Husband Yg Tak Romantik

Tadi saya baca Saiful Nang punya status in FB. Tentang dia terlupa tarikh ulangtahun perkahwinannya dan baru teringat selepas 5 hari and now is making justification why he has forgotten that important date.

Sweet dalam kelakar!

I'm sure isterinya tak jadi nak marah...hehehehe.

Baca la sendiri....

MENGAPA LELAKI SELALU LUPA TARIKH ULANGTAHUN PERKAHWINAN

Sudah 9 tahun rupanya. 10 Tahun dahulu ataupun 10kg yang lalu, saya bertemu dengan isteri saya ini di Cambridge University United Kingdom. Pengalaman mendayung (punting) di Sungai Cam sebagai seorang pelancong (saya) dan pemandu pelancong sukarelawan (isteri) selama 27 minit rupanya menjadi pemula kepada perjalanan kami yang menarik yang dah masuk 9 tahun. 

Saya selalu lupa tarikh anniversary. Kerana saya masih rasa seperti baru minggu lepas sahaja kami bernikah. Tarikh lahirnya juga sering saya lupa kerana saya rasa dia sentiasa kelihatan muda dan sama seperti semasa kami berjumpa kali pertama. Membelek foto-foto lama, barulah nampak perbezaannya. Barulah perasan, saya juga semakin tua bersama isteri saya. Kerana kami bersama-sama beriringan seharian, tak pula saya perasan saya dan dia sudah semakin tua. 

Minggu lepas seingat saya pada 9hb, isteri saya seperti berubah airmukanya dan kurang gembira. Lalu saya tanya "ada apa-apa masalah ke?" tapi dia gelengkan kepala dan terus menukar topik. 

Hari ini, baru saya sedar, itu berlaku kemungkinan kerana saya lupa ualngtahun perkahwinan kami yang ke 9. Setiap tahun, kami hanya beri ucapan sahaja tanpa ada hadiah ataupun keraian. Sekadar ingatan sahaja. Pada saya, 3 orang anak yang ada ini adalah hadiah terbesar dari isteri saya dan juga dari saya. 

Ramai lelaki yang terlepas pandang tarikh ulangtahun perkahwinan. Bukan kerana kita lupa cuma kita tak perasan dan ia terlepas setiap tahun. 

Saya selalu ceritakan kepada isteri saya semasa saya di Asrama Semai Bakti Felda Johor Bahru dahulu. Penggal pertama di sana, kalendar saya berpangkah-pangkah untuk menantikan hari balik kampung. 3 bulan sebelum balik kampung dah mengira hari. Itu tanda tak sabar-sabar nak balik. Saya tidak mengira-ngira berapa tahun saya kahwin kerana saya rasa saya tak mahu jadi orang yang tak menyabar untuk "balik" tetapi tidak pula saya kira berapa lama saya berada di asrama itu. Tapi perkahwinan ini satu perjalanan yang menarik dan saya tak tahu penghujungnya bagaimana. Saya tak mampu kira dan saya tak boleh kitanya sekadar hanya menikmati perjalanan itu dan kekal dalam perjalanan itu selama yang mungkin. 

Mungkin anda pun begitu. Bolehlah anda gunakan jawapan ini sebagai template kepada isteri anda . Saya juga sebenarnya selalu lupa hari jadi saya kerana saya rasa itu tak penting sangat berbanding bersedia untuk hari mati saya yang tak tahu lagi bila. 

Perjalanan saya dengan isteri ialah satu perjalanan yang jauh. Rasa taknak sangat tengok "remaining distance" yang tertulis di GPS. Perjalanan dengan pengalaman yang sangat menarik bersama isteri saya sangat bernilai dan saya tidak mahu dia berakhir dengan cepat. Sebab itu saya tidak mahu mengira tentang ulangtahun. 

Saya tidak tahu mengapa, apabila hari ulangtahun perkahwinan, kebanyakan pasangan meraikan nombor yang melambangkan tahun yang mereka telah BERTAHAN sebagai suami dan isteri. Saya pula sedih dengan pertambahan nombor itu bermakna pengurangan lagi jumlah hari dan tahun yang berbaki. Mungkin saya ni sewel, seorang disleksia mungkin berfikir menggunakan otak sebelah yang satu lagi. Itu sebab dia pelik.

