Danau Kaseh

18 Blissful Years

2012-01-03T21:22:00.000+08:00

A special surprise on my table on the 1st day of work 2012

Thank you so much Allah for giving me such a wonderful soulmate as my life partner and I pray that You will always keep us together, di dunia dan akhirat..

"You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine,
You make me happy when skies are gray,
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,
Please don't take my sunshine away.."

Happy 18th Anniversary, my darling AZ. My one. My only.

Super-soft Apam

2011-12-14T22:32:00.001+08:00

Colourful, delightful Apams!

This is an easy recipe and your kids will love the supersoft texture of the apam!

Ingredients

250g caster sugar
300g superfine flour
200ml fresh milk
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla essence
1tsp ovellette
food colouring

Method

1. Heat the steamer
2. Beat eggs and sugar for 10 minutes until creamy
3. Add in vanilla essence and ovellette
4. Add in flour and milk in turns
5. Divide mixture into 3 or 4 bowls. Add colours of your choice
6. Drop mixture in paper cups
7. Steam for 10-12 minutes

Best eaten fresh from the kukus! Enjoy your apam (^_^)

CONGRATULATIONS TO ADLINA!!

2011-11-17T23:33:00.000+08:00

CONGRATULATIONS to our princess Adlina for getting 5As in her UPSR Exam!! Papa and Mama are soooo proud of you darling!! Woohoo!! You beat Bang Long & Hakim!! Girls Rule!! You Go Gal!!

Syukur Alhamdulillah... (^_^)

Neglected Page

2011-10-21T18:10:00.000+08:00

Dear Blog,

I'm so sorry for this neglected page.. I've been extremely busy these past few months. Has it been 4 months since I last wrote? Time really flies this year! Can't believe we are coming to the end of October..

I will write a summary of July, August & September soon.. But for now, let's just say that I've been thoroughly blessed by Allah the All Mighty, Syukur Alhamdulillah..

Apabila Allah menurunkan rezeki kepada hambaNya, kadang kala ianya datang dengan berbagai jenis dugaan dan cabaran. Ianya untuk menguatkan dan memantapkan semangat. Supaya kita belajar dan lebih matang dalam menghadapi kehidupan yang penuh rintangan ini. Insya Allah.

Signing off for now. Will be back soon..

(^_^)

ST DAVID'S HIGH SCHOOL CARNIVAL 2011

2011-06-26T21:44:00.001+08:00

The State Champions performing for the Chief Minister

CM walking around the Carnival, impressed by the turnout!

Shaking hands with parents and students

Taking time with the futsal players

Our school field on the day of the Carnival

Thanks to ICI Paint for donating free paint to re-paint all our school buildings. We are proud to be the 1st school in Malaysia to be the recepient of ICI's special CSR program called Tunas Harapan. Thanks to the Chief Minister of Melaka for spending time with us at the Carnival.

Thanks to the team of parents, teachers and students who have given their all to ensure the success of this event! It was so much fun!

Special thanks to the most dedicated team of parents: Josephine, Puteh, Azian, Fazy, Wan, Alice, Eleanor, Jaishree, Pat, Mike, Kemmy, Jagan, Sonia, Christine & Joyce. You are all so inspiring and fantastic! It's a pleasure to lead a team of volunteers who are so committed to do so much although they have nothing at all to gain except for the satisfaction of having helped change the lives of others. Thanks to Qabil & Kerry for organizing the futsal tournament and being around to help with everything.

I am indeed Proud to be in St david's High School (^_^)

Postscript: Body aching all over BUT feeling extremely HAPPY!!

STATE CHAMPIONS 2011

2011-06-20T21:19:00.001+08:00

CONGRATULATIONS to the Choral Speaking Team of St David's High School for becoming State Champions - our 7th year in a row!!! THANKS A MILLION to the most Wonderful Coach in the World, Madam Anna Yap for her Fabulous Script - "DO HARD THINGS" - and for her passion! We love you Anna! The Team could not have done it without you!!

The Team sacrificed their 2 weeks holidays to train for the competition, and for that, we SALUTE all of you. You have brought Honour to our School, THANK YOU to each of you!

On a personal note, I am SO PROUD of Adlan and Hakim for being in the Team and winning the Competition for the School. You both did really well! Mama loves you loads (^_^)

Scrumptious Scones

2011-06-19T21:51:00.004+08:00

Scones are so simple to make! Preparation time is less than 15 minutes & baking time is about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. I make them quite often and after a while, you don't even need to look at the recipe!

Here's what you need:-

3 cups of Self Raising Flour
4 tbsp of castor sugar
110g of butter (softened)
180ml of Fresh Milk
40g of sultanas/raisins

Method:-

1. Turn oven on at 190c
2. Mix flour, sugar & butter to breadcrumbs texture
3. Add sultanas/raisins
4. Add milk to become dough
5. Roll out & cut using round cutter
6. Dust top with milk
7. Bake in oven for 20 minutes (or until slightly brown)

Best eaten warm, with butter & jam or clotted cream.

Your kids (and other half!) will LOVE them! Have fun trying (^_^)

SCHOOL CARNIVAL 2011

2011-06-06T23:21:00.003+08:00

The St David's High School Carnival is coming back with a BANG! Come join us on SATURDAY 25TH JUNE 2011 for a FUN-Filled Family Time!! This year, apart from 70 Food Stalls organized by the teachers & students and the oh-so-scary Ghost House, we'll also be having Paintball, Wall Climb, Trampoline, Flying Fox, Abseiling, Pony Rides & many, many more!

After 2 years of roaring success, the St David's High School Carnival has become an event to look forward to in Malacca! All proceeds from the event will go to our School Building Fund to upgrade the infrastructure of the School. Our main priority this year is to renovate and re-furnish our 4 Science Labs which have not been refurbished since 1960! Needless to say, the tables and benches are all termite infested & desperately need changing!!

Please do come and have a wonderful time with your family at the Carnival, all for a good cause (^_^)

Istanbul

2011-05-19T21:19:00.011+08:00

May started with a bang for me with a trip to Istanbul to attend the Global Summit of Women! What an experience to be amongst so many inspiring women who are successful in their own respective fields! The delegates from Malaysia led by our First Lady of Malaysia were organized by SMECorp. Thanks so much to Kak Normah for taking me to Istanbul!!

Perfect weather with clear blue skies!

The Global Summit of Women was conceived as the nexus at which all sectors - public, private & non-profit - would come together under the common vision of dramatically expanding women's economic opportunities globally through exchanges of working solutions and creative strategies forged by women leaders in all parts of the world. I was so proud to be a Malaysian as our leaders both in the public and private sectors were great speakers who shined! Our very own Women's Minister, Datuk Shahrizat was easily the best speaker of the whole Summit!

With Kak Normah: the ambience at a centuries old cistern was mystical

Wonderful friends we met: Yati, Joanne & Alice

The Haunting Swirling Dervishes

Hagia Sofya is a must see in Istanbul

The Beautiful Blue Mosque

The Grand Bazaar's tempting wares!

Istanbul, being right at the border between Europe and Asia, is a land of contrasts. They are neither European nor Asian - exactly somewhere in between. This fusion of cultures is reflected in everything in Istanbul, their architecture, their food, their traditions.. even their approach to religion. We were lucky to be there in Spring with the sun shining brightly and the cool wind blowing. Flowers - tulips, tulips, tulips, of every colour imaginable - were everywhere! Istanbul is hauntingly beautiful.

For me, it was a such an eye-opener! Meeting all those wonderful ladies from Malaysia in such diverse fields was electric! A shock to my system! I realize that there is a huge world out there outside of Melaka & perhaps, it's time to spread my wings and fly!!! (^_^)

1st Quarter of 2011

2011-04-04T16:26:00.006+08:00

Whatever happened to the first quarter of the year? Suddenly it's April 2011!! To say the cliched "Time Flies" is truly an understatement!

Well, looking back on the last 3 months, so much has happened this year. On a personal note, it's been quite hectic for me & AZ- was in Paris in January and performed our Umrah the second half of February. The whole of March was a chaos of back to back meetings and assisting clients with Contract negotiations - some ended well whilst others didn't. Met some good people, and some not so good people. Juggling deadlines & appointments.

The past week has been quite an emotional one for the family. Apak was hospitalized and a biopsy was recommended. Mak was in US with Kak Long at that time and we had to make some difficult desicions which turned out to be blessings from Allah. Alhamdulillah we received the result of Apak's biopsy yesterday and he is clear of cancer. Syukur, syukur Alhamdulillah.

Japan was hit by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake, then a destructive tsunami which unfortunately resulted in further chaos in a nuclear plant in Fukushima. I have been closely following this catastrophic events and can only pray that Allah will give them mercy. After watching news reports & documentaries on CNN and BBC News, reading newspapers & magazines, looking at extremely sad pictures and finally speaking to Azam who just came back from Japan after 10 days of mission with MERCY, I can only conclude that there are no other race on earth like the Japanese. Their resilience, true grit and strength is commendable. Despite the chaos and trauma, they face their day to day life in perfect order and stability. Azam said that what he saw in Japan is Islam and everything that is taught in Islam although the Japanese are not Muslims.

I wonder how Malaysians would react if a disaster ever hit our country. Nauzubillah.. Ya Allah, jauhkanlah negaraku ini dari berlakunya gempa bumi, tsunami dan malapetaka alam yang membinasakan..

Looking forward to the next 3 quarters of 2011 in anticipation.. (^_^)

Happy Anniversary to Apak & Mak

2011-04-03T17:33:00.004+08:00

Wishing Apak and Mak a very Happy Anniversary.. After 49 years, they still hold hands while sitting next to each other whilst having a conversation with me, Eda & Win that evening. It brought a tear in my eye being in the presence of so much love... To Apak & Mak: Thank you so much for everything that you have taught me, for all your sacrifices, for your unconditional love and understanding. I am who I am today primarily because of you, and for that I'm eternally grateful.. I love you so much, Apak & Mak.. Happy Anniversary!!

The Awakening

2011-03-02T14:39:00.008+08:00

It was a journey like no other.

The feeling of being in MasjidilHaram and facing the Baitullah for the first time is just too amazing for words. I felt a throb in my chest, and all my senses felt as if they tingled, and without even realizing it, I was in tears. It seemed like everything else which surrounded me, the crowd, the people, the sounds, moved to the background. I only saw the Kaabah and there was me. It was such a surreal experience.

It was as if something in me had finally awakened, as if I had found something that I didn't even realize I had lost. Maybe I had found myself. The true reason for my being. Why I am placed on this earth. I am now finally at peace with myself and my Creator.. Rasa begitu dekat dengan Allah..

Alhamdulillah, AZ and I were blessed to arrive in Tanah Suci on the official first week of visa Umrah. This means that the holy place was not crowded as usual. Semua perjalanan, urusan dan ibadat telah dipermudahkan oleh Allah. Alhamdulillah. Kami berkesempatan membuat yang wajib dan sunat. Bersolat dan berdoa di tempat-tempat yang paling diidamkan. Menyempurnakan amal dan ibadat yang tidak pernah kami lakukan sebelum ini. The mosque is just so beautiful and peaceful. I felt so blessed to be a guest in Allah's home.. Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

Every prayer was so precious. Almost every time I sought His forgiveness, His indulgence, His guidance, every time I thanked Him for everything that He has given me, tears would just fall. What a feeling to pray with the Kaabah right in front of you and the sky above you. I kept closing my eyes and re-opening them to see whether or not I was dreaming. Whether or not I was really saying my doa in front of the Kaabah. For the first time ever in my life, I was looking forward to every waktu solat. Even Subuh! Masya Allah..

Every daily activities in Mekah are scheduled around prayer times. How wonderful is that? Why can't it be the same in Malaysia? Shops are temporarily closed during prayer times which means that everyone can walk over to the mosque and solat berjemaah. 100,000 kali ganda pahalanya dibandingkan dengan solat di tempat-tempat lain. Wow! Terlalu hebat ganjarannya..

Now I understand what Mak meant when she said that I would only fully appreciate the feeling of being in Mekah when I go there. And I understand that praying is not just for Allah, but also for me, to cleanse my mind, my heart and my soul so that ultimately, I would be able to perfect my submission to Allah.

Ya Allah, aku memohon dariMu untuk diberi peluang lagi menjadi tetamu di RumahMu bersama-sama dengan AZ dan anak-anakku... Amin..

Labaikallah Hummalabaik..

2011-02-15T13:19:00.003+08:00

Alhamdulillah, we received confirmation last night that our Visa Umrah has been approved and Insya Allah we will be embarking on our spiritual journey soon..

Ya Allah, permudahkanlah perjalanan kami ini dan terimalah segala amal ibadat kami.. Janganlah Kau menduga kami dengan dugaan-dugaan di luar kemampuan kami.. Tingkatkanlah kesabaran kami dan hilangkanlah kemarahan kami.. Ya Allah, kami pohon dariMu kesegaran tubuh badan semasa menjalankan ibadah ini, kuatkan keimanan dan kepercayaan kami, tambahkanlah ilmu pengetahuan kami, keberkatan rezeki, peluang bertaubat sebelum mati, mendapat rahmat pada saat kematian menjelang tiba serta mendapat pengampunan selepas mati. Hanya kepadaMu tempat kami memohon dan berlindung, Ya Allah.

Sebelum berangkat, saya ingin meminta ampun dan maaf dari hujung rambut ke hujung kaki sekiranya saya pernah menyinggung perasaan sesiapa di sini by something I said, or didn't say, did or didn't do, or if something I had written had hurt any of you here. Dalam pergaulan dan interaksi kita seharian, dalam keadaan sedar ataupun tidak, kita pasti ada melukakan hati, menyakiti, menaikkan kemarahan, mendukakan, menyinggung perasaan... and for all that, I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. Minta dihalalkan makan dan minum..

Labaikallah Hummalabaik..

Bonjour Paris

2011-01-23T21:32:00.004+08:00

Had an amazing week in France this week, working for 2 days with clients in Nantes and enjoyed the sites and sounds of Paris with AZ thereafter. Will write more about this beautiful city when I'm not so jet-lagged, but for now, do enjoy some of the pictures...

