Bill of Health

When it comes to annual health exams, fear is my motivator. Like two years ago, the motivator was the death of Anita Mui. This year, it was a friend of a friend, who is not a smoker but was diagnosed with 4th stage lung cancer. She wasn’t aware of the illness until she went for a check-up following a difficulty in raising her arm. She also noticed her back suddenly is besieged by moles. It’s so happened that I had been having shoulder ache after a night’s sleep, and when I checked my back in the mirror, shudder! there are a lot of moles.

I went to SJMC for an Executive Health Screen last Friday which took 2 hours altogether (waiting time+tests+free sandwich). I thought the results would be known that day, but I had to come back for them. Co-incidentally, Pay Less Books was having a clearance sale at 3K Community Hall not far from the hospital, so I decided to treat myself to one full day of “leave”. Just to release tension. Needless to say I enjoyed myself very much; I got many good books; spent RM81.50 on 18 books, mostly hard covers! Bloody Cheap.

So today, I went back to see the assigned consultant, Dr Mazidah who used to treat my mom for her thyroid condition 10 years ago. Alhamdulillah, the results are all good; my sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol level etc. all are good - excellent. Only a minor problem with my heart that records a sinus arrhythmia, which the doctor said, is nothing to worry. But she urges me to take a stress test to know more details. And all four cancer t markers came back negative which are a relief.

I am thinking to incorporate some form of exercise in my life next year, and I am thinking Yoga! We shall see.

Test

Life is full of surprises and lessons for those who ponder.

A month before Ramadhan, a friend confessed to me that she is in great financial difficulty as her husband's business is not bringing in much dough, bills are mounting, and meeting the demands of her growing children is challenging, to a point that she had to hock her jewelery for RM3,000 to get through the month. She had turned full-time housewife ever since her lay-off 7-8 yars ago. I listened to her, mouth agape, as she fought back tears. I've been visiting her house periodically for years now, but didn't notice her predicament as she was always cheerful and always, and always gave me something to take home when I leave. I thought everything was fine. She said she didn't tell out of respect for her husband.

My poor, beautiful friend. This is the friend whom when we were younger, always wore stylish clothes and have lots of jewellery. She is still slim and beautiful, but gone are the need for make-up, new clothes and trendy shoes. Everything she does now is for the family. She learns new skills and with these skills, she helps her husband to provide for the family. She now makes nasi lemak and kuih-muih and sells them at gerais. This is a very demading job that deprives her of sleep; she only sleeps 2 or 3 hours a day for six days straight. I worry for her health, but she says, desperate situation requires desperate measures.

But my friend is redha; she says, Allah will not test us more than we can endure. She tells me now she understands and is convinced that Allah is the ONLY provider. Every rizq is determined by Him, and Him only, not by others. Allah gives her the ilham and the strength in what she does now.

I pray to Allah she come out victorious. I have no doubt she will, one way or another.

House

My favorite tv series nowadays is House or House M.D. shown on AXN Mondays at 10p.m with repeats at different times. After checking the episode guides, I notice that I have missed quite a lot, and thanks to Google, I discovered a site dedicated to the transcripts of all the episodes; wow, it's like discovering a goldmine!

So, for those who are a fan, here's the treasure; www.twiztv.com/scripts/house . Have fun!

Postscript: For a medical discussion of the series, visit www.politedissent.com/house_pd.html. Interesting you!

Incredible Woman

During the recent raya celebration, my sister and I traded stories. We were planning to go to Tanjung Bidara when my sister recalled she has a friend there, and proceeded to tell this story. This friend is a dentist and they have kept in touch over the years through their high school alumni yahoogroups. The sequence of the following story may be jumbled, but they all happened to her.

This dentist lives in Melaka with her three children, and has a weekend husband whose business keeps them apart during the weekdays. The reason why she stays put in Melaka is to be near her elderly parents. She suffered from leukemia some ten years ago. While battling her illness, she learned that her husband was having an affair. Eew! Alhamdulillah, she recovered, and the marriage is still intact.

