Flew from the States Singapore

The mister of my house told me that he received a parcel from Singapore. That was 4 days ago, I think. Only yesterday that I got to see the parcel. Well, it's not for him. It's not for me neither. It's for the someone 'inside'...





On behalf of the someone inside, I'd like to thank this creative and charming sister from Singapore. Kak Elle, thank you thank you thank you. The baby's stuff are awesome! We love them all (ada orang dah try pakai pun hat putih tu hehee..) We'll decide soon whether the baby could use all of them or part of them. Hopefully all of them :).

Thanks dear :)

There's no other better word than thank you. Thank you for the dinner. Thank you for the gift.


Well, I'm not sure the purpose of you 'letting' the invoice of the gift in the box - whether to tell me the price of the thing so that I'll buy you the same or more SR ($$) next year or you actually forgot to take it out hehee.. I could see that you wrapped the box by yourself - which was quite impressive ;). So, I assumed that you forgot to take out the invoice ;).








The dinner was great though you claimed it as 'biasa biasa aje'. Unfortunately, the kids didn't eat much of what they have ordered. Luckily, we could bring back the leftovers. Otherwise, I would feel guilty as they costed quite SR! (Even the bibik didn't finish hers you know.. ;) )














Seriously, I didn't expect to receive that thing as a gift. I thought you gonna give me something that went missing during our trip to Malaysia recently (which of course may not cost as much as this one). I won't post the picture of the gift here (since I think you don't want me too) but for me to remember, I will capture all wonderful moments with the gift *wink* (a hint to myself).


Again, thanks for everything... May Allah bless you with a great health and happiness. Ameen...

Sayang anak Ma :)

Syukur Alhamdulillah.. Setelah lebih 2 hari 2 malam menanggung kesakitan, akhirnya pada tepat jam 12.55 tengahari, 19 November 1974 iaitu pada hari Selasa, lahir lah seorang baby girl yang comel (cait! perasan comel.. hahaha!!!!). Beratnya hanyalah 6 pound lebih (tak tahu lah dalam kg sebab takde tulis dalam surat beranak :P). Memang kecik.. patutlah dah besar pun dia kemetot aje.


Tamatlah penderitaan labor pain Ma di hospital itu.


Ma, terima kasih kerana melahirkan anakanda kedunia yang indah ini.
Segala penderitaan Ma tak mungkin dapat dibalas dengan apa jua sekalipun.
Hanya Allah yang bakal memberi ganjaran kepada Ma diakhirat nanti.
Semoga hidup Ma sentiasa didalam rahmat Allah.
Ameen....

Thank you friends :)

I'd like to extend my utmost appreciation to those friends who have given me words of encouragement and wisdom in my few previous entries.


Also, bunch of thanks to a few friends who had given me Hari Raya Cards and gifts recently. I need to stress that I'm not bragging about receiving those items. My only intention are to acknolewdge receipt of everything that I've got and express my gratitude to those friends.

Again, thanks s million!

Why should I remember the 24/10?

It's just one of the days in a year but it's one of the special days for me. This year, exactly on 24 October (24/10), I've been married for 9 years to my dear hubby. A nine years filled with a various colors.


I have to admit that it wasn't easy to completely understand my husband. People could advise - give and take or compromise. Perhaps it is much easier to say than perform. When I had already comfortable with my own way of thinking especially after 25 years (the age that I got married), and someone came to adjust it, I felt like a bomb was exploding.



I have no recipe of a happy marriage but I do learn from mistakes and continue to learn from it. I guess Abang did too. All in all, I'm thankful to Allah that despite all ups and downs that we've been through, we're still together. There were many happy moments that we've treasured, together with our 2 beautiful princess and a handsome prince. I always pray to Allah so that Abang and I will be happily together to the end of our life.


The 24/10 jots another important event in my life. It was when my only sister born. Bada or her actual name, Norashima Ramli was born on 24th October 1977. She's now 31! hehehee.. tua dah Bada weiii.. By the way, I either call her Bada or Dik (short form for adik).

