Sunday, October 28, 2007

FIRST TIME

Last week i accompanied Cik Nanie to visit her late father's grave which is also my first experience visiting a non-muslim cemetery.

When I told one of my muslim colleague about it, she seem a bit surprised. The look on her face and the way she said "apa la u ni..in response to what i told her, as if I was doing something very wrong and I can be murtad because of it. She even asked me, " So, u sembah-sembah sekali la ye?" And I have to explain that nothing of the sort took place. Pelik. Terkejut. Ada ke patut cakap aku sampai ke situ sekali?! Seliberal -liberal aku pun, i know where's my limit la, cik kak.
Come on la babe, it's not wrong for us Muslim to visit person of other religion's grave kan? Cik Nanie's father is a chinese so if she has converted to Islam doesn't mean that she cannot visit her father's grave? And as a friend tak salah kan kalau aku temankan dia sekali. I was just standing there watching Cik Nanie 'talked' to her father. And it was a very brief, less than 5 minutes visit.

Anyway, i noticed a lot of 'adab melawat kubur' difference between Muslim & Non-Muslim.We Muslims have to be properly dressed and menutup aurat. But the visitors I've seen in this memorial park is more casual. Wearing short pants, t-shirts and even sleeveless. I remembered that I'm a bit panic bila Cik Nanie suddenly kata nak visit her father on our way back home.

Looking at my outfit, i asked her.."Alamak, abis tu i pakai camni, takpe ke?"

"Relax ar, kat sini u pakai ape pun tak kisah, dulu i pakai short & spaghetti strap je"..haha..tu la jawapan Cik Nanie.

On our way in, ada Hindu funeral rites in one of the hall performed by the Hindu monks just outside the cremation hall. In the memorial yard, I noticed that there are quite a number of indians buried kat situ. Maybe after the cremation ceremony they just buried the ashes there because it is more convinient to do everything in one place. I guess, this kind of crematorium / memorial park is no longer restricted to certain race or religion kot. Luckily nobody noticed that there's one budak melayu sesat dalam tu..kot tak pasal-pasal kena halau. Nasib baik kulit ada terlebih gelap, bolehla conceal identity sikit.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

THAT'S HOW I SPENT MY RAYA

Holiday's over.

People has come back to work and business resume back to normal.

My Hari Raya is not as merry as the previous ones. The first day of Hari Raya is a bit quiet as my bro is celebrating with his in laws family in KP. So pengajaran pada kengkawan sekalian, kalau kawin make sure beranak banyak-banyak, kalau tak..kesian kat anak korang nanti jadi macam aku keboringan sebab takde geng. Luckily this year Cik Nanie is spending her raya with my family, or else i'm sure i'll be bored to death.

However, we still prepare the hari raya dish. Makan tetap makan beb. Biar raya takde mood, bab makan wajib meriah.


Brownish/gold is our theme this year. Manage to take family photo of the four of us using my nearly-1 year-but never-been-used tripod. Haha..rasa ada studio gambar sendiri pulak.

Not much of activities during the first two days of Hari Raya. We didn't even visit any relatives' house since it's my bro's request to go beraya with them. So, my parents, ne and Cik Nanie just visited my late grandparents' grave in Mahmoodiah and after that lepaking at house watching TV Raya programs.

There's nobody came to beraya at our house as well, not even the kids. I'm not surprised, though. Everyone seem to be out of the town and might be somewhere in their kampung celebrating this once a year family gathering. Well, I kinda like it. What a way to spend the Hari Raya. It's holidays, good food, lotsa programs to watch and I have it all to myself.

Things started to be more lively the moment my bro, SIL & nephew arrived JB. We visited the relatives' house on the 3rd day of Eid. Masa ni la jugak my parents keep getting calls from friends/relatives who were asking whether we were at home or not. Apa, orang semua mula keluar beraya masa raya ketiga ke? As expected, the next day and the day afterwards was the busiest. I dont even have time to bath (hehe, pecah lubang) because people came non-stop. Sekali datang 2,3 kereta. Campur pulak dengan the kids from the nearby neighbourhood yang mula buat project mengepau tuan rumah.

My aunties, uncles and cousins who started to call me 'Nyonya Kedai Gambar' because i'm using tripod to take this photo.

But when Riz was hospitalized due to Rotavirus infection, all of us lost our raya mood. Kesian sangat tengok budak kecik macam tu diarrhea & muntah-muntah. Luckily he was discharged after 3 days there. On the bright side, we got to spend 1 week with them here in JB.

