Rich Malaysian Crafts

Dear hubby decided to make a trip to Penang . We reached the island forty five minutes later . The traffic towards and on the bridge was " ok " .....moving ...and not snarling . I dread to think and be caught stuck on the bridge when an accident occurs . One can be stuck for hours there . Such impromptu ride will see us all in tow ; an opportunity for all to get fresh air ( ? ) , for son Amir and daughter Yasmin to browse for new books as well . For mummy dearest ...its a time to get OUT OF THE HOUSE !!


Christmas is a month away . As usual the business folks are busy preparing for it . Malaysia is celebrating all kind of festivals these past few months and the shopping mall we went had its Christmas decorations up .




The trees were nicely decorated with the typical bright and colorful lights ....adding excitement for the Christmas shoppers . I could hear the cash register going ka...ching .....!!! Good business with all these festivals .



Daughter Yasmin can't resist but to have her pix taken...


under the watchful eyes of this guard . He gladly posed for me when I told him he looked smart in that uniform of his plus the hat he is using . I wonder if he is a Malaysian or lain lain ...? Bangladesh ? Gurkha ?



There were not as many shoppers as on other days . I was thankful for that . I heard the sound of malay songs being sung ....soothing music ...accompanied by the sound of a gendang , accordion and violin . We walked along , stopping now and then at certain shops to window shop ...gaze and drool over certain products . We turned a corner and was surprised to see a malay band performing .



I just had to go near and take this pix . The singer looked familiar ...is it our Datuk Lat ...Malaysia's famous cartoonist up there ....?? A hugh disappointment ...coz if it was him ...I would have gone on the stage and perhaps sing along too !



It was a show case of Malaysia cultural heritage ...the promotion of Batik and other local crafts . Its not that often one comes across exhibitions or promotions like this . There were Batik paintings



and other crafts as well . I was indeed thrilled . It allows my children to stop a while and appreciate Malaysian culture . Its also a time to share the culture with the other Malaysian races as well . Do enjoy these pictures .
























I ended up buying this tabung ....made from bamboo ....at least there is a place now for the loose coins . Now this bamboo proudly stands at a corner on my work table .



Till then , take care !

One Hot Sunny Afternoon

It was one of those days ....an extremely hot afternoon ; with no breeze too . Too hot for the neighbors kids to move around on their bikes ; as such there was no sound of happy laughter and endless chattering of kids in the street . It was supposed to be a great weekend ; after all year end holidays are here !!


I was looking forward to prop myself up on the sofa ....put my legs up ....and switch on the telly . In the distance I heard a car accelerating ...it passed my house ...then there was a screech of brakes and a loud ' bang ' . My first reaction ..." Oh Oh ...let's hope its not one of the kids " .


Ten seconds later , I was at my front gate ...peeping out ..... I saw my neighbor , Ali . Boy .....was he mad !! Of course it didn't take me long to plus one and one together ....that it was his car ...being slammed into !!




Hello ....don't say I am being nosy ...ok ? In cases like this ....one just have to investigate !! And this is what I saw . Ali's car on the right ....



I heard Ali said " Macam ini kah kamu mai? " translated ...is this the way you drive ? ....as his left hand slammed on top of the other car ( left car ) . To be involved in a car accident must be a scary experience . Especially when it involved someone of the size of Ali .............



I turned my head and saw my other neighbors coming out of their gates ...with quizzical faces ....wanting to know what in the heavens was disturbing this peaceful afternoon .....in full force ....!!



Now this pix was taken on Diwali's night ...they are all my neighbors ....dear hubby is on the right . They were all there yesterday ...........everyone had a reason to be at the scene ........hehehe..!! Including my lady neighbors ....



Its not that often all the neighbors congregate in the streets yunno ....the last time we did that was when the whole block of houses was pitched into darkness......... due to power failure .



I saw the damage to Ali's car .......yes ...Ali just had to be emotional . Its hard to come across a person who is cool when he / she is involved in a car accident . I was wondering about the other driver ....is he/ she hurt ? I knew it must be a ' she ' ... she did not step out of the car to confront Ali . You wouldn't want to mess around with a name like Ali ....floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee . The lady driver made a call / calls ....she must be quite scared and upset too . A few minutes later ...her friends came .....plus her husband ...in orange T shirt .



See the guy in black T shirt ....? When he arrived ...he jumped out of his car and immediately heard him cursing away ....marah lah tu ..... This in turn further infuriated Ali . There was an exchange of words ...........angry words . Then somebody had the presence of mind to say " Let the police handle this task . "

I saw Ali made the call ....heard him reporting about an accident ..." Ya ...Encik ! Di Laguna Merbok " ....his voice was calm .