Dik, Kakak hope you will be blessed with joy and happiness on every single day you go through. By having a lovely husband like Azman and 2 gorgeous kids like Ainaa and Qawiem, I'm sure you will enjoy the best moments in life. Oopss!! 2 aje ke? Bila nak tambah lagi? Qawiem kata dia nak adik tu :P.

Day 20

Takde cerita menarik hari ni. Ingat tadi nak buat tag dari Adry tapi ada sikit problem. Jadi, kita tangguh dulu tag tu sampai dapat additional info dari Adry.


Hari ni takde gambar. Dah kali kedua sepanjang Ramadhan rasanya takde gambar. Hari tu sebab terlupa hehee.. kali ni sebab berbuka kat rumah orang. Jadi, seganlah nak ambil gambar. Kawan baru disini. Kalau dah lama tu, selamba aje snap snap tu.


Makan semalam sedap. Macam-macam ada. Macam buffet ramadhan pun ada jugak rasanya. Lepas ni kakak ni bakal jadi serbuan kami lagi lah jawabnya ;). Hopefully mereka sudi menerima kami lagi. Terima kasih kepada tuan rumah :).


Apa lagi ya yang terjadi semalam. Hmmm.. Coan puasa. Kakak as usual, puasa. Shahmey, as usual, tak puasa heheee.. Semalam hari tak aktif untuk Neeza sebab semalam tak basuh kain pun sebab nampak kain dalam bakul tu sikit aje. Tak berbaloi nak masuk mesin (petang kelmarin dah buat laundry banyak). So, hari ni nampaknya mesti basuh kain.


Rumah masih kemas sebab ada orang baru vacuum the carpet. Neeza tak tahan dengan habuk (dust) agaknya dan complain lah dekat orang tu. Baru-baru ni sand storm. Tu yang teruk sangat flu baru ni. Alhamdulillah sekarang okay sikit dah. Terima kasih untuk orang yang vacuum carpet tu :). Bukan senang dia nak vacuum carpet ni. Jadi, kena cakap terima kasih supaya nanti dia buat lagi ;). Neeza nak vacuum sendiri, tak larat sikit. Badan dah besar kan.... ;).


Itu sahaja buat hari ni. Pendek aje entry ni. Salam buat semua :).

All the way from Tawau and back to Malaysia

What a weird title huh! I have 2 stories to write about today. I've tried to figure out the best title to put up there and it ends up like that. Let it be. I'm not writing an educational journal, anyway ;).


What about Tawau? Well, yesterday evening Abang came back with a box of parcel. I suspected it already since we don't get parcel everyday in here :). Also, if anyone wants to send anything, I have to give them Abang's company address. No postman sending letters from house to house here. They use P.O Box. I guess people have to rent a P.O Box in the post office and get their mails there. I'm not 100% sure about this though.

In short, the parcel was from Tawau Sabah and it contained the superb yummy Keropok Amplang!! Thanks Adry. Thanks a lot. By the way, I got this as a gift for being the first 5 (or 10?) to give comments in one of his particular entry. Of course I wasn't intentionally read his blog for the Amplang. Sometimes sincerity pays well, I guess :).


Looking at the keropok and the cost to send it all the way to Jubail, I guess it's the most expensive Keropok Amplang ever! Susah susah aja Adry... I never had Amplang before but I can assure you it is delicious. Also, the one that Adry sent to me contains no artificial coloring and flavour. Rasanya tak sempat puasa dah habis ni Adry!! hehehee..


A 2nd story is, we went to the Dammam Airport yesterday evening to send Abang's friend who will have a short vacation in Malaysia. Pok Li (Abang's friend) will be in Malaysia for 2 weeks. Happy holiday Pok Li!

