Goodbye

At last, it's time to say goodbye to this blog, and to lukluk ...

From today onwards The ABCs of Life will be moving to my own domain at nurinmz.com/blog. So dearest friends and readers, please update my link on your blogs/websites to nurinmz.com/blog. I really do appreciate your valuable time and support throughout my blogging days here. Keep on reading and see you at nurinmz.com/blog!

talk about babies [part 8]

Just a quick one. UPDATED!

- Handzalah is now able to recite du'a (prayer) before eating and sleeping and say at least Bismillah before getting things into his mouth/drinking. I've recorded his eating du'a recitation but I don't think I'd put it up here anyway ... sorry! He's reading the Qur'an together with me nowadays, immitating the end sounds for every ayah ;)

- He's telling me he needs the potty and successfully controlled his bowels before reaching the toilet ... yeayyyyyy Alhamdulillah! He even asked for another go while he's in the bathtub brushing his teeth. On the potty he said "we can't poo/wee in there (the tub), we poo/wee here"...hehe pandaila anak ummi ni. But that's just a start to a diaper free future :D .. there's a long way to go, allahumma yassir

- My little bubbly girl is currently enjoying her voice making noises and the ta-ta-ta all the time. She's also been trying to immitate her brother's acts and to prove this hypothesis of mine I tried asking the little boy to teach her sister to wave bye bye and to my surprise she immediately tried waving! She's following him all the time, rolling to his side and 'talking' to him every now and then ... and she's not on her two feet yet or I bet they'll be running around day and night ;).

A visit to the doctor

We went to the GP on Wednesday and met Dr. Coates. Dr. Creagh is supposedly on holidays or else I would have made that appointment with her but Alhamdulillah, Dr. Coates was just as nice as she is. I made one appointment though I did request for another (for me and both little fellas) as that was the only one available according to the receptionist (or whoever was on the phone) for the day.

The appointment was at 1220pm and we were there earlier but as usual, get to see the doctor much much later than the promised time. I wonder, at this period of the year - the end of the convocation week and the beginning of summer holidays - could there still be some many people needing the University's Health Service? We waited in the lounge with only another girl who seemed to be waiting for quite some time, I think. As she looked so vulnerable on the couch and at last rang the reception bell to suddenly change her address? Whatever-lah. Nevertheless, Handzalah enjoyed the waiting playing with blocks at the little play area provided in the centre. He's usually stuck on the toy horse but today the blocks were by far more colourful and interesting. Maybe because they were all around the floor when we came in.

Minutes elapsed and at last the door opened and my name was called by the GP herself. Handzalah the Builder was so into his 'building', it took some time to get him to the door. I told him it's time to go but this kind hearted fella wanted to keep the blocks in the box - tidying up - first before leaving. But there was not much time for that so I told him that we can get back to that later (they weren't even in the box at the first place, but thank God Alhamdulillah, he does have a sense of responsibility and care even they weren't his).

In the doctor's room, I told Dr. Coates about the problem all three of us had for the past one week. She said she'll give me a check but I'll need to try and get separate appointments for the kids. But that was the only available appointment for the day and I made it on my name because I thought it won't make any difference as if it does I would surely put my children's then. She made a quick check on the computer and told us that a few other docs had a few available appointments but again, there were none when I called this morning! Well, I can't blame her nor the receptionist, I know about their big problem there. The 10 minutes per appointment scheme happen not to work as planned as many patients took too much time for consultation?! And that's why I requested for another appointment at the first place.

The doc gave me a check and told me it's NOT hayfever because you won't have fever with hayfever though the name indicates so ;). And further, there won't be any swellings/swollen glands with it. It's actually a cold virus which has been affecting the area at the moment. No antibiotics or medication would be any good but doses of paracetamol would help to relieve the fever and discomfort. After the brief check, I asked whether I could treat it the same way with my children, and to my relief, Alhamdulillah, she kindly said she'll be examining them both afterwards. Gee, that was a real relief! Can't imagine having to leave her door to get more appointments from the receptionist and see another doctor ... the little boy - as usual - cried all the time when the doc's examining him. Wise doc gave him a sticker and switched on a moving elephant. The boy was happy with the toy but not happy enough to settle down quietly during the examination. He even tried getting another sticker and the doc gave him another one which Ummi pasted on her little sister's tee. And the sticker actually says "I was good at the doctor's today" ;). Fidaa' at the other hand - as usual - was all macho and interested in things. She was very quiet tolerating the quick process.

I've made an appointment for the little girl's Hep B jab next week but the pharmacist had some trouble with the prescription. She told Abuhandzalah we need to pay for it and there's no specification in the prescription on whether it's the 16pounds or 60pounds jab. Hmm ... that's so expensive for a Hep B jab! I could get it cheaper back home kan?

I'm just another makcik

I know, I know ... you won't be able to understand nor enjoy this note unless you could understand Malay/Bahasa Malaysia. But I have no intention to make a translation for it shall spoil the purpose and fun of it! Anyway, 'makcik' literally means aunt which is also used widely to address an elderly woman in Malaysia ...

Now I'm just like any other makcik
with two hands full of beg plastik.
The weight I usually carry
will almost impossible to help me lari
if there's any emergency
though wholeheartedly I'll protect the isi.

I'm just another makcik
though I could spend hours dressing up
it'll simply take a second to make me ugly
just try a mouthful sneeze
or a spoonful spilt curry
these cute little monsters just can't help
protecting me from being too pretty.

I'm just another makcik
hands full caring for two budak kecik
sometimes turning into a manic
when these kids innocently
buat dunia tunggang terbalik
but being another makcik is worth the panic
when those happy little laughters and smiles
turn on the lights of worldly bliss.

After all,
being a makcik entitles you to happiness
more than what you can imagine
beyond... your wildest dreams!

ummi a.k.a kew,
2007, fd

If you're a mom like me, to angels-cum-monsters like my little darlings, you might have the same feelings at times ;).

p/s: Please pray for us at home ... we're terribly sick, looks like it's hayfever but going to the GP this evening to know for sure. My poor little fellas, allahuyashfeekum!

talk-about-babies [part 7]

Fidaa' is 6 months old now. I've given her solids - fruit purees and baby rice - at 5 months as she has been showing signs of needing more than just milk: she's still unhappy after a good milk feed, very interested in our eating activities - she might even try grabbing a spoon or biscuit from our hands - and she's doing this 'chewing' motion every now and then, and her dribbling/drooling has significantly reduced. She's able to sit on her own without support for a few seconds, or longer if she's not overly distracted with things around her now. Seems like she enjoys sitting a lot more than lying on her back so we usually help her sit propping her back with pillows and let her play with Handzalah's Fisher Price touchpad we bought a year ago. This educational toy is quite expensive but I think it's a good investment for a child. She loves to suck her thumb (or few fingers at times) and pulls other people's hair! :)

Fidaa' rolls from her back to get on her tummy and vice versa like a pro now and just like Handzalah, she moves faster backwards when she's on her tummy, mengesot sikit-sikit. She'll be all over the floor in a second. And when she's on her tummy nowadays, she'll hold her head up high and sometimes acting 'manja' putting her head down on the mat and making soft little sounds. Aha, she' also experimenting with various pitches and tones of her voice. Sometimes it's like she's screaming all the way down her throat, just for fun other than making bubbles out of her saliva. Sometimes it sounds as if she's singing along with Handzalah, whom of course loves music very very much!