The awe-inspiring Tour Eiffel

Me, a mime & the Arc de Triomphe

The Champs Elysees, home to sinful designer labels

AZ in the Sully Wing at the Louvre

The Pyramide seems out of place but somehow

blended with the centuries old Louvre Palais

The view from the Eiffel Tower is simply breathtaking

Thanks so much to Encik Mazlan & Puan Normah for this work-cum-pleasure trip. And to my darling AZ, thank you for the really special Anniversary presents (^_^)

8.1.11 is Adlina's 12th Birthday

2011-01-08T22:27:00.005+08:00

Adlina's Party Pinata

(Beaten to death by everyone!)

Adlina + Cousins

Happy Birthday to my darling princess, Adlina who just turned 12. I can't believe how much Adlina has grown from a cute baby, to an adorable little girl, and now to a beautiful young lady. Adlina is a real blessing in my life and every single day I thank Allah for giving her to me.

As she grows, I see more and more of me in her. Adlina is truly Mini Mama, only she will be better than me in every way, I'm sure of that.

To Adlina: I love you so much sayang.. Happy 12th Birthday darling!

1.1.11

2011-01-01T16:11:00.005+08:00

The first day of every year is always special to me as it marks the anniversary of my marriage to AZ. We have been together for 17 years and I am so thankful to Allah for giving me the blessing of a soulmate. Alhamdulillah..

When you start your life together with someone, you always pray for the best but you never know where the relationship will take you. In my field, I have seen so many marriages crumble and end in bitter divorces and separations. I have seen friends who were so in love with each other but after a few years of living together, prefer to live separate lives. In a world full of distractions and temptations, lasting meaningful relationships are becoming less and less of a norm.

In the past 2 years, I've been called to speak at several seminars to advice women on their rights in law. I met many women in sad, abusive relationships. Some women are in unhappy relationships but have chosen to stay married for the sake of their children. Others stay married although they know of their husband's infidelities as they feel that they have no other options. For some, being married is just a matter of convenience.

And this is why I am so thankful to be with AZ. He accepts me as I am (fat + fluff included!). He understands me so well. He amuses me when I'm down. He shares in my joy and achievements. He supports me in all my endeavours. AZ completes me. He is my companion, my strength. AZ is my life.

We have both grown so much in this relationship. We have changed and evolved over these 17 years. And we are lucky that these changes have brought us together and not apart. Every day I love and respect him more and more. I never believed this could be possible.

To AZ: Happy Anniversary, darling. Thank you for everything that you are to me. I am really blessed to have you and our lovely children in my life. Alhamdulillah..

To everyone out there: Wishing all of you a Very Special New Year full of happy surprises, unexpected opportunities and wonderful achievements! Let's all resolve to be a better person this year (^_^)

Adlan's PMR Results

2010-12-25T10:05:00.004+08:00

Congratulations to Adlan for getting 5As & 3Bs in his PMR. Bs for BM, Sejarah & Agama is a real achievement for Adlan who normally scores Cs in his past exams for those subjects...

Well Done, darling! Mama and Papa are mighty proud of you!

PS: Adlan missed an A to guarantee him a set of Roland Drums that he's been pining for all year long. Papa and Mama are now in process of reviewing this requirement based on VERY VERY good behaviour (^_^)

Victoria Sandwich Cake

2010-12-07T11:32:00.004+08:00

Fresh Strawberries with cake is always a winner!

I've used a square baking pan instead
to cut the cake easier in squares.

Baked this last night and the residents of Danau Kaseh loved it. Very simple recipe and would like to share it with you here:-

Ingredients

250g butter (softened)
1 cup Caster Sugar
2 cups Self Raising Flour
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
Icing sugar
Strawberry Jam
Strawberries
Whipped Double Cream

Method

1. Cream Butter & Sugar until light & fluffy.
2. Add Vanilla Essence and Eggs 1 at a time.
3. Add Flour until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into 2 identical baking pans. Best baked in 20cm Round shaped baking pans.
5. Bake at 180c for 25-30 minutes.
6. Cool cakes and then sandwich with jam, strawberries & cream.
7. Dust top of cake with Icing Sugar.

Note : The Strawberries and cream are optional. The cake is also delicious with just strawberry or raspberry jam. With strawberries & cream, the cake should be eaten on day of baking.

Good Luck with the recipe & I hope your family will enjoy the cake as much as mine did (^_^)

WANITA - December 2010

2010-11-24T20:41:00.003+08:00

Thank you to the team members of Majalah Wanita for featuring our family in the December 2010 issue. Special thanks to the Chief Editor of the magazine, Kak Normala for such wonderful write up. It is our hope that the article will inspire more and more families to stay close together and aim for excellence in life.

Wishing everyone a most productive last month of the year (^_^)

PS: Since I don't have any pictures, here's a link about this in Hasanah's blog.. Thanks Hasanah!

Happy Birthday Anas

2010-11-09T18:51:00.002+08:00

Happy 8th Birthday to our darling Anas. He's a real joy in the Danau Kaseh household - although Adlan & Hakim may disagree to this sometimes :D

Anas asked for a camera for his birthday (Aiyo! Budak-budak sekarang ni demanding betul!). Thinking back, I think I got my first camera when I was in University!! Times have changed tremendously.. Sigh..

To Anas: Happy Birthday sayang. Mama & Papa love you LOTS. Don't forget to share the camera with BaLong, Nyanyah & Chakchik!

Eda's Spiritual Journey

2010-10-19T17:24:00.005+08:00

My sister Emilda and her husband Aswad are flying off tonight to perform their Hajj. They will be away for 44 days. Waving Eda off about an hour ago was somehow so difficult for me.. I tried so hard not to cry, but I just couldn't help myself. I know how Eda must feel to leave her children for over a month to go on this spiritual journey..

I love all my 6 sisters very much, but I must admit that Eda and Win are the closest to me. Apart from AZ, they are always the first people I turn to whenever I need help or seek an opinion on something. We share our joys and pains together, we laugh and cry, we support each other. Through thick and thin. You can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. I'm one of those lucky few who have my sisters as my best friends.

Last week, Eda came to my office and gave me a sealed envelope with instructions to open it only if something happens to her and Aswad. We were both overcome with emotions. Amidst sobs and tears, I told Eda that we will open the envelope together when she comes home safely from Mekah in December. I wouldn't want to even think otherwise.

To my darling sister, Eda the Buttercup: Wishing you and Aswad a safe passage to Mekah and back home. Semoga Allah sentiasa melindungi dan merahmati setiap ibadat dan Akak doakan Eda & Aswad mendapat Haji yang mabrur dan terbaik. Take care of each other (^_^)

10.10.10

2010-10-10T21:38:00.003+08:00

A very special date today. 3 years ago, Adlan fell & broke his kneecap. We were in Pantai Hospital after his operation when we saw Sheikh Muzaffar's launch into space, live on TV. And now 3 years later, I'm watching the Astronaut's wedding live on TV3. 10,000 guests! Wow! Seems quite overwhelming! Wishing them both a life full of love and understanding..

For me, the Sunday of 10.10.10 was spent in the best way ever which was lazing around doing nothing with my kids, eating dinner together and having a nice quiet chat with AZ..

Have a good week people (^_^)

Another Year Added

2010-09-21T20:52:00.000+08:00

my beautifully wrapped present

A day becomes special when the people you love around you make it special. Otherwise it's just another ordinary day..

I feel lucky I have so many people around me who have made my day so special today.. Thank you so much to AZ and the kids for the presents. I love them! AZ completed my iPod RED collection and the kids shared to buy Mama 2 new pets.. I strongly suspect that although the terrapins are Mama's birthday present, they were chosen more for Adlina & Anas to play with ;) I adore them nonetheless (thanks to Ateh for going to the pet shop & helping them buy the terrapins. And thanks for the 30% discount!!).

More importantly, I had a very special conversation with AZ yesterday over lunch which made me feel all warm and fuzzy. He may not have noticed how important those words were to me, but they were rare and precious, and reassuring. I will remember and treasure them.

Thanks to the team members of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin for the surprise birthday party! It means a lot to me. It made the day special, and not just ordinary.. Thanks.

Just to share 2 memorable Haha :D scenes:-

Scene 1: Venue - Subaidah Restaurant, Jln Hang Tuah

Papa: Hakim has something for you from all of us.

Hakim: Here's your present Mama. Guess what's in it!

Mama: (Looking at the size of the beautifully wrapped box which could easily fit a ring) Is it jewellery? (asking hopefully!)

Hakim: (Looking panic stricken) Errr.. Guess again.

(So, it was the latest iPod Nano with touch screen! Not a jewellery!)

Scene 2: Venue - Home

Mama: Thank you so much for the terrapins! What a surprise!

Adlina: We all shared to buy the present, Mama.

Adlan: Hmm.. actually Mama, I had nothing to do with it. Really.

Adlina: Err.. Bang Long. Hakim took your money from your wallet..

Adlan: Haaaakkiiiimm!!!

Have a great day everyone.. (6_6)

Hari Raya 2010

2010-09-14T09:03:00.008+08:00

The residents of Danau Kaseh had a wonderful family time on 1st Syawal! This year, 1st day of Hari Raya was celebrated in Melaka and here are some pictures of the Celebration of Love and Life:-

All 42 of us: Boria Kampung Pinang!

The residents of Danau Kaseh -

Kids have grown tremendously!

Raya Eve: Exchange of Gifts & Duit Raya

Mak + Apak

Anas + his cousins

Anak2 Mak + Apak :-)

Thanks to Mak & Apak for instilling in all of us the importance of staying close. What better time than during Hari Raya to reinforce our ties and celebrate the abundance of love and precious family bond. Thank you so much to everyone for making our Hari Raya very, very special.

Wishing everyone well for the rest of Syawal. Happy visiting families & friends!

Note to self: Beware of the temptations of Food Glorious Food at the upcoming Openhouses (gulp!) (^_^)

Salam Syawal 1431

2010-09-10T23:23:00.003+08:00

Wishing everyone a blessed Hari Raya surrounded by loved ones.

Reading the Quran Translation

2010-09-05T14:30:00.008+08:00

Al-Fatihah

1. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. 3. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 4. Master of the Day of Judgment. 5. You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help. 6. Show us the Straight Path. 7. The Path of those whom You have bestowed Your Blessings, not of those upon whom be Your wrath, nor of those who go astray.

I've been meaning to read the Quran translation for years, but never really got round to it. Even bought the Translation by Yayasan Restu about 2 years ago but kept putting it off.. This Ramadhan, I told myself that it was finally time.

And now I realize how much I have missed all these years. The Great Book has clarified a few doubts that I had in my mind about certain issues. It makes many things so clear. I love reading about the Prophets. The stories of the prophets and their struggles made me realize how difficult it was for each of them before in their quest to spread the magnificence of Allah. And yet they persevered despite being tortured and shunned, some even by their own immediate families. The challenges that they had to endure were really frightening and beyond imagination. I feel so, so small and insignificant in comparison.

It is time to learn more about my Creator and the reason why I am put on this earth.. I am so blessed by Allah in so many uncountable ways that saying Thank You and Syukur Alhamdulillah seems so utterly understated...

Ya Allah, please show me the straight path, the path of those You have bestowed Your Blessings.

Biggest Loser

2010-08-28T09:25:00.005+08:00

The residents of Danau Kaseh are in the running for the Nordin family's Ramadhan's Biggest Loser contest!! This is Kak Long's brainchild of course (she's the most creative member of the family when it comes to team building!). So, whoever loses the most weight wins!

Status so far: Papa: less 2kg; Mama: Less 2kg; Adlan: less 2kg; Hakim: less 2kg; Adlina: less 1.5kg; Anas: less 2kg.

This is rather average la.. Some members of the family have lost 4-5kg so far!! I was hoping to lose more weight this year but unfortunately same as last year: First week down by 2kg, then maintain for the rest of the fasting month!! Worse still, after 3 days of Raya, the 2kg will be back on with an extra 1kg to spare!! Yikes!!

Happy fasting people (^_^)

Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

2010-08-10T14:08:00.004+08:00

Wishing everyone a blessed Ramadhan. Semoga kesemua amalan kita di bulan yang mulia ini diberkati Allah. Maaf sekiranya ada tersilap kata, terkasar bahasa, terluka hati.. (^_^)

Happy 8th Anniversary

2010-08-03T11:54:00.003+08:00

Happy 8th Anniversary to the Team Members of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin. Most of how I feel about our team members have been stated here but let me just add that I feel blessed that Allah has bestowed so much blessing and rezeki in our 8 years of operation. Syukur Alhamdulillah..

I feel sooo lucky that I'm surrounded and supported by people who are loyal and committed in our quest to provide the best profesional legal services to our clients.. Thank you so much to Kak Midah, Eyta, Kak Faridah, Asalina, Faizah, Longchek, Mas, Saad and Hadi. I couldn't have done it alone and your unwavering support is tremendously appreciated. Never forget that!

Postscript: Thank you so much to all my staffs for the beautiful present and the lovely roses. Love them (^_^)

Last words

2010-07-26T14:00:00.004+08:00

A friend's husband passed away on Saturday morning. He wasn't feeling well the night before, and after a trip to the clinic, he came home to sleep, as he normally did. He never woke up.

There are no words to comfort Norita. She didn't have the opportunity to say goodbye. To say sorry, to say thank you, to say words of love and affirmation to the person who was closest and most important in her life. It was too sudden. There were no signs. His last words to her were not significant.

Norita is now left with 4 young children to care for. The eldest boy is only 12 and the youngest is merely 3. It's hard enough being a mother, but to have to shoulder the responsibility of bringing the children up all alone seems most unbearable. It's so traumatic and I couldn't stop crying. I pray that Allah will give her the strength and will to carry on..

Being with her on Saturday made me think of how precious life is and how we take many things that we have for granted. How we take the people that we love for granted. I cannot imagine not having AZ or any of my kids in my life. I don't think I will have the strength to go on and face life without any of them. It makes me think of my own mortality. I so fear that my last words to them will not be ones of love and encouragement. I want them to always remember me as someone who love them utterly and unconditionally. That I am their biggest fan and most ardent supporter.

I pray to Allah that when my time comes, I will be given the opportunity to say sorry, thank you and goodbye. To say to AZ that he is the most important person in my life and how I love him so fiercely; to tell my kids how absolutely precious they are and how proud I am of each of them; to tell my family how special they are in my life and how much they each mean to me.

Death is certain. Every day is a gift from God. Use it wisely and spend it with the people that you love, doing the things that you love. Never go to bed angry. Make amends with your loved ones. Say sorry even if you know it's not your fault. Tell them you love them, every day. You never know if those words are the last ones you will ever hear or say.

