Recapping 2007

Sadia on her Alphabet mat

Another year is drawing to a close. Where has the time gone?! It feels like only yesterday we were in the Netherlands, the place in which we spent a significant portion of 2007.

All smiles in Bagel & Beans Cafe, The Passage, Den Haag

Specifically it was Delft that we called home for almost a year, an idyllic town setting that we had grown to love so much so it was difficult to say goodbye to. There are so many wonderful things to like about Delft.

Sadia fooling around in the Delft's apartment

I think the main contributing factor to our stress-free, contented living in Delft was the location of our home. It was as close as we could get to the town centre but not near enough to be invaded by continuous throng of tourists and locals alike. Like the old, unassuming charm that Delft exudes, our apartment was aptly situated along Oude Delft.

Our backyard snowed in

This perfect location provides us with ample freedom to explore on foot the town at our whims and fancies. This translates to many an unplanned jaunt and memorable strolls whenever we needed a breath of fresh air or just felt peckish for Dutch’s creamy ice-creams or sumptuous Turkish pizzas. One of us could swing over to the nearby grocer, Albertheijn, if we had forgotten or were missing an ingredient for dinner, and would be back in jiffy before Sadia even asked for one of us! That was another thing I miss about living in Holland. The accessibility of a clean, friendly supermarket to walk into, as and when the needs arise.

Reading in the train

I terribly miss Delft and its simplistic, carefree life. With super-efficient public transport system, I don’t have to rely on a car to go anywhere and walking is a form of exercise that helps immensely for post-natal women like me!

Sitting by the canal

An uninterrupted line of serene canals, dotted by ducks, swans and other fowls, lends to the feeling of warmth and tranquility that I relish each and every day. Eating our lunch on the bench overlooking the canal, feeding the ducks there in the approaching twilight or tossing stale bread to the flock of ‘cute’ pigeons at the Plaza, we were blessed by such quietude that rejuvenated both the mind and body. This is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of a cacophonous city life that pounced on me the moment we landed back home. To be sure, KL has its priceless share of gems like late-night shopping until 10 p.m., which is almost unheard of in the Lands of Clogs.

Basking in the sunlight at HydePark

Trafalgar Square thronged with holidaymakers

Whereas Delft was the epicenter of our existence for the most part of 2007, we predictably indulged in some traveling which saw us in Luscious London during the Spring and in Picturesque Paris during the Summer. In early April, we arrived in London via the Gatwick Airport and spent four glorious days basking in some London attractions. The highlights of our trip were the lush greenery of Hyde Park, as well as the cobblestone, hilly shopping center of Guildford in Surrey. The trip also marked Sadia’s virgin steps onto a playground area, located a stone’s throw away from Aunty Idai’s quaint house.

The crowded EuroDisney

Paris was filled with a fantastic menagerie of sights and sounds, the types which rendered us completely and utterly useless at the end of each day. Strenuous schedule and crackling feet notwithstanding, we concur that Paris is one of our favourite spots in the world! The scorching heat in EuroDisney, the sinuous hallways of Louvre Museum and the soothing, aesthetic appeal of Luxembourg Garden round up my unforgettable Parisian jaunts. And naturally, the endless walks along the Seine turned into a daily ritual that we came to love.

Letting off steam on the grounds of the Louvre

Since the summer sojourn was the second time we visited Paris – the first one being in December 2006 – it felt as if we were coming back home. Balik Kampung. Everything smelled, tasted and looked familiar. We were on known territories. Even the sandwich parlor, Lina Café in Galleries Lafayette heightens our dejavu feelings.

Inside the Netherlands and outside of Delft, my preferred shopping ground would be Den Haag (The Hague), followed closely by Rotterdam and lastly Amsterdam. While I concede that Amsterdam is full of interesting places to venture into, I just don’t like the tourist trappings that are synonymous with it. Call me a typical country girl, if you please, but the noise and crowd level in Amsterdam perturbs me.

There were also temporary stays in Groningen and Den Haag during my husband’s two-week intensive course in those cities, which taught me lessons on patience, physical endurance and mental strength. The former, located in the country’s northside, is considerably parochial even for my standard and unless you have a bicycle, you have to rely heavily on walking for simple errands like finding groceries and toiletries. Lugging a 7-kg baby in the baby carrier for a 1-km round trip to the nearest shopping area was very exhausting to say the least!