The police arrived ....30 minutes later . One took a few pictures at different angles ...another was hearing to Ali's " story " . Then they took a measuring tape , took some measurements here and there . My lady neighbor who happened to be a teacher was asking " I wonder why are they doing the measuring ? " I answered ..." Well ....they are just applying their mathematics here " . Then they hopped in their car ....


gave me a salute ...gestured to me to write a good report ....and they were gone .

Hehehe....my lady neighbor and I laughed ....the police officers thought I was a reporter !! Oh well....what a day to end the weekend .............with a big question in my head " How would I respond when faced with a car accident ? " . Touch wood !!


So how was your day ?

Graduation Day

A kindergarten graduation ? Its petty stuff for some people . It should not be overboard ...after all they are just kids ...the arguments that I used to hear . Don't you have anything that is worth while doing ?....questions ex colleagues used to ask me especially those who are not in the education field and who felt kindergarten education is just not their cup of tea ....an unglamorous job ...one said . To that I'll say ..... Snooty lots !!




Yes , another school year is coming to a close . Most kindergartens would be busy preparing the kindergarten students for their graduation ...a year end activity and a proud day in a student's life . I'm sure the kindergarten where I was the principal before had done theirs . I have only memories of those times ...etched in the pages of my mind .

On this day , parents are invited and they get to see their little ones in a cap and gown . Indeed these children look cute as they sing and perform for their parents , brothers and sisters and grandparents too !! As for the parents , they just seat back , enjoy and see how much progress their child had made over the years . One could hear chuckles from parents as they saw their little ones stumble on their lines and another one missed a step in the traditional dance . The once bashful child could be a wreck of nerves on the stage ...nervous and unsure of themselves . Of course ...you are forgiven , my little ones ....I'm proud of you as you had worked hard for this day . To be on the stage at this age performing for your love ones requires all your inner and mental strenghts ! Congratulations !!!

I used to wonder too .....what if the graduation ceremony be simple ....no certificates , no caps and gowns and no performances ? No , that ain't fun . A kindergarten graduation is important ...as important as any other graduation .

Graduating from a kindergarten is a BIG , BIG , BIG Deal !!! To me when the child graduates , it officially ends their " baby years " ...and that these little ones are ready to start their journey into primary one . They are getting more independent and more bold ....after all the two to three years at the kindergarten is a training ground and the curriculum is designed to get them ready for school . These kids are transforming into a person.

As for the teachers and myself we wondered how best to do a ceremony that would be comfortable for all. It must not be too long as it could be " torturous " for the children . Expectations are there ...to do the ceremony as perfectly as possible and the show to run as smoothly as possible . Ohhh......there would be the constant reminder from me not to expect too much from the kids for the simple reason that they are kids .....fumbles and stumbles would be there ...like one's cap will flew off his head or another one that keeps falling off ...or another child whose tassle keeps on touching his nose !! Indeed its a day of high charged activity ...everybody is excited ...from the teachers ...the parents and the children too !! Yes ...the children are celebrating but its the teachers who help to put them in the spotlight .

So PLAN ...PLAN ...PLAN starts as early as the beginning of the year . The songs the children sang and the poems they recite certainly help by the time the year ends . Its a matter of putting in the element of perfection in the final scene . However ...there's bound to be one or two who refuse to participate . So I always remind the teachers not to force them ...just give them a minor role . No child will behave perfectly !! If the child is not on the stage with the other classmates their parents would be disappointed . It indeed is a SPECIAL day for both parents and child and the kindergarten too .



The kindergarten's goodbye gift to each child would be the certificate indicating the child's years of attendance at the kindergarten ...plus a picture of themselves in a cap and gown and another picture of their class teacher ( and me too...hehehe !! ) and their classmates . All these we nicely framed it up in such a way that it could be put up on their book shelves for all to see as parents and the child themselves love to see pictures of themselves and their little ones . The frames can be folded and tucked away and opened again until their next graduaton...perhaps another 12 or 13 years down the road .




I saw each child in their cap and gown as they are individually called up on the stage to receive their " gift" from the kindergarten ...accompanied by music ....and on the white washed wall of the stage , each child's image appeared in a powerpoint presentation . I'm a little happy , a little sad and a lot proud that the teachers and I have helped educate and trained little children who are going to be children of tomorrow and leaders of the future .I'm sure these children will remember this day forever in their lives as we made it special for them .




Till then ....Have a Happy Graduation Day to all !!

Oh Gee..........!!

Oh gee...where do I start ?

Daughter Yasmin was pissed early this morning . She said she smiled at our next door neighbor and this neighbor didn't bother to smile back at her . " I'm not going to greet her any more "..she said . Oh dear !

I know what daughter Yasmin meant . I was given the cold shoulder too ....

Hmmmm...let me ponder ...


This neighbor ...shifted three months ago . They are not rude neither the confrontational kind . Quiet ...... So far I have not seen them showing their true nature like being loud in the middle of the night . They didn't play loud music that get on my nerves ...nor are they constanly drunk ...so what's wrong with them ?