After the Carnival 2010

2010-07-06T18:44:00.003+08:00

Ever had SO MUCH to do that you don't have the time to get sick? Then, when everything is over, the flu comes on to you at double dose?

Well, the Carnival is over. Happy to report that it was a BLAST! Everyone had LOADS of FUN and we raised more money than we targeted. Alhamdulillah.. The Wall Climb was a real hit - more than 600 people went on it! The queues to the pony rides, paintball and haunted houses were endless up to the end of the Carnival. The PTA Kopitiam alone raised more than RM5,000! There were 64 food stalls and 10 games stalls - but this clearly wasn't enough to cater for the thousands of guests who came as most of the food were wiped out by 2pm! Wow! What a Fantastic day we had. God is Great and made it such a wonderful day with such good weather (it rained for about 10 minutes at about 10am and it stopped and cooled down the whole day!).

Then the flu came, full blast! (I've been staving it off the whole week last week - no time to get sick then!). My whole body ached the whole of Sunday (yep, getting old, definitely). Followed by an excruciating sore throat (voice is still scratchy) and a very heavy head. Had double dose of Vitamin C, been taking Actifast and lots of fluids. Feeling a bit better today.. phew!

But above all, we now have more money for the School Building fund and that's awesome! Alhamdulillah.. (^_^)

Lost Palm

2010-07-02T08:08:00.003+08:00

I lost my phone yesterday. With it went over 2 years of special text messages that I have saved from AZ and encouraging words from friends and family. These are messages that I read again and again whenever I feel a little bit down. Now they are gone. It's heartbreaking.

ST DAVID'S HIGH SCHOOL CARNIVAL 2010

2010-06-27T19:55:00.003+08:00

Come one, Come ALL to the St David's High School Carnival 2010! Bring along your family to have GREAT FUN while helping us raise funds to furnish our New School Block!

Organizing this year's Carnival is so much more meaningful for me this year for 2 reasons: 1. The construction of the New School Block has already started (unbelievable but true!); and 2. Hakim is also now in St David's. So 2 of my Boys are going to join in the fun in organizing the Carnival!

Following the success of our Carnival last year, we decided to organize this event again this year:

SATURDAY 3rd JULY 2010 from 9.00am to 4.00pm.

If you are living in Malacca or will be in Malacca on that date, please don't miss is ok? Hope to see you and your family (^_^)

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T21:28:00.004+08:00

Wishing AZ a very Happy Father's Day!! Thank you for being such a wonderful father to the kids. We LOVE you, Papa... We celebrated the evening together last night at the movies watching Toy Story 3 in 3D. What a great movie about friendship (I cried twice!).

To Apak, Happy Father's day and Thank you for everything that you have done for me and you are to me. I love you, Apak..

Getting Old & Sensitive

2010-06-15T23:06:00.003+08:00

It's true what they say. As you get older, you become more and more sensitive.

I didn't give much thought about this before. Until recently. When I started feeling so sensitive and emotional about little things. I guess it's a clear sign of me getting old! Sigh...

Adlina and Anas stayed over at Mak's house for 2 nights over last weekend as their cousins from KL were around. They must have been having so much fun that they didn't bother to call home (read: Me!). I felt so emotional about this and started to think that it would come to this eventually when they leave home to go to college or university. Is this an indication of how it would be like? No calls to Mama when the children are away? Sedihnya!! Ok, ok, they are only 11 and 8 now and won't be going away until they are 18. But it hurts to think that they are no longer dependant on me and didn't need my daily hugs and kisses.. Double Sigh...

I AM getting old & over-sensitive!! Aiyoh..

Well, that explains why all 4 of them have been camping in our room on the floor the past 2 nights. The excuse of wanting to watch World Cup together is such a farce. The truth is, I just love having my kids close to me.. It's just so hard to let go...

Now I can imagine what it must have been like for Mak to let 8 of us go. Note to Self: Must make a point to call Mak more often.

Call up your mom today, folks (^_^)

Hasanah's Love Story

2010-06-12T07:51:00.004+08:00

AZ's longest serving Danau staff, Hasanah is getting married today! We are so happy and excited for her.

To Hasanah & Anuar: As you start your journey in life together, we wish you a lifetime of happiness, laughter and understanding. Semoga Allah sentiasa memberkati dan melindungi. Take care of each other ya.. Selamat Pengantin Baru!

Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time

2010-06-07T09:46:00.003+08:00

Saw this movie yesterday evening with my kids. In one word: It was AWESOME. I would even go as far as saying that this is the best movie that I've seen in the last 5 years. Great story, Beautiful settings, Terrific adventures, Thrilling fighting scenes, Fantastic Special Effects, And a Dashing Hero ;) (Reese Witherspoon must be nuts to let this guy go!).

3 other things that I love about this movie:-

1. The Heroin was smart & courageous. Not a wimpy-damsel-in-distress stereotype. A great character and a good role model for young ladies;

2. The ending was soooo unpredictable! I couldn't believe how good the ending was! It could not have ended better.

3. The movie stressed on the importance of family staying close. The King said to Dastan: "The Bond of Brothers is the sword that will save the Empire". Wow.

For those who haven't seen this movie yet, may I suggest that you make it a family outing during this school holiday? Your kids will love it!

Have fun (^_^)

GOLD COAST: AAN Firm Trip 2010

2010-05-30T20:20:00.000+08:00

The staffs of Messrs. Adillah A Nordin and their respective spouses had a blast in Gold Coast, Australia during our annual Firm trip last week!! What a GREAT time we had!

The weather was brilliant, with the sun shining brightly during the day with a temperature of 18-20 degrees. The evenings were a little bit chilly with a low of 11 degrees, but this was definitely a good experience for everyone. Came back and felt how hot & humid Malaysia is!!

What were the highlights? Well, there were many! Seaworld & the Dolphin Show. The Stunt Drivers performing live at Movie World. The Roller Coaster rides. The Sheep Shearing show. Gawking at the sleepy Koalas. Petting the Kangaroos. The nice apartments by the sea. The walks in the evening. Shopping at the Surfer's Paradise. Just being together as a team.. The journey for me was so relaxing, with a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings..

Here are some pictures -

At the Sheep Shearing podium

(Hadi volunteered to shear the sheep!)

Waiting for the next show

The Amazing Dolphin Show - WOW!

I went on this ride! OMG!! How did I live through it?

AZ persuaded (forced?) me to go on the Batman ride which was the vertical fall from a height of 8 stories (I think). It was terrifying. Definitely my first and last!! He went on it twice! So did Shah & Hadi.

All 19 of us on Mt Cootha

Apak+Mak, AZ+me, K.Midah + B.Rahim, K.Faridah, Eyta + Azahari, Faizah + Hizam, Longchek + K.Ton, Mas + Shah; and the first timers Saad, Lina, Asalina + Hadi. Look at the clear blue sky!

Naik Bas jalan-jalan

AZ + me

Apak, Mak + me

This trip was made extra special because Apak and Mak joined us. Mak was the chief Chef, making sure everyone was well fed - asyik makan, makan, makan! We were lucky all the food we brought into Australia was allowed in by the Customs except for the Milo & 3-in-1 Nescafe. Imagine: even Mak's sambal belacan & asam jawa lepas! Haha :D

It was the 6th time we had travelled together as a group, and it does get better and better. Thanks to everyone for making the trip and the whole journey so much fun and special.

Really looking forward to the next trip (^_^)

Celebration of Life and Love

2010-04-25T20:20:00.006+08:00

The whole family

Chinese character "Ai" means LOVE

Just had the most WONDERFUL weekend with my family, celebrating life and love. Our plan to celebrate Apak's 76th birthday and Mak+Apak's 48th Anniversary turned out to be so much more for all of us. There were so many special moments over the weekened, but my favourite part was when we gathered for the concert by the kids and watched the video prepared by Andy about how Mak + Apak bonded our family with love. I cried watching the video. Kak Ngah's girls made a video too and it was hilarious! Kudos to all the talented people in the family!

I look forward to every family gathering we have. As the family is so big (all 42 of us!), we find it hard to synchronize everyone's schedule and gather. So, when we do meet, we will try our best to make it special. This time, Kak Long came up with the theme: Celebrate Life & Love. And it fitted so well with the mood that we were in.

Thank you so much to everyone for the precious time. Thank you to Eda + Aswad for hosting the event in their lovely home. I love you all soooo much..

Here are some snapshots...

1, 2 Go: Splashing Fun!

Venue: Eda+Aswad's lovely home
(Please don't feel SERIK to host us next time!)

CLL:2010 - Happy Anniversary to Mak & Apak,
the BEST Parents in the World!

Anas (in the middle) with his cousins

Take time to pick up the phone and call your mom and dad, just to say Hello and to tell them how much they are loved and appreciated. Meet up with your sister or brother for coffee, cake and bonding. Tell your spouse and children that you love them every opportunity you have. Life is short. Fill it with the people you love, doing the things that you love. Make every day count.

Go celebrate your life, with love (^_^)

Mystical Bali

2010-03-27T14:51:00.009+08:00

Gunung Agung

Beautiful Paddy terraces

A snapshot with the Kecak dancers

Danau team + me

The residents of Danau Kaseh were in Bali a few weeks ago with AZ's Danau team, making it the 3rd year we travelled together. We all had a blast!

We only had 3 days to spend in Bali, so our diary was packed!

Day 1: Explored Kuta

Bali is a beautiful island filled with myths and legends. The serene lives of the locals are bound by magical folklores and pagan rituals. The Balinese are very polite and hospitable, always the perfect hosts, ready with friendly smiles.

Unfortunately, the lives of these simple people, is simple no more. This is especially felt in Kuta as the city is swarmed by tourists, primarily from Australia. Jalan Pantai Kuta is dominated by international franchises and restaurants: Starbucks, Hard Rock Cafe, Pizzahut and MacDonalds, to name a few. The stores lining Jalan Legian prominantly display the brandnames of Levi's, Crocs, Reebok and Nike.

Prices in markets and stalls are not cheap, clearly catering for the foreigners who are their main customers..

Day 2: Gunung Agung volcano, Paddy Terraces and Kecak Dance

Our 2nd day was full. A trip to the volcano was made memorable by the group of relentless peddlars who hassled us incessantly after our lunch, blocking our way to the van. Anas and Adlina were scared.

A word of advice: despite their aggressive approach, you will find the best prices and bargains from these peddlars. Anas bought 25 keychains for Rp50,000 (RM16). Unfortunately, the more you buy, the more they hassle you!

Our next stop was the Pasar Ubud which was overflowing with touristy products and souvenirs. I thought the prices were reasonable but found out later that the prices in Denpasar Market was even cheaper! Bought loads of beautifully carved wooden trinket boxes.

The Kecak dance is not to be missed if you are in Bali. It completes the mystical experience that is Bali. The dance is very intense and dramatic featuring a hypnotic chorus of chanting and grunting simulating the sounds of a gamelan orchestra. It's an awesome experience.

Adlina + Mama

Wina Holiday Villa Courtyard
(The hotel serves Halal food)

Papa + the Boys

Day 3: Bali is a Shopping Heaven

Bali is a true shopping heaven. There are so many interesting souvenirs to bring home, all at under RM10. From Batik shirts to Wooden boxes to Mengkuang Bags to beaded slippers! Just bring extra Rupiahs!!

Check out the Denpasar Market. It's so much cheaper than the market in Ubud. Just wish we had more time to spend shopping in Denpasar. Most things are cheaper by more than 50% compared to Ubud or Kuta.

The day ended with the kids riding the waves with Hasanah, Thony, Azim and Shida. Azie was taking photos from the beach and me and AZ were just lazing under the shade! Hasanah and I finished off the evening with a full body massage and lulur which was heavenly...

In the van going places!

Can't wait for our next trip together. Thanks everyone for a great time!

Postscript: Had a BAD sunburn due to the intense heat. Wear a big hat in Bali, ladies (^_^)

My Big Sista

2010-03-23T18:52:00.004+08:00

Kak Long - post op

My eldest sister Marlin is very special. We call her Kak Long. She is a very positive and loving person who always look at the brighter side of everything and the good side of everyone. Kak Long loves to give us presents, not just for special occasions, but for no occasion at all - except to remind us how special our relationship is.

I now realize that Kak Long has been such a huge influence in my life. As we grew up, it was Kak Long and Kak Ngah who reminded us time and again to always study hard and excel, and to show Apak that girls are just as good as boys, if not better (Apak always wanted a boy - and he had 7 girls before finally getting his only son, my brother Andy). Both of them used to round us up (there were only 5 of us then) and motivate us. Kak Long was such a big motivator. She still is.

When Mak followed Apak to London for a whole year and we were left in the care of Nenek, Kak Long and Kak Ngah held the fort for us and made sure that we stayed close together. I was only 5 then. But I can vividly remember the 5 of us holding hands when we went to sleep. Thinking about those times can still bring tears to my eyes.

Kak Long, Kak Ngah and Kak Mas were exemplary. They taught us by example. They all obtained scholarships to study in America, Australia and England respectively. I remember Kak Long never forgets birthdays and special occasions. She used to send cards and little presents by mail for birthdays and good luck cards prior to big exams. This taught me to always remember birthdays and special occasions. To always remember to celebrate special occasions and remind the people you love how much they are loved. And for this important lesson, I am truly grateful.

When Kak Long informed us 10 days ago that she had a tumor in her pituitary gland and needed a surgery to remove it, I was shocked and shaken. I cried and felt so scared. I realized that I have not been spending enough time with my Kak Long and I just wished that we stayed closer together. I have been taking our relationship for granted, thinking that she will always be there for me. It's really true how crisis and hurdles make you look back, think and reflect on things that go on with your life, make you appreciate what you have more.

Alhamdulillah, Kak Long's surgery went well last Tuesday and she is now in recovery. I have vowed to always remind her how much I love her and to try my level best to spend as much time as possible with her and my other sistas who are living in KL.

To Kak Long: I thank Allah for having you as my sister. You are so special and precious. You are such an inspiration to me. Thank you so much for everything that you are to me. I truly love you.

Malacca State Champions

2010-03-09T21:33:00.006+08:00

Happy Hakim + friends when the result was announced!

The truly 1Malaysia Winning team

Hakim and his St David High School Choral Speaking Team are Malacca State Champions!! The school has now won the coveted title for 5 years in a row! CONGRATULATIONS everyone!!