With Marit & Robert at the lake by the hotel, Groningen

Strolling around the other lake in Groningen

Groningen was an emotional time for me since Sadia came down with high temperatures for a couple of days that resulted in rashes on some parts of her body. This also marked the first time that she got really sick in Holland. Luckily the doctor recommended to us was very helpful in explaining us her ailment and directing us to the hypotheek where we can get her medicine.

At the Malieveld park, Den Haag during Programme's session

At Kaldi's, taking a break from class

As for the Den Haag sojourn, which propitiously was the Programme’s last session, we were more than happy to bunk in a hotel in the middle of town, replete with food and shopping choices. This arrangement was in stark contrast to the awful Groningen stay two months prior. While hubby was in class, Sadia and I savoured the walks around the Hofvijver (Court Pond) in the Binnenhof area, and along the cobblestone roads of an exclusive shopping area, the Paleispromenade, gawking at the beautiful window displays.

Having lunch at DeBijenkorf's quiet food court

Apart from our tumultuous trip to Utrecht in January, the Dutch’s other memorable treasures include visits to the Garden Extraordinaire – Keukenhof, Mauritshuis, Rijksmuseum, Rotterdam and Amsterdam’s zoos, Bakkerswinkeland last but certainly not least, Dudok café.

Finally a Family photo during Raya Haji (hubby sans Baju Melayu)

On the Malaysian front, we celebrated both Eids amongst great food and company, especially last week’s Raya Haji as my Aunt, Uncle and cousin are back from the UK for the holidays. Also, in the short span of time since we arrived home in mid-September, we have executed two major purchases, that of a car and a house. It was high time anyway that we changed the Kenari into a more economical, family-oriented automobile. As for the house in-progress, it was a rather spontaneous yet serious undertaking that we went house-hunting that one fine rainy day. And how glad we are that we stick to our gut instinct!

Raya Haji at Kg Bharu

Saving the best for last, I finally dethroned the annoying monkey on my back last Monday when a Kota Bharu-based car dealer settled the outstanding balance of my loan. Alhamdulillah. After all the mind-numbing runaround, the parking violations for the car I DIDN’T drive in Kota Bharu and the last-straw police report, my husband and I heaved a huge sigh of relief!

Elisa, Sadia and Alya watching the chicks

Enjoy the last couple of days of 2007 everyone and hope all our 2008 resolutions will be followed through. *wink, wink!*

Hartelijk Gefeliciteerd! *

From left: Nina and me (I think ;) )

It’s that time of the year again. No, it’s not Christmas, nor is it the New Year’s Eve.

Clueless still? It coincides with Winter Solstice, at least that’s what I told my would-be husband back then as a useful tip on how to remember my birthday. Oops, the cat is out of the bag. Hah!

Who am I fooling? It has been out ever since I unabashedly dropped hints here and there about the momentous occasion.

30-odd years ago, in the capital of Kelantan (a state in the East Coast of Malaysia), a set of (almost) bald twins entered the world five minutes apart from one another. The time was close to 7pm when the other half finally slid out of the canal. And that would be me. Hehe.

In the Malay tradition, it is commonly believed that the last one to exit the womb is actually the OLDER sister as she had kindly let the younger sister to go out first. I fervidly wish this is true, but I can bet that most people would agree I have the temperament of the younger one. Double hehe.

Also, according to my birth account, I was a songsang, or breech baby, which traditionally means I am endowed with magic fingers, at least as far as massaging is concerned. I want to believe this is real too and earn a profit on my tactile gift, not merely a ploy to massage relatives free of charge based on this non-scientific fact alone. Yet, I can vouch that some people, without even trying hard, make much better masseurs compared to my untrained hands.

Speaking of endowment, my twin sister is always known as the calm and collected half, whereas I am the klutz and scatterbrained one. My mother recalled that back in the primary school days, my twin always insisted her school’s shoelaces to be evenly tied by the former before she even dared stepping on school ground. As for me, I couldn’t care less about those details that clearly explains my relatively unkempt appearance. Even our penmanship – hers neat, mine illegible - gives us away. ;)

These outward differences stretched and expanded, literally and figuratively, into the secondary school (or high school) with me growing larger and geekier than her. I admit that I got jealous when she received the attention of some interesting people (well, at least they were interesting through my shallow, adolescent eyes), significant of which was a senior girl who took her as ‘adik angkat.’ The bespectacled, serious-looking me didn’t have any ‘kakak angkat’, nor did anyone want to be my ‘adik angkat’ and I felt terribly left out. (Well, Kak Muna was sort of a pseudo-Kakak Angkat but that’s another story).

