Last day of 2009

The clock is ticking. When the clock strikes 12 tonight, we will be stepping into 2010. People all over the world will cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. This event brings different meaning to people, some see it as nothing more than a change in a calendar while others, it symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. :) I’ll place myself in the second category. What about you? What does New Year mean to you?

When I was a kid, the people in my kampung (village) used to gather near the river. Having BBQ sessions at the river bank. As soon as the clock struck midnight, many will jump in the river, sort of like body cleansing. Well, that tradition is now long gone. I don't think anyone would want to take a dip in that river anymore and risk having skin irritation or worse, nipped by the crocs! However, the tradition of having 'meriam buluh' or 'singkokobongon' in Kadazan still goes on. In English, the direct translation of it will be, 'bamboo canon', a home-made firecracker. And of course, the 'gong' can still be heard every 31st December. I am looking forward to the sound of 'singkokobongon' and 'gong' again tonight. :)

Oh, in case you're wondering. Nope, I had never join the midnight dip in the river..LOL. My family had different way of 'cleansing'. Instead of bathing in the river, my late Dad and I will fetch a pail of water from the river and wash our feet at home. Those were the days. Oh, I missed Dad so much...May his soul rest in peace.

Alright, to all of you my friends, wherever you are, may 2010 bring you happiness, good health and prosperity the whole year through. Happy New Year 2010! Cheers. :)

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After Christmas

Christmas is over. But many of us are still in holiday mood. Still longing to stay at home or doing activities with our loved ones, no? *sigh* Physically, I am back in the office since yesterday, but my mind is somewhere else…hahaha…Good thing that I have a handful of work to be done. That will keep me occupied. When we are excitedly anticipating for something, in this case, the New Year holiday; the time just seem to pass at a snail’s pace…LOL

At first, I meant to post about my Christmas celebration but since I haven’t downloaded the photos from my camera, I’ll post about it some other time. It will be more interesting with pictures. :)

Anyway, did you get the gift that you wish for? I hope you did. As for me, being a grown-up and a mother, I don’t really expect to receive gifts anymore. Well, except from hubby..hehe…Talking about wish and gift, my SIL is probably the happiest person in the world. She finally got what she wishes for – her own Notebook! She has been longing for one since months ago. Never failed to remind MIL about it..hehe.. Well, a notebook is not cheap, so I know; MIL had been asking her to be patient all these while. But since SIL is taking the IT subject next year, and having her own Notebook will help her a lot, MIL has no more reason to procrastinate. :) Eventually, before Christmas, hubby and siblings decided to chip in some money and voila! SIL wish was granted. She is now the proud owner of this HP Compaq Notebook!

*Pardon the poor quality of the photo, ya. I snapped it with my handphone camera. :)

When she saw it for the first time, she was beaming from ear to ear, eyes sparkling with excitement. I was surprised that she didn’t jump up and down…hahaha…Anyway, I am happy for her. Hopefully, she will take good care of the machine and excel in her SPM next year. Hmm…suddenly I want to buy one for myself also…hahhaha…

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Christmas is here

Christmas, the second-greatest feast day (after Easter Sunday) in the Christian Calendar is here. I just want to wish everyone a merry Christmas. May you have a wonderful time !

:) I am having a good time. Gathering with hubby's side of the family. Vanessa is busy playing with her cousins downstairs. Obviously, she is also having a jolly good time right now that she forgot about her mommy for a while. So, apa lagi? Mommy pun ambik kesempatan la...putting up this short post.

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Charity through bidding

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

Quite an unusual pairing I would say. :) But that’s what makes Bidazzled stand out from other auction sites. Well done,Bidazzled! You have redefined the online market by offering savings of up to 90% on name brand merchandise all while funding a lung cancer charity, The Ruch Foundation.

In a nutshell, here’s how it works. Bids are purchased in advance and then it is used to bid on merchandise. The price increases a few cents with each bid placed and a few seconds are added to countdown clock to give others a chance to bid. The auction ends when no other bids are placed. If a new laptop ends at just $1, then, congratulations to you for winning the laptop for only one dollar! Auction winners usually save over 80% off retail. 80% saving is huge!

Okay, in Bidazzled nobody loses. If you don’t win, do not despair. You will receive up to 50 Bonus Bids as thank you for participating. With the extra bonus, you are eligible to purchase the auction items less the investment you had in the auction. If you win, don’t be surprise if Bidazzled offer to buy the item back. :)

Bidazzled is currently giving out an EXCLUSIVE OFFER! Enter this special code, Blog: BBP1202A or Twitter: BTP1202A on the registration page and you will receive 15 Additional Bids. Yes, it is that simple. No string attached. Just don't forget that the offer is valid until 15th, January 2010 only, okay? :) Happy bidding people!

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4 days to Christmas

Yay…4 more days to go and it’s Christmas! I think I’m done with my Christmas shopping. Got everyone on the list their gift ready. Only a few more left to wrap and it’s off they go to sit under the Christmas tree. :)

Vanessa’s was so excited to wear her new top and skirt. The first time she tried them on; she was already smitten with them. She refused to take them off. Pphew…after much negotiation she finally agreed to take them off and have them washed. Speaking of new clothing…I just realize that I have forgotten to buy one for myself! Even hubby has his shirt ready awal-awal lagi. Normally, it was him who’d look for his shirt at the last minute. ....

Gee, looks like I am not done with Christmas shopping after all ..need to do a very last minute shopping ni… What about you people? Everything ready? ;)

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Hospital / MLM

I took the day off on last Monday to bring Mom to her annual review at the QEH Eye Clinic. Basically, the visit was same as last year’s. For the 5 hours spent, the consultation with the medical officer and doctor took only 30 minutes. The rest were spent waiting, waiting and more waiting. But because of the free consultation and medication, patients are willing to endure such long wait. Just like what the Chinese aunty sitting beside us said, if she goes to private clinic, it will cost her about RM700 for her monthly supply of medication alone, so the long wait that she has to go through every month at the government clinic is such a small price to pay. True. Can’t argue about that..hehe..

Alright, have you ever heard about MLM? Multi-Level Marketing. Very popular these days. There are many companies out there doing this and I actually have friends that are actively involved in MLM. :) That’s another story.