Special THANKS to the most passionate coach, Madam Anna Nonis, who poured her heart and soul into the team. Watching them perform last Thursday, I was filled with so much pride and joy. The students were in their element. Their performance was SUPERB! The team was really in a class of their own, way above the rest (Biased mom speaking, I know!!). I couldn't believe they only had 7 days to practice! The script entitled "Superstition", written by Anna, was hilarious and informative at the same time. I loved every minute of it, and I could see that the judges (and audience) were truly entertained!

This is the 3rd year I've seen the team from St David perform at the State level Choral Speaking competition. The past 2 years, Adlan was in the team. This year, he passed the baton to Hakim, to continue the tradition that he started. The school won first prize at the National Level competition last year and it was Adlan's brightest highlight of the year :)

To darling Hakim: Mama is so, so proud of you! You were great!

PS: Really hope that the Ministry will allocate the budget for the national level competition (^_^)

Facebook vs. Blog

2010-03-02T22:21:00.003+08:00

There is another HUGE reason why I haven't been updating my Blog as frequently as I should. It's called: FACEBOOK. Somehow Facebook has won over Blogger in my case..

Facebook: Quick & Easy Status Updates
Blog: Need time to think of new Posting

Facebook: Many friends linked directly to daily updates
Blog: Friends need to type in your Blog URL

Facebook: Immediate link through Blackberry & iPhone
Blog: Need to type in your Blog URL

Facebook: You can check many friends' status daily by opening just 1 window
Blog: Must open many windows

Facebook: Easy to upload photos & albums
Blog: Not as easy as FB

Facebook: Many games directly linked
Blog: What games?

Alamak! So many reasons la!! Facebook wins!

So, please don't blame me for not updating regularly.. (^_^)

Reading Chick Lit - Part II

2010-02-17T11:02:00.004+08:00

For me, reading is a way for me to wind down after a stressful day at work. I love to dive into the pages, to learn about people, real or fictional; to feel the love, excitement, anguish and frustration, the emotional highs and lows of each character; to learn about different places and cultures; to understand how different people react or respond to diverse situations in life. Some books are so well written that they touch your heart!

I love books that are positive and uplifting. Books that encourage you to do more in life, to appreciate your friends and family, to never take anything you have for granted. Books that make you understand yourself even better!

Reading chick lit for the past 2 months have been quite interesting for me. I feel I understand people and their reactions better! I love books by Lisa Kleypas and Nora Roberts. They are so special and real. Rachel Gibson books are so light and easy to read - they are perfect after a real hard day. You can read these books over and over again..

BUT, there are books which should have come with WARNING Labels on them. I just can't appreciate books written by Cecelia Ahern. I read 2 books by her over the last weekend and regretted reading them: If You Could See Me Now and Love, Rosie. 'If You Could See Me Now' is written in the perspective of the heroin's nephew's Imaginary Friend (can you beat how weird this is?). It is rather bizarre! 'Love, Rosie' is just so infuriating - it's about 2 people who had been best friends ever since they were 5 years old and began to realize that they love each other when they were 18 but only finally confessed to each other of their love when they were 50 at the very last page!! I hated the book mainly because the heroin kept on subotaging her own life and happiness throughout the book and wasted more than 30 years of her life denying her love and feelings!! It is so against what I believe in - people should seize every opportunity they have, and seize the day! They should be with the ones they love, and love unconditionally. I was so angry reading the book and wanted to burn it midway! It was definitely NOT uplifting and I felt depressed after reading it.

Which is why I am swearing off Chick Lit for the moment and moving on to Motivational Books for the next few weeks. I should start with ESQ which was given to me by my friend Raha early last year. Never got round to reading it.. Better start now (^_^)

PS: Ladies, any of you have any words to say about Marian Keyes books? I got 2 of her books from Borders yesterday but I'm a bit wary of reading any books which could pull me down..

From Apple to Dell

2010-02-05T21:31:00.004+08:00

I just changed my notebook a couple of days ago. After using a Macbook for the past 2 years, the Dell is such a refreshing change! There is so much to un-learn and re-learn! The latest Microsoft Office is just wonderful. Drafting agreements have been a pleasure with easy icons accessible on a single click. I love my new Dell notebook!

PS: I'm actually really quite sad to part with my Apple.. it was AZ's valentine's day present to me 2 years ago.. sigh..

Emotional

2010-01-29T14:00:00.006+08:00

Why are we women so emotional? Don't you just wish that you don't care so much sometimes because somehow little things mean a lot and before you know it we start feeling hurt. We cry, sulk and wait for those 2 little magic words: "I'm sorry". The problem (and the sulking) is somehow enhanced when those words are not forthcoming from our men. The thing is most of the time men are just clueless about what they did (or didn't do) to hurt their other (better) half. And sometimes I don't blame them! We women somehow feel that there is no need for explanation as we always think: "If he loves me, he will know what went wrong!" Hallloooo??? Not only do we expect our men to be loving, romantic and attentive, we also expect them to be mind-readers!! Tsk, tsk, tsk...

Well, I used to be guilty of all that too. Don't blame me, I'm a woman! So, I'm entitled to be unreasonable when it comes to matters of the heart. But you know, I've somehow changed my perception of things (mainly because I just turned 40 and it gets rather tiring to wait for my man to somehow guess when something went wrong). So, I feel it's best to just be upfront, tell him and make him understand why it hurts. And it's working so much better! Why didn't I think of this earlier and save myself all those pain & hurt? Now we understand each other even better (read: he now knows that I get stressed over little things!). Aiyoh! A little bit embarassing sometimes, but at least he knows that he should say sorry and I will feel a lot better :)

Ladies, for the sake of sanity and self-preservation, when something goes wrong (as it often does in a relationship between 2 people who are far from perfect) please just tell your man what went wrong. And when he asks: "What's wrong, dear?", don't you dare say "Nothing's wrong..." although you just cried your eyeballs out in the bathroom!

Good luck, gals (^_^)

Reading Chick-Lit

2010-01-24T20:41:00.007+08:00

I've been seriously neglecting my Blog and my Scrabble games in FB due to the fact that I've been reading books at every possible free time. All chick-lits at that! I haven't read these much fiction since my days in secondary school! Seriously..

The problem is this: once I start reading, I just get obsessive about finishing the book & neglect everything else. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), my eldest sista Kak Long has thousands of books in her library (I'm not exaggerating: she can open up a 2nd-hand bookstore) and she has been supplying books to Eda, Win & me. Before I knew it, I got sucked in :-0

I started with the 4 Twillight saga books (Eda's evil influence!) and since then, I've been reading non-stop. Just for fun, I made a list of all the books that I've read and was shocked to note that I've read a total of 23 books in the past 30 days!! Aiyoh! Must tone down la... My scrabble mates have already abandoned me for the past month (ok, ok.. my games were all neglected for weeks!). Before my friends (and family) start boycotting me and before Blogger close down this Blog due to neglect, I better phase out this new hobby! But Eda just passed me a few books by Judith McNaught and she swears that the books are good reads.. Sigh..

Anyway, I really recommend these authors to all ladies out there: Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie and Lisa Kleypas. You will cry and laugh at the same time! Enjoy reading gals (^_^)

Happy Birthday to Adlina & Papa!

2010-01-11T10:20:00.002+08:00

Happy 11th Birthday to our precious princess Adlina & Happy 47th Birthday to my one and only AZ.. I am truly blessed by Allah for having both of you in my life <3

The Year That Was

2010-01-02T13:18:00.002+08:00

It is unbelievable that I have left this page unwritten for nearly a month. So much has happened in the last few weeks of December 2009 that I feel it was somehow a good closure to the year. I've had a lot of time to self-reflect on the decisions that I have made in 2009 and how these decisions had affected the people around me. It seems surreal now looking back on the changes that had happened in my life in the past year..

For the Firm, I would consider 2009 as the turning point. The move to our new building was more than a re-location to a better venue, a better address. The move also signified the change that was inevitable for the Firm, to re-focus on its core values and principles, and translate them into the specialized services that we now know we are best at. 2009 was a time for our Team to re-new our bond and commitment in a fresh new environment. With a new spirit, new strategy and new synergy, we hope to propel the Firm to a higher level in 2010.

2009 also gave me the opportunity to give back to the community. Being involved in St David's PTA has been a very rewarding experience for me. I've been given the chance to make important and significant changes in a school which needed so much help, and these changes will benefit so many children and teachers. It's so fulfilling. I have made new acquaintances and developed new friendships. I am proud to have a team of very committed and passionate parents who are willing to sacrifice so much of their time and energy towards a good cause. We hope to continue with our efforts in 2010 and I'm so excited just thinking of what we can do and the people that we can help.

At home, the kids just grew too fast in 2009 with Adlan leading the way in growth. He is way taller than Papa & Mama at 5'9". Hakim has finished his primary school in 2009 and will now join Adlan in St David High School. Adlina has blossomed into a pretty young lady, very tall for her age and Anas is now so much more independent than before, sleeping by himself and hardly coming to our bed in the middle of night. But most importantly, our relationship with the children have strengthened as they grow. We discuss things with them, and have good conversations with them as they are big enough to form their own opinion on many things. It's just so amazing. As they grow further in 2010 and beyond, I just pray to Allah that this precious bond that we have with them will strengthen further.

For me and AZ, there are just no words to describe. It is incredible that love can grow even more when you feel that you have loved your utmost. I feel that we now know each other even better than before. His love, understanding and support has been the strength that I needed to go through the challenges throughout the year. Thank you for always being there for me, sayang. Happy 16th Anniversary..

Ya Allah, thank you so much for everything that you have given me in such abundance.

Wishing everyone out there a Hugely Successful New Year 2010 filled with unexpected happy suprises... (^_^)

St David's High School 50th Anniversary Dinner

2009-12-07T20:41:00.006+08:00

The Opening - Adlan played the Chinese Drum!

St David's High School celebrated 50 Glorious years of educating young people to excellence with a fantastic fundraising Dinner and musical extravaganza last Saturday! What a memorable evening it was!

Our event was graced by the Chief Minister of Malacca who made time to attend our Dinner although he had another dinner to attend in Seremban hosted by the Prime Minister. In the short hour that he spent with us, he announced that the State Government will change all the furniture in the Science labs before 1st January 2010 and will give the school a grant of RM100,000. Thank you so much, Datuk Seri!

God is Great and He answered our prayers. Our total collection for the evening far exceeded our initial target of RM200,000. We managed to raise almost RM350,000! Alhamdulillah..

very good turnout - 94 tables sold

Thank you so much to my darling AZ and his Danau team for assisting us in many ways to make the Dinner truly special. To all the students who performed on stage: Congratulations on such outstanding performances! You all made us really, really proud.

Danau's table

To my very committed team members: Josephine, Puteh, Fazy, Alice, Azian, Saro, Anna, Larry, Kris, Mike, Christine, Jagan and Natty – it has been a real pleasure working with all of you for the past 2 months. This is our team of 1Malaysia. It is not easy to lead a team of volunteers who have nothing at all to gain personally from doing such hard work, and I have been blessed with the honour of leading all of you for this project. Meeting every week for the past 2 months have created a real bond of friendship and understanding amongst us that transcend race and religion. Your hard work has inspired me to work even harder for the school.

St David's being a missionary school, is not fully funded by the Government. But instead of complaining about this archaic policy, our team of parents is taking this imperfection in the system as an opportunity for us to serve and give back to the community. What better way than to take positive action in ensuring a Better Future for our children.

Cookies compliments of Berjaya University College for all guests

The past month has been a great journey of self discovery for me. It has been extremely exhausting but sooo fulfilling... (^_^)

This and That

2009-11-28T20:41:00.002+08:00

This posting is a summary of my past week. I will keep it short and sweet:-

1. It's official: My camera is lost. I must have misplaced it somewhere! So, for now, there won't be any pictures accompanying my postings (yawn..);

2. I've been spending some time this week wearing my PTA Chairman's hat! Adlan's school is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and St David High School PTA is organizing a Fund-raising Dinner on 5/12/2009. It's quite exciting. Last Tuesday, our committee members were called to meet up with the Chief Minister at his office. It was great of CM to re-arrange his schedule to ensure that he'll be able to grace our event! Thank you, Datuk Seri :)

3. We ordered Hakim's reward for doing well in his UPSR. He wanted an iPod Touch. We ordered it online so that his name can be engraved on it. Hoping that the package will arrive by next Monday;

4. Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha to everyone! The day was spent mostly at my sister Eda's home. Adlina & Anas decided to stay the night at Mak's home so that they can spend more time with their cousins.. Adlan & Hakim decided to stay home - Note: Rumah Mak takde computer ;)

5. This morning I spent a wonderful time with Kak Long, Kak Mas & Eda at Spa Village.. It was so relaxing.. Destressing with a good massage is a MUST for all working mothers! Heavenly..

Tomorrow's Sunday! Yay (^_^)

Hakim's UPSR

2009-11-22T09:32:00.006+08:00

Congratulations to our precious Hakim for getting 4As 1B in his UPSR. Hakim's BM Pemahaman is his weakness, and we are thankful that he got a B for it! Alhamdulillah.. We are going to have a special family lunch to celebrate later today..

To Hakim: Papa and Mama are so proud of you, darling! Keep up the good work (^_^)

Happy Birthday Anas

2009-11-09T20:52:00.004+08:00

Mama's fatty boom-boom

Anas is 7 today!

I can't believe our little baby is seven!! He is a real joy in the household of Danau Kaseh. Anas is chubby & adorable. He is smart & knows how to get things going his way. He speaks well and you can have a decent conversation with him about a lot of things. He is so mischievious, he is constantly irritating Adlan & Hakim. Most fights at home are caused by Anas, unfortunately. His best friend is his only sister, Adlina. They love doing art projects together, converting big boxes into tables & buildings; medium-sized boxes into cars & trucks, & little boxes into handphones. Anas adores Adlina & Adlina lets her little brother (who is heavier than she is!) sleep in her bed with her sometimes. She reads to him.

Anas sleeps in his own bed now, but most nights he still walks over to our bedroom in the middle of the night to snuggle in with papa & mama. We let him because he is still our little baby (although he takes up so much space, sometimes he kicks me out of my own bed!).