You should see how both of them interact with each other. Handzalah usually joins Fidaa' on the bed or mat when she stares at him and they'll start "communicating". Handzalah will do the talking and Fidaa' will usually reply with all the "ooh-aahs" sounds. At times, Handzalah will pause to ask, "Ummi, adik cakap apa?" (Mummy, what is she saying?) and you thought he'd understand because Ummi doesn't ;). No such thing as babies understand babies ah? I'm always worried when Handzalah is jumping up and down near her sister and will ask him to stop and do it somewhere else, but Fidaa' will be overjoyed and laughing heartily to his brother's acts giving her Ummi's disapproval less reasoning. Handzalah is also OK when it comes to sharing his things; toys or even his favourite *apple with his little sister. It's a joy seeing them happy having each other's company, as if they're yet too young for rivalry but there are times when the big brother does things like sitting on her sister simply to play around or the other no-nos just to seek you attention, so beware!

Handzalah is now able to pronounce more and more words clearly though he still have troubles with the letter R and L and apple is still 'apen' to him :). He's uttering long sentences and telling stories of his own experience and has recently develop a new communicating habit: he asks and he answers on his own! He'll ask "Buat apa tu?" (What are you doing?) and automatically replies "Oooh, Ummi masak nasi" (Oooh, Ummi's cooking). And oh, the long OH is simply compulsory. The funniest thing about this cheeky litte hearthtrob is whenever he's interested in something we actually know he really likes and usually asks for, he won't just ask for it. He'll make an opening remark for his indirect request and it usually starts with Wow - "Wow! Kita nak makan aiskrim", "Wow PDA, Abi main PDA ke?" and aha he can now pronounce PDA as it is :). He also managed to pronounce computer properly and at last the word 'octopus' in it's proper form. He used to say 'ocpetis' and we're still not sure why.

He can take off his own clothing now but still struggling to put things on and he has just discovered that his diapers can get wet and he can now tell that it's happening. He loves brushing his teeth and will ask for his brush everytime he's in the toilet for a wash but still try to avoid having his hair washed or shampooed! NEWS: We've just cut his long, semi-curly wavy hair yesterday. We actually wanted to get it really short using 'the machine' but when he heard its sound he cried and screamed "Aku Maluuu!!!" (I'm ashamed) ... err, what was that for and what in the world was he ashamed of? Huhu ... he might have gotten the wrong expression ey? After a few minutes of consoling and 'jelly-bean-ing' (yeah, I know sweets-baits are a crime but that's the best we can afford then :D) he agreed to have his hair cut with a pair of scissors :). Any other tips friends?

* I'm not feeding her apples, not until it's pureed but I do let her have a taste of the fruit; just like soothing her gums with cool teething rings, you can alternatively use carrots or like me, an apple. Just be sure she won't get a bite and choke!


If you're new here you can read my previous entries on TAB here. Enjoy! :)

The Job Predictor?

Adnin sent me the Job Predictor :wink: where your name dictates your profession? Since I didn't have much time to seriously post something now, I thought of just telling you my job "prediction" results. Just for fun! :)

I typed in my First Name and my Ideal Job is a &8%^# Star???! What is this thing? Ridiculously ridiculing ...

Then I typed both my First and Middle names since I think that'll give a better, unique result and hence, my Ideal Job is a Prime Minister!! Gee, sounds sensible at last! :D

And since there's more than one person with both my names, to make it utmost unique, I typed in all my names including my Surname, and my Ideal Job is ... a Supermodel?!!

I've told you, this is ridiculously ridiculing yet very, very interesting. Do you know what's behind such thing?

Anyway Adnin, thanks for giving me a good laugh this morning :). If you'd like to know what's your job according to your name, try the Job Predictor today. Good day peeps!

Salam ...

Tagged for charity!

This is the first time ever I'm responding to a tag :).

I'm sorry if I've been a bit ignorant about this recent 'tagging' trend in the internet community. Anyway, to sis Raiyan, thanks!

For everyone's information, this is a great tagging game, meant for charity. For every tag responsebefore 26th August 2007 , Idham - the initiator - will donate RM127 to Darul Izzah Orphanage, Bandar Baru Bangi, Malaysia. Meaning, by doing this meme you'll be donating RM127 to the orphanage (with his money though :D). He's targeting at least 100 bloggers to get about RM1k for this chosen charity of his! And the rules are (copying and pasting from the original rules from Idham's blog) ...

If you are tagged, you need to write an entry related to the meme. At the end of your entry you just need to tag as many person as you like. You will then leave a comment in their blog to let them know they have been tagged. And to include this message, "By doing this meme you are contributing rm127 to the Darul Izzah Orphanage". Then please copy and paste this rule somewhere in your entry.

The meme is about completing at least seventeen out of the following twenty seven sentences........which I have completed in bolded black ink. *These can be copied and pasted to your entry*

When you have done yours, please leave a comment in here - so that Idham can keep count.

1. A person is only as good as what he/she is.

2. Friendship is always meant to be like a ship on the sea. Every relationship is.

3. To love is to give, to accept, to appreciate and to sacrifice.

4. Money makes me want to spend ;).

5. I miss my family back home, school and friends!

6. My way of saying I care is by doing anything I think suits the purpose and the person.

7. I try to spread love and happiness by caring, sharing and WRITING!

8. Pick the flowers when they fell? I don't pick them from where they're best placed by God's grace :).

9. To love someone is to give what you've got and enjoy what he/she is about and embrace one of the bestest gift from God.

10. Beauty is what God creates but we failed to perceive most of the time.

11. When I was thirteen, what I remember the most was the birth of my
'unexpected' baby brother! :)

12. When I was twenty one, I remember mostly everything then!

13. I am most happy when my loved ones are pleased, utmost happy!

14. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I'm just another person that God made special and loved!

15. If I can change one thing, I will change everything bad into kindness.

16. If smiles were good enough to cure pain then I shall smile to every eye I could face.

17. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have the world the way we want it to be?

18. If you want to succeed then you have to learn, give your best and compete!

19. Money is not everything but it gets everything people are really dependant on.

20. The most touching moments I have experienced is whenever my mother talks to me personally, when my husband first talked to me, when I gave birth to my babies, when somebody appreciates me, whenever I'm with good company and when I finally learn to appreciate myself.

21. I smile when well there's too many instances and events that should be
decorated with a smile, can't specify just one :).

22. When I am happy, I'll do everything I can at my best.

23. If only I don't have to need money, then I'll have lesser worries. The world too, I believe ;).

24. The best thing I did yesterday was entertaining my beloved family.

25. If I ever write a book, I will give it this title,"'' ......." I'm never good with titles!

26. One thing I must do before I die is repent, should do it every now and then too!

27. Doing this meme, I feel like I'm a part of a great cycle that's hoping and working for a better world, for all of us!

