Do I Need to Worry?

Aqil came back from school one day announcing that he didn't want his lunch. Knowing his appetite I was wondering the reason for this.

"Why don't you want your lunch."

"I have eaten at school Mummy."

Knowing fully well what I packed him that morning i.e a piece of bread and a drink, which will not go far for him, I am quite curious.

"I know you did but that couldn't be so filling..."

"I ate nasi lemak just now."

God!

"Where did you get the nasi lemak from?" Started to panic as we did not give him any pocket money.

"A guy gave me RM2 just now and I bought nasi lemak with the money."

"Which guy?"

"I can't remember."

"Is it big guy? A small one?" And I know I sound very pathetic when I asked him "did he touch you anywhere when he gave you the money??!"

"No. He just gave me the money."

Until today I do not know who gave him the money but I finally managed to find out that the "guy" is a Year 2 pupil.  Still I was not sure if that's a relief!

Generally, in the UK this kind of issue is taken very seriously due to shocking news of paedophile cases in schools and nurseries. Such, after years of being made aware of this, and schools in our area not allowing parents taking photos of other people's children without consent from their parents (which led us to not having any photographs of most school activities) and the children are not allowed to leave the school without their parent/s or a designated person picking them up, what happened to Aqil really raised my internal alarm.

And I was also wondering how much exactly is the pocket money given to a Year 2 pupil if he can "share" it with others?

Phew! Being a parent is a very tough job.

Happy Sunday, everyone :)

Day Trip : Southend-On-Sea & Leigh-On-Sea

I know I have neglecting this blog for quite a long time - too much for "having this blog to document (mind you!) our little journey in life"! Bah!




But maybe, just maybe it is still not too late. So I am now planning to sort of set a catching up entries on moments of our lives. It may not be chronological but at least I "capture" that moment as a remembrance for our little band of broods if they care to look back once they leave our nest :D

My job in London was a very hectic, demanding one. Many times in order to clear my back log I went to the Office during the weekends not to say putting a very long hour during the weekdays. Still, I was lucky compared to those who're unemployed.

Due to this crazy office hours of mine, it is quite difficult to get a long leave and we used to go on impromptu trips. May not be far just to get away of it all.One of these trips was the one when we spent a day at Southend-On-Sea.

Unlike when we live in Dundee where River Tay is close by and St Andrews is just around half an our away, Luton is "landlocked". Such, to go to the beach is not something that we can do every weekend but on this particular weekend in summer, after a lot of coaxing from the children, we decided to bring them to Southend-On-Sea.

It took us around an hour 40 minutes to reach there. As it is summer, there were a lot of people at almost every corner of the beach waiting for the tide. We decided to explore the area a bit and went to Leigh-on-Sea. It was crowded everywhere such we went to its pretty little town instead. We also went to Old Leigh, a little fishing village known as the cockling capital of the world. It may be tiny but we love the cosiness of the atmosphere. Here, we sampled fresh seafood at one of its many beach stalls lining the Cockle Row - a simple refreshing menu of cockles, crayfish, crab sticks eaten with pepper and vinegar. The waitress was also very kind when she offered us the Thai sauce, perhaps realising since we are Asians so the Thai sauce is more agreeable to us. :D




After enjoying this simple delicacy, we went back to Southend. The children minus Danish tried swimming but they didn't stay long in the water. Summer it may be, it is still cold underwater. As for us, the parents we are just giving a watchful eyes on them from the safety of the beach.

The White Cliffs of Dover

This is not a new post. It was drafted so... long ago that it was almost forgotten. It was one of our many impromptu trips. It was early in the morning one fine (you see, our good friend the Met Office predicted so!) summer day when we decided to drive southeast.
My husband has been meaning to visit Dover ever since we first visited England as a family (with 2 children then) way back in 2003. However, we never did - something always cropped up stopping us from going. Finally, after nearly a decade we made that journey.
You may be asking what actually attracted my husband to Dover. It was a postcard really - showing the majestic facade of White Cliffs, strikingly white taken probably from the ferry crossing the Strait of Dover.