And today, our little baby is little no more. To Anas: Papa & Mama love you SO MUCH. Happy 7th Birthday darling.. (^_^)

Occupational Hazard

2009-11-07T09:26:00.003+08:00

Have been having too much on my plate these past 2 weeks. Too many meetings & deadlines. Having to solve problems faced by others, some of which were too complicated for words. Been spending some time in KL High Court & Melaka High Court for Hearings. Clients pressing for Agreements, one of which is a mind-numbing Shareholders Agreement of unfriendly parties.

Why do people get themselves into such complicated business relationships and situations? Then they look for lawyers who have too think of how best to solve their predicament! It's been affecting me quite badly this time that I find myself awake in the middle of the night not being able to go back to sleep. I guess this comes with the job.. Sigh..

I just feel I need a holiday REALLY badly.. Just need to get away..

Adlina the Blog-Buster

2009-10-25T18:50:00.004+08:00

The background of my blog has totally been changed by Adlina (the Blog-buster!). She said that my previous blog background was too boring.. And for that, I allowed her to pick a background for me. & just for today, she is allowed to write something here..

This is Adlina's note:

So what do you think about mama's new blog?
If it sucks, Please comment! (Seriously do not comment if it looks bad to you.. (>___<)
But i think that it is very nice + suitable for mama..
I'm not saying she is old... (I never said that!)
btw: I found it at the cuttest blog on the block! Which is why mama's blog looks cute! Well, I guess... ?

PERFECT!!

Beautiful Hydrangeas

2009-10-11T10:50:00.004+08:00

Gorgeous Lilac Blooms

Came back home to a beautiful surprise yesterday! My dear friend Tati delivered 2 pots of beautiful flowering hydrangeas as a belated birthday present! Thank you sooooo much Tati!! Tati remembered that after having seen her beautiful hyrangeas in her garden about 2 months ago, I went in search of a pot of my own from nursery to nursery since way before Raya. Unfortunately none of the nurseries I went to had any to sell..

Tati, you are so sweet & thoughtful beyond words...

Raya Hazard

2009-10-10T12:35:00.005+08:00

My sistas & I @ Eda's Openhouse

The month of Syawal is filled with Openhouses! Good for strengthening relationships BUT so BAD for the waistline. I summoned some courage to step on the weighing scale this morning & was so shocked to see the result. Yikes!! Dah makan banyak pun boleh terperanjat tengok the kgs coming on konon! Should be expecting the outcome kan? After all, since 1st Syawal, we have gone to about 12 Openhouses!! This is truly the hazard of Raya :-0

Happy last few days of Syawal everyone (^_^)

The Neglected Page

2009-10-07T14:26:00.002+08:00

It's been a while since I last wrote. Life has been packed with activities the past 2 weeks. Our legal assistant resigned & I've had to re-organize our Litigation team which means that I have to cover some of the Court cases for the next month or so.. Weekends have been filled with Raya Openhouses & I haven't had the time to update this neglected page.. There is so much to write about but I'm either too busy working, or too full to write after all those Openhouses...

See you soon (^_^)

Nordin Family Raya Gathering & Olympics 2009

2009-09-25T08:07:00.012+08:00

Brainstorming the night before the event at Danau Kaseh

What a GREAT day we had on Wednesday! Every year we look forward to the Nordin Family gathering for Raya & this year was extra special as we had the family sports day too - we call it our Nordin Family Olympics ;)

Score Board

Azam preparing the lines

Getting ready for the Briefing

Hanani is the GREEN house mascot - so sweeeet!

With Apak & Mak's 8 children, 7 menantu & 24 cucu, we had enough people to make the event a real Blast! The day started with breakfast (have to fill up for the BIG event!), then team members started preparing their mascots & Team cheer-song (4 teams - Red, Blue, Yellow & Green - all cucu-cucu).

Ateh Eda helping out the Blue Team Cheer-song

"Biru! Biru! Baik Jaga-Jaga Kamu!" (Sing to "Beat It" tune)

Andak Win with the YELLOW team - check out the headgear!

Each Team had their own Coach to guide them during the cheer-song performance (which was hilarious!), then the games started. 6 games altogether & points were collected for each team: 1. Passing Getah with Straw, 2. Ping Pong Ball in a spoon, 3. Empty water bottle on a Plate, 4. Filling up water in a Bottle with Sponge, 5. Sweets in Tepung, 6. Treasure Hunt. It was so much FUN!

Hakim - run, run, run!

Ngah strategizing with the RED team members

Peace Hadi!

Anas filling up the bottle

Then we had 6-a-side Soccer: KL vs. Melaka. BL, BN, Azam, Danial, Izzat & Amir (KL) lawan AZ, Aswad, Zizi, Andy, Adlan & Hakim (Melaka). Apak was the umpire & both teams were so good! Ended with a tie: 2-2. We took a break for Lunch: Berkelah makan Nasi Lemak bawah pokok asam. After zohor, we gathered for the family meeting. This is the most anticipated event of the year for everyone. It is our tradition every year to have this gathering during Raya: Apak & Mak will give a speech to wrap up the events which had happened throughout the year, we give thanks to Allah for our blessings, we doa for the coming year, we exchange gifts with Apak & Mak, sisters & brother, and give angpows to nieces & nephews.

Beloved Apak & Mak

For me, Raya is complete only when we have this family gathering. It is just so special that I can't describe it in words. We reflect on what we had achieved for the year in our lives, our careers, our children's education; we talk, we laugh, we cry - it is a time for sharing, and reinforcing our love and commitment to the family. The warm & fuzzy feeling is so overwhelming during these gatherings that I can feel the love for days later..

Thank you so much Mak & Apak, Kak Long & Bang Long, Kak Ngah & Bang Ngah, Kak Mas & Azam, Eda & Aswad, Win & Zizi, Jerd & Ery, & Andy for all the wonderful presents & the Angpow for the kids; And most of all thank you for the precious time we shared together. We love you all - & look forward to our next gathering..

Selamat Hari Raya 2009 & Maaf zahir batin (^_^)

Happy Raya & Happy 40

2009-09-21T22:37:00.007+08:00

Mama's darlings

The residents of Danau Kaseh celebrated 1st Syawal in Raub & Jerantut this year. It's always special being with Mak in Raub, and every time we go back, I always wish that we had gone back more often throughout the year.. Must make extra effort in future..

Santai di bawah pondok :)

2nd Syawal this year falls on 21st September, my 40th birthday. We headed back home to Melaka and on the way, we stopped in KL to have Mama's Birthday lunch at Chillies, Mid Valley. I will remember this day for the rest of my life - it's just so precious spending the quiet lunch with AZ & the kids - all warm & fuzzy feeling. Thanks to all mama's darlings for the lovely presents. Thanks baby for the personalized iPod Nano - love it!

20.09.2009 - my last day of being 30-something

40 is like the new 30 :)

Mug from Adlan, Lotion from Hakim,

Notebook from Adlina & Piggy Bank from Anas

Turning 40

2009-09-12T08:59:00.008+08:00

I have to admit that I've been rather malancholy these past few days. You see, I will be 40 in a week. Somehow the BIG 4-Zero seems to be such a daunting number and I feel so afraid of facing it!

A friend said (obviously to comfort) that Ustaz Shamsuri in a lecture actually quoted a hadith which essentially said that a woman is most beautiful at the age of 40. I looked in the mirror and can safely confirm that this is not true in my case! Yelps!

Self reflecting, I try hard to focus on the positive. What are the lessons that I have learnt in the past 40 years? The real lessons that count. Not the ones that you learn in college to get a degree. Lessons in life, of life. There are just too many to list down, but perhaps for me, the most compelling (this may sound cliche) is the importance of Family. I believe that everything revolves around having a good and stable family relationship. It affects all other aspects in the life of a person: his self confidence & self worth; his attitude towards life; his relationship with God & the people around him; everything on the outside of a person is a reflection of how he is on the inside - and this is determined, mainly by the way he has been brought up and his relationship with his family.

I also learnt not to take things for granted and be thankful for what I have. The little things & the big things. The miracle of life and the gift of health by Allah. Having a close-knit family who loves me unconditionally. Being with my soulmate and having 4 beautiful children with him. Having a roof over our head and food on the table. Having special friends who are supportive and encouraging. Being in control of my career and having my own business where I can share Allah's rezeki with my staffs and their family. There are just too many to be thankful for. Ya Allah, You have been so generous to me beyond comprehension. Syukur Alhamdulillah.

Turning 40 is a blessing from Allah - it means that I have been chosen to continue walking on this earth with all the wisdom and lessons that I have learnt in the past, and to share these lessons with others. I have also been given more time to prepare myself for the next life as I know I am not ready.

Looking back, there is no reason for me to freak out when I found a grey hair on my head 2 weeks ago... (^_^)

Our Oldest Koi

2009-09-07T18:15:00.006+08:00

Dragon

Our Koi Pond was infected by bacteria last week!! Yikes.. The kois looked so dizzy, grouping together at the corner, mostly gasping for oxygen. A few were already swimming sideways! Literally Nyawa-Nyawa Ikan :(

Dragon, our oldest Koi succumbed to the disease last Thursday when I was in Kuching. It's so sad because we had it for 5 years & it had survived many-many Pond-Mishaps like when the pump broke down 3 years ago & almost all our kois died (about 25 of them). Adlina was really sad but I told her that Dragon is in a better place now..

Dragon saying goodbye to Brownie (Adlina's favourite soft toy)

AZ intervened on Saturday & poured in the Ubat to kill the bacteria & the water is all luminous green now. But it looks like the ubat is working well. All the fish swimming sideways suddenly dah tegak balik! Phew!

Really hope that the rest of the fish will survive this trauma..

The Familiarity of Home

2009-09-05T22:49:00.004+08:00

It's been a whole week of rush, rush, rush for me. Had to fly in to Kuching & then Sibu in the middle of the week to get 5 sets of Agreements signed by 4 different clients. It's been utterly stressful. This was especially painful for me because it's fasting month and I just hate to be away from home. I missed the sahur, berbuka and solat Maghrib berjemaah with AZ and the kids..

Being away from my family for just a couple of days was enough to make me really appreciate being home more, even if it's just doing nothing particularly special. The familiarity of home, the love and acceptance, precious moments with the kids and the comfort of being with AZ, all adds up. I guess I'm not cut out to be one of those high flying people who live in a suitcase, going for business trips from country to country. I think I was born to be a housewife :)

I sound so sappy here.. please excuse the ramblings (^_^)

Cherryl Alya Abdullah

2009-08-28T18:13:00.004+08:00

Cherryl on her last day

It is with a very heavy heart that we let Cherryl go today to pursue her career in Singapore and be with her mom. Cherryl is family. She has been with us since 2005 and we have gone through so much together. In the years that she has been with us, I've had the priviledge to watch her grow and bloom. Almost 2 years ago, Cherryl made a life changing decision when she embraced Islam. We were so proud of her. We still are. It is just too difficult to say goodbye.

Our lunch before Ramadhan

Dear Cherryl, wishing you the very BEST in your new place. May you have a lifetime of success and happiness, and always be in Allah's protection. Farewell my friend. We will miss you much. Take good care & keep in touch..

Anas's First Ramadhan

2009-08-23T14:19:00.002+08:00

Anas managed to puasa for the first time ever yesterday. Alhamdulillah.

When I told him that he could take a day off today & puasa every alternate day, his response was: I want to puasa for the whole month, Mama..

We are so proud of you, Anas (^_^)

PS: Adlina, mama is also proud of you & I know Anas is able to puasa because of your strength & encouragement. You are a GREAT big sis for Anas, darling <3

4 days to Ramadhan

2009-08-17T22:54:00.002+08:00

It's 4 days to Ramadhan. Somehow this year has gone by so fast. It's the middle of August, with just over 4 months left to 2009. And the fasting month seems to come so soon..

Wishing everyone a blessed holy month filled with love and submission to Allah. Selamat berpuasa bersama keluarga tersayang (^_^)

Adlan the Cake Baker

2009-08-09T11:47:00.004+08:00

There's been a flurry of activities in the kitchen of Danau Kaseh. Adlan has shown a sudden interest in baking cakes which is fantastic for everyone (we are a household of cake-lovers!).

Here are some of Adlan's creations in the past few days. The marble cake is soft, smooth & lovely. Adlina helped with the colours :)

The delectable blue, pink & cream Marble Cake

These cupcakes were baked yesterday by Adlan & decorated by Mama. Perfect with a cup of tea.

Adlan's delicious cupcakes

(Extremely easy) Recipes as follows:-

Marble Cake

180g butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

food colouring

Method:-

1. Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add egg, one at a time. Add vanilla essence.

2. Fold in sifted flour and milk in 2 batches.

3. Divide mixture in 3 bowls & add food colouring to your liking.

4. Bake ring cake tin in oven at 180c for 40 minutes.

Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

2/3 cups castor sugar

125g butter, softened

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

Icing:-

100g butter, softened

1 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 tbsp milk

food colouring

Method:-

1. Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add egg, one at a time. Add vanilla essence.

2. Add sifted flour and milk in mixture.

3. Drop 1 1/2 tbsp of mixture in paper cup cases.

4. Bake in oven at 180c for 20 minutes.

5. Mix all icing ingredients in bowl & beat with electric mixer until fluffy.

6. Decorate cupcakes only after cake has cooled.

The Chef & Sous-Chef

(Adlan used a face mask when preparing his cake!)

Have fun baking (^_^)

Working from Home

2009-08-06T14:21:00.003+08:00

I've been working from home for 3 days since Tuesday. Files are piled up on the dining table, mostly completed but some still needing attention. Since Adlan spread the flu virus to Hakim & Anas, my schedule has been chaotic. I wanted to be home to monitor the kids, but at the same time I had 13 sets of Agreements which were due to client by yesterday. It's been a nightmare!

Alhamdulillah Adlan and Hakim are a lot better today. Unfortunately Anas is still struggling to keep his body temperature down. He has also developed a nasty cough. This morning I brought him to Pantai again when his temperature peaked at 39.2 Celsius. He is now on Relenza, an anti-influenza prescription. His temperature has gone down to 38 after taking the paracetamol. But he still refuses to eat. It's painful for me to see my little boy just lying down in bed not wanting to do much when normally he would be running around driving everyone crazy. Really pray that he will get better soon.

It's been quite good working from home. Yesterday Adlan, Hakim & Adlina joined me at the dining table with their notebooks & did their own things ranging from playing their favourite games on the Internet to working on their workbooks & test papers on Score A. Surprisingly, I got a lot of work done. Managed to email to my client all the Agreements within the dateline. The kids were so good, they knew that I had work to finish, and they were just happy to have me home. No disturbance. I'm comforted by the fact that I'm with all my kids & checking on their condition every now and then. Real peace of mind.

