Update(s)!

It's only been 3 days into this year's Ramadhan and I'm already having soft aches at my feet and light head squeezes in my brain. There's another 17 days of sales to go and I must be strong and last through it all.

Sales have been good, alhamdulillah. Made more than expected and the crowd just kept on coming! Today wasn't as good as days 1 and 2 but made good sales nonetheless. I have a feeling that tomorrow would be good as well but how good, not sure. Planning to go chicken buying tomorrow morning and hoping that my brother would come over to facilitate the cleaning process, else, I'd have to do 30birds on my own! Ouch! Since it's a Sunday, planned on 30 as a nice figure to last through Monday and part of Tuesday. Itu pun kalau Ahad ni jual banyak. Kalau tak banyak, I can skip the bird buying process on Monday and Tuesday and do it only on Wednesday.

Ahmad Ridza and Hamzah have been great help, learning very quickly and helped reduce boredom. Biasalah, kalau ada Hamzah, sure dia je kena target usik mengusik ni. Ridza thought he could get away but no! Not when I have the "College Story" in my hands :) And the "supposed" dinner with Anwar Ibrahim! What? You did? Prove it! :P

So that's about it for tonight, I'm actually taking this short opportunity to write because my aunty called and insisted that I join her buka puasa do. I wanted to but when I thought of the cleaning up I needed to do after a day's sale, declined. Now that cleaning is completed, I can start cleaning myself and get to her place. Taman Dagang is not really that far but it could seem like forever if there's huge traffic.

People who live here would know what (not) to expect along Jalan Ampang :)

Jualan Ramadhan

Assalamualaikum and a very good day people!

As was the practice years back, we're back this Ramadhan for your favourite Ayam Percik and Nasi Kerabu.

Sales open daily from 5pm until maghrib between 01st Ramadhan and 20th Ramadhan. You may also call in to book your combo by dialing 0162519196.

Come soon or miss out!

A sight to see..

I tried to walk
My feet got stuck
I tried to talk
But out of luck
My tongue was tied
My legs were weak
I sat and sighed
Deciphering the trick

I sat alone
On a lonely bench
I feel the stones
And smell the stench
I looked around
No soul to find
Be not astound
For I am blind.

Kenduri Part 2

Bangun je hari kedua, aku ingatkan nak lepak tak buat apa-apa but at 8am, Ayah reminded me that we're going to the hotel for a rehearsal and to prepare the hall for dinner. I took on the task of preparing the bunga telur mini baskets together with my cousins and sister while Nadir (adik Adela the bride) prepared the bunga manggar, hotel version.

After the bunga telur were all ready (setakat letak pot-pourri dengan telur je, the basket was already decorated), we went on to place the eggs on all tables for guests. Since we had more eggs than tables, the remaining eggs (about 100+ of them!) were arranged in boxes and stored under the temporary stage. Khalisah and Asila Fatinah had to rehearse as a bridesmaid and flower girl respectively, half way through the bunga telur preparation. I wasn't involved in any discussions but Ayah had a lot to say to the hotel management that at the end of our simple morning, they served us a plate of sandwiches and 4 pitchers of various drinks, hehe..

We went to Gurney Plaza for lunch, Nda Aouya said the yong tau foo was fabulous. Had soya bean drink. Lepas makan tu, Mama decided to get replacement shoes for Asila Fatinah since her original intended shoes seemed very uncomfortable to wear. Cari punya cari, the shoes that fit Mama's taste weren't available in Asila Fatinah's size and the pair that Asila Fatinah fancied were! So the sales guy brought out the pair, Asila Fatinah tested and loved it! To add to the story, the shoes were really not similar to the ones Siti (my much much younger cousin) has so Mama bought a similar pair for her. Siti's in standard 5 but is just about the size of Asila Fatinah.. Delayed growth, I think.

Then, went on to get stockings for the 2 little ones and a handbag to match Mama's dress for that night. Mama was surprised to see it costing less than 200, probably being used to the scare she gets window shopping through accessories in Dubai :)

It was kinda late (time wise) when we completed the shopping that we didn't have time to rest. Got home, showered and dressed, ready for the night's do. Returned to the hotel by 7:00pm and went about with my duties which included making sure that the "kertuk" team gets dinner before all guests arrive, making sure that the 'waiting room' for the bride and groom were well hidden and to receive guests who are relatives from our side of the family.

