Doom and gloom

The good news is, I managed to get Friday 10am direct flight outta Shanghai. The not so good news is, my visa is still pending. The latest I heard from our travel agent, the embassy requested my bank statement. Sabor je mokcik. Thank God for internet banking, without which I may not be able to produce bank statement at all.

Another not so good news, I may be required to stay more than overnight in Singapore next week. Which meant, it will run into my Saturday. Weekend. Duh! I've already worked saturday, voluntarily, during budget meeting last year. But that was in Malaysia. I'm not about to work another Saturday this year. Especially not in Singapore. So how do I escape?

All the best to mommies of UPSR candidates. Take care okay, there is no need to scare the kids by being more nervous than they are :)
-pandai le aku cakap-

My eldest darling is still fasting

One week into Ramadhan and Amri is still doing okay. Hopefully he does not cheat and end up buying drinks from his school vending machine. But, if the state of him upon returning from school is any indication, then yes, I think he is strictly fasting. At about 6pm, the school van will drop him exactly in front of our gate and from that spot on, he would be dragging his feet and his school bag all the way into the house. Once inside, he'd flop on the sofa and refused to move anywhere. No point asking him to take his shower until after iftar. After which, he would be back to his normal self and the first thing to do was of course, pick a fight with Adam. But boy, could this one really eat. I felt like he ate more than hubby and I combined. I just noticed that he loves kerabu taugeh, lala, siput sedut, tepung pelita and pulut udang (northern version, of course). All the stuffs that I've never cooked at home. Nor I have any idea how to cook one.

He followed me to 1U to shop and chose for himself 2 pairs of pants and matching t-shirt from parkson. Fussy giler. Then flopped down on nearest sofa whenever he spotted one.

Hopefully he'll be allright for the rest of Ramadhan. He is also amazingly easy to wake up during sahur and he eats with gusto. More often than not, requesting nasi tomato or fried mee. However, just like his ibu, he declined nasi putih + lauk for sahur. My menu is more like brekkie menu and I am glad that Amri's is almost the same (except for nasi tomato part). Good boy this one, senang kerja ibu.

Monday......sigh

My painstakingly prepared budget was rejected so I had to prepare a new one.

Budget meeting would be in Singapore and finance meeting would be in Shanghai. One week after another *sigh* Of all the months in a year, the big bosses felt that they needed to squeeze in all Asia pacific related meeting in one month, namely September, namely Ramadhan. I actually did not mind a little bit of travelling. But I'd rather not be overseas a mere few days away from Eid. The period I'd usually frantically preparing the ringgit notes for duit raya, ordering cookies in 3 sets, buying baju raya for everyone and making a mad dash to shopping mall almost everyday every time I suddenly remembered I had one more nephew or Amri suddenly had a growth spurt and could not fit in into his shoes. Rotten timing.

Well, I did not mind Singapore trip as much. But Shanghai is a different matter. I am no longer anxious of what am I supposed to be presenting on the meeting days. I am more concerned of buka puasa timing and how to fit it into everyone's schedule. Plus sahur of course but I could order room service for it (about the only perks of being an FC - authorising your own expenses)

What could be more boring than being locked in a conference room with a group of clever accountants for two full days? Especially during fasting month when my soul is more comfortable with pasar ramadhan than crunching numbers. Hmmmmm.......

I sure had a blasted Monday

Back home

I need another holiday to recover from this holiday

Kuala Terengganu - Shah Alam

Shopping day!

There was a new shopping mall that I hope in future would replace Pasar Kedai Payang. It has nice elevators & escalator, airconditioned and had a staircase climbing up Bukit Puteri. I must try that next time.

We had nasi minyak lunch at mak su's house then we were off to Shah Alam. We had one leftover wedding present because I had cancelled Kerteh stopover, hence could not attend one of the technician's wedding.

There's no place like home!

Still at Kuala Terengganu

I decided againts going to Kerteh office since I was coughing like mad plus the boss was still at Shanghai office. Spent the day alternately sleeping a lot and reading a lot. Eating a lot was out of question since my sorethroat made even swallowing water a nightmare. That was okay though, I could do with a little bit of losing weight. Plus, the only food I really like over there is satar, which I believed was almost extinct (the good, not too sweet ones).

Boy, Ummi's house was sure full of babies. Thank God the two boys were old enough to fend for themselves. After a few days surrounded with babies, I didn't think I could manage a baby at my age now. How on earth did I survive the boys babyhood last time? Sure, I had a lot of help - maid, hubby, parents but still, I did the majority of night feeding myself and I even breastfed Adam. And still turn up at office promptly (somewhat). Could I do it again? Probably but I'd rather not. No offence to all supermoms out there. I took my hats off to you.