Thanks to modern technology & the Internet, you don't have to be in the office to get your work done & communicate with clients. It's times like these that I am so thankful to Allah for endowing me with the blessing of having my own Firm, where I am able to decide and prioritize on what is important in my life.

Thank you God, for all your blessings.. Please take care of the residents of Danau Kaseh..

H1N1

2009-08-01T22:36:00.000+08:00

Adlan was down with a very bad flu last night. Very high fever at 39 degrees celcius & terrible coughs. I started getting really worried when he started to feel lethargic and refused to eat his dinner (this is very unusual!). 2 days ago 18 students from his class were absent from school due to severe flu. So, I knew we had to take him to the hospital immediately.

Putra Hospital A & E was packed with people, mostly down with flu! It didn't look good. I was informed that the night before, 70 students from a college were brought into the hospital with flu symptoms & it was chaotic. When the doctor examined Adlan, he said that it was possible that Adlan might be having the dreaded H1N1 as the virus is just everywhere now, plus the fact that St David High School had a few suspected cases. I felt so weak when he said that. But he reassured us that complications only happen in 1 of 500 cases. In most cases, the virus will stay & die off after 5-7 days. He prescribed Adlan with some medication, some strong antibiotics & requested that he be quarantined at home. He finally said that if Adlan starts vomiting, we have to immediately send him to the General Hospital.

Apparently the swab test to determine whether or not one has H1N1 is only available in government hospitals. The test kit is expensive, costing about RM1,250 per person and it takes 3 days before the result can be confirmed. I guess this means that the numbers of people infected with virus in Malaysia must be so much higher than the 1,400+ as published by the government. I'm sure there are many more people who must have been infected but didn't get the chance to undergo the swab test to confirm their status! This is so worrying..

Well, at home, Alhamdulillah Adlan is feeling so much better today. His fever has reduced to 38.2. He is still coughing with some runny nose, but no vomiting. He has started eating again at lunch time, although much lesser than normal, at least he is eating. I hope he will completely recover soon..

Just pray that the rest will be spared from the flu.. Shoo, Shoo H1N1!!

Allahyarham Yasmin Ahmad

2009-07-26T14:53:00.007+08:00

I have never met Yasmin Ahmad. And unfortunately I've never had the privilege of knowing her personally. But I'm a huge fan of all her TV commercials and movies. She touches my heart in the few minutes of short stories about love, life and respect in the commercials aired usually prior to festivals in the past few years. Strange how she can make me feel & cry in less than 2 minutes.

And don't get me started on her movies. Yasmin had that gift of seeing differently. Her movies are honest and true, so much so that all her work attracted controversies from the powers that be. Scenes were cut, some parts were banned and debated on. Her film Muallaf never reached the screens in Malaysia. But, kudos to her, she persisted on. She didn't live with a front so she would get public's approval. Yasmin was a story-teller who told simple, real stories about people, relationships, love and life. She was honest, without all the pretence and hypocrisies - and she touched so many hearts, mine included.

The closest I got to Yasmin Ahmad was when I left a message in her blog yasminthestoryteller last year. I told her that I was in awe of her talent and she responded to my message simply by saying: Allah is generous beyond comprehension. How true..

Last night Yasmin was called to her Maker and we, as a nation has lost a remarkable person who had that rare gift of making people laugh, cry and think, all at the same time. Al-Fatihah..

It's strange how you can be so affected by the death of someone you don't even know and have never met. But I feel so, so sad today.

Please watch the clip below. It's to remind people that we are all "beautifully imperfect". It's one of her work in Singapore.

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=Nw0s4C0g5SM

National Choral Speaking Competition

2009-07-20T19:06:00.010+08:00

The Champions!

Adlan's Choral Speaking Team won the National Competition today!! St David High School's team is the Best in Malaysia 2009! Wooooohoooooo :D

I was at the venue first thing this morning as SDHS was the 4th school to perform. Without a doubt, the SDHS team was in a class of their own. Their performance was OUTSTANDING! From the word go, they were all articulate, expressive, passionate & convincing! Their delivery & gestures were flawless. The script entitled "Teachers' Nightmare" was interesting, gripping and funny - every second was a pleasure! Adlan had some solo lines (he is the school principal in the script!) & he did extremely well. I was so, so proud of him. The audience was so appreciative, some of the competing schools even gave them a standing ovation! Thank you so much to the most brilliant and passionate coach - Anna Nonis - for bringing out the best in the students. Anna, you are the one who made this happen for the team! You are truly priceless.

Anna in pink with the team of Kaypoh Moms & Sisters :)

Adlan & his 2 BFF - Alif & Joel

Waiting for the results nearly gave me a heart attack. When they announced SDHS as the champion, the students literally brought the roof down with screams, cries, yells & delightful laughters! I cried and laughed at the same time. We were all hugging each other, and I quietly thank God for this wonderful gift.

A picture with Dato' Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim

(who gave an inspiring speech!) & the coveted trophy :)

Adlan, Mama is so proud of you and your team!! Congratulations darling! The school PIGB will reward you all soon (^_^)

Postscript: The Choral Speaking video can be viewed here.

Hadi

2009-07-13T08:53:00.005+08:00

Having tea and cake at the kitchen on Hadi's last day

Of all the interns who had been attached to our Firm, Hadi is the most special. He is focused and he works at a given task seriously and diligently. He understood instructions given to him well & researches his work with much enthusiasm. To be fair, some of our previous interns were good too, but what made Hadi different is that he genuinely made the effort to get to know all the staffs. He is always willing to help (even in the kitchen!). We were comfortable to have him with us. We felt that he was part of the family.

Hadi left last Friday to continue with his final year in UIA. We wish him the very best of luck as he strives to obtain the much coveted law degree!

A Quiet, Lazy Weekend

2009-07-05T18:33:00.003+08:00

The Eye is quite stunning at night

Eye On Malaysia in Malacca

The residents of Danau Kaseh had a quiet and lazy weekend & it was truly blissful :)

We all went for a ride on the Eye On Malaysia on Saturday night & the experience was much better than expected! The brightly lit Giant Ferries Wheel looked stunning at night! Glad we decided to take this ride and it's a MUST if you are ever in Malacca (Anas was a little scared at first but he got over it soon!). We then parked at EQ and strolled over to Subaidah at Dataran Pahlawan for supper. Although the teh tarik was somewhat disappointing, the Tandoori Naan was Yummy!

Anas looking a bit worried

Papa & Hakim

Adlan & Hakim

Sunday lunch, Adlan helped Mama cook in the kitchen while Hakim & Adlina helped clear & set up the table. We had lasagna and garlic bread, and bread pudding & jelly for dessert. I'm gald we gave Mawar the weekend off. Really should do this more often - quiet weekend, just with the family..

Wish the weekend would last longer - it's Monday & I'm really in for a busy week this week.. sigh...

The Day After the Carnival

2009-06-28T08:43:00.006+08:00

What a day we had yesterday! The St David High School Carnival was so well received by everyone! I couldn't believe the crowd that came. We expected about 2,000 people but there must have been more than 5,000 people at the carnival yesterday! Thanks everyone for joining in the fun while helping us build our new school block!

All the hard work put in by the committee members truly paid off & the stress & pain just disappeared when the school principal said: "This carnival is a roaring success!" The Chief Minister came & spent about 45 minutes going around the jumble sale, food & games stalls, checking out the ponies & flying fox, & he even went into the Haunted House put up by the students! What a good sport! Our initial target was to raise RM20,000, but from yesterday's estimation, we may have collected more than 3 times our target! YAY :D

Thank you so much especially to my wonderful team of strong-willed mothers who were the backbone of this event: Josephine, Natty, Puteh, Wan & Fazy - your commitment & strength has inspired me to work even harder. It is not easy to find a good team of volunteers who are so committed & pleasant to work with, in spite of all the challenges & hurdles. I am so proud of our team & leading all of them have been a real privilege. Thanks also to some of the teachers who embraced our vision, Puan Tan, Shikin, Noraini, Azimah, Mr Tay, Mr Lai & most of all the supportive school principal, Mr Chay - who must have been initially shocked by the new PIBG committee members who are so persistent & wouldn't take no for an answer :) We really hope to raise enough fund for the new school block within these 2 years.

Today, the day after the carnival, my whole body is aching, my hands are so sore, I cannot feel my legs & my back is totally numb. Worst of all: the piles of sunscreen SPF50/PA+++ totally melted away in the hot sun yesterday & I am left with a glowing RED face with brand new freckles popping merrily on my cheeks & nose! YIKES!!

But, I am so happy & proud beyond words! Feeling very warm & fuzzy inside. I really hope everyone had great fun at the carnival yesterday! Thanks for all your support, especially my sistas Buttercup & Bubbles (who brought along their whole troupe!) & Linda, Raha & Ijan - thanks for making the time to share the day with us. It really means a lot to me.. (^_^)

PS: Adlan's burger stall was a sell-out. I didn't even get the chance to buy a burger!

PPS: Adlina wrote about her experience at the carnival here.

St David High School Carnival

2009-06-21T16:26:00.005+08:00

SATURDAY 27/6/09 from 10.00am

Adlan's school, St David High School is having a Food & Fun Carnival on Saturday 27th June 2009 to raise fund for a new School Block. The PIBG committee members of SDHS have been busy organizing so many things to make the Carnival as fun as possible & here are some of the highlights of the events you can look forward to:-

Jumble Sale, Pony/Horse Rides, Abseiling, Archery, Wall Climb, Free Health Screening, RM5 haircuts, Nail Art, Face Painting, Book Sale, Fashions & Accessories, Food, Food Food :0 And loads of FUN :D

If you are in Melaka: Please come & join us at the Carnival!! We welcome you to St David High School with open arms & lots of fun + laughter (^_^)

Khatam Al-Quran

2009-06-13T17:54:00.005+08:00

It was a very proud moment for AZ and me yesterday when we celebrated the special occasion of Adlan, Hakim & Adlina having finished reading the Al-Quran for the first time. Thank you everyone who came to share the event with us late Friday afternoon; Thank you so much to Linda, Radhuana, Tati, Kak Midah, Eyta, Faizah, Asalina, Cherryl, Noridah, Kak Tini, Kak Wan & Jerd for the kueh-mueh, cakes, chocolates, fruits, gifts and angpows; Thank you Mak for coming all the way from Raub to be with us; Thank you Mak for the pulut kuning; Thank you Kak Sapura for making the curtains in 2 days :) (I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!). We are truly blessed to have so many wonderful and supportive friends and family around us.

Finally, Special thanks to Ustaz Norzaki for teaching our kids for the past 2 years. We really appreciate your commitment and patience.

This is such an important milestone for Adlan, Hakim & Adlina. To my darlings, Mama is so proud of you. Love you all so, so much.

Syukur Alhamdulillah (^_^)

* Pictures of the event will come soon.

In Sickness

2009-06-09T21:53:00.005+08:00

It's been a little quiet the past one week, mainly because I had the flu. Adlina got the flu bug about 10 days ago, passed it on to papa last week & then mama. Adlan & Hakim caught it 2 days ago & finally Anas this morning.. Of all the residents of Danau Kaseh, Mama got the worst of the flu - the whole works - fever, completely blocked nose, extremely sore throat & excruciating coughs! Finally feeling a bit better today after 2 days of antibiotics.

Having said all that, I know I have a lot to thank for. This is nothing compared to the news that I just received about the passing of a senior in school who was just 2 years older than me. Kak Angah passed away yesterday after suffering from breast cancer for just 4 months. I just cannot imagine how her children would cope without their beloved mother.. It's so painful. I don't really remember Kak Angah who was our Blue House captain in 1984, and I feel so terrible that I can't really have a clear image of how she looked like. It has been more than 25 years after all.. Semoga rohnya ditempatkan dengan orang-orang yang beriman & I pray that Allah will protect her children and give them the strength to move on in life. Al-Fatihah.

In Malaysia, for every 5 women, 1 will suffer from cancer - breast & cervical cancer top the list. This means that I could be one of the 5 - the statistics is so staggering. Why is it so prevalent? Is it the food we are taking? Is it the stress? Is it the environment? Could it be our lifestyle? Takut rasanya nak fikirkan.. Doa Allah jauhkan penyakit ini dari kesemua ahli keluargaku dan kawan-kawanku. Amin.

Of Love and Betrayal

2009-06-01T22:55:00.003+08:00

A close friend just discovered that her husband has a second wife, who is now pregnant with their 3rd child. Needless to say, she is extremely devastated. There are no words to say to make her feel any better. I cannot think of anything to say. So, we just both cried while i held her hand when she poured out her story. About love and hope. About trust and betrayal. About what life has been for her and her 4 children. Her husband must have been married for at least 5 years: All 5 years of lies, deceit and betrayal. It's terrible.

I cannot imagine how some men could live a double life. I've been informed by a man who is living a similar situation that he didn't want to hurt his first wife, whom he loves, by telling her about his second family. How can you love someone and lie to them on a daily basis? How can you say you love someone and betray her trust in you? A Husband is the closest person to a Wife, the person she trusts most with her life. He is her protector, her ardent supporter, her lover and her best friend. Well, that is what I feel a husband should be to a wife. And vice versa.

So, what do you say to a person who discovers that her best friend, her protector, the person closest to her heart & soul, has betrayed her for the past 5 years? There are no words. It goes far beyond pain and hurt; it is affecting her self esteem and self worth. She feels she is a failure. That she has lost everything that she had carefully built all these years. She has lost her best friend and soulmate to someone else. It's just too painful to bear.

I just wish all men would realize how deeply they affect the women in their relationships. A husband is almost everything to a woman. He is her strength and her weakness. He is her source of joy and happiness. His being with her boosts her confidence and self esteem. He is a part of her. She needs him to be with her and to reassure her that he will always be there for her when she needs him. To love and trust. This is the whole basis of a marriage, to a woman. When this trust is crushed, what is left is an empty shell.

To my dear friend, may Allah give you the strength during this difficult time. I pray that Allah will guide you to the correct path as you make this very important decision in your life. Take care, and hang in there.

NORDIN GROUP is officially open

2009-05-21T21:36:00.007+08:00

CM looking at the Red Maze

NORDIN GROUP is officially open on 15th May 2009. Alhamdullillah the opening ceremony went well, officiated by the Chief Minister of Melaka.

