Hello 2018

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It has been a while. Many things have happened since I last wrote. 2016 is gone. 2017 came and went. And we are well into 2018. A few more weeks we are in the second half of 2018.

And it's the fasting month.... This year feels a bit slow but we are on day 19 already. Traffic is fine, especially if I leave late. Hahahahahaha. Going home is also fine. Especially if I leave early. Hahahahahaha.

Not much to say.

I will belanja a photo of Nazzim when he was about 2 1/2 years old. The picture was taken at Lina's elder brother's wedding. As you can see, the photo is damaged but fortunately it is limited to the bottom part of the image.

I'll find a way to fix it. Bye for now. Selamat BerPuasa.

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Hello 2016

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My my, it has been a while.....

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Jingga - September 2012 to 22 April 2014

Jingga, with Jack behind him, having a meal. Rest in Peace, Jingga

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Jingga died today. We had to put him to sleep. He has been unwell these last few months – we took him to a vet previously and he had to stay back for a week and when he came back, he never recovered. When we first saw him, he was a dirty, scrawny little kitten, with blackened paws and snout. He’d hide in car engines compartments, yes, car engines compartments, to hide from larger cats and animals, that’s the only reason I could think of why he did that. I heard a cat meowed but I could not find any so I surmised correctly that he was in the engine compartment of Lina’s car. We took him to a vet, gave him food, put him in the cage for his safety and we thought we’d do that till he’s big enough to take care of himself and after that, away he goes. Not a chance, we were his. He stayed. But he never outlived his welcome. 

 

Jingga was the exact opposite of Jack. Jack loves to have his stomach stroked, patted or touched. Not Jingga, his paw would slash out faster than you could say kitty henever we touched his tummy. Jack hardly ever meows – he’d meow when I play hide and seek with and when he wants desperately to get out of his cage but Jingga would start meowing even before he reaches the door. Meowing as he enters the door, as he walks through the house towards his favourite past time, the rubbish bin in the kitchen. Without fail. Every time. He might turn his head a wee bit and throw a quick glimpse on the way but it was a very quick glimpse for he has to see what is there to dine upon in the kitchen rubbish bin. Jack was supposed to be indoor cat and Jingga was supposed to be the outdoor cat but whenever we open the door, Jack would rush out and Jingga would stay in. We’d call Jack home at dusk but it was usually Jingga who answered. We’d call him Jing or Jinx at times. The little girls next door called him Jingles. 

 

Jingga was the tomcat of the neighbourhood. Which was probably his undoing. When he was adult enough, with his square tomcatty face, without fail he would come home with scratches and wounds on his body. When he was a kitten and Jack was all grown up, they’d fight playfully and I can see that he could take as well as he could give. Jack was three times his size and Jack thrashed him every time but he would come back for more. True enough, when he was fully grown, Jack could not handle him. Both of them could not be in the house at the same time. At times, he would enter the house, saw Jack on top of the piano and before anyone could do anything, he’d be on his way to torment Jack. Jack would usually end up being wedged between the piano and the wall. 

Lina says Jingga “menghiburkan”, he entertains us. He loves it when we stroke his head – his eyes would be closed, he’d be purring like a chainsaw and persistently pressing his head onto our hands. He’d often go to Lina and offer his head. Now, who could refuse that. Whenever he drinks, his right leg would be off the floor – he’s do a shimmy with his legs and he’d end up with one leg off the ground while drinking.  

During his last fews weeks, he did make some attempts to raid the rubbish bin, but even then he was too weak to stand on his hind feet to do so. I am crying as I am writing this, I am going to miss him. His gait, his meows, his rubbish bin raids and his sharp claws.  

Rest in Peace Jingga. We love you. We always will.

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Cinta

Nazzim keeping Cinta occupied.
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I have found Cinta. Yes, Cinta. Not cinta as in jatuh cinta but Cinta the person.

Cinta is my eldest sister's granddaughter. Her full name is Cinta Reana. She will be 7 years old this year but last week was the first time I met her. I still remember the days when I would send her father to school, when he was only a few years older than her. She loves to sing, especially the song "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".

On one of the nights when all of us just sat down talking to each other, Cinta was sitting on my lap, I told her,

"Your Papa used to sit on my lap just like what you are doing now..........."

Her Papa, my nephew, smiled as she creased her brow, stretching her comprehension, as she tried to imagine her Papa sitting on my lap.

She calls me "Andong -----". I like it. We used to call our maternal grandfather that. So my sister is Andong Ibu, my brother-in-law is Andong Ayah etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I found Cinta... No drug in the world could replace that.

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Dr. Jane

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A few weeks ago I was in that small city state south of our country on a business trip. I stayed at a nice hotel and we have our meals at a small lounge on the 31st floor of the hotel.

The first time I went to the lounge was for breakfast the day after I arrived.

“Good morning Dr Jane, how are you this morning?, the head waiter greeted me.

He got me mixed up with my boss – Jane is a pelat version of my boss’ Malay name. I thought I’d leave it at that, he’ll figure it out himself later. So for breakfast that day, it was Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane. Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane.

“Would you like a cup of coffee Dr. Jane?” “How was breakfast Dr. Jane?” “Will you be here long, Dr. jane?” And so on………….

The next day, it was the same – Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane. Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane……..

“Uh, I am not Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane is my colleague, he’ll be down in a few minutes, I’m…….”

Before I could say my name he said, “Oh, I’m solly Mr. H…..”, well, at least he knew my name….

So that was that, it was fun being a Dr. for a day but I’m not a PhD holder so I’ll stay with being a Mister thank you.

Dr. Jane, Dr. Jane…………….

I need a new drug…….

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Poor Jack

Jack in his manja pose, with bandaged leg and all....