The hotel sucked, in more ways than one. NEVER hold your functions at G Hotel should you need to have anything in Penang. They have substandard red carpet such that the carpet folds and create waves even before all guests arrive, the dining team took a long time to bring out the dishes, and they're VERY VERY "kupik". That's Kelantanese for scrooge. Kita mintak air kosong segelas, dia kata nak charge. Kita mintak itu sikit, nak charge, ini sikit nak charge. Tapi bila karpet tu beralun, kita suruh dia betulkan, dia kata, "biasalah, kalau dah ramai orang lalu, memang beralun karpet tu." So I thought: Kalau betul la karpet tu jadi macam tu, as people with knowledge and experience, they should remedy the situation pronto! Instead of stating the obvious.

But the function (to the eyes of guests) went on very well, apart from the VERY late arrival of food. Aku ingatkan nak melantak abis-abisan tapi bila server dia pun buat hal, terus hilang mood nak makan. The hotel F&B Manager gave most of his permanent staff off-days for the Merdeka Holiday and instead took replacement Bangladeshis. Those Banglas not only do they not know how to serve properly, they don't have the adab and they're pretty much irresponsible. Ayah mintak senduk untuk senduk nasi, Bangla tu boleh kata, "This is not my table, other person serving this table" Ayah pun mengamuk la! Kalau dia kata "Hold on Sir, I'll get it for you" pun dah ok..

Lepas abis dinner tu, while the guests were dispersing, I packed the gifts into the car to be brought back to Bukit Jambul, Nda Aouya's house. Nasib baik boleh habis semua in 1 trip. I had the assistance of Hidayat - Cumin (pronounced Chu-Meen, my aunty)'s eldest son and also Siti's brother - to shuttle the gifts from the car into the house. Headed back to Hotel G to fetch Mama, Ayah, Khalisah, Siti and Ayah Aa (my mother's brother) then went back to Bukit Jambul. Slept that night almost like a log. I missed Cumin and Ayah Ding when they came in the morning to say their goodbyes before heading for Kelantan and PJ respectively but I got to make egg sandwich for Asila Fatinah.

On the way back, as we were crossing the Penang Bridge, Asila Fatinah took in awe, the majesty of the bridge and thanked everyone in the car for the trip. She said her thanks to Mama for etc.. etc.. (tak ingat!) then Khalisah then Ayah and then to me. I asked her, why thank you to me? She said.. For.. err.. (and this really did happen, she had to look for something to be thankful of!) and she thanked me for the egg sandwich I made her that morning! Hehe..

Such a dear..

We got stuck in traffic OTW back and took a diversion into Slim River and then Batang Kali, Ulu Yam, Selayang, before entering MRR2 via Batu Caves. It was a long drive back and I was really thankful and relieved on arrival. Rested that night for a long time, waking up the next day for breakfast at about 10 or 11am.

Thus endeth my wedding story part 2. Got part 3 but again, that'll be in a new posting! :D

Kenduri Part 1

Aku baru je balik daripada Pulau Pinang. Pulau Pinang belah pulau, bukan yang kat Butterworth. Naik bas Transnasional kat Hentian Duta. Mali hantar gi sana sebab Abang aku dah gi Langkawi untuk business meeting. Masa cari tiket tu, abang kat kaunter tiket tu kata tiket untuk hari Khamis ke PP dah habis & tiket dari PP hari Ahad pun dah abis. Yang ada, hari Khamis petang tapi turun kat BW. Aku takmo turun kat tempat lain pastu kena carik bas lagi jadi aku ambiklah tiket hari Rabu malam, 12 tengah malam lagi, sebab nak maximizekan masa kat KL. Aku kena jumpa ejen hartanah untuk sign rental agreement untuk rumah aku.

Alhamdulillah, selepas 4 tahun, rumah aku dah ada tenant berbayar.. hehe..

