kasar serbuk 1 1/2 sudu besar tomato puri 1.5 liter/ 6 cawan air 1 batang lobak merah, dikupas dan didadu 1 biji ubi kentang, dikupas dan didadu 2 batang saderi, didadu Garam lada hitam yg baru dikisar daun ketumbar, dihiris-hiris Bawang goreng Rempah Tumis 4 biji buah pelaga 1 cm kulit kayu manis 6 kuntum bunga cengkih 2 kuntum bunga lawang Dikisar halus-halus 10 ulas bawang merah, dikupas 4 ulas bawang putih, dikupas 2 batang serai, dihiris halus-halus 1 cm halia, dikupas Cara 1. Panaskan minyak sayuran di dalam periuk. Tumis ekor lembu hingga perang sedikit. Angkat dan toskan 2.Didalam minyak yang sama, masukkan rempah tumis dan bahan kisar dan goreng sehingga naik baunya. 3. Tambah ketumbar,jintan manis/halus,dan jintan manis/kasar serbuk dan kacau di atas api kecil selama 3-4 minit sehingga wangi. Campurkan tomato puri. 4. Masukkan ekor lembu, tambah air dan renihkan. 5. Tambah lobak merah, ubi kentang dan saderi, renihkan selama 1 jam 45 minit sehingga ekor lembu empuk. Perasakan dengan garam dan lada hitam. 6. Hiaskan dengan daun ketumbar dan bawang goreng sejurus sebelum menghidang. Catatan: untuk menjimatkan masa, anda boleh masak sup ini dalam masa 25 minit dengan menggunakan periuk tekanan. Tetapi airnya hendaklah dikurangkan menjadi 1 liter / 4 cawan sahaja.

*Tiada gambar sup ekor buat masa ni sebab sup ekor belum jadi lagi. Nanti kalau dah buat, baru masuk gambar dalam blog.

p/s - Tu la kalau kat Bangi dulu takyah susah-susah nak buat sup ekor sendiri. Food court n kedai makan merata. (Sekarang...padan muka aku!) Apa makanan yang takda kat Bangi tu? Semua ada...tunjuk aje kedai makan mana nak. Sampaikan kadang-kadang nak pilih kedai makan pun boleh gaduh...he he he...

Grateful...

Hubby texted me at 1.00pm just now just to tell me about a good news that we've been waiting for so long . Syukurrrrr...the only word I could say. We are so grateful that Allah has granted our silent prayer this time.

However, money has always been the possible hindrance. Here in Dubai, money is everything. One has to have BIG money in order to live a true meaning of life in this cosmopolitan city of Dubai (I'm talking about the necessities, not the luxuries). A certain service that costs you only a few hundreds in some other big cities in the world, will cause you thousands in Dubai. Reputed as the fastest growing city in the world, this metropolitan city seems to have 'no mercy' to the disadvantaged less fortunate ones.

At least, we can now come out of our temporary 'physical hibernation'...bit by bit...And hope that 2009 will grant us some happiness of being able to go with the flow, once in a while if not always. Henceforth, more stories of exploring Dubai etc. etc. may be expected here... :-)

First Day Of School After Winter Break

The second semester commences in winter so, Ain wears a long school pants today together with a sweater. This girl, unlike her sister, likes wearing her skort (a combination of skirt and short) to school. Along has lost her school sweater so, she has to wear her other sweater. After so much playing computer games at home (and less doing revision for their mid year exam next week ...hmm..) they seem to be ever ready to go to school. To tell the truth, some of the games website are even suggested by the school for children to try at home as they are educational but yet fun (but of course with our supervision).

As for the sweater, they just need it in the morning and probably when they are on the way back from school around 3.30 pm as it is just two hours before sunset. In the afternoon, the temperature now is about the same as the afternoon in Malaysia. We also experience a longer night during winter and Maghrib starts around 5.40 pm as compared to Malaysia at around 7.15 pm. Sunset is also the time I feel is the coldest...colder than in the middle of the night.

When the kids have sharpened their pencils to start a new semester, it's their Ibu who seems to be still in a holiday mood. Suddenly ran out of idea what to prepare for Along and Ain's lunchboxes. At last, I just made for them hotdogs and plain sausages. No fruits today because they don't want it. At the moment, am busy thinking what to prepare for their lunchboxes tomorrow morning...

The last day of a long break

Today is the last day of a two-week winter break for Along and Ain...and a four-day new year break for hubby. Since we didn't go anywhere, we just spent time together having lunch by the swimming pool.

We used to have makan-makan spaghetti and nasi lemak before at the swimming pool, this time we just had fried beehoon and hot lemon tea that seemed to serve us well in that cold and breezy day. So cold was the weather that Ain and Apit did not dare to have a swim in the pool although the water was lukewarm.

Hubby even planned days earlier to go to the gym (on the same floor) everyday during this four days break. Unfortunately, the four days went by with not even a day spent at the gym! I'm not worried if he's getting bigger but I am really worried when he's started complaining of a backache lately...

When the scone gets into your mouth...

I've made this scone a few times already since after I saw the recipe together with its pic in a friend's blog (thanks drNO). The first time I saw Chef Wan baking it on TV a few years back, I was just too lazy to jot down the recipe. But after I found out that ingredients are the things within my grasp in the kitchen, I baked it right away. So, here's the recipe to share with...

SCONE

Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 5 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 egg, beaten
* milk

Method

-Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

-In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter, until resembles breadcrumbs (the easiest way, is doing this step in a food processor).

-Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.

-Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

-Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

*You can add in choc chips, raisins, nuts or anything that you like.

So, the second time I baked it, I addded in choc chips upon request from of course the kids and the other half of the dough, I added in peanut butter to fulfil hubby's request. As for me, I prefer the plain one.

Along helped me out but she was so creative enough to come up with a gingerbread-man shape instead...he he.

Whatever it is, this has been our family's favourite ever since, after the pancake. We love the taste...hhmmm..

No candlelit but...

It's been 3 days since I last updated my entry. It's not that we went for our 'first' honeymoon for 3 days. It was only a day but I guess I was still in that mood of dating and honeymooning until the year ends. It's a simple but delightful enough day for the two of us. Along, Ain and Apit are the most sporting of all. They didn't mind to be left at a neighbour's house for the first time for a few hours.

Pictures can be deceiving, yes, but not these ones, hence let them tell the stories...

There's no mamak stall involved...It's neither the food nor the handbag. It's the wonderful little precious time we've spent together alone that matters most. Whatever it is, I still got what I want...that XYZ thingy (yes yess yesss! hi hi..) and I in return got a pair of designer jeans (on sale, of course) for hubby which he 'fortunately' had to pay himself...oopss..for I have a very concrete reason, I'm on UNPAID leave...Well, it's the thought that counts right. :-)

p/s - May all the muzakarah and muhasabah that we've done on our anniversary day which falls on this Maal Hijrah will promise a good penghijrahan for us both, and the kids too, for the better.

Salam Maal Hijrah 1430 and happy new year 2009 to all. :-)