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About a month ago, Jack came home limping and with a bloodied rear right leg, making Lina thought that he had been in a fight. She took him to the vet and the vet said that most likely he had been run over by a vehicle. The vet shaved the fur on his right rear leg and it was a mess. There were real concerns that he would lose that leg. The vet told us to go to the animal hospital in UPM in Serdang. It was already late so Lina had to wait till the next day and took Jack home.

Since he was unwell, we let him sleep in Sofia's room. The first night at home, he attacked his bandaged leg and he bit and scratched Sofia. Imagine Sofia calling me at 4 am, crying and saying something about Jack going crazy.

Dr. Nurul at the animal hospital at Serdang was a big help. I was impressed on how she and her assistant handled Jack, claws, teeth and all. Yes, Jack was badly hurt. We had to leave Jack for a few days there. The house was not the same without him.

Three days later, he came home. We, with Lina leading, we had to change his bandages every day. Make him eat his medications every day. You should see him with his head turned all the way to the back, trying to avoid eating his pills.

He's much better now. He's still limping but he's still King of the house.

Well people, go to that animal hospital in UPM Serdang. Those people know what they are doing and thank you Dr. Nurul, Dr. Tan and all you people there.

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Hutang

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Hutang.

Bila pinjam duit, bayar balik. Tu aje. It is not rocket science, it is not nuclear physics, it is just common sense. Tak dapat bayar semua sekali, bayar sikit-sikit. Bak kata orang-orang tua, lama lama jadi bukit...... Senang aje. Masa pinjam tu janji nak bayar kan? So, tunaikan janji.....

With the intentions of borrowing money, promises were made. Oooppssss, I forget (yes, I forgggeeeettttt), promises are made to be broken. Hahahahahahahahaha......... Of course, masa meminta, bulan depan bayar. Minggu depan even. Dalam masa dua hari pun ada. Tapi bila dah dapat duit, hampeh. Yang bagi pinjam nak sebut pun takut, takut nanti di kata mengungkit. Hahahahahaha......... mengungkit? Atau bagi pinjam sikit dah bising. Sikit ke empat ribu tu? Sikit ke lima ribu tu? Empat ringgit mungkin sikit. Tiga puluh lima sen tu sikit.

Yang bagi pinjam jadi pesalah. Masa meminta, datang selalu rumah. Talipon selalu. Cintalah katakan...... Memang macam bercinta, nak something kan? Orang bercinta tu nak kawin lah........ ni nak duit. Hahahahahaha....... Bila dah dapat, usahkan tak datang, call pun tak jawab. Hantar SMS? Sorry lah brader, tak kan jawab.

Anyway, just a reality of life.

Unpaid debts. Neither a lender nor a borrower be...........

Uh oh, do I owe anyone any money?

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Moving On.........

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When it’s time to move on, we move on.

I am in the midst of taking a very big step in my life – I quit my current job.

While I don’t want to dwell on the reasons why, it is just something that I have to do. Well, let’s call a spade a spade. Over the last 2 months I have been carrying two pieces of paper with 28 reasons to quit and 11 reasons to stay on this job. The pros thumped the cons. Plus sembahyang istikharah and doa banyak2 minta petunjuk etc. etc. etc.

Two days from now, on 7 May 2011 will be my 21st anniversary with this company. While it has been fun, worthwhile and insane at times, it’s time to move.

Lina gave me her blessings, in her own words, “You do not seemed happy in this job anymore, not like before”.

I might have told her a thing or two about my current job but I never really brought any real worries home from the office. I never worry her needlessly. Let me carry some of the burden alone. To which she replied, “You do not have to, I can see it in your face. Remember, we have been married for more than 20 years, I know… why don’t you just move on…...”.

So there. A potpourri of feelings, a mixed bag of emotions and the corresponding highs and lows. Well, I do have that 2.8 acres of land that I could work on. I heard cili api, serai and papayas can pick good prices nowadays. I reckon an acre of cili api, an acre of serai and half an acre of papayas would be enough to pay for electricity, water, phone, the internet and a small car……. I have my EPF, we have our little bit of savings, the other pieces of land that I bought, I could cash in the insurances that I have been ploughing money into all these years and God knows it’s time they do their bit for us and maybe work as a security guard for a few additional bucks….. or jaga workshop or store somebody else punya.

It was a hard decision to make but once I made that decision, it’s not unlike the skies cleared up after a heavy thunderstorm. The calmness is surreal sometimes. But with the corresponding anxiety and apprehension at times. Apa apalah, as a friend used to say. Ah well, what will be will be.

But then, rezeki ada di mana mana, insya Allah.

I need a new drug.

Definitely.

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Bob

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Bob.

I wonder what happened to him.

One of the coolest and paling tak kisah manusia in the whole world...

Maybe I ought to go to 'ganu and look for him.

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Soei Lorrr....

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Yesterday was a bad day for me. Went to one of these fancy cafes, where they serve 8-ringgit cups of coffees and I ordered mee jawa for lunch and after waiting for 40 minutes, but no mee jawa, I asked for the bill and guess what, the bill came with the mee jawa. That was enough to make anyone blow his top. So I asked them, nicely, to keep their mee jawa and I'll keep my money. That meant a quick trip down to the fast food joint downstairs....

Then at night, went out for supper for Sofia and while Sofia's maggi goreng arrived quite on time, my tosei only arrived as I was lining up to pay for what we have eaten. Now I remember why I stopped going to that mamak shop a few months ago - their service was lousy. You'd wave at them, call them, they'd look at you and pretend that they did not see you calling. Ah well, just exercising my teeny weeny consumer rights.

I need a new drug...

In the meantime, enjoy watching Jack laze the days away above....

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