Seperti masuk ke Disneyland dengan tiket 1 hari. Kalau boleh saya tak mahu tengok jam kerana nak main sepanjang masa. Tapi bila dalam mesyuarat dengan menteri, saya pula selalu tengok jam. Tak sabar nak habiskan meeting tu. 

It has been 9 wonderful years. To be exact 9 years+5 days we are married and I still feel like in honeymoon with 3 flower girls. 

Wife….I LOVE EWE!

SAIFUL NANG
Husband tak Romantik.

Bekal Hari Ini

I'm having grilled breast chicken salad for lunch, muesli ngan susu HL for breakfast dan mcm biasa Oat Crunch for snack.  

Breakfast with muesli mmg a bit boring tapi it's the healthy choice I made this morning walaupun saya ada goreng bihun putih utk breakfast dan bekal anak2.

The salad : ayam tu saya perap ngan sos Nando's Hot Peri2 dan simpan dalam fridge. Pagi ni saya grill kan aje dgn extra virgin olive oil. Then in the salad, ada romaine salad, nenas, tomato, timun dan kacang walnuts yg dipotong2. Ayam dipotong2, lepas tu letak je la atas salad2 tadi. Ada sikit grated cheese yg belum abis, tuang je semua on top of the chicken. 

Senang kan? Sapa pon boleh buat :)

Oat cruch with chia seeds tu pon saya dah bosan....ada lagi 2-3 pek lagi nak diabiskan. Pas ni kita tukar dan tambah pulak snacking choices. 

Garden Update (February 2014)

Dengan cuaca panas skrg ni , I think dah lebih sebulan kot kawasan Durian Tunggal ni tak hujan, sedangkan Durian Tunggal ni la area yg paling kerap hujan kalau dibandingkan dengan kawasan Melaka yg lain. So pokok2 harus la kena siram 2 kali sehari. 

Tapi takpe, I love doing it. Gardening dah become my daily therapy walaupun ditgh2 kesibukan keje dan urusan rumahtangga. Hari2 mesti nak jenguk pokok2, kot2 ada yg dah berbunga ke, dah tiba2 membesar ke...hehehe. 

Remember my previous post in January? Saya semai pokok2 tomato, red lettuce dan bendi. Sebelum balik KB masa CNY, saya sempat alihkan pokok2 semaian ke tanah dan pasu. Malangnya bila balik dr KB, red lettuce mati semuanya, tomato pulak tinggal sepokok aje dari 6 yg dialihkan. Cuma bendi saja yg hidup kebanyakannya. Sebenarnya saya dah minta adik saya yg tinggal dgn saya utk siramkan pokok2 sepanjang ketiadaan kami tapi agaknya dia pon sibuk keje jadi takde la menyiram consistently. Takpe la, anggap je la rezeki nak makan red lettuce tanam sendiri belum kesampaian :(.

Semalam tgk2, pokok labu saya dah berbunga!!! Pokok labu ni saya tanam in November 2013 secara x sengaja. Tapi dr 3 pokok, 1 pokok saja yg survived. Dan berkongsi patch dgn pokok kacang botor. Cik HB kata dia x yakin labu ni akan jadi buah tapi saya tak kisah pon. Dapat tgk bunga ni pon dah cukup happy tau! Cemana pon tetap berdoa moga2 dapat la ianya jadi buah sbb teringin nak rasa labu tanam sendiri. 

Dr blogger rakan2 berkebun, dikatakan musim panas ni pokok2 galak berbunga. So does my pokok sawi ni, x berenti2 berbunga. Dah banyak dah benih sawi saya kutip. Nanti bila ada masa nak buat clearance la kat area pokok sawi ni dan tanam batch baru.

Pokok ulam pegaga semakin galak pertumbuhannya. Dah dapat saya tuai hasilnya i.e makan ulam pegaga dipetik segar dr belakang rumah. Take note my pokok limau nipis yg dah saya cantas sbb asik berperang dgn ulat bulu. Tgk la samada ianya akan naik cantik balik ke tak....

Pokok pudina ni pon nampaknya naik dgn subur. Go, go you mints!!! Nanti kita boleh buat teh daun pudina :)

My second raised bed yg dah saya tanam dgn pokok pandan, sawi pak choy, bendi, tomato dan terung. Tomato hanya ada sepokok yg survived dr 6 yg dialihkan. Terung ada 2 pokok. Baru2 ni saya taburkan pulak benih2 bayam merah di area2 yg masih lompong. 