Okay, believe or not, the medical officer who performed the eye-sight check on Mom actually tried to drag me into joining this MLM scheme. Yup, he was on duty at the time and yet he had the nerve to do his personal business! I was caught by surprise! At first, I thought he was only trying to make small talk, being friendly by asking where I work, what I do…but when he started asking if my salary is enough or not, I become suspicious. He must have sensed my suspicion that he quickly ask if I would like to earn part-time income, all legal and halal, through Hai-O Marketing MLM scheme. Ah-ha, that’s the reason behind all the friendly talk and smile…want to sweet-talk me into joining this MLM pulak…

According to him, he had earn RM8,000 for only 3 months of joining it. Wow..that’s a lot of money! But I am just plain lazy to approach others. Let alone do all the talking, convincing them to become my down line. Nope, I don’t think so. I politely decline his offer to further discuss the scheme some other time. He even offered to call me when there’s a talk/seminar on Hai-O MLM near my area…lol. Thank you very much, mister..but like I said, I am not into this MLM or direct-selling sort of thingy. And if you guys are wondering, I did not give out my phone number..lol!

I was really thankful when another medical officer came in and eventually, Mr MLM had to stop his campaign. He wouldn’t want to be reported for misconduct, would he? :)

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Pearl jewelry

With online shopping, shopping has never been better. :) It is hassle-free, all can be done in the comfort of our home. Hmm..have you ever shopped online on pearls jewelry? If you have, how was your experience? Were their products as good as they claimed it would be? Was their customer service helpful enough?

:) Alright, here’s one online pearl jewelry retailer, Pure Pearls.com that seem to receive good feedback from their customers. In their testimonials, the customers are full of praise on the quality of their products, outstanding customer service and fast delivery. I think it is really smart of them for providing the pearl education. It certainly helps in guiding the customers in purchasing the perfect pearls for them.

Rest assured, whichever type of pearl you prefer, be it the freshwater pearls or the saltwater pearls, cultured or natural pearls, their quality are at their finest. Pure Pearls.com carries only 50 genuine cultured pearls. Hand-selected for the best interest of their customer. And yes, they offer the rare southsea pearls too. :)

Browsing through their catalog, I was impressed with their wide selection of beautiful pearl necklaces, earrings, pendants and many more. Oh, I just love the freshwater bracelet. So lovely! Anyone want to buy one for me? LOL…

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I don’t want to friend you anymore,PayingPost!!!

Yesterday was supposed to be a happy day for me. As early as 5am, I received an e-mail saying that I am qualified to take an Opportunity (Opp) and an hour later, I managed to reserve the Opp. Yay! I was so happy about it even though I hadn’t type a word pun for the post…hahaha….

At noon, I decided to drop by my Page…still in happy, happy mood. Huh?? Why take so long to load? Normally, it’s not like that. When finally it was about to load…poof!! Where did my Page go? I was staring into a blank page! Waaa…must be something wrong! I counter check with Just and she confirmed my fear. How can this happen? The day before, everything was fine. Then why suddenly like this? Could it be that some mean soul out there hacked this humble and unpopular blog of mine? I remembered a fellow blogger whose blog was hacked by someone few months ago…Waa…a lot of scary thoughts came across my mind at the time.

I immediately search on the web…checking at forums on similar issue. But because I was already at the office then, it was inconvenient for me to continue my search. Besides, I got an Opp to complete! Fortunately, I can still post an entry even though I can’t see my blog. Hehe..I published yesterday’s entry without being able to see how it actually looked like on my blog..main hentam-hentam saja bah.

My blog being ‘missing’ really affected me. I couldn’t concentrate on work, had no mood to attend small talk etc, etc..Just before I left for home, I send a ticket to Google Help and went home feeling frustrated. I had difficulty sleeping. I guess, my blog has become a major part of me. Can’t live without my blog already!

This morning, as soon as I opened my mail, my question on Google Help was answered. DarkUFO suggested me to edit the HTML code and resave my template again. It was then that I noticed the PayingPost code. I didn’t really know that it was the culprit. I just had a strong feeling that I should remove them and resave my template. And then…Hooray! Yippey! *dance* I can see my blog. My blog is working normally! Thank you very much DarkUFO for your advice. :)

Cilaka punya PayingPost code!!! You had caused me and other fellow bloggers (I later found that I am not the only one affected) major grieves. I don’t want to ‘friend’ you anymore PayingPost! Fellow bloggers, should you encounter similar problem, GET RID OF THE PAYINGPOST CODE IMMEDIATELY and your blog should be working fine again.

Oh ya, I’m glad that yesterday’s post turns out well. Phew! *happy again*

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FREE night with the Master

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Syndacast. All opinions are 100% mine.

Still remember? I’ve blog some time ago about a friend and me planning to go to Bandung next year? Yup, that’s the one. Our first out-of-the-country trip. Well, due to some reason, that trip won’t be happening. I should be having a major disappointment now but surprisingly, I am not. Hmm, maybe there’s blessing in disguise. :)

Okay, I know there are many out there who are all excited about their incoming vacation. If you happen to be a MasterCard holder, then you should NOT miss the MasterCard Cardholder - Exclusive Deal! This is your chance enjoy a free night stay at any of the 188 participating Accor hotels in Asia, namely Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, Mercure, ibis and many more. You stay 3 consecutive nights and only cost you the price of 2. Now isn’t that awesome?

Besides that, all bookings made from now until 31 January, 2010 will also stand a chance to win a 3 nights stay at the award-winning 5 star Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay Resort! With the winning, you will get to stay at a spacious villa with a King size bed, a private garden complete with swimming pool, outdoor massage area, jacuzzi and separate living room, plus complimentary daily breakfast for two. There are not one but TEN prizes to be won, each valued approximately at USD$1000! Whoohooo!

So, what are you waiting for?? Hurry up, do your booking now!!!

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MomBloggersPlanet Cutest Baby Smiling Contest

I’m in for another contest. The last monthly contest for year 2009 from MomBloggersPlanet. This month’s theme is “Cutest Baby Smiling”. :) The prizes are generously sponsored by PhotoBookMalaysia and AliceWonders. For further info, feel free to visit the contest page by clicking on the “MomBloggersPlanet” text above.

Here’s my entry for daughter, Vanessa Avery, DOB : 05 Oct 2007.

Picture #1 was taken last January during the First Day of Chinese New Year. Vanessa at 15 months, was fully dressed in her sam fu and her sweetest smile.

Picture#2 was taken when she was 21 months. After seeing her Mama (Grandma) weighs a live chicken she wanted to sit on the scale too. I find this picture funny…hehe..