The people behind the Group of Companies

Thank you for the flowers!

The most meaningful bouquet came

from my dear friend, Tati.. Thanks :)

Coming to office is such a pleasure these days. The kids feel so much at home here - weekends are spent in the office for them to finish up their homework & spend time with AZ and me. This is a true blessing from Allah and I am so thankful beyond words.

I pray that this will be the start of a really GREAT journey for the whole group of companies. My Firm now feels that it has come home.

Mak

2009-05-11T20:00:00.005+08:00

My beautiful Mak

When I was a little girl, I always thought that Apak was the head of the family who made all the decisions for all of us. I was always in awe of Apak & thought that Mak was just playing a supporting role to Apak. But now that I've grown up, I realized that Mak had played a much bigger role in our family and in my life. Looking back, Mak was the most influential person in my growing up life and I am who I am now, mostly because of Mak.

Mak is the most sincere and most generous person I know. Mak was the one who taught all of us values in life as we grew up; the rights and wrongs. Mak was the person who kept our family so close together, always reminding us the importance of staying close. It was Mak who reminded us that it was prayer time, teaching us how to do it right. Mak was the one who encouraged us to do our best in school; Mak attended all my school concerts, the one who applauded the loudest when I received any prize in school. When I was in boarding school, it was Mak who fussed over everything, making sure I had enough food, clothes and everything else. Coming home for holidays, its was Mak who made sure that my favourite dishes were served at every meal.

Mak loves to make people happy. She devotes her life to making others happy, her family, her friends. She is so giving. She is surrounded by people who love her and who hold on to her friendship passionately. She has nothing bad or negative to say about anyone. Mak always looks at the best in people. She always reminds us "Biar orang buat kita sedih, jangan kita buat orang sedih" (Let others hurt us, but we must never hurt others). Such a simple reminder, but I really try hard to hold on to it.

Having 4 kids of my own, I can now appreciate how difficult it must have been for Mak to bring up all 8 of us. And she did it so gracefully, and successfully. Through her strength and dedication, we are who we are today. I just pray that I can be half the mother that she is to me to my kids.

Mak was awarded the "Best Mother Award" or anugerah Ibu Mithali for the state of Melaka last Sunday on Mother's Day - and how she deserves it! We are so proud of her!

Mak - you are my Hero & I love you soooo very much.

Happy Mother's Day!

Footnote - Mother's Day in Danau Kaseh started with a delicious breakfast cooked by our very own chef, Mizter Adlan.

Yummy breakfast!

My bedroom walls were decorated with love notes & cards by Hakim, Adlina & Anas.

I love the cards & notes - pasted all over my walls <3

Thank you my loves. Mama had a terrific Mother's Day (^_^)

Mama is Queen of the Table :)

4ZERO Birthday Bash

2009-05-06T08:29:00.003+08:00

Sizzling @ 40 :)

The class of Tunku Kurshiah College 82-86 had our 4Zero Birthday Bash last weekend & we had such an amazing time catching up with old friends! It was as if time stood still & we were back in college! Only most of us came in different shapes & sizes compared to 23 years ago :)

It's true what they say, time flies when you are having fun. Meeting up for a good 5 hours is definitely NOT enough. There were too much to update, but the main topic of discussion were: CHILDREN - some have been really productive (my having 4 kids is nothing to shout about compared to some brave souls who have 6 & even 7 kids!) & some have their eldest child taking SPM this year! DIET TIPS - plenty of this flying around! Recommendations of Slimming Centers, Slimming Pills, Diet Programs, Aerobics style, Yoga etc.. But after seeing everybody wolfing down the food served at the high tea that day, I wasn't sure anyone would follow up with these suggestions ;) Personally, I told my friends that I'd rather be Fat & Happy! The thought of having to eat less food seems like a torture!

The theme for the reunion was to dress in 1980s trend. Alamak! Big hair, Big Shoulder pads, Skinny Jeans & Bold make-up.. I just couldn't stomach the thought! So, I was a bit boring & came in a technicolor blouse which would pass for the '70s (close enough I thought). But kudos to Jizzie for taking the challenge & walked into the hall in full Madonna garb (complete with fishnet tights, gaudy make-up & plenty of accessories) & Elin in short skirt, neon tights & leg-warmers. Haha :D Memang sesuai!!

I was Pak Supir for Madam Tati & Dr. Rosz for the day, and a happy one too - especially after coming home with plenty of prizes: 1. For Class with the most number of attendees; 2. For House with the most number of attendees; 3. Table winning the "Guess the Song" game; 4. Won a lucky draw. Yaaaay!! All these together with the lovely goody bag & cupcake - Thank you so much to the organizing committee (whom we call the PGKs - Perempuan Gila Kuasa).

What a great reunion!! We all pledged to meet more often... (^_^)

The Neglected Page

2009-04-28T18:44:00.005+08:00

It's been more than 10 days since I last updated my Blog! My days have been really packed with meetings and discussions, and in between, there were some highlights as follows:-

1. We all finally settled into our new office after almost 3 weeks of unpacking & re-organizing (the kitchen cabinet was finally installed yesterday!);

2. My youngest sister, Norliza, became a mother for the first time. Congratulations sweetie! Adrian is so cute!;

Baby Adrian

3. My cousin, Amin got married to Mas - Congratulations, Amin & Mas! For the nikah, Mas's good friend Syarifah Amani was her pengapit! How exciting! I'm a big fan, so tanpa segan silu, I took a picture with her & Mak :);

4. The biggest Maidin Hypermarket in Malaysia opened up 500 meters from our office (Yay! Beli barang-barang murah!)

5. Adlan got 1st in class for his Exam (this is a first - I was shocked!);

6. Adlina got 7th in her class in her last Exam (1st time she got Top 10!); and

7. Apak is 75 today. Happy Birthday Apak! We love you sooo much! Semoga Allah panjangkan umur Apak & murahkan rezeki sentiasa.

Apart from that, it's really refreshing working in the new office. I still haven't posted any pictures of our office yet. The truth is, I haven't taken any pictures! Will do so soon, and post it in my next posting. Promise.. (^_^)

Settling In

2009-04-14T18:29:00.003+08:00

Moving office has its virtues. I get to throw away so much unnecessary stuffs that I've accumulated over the years (there were plenty!). Found many keepsakes which I have forgotten about over the years. Chanced upon lovely old pictures and cards tucked away in books and boxes. Love notes and drawings from my babies who are now in their teens. So many trips down memory lane..

The past one week have been a roller-coaster ride of emotions for me. Sad and Nostalgic to leave our old office where the Firm started 7 years ago - the first place Nordin Group started as a group of companies working under one roof. Anxiety - worrying about probable lost of files and important documents. Fatigue - my whole body aching from all the running around and carrying things (finally admitted that I'm really getting old). Pride and Excitement in moving into a new bigger office. Happy that everything is finally coming into place.

Moving means that we get to organize our files and systems better. We get to design our office space better. We are more coordinated. There is a new motivation for the staffs. It just feels good all around! It's really rejuvenating. I feel a new drive to perform my very best. Seriously.

But the most special part about moving for me is that I finally get to be in the same office building as AZ. I have been waiting for this day since Danau started 2 years ago. Now my life feels more complete... (^_^)

Moving Office

2009-04-06T21:00:00.002+08:00

We are moving office. 6 lorry-loads of stuffs were ferried to our new premise last weekend. Today we started unpacking the files, books and law journals while the contractors assembled our workstations. A day of unpacking, sorting, marking, storing & filing. Books in shelves, files in pigeon-holes.

Every part of my body is aching.. I'm so tired beyond words.. Also managed to sprain my wrist somehow & it's excruciating. But all in all, I'm so excited about the new place! We have more space now & the location is near everything that is important in our every day dealings. Alhamdulillah..

I will write more when we have finally settled in. Photos later ok.

A Wonderful Surprise

2009-03-31T07:04:00.005+08:00

It's personalized! Really sweet of you.

Thanks so much sayang..

I love it (^_^)

My journey through the Blogworld

2009-03-28T17:47:00.007+08:00

It has just been over a year since I first started my blog. Looking back, I wrote my first posting on 4th March 2008. It seems like so long ago! I had posted exactly 100 postings since then & this is my 101st. Wow. How time flies.

At the start, I certainly had some reservations about putting my thoughts into digital form for the world to read and criticize; I was so afraid of being judged. But as days turn to months, I realized that the blog is actually one of the best ways to keep a record of the events that happen in my life. I begin to understand that the blog is for me first, and then for others.

Danaukaseh is my life journal. It documents special occasions, and not-so-special occasions; Some fears and anxieties that I choose to share; Some triumphs and tribulations; Thoughts about people whom I care about; Lessons learned; Proud & Happy moments; Some concerns as a wife, a mother, a sister and a friend. It allows me to document my feelings in digital archives, as a reminder to me and a story for my children when they grow up.

And I feel lucky that I have family & friends who have given me a lot of encouragement and support through danaukaseh. Giving motivation when I'm down; Sharing happy events and proud moments; Offering thoughtful advice - all through comments made in danaukaseh. Thank you, to all of you for making the time to visit, and for sharing your thoughts. I made some new acquaintances and renewed lost friendships through my blog. For that, I'm truly grateful.

I have learned so much in the past one year in my journey through the Blogworld. About me, about people and about the virtual community. I will share more about this one day.

Happy 1 Year, Danaukaseh (^_^)

Exhilaration

2009-03-25T23:13:00.007+08:00

It is difficult to describe the feeling of winning a case, especially after having worked so hard for it and having gone through a really tough time being grilled by 3 judges in the Court of Appeal, and after much argument with the opposing counsel.

When the judgment was delivered, I could literally feel my heart expanding, and eyes watering. It's a mixed feeling of being excited and thankful; happy and proud; a feeling of having learned a precious lesson; it seems surreal somehow. Humbling. Exhilarating.

Syukur Alhamdulillah.

And now I just feel drained, but in a good way :)

Hong Kong Disneyland

2009-03-18T19:24:00.007+08:00

Hello Hong Kong Disneyland!!

The residents of Danau Kaseh had so much fun in Hong Kong Disneyland last week! What a great way to de-stress after so much pressure at work!! Good family FUN! We went at the right time as the weather was perfect: sunny and cool springtime! School holidays in Hong Kong hasn't started yet, so the Park was not congested. We didn't have to queue up for almost all the rides & shows! Perfect timing!

Here's a short summary of our favourites at Disneyland:

Of all the rides, the Space Mountain roller-coaster was the most exciting! The whole ride was in pitch darkness, full of surprising drops, twists & turns. Fortunately there wasn't any loop-da-loop! Images from space like planets, novas & comets flashed by as you go past them in a fast, thrilling ride! We were so proud of Anas as he went on his first ever roller-coaster ride without crying at all! Adlan actually went on the ride 3 times (crazy!) & Adlina went on it twice!

It's A Small World, the world famous boat ride was charming. Lots of effort must have been put into all the colourful & beautiful miniature houses, famous landmarks, figurines, dolls & animals from around the world. It was such a relaxing ride after Space Mountain! Adlan, Adlina & Anas went on the spinning teacup after that, but the rest of us gave it a miss. I felt dizzy just looking at them spinning!

Spinning Teacups - not for mama!

Adlina loved the Autopia as she got to "drive" her own car! I didn't enjoy it too much as Anas drove the car I shared with him and the ride was extremely bumpy. His steering was totally out! Thank God he has 10 more years before he can get his "L" licence :)

Adlina driving her little car :)

Another interesting ride was the Jungle River Adventure. We had to ride through crocodiles, wild animals, head-hunters, piranhas & even a fiery volcano! Don't worry, none of them bite ;) Tarzan's Treehouse was on an island right in the jungle & we climbed up the Treehouse (which was high!). Right at the top, Anas said that he needed to pee immediately (Yikes!!). Thanks to Adlan's empty mineral water bottle, Anas became the first ever person to pee at the top of Tarzan's Treehouse :) I hope no one saw him!

Tarzan's Treehouse - no toilets at the top :)

My personal Favourites are the Live Shows: The Golden Mickeys & Festival of the Lion King. They were superb! The Golden Mickeys was like an Award show which showcased some of Disney's best loved characters like Mulan, Tarzan, Ariel, Woody & Jessie and Beauty & the Beast. The actors were fantastic singing familiar Disney tunes which we sang along. We went for the show twice & still enjoyed it tremendously the 2nd time!

The set of the Lion King was so colourful & impressive!

Festival of the Lion King was set in a circular theatre, more like an arena. The singers were brilliant & the set impressive! Giant elephant and giraffe figures were wheeled in together with Simba the lion. There were flame throwers breathing fire and acrobats suspended from the ceiling! It was such an amazing experience. True Disney magic!

Adlina meets Jessie

The highlight of Disneyland was the Fireworks set in the background of the castle at 7.30pm prior to closing. I heard about the fireworks before, but it was far better than what I expected. As aptly put by Adlan: the Fireworks were Beyond Awesome. Hakim was at a lost for words when I asked him what he thought of it! The Fireworks were launched in synch with Disney's music and the timing and positioning were all perfectly choreographed. I've always loved fireworks but the one we saw at Disneyland was without a doubt, the BEST one ever! It was Beyond Awesome!

Sleeping Beauty's castle at night was truly breathtaking

Time flies so fast when you're having so much fun. Two days in Disneyland went by too quickly. We checked out of Hollywood Disneyland Hotel and left for Kowloon with a heavy heart on Saturday.

The grounds around Hollywood Disneyland Hotel

was beautiful & perfectly manicured

Goodbye Hong Kong Disneyland! Thank you so much for such a magical experience. So many warm, fuzzy moments & happy memories... (^_^)

Time-Out

2009-03-11T20:07:00.002+08:00

Going for the desperately needed break finally! Can't wait to spend some time with AZ & the kids.. Will write more about this when we come back next week.

Have a good week everyone! Catch up later :)

Stress

2009-03-04T15:43:00.002+08:00

It's really stressful being a lawyer. Early on in my practice, I had consciously told myself that I must have the ability to attach to my work in the office, and then detach from it once I step out of the office. I have been able to do this quite well, especially when I was practicing civil litigation. Attach to my work at the office and in Court, then totally forget about it once I go home. Once at home, I'm just a wife and a mother.