Adam in Merdeka spirit. Though hubby said he looked more like he conquered the Everest

Pantai Kelulut

There was a hidden beach near Gie's (my bro in law) house at Marang, that was so lovely. We wouldn't know how to find it if not because Gie was kind enough to be our tourist guide..he heh.


Adam, terrified of Mr Crab and hating the feel of sand under his feet, stayed close to his Ayah


Having lotsa fun frolicking at Pantai Kelulut. Caution: no changing room or public bathroom in sight


A slightly less terrified Adam. Though later he used a quarter box of tissue paper to wipe the sand off his feet and slipper.

From Kedah to Terengganu

View at Lebuhraya Timur Barat

Isn't it gorgeous day?

I was hoping that some elephant would crossed the road. I've seen them once before. We also bypassed Belum Forest Resort, near a very picturesque Tasik Banding. I would have like to plan a stay there and I was pretty sure hubby would have love it but the two boys were a lot more of city boys than I thought. I have no idea though how to make them fall in love with nature. Didn't help that lately my idea of camping trip is about pitching a tent in front of a nice, air conditioned chalet. Somehow, it seemed important to me that the two boys are introduced to the joy of fishing, swimming in a lake, paddle a boat (definitely not a speedboat)and everything else that I've enjoyed in my childhood. Oh well...one step at a time, I guess.

We dropped by at a lovely beach near Merang for our lunch. There were some fishermen just arrived with their bounty but I was not quick enough to capture that.



An hour after we arrived, I was down with fever. Probably because i was coughing pretty bad after the bucketful of rambutans. Anyway, if I were to be ill, this was a perfect place for it. I could sleep all day and no one would bat an eyelid. The two boys would disappear with their cousins and hubby was definitely having a good time with his family.

We were still in Kedah

The weather was good enough today for us to step outdoor.

Took the boys to nearby waterfall. Adam hated all the rocks and sand. He wanted a swimming pool like river..duh! Amri did not mind the rocks but insisted on his goggles. Bantai je lah....mana ada budak lain kat situ yg mandi sungai pakai goggles. I need to expose the boys more to outdoor, I think.


Then we decided to pick some rambutans ourselves, ignoring the protest from makcik esah and the fact that paksu already had a pile of rambutan ready for us to tuck in :)




Until Adam was bitten by some kerengga.

So he decided to use his slingshot instead. Boleh?
Actually,he was getting awfully good at using that thing, after 2 days of training. Mak gave him some buah cenerai to use as bullets so that he would not cause too much damage.

We were in Kedah

Since yesterday, that is. We were at Lumut before that and it was horrible. The hotel was not only full, it was overflowing. There were 4 different groups of family day event there from various part of Perak. And some people did not just stop the definition of family at just wife and children, they needed to extend it to include parents, grandparents, tok ngah and the whole town. Adoi la...I doubted even the refugees camp meal time could rival the scene at breakfast buffet table. And don't get me started with people jumping in fully clothed into the pool...ewww...

I think I need to copy BeingNormal and only go for holidays off season. Anyway, we had a good time at a wedding in Lumut. It was why we were there in the first place.



Well...I've never been so glad to see my parents house and especially my bedroom with the nice comfy bed and no one to disturb me. The boys were well taken care of and were having lesson of slingshot techniques from their Wan. Jakun sungguh anak mak.

It was so cold here....felt like on top of Cameron Highland, minus the tea and strawberry

Pemadam

Adam is pretty annoyed. Someone in his class at q-dees calls him pemadam.

Poor guy. Heheheh. Can't help you there, I'm afraid :D

Adam during his chicken pox time

Holiday!!!!!!!!!!

Starting tomorrow of course.

We'll be away for one week. Not too sure though if vacation is considered as taking a break. I'd usually ended up even more exhausted. Plus being with the boys 24x7x9 days seriously will drive me to the brink of sanity.

Nevertheless, I'd gladly welcome the change of routine and scenery. We'll be doing our Shah Alam - Lumut - Kedah - Terengganu - Cherating route. Maybe a stopover at my Kerteh office, if I'm in the mood for it. Or go interview the new salesman if the boss agrees to go with me.

My plan for the holiday is to eat a lot and sleep a lot. And leave the mess to hotels staff (or my parents) to deal with.

Dare I leave the berry behind? Oooopps...

Outsourcing

Do you know any freelance consultant that deal with Petr0nas license? I need someone to deal with renewal. Am too busy (lazy) to do it myself.

Poolside babysitter

Here I am, at PADE poolside watching Amri and Adam frolicking in the water. Only that their class finished about 45 minutes ago. The reason why I'm still here is that, one of Adam's classmate is still waiting for his mom to pick him up. He was crying initially until Amri brought him to me and I told (lied) him that his mom went to tesco to pick up a few groceries and will be back soon. Truth is, I don't know where his mom is but I've caught a glimps of her when I arrived.