But looking back, all this Kakak Angkat-Adik Angkat business, at least from my observation in boarding school, have more to do with popularity contest amongst my peers as opposed to genuine interest to develop real meaningful friendships. I could easily say that I’m bitter but to tell you the truth I have nurtured some friendships with people of varying ages post-secondary school, and we have been friends ever since. And the age gap has never been a problem as we’re mostly on the same wavelength, save for the occasional spats.

To my twin sister, I still carry that idealistic excesses that at times border infuriatingly on the naiveté. I am disinclined to think otherwise because as much like a leopard that can in no way change his spots, my gullibility has already become a second nature. I couldn’t rid myself of it despite my desire to see the world through a pair of more realistic lenses. That way, it wouldn’t hurt so much when the incongruities of life get to me.

Notwithstanding my seeming innocence, the two of us have always been, on some levels, a protector of one another, on issues ranging from education, health, friendship, money, marriage, to career. I still remember the time she treated me to a trip in Kota Kinabalu as our final getaway before she officially became someone else’s other half. Those carefree, light days invariably bring a smile to my face and remind me of what’s important in life.

As for our legendary series of fights, squabbles, miscommunications and everything in between, it is truly heartening, not to mention surprising, that we could look past all that and continually reinvent our relationship across numerous rites of passage. I could choose to harbor resentment for some of the angry words hurled at me (and vice-versa), but somehow the passage of time has softened the blow and deepened my longing to spend quality time with her.

My twin sister, Nina is a best friend that I could ever ask for. Come to think of it, she is my ONLY best friend – two words that I’d never lightly use. For someone who has two sisters her age and another sister two years junior, the need to crown somebody else as a best friend rarely crosses my mind. My other sisters would quickly beg to differ, I’m sure, citing the usual suspects of entrusting a third party with personal secrets, safekeeping one’s privacy and voicing age-specific concerns.

Breakfast time! Nina, Kak Long, me and Dikya

Few cherished close friends I may have but none singled out as the quintessential best friend just going by the route of certain indiscriminate criteria. Outside the family, the one person closely resembles a best friend is none other than my husband which must be one of the reasons why I wanted him as a life partner. So, my two best friends please play nice. :)

While my sister and I may not live under the same roof anymore, or hang out as often, my intuition tells me that we would always be there for each other for as long as there is a sky above our heads. Therefore, for my thirty-(cough) birthday, I’d like to acquit myself from harping on the past which can never be undone. Let’s accentuate on our positives, dear sister, for that’s what we Sadges do best!

Last but not least, in chronological order for the next four days, happy birthday today to cousin Lindsey in London, a Eid-ul-Adha Mubarak to fellow Muslims, a VERY happy birthday to me and twin, and happy birthday to cousin Arif in Sungai Buloh.

*That's Happy Birthday greeting in Dutch.

p.s. A Big Thank-You goes to Auntie Bae for the scanned photos!
p.p.s. For Birthday comics, please click here.

Pay It Forward

If you have the power, the money, the connection, the wherewithal to help someone in dire straits, would you come on board and offer your assistance, no questions asked?

And how delighted would you feel to know that this timely relief has significantly lifted the burden off the hapless person. 'Praise be to God, you have saved the day!' exclaimed the ones down on their luck.

That's what crossed my mind when I received news that intervention of the highest order was executed at the eleventh hour. For the sake of those involved, I'm careful not to disclose any details and I hope those in the know would exercise similar discretion.

What I would like to concentrate on is the miraculous gesture that this Godsent person has kindly channeled to those in need. Given the magnitude of risks, he or she could have just backed out, refused to take part in the person's misery and scooted away. But he or she assented, with the usual practical conditions attached which in turn gave enough room for the unfortunate other to regroup his strategy.

Since this display of magnanimity sprang upon them without a previous quid-pro-quo arrangement, I believe the most commendable way to show one's gratitude is to pay it forward. Pay what? you ask. It is a sociological concept whereby one repays a person's debt or kind gesture by helping a third party, instead of paying it back to the first party.

In my particular case however, the debtor will eventually have to pay back whatever he owes the creditor. My point is that in the interim those affected and gained by the succor should pay forward to a third party, by dispensing their energy, money, advice and so forth.

My mother, for instance, is a proponent of this Pay It Forward philosophy, or rather her version of it. In its primordial form, she reckons it all come down to rezeki, or loosely translated as bounty, tangible or otherwise.