Okay, as a parent, I love to see my own flesh and blood smiling because it shows that she is happy. Her smiling face never failed to brighten-up my gloomy days. It makes me forget my weariness and the tension at work. But above it all, I love to see my baby smiling… simply because… it is therapeutic… :)

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When your 2-year old toddler crave for something…

… it will be anything but a pretty scene! You had better prepare yourself with your child’s temper tantrum. Last Saturday, I had the chance to experienced the worst (so far) of Vanessa’s “terrible twos” moment. *sigh*

Vanessa demanded to have rambutans. And she wanted it pronto! Luckily, there were still a few rambutans left on our tree but it was scattered here and there. Susah juga la bah mau jolok. As hubby was out during that time, the Kakak had to struggle with the bamboo stick to pluck the rambutan. In the meantime, mom and I were trying our best to calm Vanessa. We tried to divert her attention by offering her to watch her favourite nursery rhymes sing-along VCD; offered her favourite Vitagen drinks etc, etc. Obviously, all the tactics didn’t work! She was crying on top of her lung, instead! :)

Nonetheless, the Kakak managed to get 5 rambutans. We quickly peeled the skin, separated the flesh from its seeds and fed the little monster. Whoa, the little monster finished all 5 in just a minute! Wiped clean her bowl…and….guess what? She wanted more! And she wants it “now”!!! *faint* Convincing her to wait again was even harder. Aduiii...

Fortunately, hubby came home just in time. Pheww! When he saw and heard all the drama, he didn’t bother to step inside the house, but went straight to climb the rambutan tree and pluck whatever was remaining. He came back with two handfuls. Vanessa had two more then her craving was satisfied. *relief*

Nasib baik, our rambutan tree masih ada buah (itupun over ripe suda…hehe..). Otherwise, I don’t know if the Little Big Boss can wait for us to drive to Donggongon town to buy her rambutans. As the rambutan season is coming to its end, there was no more rambutan left on the neighbours’ tree. Tiada lagi tempat terdekat untuk membeli… *sigh* I just hope that she will not crave for the fruit when the season is over. Kalau suda limpas musim dia, mana lagi mau cari…. LOL…

Okay, all of you parents who had experience your kids’ “terrible two” moment, mind to share your story with first-time mom like me? I sure would like to learn how your guys handled the situation…hehe…

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How Do You Organize Your Handbag?

A woman’s handbag is more than just a bag, it is a woman’s bestest friend. It follows us everywhere, day or night, without a sigh. Patiently, bearing the load of our entire world inside of her and also doubling as first-aid kit. How could we leave home without them?

*smile* Having a well-organized handbag is every women dream. Yours truly has been trying her best to organize hers. Weeding out the junks of abandoned mints, candy wraps undecipherable scraps of paper etc, etc every two weeks (sometime once a month…hehe…). My handbag falls into the category of medium-sized. It has one main compartment, 2 small pockets with zipper and 3 small pockets without zipper. On the exterior, there’s one pocket with zipper.

Meet my handbag and my stuffs.

In the main compartment, there are 2 small ‘assistants’; a pouch for storing my wallet and handphone and the other for storing coins. These two are great in helping me locate my wallet/handphone/coins in one swift motion. Without them, it’ll be like rummaging into a blackhole..LOL. However, having them does not solve my ‘organizing problem’ completely, because apart from them, I have a handful of other stuffs lying around.

At the moment, I do not have a proper storeroom for my keys, anti-fog spray for my pair of glasses, my miniature lotion bottle and my favourite pack of Wrigley’s double-mint gum. Sometime, I even keep a paperback handy. It’s a great companion when you are waiting for someone or something.

Why not get another pouch (or two) for the others? Well, I have seriously considered that but the idea of having too many pouches inside is not really flattering…too crowded!

Moving along. One of the pockets with zipper is safe-haven for my ‘women emergency kit’, nail clipper, emery board, safety pins, minyak cap kapak, a strip of Panadol and a few strips of plaster plus some of my daughter belongings - a pair of hairpins and a hair band. The other pocket keeps my pendrive, and a miniature multi-card holder for my library card, BonusLink, Kad Mesra and other miscellaneous membership cards in the other…some only use once. ..hehe..

As for the 3 pocket without zipper, I fully utilized them with some ‘less sensitive’ items. A notepad, pen, and some valid (and expired...*grin*..) shopping vouchers (slip between the notepad pages) and a packet of tissue occupies one of the pocket. The other 2 pocket share the task of holding my miniature mirror, facial blotting papers, a lip balm and a lipstick. *smile*

The sole pocket on the outside is stuff with parking tickets, receipts, and coins. Easy to reach during rush hour…hehe. If the amount is not sufficient, then only will I look for my coins purse.

*sigh* With all those daily essentials, I am too lazy to switch bag. It is too much of a hassle to re-organize everything. If only I have The Organize Jacq set, then it’ll be a whole different story. With it, switching bag will be a hassle-free task! I may even switch handbags every day to match my clothes…LOL.

Okay, having been exposing my handbag aka bestest friend to the whole world, I feel kinda guilty. I feel like invading her privacy pulak. Sorry my friend, but this exposure may worth it. Who knows? You may get a new assistant soon (the small Organize Jacq). *finger crossed* With this entry, we may be lucky enough to be one of the 10 lucky winners in this How Do You Organize Your Handbag Contest? organized by MomBloggersPlanet . Oh, these gorgeous- duos giveaway are sponsored by gin&Jacqie. *smile*

You want one also FOC ? Don’t worry, still got time…the contest ends on 17th December 2009. For more info, do visit MomBloggersPlanet by clicking the link above. Good luck!

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Award

Thank you very to Denesa for presenting me with this award. :) It’s been a while since I last get one.

I am now passing it to these 15 great blogs that I newly discovered :-

Borneotip , Emila’s Ilustrated Blog , Rose’ World , My Photopage , Zooropazoo , Meow diaries , Colyn’s corner , East Coast Life , Bikin Panas , Serian Man , Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery , Beyond Motherhood , A Moonlight Rendezvous , Life,Love, Laughter and Pride Wyne and My Pavilion
.

Simple Rules to accept the award:

[1] Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.

[2] Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have recently discovered and think are great!

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Starry nights in the garden

I had a weird dream last night. There was some sort of home and garden decorating contest going on. Thus everybody was showing-off their fire pits like crazy. Me? No exception. LOL. This weird dream of mine had definitely something to do with my browsing HGLifestyle.com during the day. Obviously, my admiration on their finest products for home and garden didn’t just end there for I end-up dreaming of having thir Starry Nights fire dome in my patio. LOL.

I was beaming with pride as all the people were captivated by the sight of it. Besides being great for warming up outdoor gatherings, the Starry Nights fire dome tells a unique tale with its figures, landscapes and patterns intricately woven together to provide a silhouette for flickering flames to dance through. Simply a terrific addition to any patio setting!

