My "Four Legged" Sweethearts

A much needed item but at times I wish I don't have one (2 to be exact). Why? The hustle of driving in the jam. The heartache of paying for it every month. The "beauty treatment" it needs almost everyday and the "medication" it needs every 3-4 months. But how can I live without it... My "relationship" with its kind started about 16 years ago.

The first one was a proton saga aeroback. It was not mine but in December 1993, my parents gave one of theirs to bring to UKM. Then, when working for about half a year (1997), I bought my first car - Proton Putera (PDS3003). The car followed me to Sabah and we were together until September 2001. It was taken away by one of my students whose mother happened to be my Tupperware friend. In replace of it, I got a Proton Waja (SA424Y), limited edition that comes with leather seats. This one did not last that long (almost all my cars after the Waja did not stay with me for long). Its place was taken over by a recon Toyota Rav4 in 2003. In 2004, I got a recon Toyota Harrier. In 2005, i drove a brand new Boon Siew Honda CRV (SAA69D). In 2006, my love was a second hand Toyota Wish (SAA8000G). The Wish followed me back to KL and was with me until 2008. The last (for now) is a recon Toyota Estima (WRM424).

Actually, now I not only have a Toyota Estima but also I have my number 6 back - Honda CRV. How? It's a long story... but I'll just say that the car loves me cause I sold it to a friend in 2006 without changing name (for the first time in history) and then my friend had problems paying and he sold it to a friend in 2007 (also still my name). When I first transfered back to KK, I used my friends Kelisa for about 3 weeks and then the person who bought my car called and said he too has problem paying for the car. So, I took it back since I didn't have a car at that time in KK. It's like the car was on "rental" for 2 years and then its back with me.

(hujan pun basuh)

This is Azhar who is obsessed with a squeeking clean car

Well, in total (including the loan proton saga) 8 cars in 16 years.

My Life Journey.

I sit and wonder - what have i done in my more than 30 years of living?

I remember when I was first offered the Tupperware business in mid 2004. I talked with my husband and we said, maybe it was time to change profession. Maybe the hardship and the amount of money i had to spend was nothing compared to being my own boss and away from the routine of clocking in, enter class, marking, meetings etc. Maybe I would be happy with the 'freedom' and change of environment (no more being JU for ETeMs, no more conducting Teknik Menjawab, no more escorting students on trips and what not). Of course, having my own business was fun and a totally new experience for me. The 1 1/2 years taught me things i never learned in PPP/UKM or in my 8 years as a teacher (even if i worked as a teacher another 20 years). I 'grew up' in the 1 1/2 years in the business. I also became sick along the way that caused me to sit back and analysed whether money and work is everything. The answer was a definate no-health, family, 'a life' are more important. Thus, i gave up the business.

The year 2006 saw me being 'a lady of leisure' (without the cash of course). But i was happy. I spent more time with the kids and hubby and that year too saw me being active with PERKEP as the chairperson. I managed quite well, i would say. I handled people who were mostly older than me. I 'woke up' a society that was considered being in 'ICU' by the headquaters. I collected more than 1K and set up a mini 'Perkep House' with kitchen equipment, a sofa, and a dining table.

Then, me and the whole family moved to Bangi. That was another new experience for me. I got to know my hubby's family better (after my wedding, we moved to Sabah and went back during rayas or meetings). Almost every weekend we would go back to Azhar's kampung and every other month, I would fly/drive back to Penang to see my parents. At the same time, within the 1 1/4 years, I gained almost 20 kgs. I learned the roads in KL/Selangor. I learned how people move very fast in KL. I taught in an international school. I learned another business (insurance).I learned to blog too.

Now, it has been almost 5 months that I am in KK again, with the family and working as an educator again. Of course being a universiti lecturer and a school teacher is not the same. It comes with other responsibilities that I am still learning and trying to understand. My miss being close to my parents and in-law but I am happy that i have lost 3 + kgs so far and my jeans can be button within needing to take a deep breath anymore.

What a journey that i have gone through. However, no regrets at all (at least up to now).
Opps! Salah tu - My regret is that my sickness is not 100% cured yet.

Kayu Jati Furniture

The kids with their Tok Wan

Salam, it has been a while since i last wrote in my blog... nothing interesting to write about. I don't know if any of you know that Sabah is famous for furnitures made from Kayu Jati... Well, I have been here for 10 years and almost all my friends from West Malaysia who have stayed here would definately have a kayu jati furniture (including me). The furnitures are from Indonesia. Last weekend my parents were here and so for the first time after many visits to Sabah, they too have decided to follow the trend and purchased the kayu jati furniture. One famous shop around KK is Jamilah Furniture Shop which is actually just about 5 minutes drive from my house. So after breakfast, off we went to the shop... originally only wanted a mirror for their new hut in Singkir Laut but they ended up buying a rocking car and 2 side tables. Then, we went to 1Borneo Shopping Mall to buy some provision and also to buy Whey Protein for my brother. He is into muscle building etc. Almost 1 hour to look for the right product. I just discovered that all his health products are very expensive. They Whey Protein that we bought cost us almost RM400 for a tin that last only for 1 month. Then at the end, we had lunch at The Chicken Rice Shop.

My Mum and Dad

Pie Tee - the shop's speciality

A Relaxed and Fun Week

Salam, I had a great week last week. It all started on the 23rd of Jan. That was the last day before the semester break and it means that i don't have to deal with students and their registration problem for the next one week. Then on Saturday, was my first kueh of the year experience. On Sunday was a day of relax and I had the oppurtunity to go to my friends' house to see her kids 'Khatam Al-Quran'. Her girl is 17 years old and will be going to Melbourne to do her prep studies on the 8th of Feb. She's a bright students and has always been top student in her school, All Saints, Kota Kinabalu. I wish her luck. As for the boys. they are twins aged 11 years old. Identical twins and till now I cant differenciate between the two.

The next few days was filled with open house invitations by our chinese friends. It was also followed with a lot of lion dance shows. One in particular that i enjoyed was the on in Hyatt Hotel on the second day of chinese new year.

As for work, of course only the students' were off but I had to go to work since I did not apply for leave. But work was a breeze...no disturbance from students and I had the opportunity to start working on my test questions and looking into conferences to attend for the year.

Today is the first day of class again but things seem much more settle with the students registration and not many students have come to my room today.