That's how I spent my raya. I'm sure yours is much more better than mine.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

KISAH PANAS SEBELUM RAYA!

Cerita ini berlaku beberapa ari sebelum raya dan beberapa minit sebelum berbuka. Baran betul aku. In fact sampai ke ari ni aku masih rasa 'hot & spicy' lagi.

Ari tu, on the way nak balik umah my parents, B-Tam dah bergesel dengan satu Kelisa yang drivernya (seorang Ah Beng) yang sungguh kurang ajar & kurang akal. Kisah ni berlaku masa aku nak u-turn ke simpang masuk rumah parents aku. Jalan pulak memang tengah jem giler waktu tu. So, lepas u-turn aku signal untuk susur masuk kiri pelan-pelan. Masa tu aku dah lepas first lane & try nak masuk ke last lane pulak.

Masa ni la macam nak mampus aku signal tapi si driver Kelisa yang bodoh ni seboleh-boleh taknak kasi aku ruang masuk. Terpaksa la aku dok kat first lane sambil menyignal dengan harapan dapat masuk ke last lane sebelum tiba ke simpang masuk taman yang parents aku tinggal. Tapi jalan pulak memang terhenggut-henggut, jem la katakan. Bila simpang ke taman tu dah dekat, ndak tak ndak memang la aku kena gak pegi ke last lane. Kalau tak..maunye terlajak, takkan aku nak u-turn balik. Disebabkan situasi tu, B-Tam dah dok antara first & second lane, so in a way menghalang motor-motor yang nak menyelit tengah-tengah jem tu. Kereta-kereta lain pun tak boleh gerak memandangkan aku tersempal kat tengah-tengah.

Si Kelisa ni pulak memang hampehs, langsung taknak kasi jalan walaupun kereta depan dia dah mengensot sikit so aku boleh masuk lane tu. Ape tah masalah dia. Tak considerate langsung. Bukan je kat aku, tapi kat kenderaan-kenderaan lain. Lagipun, as rakyat Malaysia, takkan tak tau orang Islam semua puasa, time pun dah nak berbuka. Tapi gitulah orang kalau dah kurang akal, last-last bergesel dengan B-tam. Padan la dengan muka kau yang bangang tu! Busuk ati sangat, taknak bagi sampai sanggup menjahanamkan kereta sendirik, ambik kau! Nasib baik la jalan jem, so impact dari pergeselan tu sikit je, kalau la laju tadi, akan ku pastikan kau masuk kubur ari tu jugak.

Si Ah Beng dengan ahli keluarganye (kebetulan mak bapak dia pun ade gak dlm keta tu) terus serbu kat aku & Cik Nanie yang masih dalam kereta. We all tak keluar sebab rasa sungguh tak munasabah la nak bertekak kat tengah2 jalan tu jugak, dah le tengah jem gile jangan le tambahkan jem lagi. Bodoh sungguh! Tu pun dah menampakkan selfish bongok Ah Beng ni. Puas dah aku & Cik Nanie suruh alih kereta & discuss kat tepi jalan, tak reti2 bahasa gak. Dia sibuk nak amik gambar scene tu nak tunjuk kat insurans company katanye. Ape kebangang la. Kalau kereta kau kemek terburai macam ikan busuk tu bole la nak claim. Insurans mana la gaknye yang nak layan claim setakat scratch camtu.

Yang mahalnye, mak dia terus meluru kat we all yang still dlm keta ni and berulang kali dok tanye "sekarang apa macam, sekarang ape macam.." Haih, Ah Soh ni, sekali aku lesing jugak kang! Nasib baik sebelum sempat aku lesing, kenderaan dah mula bergerak, si keluarga Ah Beng sengal ni kena marah dengan driver yang lalu lalang sebab menghalang kat tengah2 jalan. Barulah terhegeh-hegeh nak ketepi. Dasar tak sekolah! Memang tak sekolah pun, gaya cakap pun main lu gua, lu gua je.

Dah kat tepi tu, aku check keta aku dulu ar, make sure keta aku takde mende, pastu baru aku tengok condition keta dia teruk ke tak. Hek eleh..auta je lebih. Takde yamg kronik pun. Setakat minor calar & mudguard keta dia terkopak skit, kalau gam pun ok. Masa kena pun pun perlahan je, so takdela ape sangat. (kalau teruk pun aku tak kuasa nak bayar. Boleh blah la!)