New treasures: 3 pokok yg saya beli dr nursery Sg. Buloh 3 minggu lepas - Pokok cili api, selasih, dan rosemary. Selasih tu hampir mati masa saya balik KB during CNY tapi mujur dpt diselamatkan. Sempat juga angkut pokok ulam sambung nyawa pemberian abg ipar dr KB. Sedap ulam sambung nyawa ni. Ada masa saya nak semai lagi pokok2 ni utk banyakkan stok. Ntah bila masa....

What would I do with my pokok kunyit ni? Abis daun2nya kena makan belalang. Tapi ubi2nya byk lagi dalam tanah tu. Saya ingat nak abis gunakan ubi2nya lepas tu tukar tanaman lagi dalam pasu ni. Dan cari tips cemana nak halang belalang x makan daun kunyit, baru saya tanam kunyit balik.

If you can peer closely, u can see anak2 pokok bayam merah dah mula bercambah. Saya campak je benih2nya dalam pasu ni sbb malas nak semai2. Anak benih bayam halus2 sgt.

I find this kangkung growth is very amusing. Dulu bekas ni saya isi separuh je tanah organic lepas tu sy semai kangkung. Masa tu bulan October. Pokoknya bercambah tapi x besar2 walaupun dah berbulan2. So potong2 semuanya tapi x buang dr bekas tu. Saya tambahkan tanah sampai penuh dan konon nak buat tempat semai ros jepun. Tup2 keluar pulak cik kangkung. Nampaknya membesar dgn elok. Tapi sikit je la. Takat buat rencah nasi goreng cukup la kot. 

My recent ahli in the garden. Pokok ros jepun...saya beli 2 pokok, satu bunga putih, satu bunga pink. Kerap juga berbunga. Terhibur hati tgk bunga2 dia :)

Weighing-In Wednesday

So, it's time to log in the weight!

It's 71kg....

Ada penurunan la jugak kan?

Never mind, don't give-up. Keep doing it. Sudah 2 pagi berjaya bangun awal dan buat 30-mins pilates. Sakit badan2....hahaha.

Today's bekal :

I have tuna sandwich with whole-meal bread for breakfast. Salad ala2 rojak mamak yg ada romaine salad, sengkuang, timun dan grilled tofu tapi bukan dgn kuah rojak but sos Nando's Hot Peri-peri! Kita pakai apa saja yg ada dirumah...hehehe. Dan oat crunch cookies for snacking.

Sekian. :)

Working Mum Vs. Stay-At-Home-Mum (SAHM)

I found an interesting article shared in FB.


The title:

A Letter from a Working Mother to a Stay-At-Home Mother, and vice versa

Dear Stay-At-Home Mum

Some people have been questioning what you do at home all day. I know what you do. I know because I’m a mum and for a while I did it too. 

I know you do unpaid work, often thankless work, which starts the moment you wake up, and doesn’t even end when you go to sleep. I know you work weekends and nights, with no discernible end to your day or working week. I know the rewards are joyous but few.

I know that you seldom have a hot cup of coffee or tea. I know that your attention is always divided, often diverted from a moment to moment basis, and you cannot ever count on completing a task in the one go. I know that you probably don’t get any down time when you’re on your own at home, unless you have a single child who still naps in the daytime.

I know the challenges you deal with daily, usually with no peer support or backup. The toddler tantrums, the toilet training accidents, the food battles, the food on the floor, the crayons on the wall, the sibling rivalry, the baby that never seems to stop crying. I know how the work seems incessant, like an endless cycle – you shop for food, prepare it, cook it, attempt to feed it to your children, clean it off the floor, wash the dishes, and repeat in three hours.

I know you fantasise about having an hour to yourself to eat your lunch in peace, or about having an afternoon nap. I know you sometimes wonder if it’s all worth it, and feel envious of your friends who are having coffee breaks at work. I know that sometimes when your partner gets home in the evening after his work is done, he wants to put his feet up exactly when you need a break the most, and this can bring you to tears. 

I know that you are misunderstood by so many who do not appreciate the difficulties of caring for small children on your own, all day, and refer to you as joining the “latte set”. They imagine you spend your day sipping coffee while your children play quietly. I know you miss your financial independence. I know you feel amused and sometimes annoyed when others proclaim “TGIF!” because to you every day is the same – there is no Friday, no break from your job. I know that many people do not understand that you work – you simply work an unpaid job at home.