The plan was Abang wanted to go alone to accompany Pok Li to the airport. Knowing me (sick of the walls), I insisted to go along coz' I just wanna be out of te house. The kids were having fun running around in the airport. I like Dammam Aiport compared to Jeddah Airport since it's bigger, more organized and more user friendly :).

Hati berbunga riang :)

Happy, gembira, suka, riang dan yang penting sekali syukur kepadaNya. Walaupun connection internet macam $^&@*% je petang semalam (malam di M'sia), lewat malam semalam dah okay. Jadi, dapatlah baca berita detail di blog-blog pilihan dan juga M@laysiakini.


Tak payah cerita pun ramai yang tahu apa yang jadi semalam kan :). Tak kisahlah apa orang nak kata. Bagi Neeza, kezaliman terhadap rakyat telah disedari rakyat sendiri. Yang kaya, bersuka ria. Yang miskin pulak hidup merempat, tiada pembelaan. Tapi, masih ramai lagi yang belum celik mata. Ataupun, mungkin juga kerana terpaksa lantas pihak 1 lagi masih mendapat undi.. 15,000 lebih tu kira banyak juga kan ;). Tak payah cerita lah yang 92 tu sebab kita boleh kata lah sebab itu mungkin mereka dan keluarga mereka yang memilih. Tapi, majoriti 17,000 tu memang membungakan hati :) :) Alhamdulillah...

Pagi ini juga, Neeza dapat bunga dari kawan cyber baru yang sentiasa ceria. Akak hantar bunga ni pagi tadi hehehe.. mestilah bunga gambar. Takkanlah nak hantar bunga hidup. Sampai sini aje dah layu gemalai heheheh... Terima kasih Akak. Bunga ni khas untuk kawan-kawan baru mengikut label pada bunga tu laaa..


Kategori kawan baru bagi Neeza pula ialah kawan yang baru menjejakkan mata (dalam 2-3 bulan sebelum ni la kot) membaca bebelan Neeza ni blog yang serba sederhana ini. Dengan itu, Neeza juga nak kirimkan bunga cantik ni untuk kawan-kawan baru Neeza juga :). Terima lah pemberian cyber yang tak seberapa ni ya kepada kawan-kawan di bawah:

1. Akak
   
   
2. Abahnajwa (Nazali)
   
   
3. Abang Long
   
   
4. Adry
   
   
5. Cikgu Banihassim
   
   
6. Eira
   
   
7. Kak elle
   
   
8. Kak Tie
   
   
9. Kak Zany
   
   
10. Tiny (kaktiny)
    
    
11. KM
    
    
12. Luna (kakluna)
    
    
    

Kalau dah pernah terima bunga ni, simpan aje bunga Neeza bagi ni dalam ingatan ye :).

Congrats Abang!

Abang came back from work yesterday and handed me this.

One year service award certificate and a small token - a recognition from his employer for completing a 1 year service!


Abang has started working for this company since June 2007. It's already a year plus now. Neither he nor myself ever expected such a recognition. It's normal for anyone to work for a company for at least a year. Of course, he's got his annual increment and other perks that supposed to be given to staff for completing a year of service.


This certificate and token kind of shows the existence of a staff is recognized, I guess. Congratulations Abang! Keep it up and continue contributing your utmost effort for the company.



p/s: pssttttt... Abang told Shahmey,

"Lepas ni Ummi pulak bagi Abah hadiah.. hehehh"

Adoiii... Abah nak pow allowance Ummi yeeeee... Ummi pun dapat award dari kawan-kawan blog ;). Ummi pun boleh mintak hadiah dari Abah lah kan! hehehe..

That's what friends are for...

I've got 2 entries in the same post today. Its about friends. Having friends in life is a wonderful thing. Good friends would make you happy and appreciated but not so good (bad? mean? take advantage?) friends would give you a lesson to learn. Life is a process of learning, I suppose...