And now I'm tagging:
1- my other half; significant other
2- Lieawulf
3- tink3rb3ll
4- kak Baiti
5- Adnin of phantasmagoria
6- Sheera my once upon a time 'anak usrah'
7- Am, my best friend
8- Aran, my skoolmate
9- Samwan, my momsunited mate ;)
10-Nad my junior
11- Sapphire Knight, a Malaysian problogger? :)

Rite. Let's not stop here. I'm tagging every eye who's a blogger, reading this entry here! Come on guys, this is FOR CHARITY! May Allah bless and help us all :). Good day peeps!

The 1st month in SMS

Subhanallah walhamdulillah, it has been three weeks since the 1st class started. We had three classes so far and I'll say students' attendance and parents' support have been great! As promised, I'd jot down some of the lessons I've taught for Group 1 (aged 4-6) in two weeks time.

p/s: I didn't handle Group 1 last Saturday because I needed to substitute Wan teaching Malay Language for Group 2 and 3 and Kak Yati is back in Soton to "look after" those energetic beings. It was a good "change", a short relief. It was easier in the sense that I needed less energy to teach the older kids. With Group 1, you need all the energy and voice you have, with the correct tone and "pitching" and also attractive activities to "keep" them learning. If you're not really prepared, you'll be surprised to see them "everywhere" at a blink of an eye! :)

Week 1:
Objective - Ice Breaking (Introducing school, friends and Malay language), Etiquettes of a Muslim

Methodology : Circle Time & Activities (30 mins)
- Begins with "Bismillah". Teacher greets students, welcome them to class. Ask them about their activities before coming to school; did they brush their teeth in morning, had breakfast, etc.
- Introducing oneself. Begins with "Assalamu'alaikum", "My name is ...", "I am _ year old". Teacher introduce herself and ask each and every student to do the same.
- Teacher tells how and when to give Salam and reply, the importance of starting a job with bismillah and ending them with alhamdulillah.
- Chat about school, remind them about next class. End with du'a.

Activities:
- Story telling
- Songs: Pok amai-amai, Alif Ba Taa
- Labelling folders with students' names

Week 2:
[Islam] Objective - Revision & Knowing Allah

Methodology:
Circle Time and Evaluation (30 mins) - Ask students about their day before school and what they remembered from the previous class. Remind them about lessons of week 1. Introduce "Allah the Creator", ALlah makes everything. Relate the etiquettes learnt as obedience towards the Creator.

Evaluation & Activities (30 mins):
- Teach the song "Bismillah" to help remembering last week's lesson
- Ask children to think of what Allah creates around them, draw them. Each of them will need to show their friends and teacher what they've drawn.
- Teacher marks the drawing and reward stars. Return to students, teaching them to thank people upon receiving things by saying "Terima Kasih" (thank you)

[Malay] Objective - Revision & Identifying Objects

Methodology:
Circle Time - Revise how to introduce oneself in Malay. Ask them to tell stories and how do they feel about school so far.

Games & Activities :
- Teacher draws an object on the whiteboard and students will need to guess what it is in Malay.
- Sing Pok amai-amai
- Show children how to make a paper butterfly, and ask them to colour their own butterflies. Paste in notebooks.

My version of Pok Amai2 :)
"Pok amai-amai, belalang kupu-kupu,
Belajar pandai-pandai, jadi orang berilmu"

Ok, that's what I did. I hope I'll make time to write on some assessment and observations for month numer uno. What do you think friends? Comments please ... :)


Notes: All classes are conducted in Malay Language.

Changes

I bet you've been thinking what am I up to tweaking this blog every now and then, changing this and that all the time. Huhu, this is not the look that I wanted for my blog. I want something simple but with a personal touch and creative spark that'll last in your minds. Unfortunately, my blog advisors have yet to return with results huhuh .. Me, and my limited tech skills, are struggling to make this blog at least look 'sensible' to the viewers including me!

Any ideas how I can transform its looks back to home sweet home?

Ummah Films

Have you heard about Ummah Films before? Watched one of them - The Parent Negotiations - while browsing through iluvislam.com recently. This cynical one man show seems sensible in most of his message. I don't want to comment further, watch them yourself, and let me know what you think about them - the content and the presentation. Does this type of approach could get things straight to your minds and souls?




To make things easier why don't we just vote, do you like it? YES or NO ? Lengthy comments are always welcome though :)

Plan Your Vacation with HotelReservations.com

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HotelReservations.com provides everything you need for a hassle free and headache-less holiday preparation. Even if you are not into the holiday mood yet, the site would be a helpful tool for your business journeys and events around the world. What about weddings, reunions or special events to commemorate those special bonds and memories? HotelReservations.com is only a click away for help with Group Bookings with a special price. So what are you waiting for? Visit HotelReservations.com now and plan your best ever holidays! Don't forget to bookmark the site for future reference. And if you have a blog, start writing about HotelReservations.com now!

Are you a mom to be?

Or a mommy?

Let's share some thoughts at Maternity Ideas: Clothing, Books and Tips. Hop on for a read and let us know what you think.

The blog is fairly new thus will need a lot of time, ideas and support for improvement. Kindly leave your thoughts please. Happy reading :). Thanks!

Make Your Own Playdough - the Return!

Friends have been asking me about making their own playdough at home after reading my post on the recipe some time ago. I'd like to remind you that the dough will only last for a period of time. No, not because you can turn them into currypuff afterwards. And no, it's not going to melt for no good reason or disappear through the process of vaporisation.

The dough would not last forever (nothing does) as it is made without any preservatives. Just like any other dough you make into pastries etc., the dough will deteriorate after a few weeks. Use a cheap flour if you worry about overspending. Well, flour is actually cheap enough though.

The idea in this is actually thriving excitement in making things on your own, from scratch. Perhaps, you'll get to give your child some time and space in the kitchen to work together with you and your 'toys' rather than shooing them away when you're busy in the 'office' with the ladles and pans. Your child will also learn a bit about dough making and the great thing about playing with doughs and blocks is it does help expanding their creativity. The only possible downside for it is, it's not long-lasting thus dough-playtime will need to have a break until you get another pack of flour and other items in the recipe to make some more! :)

Oh and makesure the dough has enough of everything to make it nicely playable and won't run out of shape and colour. Dry your masterpieces under the sun, that'll make them hard to retain their moulded shape. Then, you'll need to worry less about the expiry date!

Any other better ideas to keep the dough playable all the time? Other than buying Play-Doh please ;).

If you've missed the recipe, read Make Your Own Play Dough Recipe here now!

1st day at SMS (part 1)

Saturday, 16th June 2007 was the first day of operation for Sekolah Malaysia Southampton (Malaysian School Southampton). I had butterflies in my stomach, waking up that morning for it was my first day in school and like any other kids, this first time tutor was soooo excited! I've been wanting to post about our 1st day at SMS since the day itself, but we were busy all weekend and the kids were not well. They're recovering now alhamdulillah. I'm trying to make this short but InshaALlah interesting enough with some photos. Enjoy reading!

