Yeah! That's right! If you're coming for food, better make a U-turn! No food here!

Don't worry, I'm not on strike or anything .. haha .. it's just that :-

1. My parents have gone to Pahang with my sis-in-law and family to visit my brother,

2. Yasmin and Julia are out spending time with Saudi cousin, Najlaa Fathe/Nouni. Masa Min called tadi, katanya dah ada kat Nando's untuk berbuka puasa.

from left: Nouni, Julia and Yasmin

Dengan ketiadaan empat orang, yang tinggal .. Farid, Faiz and I jer. So, tu pasal la kitchen closed! Sahur nanti open la balik!

I siapkan air kelapa untuk berbuka puasa, lepas minum, terus solat and pegi makan Nasi Kandar at Deen Restaurant, Jelutong. I had half plate of rice with ayam goreng, kerabu timun nenas, telur ikan and top-up with kuah banjir .. fuyoohh! sempoi!

Sprained ankle! Eh! bukan saya! .. tuu.. si budak Yasmin tu! Semalam bukan main seronok lagi bermain bunga-api dengan anak-anak Shukri & Fathe after berbuka puasa. Ntah macamana boleh terjatuh dan tergeliat kat ankle dia. Pagi ni masa bersahur... haaa... baru betul-betul terasa sakitnya..apa lagi! dia punya la nyaaaanyiiii soprano...fuhh!

In the morning, after sending Julia to USM, we went to Klinik Aman. The doctor was sceptical about the sprained ankle, thinking Yasmin was pulling a quick one just to get an MC. Apa la!! Kan dah buat dia upset lagi!! hmmm..

Today, pegi kuliah terpaksalah dihantar dan baliknya dijemput. After taking her medication, towards evening, sakitnya dah agak berkurangan dan beransur lega. Syukur, Alhamdulillah.

Semalam we had a "berbuka puasa" family gathering at my sis-in-law Ina's place in Bertam to entertain relatives from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Oleh kerana diorang ni memang suka makan seafood (coz kat Saudi asyik makan daging jer), the menu last night consists of just that ... SEAFOOD!

Ikan Masak Kicap Berlada, Tomyam Seafood and Sotong Celup Tepung (pic below) disediakan oleh Kak Faezah

I did the Butter Prawns With Breadcrumbs (pic above), Ketam & Udang Bakar and Kerang Rebus

Ina pula sediakan minuman Air Kelapa & Air Roselle, 4 different types of cakes from Secret Recipe, Air Asam buat pencicah, Bubur Kanji, Telur Masin and Fruits

Sessi minum kopi and yogurt desserts after dinner. From left: my brother-in-law Hafiz, Fathi and my father-in-law Ismail Mukhtar.

Pic below - from left: Lena (Fathi's wife), In'am (Shukri's wife) and Shukri. Their kids (not in the picture) were outside, playing with fireworks.

Left: Nabila, Yasmin and Julia

10.30am, 21 August 2010, Saturday - Setelah 11 hari berpuasa, Faiz and I left for Seremban, pegi jenguk si Firdaus and spend the weekend with him. On the way, singgah kejap to collect Farid's graduation photos taken recently at the studio near Midvalley.

Tiba di Kolej Mara Seremban lebih kurang jam 2.30 petang. Fetched Firdaus and went to Jusco. Eh! not bad-lah Jusco Seremban ni .. macam-macam ada.

Later, we checked-into Klana Resort, a hotel just opposite Firdaus's Kolej.




Untuk berbuka puasa, Firdaus teringin nak makan steak, so we drove around looking for the restaurant recommended by one of the Hotel's staff. Tapi oleh kerana kesuntukan masa dan asyik sesat jalan, restoren pun tak jumpa, akhirnya kami berbuka puasa at Secret Recipe jer.

After Maghrib prayers, pegi ke Parkson pulak. By now, I was 'dead' tired and struggling to keep my eyes opened! What a relief when we finally got back to the hotel. Terus tido tak peduli siapa dah!

22 August 2010, Sunday - Woke up feeling energized. Pagi ni, Firdaus nak ke Jusco lagi. Kali ni baru boleh relax shopping. Beli baju, jeans, kasut, food stuff and Baju Melayu for Raya.

Kami berbuka puasa di Hotel. Buffetnya menghidangkan 100 jenis juadah untuk berbuka puasa! Ha! jenuh makan uuu..!

laksa

yong tau hoo



karipap dan aneka jenis cucur di goreng kat sini

sotong, udang dan sayuran celup tepung

satay

ikan bakar

Nasi Ayam

Murtabak & Roti Canai

sporting cute guys sedang menjala Roti Jala and making Lempeng Pisang/Kelapa

assortment of fruits

Nasi Arab & side dishes

ais kacang


char kuey teow kerang

huih..! ni yang sempoi! dapat juga Firdaus makan yang diidamkannya

happy with his choices

..eemm.. naper tu adik? lapar dah eh?

how's this for my first round?

