He is really gone...

I woke up this morning, in my hotel room in Lumut to the news of the sudden demise of the King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson aka MJ aka Wacko Jacko aka Michael Jackson.

I grew up listening to his music, I danced to his numbers... I cried watching his videos.....

Rest In Peace Micheal..... I hope you have truly converted to Islam... in which case AlFatehah....

My Cheeky Darlings, Again

The kids have adapted to life without having their father on full time basis but when he is around, they sure spend quality time with Papa.

But I always make sure that I am always there for them...... It's a record... I have not spent any overnight stays for my outstation duties for 88 days now!! I have been "arranging" and "scheduling" these pretty well!!

A Very Hot & Sunny Weekend

The title above may not have much to do with the content of this posting... but it was a really hot and sunny weekend.

Hubby was around.... arriving home at 3.00am early Friday morning. So, I was chauffer driven to the office that morning.... (and home that evening). We went to get some provisions from Maluri Jusco after Maghrib prayers, having earlier devoured a simple but yummy dinner comprising of white rice, sambal belacan, ulam petai kukus (sebab malas nak kupas, so dah kukus tu senang jer picit... heheh), ikan gelama kering goreng, asam pedas ikan tenggiri and hot black coffee.

We had a few wedding invitations for the weekend but due to Hubby's very short availability span, we had to give all a miss. So, I cooked nasi minyak (pilau rice), lamb korma, ayam masak merah (chicken in tomato/chiili sauce) and jelatah (pineapple, cucumber, onion and chilli salsa). As planned we went to visit my Mak who last weekend broke one of her toes and had her left leg in a cast (up to the ankle), but she can walk, pray and do other activities. Later on we visited Hubby's cousin whose daughter got married last weekend (but Hubby wasn't around so we didn;t attend that wedding either) to send a wedding gift.

By 6.00pm we were back at home for Asar prayers. I packed some nasi minyak ( its condiments) and some drinks for Hubby who pushed off for Setiu at 6.30pm. (Arriving at 1.00am, safely. Alhamdulillah!!

Teachers Day, Three Weeks Late

I realized I didn't make any posting on Teachers Day. Maybe because Haakem was away on his camping trip on the day itself but we did buy presents and cards for his teachers....
I am who I am today 30% due to all the teachers who have left footprints in my life..

Kindy (5 months) - Ustazah Normah and Hajah Noraini - Arwah (she is the elder sister of our current TPM);
Standard One - Puan Zubaidah (class teacher for one month, I still remember her mole), Puan Hasnah Ashari (BM, Maths, and the most garang teacher but I was her pet... heheh), Cik Habibah (class teacher, temp who later came back, certified and with the title Puan, when I was in Std 6). We had a few more techers but they will be mentioned in my higher grades;
Standard Two - Cikgu Talib (class teacher, Math., BM, PJ, Kesihatan), Puan Habsah (Science & Jahitan), En. Md Noor Jaafar - Arwah (English). More teachers also teaching in higher grades.
Standard 3 - Cikgu Amat Kalam - Arwah (Maths, BM, Lukisan, Kajian Tempatan, PE). Mrs Doris Tan (English, Science), Cikgu Mustafa Othman (Agama, Kesihatan), Puan Kalsom Rabu (Jahitan);
Standard 4 - Puan Zaharah (class teacher, English, Maths), Puan Rashidah (BM, History), Puan Sharifah Saadiah (Science, Geography);
Standard 5 - Puan Sharifah Saadiah (Maths), Puan Rashidah (Geog), Cikgu Rahman (BM), Mrs Liew (English, Lukisan), Puan Juriah (History, PE);
Standard 6 - Cikgu Hamidon (BM, History, Maths), Puan Juriah (Science, History), Cikgu Ramli (Music).
Most of the aforementioned teachers would have taught me in various other subjects at other grades. But I would also like to thank these teachers who didn't teach me directly but were there at my primary school - Sekolah Rendah Sultan Abu Bakar (2), Jalan Junid, Muar, Johor. - Puan Hjh Maimunah (Deputy HM), Arwah Tuan Hj Jabar (Deputy HM), Mrs Lau and Cikgu Khamis.
And for Sekolah Agama (Kerajaan Negeri Johor) - Religious School, I have the following to thank - Cikgu Aishah (Yr 1, SA Tun Dr Ismail - Pagi), Ustazah Kamaliah (Yr 2, SA Bandar Maharani), Arwah Cikgu Adnan (Yr3, SA Tun Dr Ismail - Pagi), Ustazah Hamidah (Yr4, SA Tun Dr Ismail - Petang), Ustazah Hapipah Umar (Yr5, SA Tun Dr Ismail - Pagi), Ustaz Azman (Yr6, SA Tun Dr Ismail - Pagi).
Secondary School - Sek. Men. (P) Sultan Abu Bakar, Muar, Johor.
Form 1 - Pn. Fatimah (BM), Mrs Tan (English, Maths), Mrs Ho (Commerce/Accounts), Ustazah Zabedah (Agama), Miss Anna Sim (Science), Miss Ayre (History);
Form 2 - Mr Tee (class teacher, Science), Ustaz Nasharuddin (Agama), Mrs Ho (Commerce), Puan Noraini (BM, History), Cikgu Hasan Suradi (Geog), Miss Ho (English, Art).
Form 3 - Puan Fatimah Isnin (BM), Mrs Ho (English), Mrs Tan (Math), Cikgu Mustaffa (Art), Ustaz Ishak (Agama), Puan Fatimah (Commerce);
Form 4 - Puan Ashimah Ibrahim (English), Puan Fatimah (BM), Mrs Khoo (Bio), Miss Goh Yen Yen (Geog), Miss Mary Goh (Chem), Cik Zaharah Ambok Masek (Physics), Mr Tan (English), Ustaz Ishak (Agama);
Form 5 - Miss Anne Lau (class teacher, English), En Ibrahim (History, yup, I was the only in the whole school's Science stream to take up History and a few years later, it was made compulsory) and the rest as per Form 4 except Mr Ho Sin Chan for Physics.
And also to the teachers who have coached me for Speech and Debate - Mrs Khoo, Mr Segaran, Puan Zaidah, Mrs Caroline Chua ,my counselling teacher Puan Siti Rahmah and my HM Puan Zakiah Shuib, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE DONE IN MOULDING ME INTO A BETTER PERSON.

And while we are at that, I would also like to mention lecturers from my English Preparatory Course and A Level - Mrs Helena Wong (Econs, A Level), Mr Nasir (English), Mrs Bala (ELTS), Mr Kandiah (ELTS), Mrs Tan (Cost Acc, A Level), Mr Guna (Financial Accounting, A Level), Puan Rohazarwati (English Legal System, A Level), Mr Helmi Ibrahim (Contracts Law, A Level), Ustaz Syukur (Islamic Education Studies).
Also lecturers during my NCUK days - Mr Mahindarjit Singh (Admin Law), Miss Sheila Tilley (Tort), Miss Mary Fairhurst (Contract), Miss Liza (ELS), Miss Aliyah (Contract) and Miss Nora.
Lecturers during my days in Oxford, Prof. Diana Woodhouse, Mr Paul Catley, Dr Carol Brennan, Mr McIntyre, Mrs Beryl Grant, Ms Judith Hendricks and Mr William Turner and during my Reading days, Prof Murdoch, Mr Peter Smith, Mr Chris Newdick and Prof Tony Downes.

For those who have departed, may your souls rest in peace and the Muslim ones, Al Fatehah....