I was also complemented on my brilliant idea for grouping the torches. Placing a torch in a small garden can add ambience to an outdoor gathering, but grouping them together will provide the ultimate effect. Ahem…somebody even asked me for my opinion on oil lamps …*smile* Oil lamps are great in providing subdued outdoor lighting when entertaining on decks and patios or spending a quiet evening in the garden. Their elegant features combined with their radiant glow can help create a more dramatic effect to a gathering thus making it an evening to remember. :)

If only this dream come true…. :)

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TV en direct

Frustrated for not having enough sports channels? Well, try switching to Direct TV and transform your days to less miserable ones.

Okay, Direct TV is not just another digital satellite TV provider, they are the undisputed leader in sports programming! And they also happen to be the exclusive provider of the NFL SUNDAY TICKET! Think about all the game you can enjoy by having this golden ticket.

Above all that, you can watch every game in crystal-clear, 100% digital-quality picture and sound. You’ll bound to get a great viewing experience. Now, with all these facts revealed, it’s time to get your TV en direct already ? *wink*

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Bath robe for the ladies

Still looking for ideas on what to give your wife, girlfriend, mom, daughter, sister, nieces for Christmas this year? Why not present something simple, practical and long-lasting, like a bath robe? :)

I came across this amazing online store, Posylane.com that sells a wide selection of women bathrobes. They also offer gifts-personalizing service. You can ask them to personalize your gifts by embroidering or monogramming the recipient’s name or initials on it. Your gift will sure be a well-remembered one! :)

Here’s a peek at what they have in store. If you are looking for a bathrobe that is thick and warm, you should go for the terry bath robe. It is made of 100% cotton, triple sheared, terry cotton velour fabric. On the other hand, if you are thinking of lighter bathrobe, then the waffle bath robe may suits your need. It is made of 60% cotton/40% polyester woven waffle weave fabric. Best known for its high-absorbency, quick-dry characteristics making them widely-used in spas.

Whichever you choose, both have similar features : ¾ length sleeves, mid-calf length, two patch pockets, double belt loops and a matching belt.

Okay, if bath robe is not exactly what you’re looking for, you may find a perfect catch in one of the Mint bath wrap they have. These bath towel wrap are softer than terry cloth, won’t pull and guaranteed not to slip! Cheers to the last criteria!

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Battlefield: WiMAX vs Streamyx

WiMAX is coming to town. Saw it in the paper (Daily Express) today. REDtone (WiMAX operator for Sabah and Sarawak) is expanding WiMAX service to Penampang and Inanam areas by the end of this month, according to their CEO. So, anybody feel like cutting their Streamyx ? Tepuk la dada, tanya selera… :)

On different note, I’m sure we all are aware of the advertisement war between P1 WiMAX and Streamyx, right? First, P1 came up with their controversial ‘Potong’/Cut Campaign, now Streamyx counter-attacked with their “If it’s not Streamyx, it is not good enough” Campaign. The model in the Streamyx poster is said to look like P1 CEO some more…hehe…

Hopefully, both parties will not only compete against each other in their advertisement but also in their service. Kalau dalam iklan saja buat apa…masing-masing kasi majulah service barulah ngam. In view of the new Streamyx ad, will P1 launch another ad to tembak balik ? Let’s keep our fingers crossed… *wink*

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My nose not original???

I was not feeling hungry at all during lunch hour. Must be due to heavy breakfast (fried mee + fish cake + a mug of soya bean milk) I had in the morning. So I made use of my lunch hour to get my hair washed at my favourite salon. :)

I picked up an old issue of Media Hiburan while enjoying the massage on my scalp. It’s been such a long time since I last bought an issue of this magazine…macam 5 thn suda bah…hehehe… As I flipped through the pages, a local actress’s confession on her use of collagen injection caught my interest. Her confession was full of regrets, bla,bla,bla…

Somehow, her story triggered something on my mind. NO! I am NOT thinking of one, okay. I prefer to grow old gracefully…hehe..bulih ka ini macam? Anyway, few months ago, I went to have a facial session at a beauty centre on a friend’s recommendation. The beautician was a middle-aged, talkative aunty. Lucky she had her mouth covered; otherwise all her tempias would have landed on my face. :) As she was cleaning/massaging my face, suddenly she popped a question that simply caught me off guard.

Aunty aka Beautician : “Kau punya hidung ni bah, original ka ni moi?” (Your nose, is it original?)”

Me : “ Huh? Apa, aunty?” ( Huh? What, aunty?)

Aunty : : “Kau punya hidung. Original ka?” She re-iterates her question.

Me : “Ya, original. Kenapa aunty?” (Yes. Why?)

Aunty : “Baguslah begitu. Bukan apa, sekarang ni ramai betul bah orang kasi suntik macam-macam untuk kasi tinggi hidung. Mau tambah cantik kunun.” (That’s good. These days many ppl like to inject all sort of thing to get a higher nose bridge. To be more beautiful.)

After that, she went on talking about the negative effect of collagen injection, botox injection, plastic surgeries etc, etc…I tried to entertain her setakat yang terdaya. Though, most of the time only these words came out of my mouth, ‘ya’; ‘ tidak’; ‘oh”; "bah". * grin*

Well, some women are really into hormone injection to enhance their look. Probably because it is cheaper than plastic surgery and easily accessible. As beauty depends on the eyes of the beholder. These women may find themselves beautiful in their more enhanced feature but others may have different opinions. The new feature may look odd and unnatural on their face. Apa-apa pun, semuanya bergantung pada tuan punya badan kan?

So, do I really have a pretty nose? No. Hidung mancung bak seludang? Jauh sekali…But just a little bit above of what my mom’s described as ‘todung napadsakan do kalabau (hidung yang kana pijak kerbau / nose stepped on by a buffalo)” ..LOL. No matter how 'high' or not our nose is, we should be thankful for what God have given. Amen.

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You gotta see this

Contest, contest, contest…yup, I have blogged about a few lately. Here’s another one that I really love to take part. Wouldn’t you like to be $5,000 richer? I sure would. If only I am residing in the US right now, I would be the first to participate in this iLASIK Video Contest .

The organizer of this contest is Abbot Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction. They want to gain insight on how better vision could improve or has improved people’s lives. Therefore, they are inviting people to submit a video showing the impact of improved vision on their daily lives.

By submitting your entry to either one of these categories - “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”, “My favourite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision” or “You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure”, you are already one step closer in winning yourself a HDTV package worth $2,500 or a Flip UltraHD camcorder worth $199.99. And who knows? Your video might just be the best of all. And being the best, you will be the Grand Prize winner of $5,000 cash!

