First Purchased from Amazon.com

I never bought any book online before. But living in Germany where English reading materials are scarce and expensive, made me trying to buy books online. So I tried Amazon.com.

I'm trying to teach my twins to read and been searching the right guideline on how to do it. Many websites and blogs I visited about homeschooling sugggest this book, so I guess it must be good. Besides, it's not that expensive. So why not give it a try.

The online invoice I received from Amazon.com said the expected delivery would be in between early April to mid April, but the delivery came on last Saturday. 2 weeks earlier! And I'm impressed. But the postlady had nagged on me for not putting my name on the post box (we only have cik HB's name) . Luckily she had came before with a letter of my name so she knew it belongs to our house again. And there are only 3 units of apartment share the same address number, so it was not very difficult for her to identify. Sorry...I've been meaning to put my name on the post box but the bad me always delaying things....

I haven't gone through the book yet, so I can't say much about it.

Frühling

I guess it's already spring now (in Deutsch, spring is called Frühling). Though we haven't change the time yet (at the beginning of winter we changed the time to one hour late and by the end of March which I'm not very sure the date, we'll change back the time back to normal). Now, daylight comes as early as 6.00 am and the normal average daytime temperature is about 8 to 10C. Most of the days, it is shining so brightly and the sky is so blue. Trees are producing new leaves, flowers are blooming and birds chirping. And you can see everywhere people start crowding the road and the parks to enjoy the beautiful day after months of staying indoor due to the cold winter.

The kids and I are part of these people. Since recently we have found a strolling park complete with playground and lake just behind our apartment, it is just a waste not to go out. It's really good to be outside under this weather, breathing on a fresh air. It's not that cold or warm, it's just nice. Macam kat Genting Highlands gitu!

I didn't know that there are ducks at the lake, otherwise I would be bringing some breads to feed them. The twins insisted that we go home and come back with some breads for the ducks. I managed to coax them not to, because walking home and then walking back is quite a distant. But I promised them that we'll come back tomorrow to feed the ducks. So I'm thinking to bring a basket of picnic food, not just to feed the ducks but also to bring the foods and drink for the twins so that we can stay longer strolling around without them being hungry or thirsty.

And I hope tomorrow will be as beautiful as today.

Tudung Fareeda Promo

Dah lama aku nak buat promo ni tp asik terlupa. Minta maaf la ye kat sapa2 yg aku dah berjanji.

Kalau anda di UK dan kawasan2 sewaktunya, sila lawati website MALABIS.

Dan jika anda di Malaysia (kat mana2 pon xpe sebenarnya tp kos penghantaran lg mahal la kan)sila lawati website 79th Attitude.

Jika anda di Germany, hehehe...contact la sy. Sy xde la website tudung fareeda ni tp sy boleh menjadi wakil kepada 2 pupu sy itu.

Testimonial tentang tudung Fareeda : Kain cantik, rekaannya sgt senang untuk di pakai, x payah nak gosok dan sy sentiasa rasa cantik bila pakai tudung itu walaupun muka sy kembang sebenarnya.

Berminat?

A Day in Frankfurt

Last two days, our friend from Aachen, Hatta and family came here because they wanted to make birth certificate and passport for their new born daughter, Mariah. So we accompanied them to Malaysian Consulate in Frankfurt. The thing was, cik HB and I had never been to Malaysian Consulate office, we have only been to the Consulate Officer's house, so we weren't really much a guider to get to the Consulate Office.

However, Hatta had contacted the Consulate's staff and he told him that we should board S-Bahn and get down at this station called Messe. We got to the mentioned station but we couldn't see the building we wanted to go. So Hatta called the guy again, but to no avail because apparently he never use the public transportation (well, I guess he drives all the time!) so he couldn't tell exactly what sort of train system we should have taken. He only knew that there is one station right in front his office. Unfortunately, our informer didn't know whether that station belongs to S-Bahn or U-Bahn. Both are railways system, but U-Bahn is an underground rapid transit that moves within Frankfurt city, whereas S-Bahn is similar to our Malaysian KTM commuter. So we had to studied Frankfurt public transportation's map and thank God, the map is so user friendly, so it was easy to figure things out. Apparently, there are two stations bear the same name, Messe but at different location. One you go by S-Bahn and the other one by U-Bahn. So obviously we have to take the U-Bahn. So we had to get back to main station to ride the U-Bahn. And when you were lost with 3 small kids and a baby tagged along, it was quite hectic.

Then we got on U-Bahn and travelled to that other Messe Station. And when we got outside the station, we were happy to see the building. So Hatta and wife got into their business and we waited at the reception area, controlling the kids. And luckily the receptionist was kind enough, he switched on the cartoon show, so the kids were occupied and saved us from hard work.