The good deeds that you've done would somehow be rewarded in the most unexpected manner, or when you least expect it. Good karma begets good karma, I'd say. :)

For Mama, making sure that everyone at home has enough to eat or becoming an exemplary hostess to her slew of visitors is a matter of paramount order. She attends to them to the best of her ability, even though she might have to scrape together the last of her rations. Despite the fact the person(s) she feted might be someone whom has been unpleasant to her, she couldn't bear to eat if the other person is not being nourished as well. It's in my mother's nature. To her folly or her benefit? You be the judge.

As I was saying, everyone must practice paying it forward because we can never know when you ever need that crucial aid to crutch your affliction. This chain reaction of unconditional acts is very beneficial in the long run as it not only promotes a healthy self-image for the payer, but also fosters a caring, indispensable network of payees.

So what else are you waiting for?

Three Birthdays at Once

Going to be a busy week until the weekend, due to distractions on the home ground, so to speak. For now, here are photos that took place last Saturday for the belated birthday celebration of my two nieces - Elisa and Zahra - and nephew, Zaris. Elisa and Zaris are early December-born while Zahra was born somewhere mid-October.

As accustomed, the gathering was held at my Grandma's in Kampung Bahru where we also welcome home my cousin, Adam who arrived from the UK earlier in the morning. (His parents were to arrive the next morning).

The wholesome spread, cakes and ice-cream made for a lively get-together. My little brother even brought a new someone special to the do, much to my family's surprise. This was the first time she was introduced to us. I hope she wasn't overwhelmed by the hullabaloo that defines almost all the Do's taking place in Kampung Bharu. :)

Sadia got a bit antsy however, due to the lack of sleep and preferred to cling to either one of her parents. She even refused to join in singing the birthday song.

The birthday kids were contented with their piles of pressies, consisting mostly of clothes and a sprinkling of toys.

Speaking of birthdays, I'm glad to know that a special momentous one will occur near to Raya Haji. :)

Elisa, Alya and Zaris

The loquacious Zahra

Get ready to blow the candles!

My gregarious cousins - (top) Nani and Ya; (bottom) Wawa and Mimah

Sofia in the background while Elisa was busy unwrapping presents

All mine!

Cousins Ameir and Aka checking out the toys with Zahra and Sofia

Feeding Sadia one of the birthday cakes (don't mind the ice-cream stain)

Rub-a-dub-dub Right, Rub-a-dub-dub Wrong

Do you ever have that feeling that you just don't like someone solely based on your interaction(s) with that person? I mean, for some reason or another, this person just rubs you the wrong way?

You initially thought it was an one-off feeling - that probably you were having a bad day and consequently issued a bad judgment call on that person. Or you felt you're being hard on that person and should cut him or her some slack. However, upon repeated encounters and/or exposures to that particular someone you are certain that it's not just a coincidence that your defense mechanism goes up whenever the person is within your radar.

Do you believe that a person simply rubs you the wrong way, figuratively speaking? Regardless of how popular he or she is with the others, how your friends seem to get along well with him or her, or how good he or she is at something, this person just grates you so no matter what.

Well, as you can as much guess, I fervently believe in such a circumstance.

Granted, one does not expect that everyone to like him or her all of the time. Yet, while it might appear inconceivable that a person might not like you, disliking you ALL of the time clearly demonstrates the inherent existence of bad blood.

Don't be despair though. Most of the times, I think the feelings that the two affected parties are harbouring are completely mutual. There is no use fighting it because, like it or not, there seem to be inexplicable, higher forces at work which induce one to repel the other.

Save for the clueless few, I am positive that nearly everyone has his or her share of being rubbed the wrong way. Below are some of my hallmark moments:

1. I am sadly aversive to moody people. I know, I know - I shouldn't take it to heart when another is having a bad day, a headache and all the (im)possible permutations. But it's another thing when you have to tiptoe around their moodswings lest you should say something hurtful. Let me correct that, something that is construed as hurtful to the other (moody) person.
   
   This situation is annoying especially when you haven't met the other person for some time and wanted to catch up with him or her. Another correction: you unwittingly agreed, for old time's sake, to catch up with this person since another nice friend invited you to come along in the first place. Try as you may to be yourself, you can't help it that you almost always catch the person when she or he is in a funk. Your attempt to lighten up the moment is invariably doused by either a curt one-liner or a furrowed forehead which follows by a sour countenance. I'd gladly be some place else than to entertain the erratic behaviour of someone who doesn't appreciate my company in the first place.
   