Now, please take note of this most important part. Votes are one of the key factors in determining the winners. Therefore, after you have submitted your video, waste no time, rally your friends, family members, relatives, the entire neighbourhood, your colleagues or even your boss to vote for you. Sweet-talk them or bribe them even. *wink* Do remember that they can only vote once per day until December 10. Good luck! :)

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Are you a good payer?

I’m one of the many in the country who still owe PTPTN (Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional) a big amount of money for my study. Lamaa lagi ni… bertahun-tahun lagi baru dapat kasi langsai ni hutang. :(

I am not going to whine about how hard it is to pay the monthly installments. I just want to remind fellow PTPTN debtor out there, if you have not pay any amount these few years, you better not have any plan to travel oversea or you’ll be disappointed.

Your name is probably listed in the Immigration Department’s black book by now. Meaning, you are not allowed to leave the country unless you settle your debt (total loan amount, admin fees and semua kos yang berkaitan). Perhaps, you already know about this but I only found out about it this morning from a friend, a fellow PTPTN debtor also. In case you want to check your name, pls do so here.

Looks like PTPTN is serious in their effort to collect all this hutang. This approach may work after all. I’m sure we have our own good reason for not being to able pay back our owing as per monthly installment schedule. Whatever it is, please do not ignore your obligation, okay. Write a simple letter to them asking for delay or deduction in the monthly installment…sebelum terlambat. They do have a heart and willing to listen, you know. Me, talking through experience.

Oh ya, I have checked my name and …jeng ,jeng ,jeng…NOT in the list. Huh..leganya!

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Holiday fun eyeglasses

I have posted an entry on the $8 prescription Zenni glasses a month ago. And…here I go again…hehe.. Don’t worry; I won’t bore you with a long and winding post. It’ll be a short one this time. I promise. Cross my heart! *smile* I just want to shout about the new arrivals at Zenni Optical. I feel guilty if I do not share this good news with you, my friends. *smile*

Zenni Optical offering a wonderful selection of holiday-themed frames to coincide with Christmas, all at low, affordable price. You want a snow-covered country side-themed frame? Snow flakes-themed frame, perhaps? You can get it here. Browsing through their selection, I found myself this lovely thing. A half-rim in cinnebar red! I’m such a sucker for half-rim. *grin*

Hey, the holiday-themed frames are not limited to adult only. There are holiday fun eyeglasses for the children too you know. This one is a cutie.

Okay, that’s it. A short post like I promised. *wink*

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MomBloggersPlanet Cutest Baby in NATURE Contest

I’m in the mood for contest. *smile* The fact that I haven’t had any luck in any contest didn’t de-motivate me from entering more contest…hehe…The generous sponsors for this contest are PhotoBook Malaysia and AliceWonders. Contest runs from 01st to 15th, November. For further info, feel free to browse the MomBloggersPlanet contest page . :)

Okay, I’m counting on these photos of Vanessa to stand a chance in this contest. Photo #1 and #2 were taken at the Keningau St. Francis Xavier Cathedral’s compound. It was Vanessa’s first sight of palm oil trees and its fruits. So curious that she went to touch the leaves and have a closer look at it...under our supervision, of course.

Vanessa Avery, DOB: 05 Oct,2007

Photos #3, #4 and #5 were taken at FIL’s kebun sawit. Since Vanessa is fascinated with the palm tree at the church, I decided to expose her to more of it. Where else to gain more exposure if not at FIL’s kebun ? Coincidently, FIL and hubby are going there after all. Me and Vanessa just kinda tagged along; FIL and hubby welcomed the idea. *smile*

Instead of watching the men at work (unloading some papan (timber) for the new sulap (pondok rehat / hut), I just lepaskan dia saja and biar dia sendiri explore the surroundings. More palm oil trees and padi bukit planted by her Po-po. She was so absorbed into 'exploring' that she didn't even realize mommy was snapping her photos...hehe...Nasib baik Vanessa didn't ran off to the bushes. Kerja-kerja membersihkan semak-samun ni masih belum siap bah tapi memandangkan hari itu hari Ahad, semua pekerja cuti rehat. :)

Hubby and I always believe that nature is the best teacher. Therefore, we never discourage Vanessa to play outdoor. As with other working parents, it is only during the weekend or holidays that we can take her jalan-jalan. During weekdays, we let her follow her Mama around at the backyard…helping her Mama weeds her plants. Vanessa loves the idea so far. *smile*

I think every parent should know that nature plays an important role in children development, be it intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually or physically. Studies have proven that children with early experiences with the natural world tend to be more imaginative and have stronger sense of wonder. Wonder is one powerful motivator for life long learning.

Lagi pun, experience with nature boleh membantu dalam menyemai perasaan cintakan alam sekitar dalam jiwa anak-anak kita. I totally agree with this quote by Anita Olds, "There's no way that we can help children to learn to love and preserve this planet, if we don't give them direct experiences with the miracles and blessings of nature." Kalau diorang ni tak kenal alam sekitar, siapa lagi yang boleh diharap untuk meneruskan usaha kita untuk melindunginya?

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I want a kitchen makeover !

Do you live in Canada? If you do, you are at the right place at the right time, my friend. Now, get this.

Maple Leaf Foods is giving away a $32,000 Dream Kitchen* and 12 Frigidaire ® fridges to celebrate the launch of their new delectable site. You could be the winner of a kitchen makeover !

A kitchen makeover?? I want! I want! But then again, I don’t live in Canada. Not even close. *sigh* In line with my growing interest in baking, I sure could use a kitchen makeover. Well, nothing like that of Martha Stewart’s but a fairly bigger kitchen complete with hanging cabinets and an island countertop will do. Right now, I do all my baking preparation on the dining table.

Hmm,I know 2 persons who live in Canada, Uncle Lee and SJB. I say, you guys should check out the new Maple Leaf Market and meet the resourceful Butcher, the Baker and the Pasta Maker. They are ever ready with easy-to-make meal ideas, useful tips, coupons and more.

Oh, if only I live in Canada right now, I’ll waste no time! I'd be working on to increase my chance of winning this contest. But since there’s no chance for me at all, you guys go ahead and win this contest for me. Get your fingers working and your mouse clicking! What are you waiting for?

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Can’t sleep without them…sleeping buddies

People! Meet Vanessa’s sleeping buddies – Dora the Explorer, Tweety Bird, Buttercup, Teddy Bear and Kiko the Harp Seal…. :) Every night, ALL her buddies must join her in bed…satu tertinggal pun tida bulih kunun. *sigh* Nasib baiklah, she relent to taking only Dora and Kiko along every time we go back to Po-po and Ye-ye’s place. Otherwise, not enough room in my Kancil. *smile*

The gang sitting on the sofa.