SAHM, I don’t know how you do it. I admire your infinite patience, your ability to face each day cheerfully and bring joy into your children’s lives even when they wear you down. I admire your dedication to being a constant presence in your children’s lives even if it isn’t always easy. I admire the way you work without expecting any reward – no promotions, no fame, no salary. I know you want your children to feel important and loved, and SAHM, you do this the best.

I just wanted you to know that I understand. We’re both mothers. And I know.

Love from the trenches

Working Mum

Dear Working Mum

I know you sometimes get judged by others for leaving your children in the care of others to work. Some people imply that you don’t love your children as much as us SAHMs do, and that it’s best for children to be at home with their mothers.

How can they say this about you? I know you love your children just as much as any other mother. I know that going back to work was no easy decision. You weighed up the pros and cons, long before you conceived a baby. It has always been one of the most important decisions of your life. You thought about this even while you were in high school and were choosing subjects for Grade 11.

I see you everywhere. You are the doctor I take my children to when they are sick. You’re my child’s allergist, the one who diagnosed her peanut allergy. You’re the physiotherapist who treated my husband’s back. You’re the accountant who does our tax returns. My son’s primary school teacher. The director of our childcare centre. My daughter’s gymnastics teacher. The real estate agent who sold our house. What sort of world would it be if you hadn’t been there for us? If you had succumbed to the pressures of those who insisted a mother’s place had to be in the home?

I know you weigh up every job to see if it will suit your family. I know you wake up an hour before everyone else does, just so you can get some exercise done or some quiet time. I know that you have attended meetings after being up all night with your toddler. I know that when you come home in the evening, your “second shift” begins. The nay-sayers don’t understand that you run a household AND hold a job. You come home, cook dinner, bath your children and read them stories. You tuck them in and kiss them goodnight. You pay the bills, do the grocery shopping, the laundry, the dishes, just like every other mother does.

I know that you often feel guilty about having any more time away from your children so you sacrifice your leisure time. I know you can’t bring yourself to take a “day off” for yourself when your children are at daycare. I know you accept that work is your “time off” for now. I know that when you are at work you don’t waste a single minute. I know you eat your lunch at your desk, you don’t go out for coffee, and you show complete dedication and concentration to your job. You chose to be there after all. You want to be there.

I know how discerning you are about who is looking after your children, and that many long daycare centres offer excellent care. I know you only leave your children in a place where you confident they are loved and well looked after. I know that you spend many days caring for your children at home when they are sick, and sacrifice your pay. I know that you secretly enjoy these days, and revel in being able to be with your children.

I know that sometimes you feel guilty about not being there all the time. But WM, I know this. You are setting a wonderful example to your children. You are showing them that a woman can have a career, contribute in some way outside the home, and still be a loving mother. You are showing your daughters that they can do anything they want to do in life. You are displaying strength, endurance, dedication, tenacity, and you do it with so much joy and love.

I just wanted you to know I understand. Because we’re both mothers.

Love from the trenches

Stay-At-Home Mum

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

I feel connected to this, cause dua2 pon saya pernah rasa. From a working mum, then a SAHM and now working mum again and soon maybe SAHM again as I'm working not on permanent-basis.

Dua2 pon ada cabarannya tersendiri.

Saya ingat dulu masa mula2 berhenti kerja dan duduk rumah jaga anak dan uruskan rumahtangga. It was stressful at first, feeling like I was not cut-out to be a SAHM. Saya pernah cerita kat SINI. Yes, being at home handling the kids and endless housechores can drives you crazy. But then, I started looking at the positive ways, and started enjoying the SAHM status. I could plan my time with housechores, created activities with kids, having sometime to do my morning walking when cik HB was at home, enjoying my cooking hobby. 

That was between 2008 while we were in Germany until we came back to Malaysia in 2011. Lepas tu another setahun being pregnant and delivered another baby in 2012. 

Then dapat job opportunity right after delivery. I am a working mum now hanyalah disebabkan keperluan ekonomi, otherwise I would just love to stay at home. I don't think I am someone who needs to keep a paid job to keep me sane. 