The trip in the bus was very uncomfortable because I had to put my bag under my feet, leaving not much room for the feet themselves. It was good that I had a seat-mate who was alright, instead of the I-dread-sharing-this-seat-with-this-person person. I didn't sleep much. The bus stopped 4 times too, making it even more difficult to sleep due to the consistently lighted windows. We arrived at the Hentian Bas Sungai Nibong at almost 5am and I waited for over 2 hours for my parents to arrive.

You see, we stayed at my aunty's place for the duration and being guests, we do not know where the switches are. Since the car was in the compound, we had to wait for someone else from the house to wake up before we could open it. Furthermore, it's a practice there to lock all doors and grills at night for safety.

Nasib baik jugak masa tunggu bas kat Hentian Duta tu, aku terjumpa Faiz, staf AZSB yang aku pernah liase masa kat Hospital Ampang tu jadi sempat la kitorang borak-borak kat depan bus stand tu sesambil dia pun tunggu ayah dia datang ambik.

I've been to Enda Aouya's house before but for just a while. I vaguely remember how it looked like and where it was but when we got there again, my memory was refreshed so much so that I could drive on my own from the hotel (dinner - to be mentioned in part 2) to her house! Very good for someone who's only driven in PP once before.

So, on the first day of arrival, despite my groggyness out of not having enough sleep, made myself useful by cutting up some raw papayas and poked daun manggar on it to make the bunga manggars.

Q: What are you doing there?
A: I'm planting flowers.. *LAUGH!*

Q: What flower has the shortest lifespan?
A: Bunga Manggar, only for a day!

Q: What flower, the more you water it, the faster it dies?
A: Bunga Api!

Okay, enough of "Bunga" jokes.

Pastu sibuk-sibuk tolong susun kerusi meja for the kenduri kat rumah. Orang yang bagi sewa kerusi tu kata, since khemah bukan ambik dari diorang, diorang tak nak susun kerusi meja.. haha.. macam pondi pulak buat perangai.. :P

Aku sedar yang orang PP, eventhough a state-city-town in one place, much like KL, has a long distance to go before being equal to the standards that's available in KL's hospitality service/business. Kat sana, diorang ni take it for granted that everyone needs their services hence there is no need to make it super-fine, suffice to have a "good" service.

Hari akad tu, aku pun masih letih. Paksa kepala ni bangun pastu petik baju melayu yang nak pakai. Since aku nampak Nadir (adik pengantin) pakai kaler maroon, aku pun petik baju maroon aku dengan sampin tapi tak pakai lagi sebab ada kerja-kerja berat yang lebih diutamakan. Dah sudah angkat kerusi la, susun meja la, tanam pokok bunga la dan segala apa yang memerlukan kederat, aku masuk mandi pastu tukaq baju.

The procession went on smoothly with hosts and guests feeling very comfortable (to my opinion) and at home. The groom received the bride from the hands of her father. Adela (and Nadir's) father is German who came to marry, live and stay in Malaysia for the past 30+ years. I don't really know what he does but he's very artistic and speaks a multitude of languages, French and German being part of them.

It was very touching to hear him speak Malay during the akad.

Lepas semayang jemaat, ada kenduri pulak. Sebelum kenduri tu, ada bersanding. Aku memula ingat nak kental dengan BM maroon aku yang dipakai sejak pagi tapi terasa macam tak best sangat pakai baju tu jadi aku pun masuk, mandi seround pastu tukar kaler kehijauan pulak. Dah turun tu, membzkan diri lagi sebelum pengantin lelaki sampai.

Terlalu banyak event hari tu sampai tak terucap. Yang aku paling ingat, bila hari dah hampir tamat, kaki aku pun dah hampir lumat, berdenyut-denyut dia. Puas hati aku dengan cara semuanya berjalan, aku tertidur kat kerusi di anjung dengan lenanya selama setengah jam sebelum terjaga bila terdengan azan maghrib berkumandang. Kebetulan pulak Herizal (pengantin lelaki) datang dekat dengan masa tu jadi aku *ehem* test power dia, semayang maghrib sama-sama.

The night ended at dunno what time because I stayed awake playing bowling on my sister's phone.

Woke up kinda late the next morning.. but that's another story to tell.