We started with a simple registration process for the children. Collecting all the forms and registration fees, checking the attendance sheet and distributing 'starter-packs' for the lovely kids. Each and every one of them got their own Snopake folder containing the most essential tool for school; a notebook and a pencil. Alhamdulillah, many of the parents turned up with their children for our first ever debut in SMS. There about 30 students that day other than a group of concerned parents, teachers and the school's administrative board.

Ustaz Lizam gave a short briefing for the students, reminding them about their extra day in school, a new addition to their schedule while moms and dads had tea and some titbits with the guests. He also introduced the teachers and
administrative members of the school to the children. Later, the parents joined the assembly to hear speeches from Mr. Samad (the advisor), Mr. Halim (the principal) and the guests - Dr. Sarwar Jamil, The Manager of Community Languages Services and Mr. Draper, Swaythling Primary School's Headteacher.

(Pic 1: Registration table)

(Pic 2: Hear ye! Hear ye! Calling out names of students for class 1, aged 4-6)

(Pic 3: Getting the kids to line up properly is not as easy as it sounds :))

(Pic 4: Ustaz Lizam introducing us to the students)

After the short assembly, we went to the designated classrooms along with the children. Since there's an event organised by Malaysian Students' Association in the afternoon, we decided to end the class at 11.30am. I had to handle the kids aged 4-6 this week and it was a challenging one!

(Pic 5: From left; Dr. Jamil, Mr. Draper, Mr. Samad and the Principal)










(Pic 6: Do you think I'll leave my mommy on her first day at school, alone?!! That'll definitely be boring, people need babies for amusement! :D)

What did we do for the class last week? Till the next post says hi, ciao! :)

Why Holiday is Bad for bloggers?

... unless they've prepared for one! :)

We had a nice weekend last week. Spending the whole Saturday morning at the commencement of the Southampton Malaysian School and enjoying fun activities, games and meeting friends at MSA's Family Day event later in the afternoon. Thank God there were a lot of yummy food at the end, I've been starving all morning, forgetting to take some breakfast before leaving home. On Sunday, we went to a farm (was it Pickwell?) to pick strawberries. Well, there's this eating while picking 'interruption' all the time as you are allowed to do so, so picking was not the only acitivity available there :D. But don't go picking and eating without buying any-lah. You'll make the farmers' blood go upstairs then :D

After enjoying the farm scenery and activity, we went for a picnic at a nearby park but it was sooooo windy and cold, we end up getting home catching a flu! And that troubled me all week as the kids were also uncomfortably unwell and fretful. It was nice to spend the holidays with people you love, doing things you like at places you've been dreaming of. But holiday means away from home, the pc and loads of work waiting when you return. Unless, you're all prepared because holidays could be awfully bad for bloggers, especially those who are planning to profit from it. Read Why Holiday is Bad for Bloggers at ahmadaffzan.com.

I miss my baby ...

... and my baby misses me! ;)

We made a 2nd trip to the centre yesterday to submit my CRB form, again. Me, my husband and the little girl. We left the big boy at 'kakak-kakak's house (the Mayfield Rd. girls), being afraid that it might take some time there and dearest Handzalah will feel bored waiting. He was all happy going to 'kakak-kakak'. No doubt, they treat him everytime with a 1st class service. Driving all attention to him, only! ;)

It turned out that the submission and checks only took a few minutes so we drove back to the girls' house hardly half an hour after leaving from their doorstep. I went in to fetch Handzalah but he was all busy with the laptop. Mai said he has been watching Spongebob. Our laptop is a bit 'ill', it keep on shutting down everytime we play a movie or video, hence, Handzalah might have enjoyed his short stay having the technology all to himself to watch all his favourite entertainment programs! I tried to persuade him to come home with me but he seems not interested and Mai said I should leave him for the day since I'll be coming back to the area to visit a friend in the evening. I thought, no, he's going to miss me if I leave him too long. But then, he might need a lil bit time-out from home with his favourite 'kakak-kakak', so we went home without him.

At home we had lunch together and I gave Fidaa' her first introduction to solids! It's apple puree for the day. Well, as expected most of the puree came out than went in! ;) After lunch, Abuhandzalah was off to the office and I tried to finish my never-ending workload with the computer. Fidaa' was already sleeping after a long feed, and oddly, I felt so lonely! The world seems a bit 'wrong' having so much silence around. Oh my, I'm missing my baby! He drives me crazy all the time when he's nearby with his cheeky acts and witty stories. It's not like he's never been somewhere else but that's usually when I'm somewhere else too doing something that I can't include him with. Not when I'm working at home. Not like now. Oh my, I miss him! At this kind of moment, I always think of whether he misses me too?

Suddenly I heard a strange knock at the door.

Somebody's knocking the lower part of the door as if he/she is short. And the knock sounds a bit strange. It comes and goes as if someone's playing around with the door? Aiyah, could it be Handzalah? The phone is again, not working so the girls might have come without being able to tell me they are. So I simply asked who's out there , is it Mai? (one of the girls) and thank God she said yes hehe. My baby boy is back! Mai and Azila brought him to the park at the university to play football as he seemed a bit bored but later he 'brought' them home. This big boys know the way home ey? :) And he misses ummi. He wants to get home and eat 'nasi'. He wants to be home. With me. ME! I love you too sayang ...


* Do you like the graphics? Check them out at GranGran's Graphics.

First day at the centre

On Monday we went to the Centre of Language Services to meet Dr. Jamil, Manager of the Community Language Services in Mount Pleasant Junior School, Southampton. We were there to register ourselves and hand in our CRB (crime record bureau) forms which I do need to re-submit because I didn't have enough proofs of address then! They should have at least stated clearly the requirements so that we'll know what to bring. Anyway, the technical stuff didn't take much time and fuss. The excitement came later when we sat with Dr. Jamil for what we thought was going to be a short meeting yet became a really long one.

We requested some teaching materials for the students and teachers from the centre, hence Dr. Jamil had to check the list before giving his approval and gave us a few useful tips on handling the tightly-budgeted resources. He also clarified about the training sessions that we'll undergo later this year InshaAllah. At the moment, as he stated, we are considered 'untrained' until we complete the teacher's training. One of us asked whether our MAs and PhDs will be put into consideration (most of us are tutors and lecturers studying for a further degree) and with a big smile he answered, "You can use those if you're teaching in the university but in this country if you're going to teach children you'll need a special training and those degrees do not count" (to be considered trained) hehehe. We had a great laugh at that. Well it's true. Teaching children and adults or even teens are different. They communicate differently, perceive differently and they are even naughty in really different senses huhuhu. I'm looking forward to join the training sessions as I've put my registration for the childcare courses on hold.

We brought back some materials from the centre. Coloured pencils and papers, scissors, tapes, exercise books, cards and so many other things. We even got a teacher's pack each. It feels like going back to kindergarten seeing all those things, only this time we're no longer those little cuties singing ABC hehehe.

I'm surprised to learn that the centre will be providing us with materials and help in preparing lessons. Well, that's why we've been registered under the centre. We can come to the centre for advice and preparation and use the facilities there. Doesn't that sounds nice?