   Perhaps, it is written in the stars. You can't get along with so-and-so. So why continue to subject yourself to this abuse?



2. Another pet peeve is one-upmanship. You know the practice by which you like to outdo another person whom you perceive in some ambiguous way, a rival. Whilst the competitive field might vary, the method of 'showing off' is similar and familiar.
   
   For instance, when you are talking about a planned vacation to another person, she would somehow manage to disrupt your train of thought and end up talking about her seemingly more glamorous holiday plan. Usually this person would deride your choices and proclaim hers - whatever it may be - to be the best or wisest option.
   
   You possibly get my drift - all the things you would want to share would be either brushed aside for her more fantastic tales or ridiculed for appearing/coming below par to her supposedly exquisite taste. The truth is she is not sincerely interested in your life. She is just waiting for the opportune time to show off her 'assets' and vindicate her worth whenever such an occasion arises. It is all about her, you see.
   
   These kind of people revel in their upmanship prowess, so much so it is a sport to them. Under a different category, they are a self-absorbed lot who thrive on the gullible few whom can feed their ego.



3. Lastly, an attitude that gets my goat is none other than a Mr/Ms-Know-It-All. Occasionally with a dash of Holier-than-thou persona thrown in. You know the type of person who proudly announces his number of years of experience in a specific field, a method which he hopes, among others, to strike fear in the heart of his enemies, known or otherwise. Also, he is confident that this proclamation alone would impede a noble novice from questioning and undermining his authority. He would prefer to rest on his laurels than have anyone engage him in a lively discussion which most probably discloses the fraud that he is.
   
   A variant of this kind features those 'I-have-seen-and-travelled-the-world-and-know-how-people-work-so-just-shut-up-and-listen-to-my-gospel-truth' who refuse to hear the other's side of the story. They relish in shooting you down, no matter what your argument is because they apparently know better than the rest of less exposed/cultured folks. For all they know, the different perspective the other offered can be both refreshing and enriching to their so-called eclectic set of experiences.

On the flip side, it can be argued that noone is perfect and one has to delicately work around this fact. For one, I might possess a few traits that might cheese people off on any given day. Take your pick - I can at times be blunt, brazen, needy, whiny or paranoid. Or worse yet, what if I am be perceived to exhibit the above three characteristics?!

Imperfections aside, if a person proves, time and again, to be an anathema to the very air you breathe, it is best for your mental health to avoid crossing each other's path. Unless of course, you plan to stay friends for your own personal reasons - the number of years you've known each other, she's a good friend's friend, she knows someone that can help with your career, she's my only friend, etc - in which case I have only this left to say: Proceed with Caution.

In a similar vein, a blogger's materials either provoke your anger or rivet your attention, all achieved at your own volition. Despite a blogger's popularity with a certain segment of readers, you remain at best unimpressed and at worst repulsed. Perhaps, it is in its political slant that you find disagreeable, or the blogger's overt smugness that makes your skin crawl. You couldn't put your finger on it but this person just ticks you off.

All this unpleasant rubbing brings to mind this hackneyed quote: "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer" which I intend to jettison for the quick and easy "Out of sight, out of mind".

Treasuring Teluk Chempedak

As I'm writing this, we are on our way back from Kuantan. It's been a marvellous break from our routine, a mini-celebration of our three-year union. And a welcome respite it turned out to be! The first evening we, together with the regular Sunday crowd, cruised on foot along the Teluk Chempedak winding esplanade. Waves crashing on the beach later lured us to its side. We lumbered on the sand thanks to a heavy stroller before finding a suitable spot to sit on and enjoy the cool sea breeze. Some folks were playing their kites, lovebirds enjoying their ice-cream cones and children squealing by the water's edge.

It was so windy that a red flag was raised, indicating a dangerous sea condition to swim. Coupled with the low humidity, our ice-cream got into our hair and dripped copiously in between our fingers! Just not the ideal day to have ice-cream.
Sadia loves the swimming pool to bits and cried everytime we left it. We had to pacify her by putting her next in the bathtub! The analogy 'Like a fish to water' is most apt here.:-)

A diverse selection of batik and other souvenirs at Batik Village, a roadside stop-over at Pak Soh 2 stall in Beserah for keropok lekor and a sumptuous seafood feast at night were among the memorable highlights of our brief stay.
Just the seaside getaway that we need to end the year 2007!

For more photos, do hop here.