I do not have the heart to leave him here with the instructors without even his change of dry clothes. So I let my boys play with him. Hope that will help. The boys are more than happy to keep him company.

Isk...isk.

Another roof over our head

Long, long time ago, we rented a cute little house at Puchong Perdana. The house no was 11. Then we moved to no.9 TTDI Jaya where we lived happily until a big flood ruined my tiny front yard and beloved neighbours started to move away. So would we, perhaps by year end. To another house at another area (konfim tak banjir). The house no is 11.

We really did run in circles.

Now you know what number our future house will be, if ever. My new house, very unfortunately, is overlooking d'puncak houses. Which look lovelier each day :D

Escape...

I am back at office! Without doctor's consent.

The boss is kind enough to ensure all staffs will go and have their chicken pox vaccination so that I could escape from my house arrest, guilt free. I love my home, I really do and I like to occasionally skive off work just like anyone else but after 10 days being confined to 1500sf space, it starts to get suffocating. If only I were to have an interest in interior design or housekeeping, my house would have gone through a complete makeover. Wishful thinking. The fact was, I could not even motivate myself to plug in the vacuum cleaner.

So here I am, back to my habitat. In the morning, I resolved to stay put in my room and only step out when absolutely necessary. But half an hour later, I found myself office hopping, in the disguise of catching up with latest activities. Like I didn't read emails for the past 10 days. Truth was, I craved the conversation. And I miss the pressure. I thrive under pressure and 10 days of playing brain dead is not good for my health. Duh.....

Okay. Now that I finished harassing all five people here, I shall lock myself in this 100sf shoe box for the next four hours and try to get some actual work done.

Let me out of here

I went to see a dermatologist at a nearby hospital this morning, with 100% faith that he would give me some kind of magic potion that will fast forward the process of skin repair and new skin regeneration. In other word, I am vain enough not to be seen with chicken pox scars all over my upper body. I put all my trust in science so that by tomorrow, the last day of my medical leave, I could go my merry way everywhere. Not just office, of course.

Anyway.

The good doctor took one look and declared I am not fit to go back to human civilisation yet. He wrote a new medical leave certificate from 1st August to 8th August. Gee....thanks so much doctor. Now, what would I do that long with just my pitiful self for company? Bear in mind that I am without a maid and my house looks more like a dumpsite than a cozy abode. Plus, not having someone to boss around is bad for my health.

*scream bloody murder*

Work from home again then, I guess. Or I could still go to office, lock myself inside my room, put a 'Quarantine' sign on the door and shoo everyone away. But then, I could still hear the laughter, the usual banter or occasional pizza party. And I'd feel very lonely.

Sick of being sick

I am so miserable that even the prospect of starting 2009 budget process once I'm back to office seems like a whole lot of fun now.

I took a sickie...

Gosh!

It has been quite some time. I was super busy chasing my own tail. But thanks to my current bouts of chicken pox, I was kicked out from the fast lane and been put under house arrest for the next nine days.

Now I found myself with plenty of time on my hand. Accompanied with zillions of nasty red dots and splitting headache. But very little choice of things to do.

Where was I?

The shock of petrol price hike came and went away gradually. People will adjust. That's what humans with half a brain do. Protest, scream or topple the current government if you must, get it out of your system. Then we all could go back to drawing board and think for a solution. Like how not to depends on oil price for our livelihood

Our new maid came and disappeared. I expected chaos. None happened. Everyone took it in stride and adjusted pretty quick. Perhaps the boys were borne with some flexible genes ingrained. And we happened to be the lucky parents who had them.

The much anticipated date for Jacobs Walk of Life came and gone. Nothing happened. I actually had a new adidas backpack for the event. Which now became Amri's swimming class bag. *sigh*

Adam's chicken pox came and went away in less than a week. Mak came to our rescue, thankfully. Adam was a model patient. Not a peep about being kept indoor for five days at a stretch. Ate, slept and drank a lot of milk. Watched a lot of tv too. In fact, we had to physically dragged him out from his perch in front of the idiot box, kicking, screaming, wailing and sobbing, so that the rest of the family members could have a decent lunch out.

My new boss came and look set to stay for a long term. I like him already, even if he removed me from my cozy pad beside the pantry to the furthest windowless corner in the name of confidentiality. He took over the extra workload which I had miraculously carried with me for the past six months. I am now, officially, just a financial controller. No more frazzled nerve. No more 3 am phone call with news of broken in site office. No more feeling near hysterical because I've forgotten to bring blackberry to Amri's swimming class. I feel like I could do a financial report with one eye blog hopping and another eye shopping and fingers on YM. God bless my new boss.

So what do I do now?

Many happy returns

And a very Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband. Hope to share a lot more of your birthdays in the future. Looking back, no one could deny that you have achieved a lot within a very short time.

Enjoy it.

And a happy birthday too to my brother, Ajoe and brother in law, Nan.