Help me!

A little bit of update - forgot to emphasize we're teaching MALAY LANGUAGE.
---------------------------
I'm glad I wrote about the new 'teaching' thing in my previous entry. Thanks to my dearest friends and family for being so supportive.

Sekolah Malaysia Southampton will begin it's journey InshaALlah on Saturday, 16th June 2007. There will be three classes for three different age groups and I'll be handling those aged 9-12 yrs old and 13-17 yrs old. For the first class this week, I'll be handling the little darlings aged 4-8 yrs old, only for registration and a short introduction. But there's a big task of preparing the syllabus and appropriate teaching materials for these little beings. Any ideas on what and how? If you have any interesting materials/suggestions on teaching kids this age (4-8yrs old), especially on Malay language and the basics of Islam and being a Muslim, please help me out. I would very much appreciate your kind advice and attention.

For your information, Sekolah Malaysia Southampton (Southampton Malaysian School) is managed by a group of parents and postgraduate students of the Malaysian community here. We'll surely need a lot of help to materialize it's mission and vision. So, let me hear your kind thoughts and please remember us in your prayers. May Allah help us all :)

I'm going back to school!

Yup. I'm going back to school! Not to be taught yet to teach, surprise, surprise. That's a big surprise to myself! I've been thinking of enrolling in a childcare course this year, but I guess there's a bigger cause to serve InshaAllah, hence that dream will need a little more wait. I've always loved school, education and children. I've always wanted to be a part of an educational institution, a think-tank that'll be able to generate fresh ideas for the betterment of the society. The only thing I never thought I'll do, is "teaching" itself! Erm, though parenting is a bit of teaching, I'm still an amateur in it.

I was talking to my dearest sister, Lieawulf whom has been lecturing in a private college for quite sometime asking her for some helpful tips. She told me:"On your 1st day entering the class, show that you are kind to them but you can also choose to be fierce and roar in class hahaha...". Well, that's a message from a teacher handling college students. I'm going to handle younger children in primary and maybe secondary schools. I'm still unsure of what's ahead, as this will be my 1st experience ever though as Lieawulf noted that "we - the sevenlords - are all talented" in this profession and I should just go ahead and test my skills hahaha. Well, my mom, dad and elder sister have been personal tutors for people for a long long time now though I bet none of you, if you know Lieawulf the way I do; an introvert who hardly speaks to another stranger will be a teacher! And what do you know? She's even good at it! She has been an assistant to her Tae-kwan-do instructor for sometime, I have no doubt if she's teaching that, but imparting non-physical theoretical knowledge is something too hard too imagine! And one 'secret recipe' of the sevenlords, we seem a bit extra fierce most of the time, but deep down our humble hearts meant well and we're the type of "I'll do anything" for the people we love and of our concern such as our students (pendek kata garang tapi baik hati la tu ... kot? ;)).

For the past year, I've been teaching 14-16 lovely girls Tafsir; the translation and scholars' comentaries of the Qur'an and I really enjoyed doing so. I've just started coaching Lisa with the Arabic alphabets and I'm hoping I'll be able to accomplish my small mission with her before returning to Malaysia. I've always enjoyed conducting study circles on Islam (usrah) and I guess I do have one or two skills up my sleeves but I'll need a lot more to really teach properly, especially this time it's in a formal setting and I have a syllabus to follow and finish! Good thing we'll be sent for training. Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah and those out there whom have trusted me with this valuable opportunity. Not just for some pocket money, but for experience and knowledge I might not be able to get elsewhere, in other ways. I wonder if teaching 6-17 year old kids could be a done in a more relaxing atmosphere, putting more interpersonal and group communication skills into practice. After all, teaching is not speaking in public, a one way communication system. Right? If it is, it'll definitely be boring!

Any tips from teachers or tutors out there? Care to share them with me? Comment please :). At the moment, hoping for your prayers, God-willing InshaAllah, may everything goes well for the school and me.

For your information, Sekolah Malaysia Southampton will be in action soon InshaAllah. It will be held once a week, teaching Malay Language and Basics of Islamic Fundamentals (Fardhu 'Ain) for children of Malaysian families.

p/s: Handzalah and Fidaa' will have their abi to look after them when I'm teaching, Alhamdulillah.

nurinmz.com - downtime

I'm sorry to announce that nurinmz.com is temporarily "closed". With extreme carelessness, I've left the computer to my little boy without signing out from my blog account first. Hence, my older posts and comments have been deleted. Thought I'll write something new afer a long rest, but ALlah Knows Best, sendiri cari pasal. I'll figure out how to get things back to normal later. At the moment I'm off to the island of Regrets.

Critical. Creative. Contemporary.

I'm writing a new blog, dedicated to critical and creative thoughts upon current issues. Visit nurinmz.com and let me hear your thoughts about mine :) (using the comment field and rating technique). Jazakumullah Khairal Jazaa' + Thanks for your loyalty!

7 Things You Should NEVER Feed Your Family!

Got this from Mak. And now I feel sinful! Please read through and you'll learn that some of the nicest things in the world could be dangerously deceiving. For the sake of your health and your loved ones, keep them off the dining table, lunchbox, picnic basket and most importantly your mouth folks! Err, since we're humans, you might want to start decreasing your intake and get ready to serve more healthy home cooked meals on the table.

By Jaclyn Johnson
eDiets.com Staff Writer
Updated: August 16, 2006

There will always be those fattening foods that are easy to make, easy to get, and easy to crave. You think “OK, I know this is bad but it can’t be that bad!” Think again. Here are the top seven foods you should never ever feed your family or yourself!

1. Doughnuts

It’s hard to resist the smell of a Krispy Kreme doughnut, which is why I never step foot in the store. Doughnuts are fried chock-full of sugar and white flour and loads of trans fat.

According to the Krispy Kreme website, an average 3.5 ounce sugar doughnut weighs in with about 400 calories and contains few other nutrients besides fat. These sugary treats may satisfy your craving but it won’t satisfy your hunger as most of the calories come from fat.

"Eating a lot of refined sugar contributes to blood sugar ‘swings’ or extreme fluctuations,” eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan Burke said.

- have I ever told you that I LOOOOOOVE doughnuts?

2. Cheeseburger with fries

The age-old classic may be delicious but think twice before sinking your teeth into that Big Mac. The saturated fat found in cheese burgers has been linked to heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer.

“In fact, fast-food portions are gargantuan, almost double the calories per meal compared to 20 years ago," Susan says. "Twenty years ago the average fast-food cheeseburger had about 300 calories. Today’s BK Whopper with cheese has 720. To burn the excess 420 calories, you’d have to run for 40 minutes. For example, in 1985 a medium French fry had 240 calories, 2.4 ounces. Today’s ‘medium’ is 6.9 ounces and 610 calories.

"This fast-food meal of cheeseburger and fries has way too many calories and fat grams, not to mention grams of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and sodium.”

Let’s break down this meal. First, take the white-flour bun (refined carbohydrates), then add some processed cheese (saturated fat and trans fat, plus lots of additives and preservatives) and then top off with fried red meat (cholesterol and saturated fats). And let’s not forget about the condiments such as the always fattening mayonnaise.