Si Ah Beng dari tadi sibuk marah-marah. Apehal kau nak marah2..kau yang start himpit keta aku. Bagero! Pastu macam mak dia gak sibuk tanye sekarang macam mana? Macam mana ape, kau yang himpit keta aku jgn harap le aku nak bayar. Pastu maknye Ah Beng ni yang pulak sibuk nak pi buat report kat balai. Fine! kau nak pi report sangat pasal keta kau yang tak seberapa tu, aku OK je. Kalau kena jontos kepala dengan polis kat balai kang aku tumpang jontos sama kepala sengal kau tu. Lagipun aku confident giler yang diaorang ni gertak jek, sebab aku taknak bagi duit kat dia. Orang giler je nak mengabiskan RM300 nak buat report, padahal harga repair keta pun baru berapa sen. Unless si Ah Beng & family ni memang golongan terencat itu aku tak tau la.

Si Ah Beng dengan tak menyempatnye terus nak ke Balai Polis nearby. Engkau nak pi report silakan, silap-silap polis pun tak kuasa nak layan time orang sibuk nak berbuka especially bila tengok kereta engkau setakat calar skit. Aku pun malas nak layan family bengong tu, ape kejadahnye nak redah jalan yang tengah jem giler ke balai polis, baik aku balik rumah buka pose dulu. Malam-malam kang kalau rajin aku ar singgah ke balai tengok ada tak orang buat report pasal B-Tam.

3 ari lepas tu aku check dengan member yang keje as polis trafik, ade tak report pasal accident ari tu, seperti dijangka memang la takde.

Sabar ye En. Ah Beng, kalau lu teringin sangat nak buat report or claim insurans, lu tunggu wa jumpa lu punye keta sekali lagi, memang gua dah standby paku ni..tinggal nak kasi kereta lu betul-betul calar baeekk punye, lu tunggu je la...

Thursday, October 11, 2007

SELAMAT HARI RAYA

Aidilfitri is just around the corner and i just want to wish all Muslims 'Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri' and Maaf Zahir Batin.

For those who will be driving back to your hometown, do drive carefully and take a break if you are sleepy. Don't be a part of the accident statistics, ok. Ingatlah orang tersayang yang tak sabar menunggu kepulangan anda, bukannya jenazah anda.

While celebrating and enjoying your eid, dont forget to be thankful for the rezeki & chance to celebrate in peace and harmony. Remember our unfortunate friends all over the world who might be celebrating Eid in hunger, fear and poverty.

Once again, wishing you all an awesome Aidilfitri and happy holidays!!

Friday, October 5, 2007

APEHAL?!!!

Isnin lepas aku perasan jam faveret aku takde bateri. Patut la tiap kali aku tersedar malam tu, asal tengok jam je baru pukul 3, tak bergerak-gerak. Aku pulak, makin syok la tarik comforter sampai ke dagu. Maklumla baru pukul 3 pagi. Ingatkan malam sungguh panjang rupanye nyawa bateri jam aku yang tak panjang.

Maka bukan aje termiss sahur, bangun pun lambat. Bila bangun dah lambat, nak kena berkejar ke opis sambil apply driving skill ala Kimi Raikkonen la pulak. Bila dah drive macam setan, confirm punye kata-kata 'pujian' akan keluar berhamburan kat apa-apa kenderaan, traffic light, polis trafik atau apa je objek melintas yang menghalang perjalanan aku. Bila dah sibuk 'memuji' sana sini, by the time sampai opis, confirm pahala puasa aku dah tinggal sekerat. Tengok, betapa besar impak jam nih dalam idup aku. *Hek eleh, tak payah la nak salahkan jam, Survivor..kalau tak kerana jam pun memang engkau tu selalu lambat :P*

Jadinya pagi tu aku pegi kedai jam kat atas ni dengan niat nak mengganti bateri baru. Memandangkan aku pun tengah huru hara kat opis ditambah dengan malas nak menunggu, aku tinggalkan aje kat amoi kedai jam tu & bagitau dia yang aku akan datang ambik kemudian.

Bila aku datang balik petang tu, Amoi tu dah takde. Maybe shift dia dah abis kot. But ada one chinese guy yang ganti. Mamat ni tengah khusyuk betulkan tali jam sape punye ntah. Aku tengok meja dia punya la banyak giler jam yang nak direpair.

Survivor: Tadi pagi i ada antar jam kasi ganti bateri. Dah siap ka?

Budak Kedai: oo..ada ada..