Unfortunately, doing corporate work (especially for extremely demanding clients) is totally different and the pressure can be so tremendous that I can't help myself but bring the stress home sometimes, and AZ and the kids have to bear with unlikeable me. I just hate myself when I get hyper-sensitive and impatient. This is not me. And I don't like this me.

The past 2 weeks have been madness. Everything is top urgent. All agreements need to be executed immediately. Clashes in contract negotiations. Last minute changes in terms. I have pushed myself so hard that it's becoming unbearable. I know I have not been myself at home. I get angry with things too easily. I get too sensitive with little things. I'm so sorry to everyone at Danau Kaseh..

I'm so tired.. I just want to go home, curl up in my bed & forget the world. Can I please do that just for one day?

Adlan in KL

2009-02-28T10:05:00.006+08:00

Adlan is in KL for 3 days with his friends from school for the Petrosains Actology trip. I wrote last year about his school winning 3rd place at the national level competition organized by Petrosains. Finally, they are going for the much awaited trip! He left early yesterday morning & I'm already missing my boy so much!

On the contrary, Adlan is having so much fun that when I called him (5 times throughout the day yesterday), all he said was: "Mama, can you call later? I'm in the middle of something right now." Then: "Mama, I'm busy, can you call later?" Then: "Mama, it's too loud here, can we talk later?" Finally, I called him at 10pm and he said: "It was so much fun but I'm so tired right now. I will tell you all about it later ok?".

OMG! Adlan is all grown up & not needing his mama so much! I'm all teary and missing him here & he's having so much fun without his family... sob! sob! He didn't even call me this morning.. I told myself not to call him & see if he will. He hasn't and it's already 1pm! Looks like I will have to break my resolve soon & call him if he doesn't call me by 5pm..

I know I'm so pathetic.. Mothers are just so sentimental that way, & I'm a little bit too emotional when it comes to my kids. It's terrible! I know..

It's just so difficult to let go.. but I guess eventually, I will just have to. Looks like it'll be sooner than I'm prepared for..

Time

2009-02-25T07:42:00.003+08:00

Looks like it wasn't just 2 days of madness but the craziness have prolonged for the whole week. So much have happened in the last 7 days and there are so many stories to tell. Unfortunately, time doesn't permit for now.

It sickens me when I feel I'm not in control of my own time..

Two Days of Madness

2009-02-18T17:16:00.005+08:00

The past 2 days have been Madness. I have not been doing much Court work these days as I've been concentrating on Corporate and Privatization matters which really takes up a lot of my time. However, I had to look at a particular Litigation matter which was really complicated and couldn't be handled by my assistant. The Submission is due today & 2 days ago I panicked! OMG! 2 days to do research & write my submission!! HELP!

What to do? Memang crash course! Nasib baik I had a similar case a few years ago, so just need to refresh my memory (dah tua-tua ni memang selalu kena refresh - cepat lupa!). Read SO MANY case laws & statutes the past 2 days, it's unbelievable - marathon membaca sampai pedih mata! Got to the point where I had to re-read a paragraph in a case law 3 times before the passage meant anything to me! Pendek kata memang STRESS MAXIMA!

Started writing my submission yesterday until late last night. Continued this morning, the whole day. When I finally finished it, I just felt soooo relieved! Suddenly I felt so tired & rasa macam nak pengsan. Feels totally spaced out. I guess it's similar to the feeling we feel after our final exam masa kat universiti dulu, lepas belajar last minute la kan.. Haha :D

Just feel so sleepy now..

(^_^) G'nite everyone zzz...

New Love

2009-02-14T19:21:00.003+08:00

The new car has finally arrived & I'm totally in love with it instantly! After 1 month of pinjam kereta, tumpang kereta & bawak the big van around, I now officially own a car (I can almost hear the sigh of relief from our faithful driver who constantly had to pick up the van from me from my meeting venues to fetch the kids from school for the past month! Thanks Pakcik Long!).

It's a 323i E90 in Black Sapphire metallic and Dakota Black leather upholstery. My first ever black car. Comes with a Navigation system which I'm still clueless about (AZ & Adlan will have to master this for me - I'm so bad at learning gadgets). Responses to voice commands for a few applications including changing the radio channels & using the mobile phone. It has a USB port which means that I can listen to unlimited music of my choice through a pendrive or an iPod. The sound system is pretty amazing. Adlina said that it's a girl car as the instructions are given in a woman's voice. She wants to name the car! Wonder what would be a suitable name...

Anyway, the car is so smooooooth...

I'm just so thankful to Allah for His blessings. Alhamdulillah..

(^_^) ... new love <3

Sunday Barbeque

2009-02-10T21:23:00.004+08:00

The residents of Danau Kaseh had a wonderful barbeque last Sunday! As usual, Papa is the Chief every time we have BBQs & Adlan is 2nd in Command. I love having BBQs at home - definitely one of my most favourite family times. Here are some pictures..

Papa - an expert at starting the fire & handling the amber

(Kipas pakai nyiru!!)

Adlan, Papa's loyal assistant - buttering the grilled corn

Lamb chops, garlic prawns, chicken sausages

& grilled corn - YUMMY!

Hakim, Adlina & Anas enjoying the food :)

Our little BBQ grill

Can't wait for our next barbeque (^_^)

MSSM Golf Tournament 2009

2009-02-05T20:37:00.004+08:00

The residents of Danau Kaseh had such an exciting day yesterday! Adlan, Hakim & Adlina participated in the Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Negeri Melaka (MSSM) Golf Tournament & Papa & Mama (kay-poh as usual) became their caddies!! Heehee :)

Hakim putting

Our kids have been going for golf lessons with Coach Ariffin for the past one month. After just 10 lessons, we were surprised when he informed us that he intended to register all of them for the MSSM Tournament. Not to compete to win, he said, but just to expose them to the competition as the experience would be good. Unfortunately, Anas didn't qualify to enter as he has not reached the age of 7 yet - he cried when we told him he couldn't go :( Amongst the 4 of them, Anas is the most excited about the game right from the start! Well, there's always next year for Anas..

Anyway, Adlan, Hakim & Adlina were registered to compete in Medal B Group (for students competing in MSSM for the 1st time). Papa & Mama were so excited (this is an understatement). We took the day off to share the experience with them.

The Player & her Caddy :)

I wanted to help Adlina with her golf bag (kay-poh mom takut her little girl penat & panic.. heehee..). Papa assisted the boys & wanted to guide them as it was their first time playing on the golf course.. We woke up early and reached AKCC at 7 am - the 4th to register - nampak sangat over-excited. It was still dark! Haha :D

Early Birds

And guess what? Adlina won 2nd place for the Under-10 Girls category!! YAAYYY!! She played so well for a first-timer! Kay-poh mom is so, so proud beyond words!! Adlan & Hakim did fine too but they played with tougher boys who have been playing the game for at least 2 years or so. I'm sure they will do better next year! Congratulations to Adlan, Hakim and Adlina for making it to the competition and for playing so well!

Adlina accepting her medal & certificate

some of the winners

It was really worth the 4 hours walk in the HOT sun (it was scorching hot!). Proud mother has freckles popping out merrily on her sunburnt face, but hey, it was a GREAT day!

I was so happy to be with my little girl & one day when she grows up, I hope Adlina will remember her first outing on the golf course with Mama as her caddy :)

(^_^) loads of warms, fuzzy feelings <3

Early Morning Blues

2009-02-02T20:21:00.005+08:00

It's February and Anas is still crying every morning, refusing to go to school. It's so stressful to have to force him out of the bed, into the shower & dressing him every single morning, whilst having to bear with his wails and cries. When it's time to go, he will put on this very sad face, he will hug me tight & plead with me one last time to let him stay at home. A real drama every morning in Danau Kaseh.

I feel so tired having to deal with this.. Parenting is such a challenge... sigh...

Bangkok - The Jim Thompson House

2009-01-29T21:15:00.007+08:00

When I first read about the Jim Thompson House in our Lonely Planet guidebook, I thought that the kind words used to describe the House must be exaggerated. I expected the place to be touristy and tacky. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by the story of the remarkable man and marked it in the schedule for our second day in Bangkok. As we walked into the lush gardens of the House, I realized how wrong I was. The Jim Thompson House was really way beyond my expectation.

The view from the Art Gallery

Jim Thompson was an American architect who was enlisted in the army during the 2nd World War. He arrived in Thailand in 1945 and immediately fell in love with the people, culture, art, handicraft and everything else that was Thailand. So much so that when the war ended, he decided to permanently stay in Bangkok. He built his home, incorporating European elements into the traditional Thai Teak House. Jim Thompson loved Thai Silk and made it world-famous especially after demand for it expanded following the extensive use of the material in the stage and film version of "The King & I". Sometime in 1967, Jim Thompson mysteriously disappeared whilst on a holiday with friends in Cameron Highlands. His body was never found. His home is now a museum kept in memory of the man who loved Thailand so passionately.

Tea at the Terrace

It is difficult to describe the House in a single word. When something is created from the heart, with so much thought and love, the result is just too special for words. The Jim Thompson House is an experience of a man's life journey. It is truly beautiful and serene, in stark contrast to the ultra modern, cold metal structures that is Bangkok surrounding this sanctuary. The ambience of the whole area is one of warmth, peace and tranquility. The Main House is so graceful and elegant, with carefully selected ancient ornaments displayed thoughtfully on the walls and corners. When I looked out the window of his study, I could see why he made Thailand his home. The view of the tropical garden was breathtaking! Heliconias and orchids were flowering everywhere. Pink and white Lotus floated in huge ceramic vases at every nook and cranny.

Gorgeous Lotus everywhere

The pond adjacent to the terrace is home to

a giant stingray which delighted the boys!

Under the Main House

Kids waiting to go :-)

Wish I could take the Orchids home

Hakim wondering why the heliconias

were much bigger than ours at home

There is a gift shop at the entrance, quite unlike the usual touristy ones that you would expect of Bangkok. I fell in love with almost half of the stuffs there instantly but unfortunately most of them were pricey. I bought a few cards and notebooks and they were all carefully wrapped by the cashier in classy gift envelopes, complete with gold stickers! In case you miss it, there is another Jim Thompson boutique at the airport & the prices are 15% cheaper. Don't miss that one :-)

For me, the Jim Thompson House was the highlight of our trip. If not for the kids (who couldn't really see why the House was so interesting apart from the giant stingray), I would have begged AZ to stay there longer and would have had tea and scones at the terrace.

This place is a must if you are ever in Bangkok (^_^)

Bangkok - Chapter I

2009-01-27T11:48:00.009+08:00

One of the many beautiful buildings in the Royal Palace

The residents of Danau Kaseh had a wonderful time in Bangkok with AZ's staffs last weekend. I had such a misconception about Bangkok before - it is not what I imagined it to be. Bangkok is totally beyond my expectation!

Bangkok is surprisingly modern, clean and quite well planned. Impressive buildings and structures are aplenty. Skywalks and bridges are built to connect shopping malls, commercial offices and BTS stations which makes it easy for pedestrians. Walking through the interconnecting malls & walkways is pleasant and safe, above all the traffic. All these cosmopolitan amidst centuries old palaces and temples make Bangkok a modern city rich in culture and tradition.

The very modern Central World

We stayed in Arnoma Hotel which is in the center of the shopping district, right in front of a mall called Central World, an impressive building by any standard. Bangkok is a shopper's haven. There is something for everyone, whether you are on a string budget or otherwise. You can buy from stalls by the roadside and markets, or from branded boutiques in first class malls. Night markets are open until midnight. What I find most pleasant about shopping in Bangkok is that both the shopping malls and markets are not congested. The malls are huge, with wide corridors & bright lights. They are very well spaced out. This is quite unlike Jakarta which is crowded almost all the time, both outdoors and indoors. You can get good quality leather products at very reasonable price in Bangkok. Bargaining is essential and expected of course, and unlike Hong Kong, you won't be frowned upon for haggling!

The Golden Temple

The field at the front of the Royal Palace

Our first stop after checking into the hotel was a tour of the Royal Palace. The ground covers an area of about 61 acres and the structures in the compound are all opulent and stunning. The main temple in the Palace compound is covered in 18-carat gold plates.

Adlina touching the 18-carat gold plates

Another temple houses a Buddha sculpture from the 10th century sitting on a solid gold throne covered with rubies and diamonds. All the buildings are well preserved and beautifully maintained. The whole experience was breathtaking! The kids were enthralled by the myths and legends explained by our guide about Siam, Buddha and Ramayana. The tour was really awesome and cannot be missed if you are ever in Bangkok!

The legend of Ramayana is hand-painted

in detail on a 100-foot mural

The walls covered in ancient Chinese ceramics

There is so much to tell about our trip, but I will write more in my next posting. Meanwhile, I hope Hasanah, Hajar, Thony, Azim & Azmin had a good time in Bangkok with us as we did with them :-)

Sawadee Kap (^_^)

Saying Goodbye..

2009-01-21T13:53:00.004+08:00

It's always difficult to say goodbye especially to something that has been so much a part of your life, something that you have come to love so much.. but as the saying goes: with every Hello, there is a Goodbye.. Nothing lasts forever except for the AlMighty..

I've been rather down the past few days as I have to let my car go. It has served me well for the past 4 years but lately, it's been giving us quite a few problems. Pendek kata: asyik keluar-masuk workshop memanjang.. During it's long absence (masuk "klinik" sampai 9 hari last week!), I realized how difficult it is not having a car. Moving around was a pain & I had so many of my meetings cancelled!

I've had to borrow my sister's car to go to office & to attend several meetings (thanks so much Buttercup.. so sorry to inconvenient you..); borrowed my staff's car for one urgent meeting (thanks Eyta!); had my client fetch me to the meeting venue (they insisted that I had to be there even if it meant fetching me!); had my client's driver drive me a couple of times too (seriously!); and the other times, I had to stay home & do work. We are so dependent on our cars to move around, especially in Malacca where public transport is almost non-existent.

I was so mad with my car for all the inconvenience it had caused me the past month. But when my sales agent told me that he found a buyer for the car who wants it for the Chinese New Year, I felt so sad & teary.. I wasn't ready to let it go just yet..

I have so many precious memories of the car. It's my first BMW & I bought it after working so hard building my Firm. I spent a lot of time thinking in the car & many ideas were thought up in the car. Many conversations with AZ were carried out in the car & many decisions were made in the car. I love my car... and tomorrow, I will have to say goodbye..

Sob* Sob (@_@)