Being a working mum, you have to be good at juggling matters between things at work and at home. Kena fikir bila masa nak beli groceries, bila masa nak settlekan laundry, bila masa nak sit-down with kids and juga memberikan layanan kepada suami.

Well, whatever it is, give it a working mum or SAHM, we mothers would always try to the best for the family kan?

Amalan Pemakanan Sunnah

Overweight, hair loss, cracked heels, dull and dry skin, pimples on the back....

These are my common health issues recently...

Maybe it's part of aging process, maybe it's my non-healthy lifestyle, maybe the pollutions around us....

No doubt, there are a lot of food supplements in the market, promoting it's good for health and beauty but mostly are very costly and some are suspicious whether it's safe or not. Kadang2 saya sendiri pon tempted nak cuba2 the so-called collagens people said very good. Tapi bila ditanya harga....adoiiii....sepeket sehari itu berharga RM6-7 gitu...

Hmmmm....cancel mokcik nak beli!

Somehow, terjumpa video Ustazah Norhafizah Musa kat Youtube tentang amalan pemakanan sunnah yg membantu untuk menjaga kesihatan dan kecantikan. 

Most are using the natural elements...like habbatus sauda atau scientific name nya nigella sativa, is something I'm familiar with sbb dah mula ambil dr start breastfeeding sampai la skrg. Tapi saya ambil dalam bentuk capsule bukan minyak. Minyak kelapa dara pon penah amik dalam form capsule. Dah lama x makan sbb nak kena order online. 

I believe cost of buying all these makanan sunnah in their natural forms is much cheaper dari those yg dijual as MLM products. Takpe, nanti saya survey harga market macamana dan saya cuba dulu dan tengok macamana.

Tak berani la nak ckp besar that I won't try the collagens yg byk sungguh dipasaran skrg ni. If terjebak nanti, beli jugak kot....hahahaha

So yang dapat saya ringkaskan dari ceramah tersebut:

1. Bangun saja dr tidur, minum air suam sebanyak 625ml (lebih kurang 1 botol suku of botol mineral saiz kecil). Ini untuk membuang toksin2 dalam badan setelah badan melalui proses2 tertentu sewaktu kita tidur.

2. Kemudian ambil sesudu minyak zaitun.

3. Lepas minyak zaitun, ambil 2 sudu pati delima

4. Lepas tu campurkan 1 gelas air suam + 1 sudu madu + 1 sudu minyak habbatus sauda + minyak kelapa dara + za'faran beberapa helai. Kacau sebati lepas tu minum sampai habis. Lepas dah minum, tunggu 2 jam baru ambil sarapan. Disarankan ambil campuran di awal pagi.

5. Selepas sarapan, boleh amil sedikit cuka kurma. Sikit aje. Ianya membantu membuang toksin2 dalam makanan yg kita makan. 

6. Kulit kayu manis - buat sebagai snek harian. Pecahkan dalam serpih2an kecil dan buat mcm makan kacang. Ianya membantu menambah tenaga dan mengurangkan pening2. Kalau diambil waktu malam, akan menjadikan tidur yg berkualiti. Tapi cari yg asli. Yang jual kat Malaysia x cukup asli katanya.

7. Kacip fatimah - bagus utk kesihatan wanita. Tapi tidak disarankan ambil secara kerap sbb akan menjadikan kita terlebih aktif. Ambil selang sehari atau few times in a week. Juga dapatkan yg asli. 

Boleh tgk sendiri video ini utk dapatkan lebih pemahaman.

WW - Gaining not Losing!

We were in KB for 5 days CNY breaks. 

There, I lost the battle of food fight.....huhuhu and gained 2 kg.

2 kilosssssssssssssssssss

How easy to gain!

It was because I couldn't say no to Mek's homemade nasi kerabu, the morning breakfast of nasi berlauk, Che Wa's kuzi ayam, the amazing lauk-pauk bekwoh (kenduri kahwin),  the on-going food supply of Kelantan delicacies....

That bekwoh I went on Saturday had amazing buffet spread from ayam percik, gulai daging, kurma kambing, acar, ikan bilis berlada, pulut kuning, rendang, laksam, bubur kacang, wehhh...so much I couldn't remember all of it!

So yeah! I know I am still struggling over food control.

Just came back home last night, x sempat nak buat proper food pack, I ended up makan nasi lemak this morning.

We'll see my WW next week....would I be back on track?