The Cliffs are composed mainly of soft, white chalk. They form part of the a english coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The location itself is unique as the White Cliffs country tourism website correctly described : where coast meets country, beauty meets history and England meets the Continent.




The Cliffs have great symbolic value in Britain because they face towards the Continental Europe where invasions have historically threatened and against which the cliffs formed a symbolic guard.


As it is which formations like the Cliffs they were subjected to weather conditions. In 2001, a large chunk reported to be as big as a football pitch fell into the Channel. A further section also collapsed in March last year and the pic. attached is the White Cliffs that we visited in summer 2012.

Eid Mubarak

Maybe it is a little late to wish Eid Mubarak to everyone but I've been having problem downloading and saving my drafts... Anyway, since it is still the month of Syawal, with all humbleness, "Eid Mubarak everyone and May it be the best yet - in terms of strengthening relationships, in terms of celebrating closest to Sunnah, in terms of no wastage and with more Iman." Hopefully our celebration is full of Barakah.

As this is our first celebration back home in 4 years we sure have a lot to catch up. We have been visiting our relatives from both sides and helping ourselves to the "truly Malaysian" rendang, lemang (we use to have the one boiled in banana leaves and then cooked in the oven), ketupat (no longer the nasi himpit in small plastic packages), kuah kacang (though I must admit my husband's kuah kacang is one of the best :D). Mmmm... Yummy!




And last night (sort of a highlight to our Eid celebration), we attended the Komuniti Melayu Dundee Malaysia gathering (pic.). Though not everyone turned up (due to not living in the vicinity of Selangor & WP, it is a good turn up though. Most important is that the ukhwah between us in maintained :D




P/s : while we are still in celebration mode, please do not forget to say a prayer for our brothers and sisters who are going through war, abused, hunger and poverty. Let us all pray for peace and harmony, Dear Friends.

Salam... And Greetings again...and My Apology too...

Oh Dear!Oh Dear!Oh Dear!
Ooooooh Dear!

It's been above a year now since my last entry! And I just have a peep of this sort of 'long forgotten' blog of mine. And there were messages of which I haven't replied to. And I owe an apology - a huge one especially to My Life My World and of course drSam. I am so......... sorry for not responding. As it is, it has been a long time before I stepped into this blog world of mine. You accept my apology? Please? Pretty please...! I hope it is accepted.

By the way, I am now back in country. Most probably for good but I cannot be too sure yet. Well, it is a mixed feelings actually. It feels good to be in the embrace of loving families but somehow, there is a part that seems, how shall I put it, hmmm.... perhaps... strange.  Maybe I am not fully settled yet.

But, regardless of how I feel,  I really am enjoying the food. Oh food.... Glorious food... it has been so good to queue at McDonalds ordering hotdog or chicken without having to check whether it is halal or kosher and having to check which body certified the outlet as halal... it is in itself a pleasure! When my brother-in-law asked Aqil to choose between McDonalds and KFC, the first question that Aqil asked him back was "are they Halal?"

The children had started schooling. It is a pity for Danish as he has to really work the hardest for PMR. He was quite disheartened to learn that for Kemahiran Hidup, the grades are accumulated from the 1st form - well, I am just hoping he is doing his best. It is most worrying when his Bahasa Malaysia is not as good as when we left 4 years ago - and pity the younger children too as BM is getting so difficult nowadays. Even the terms are not quite so familiar anymore. I just got to know that kosakata is actually vocabulary, frasa is phrase and many more. I won't stand a chance if I were to sit for BM paper nowadays. Pity the children.... Anyway, we managed to send him for tuition for BM - you see, every time he asked me to check his karangan (composition) I feel like "committing suicide"  - I am not exaggerating...it is bad. So, it became as a shock to us when he managed an "A" for BM - never mind if it is a weak A for it managed to boost his confidence.

As for Hakim, he got away with tests/exams as with the new KBSM there is no more PMR, SPM whatsoever. To my embarrassment, I missed the briefing on KBSM last Saturday (well, as I said much2x earlier I am not an early riser and the briefing starts at 8.00 am!). But through my reading, I think it is going to be somewhat similar to the GCSE in the UK though I have yet to see any Bands. Anyway, I will pay a visit to his Dear teacher soon. Somehow I am not quite seeing so free without any thoughts of exams - an evil Mum am I not?