Not sounding so appetizing anymore, huh? Oh, and let’s not forget about the infamous side dish. You cheeseburger will most likely come with a side of French fries, which is sadly the most popular vegetable dish in the U.S. Don’t kid yourself, French fries are not vegetables, they are extremely high in fat and contain a tiny amount of nutrients.

3. Fried Chicken and Chicken Nuggets

With the recent class-action lawsuit between The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and KFC, the health risks posed by fried foods are becoming more public. The CSPI is suing the food chain for their use of cooking oil containing unhealthy trans fats. The lawsuit seeks to order KFC to use other types of cooking oils and to inform customers how much trans fats KFC’s food contains.

Foods cooked in highly heated oils (most notably partially hydrogenated oil) have been known to cause cancer, weight gain and other serious health risks if ingested regularly. A 10-piece chicken McNugget from McDonald’s has 420 calories, 24 grams of fat and 1120 milligrams of sodium. One Extra Crispy Chicken Breast from KFC has around 420 calories and eight grams of saturated fat. So unless you want to super size yourself, it’s best to make a clean break with fried foods.

- no 3 & no 4 are our favorite take away/delivery menus. Thank God we rarely eat out!

4. Oscar Mayer's Lunchables

Sure they are convenient and easy, but boy are they unhealthy! These kid-marketed lunches are loaded with saturated fat and sodium. They usually contain highly processed meats and cheeses, white flour crackers and sugary treats. Lunchables get two-thirds of their calories from fat and sugar. And they provide lopsided nutrition since they contain no fruits or vegetables.

“They insidiously promote obesity by making kids think that lunch normally comes in a cellophane-wrapped box," Susan says. "Parents are promoting their children’s obesity by buying these items. They’re expensive, too. Pack a sandwich and save dollars and health.”

- huh? Never bought any.

5. Sugary Cereal

Not all cereals are created equally. And while your kids might beg for the latest cookie or marshmallow chocolate surprise cereals, it is a safe bet they are about as healthy as a dessert. Keywords to look out for are puffed, dyed and sweetened.

Most kids’ cereals are so highly processed they no longer look like the grains they were originally made from. A healthy alternative is oatmeal. Although, if you are buying pre-packaged oatmeal make sure to check the label and see how much sugar it contains, you might be surprised.

"A little sugar isn’t a problem but when the first ingredient on the box is sugar, then watch out," she said. "There is no fruit in Froot Loops. But the unsweetened original Cheerios or Rice Krispies are fine, and you can sweeten them naturally with blueberries and strawberries.”

- guess what's my husband and son favourite breakfast cereal?

6. Processed Meats.

What falls under the category of processed meats? Hot dogs, sausage, jerky, bacon, certain lunch meats and meats used in canned soup products. Almost all processed meats have sodium nitrite added as a preservative.

A recent study conducted at the University of Hawaii found that sodium nitrite can act as “a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines -- potent cancer-causing chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells throughout the body.” So eliminate these meats from your diet before they eliminate you!

- Hmmp. I don't stock up the fridge with any of those.

7. Canned soup.

Sometimes regarded as a healthy food, soups can be very deceiving. You must stay on your guard because many canned soups have high levels of trans fats, sodium and artificial preservatives such as MSG. Just one serving (which is roughly one cup) can have almost 1,000 milligrams of salt. Also, steer clear of soups that are cream-based, they can be high in calories and fat.

Susan says it is important to “read labels from back to front. Ignore the health claims, and instead focus on the ingredients and serving size. Watch out for hydrogenated fat (trans fat) and sodium. If you’re buying bread to go with you soup, the first ingredient should be whole grain -- either whole wheat, rye or other grain. If it just says ‘wheat bread,’ that doesn’t mean whole wheat.”

- what?!

'Make Your Own PlayDough' Recipe

a kg of flour
half cup of oil
10 tsp. of salt
coloured water

* I divided the mixture into different portions to put in different colours. You'll need to adjust the amount of water for a good, non-sticking dough. Try it at home with your kids and enjoy!

Credits to Ako and Bengkel Asuh Bijak JIM.

talk-about-babies [part 6]

It has been so long since t-a-b appears. Ummi has been busy writing other things ey? And maybe there's just too much to tell about my two lovely babies. I'm going to tell their story anyway, for my dearest family and friends.

For a start, let me tell you that I've been deprived of a good night sleep for more than 3 days now. I'm sleeping during the day, when the kids are finally asleep. That's about 3am-5am for the little girl and the latest 7am for the big boy. No, Fidaa' is not colicky and no, none of them are sick. It's just that somehow, for uncertain reasons I can't recall, handzalah is reluctant to go to bed at his usual 'late' sleeping time at about 11pm to 1am daily. And, Fidaa' happens to love his company that she has joined the late night party! Thanks to these little heroes, ummi has turned into a batwoman - with transformation incomplete though, am not going to wear the batsuit of course! ;)


Handzalah:

• is about to be 27months old on June 1st. He's babbling and blabbering around copying everything that gets to his ears so beware! Don't talk nonsense when you're with kids. Funny that docs say they have short-term memory when they remembers all the bad things :D. He plays football with abi nearly everyday and still love listening and dancing to the beat of the music. Any music will do but he loves songs with children's voices the most. He's even singing nowadays and he makes my heart melt!
  
• Tried teaching him the Arabic/Qur'anic alphabets with the Iqra' Opah sent us but he seems not very interested in anything but the last page. Can't expect too much from kids, they enjoy activity - that's active and interesting. Someone sent us a link to a Youtube video with kids singing the alphabets an dit was so funny. Handzalah loves it and he's been watching the Muslims kids' school series from Youtube since and Alhamdulillah now he knows a few of the alphabets already.
• We've just made ourselves a nice kilo of 'PlayDough' recently in red, yellow and green. This vege-lover boy will ask ummi to make him a 'broccoli' using the green dough other than 'nasi' (rice). Jazakillah Ako for the PlayDough recipe. She got it from Bengkel Asuh Bijak and it works well alhamdulillah. Will share it with you later inshaAllah :)
• He has his own trainer seat now for the potty. He can tell us when he needs to go, pull off his own pants and uses the toilet for the poo-poo whenever he 'has the time' or remembers. Ummi does try asking him if he needs to use it at the usual times of the day to help make the potty-training a success but he's yet to be able to tell us if he needs a wee. I did put the potty-training tips into practice to help him with it and one of them is by making him familiar with the toilet and the trainer seat, placing it on the toilet's lid everytime we take him for a wash in the bath and 'offering' him to use it.
• He calls himself his name "Handzayah" now. At last, he got it 99.9% right praise be to Allah :)
• There's one time Ummi felt unhappy and cried for sensible reasons and took the trouble to 'report' to Abi that "Ummi sedih" (Ummi is sad). Hehe, never let he sees you doing anything negative kay? Kantoi nanti! :)
  
• He lovessssss his sister though sometimes jealousy precedes and he doesn't know the limits. He's always the first to check things out hearing his sister cries. You should listen to him trying to calm her crying sister saying, "Fidaa' jangan 'ngis, abang ada ni" (Don't cry Fidaa', big brother is here). He's even very kind towards other 'babies'. Always offering a cuddle and 'looking after' role as if he's bigger and older.
• I'm not sure if he's an introvert as he's usually okay with adults but with kids his age, he has a certain 'time out' kinda thing. He'll play with them but he'll have a period where he'll do something else or find someone else - the adults I mean.
  