A few days ago, I've got a friend who's life was in a bit misery (only a little and I think he's much much better now) due to something. Though I never met him personally, I could sense his uneasiness about 'the issue'. Hehehee.. some of you must be very eager to know who's the guy and what's the issue. I'm not gonna elaborate more though (care to read more, you may visit his blog)


All I wanna say here is, I am so honored with the award that he presented to all his concerned friends. What would you say if you receive the above award?

Touched?
Appreciated?
Thankful?
Never thought of it?
Delightful?

Perhaps, all of the above and plus some more. Thank you 13may for the award. I never thought simple words from your readers are meant so much to you. May Allah bless you. Do continue with your writing coz' they're the reasons why many of us always made it a point to go to your blog and can't wait for the updates. Forget those insults coz' they don't make you any stronger. Remember those who appreciate coz' they're the one who will make your life cheerful..


Again, thanks so much 13may!

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I've talked about good friends will me happy. I should say, Alhamdulillah... Though we have a small community in Al Jubail, each of us is concerned about each other. In fact, they are really thoughtful. Whenever someone throw a party, each of us will be invited (of course I refer to a party and get together - it doesnt mean, whenever they cook, they have to invite all of us hehehe.. pengsanlah tuan rumah cam tu)


2 days ago, we have a get together at Leeza's house. There's not special occasion. She decided to invite everyone for dinner buffet since we've got new members in town (a family of MN).


The host (Leeza) had prepared Plain white rice with so bunch of food. As also brought some desserts. Kak M brought something too. Oh dear.. the table was occupied with food! I think picture below would describe the evening better ;)














Wahhh!!!! That makes me hungry again... hehee..


I've got to taste the Sup Merah (originally from S'pore but was cooked by a Johorian). Too bad, I can't show you the scrumptious Kuih Seri Muka by Chef As. I only remembered to take picture when the dinner almost over. I guess I was so excited to eat the food until I forgot to take pictures.. hehehh..

Rasulku... Ku Rindukan Syafaat Mu...

If I wouldn't be blogging, I don't even realize today is a Maulidur Rasul - 12 Rabiul Awal 1419. When I blog hopped today, many friends wrote about Maulidur Rasul - stories and advices. Thank you my dear friends. You guys are not only being a shoulder to cry when I'm in need but also my source of information.


I think, I wrote in a friend's comment that I always sometimes get information by asking instead of reading (I'm very lazy to read books... but I love reading blogs!). Today, I've got many stories which I never knew before. I went to Cikgu Jawe's blog and got to know about the sitting elephant (sitting elephant?? neat huh!). I went to Kak Rina blog's and discovered about the blaze that was blowing for more than 1000 years (which was the idol's of J3ws) snuffed out on the day Rasulullah s.a.w was born. I believe many other blogs also talk about Maulidur Rasul.


In Saudi, they don't practise celebrating Maulidur Rasul. I'm not sure what's the actual reason but if I'm not mistaken they considered it as bida'ah to celebrate because our Rasulullah never celebrate his birthday. I dare not give my opinion because I'm afraid I would say something contradictory to the fatwa.


Anyway, I hope it's okay to wish all my friends, Selamat Menyambut Maulidur Rasul... Hopefully we will always remember our Rasulullah s.a.w and salawat to him. Insyaallah...

Eveything is a first time for Coan's Ummi :)

I can't remember the last time I cooked for my kids birthday party. I think, it was about 7 years ago, when Sophea celebrated her 1st birthday. Thanks to Ma who was the main cook for the party. Otherwise, I don't think it'll be materialized at all.

The 2 cakes - a gift from Auntie As and Uncle Roy


The busy Birthday Girl

I'm not a good cook, worse be, not even a cook!. Ma knows me very well. Between me and Bada (my younger sister - her name is Shima but we call her Bada hehee..), I think Bada is more rajin than I am. Whenever I went back to Kemaman, I always asked Ma to cook with a very sly reason - I miss Mom's cooking! Hahahaha!! And my mom would say something like,

"Ye la tu. Awak tu memang malas.."