Mia has a lot of catching up to do. She doesn't like school. She said it is such a bore. Please don't get it wrong. Due to language barrier, she doesn't understand most of the lessons. Unfortunately for her, lessons are all in Bahasa Malaysia now even for Math and Science - no more bilingual option. So, we have been going through sample questions for most lesson with her poor Mummy translating most words. Well, till now we still persevere....

Quite surprisingly Aqil is doing well. It surprised us when he go through school smoothly. Perhaps it is true what I heard earlier - transition is always easiest for the youngest! Anyway, having said that,next Monday I have to go for his and Mia's Open Day at school. Then I will really know how they are getting along...oh... How I fear what is coming.... Anyway, I gotta be brave..huaaaa...

One Night in Winter

February 4th, 2012

4.30 in the afternoon, we were on our way to Derby after leaving all the children at a friend's house.  It was a birthday celebration of another good friend and we have planned to go from the beginning and what more we have a couple of friends going with us.

Our way north started quite pleasant in the beginning. Fifteen minutes into the journey Brother Ahmad pointed out, "See, the cloud over there? It looks so heavy, it will be snowing shortly."

"It was predicted to snow by 5 p.m today."

"Oh yes it will."  So, around 40 past 4, it started snowing, the soft rainy like like snow and by the time we pulled up at one of the Motorway Service Area around Northampton, it was full-blown snowing.

And by the time we reached Derby Convention Centre, it was Winter Wonderland.  The Birthday celebration itself goes well with of course great food.  We were entertained by a duo doing the ABBA numbers - it was a very pleasant evening! (Thank you Kak Intan & David - Many Happy Returns, David!)

When we started back it was still snowing and we have to make our way very slowly.  A few cars skidded making us more careful and determined to arrive home safely - between us, we have 5 children to come home to.

It was a bright white night when we reached Luton - Bro ahmad & Kak Yati tried to convince us to stay at their place for the night but since Mi was quite confident of getting us home, we thanked them and make our way.

Unfortunately for us, the journey home was not so smooth.

It was uphill where we live.  Half way, the car just cannot pull through.  So, we have to park the car by the roadside and make our way walking in the snow with our feet splashed sploshing deep in the newly fallen snow.  What a sight we must be.  A pair of parents with 4 young children walking in the snow in the wee hour of the morning.  Fortunately none of the children complaint.

"I know I wish for it to snow, but not this much snow..." said Mia

"But all of you always want adventure.  This is adventure!" I said

"OK then.  Snowball fight?"

You never know which way it may go with children. So we walked all the 1 plus miles home and it was not a night for us.  For we have to fight the cold that night - our heater just not working!

Happy Weekends Everyone :-D

Mummy & Son Talk

Aqil celebrated his 6th birthday on Jan 27th.

The night before his birthday, during our snuggling time before sending him to sleep, he asked me one question, which of course led to another.

"Mummy, how old is Danish when I am 13?"

"He'll be 21."

"When I am 20?"

"He'll be 28."

"When I am 52?"

"He'll be 60"

"When I am 68?"

"He'll be 76."

"Will you still be around when I am 76?"

"I am afraid, Darling,  I will be long gone when you are 76."

"Danish?"

"He'll be 84.  Maybe he's still around but we never know, Darling.   Only God knows..."

"Then who is going to take care of me if both of you are not around?"

At this point I was already in the brink of laughing. But, before I could say anything, he continued.

"Never mind, it's alright! I will go to your Mum.  She lives alone.  I will join her.  Surely she will take care of me. She loves me."

And I was like, if I am long gone by then, for sure my Mum won't be around....

Anyway, I just told him.

"It's alright, Darling... When you are 76, you will have your own family to take care of you. But, if none of then are willing, just register yourself at any of the Retirement homes... they have a lot of facilities and support there, but, I tell you what, you will be alright..."

"Ok Mum..." and he was asleep not long after that.

Well, .... I cannot comment much, can I? When I told my Mum, she was laughing, saying,  "At least, even though we are far from each other now, he is aware that I love him.

All of us love you, too. :-D