Apabila kita nak buat kerja amal .. nak buat kutipan derma .. kenapalah mesti 'rigid' sangat?

Why have to specify that the donations must come from lecturers of certain 'schools'?

Why make it difficult?



Pelik la!!

Yang mana lebih baik - Bebas cari donations elsewhere and at the end of the day mendapat amount yang banyak; atau hanya boleh approach beberapa kerat lecturers available yang belum tentu menderma ataupun tidak?

The girls are already so busy dengan assignments and meetings yang tak berkesudahan! Do you want the money or sajer nak torture bebudak ni?

Dah la kawan tu puasa, have to go knocking on one lecturer's door to the other, merayu minta derma. Itu pun, kalau dapat, tak per la jugak.

Ni MAMA nak marah ni!!

Makes me wanna do this ...



to the person who made those rules and making my girl upset!!

Nasi Lamb

Success! Success!

Apanya yang success tu?

Resipi Nasi Kambing ku menjadik!! Habis liau licin pulak tu!!





My recipe is for 5-6 people menggunakan 2 tin susu beras dan 1 kg lamb. Resipinya lebih kurang macam ni:

Kepingan lamb di potong 2
2 labu bawang besar (di dadu)
1 tomato (di dadu)
1 paket kecil rempah kurma
Kayu manis, cengkih, lawang
Minyak sapi campur minyak masak


1.Panaskan minyak, tumis kayu manis, cengkih, lawang.
2.Masukkan bawang besar.
3.Bila bawang sedikit layu, masukkan rempah kurma dan sedikit air.
4.Kemudian masukkan lamb.
5.Kacau sebentar. Masukkan air, garam, gula.
6.Masak lamb hingga agak-agak lembut.
7.Cuci beras, masukkan dalam rice cooker.
8.Lapis selang-seli dengan lamb dan tomato yang di dadu.
9.Masukkan air rebusan lamb secukupnya dengan sukatan beras.

Untuk Sosnya:
1 biji tomato ranum
1 cili merah
2 cili padi
Air limau nipis secukupnya
Garam, gula

1.Blend kesemuanya untuk dijadikan sos dimakan bersama lamb.


Hidangkan Nasi Kambing ni dengan Dalca, Kerabu Timun Nenas dan Sos.

13 AUGUST 2010

It was a blessed Friday.

The family's long wait ...

finally ended ...

with ...

HAPPINESS

Syukur, Alhamdulillah

14 AUGUST 2010

MUHAMMAD FIRDAUS BIN FAIZ


My dearest son,
I have loved you
Since the day you were born.
And now, all grown-up
I not only love you,
But am very proud of you.
It's your birthday and I can't be there
But I've sent you a special birthday wish
and a little prayer.
Hope your day was special,
Just as special as you are.
You have my best wishes
To become a big achiever.
I send you my blessings
And hope the years that lie ahead
Are bright and happy
Happy birthday to you.

5am, Sabtu 14 August 2010 - Selepas bersahur, Faiz, my mum, my brother Hasli, his wife Sonia and children Edany & Hanie, my brother's friend Hanif and I left for a trip to Jerantut, Pahang.

From Penang >> KL
Journey: 3hrs approximately

From KL >> Karak Highway >> East Coast Highway >> Temerloh >> Jerantut
Journey: 3 hrs 30 mins approximately

We arrived Jerantut town at 11.30am and proceeded further up north about 16km to a place called Kuala Tembeling - arriving there at noon. We drove around, surveyed the area sambil mencari rumah untuk di sewa. After speaking to a few people and finally narrowing down to two units to be confirmed tomorrow, we went back to Jerantut where we checked into Sakura Castle Inn hotel. Aduuh.. travelling dengan keadaan berpuasa dan keletihan, as soon as my head touched the pillow, I terus lena!.

.. keletihan, while waiting to check-into hotel ..

Kami berbuka puasa at the Astaka just across the hotel. We had Tomyam, Steamed Siakap, Siakap Tiga Rasa, Kailan Ikan Masin, Daging Merah and Telur Dadar. The food was not only delicious, it was cheap too!






Late Sunday morning, we checked out of the hotel. Went into town and got some groceries and basic home utensils. My brother will be working with a travel agency specialising in tours to Taman Negara National Park based at Kuala Tembeling. Kuala Tembeling is the main entry point to Taman Negara by a 3hr ride boat.

























Today, Monday 16 August 2010 is his first day at work.

Adikku.. , jadikanlah penghijrahan ini sebagai titik perubahan memulakan hidup baru yang memberi makna dan nikmat dalam kehidupanmu ...

Selamat Bekerja!




" ... boleh jadi kamu membenci sesuatu sedangkan ia lebih baik bagi kamu, dan boleh jadi kamu menyukai sesuatu sedangkan ia buruk pula bagi kamu. Allah mengetahui tetapi kamu tidak mengetahui."
- Surah Al-Baqarah; Ayat 216

"Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengubah keadaan sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah keadaan diri mereka sendiri."
- Surah Ar-Rad; Ayat 11