Every night, before I tuck-in the little princess, I will arrange her buddies at the bedside. Her courageous buddies will protect her from the scary labah-labah hitam (black spider) or the kuda hitam (black pony). *smile* Hmm, since Dora is her favourite buddy, she’ll get special treatment. Dora gets to sleep near the little master. *smile* If she’s lucky, she’ll survive the night in that position. If not, she’ll end up on the floor in the morning...kana sepak oleh si tuan kecil…LOL.

Hehe…I bet your kids got their sleeping buddies or comfort toys or anything that they just can't sleep without, right? When I was a kid myself, I used to have a favourite blanket. Every time I go to my cuz for a sleep-over, I'll bring it along…hahahha…

Okay, about that kuda hitam that Vanessa feared so much. It’s not a real pony, mind you. Hehe…it is only a rubber pony that belongs to her cuz! Once upon a time si kuda hitam looks cute and colorful, something like this pic, but now…its colour has transformed into black with “panau” (wear and tear la) here and there…hahahaa….

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Spitting image

If you happen to be enjoying your meal or favourite snacks/drinks right now, pls read this post some other time.

Oh no, this post has nothing to with this...hehehe...Okay, I’m sure many of us despise the act of spitting in public area. Unfortunately, there are ppl who spit as they please. Yuck!!! Disgusting habit!!

One fine evening, as I normally do when it was hubby’s turn to use the car, I would catch a minibus home (hehe..van sapu aka pirate van bah to be exact). I was lucky to be the first passenger that day and I get to choose where I want to sit. At first I wanted to sit at the first row near the door, easy to get-off mah, no need to squeeze your way through other passenger. Somehow, I changed my mind. A few minutes later, this guy boarded the van and sat at the 2nd row. As usual, the van driver will leave the door wide open until all the seats are fully occupied.

Suddenly, I heard a ‘pttui! ‘ and splat! The guy’s spit hit the pavement…eeuuuuwww!! “Palui punya urang!!” I swore under my breath. I was so very glad that I’d switch place. I wouldn’t want a happy-spitter sitting behind me. The thought of his tempias may hit my shirt was enough to make me cringe. I dare not imagine the worse – What if he has contagious airborne disease? What if his spit does not make it to the pavement and landed on my sleeve or the van’s floor instead? My stomach started to churn at these horrible thoughts. Nasib baik la I was not eating or drinking anything or else…I’ll leave that part to your imagination…hehehe…

Not long after that, a girl took the seat in front of Mr Happy Spitter. Okay, maybe this guy will stop his spitting, I thought. Well, I thought wrong. *sigh* He spitted again… and again as if he owns the ground. Memang tiada kesedaran sivik bah tu urang. Or probably, he doesn’t give a damn on hygiene because Sabah is not his home country.

Anyway, the girl was equally disgusted as I am at the unsightly episodes that she quit looking out the opened door. I silently prayed that no tempias hit any part of her. Mr Happy Spitter only stopped his uncivilized behaviour when the door closed and the van started moving. Thank God for that.

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3-Day Super Sale is on!

A week ago, a friend and I were talking about traveling out of Malaysia for the first time. Yup, we have never travel oversea before. And well, well, well, what do you know? Today, I got this news that Accorhotels.com is having a promotion.

Now, this is definitely an amazing promotion that any avid traveler should not miss out. Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific promotions runs from 27 October to 30 October. The bookings are valid for stays between December 2009 to April 2010. How nice of you, Accor to coincide this Super Sale with the low-air fares across Asia Pacific promotion. :)

There are one million hotel rooms available for online booking at rates as low as US$30 per night. These rooms are available in Thailand, Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and Bali. But please note that different rates apply for Accor’s various brands, namely: Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, All Seasons and Ibis Hotels.

Psst..my friend, how about we make that trip to Bandung come true? Let's 'officiate' our passport for the first time next year? We’ll go shopping and stay at Novotel Bandung. *smile*

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No water...

That’s what we are experiencing in my kampung now. The water supply was stopped on purpose because of a burst in one of the main pipe near the roadside.

This is the second incident since last Sunday. First, the burst was at a different section, now another section pulak. The whole kampung will end up with no tap water for at least 12 hours. Hopefully, everybody are better prepared this time, unlike the first incident, where we were caught off-guard and did not manage to save any water. The big pail of water we saved for emergency consumption almost insufficient. Nasib baiklah we have the two drums full of rain water. Normally, mom use it to water her plants, tapi time-time darurat, guna saja la especially in the toilet department..hehehe

The first section.
The second section.

You see, not everybody in my kampung has a water storage tank ready, so when an unexpected incident like this happen, you can imagine betapa sengsaranya tiada air paip. Definitely have to invest on one the soonest possible. Mana la tau, another different section may burst again in the near future. Al maklum sajalah paip-paip kerajaan ni kebanyakkannya suda tua dan berkarat. IF there is any plan to replace it, I am not aware of it. :)

Hmm, I just hope that the aunty whose house is located on a hilltop has managed to save some water. Just 2 days ago, she was complaining that after the burst was repaired, the water pressure is not strong enough to go up there. She and her family have to fetch a few gallons of water from the nearby river. Well, it’s a big river, plenty of water for everyone but the water quality? Not fit. Even for bathing purpose. In a hot day afternoon, a herd of kerbaus can be found soaking in it. And God knows what else are there beneath the murky water. Some ppl claim to have seen crocodile in that river and even caught baby crocodile in their fish trap. Yikes!

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Show your love to your family

When we are still around, we can show our love in thousand ways. But, how about when we move to the other side? I’m sure that every one of us has had this thought. :)

There are a few types of life insurance. The most basic is called term insurance . It is a low-cost insurance that only pays benefits if the insured dies during specified period of time. Well, most probably, we can’t enjoy it in our lifetime but at least, we can take care of our family’s financial well-being after we’re gone.

If you happen to be looking for term life insurance quotes right now, you can do it the quickest and most convenient way. Online! Just fill-in a form and wait for the committed team of people at ReliaQuote to revert to you with life insurance quotes from dozens of top-rated insurance companies. You may find one that suits your need. :)

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21 guns

It was a hectic day in the office yesterday. A colleague’s mistake had led one customer to lodge a complaint to the top ppl. Not long after that…. drama unfold…a lot of blaming happen, denial here and there. *sigh* Better not talk about it and spoil my mood today. :) Hopefully, all of us in the office learned something from the incident and won’t repeat the same stupid mistake.

Today is a new day. So, here I am listening to this new hit, 21 Guns from Green Day while doing my work. In the meantime, sempat juga post this entry..hahaha. I love this song. Its from their latest album 21st Century Breakdown. I’m not really a fan of the band but more of a fan of their songs. Not all but some. Songs that are not too loud for eardrum. Confuse? Never mind, just layan this song la. :)

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An optical illusion? NOT.