The kids were watching TV and the mothers posing on the camera...hehehe


The twins were so hooked up with the tigers's symbol and insisted we took their photo standing there

Some community service here: Take note the operating hours if you intend to go to Malaysian Consulate

About an hour or so, the passport-making business settled and we headed back to Frankfurt Am Main for lunch. We opted for fried chicken at this place called GFC....Golden Fried Chicken. Very much sound like KFC, huh? Yeah, they have about the same concept as KFC but it's 100% halal and besides fried chicken and fries, they also have variety of menu from pizza to briyani rice. Anyway, my honest opinion, the fried chicken isn't as tasty as KFC's, but it's good enough if you crave for halal fried chicken. But Najdah's mother said the briyani tastes so good.

Then after lunch and pray, we took them to Frankfurt's famous tourists site, Romer (the only place I know so far!). Najdah's mother bought some souvenirs here, then we took a walk by the riverside and the kids enjoyed seeing the swan and the ducks. By then, everybody were tired, the baby needed diaper change and milk so we got home.

Hatta and the family are coming back to Frankfurt next month to send Najdah's mother to Frankfurt airport as she's going back to Malaysia. So Darmstadt will be their next explore!

The Devil Wears Prada

I had just watched The Devil Wears Prada (yeah, I know it's an old movie but only now I got to watch it). I like it but I wish I had read the novel first because the novel usually tells story better then the adapted movie.

This movie is like Ugly Betty the TV series, it is about working in a fashion magazine. To start with, it was about a young girl, Andrea or Andy who had landed a job as a second personal assistant to a famous fashion magazine editor, Miranda Priestly. It was a job described as 'million girls would fight to get'. Andy, who was not obsessed with fashion and dressed herself in less glamorous state, found herself in an awkward environment where everybody else had their up-to-date clothes and high heels on. Apparently, it was a standard set up by Miranda unofficially.

She was advised by a fellow colleague, an art director to be exact, Nigel to change her image and follow suit the fashionable custom. Andy refused at first, saying that she would never change herself to be someone she is not. Fashion to her is not that important. Besides, she was thinking to become a serious journalist, so working in 'Runway' was part of the exposure she needed for working experience.

Anyway, after one incident in which Miranda and cruelly lectured her on her role as a personal assistant (she had failed to get a flight back to New York for Miranda the previous night, it wasn't really her fault as it was a stormy night and no aeroplane was allowed to be flying,but Miranda just being difficult and impossible!), Andy made a decision to change whatever it takes to make Miranda happy including changing her image. So with Nigel's help she changed into a fashionable, stylish girl. And she was also very committed in her work, and her relationship with her boss, Miranda improved.

Now that Andy had showed her capability and how smart she was in doing her job, Miranda had favored Andy over her first personal assistant, Emily. So one fashion show that to be held in Paris, and Emily was supposed to go, Miranda had changed her mind into taking Andy instead. Andy was reluctant, knowing how much Emily had been waiting the opportunity to go to Paris with Miranda. But Miranda didn't give her any choice, that Andy must go and Andy herself must break the news to Emily.

When Andy was about the break the news to Emily (they were talking on the handphone, Andy was in the office and Emily was running on the road, doing task for Miranda), Emily was hit by a car. Anyway, Emily was not badly injured, so Andy had to break the bad news about Paris to Emily in the hospital. Emily was obviously dissappointed with the news, so she chased Andy out from the room.

Meanwhile, there was a gap in Andy's relationship with her boyfriend and best friends eversince she worked in 'Runway'. Her boyfriend couldn't understand why Andy was so committed to Miranda that she was willing to sacrifice a lot. And without her boyfriend's knowledge, Andy met a guy who is a well-known figure in fashion world, Christian in which they became quite intimate after sometime. Before her trip to Paris, Andy somehow had quarrelled with her boyfriend and he had made her to choose; whether it's him or her job. Andy chose the latter.

In Paris, Nigel told Andy that he was going to be a creative director for this rising fashion designer, and the job was recommended by Miranda. Andy also met Christian at the fashion show and since Christian had openly flirting with her from beginning, and now she had broke up with her boyfriend, she went out with Christian and spent the night with him.

The next day when she woke up in Christian's hotel room, she accidently saw a portfolio of 'Runway' cover page. She asked Christian what was it about and Christian popped the news that Miranda's position as editor will be replaced by another person, Jacqueline (she is the editor of 'Runway' of French edition and Miranda's enemy) and Christian was going to work with the new editor. Andy was so shocked to hear the news, knowing very well how Miranda had put her whole life for 'Runway'. Besides, just the other night, Miranda had sadly confessed to Andy that her marriage was falling apart and soon there would be a divorce, so Andy felt it was her duty to tell Miranda of the news before Miranda knew about it officially.

However, throughout the day, Andy failed to tell Miranda of the news. When it came the official 'Runway' event, and Miranda had given a speech, she had announced that Jacqueline was leaving 'Runway' as she was going to be the creative director for the rising fashion designer (the one supposed to be Nigel's job). Andy, Nigel and Christian were shocked to hear the news.