• His appetite has tremendously increased. Well, he needs all the energy to get him moving. He's the Jumping Bean - that's what our Health Visitor, Anne calls him because he's always jumping.
• If you love your techno-gadgets and the memories within, keep it 'far' from this little boy. He knows how to dig things only by seeing you click them once.
• His skin is greatly improving (he has eczema, if I've not mentioned it before). We've been prescribed with DoubleBase and it has done a good job keeping his skin moisturised for a longer period of time. Lesser complaints and better night sleep (if he sleeps ;))

Fidaa':

• is now 4 1/2 months old. She smiles and laughs and she has just started rolling. Her first successful attempt was yesterday when she was crying, asking her Ummi to pick her up while Ummi was busy in the kitchen. She was lying on her stomach then and I guess she can't wait any longer to get on her back.
• she loves interacting with people. She'll be making so much sound when you talk to her with cute expressions making you feel eeeeeeee geraaam! ;) She's very alert and strong according to the GP and the docs-to-be; my fellow Tafsir class students. Sarah even did a physical test ton confirm Azila's non-scientific yet observant assessment.
  
• she's still on breastmilk, fully and I don't think I'll start weaning until she's 6 months old if she doesn't show any signs of need before that.
• I think she's teething. She dribbles a lot, struggling to suck her thumbs and sometimes seem a bit unhappy though she has just finished a feed.
  
• Alhamdulillah up to this moment she doesn't have any problems with the skin except for the normal nappy rash that goes on and off.

We went to the Commons last weekend, all four of us! We used to take turns pushing Handzalah's pram or walk and chase him around but now we're both occupied with both lovely beings on their prams and Handzalah on his feet!

This is the funny alif baa taa clip from Youtube. Enjoy!

love IS BLIND.

Missing my friends. My dearest friends. For no particular reason except for a heart that still feels in a soul that's still breathing. I miss them!

---
Love is blind.
You forgive,
you forget
for love
no matter how deep is the cut.

You saw those black spots
imperfection,
the dark side
airing negative thoughts.
But love is blind,
letting them remain unnoticed
perceiving only beauty and kindness
with all your heart.

Love is blind.
No wonder there's never a mountain too high
or a jungle too wild,
no view could deceive
what a heart perceives
as love, perfection.
Devotion.
The sense of being complete.

But love, believes in eternity
where happines lies and freedom lives
hence, lovers fly to the skies
without wings, yet a heart fully determined.
And what's with those glittering wonders,
temporal splendours
when the world shall only means darkness to the eyes
of those who believe.

I wish to love and see Thee,
to walk through this destiny
in blindness of hardship and sufferings
leaving pain and bad memories remain unnoticed.

Love is blind.
Thank God, it is!

khaleel el-wafy
644am, 23/5/07
S'oton.

Library Opening

message from Hanan:

Salamo Aleikom everyone
We are glad to invite you to the grand opening of 
Southampton Medina mosque trust limited Library.
Please forward the eflyer to everyone you know
in Southampton and please try to come.

Jazakom Allaho Khayran

---

* Saturday 26 May:
10:30am to 1:00pm - girls' session (girls and women ONLY)
1:15pm to 4:30pm - boys' session (boys and men ONLY)

* Sunday 27 May:
10:30am to 4:30am - Children's session (girls of all ages, boys up to age 10 ONLY)

Everyone's invited! Try to be there inshaAllah :)

Books

Parenting Skills Based on the Qur'an and Sunnah : With Practical Examples for Various Ages

128 Pages
by Dr. Ekram Beshir; Dr. Mohamed Rida Beshir

Description:
The Beshirs, a wife/husband team, who co-authored two best-selling books on parenting Meeting the Challenge of Parenting in the West, an Islamic Perspective and Muslim Teens and Blissful Marriage: A Practical Islamic Guide have conducted very successful workshops on parenting skills for Muslim families in North America and overseas. In this book they present the workable skills that parents participating in these workshops have found most rewarding. "Very professional, well researched, and pretty lively. Where were you 16 years ago? I wish I could start all over with the knowledge I gained from your workshop." An attendee from South Africa. "It was a very joyful experience. I learned so much more than I ever expected. An amazing and thought provoking workshop." An attendee from Toronto, Canada. Dr. Ekram is a medical doctor by profession, with a background in child psychology. She is the founder and principal of Abraar full time Islamic school and Rahma School, a weekend Arabic and Islamic school, in Ottawa, Canada. She is the recipient of the Director's Citation Award of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board for the year 2000 for her contributions in the area of education from among 7000 employees in the board. She has been very active with the Muslim community in Ottawa in the areas of study circles, children and youth camps, sisters programs, and marriage counseling. She has traveled extensively to various parts of the world to present parenting workshops. She has also authored other books for teaching Arabic to Muslim children living in Non- Arabic speaking countries. Dr. Mohamed Rida Beshir is an engineer by profession, with over 25 years of experience in Da'wa work in North America. He has held various positions with MSA and ISNA on both local and national levels. He is a member of the training and development department of the Muslim American Society (MAS). He is a regular speaker in ISNA, ICNA, MSA and MAS conventions. He is actively developing and delivering training programs to various Muslim communities all over the world. He is the recipient of The Ottawa Muslim Association and the Ottawa Muslim Community Circle recognition awards for years 1993 and 1999 for his volunteer Islamic work.

source : Bazar, Islamicity

half-hearted; to Him we shall return

News: Ayong, our beloved aunt (more like a loving granny to me) has left all of us yesterday ... Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un. From Him we came, to Him we shall return.

Knowing her for three years, I look forward to every journey to my husband's hometown of Muar, simply to see her and and her big, funny cooking experts family. I guess her daughters inherited all her kitchen skills mashaALlah. She'll always greet us with a loving smile and cuddle, even mentioning 'sayangnya' everytime we arrive at her humble 'kampung' home. She was a great cook although retired from the kitchen in her old age, and her children seems to keep the good cooking tradition among them. My husband will be mentioning her delicious cooking whenever the family serves us great home cooked food at the kitchen table. Even now when we're far from home, everytime we talk about Malaysia and it's delicacies, he'll come out with something nice, home-made by Ayong and her family. One of the best would be her 'sambal', which is a must during festives like 'Eid with a special touch that makes it taste so nice you'll hardly find an equal.