Being a bespectacled mom to a toddler is never an easy task. My old pair of glasses was battered with multiple scratches, not to mention it arms were repeatedly spread opened by force by my curious little monster. I bet the poor thing will want to scream out it’s agony at the abuse…hehe…

One day, I decided to resign my old glasses since it was too battered to be fixed. You may call me a stingy person but prescribed glasses are quite expensive these days. Hmm, I guess, I am not the only one who would utilize their eyeglasses to its full extent. Wear it until it is worn-out and could no longer serve the purpose as an aid to our eyesight. LOL.

Anyway, even at discounted price, my new pair of glasses still cost me RM380 (that’s about $100)! For me, that price is not cheap. If only I came to know that we can actually buy prescribed glasses online, it could have save me a lot. $8 Rx eyeglasses ??? I almost cried when I saw the price. And that’s not all. When I saw the wide choices of frames, shapes, and colours available, I wanted to cry out even louder! Whuaaa…. With their low price, I think I can afford to own multiple pair of glasses. It would be fun to wear different ones everyday. Now, these are my favorite high fashion eyeglasses . Believe me; it’s not easy for me to make up my mind. *grin*

I'm crazy about half-rim frames! :)

You may think that this is too good to be true. But, this amazing online optical store is for real. But if you still have any doubts, perhaps you should read How You Can Start Spending Smart . *smile*

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Vanessa’s 2nd birthday

Vanessa’s 2nd birthday falls on 05 Oct, but we celebrated it a day earlier. It was a cozy and merry event attended by close relatives and neighbours. As we are a small household, we do not have enough manpower to do all the cooking. We catered the main dishes from Kedai Makan & Minum Ching Fah. Mom’s cooked her sup soko (bamboo shoots soup) and hubby did the vegetable.

:) An aunty officiating the makan-makan session after the food blessing. The dishes (L –R): White rice; Deep Fried Chicken with Sesame Seeds; Sweet & Sour Fish ; Japanese Toufu with Salted Beans; Pork Chop in Stout Sauce & Baby Kalian vege. (In the pot) Sup Soko; Watermelon and Chilled Orange syrup drinks.

So what did I do? Hehe…I baked the birthday girl 2 cakes. Just the simple Vanilla Butter Cake and Pandan Butter Cake. Instead of buying one from the bakery, I was determined to bake them and decorate them as well. Begitu la semangatnya si Mama Mia…..hahaha…. I baked the cakes the night before and made the buttercream icing the next morning. In the process of doing all this, hubby had to bring Vanessa jalan-jalan di kedai. Otherwise, it there’s no way I can manage. LOL.

The cakes turn out a-ok. But in the end, it was hubby who got really excited to do the frosting and decorating. So, let him be. I did get to test my skill though. As you can see, we both need a lot of practice. LOL.

I had the kids gathered around to sing the Happy Birthday song. As she's too young to sing, Vanessa just clapped her hands. But when it was time to blew-out the candles, she chickened out pulak. Eventually, the other kids were more than happy to help her..hehe..

The verdict on the cakes? Finger lickin' good! (Or maybe I was a bit exaggerating there…hehe..) Anyway, both cakes were wiped-clean by the guests…no left over for tomorrow. :)

The event ended at about 6pm. And we all retreated to bed as early as 9pm. No humming any nursery rhymes that night cos the birthday girl fell asleep as soon as she hit the pillow. :)

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The First Lady’s choice

Since her inauguration in January, fashion critics has had their eyes fixed on the America’s First Lady, Michelle Obama’s choice of ensemble. I am no fashion expert, but I do find her fashion sense interesting, especially in her choice of colours. Her choice is not limited to just plain black and other earthy colours but also to vibrant colours like red, yellow, and purple and printed apparel. Definitely not a boring sight to look at. *smile*

It is no surprise that in no time, she has earned herself a place among the Hollywood celebrities as a fashion trend setter. Everybody wants what she’s wearing. Thus, after she reveals that she’s wearing J.Crew in the Tonight Show, everybody goes on a shopping frenzy at their stores. The J.Crew people must have been laughing all their way to the bank! :)

And how could anyone forget that photo - the First Lady wearing a pair of shorts in public! An extremely rare sight, which caused millions raising their eye-brows. :) But, personally, I don’t think that’s the only reason behind their reaction. The other reason must be that striking Ultra-Violet Neon Plasteramic toy watch she’s sporting on her left wrist. It is simply too hard to be missed! :) Now that the watch has been made famous by the First Lady, Toy Watch is going to make it big this fall and Christmas, according to NBC. Psst! Anybody want to give me a toywatch as a Chritsmas gift this year? *grin*

Okay, if you are a follower of Michelle Obama’s fashion, you would not want to miss a chance to get her look. Go check out AOL Beauty & Style , pronto!

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“ Mommy’s girl not cute anymore.”

:( Sorry guys for not posting any entry lately. Since ALL (boss, colleagues and works) are back in full force, no more goyang kaki in the office…hehehe. Somehow, I managed to have a little spare time today to do this overdue post. I meant to post it yesterday but unable to do so because...paham-paham la.. * smile*

Okay, back to the main topic. Vanessa’s exact words were, “ Ala..tanak mami tida kiu (kiut) suda.” Just look at the long thin line on her face. :(

Last Tuesday morning, Vanessa was so grumpy. Crying and screaming when hubby and I were driving off to work. L So kesian to see her like that but we have to leave her at home. So, to comfort her, my helper let her play at the lawn. The Kakak must have had her eyes off Vanessa’s for a while that she didn’t see the little girl going under the thorny lime (limau nipis/kohopis) tree to grab the dangling fruits. Not only did Vanessa end up with the lime but also a scrape on the epidermis. Thank God it was not her eyeball that was struck by the thorn!

That’s how it happened, according to my helper. *sigh* I am not saying that the Kakak is not doing her job, because I know, it is hard to predict what toddler may do. I am merely voicing out my frustration on her carelessness. My helper is a hardworking person. I am thankful that we have her staying with us. Even my little girl is happy with her. But if she can be a little bit more alert, I will be even happier. Last time, Vanessa was nearly

bitten by the neighbor’s dog while under her care.

Okay, what was done is done. Even if I scold her like mad pun we can’t reverse what had happened. Once again, I warn the Kakak to be more cautious and alert to Vanessa’s movement. We may just not be this lucky next time.

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Cherishing the moment

The holidays are over. But why oh why am I still in holiday mood? Somehow, I got a feeling that I am not the only one. LOL.