I can't say they are bad right ? Its just that they are not the kind who like to smile and greet people . Not the kind to get to know thy neighbors . So far they only smiled at me once ...on early Diwali morning . After that my next encounter with them was when I was hanging clothes to dry in the front yard . Nerdy neighbor was sweeping and I said " Good Morning " . She said " Good Morning " too but with her back to me . Well....what do you think of that ?


My...my ....my......! Nerdy neighbor just don't have the concept of courtesy towards neighbors and other people . It certainly baffles me . Why can't I just take them as they are ...even if they think I don't exist on the other side of the fence ? Extremely good they are in giving us the cold shoulder . Hmmmmmm...I wonder where did they buy the ' Idiots Guide To Ignoring Neighbors ' book .


I have always have nice encounters with other neighbors ....had always gotten along with them .The present neighbors that I have ( minus this one ) are those type of ' neighbors to the rescue ' kind ........who like to do good deeds .


It just shows who I can pick who I want to be friends with ....but I can't pick who I want to be neighbors with . With this kind ( of neighbors ) its awfully hard to figure out what life is going to be like ..........They could learn a thing or two from their daughter .....the one who would greet me with a sweet smile .



I can't ignore that ..can I ?

Of Open Houses .....

Its not too late to talk about Open Houses, is it ? The Syawal month is almost over ...and now Deepavali is here .....celebrated for 3 days for some Hindus and others for about a week ....another friend said " for a month ."

Whatever ....I'm not suprised if I am to receive invitations to other open houses ....a fantastic and unique experience for us in Malaysia . That's hubby and son Amir at a neighbor's house , Cikgu Muru on the first night of Diwali ...




All those spread of food served during Hari Raya ( and now Diwali ) had not done justice at all ....to me . Every few days I would weigh myself ...and getting down from the scale I would give myself a sigh ...........!!



Its not getting any better .......If the scale had a life of its own ....it would be doing this ..........!!



I thought that there would be less open houses this year ..what with the increase in cost of food and everything .Well , what do you know ...open houses functions were numerous .


As usual , there were the usual crowds of various races visiting each other ....good to see that the Muhibbah spirit is alive and kicking . It certainly cultivates and strengthens friendships ....open your hearts too ...if I may say so . You get to make new friends ....

My Sg. Petani friend ..

That's what attending open houses do ....plus you get to bump into old friends ....like this friend .....Jeriah Abang .



I must have looked the same after all these 30 odd years as she could recognised and remembered my name as well . I'm bad with names ......and so as not to " drop my water face " , , I decided to ask for her cell phone number ...and said like this ..." and which glamourous name do I put in this phone of mine ? " This certainly works ...and at least it " saved my water face " if you know what I mean as by then her name rang a bell...ringgggggggggg!!! So far this never fails to work .

At my second cousins house ....
happy faces plus full tummies !!

Now , at open houses ...you are supposed to eat ....if you don't ...don't go ....because if you don't eat ..the host gets " kecik hati " . So don't spoil the day and fun of everyone there . As for the host ...food must be enough for everybody for the simple reason ...you had invited these people and these people do expect food ...food plus expectation to eat when they came over to your house .


Of course at my second cousin's house during raya ...food served were delicious ....briyani rice ...lemang plus ketupat ...plus rendang ....plus cakes . Too bad I did not take pictures of the food .Hmmmmmmmmnnnn...yummy .



Yunno I once went to a friend's open house ...she had this tent sat up in the compound of her house and as usual the crowds of people were already there ....her neighbors ...her friends and her husband's colleagues . This friend welcomed me with open arms ...full of warmth ...inviting me and my family to eat . Alas !! When I approached the trays of food on the table ...there were hardly any food to eat !! For a while I didn't know what to do ...then I just scrapped whatever there was to put in my plate . Honestly ...I just don't know what to say ...only that it taught me a lesson ...always have enough food ...don't " alang alang . " I will never know if this friend was aware or not about the situation at the " table ".




Now , there was Diwali Open house to attend.....a different array of food served .... rich spicy food ...of tosei , mutton curry , chicken or" ayam kampong " curry , spicy crabs and lots lots more . Of course , being the odd one out on the block ..we were given a plate of indian sweet goodies ...like marukku , kuih rose etc. etc . Do try to identify these out .



This was given to me on early Diwali morning ...by this liitle girl ...my neighbor. I was drying my laundry when I heard a chirpy voice saying " Hi , Auntie !! " . I turnt and saw her ....looking cute in her traditional clothes .



She was waiting for her parents to go to the temple for prayers ... it was Diwali morning ...a reason to look your best in your new dress.



Plus the bling bling on the hair too !! Don't you think she looked adorable ?


Then , I was given another tray of Indian sweets by another neighbor . How nice ....!!



Now ...I need to return my neighbor's plates . Its a no no to return an empty plate ....very very not Malaysia . I just have to bake something ........