One great thing I'll always remember about her, was her caring attitude towards others. In these few years, she hasn't been able to see properly due to her serious diabetic problem. I don't even know whether she had ever recognize my face but her caring heart has never seems to fail 'seeing' and feeling the people around her. Everytime we're in her company, at her home especially, she'll be asking her childen whether they've served us food and drinks and whether we've eaten properly. She'll be so concern that she'll be asking the same question a few times. She'll even sit next to us, just to 'look' at and honour her guests. A life devoted to serving her beloved flesh and blood, and the community around her, I pray that Allah will grant her peace and blessings during her short rest in al-Barzakh till the eternal Aakhirah inshaAllah.

I'm feeling half-hearted now, thinking about my dearest family at home, so far away from reach. But life, needs to go on and the mission, although with a lot of struggle, needs to be accomplished InshaAllah. I pray, and I pray, and hoping for your prayers, that this little mission will be accomplished in time and we'll be back home soon InshaAllah. Isn't it a tradition of travellers, parting from friends and families,? Lillah, fillah InshaAllah ... terimalah ya Allah.

To those whom sent us their heartiest condolence and joined the funeral prayer (ghaib) last night, may Allah reward your kindness - Jazakumullah Khayral Jazaa'. Every soul shall have a taste of death (Quran - 3:185), have we been preparing ourselves for it?

Ayong, we'll miss you...

Virginia Tech and Anizah Othman, the world we're living in

I could not recall knowing Ustazah Anizah during my campus years although we were in the same university (and she's about my age). But my heartiest condolence goes to her family and friends. In a noble quest of educating the society, in a remote area where most young teachers and government officers would like to avoid, this tragedy would be another dark memory not only for those related to the victim but for all of us. When such stories became public through the news, the world - where's sanity and senses live - has never failed to respond with utmost concern and sympathy.

When the 23-year old student of Virginia Tech gunned down 32 of his fellow mates and staffs what did he have in mind? What would possibly trigger such rage ending with the boy shooting himself? I wonder. The moment the news of the killings reached his parents, family and friends what do they think about? Did sadness and questions overwhelmed them and made the thoughts unknown and unjustified? I wonder. And I wonder how those related to the victims feel when such precious lives can't be brought back though the world's empathy didn't fail to declare their sympathy.

And again, as a parent I wonder how worried one could be of their offsprings and loved ones when the world has been composing such horrifying histories. Both Anizah and Virginia Tech had different stories and background but shared the same feelings and concerns from the public. I can't imagine a father sending her teenage child to school in the morning only to comprehend the fact that later in the afternoon he or she had been murdered by a deviant colleague who has been present and around all the while. It won't be easy for a mother to accept the reality that her beloved child has been killed on the way to her friend's house when she's been expecting a ritual call, assuring everything's fine and well. You observe your child daily and you loved them ever since you knew they exist only to believe that they left you forever in the most impossible manner that you could think of. I pray that Allah shall give us patience and strength in enduring the loss of our loved ones, always.

Discussing such issues, I'm wondering about the future of our children and generation. What will it be? Young people are indulged in deadly, massive killings. Weapons are being traded on the streets. Policemen 'permitting' a public institution to continue its activities when a killer is walking throughout its amenities. An educated woman being strangled to death with reasons and exact account of the tragedy remains a mystery. People crossing the boundaries of sanity and humanity.

The public might forget these stories in a month or two unless another hit the news wal'iyazubillah. But should we, parents and people who claimed empathy towards the good of the community stay in the state of negligence and forgetfulness of our duty to help the society heal, to promote healthy ideas and means in handling such issues that triggered loads of data and analysis from experts and authorities. What could we do, should we do?

Think! Because it starts from you!

In Malaysia or Virginia, we feel.
Let's think and let's act, let us all heal!

Allahumma ... guide us and protect us from such calamity.

Coconut Delight

I’ve been trying on some recipes these few weeks, as if i’ve got nothing to do ;). From the previously successful ‘kuih ketayap’ to the challenging currypuff ;), I even ventured into making ‘cendol’ which erm has ye to reach a happy ending. Isk, I did that for my anniversary using all ‘means’ and it end up in the dustbin! Allahumma yassir. Nevertheless, I knew what went wrong if I’m about to try it again.

Been ‘thinking’ of Coconut Candy (Candy Kelapa) lately. I remembered having them most of the time in the fridge - made by Mama herself but she can’t recall the recipe now it has been so long since she last made them. Anyway, when I was making ‘inti kelapa’ for ‘kuih ketayap’ last time, I noticed a recipe at the back of East End’s Desiccated Coconut pack - Coconut Delight. I thought it’ll be great to try, even if it won’t equal the Malay Coconut Candy, I should at least feel delighted by its taste … well, the name says so ey?

The trial was successful and I should say it tastes just like coconut candy but the texture is a bit soft and moist. There’s a ‘missing’ taste an dI don’t know what. For now, this is the recipe copied from the pack. Help yourselves folks!

COCONUT DELIGHT

200ml/7 fl oz milk

50g/2 oz East End margarine

375g/13 0z sugar

350g/12 oz East End Desiccated Coconut

1 teaspoon ground East End Green Cardamoms

Lightly grease a medium size shalow baking pan or sheet. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and margarine to the boil over a medium heat. Stir in the sugar, desiccated coconut and cardamom, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until the coconut becomes thick and glazed. Remove from the heat and pour into the baking pan. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

* I didn’t use all East End’s products except for the desiccated coconut. In fact, I used butter instead of margarine and exchange ground cardamoms with vanilla essence because I simply know abuhandzalah and the little boy won’t like it. Any other ideas?

dua mimpi

Kelmarin aku bermimpi
suria bersinar cemerlang
di lorong sunyi ini,
burung-burung menyanyikan lagu riang
dan bayu lembut berbisik;
bahagia telah datang,
bahagia sudah menjelang.

Tetapi semalam,
mimpi indah jadi ngeri;
langit memuntahkan petir
dan awan gemawan hitam
dikejar pekik angin
ribut dan kabut,
lorong sunyi jadi gelap
hujungnya jalan mati.

Apakah?
Aku tak mengerti.
Keliru makin bingung,
benarkah hujan panas
bisa menemukan pelangi?

Tinggal harap pada Kau yang sudi.
Dengarkan,
jangan tinggal aku sendiri.
Leraikan,
usah yakinku berbelah bagi.
Tuhan,
biar kutahu erti isyarat-Mu
dan hati ...
ittaqi, ittaqi!

khaleel el-wafy
0024am 060507, rumah kecil Furzedown Road

Today

Time really flies, and life has changed so much, but alhamdulillah for everything, I'm always smiling. Fidaa' wakes up with a smile, Handzalah wakes up with a cry. But ummi and abi will laugh at both entertainers who start our days with joy. It's three years together now and I'm all grateful for everything I have and do not.

Alhamdulillah for this ni'mah, alhamdulillah for this love. The journey is still far and there's a lot to learn too.
A lot to improve and bitter moments to chew. But may Allah give us courage, wisdom and strength for we only love because of You. Never feel weak or unimportant, never grieve for our shortcomings for there's space for lessons and improvement. Never say never to the challenges ahead as I'm always here with you, for you. To walk those challenging steps, through times good and bad. Just don't look back until we reach His hubb! Uhibbukfillah. Salam ulangtahun dan terima kasih,
pada semua, untuk segala-galanya.