In the car, Andy asked Miranda about the whole thing. Miranda had revealed that she knew about the replacement plan long before Andy did and that was why she was making her own arrangement into making Jacqueline the creative editor. Andy argued that Miranda shouldn't do it that way as Miranda had promised that the job should be Nigel's. Miranda said she had to things in order to survive and she saw Andy was no difference than she was. Andy was surprised, she couldn't agree with that. Miranda reminded her of Emily, how Andy had stabbed her in the back by accepting the offer to go to Paris. And when Andy tried to object Miranda said, yes, Andy did it to survive!

Then it occured to Andy how much she had changed and what she would become if she continued working in 'Runway'. So right after emerging from the car, Andy left her million-girls-would-fight-for job and returned to New York. She met her boyfriend and said how much she had realised that she had been wrong and she wanted to be herself again. The relationship reconciled. Then Andy went seeking for another job and at one interview, the interviewer had told her that when he called 'Runway' to get some testimonial from 'Runway'. Andy was speechless, at the moment she thought she would not get the job. But the interviewer said that he had received a testimonial from Miranda herself saying that he was a fool if he didn't hire Andy. So Andy got the job.

On her way home, Andy walked pass 'Runway' building and she called Emily. Emily who was obviously angry with Andy (for going to Paris and subsequently left her job, making Emily busier than ever, did not sound so friendly to receive her call. But Andy quickly said now she's no longer working in the fashion line, she just wanted to give her all the glamorous free dresses she received in Paris (one of the reason why Emily wanted to go to Paris so much). Emily softened down and agreed to accept the dresses. Then when Andy hang up she saw Miranda on her way to get into a car. When Miranda noticed Andy was there, Andy quickly raised her hand to acknowledge Miranda. Miranda as cold as she was always be, didn't even smile back and got into the car. But she was smiling then. Andy, knowing now what good deed Miranda had done for her, walked away and smiled.

End of story.

*************************************************************************************

Well, I know how it felt to have an evil boss. I guess who have been reading my blog from beginning, know better. Anyway, in Andy's case, she's a PA (personal assistant) so she got to do whatever it is that corcerning her boss. But I was ARE (assistant Resident Engineer) so my job scope should not involve anything personal including being a driver when my boss didn't feel like driving.

Oh, on this driving issue, I'm smiling right now when I remembered back what I've gone through. I guess I haven't told driver story things yet in my blog.

My ex-boss lived in Muar, I lived in Melaka and we worked in Yong Peng. So when he didn't feel like driving, he called me up early in the morning to fetch him at his house and he told me it didn't have to be so early. I remember on one occasion, he asked me to be at his house at 10 am, and I complied. When I arrived there, her elderly mother told me he went out for some business, and I was to wait. Know how long I waited? 2 hours!!! And that happened quite frequently, my ex-colleagues always asked how long did I waited everytime I had to be the driver....huhuhu

That one of those horrible things I've experienced. So I'm telling you guys, if you happen to have a devil boss, get away from him/her as soon as possible. Even if it a dream job! It's not good for your health, not good for your inner strength too. Working for someone evil would probably make you an evil too one day if you fail to manage yourself.

My Spring Choice

Dah lama x bershopping kat Polyvore.com. Oleh kerana skrg dah masuk nak masuk spring, maka aku pon berangan2 la apa nak pakai masa spring. Berangan je la, nak beli mcm yg aku angan2 tu macam xde la kan...Anyway cukup la utk melayan nafsu nak shopping aku nih...hehehe



Spring Choice - by Neny on Polyvore.com

Saya malas update blog kerana....

Hehehe..cik Dal sudah tegur aku malas update blog. Ko ni mcm Nuffnang la Dal! (Though aku tak serve mana2 advertisement board). And ntah kenapa aku layankan juga...maybe sbb pagi ni aku bangun kul 5.30 am. Waktu yg aman damai untuk aku mengadap laptop.

Kenapa aku malas update blog?

Patut skrg aku dah x pegi kelas bahasa, aku lagi byk masa la kan? Wrong!

Aku ada jadual seharian yg aku buat utk aku lebih berdisiplin dan aku juga ada projek! Aku dah start home schooling...

And in between aku ada cita2 murni yg lain: buat exercise, buat kuih, nak practise buat kek....
Lepas tu kalau aku ada masa pon, everytime aku ngadap aje laptop nak start blogging, ada je permintaan2 3 org ahli keluarga aku ni "umi, nak susu", "umi, nak berak", "ni, nak kopi".

So mood aku nak berblogging pon hilang, sbb aku dah x leh nak concentrate apa aku nak tulis. And then aktiviti in the Internet is too many....FB la, YM la, torrent la, cari resepi lagi...bla...bla...bla.

Tapi somehow aku akan tetap berblogging sbb aku suka!!!!

Dal, thank you sbb ingatkan aku....n ko pon jgn lupa update gak tau!