Hehehee... When I told Ma that I cooked almost everyday in Saudi, she couldn't believe me. In Malaysia, whenever Ma called me, it was either we (the family) were outside having dinner or we ordered pizza. It showed that I rarely cooked in Malaysia. Of course, Abang I cooked sometimes, when we really tired of outside food.


I called Ma a few days back, asking a few recipes and telling her that I'm gonna hold a birthday party for Coan. Actually the birthday party is just another excuse. After being for about 4 1/2 months in Saudi, I never invited all Malaysian friends who live in Al Jubail (Elisa, Nana and Kak Rozie..., Khobar and Riyadh friends are welcome too. Just give me a call but please prepare for my uncertain food quality hehehee..). We did have a family or two coming to my house before but not all Malaysian in Jubail which I think we have about 30 - 40 individuals (that is inclusive of families).

Seronoknya borak.. tak yah jaga Shahmey ke Abah?

Ma was worried I would not have time to cook since I told her I wanted to have Nasi Kerabu, Sate and Meehoon Soto for the party. She said, it is tedious to make Nasi Kerabu since we need to prepare the Sambal Penumis, Sambal Kelapa, Ulaman, Solok Lada and Daging Goreng Kelantan style (a replacement for Daging Bakar). Anyway, Nasi Kerabu has always been my favorite dish since I was small. Abang was the one who suggested it and I thought, why not?

Be careful my dear Kakak...

I've been preparing for the party since 2 days earlier. The party was held last night (16 March 2008). I started preparing since 15 March morning... cutting, frying and marinating the ingredients that I would be using to cook all the 3 dishes!

I finally managed (Alhmadulillah...) (though the rice turned to be lembekkk) to get everything done by 6pm last night. The only thing was, the food was not on the table yet when a few guest have arrived. Blame it on Abang who told them to come after Maghrib instead of after Isya' hehehe...

Roy (Mr Zachary) is making sure the food is enough heheee...

All in all, I was glad everything went smooth though I was having a panic attack at first that was due to not having many assistants to help (when I held a party in Malaysia, many students came to help - I could sit comfortably talking to the guest instead of thinking what need to put next on the table). Fortunately, all my guest were very helpful. They helped me arranging the dishes on the table.

Coan the birthday girl with Ummi's helpful friends (As and Liza)

When all guest went back, Abang and I had our 'post-mortem' about the party. Everyone enjoyed the party (especially the kids, including mine, who went messing up my daughters' room - well, kids are kids. My 2 girls are like that too and even worse sometimes :)). Both of us love having guest at home. The 'guest spirit' really cheered up our home. Alhamdulillah...

The women conquer hehehhh...

A special note:

1. That was my first time making sate, marinating them using my own ingredients mix that I blended by myself and grilled them using the grill that I bought using my own money (wow! everything is I and I again huh! heheee..). By the way, thanks to Mr and Mrs Zachary (Roy and As) who helped me to cucuk sate a night before. Also, thanks to Abang who also assisted in cucuk sate and grilling them. (Ops! a few other people also involved rupanya. hehehee..)
   
   
   
2. Thank you again to Mr and Mrs Zachary for sponsoring the really expensive mouth watering Chocolate and Tiramisu Cheesecake for Coan's party. They also helped me in preparing the ingredients a night before the party. Only Allah could compensate you guys for that...
   
   
3. Thank you to Liza who brought the delicious pudding, Kak Nor who brought an appetizing Pulut Serunding and Madina who brought her home made pizza.
   
   
4. Abang and I were so pleased with the party, though I didn't eat even a stick of sate (tak selera makan food masak sendiri) and Abang didn't get to taste the meehoon soto (sebab dah habis).
   
   
5. While I was typing this, a kind and friendly blogger, Manje had given Coan a surprise gift. I put the gift in Coan's blog. Thank you Manje... Cantik gift tu.. akak memang tak reti buat *malu*