Confident jek dia hulurkan aku jam ni yang kebetulannya merupakan satu-satunya jam spesis macam ni yang ada kat atas meja repair/ servis kedai tu. Survivor: Eh, ini bukan jam saya la. Saya tak pakai jam macam ni.

Budak Kedai: Aiyo, bukan ke..mana satu awak punye? Macam takde woo..

Survivor: Ada la...Ini la saya punye *sambil tunjuk kat jam faveret aku*

Budak Kedai: Ini awak punye ka? *dengan mata tak berkelip tengok aku & riak muka yang ala-ala nak percaya ke tak ape yang aku cakap*

Sah dia tak caya ni jam aku. Apsal pulak? Otak CSI aku dah start membuat kira-kira forensik apsal dia tak puas ati akula pemilik jam nih.

Adekah kerana:

1) Tangan aku kelihatan sangat cute sampai tak sesuai memakai jam feveretku itu?
2) Kebrutalan aku tak terserlah kerana kebetulannya aku memakai kebaya ari ni?
3) Sepanjang sejarah dia kat kedai jam, akulah manusia pertama berbaju kebaya yang pakai jam Caterpillar kot?
4) Mamat ni seorang yang suka menstereotaipkan orang?
5) Aku kelihatan macam seorang penipu yang cuba mengaku jam orang sebagai jam sendiri?

APEHAL PULAK?

Salah ke aku pakai jam macam nih? hah? hah? jawab..jawab... Cun ape aku pakai..kan? kan? kan?!!.....(sape cakap tak cun memang nak kena belasah! (ayat tunjuk brutal sebab nak justify diri..muahahahah!)

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

ELECTRIC BBQ

Last weekend Cik Nanie & me planned to have BBQ lamb & chicken for iftar.

At first we thought of using dad's outdoor grill but after ransacking his store then only he recalled leaving it at my brother's place after our last 'pesta' BBQ in Pantai Penyabong. (My family memang giler BBQ!)

So both of us went to Jusco to buy a new grill, charcoal, lamb & chicken meat, prawns and whatever items we might need.

It was while looking for the common portable BBQ grill that Cik Nanie terbekenan with this electric BBQ.

Me on the first place, doubt its capability.

Will the taste be the same as using charcoal?

Tahan lama ke tidak benda ni? Ada warrranty?

Ok ke brand nih? Hanabishi..tak penah dengar ponn...

Cik Nanie's heart pulak on the other hand was 90% set to buy this thing.


Jadi, kami pun menimbang-tara kebaikan produk ni...

It's not so expensive. Yep, it's only RM99.

We don't have to buy charcoal anymore. Dah kira jimat.

Less smoke. Baju, rambut pun tak lekat bau asap.

Dah tak perlu susah payah hidupkan api, meniup, mengipas & tunggu sampai arang jadi bara baru boleh mula BBQ.

Healthier because we are not eating food from charcoal grill anymore. No carcinogen = reduce risks of cancer.

We can use it indoor as well!
Boleh main BBQ sembunyi2 dalam rumah..haha!

In the end, Cik Nanie decided to follow her heart & bought it.

Dan tanpa membuang ari, we all cuba try test kebolehan benda ni ari tu jugak.

Waiting to be BBQd..marinated with Cik Nanie's secret marinating recipe..


New gadget in action. Not bad la the performance, cepat je dah masak...


Test on udang pulak...


The result, TADAAA....looks delicious. Fresh from the griller...


It tasted no difference from charcoal BBQing. Pekena pulak dengan Cik Nanie 's superb mashed potato. Fuh! marvellous! Note: Cik Nanie memang pandai masak :) *puji ada makna tuh*..hehe..Cik Nanie jgn buat tak paham..sila memasak dengan lebih aktif lagi setelah menerima pujian ini.!

Washing this griller is quite easy. The parts are detachable and can be washed separately. So nak menyental bahagian yang berminyak ni senang sikit gitu..budak sekolah rendah pun boleh buat.

The flaws: Short powercord, you might need to use extension plug. Satu lagi, it comes without stand so kena la pandai-pandai cari tempat yang sesuai nak letak benda ni. Takkan nak berBBQ sambil mencangkung pulak kan?

Overall performance quality & cooking speed is very good. Whatever we intend to BBQ (2 packs of lamb shoulder meat, 2 kilos of chicken & few hundred grams of prawns) were done in less than 1 hour.

I lap u la Cik Nanie sebab sanggup mengabiskan duit beli benda alah ni! :P