I’ve cleaned up my desk, my In and Out tray, filed some loose documents into its files, etc. Now, I don’t have anything to do in the office. Most of my Muslim colleagues and superiors will only be in next Monday. So, it is so peaceful and quite in the office. I am sooo enjoying this rare blissful moment. Even the phone is extremely quiet, adding to the tranquility. It has been that way since yesterday and hopefully, it’ll stay like that until tomorrow evening…*fingers crossed* … hahahaa…..

Since the line is all clear. I grabbed the chance to browse for a new layout. I found a few but am still considering which one I prefer the most. *smile* Okay, I may have abused the office hours and the internet facility, but what am I suppose to do to kill off some time? Hehe…my boss better not find out about this or else I might end up kena goreng sotong and be part of the country’s jobless statistic! *wink*

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MV Doulos, Bedtime routine and Raya – A ‘rojak’ post

Finally, I managed to visit MV Doulos, the floating bookstore for the very first time last night. 3 days before it is scheduled to depart KK. Nasib baik sempat pigi…hehe…Despite Doulos’ several visits to KK, hubby and I had never step on board of the ship. Kesian kan… :)

As expected, the books available are limited already and the Special Offer Books section was closed. Well, looks like we were not the only late birds flocking by. There quite a number of ppl coming in when we arrived at 8.30pm. Or perhaps they came for their 2nd or 3rd visit …hahaha…Anyway, we didn’t leave empty handed. We bought 2 hardcover storybooks for Vanessa. Of course, she’s too young to read, so most likely mommy will do the reading. I’ll try to read her one of the story in the Bedtime Stories for her tonight. Hopefully, she’ll like this new routine. Currently, I have to lulled her to sleep by singing her favourite nursery rhymes, i.e Little Indian Boys, Are you sleeping?, Pussycat, pussycat and London Bridge is falling down. Normally, I get to repeat the medley for at least 3 times until she falls asleep. *faint* If she dozed-off after that, then I’ll consider myself lucky. I'm spared from singing a round of an additional song, the ‘Happy Birthday’ song …phew…

Okay, yours truly is already in holiday mood. *grin* Am now impatiently counting the hours, 2 more hours to go and off me go for a - 4 days break. Yayyy!!! In the spirit of 1 Malaysia, I would like to wish all of you, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, happy holiday and selamat berkunjung ke rumah-rumah terbuka! :)

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There's something about Tessie

Yay! Hubby came back from Sandakan last night. I thought I was dreaming when he called me to open the door. It was already midnight okay, so yes, I had dozed-off to my imaginary home in Arizona…LOL.

Hubby didn’t come home alone. He brought company with him, in a box. An adorably cute 4 months old Terrier named Tessie. The name was given by her previous owner, since it suits her well, we decided to keep it. :)

When Vanessa saw her, she was smitten with Tessie that she immediately went to stroke Tessie’s brown coat. And being a friendly puppy, Tessie was more than happy for her new friend’s welcoming gesture. Same goes with Vanessa. She giggled happily when Tessie responded with a lick on her palm. Hehe… Tessie must have worked on her charm for she won my mom’s seal of approval in a split second. Wow,that's record! Welcome to the family, Tessie! *smile*

I sure hope that she will be able to get along with my 3 other dogs and vice versa. And of course, the 3 cats in the house too (especially my mom’s)..hehe..

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No rain in all divisions.

That’s the weather forecast for Kota Kinabalu today. The max temperature is 32ºC (90ºF) but it feels like 10ºC (50ºF) hotter out there especially at noon time. Yup, its scorching hot here everyday! According to the weather forecast again, the temperature for the whole week will be between 25ºC to 32ºC with no rain until Saturday. It will be a hot week, folks. Hmm, with that, I think I can survive the heat in the Grand Canyon State of Arizona. Yeah, bring it on! LOL. As if I’m going to live there in the near future. *grin*

But, you’ll never know, right? I may strike the Jackpot tomorrow and be an instant millionaire. With all the $$$, I think I will be able to buy my little family a piece of the oh-so lovely property in Scottsdale and realize my fantasy of living abroad in a foreign land far, far away. A nice house with a small garden will be just perfect. Since I don’t know much about landscaping, I will leave the task to the experts in Arizona landscapes to do their magic for my garden. There goes my imagination… LOL.

But, I wasn’t imagining about Pathway Landscape being an expert in their field, ya. They truly are experts! Their projects had won them award and highlighted in the press. You can check-it out if you don't believe me! *smile*

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Crunchy Chocolate Cornflakes

This is one snack that I really like. Besides being easy annd quick to make, it is also yummy… :) With a clingy and manja toddler in the house, it is hard to try out complicated recipe. Actually, I didn’t have any plan to make them on Merdeka Day, but Vanessa was whining for sweet treat. So terpaksa la buat jugak… Or maybe she has sensed that my cuz, niece and nephew are coming for a surprise visit, so ada jugak la something untuk dihidang to our guests … hehe

Anyway, I was lucky to have the basic ingredients. For those I don’t have, I make use whatever I can to substitute them. Hehe…this mommy is just too lazy to drive to Donggongon to get those things.

This snack is rather sweet, so it is not advisable to indulge in too much of it. Otherwise, you may need to pay an early visit to your dentist. Nasib baik la after having 2 pieces, Vanessa had enough of it. Phew! Anyway, this snack is best to go with kopi-O kaw-kaw. :) Here is the recipe. Got it from some recipe book a year or two ago.

Ingredients:-

60g butter
60g sirap kencana OR 2 Tbsp Golden Syrup ( I have no idea what sirap kencana is. I substituted it with golden syrup. This syrup is very sweet, so 2 Tbsp is enough. The amount of golden syrup can be adjusted according to your preference.)
90g cornflakes
15g dried coconut flesh / freshly grated coconut flesh
45g chocolate chips OR 45g cooking chocolate (I don't have chocolate chips so I use cooking chocolate instead.)
30g cashew nuts/almond nuts/walnut (coarsely chopped)
* Some colour rice for decoration

Method:-

1) Put butter and syrup into a saucepan. Heat saucepan on low temperature until butter is completely melted. Simmer gently for 3 – 4 minutes. Put all ingredients into pan and stir well.
2) Spoon mixture into small paper cups. Refrigerate until set.

Makes : 12 – 16 cups (depends on the amount you spoon into the paper cups.)

Here what it looks like without the grated coconut and nuts. To make it look more appealing, I garnished some colour rice on top. This last touch was not part of the original recipe… I just tambah-tambah…hehe… If you feel like trying, by all means, go on. Happy trying! :)

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