This year, her illness returned. So again she had to go through a battery of treatments. This time around, she discovered that she was adopted, and as a dutiful daughter turned to take care of her real parents; now she has two sets of parents to care. Alhamdulillah, she is recovering from her illness.

What is so incredible to me is that, during last Ramadhan she also sold cookies in her clinics (she has two), cookies that she made herself! Unbelievable. According to my sister, she started her cookies business many years ago to fill her time as husband was always not present, and over time she had accumulated a clientele whom she can’t refuse every raya.

Salute!

Resepi Dodol

Resepi dari sepupu Embak di Melaka (khas untuk Little Sis)

Bahan-bahannya:

1 kampit tepung pulut cap Gajah (500 gm)
1.1/2 kg gula tuak
3/4 cawan gula pasir
4 biji kelapa besar (5 biji kalau kelapa sebesar kepala budak baru lahir)- jadikan 1 mangkuk* santan pekat dan 2 mangkuk santan cair

ukuran mangkuk: 3/4 bekas aiskrim - kesimpulannya, agak-agak lah sendiri.

Cara-caranya:
1. Dedat kuali bersih-bersih pakai bata, lepas tu dengan berus dawai, dan akhirnya dengan hampas kelapa.
2. Potong gula tuak kecil-kecil dan cairkan dengan santan cair, kemudian tapis 2x dengan tapis kelapa, dan ayak tepung.
3. Panaskan santan pekat dengan tepung (yang telah dicairkan dengan santan cair dan ditapis).
4. Masukkan air gula yang ditapis.
5. Kacau selama 4 jam. Pastikan tidak berkerak atau hangus.

Raya Haji nanti kita kacau yek!

The artwork

Two young nephews did this to my door when I left them, supposedly to watch a video. I guess they got bored. I told their fathers about the "artwork", and I demanded them to repaint my door; but I got no result. They just laughed it off, and said that I should keep it as Raya momento. So, terpaksalah Embak cat sendiri.

Come to think of it, I must thank them both for making me paint my door; I have a very "berseri" door for Raya.

Much Ado About a Pin

Early this year, unbeknownst to me I qualified for a "Quarterly Champion Challenge", which is actually a sales challenge for which the qualifier will be recognized by a golden pin and a mention before a regional convention. I was away when they held the convention, so I neither got the pin nor, of course heard my name called out. It wasn't a big deal to me, anyhow it's just a pin. So I thought at first. After a month, my Manager asked me about the pin, so I told him, I have not gotten it.

So he gave the Regional Executive a call. The botak-head Executive thought another colleague was the winner, that's why he's keeping it. I was too shy to remind him after that when there was still no pin. Finally, he got around to it and handed me the pin last Monday, 2 quarters after winning the first quarter's challenge. Needless to say I have not qualified since then.

Now, the pin is pinned onto my postboard. It is nothing more than a piece of metal plated in gold paint, but it is a recognition for job well done. I said I didn't care, but I lied.

Ramadhan al Mubarak

The following notes are from the lecture on fasting by Ustaz Sulaiman Usman Kabuye last Sunday.

1. Fasting purifies the heart.

2. Satan is ineffective on people who fast.

3. When fasting, one must leave all the haram, eg. protecting the tounge from back biting. Of course many more.

4. One way to do it is by being in i'tiqaf in masjid.

5. To treat the heart, observe the following:
i. Read Al Quran and reflect on the meaning.
ii. Empty your stomach (Fasting)
iii. Stand in the night - Qiamullail
iv. A short time before Subuh; after Qiamullail, contemplate on Allah.
v. To be in the company of good people.

6. Nabi used to stop eating about 20 minutes before Subuh.

7. It's ok to brush your teeth as Saiditina Aishah reported that Rasulullah used to clean his teeth with siwak while fasting.

Selamat beribadah di bulan yang barakah ini wahai adinda-adindaku sekelian.

Langkawi Lagoon

Resort bersebelahan apartmen kami di Langkawi. Khabarnya sewa semalam ialah RM900!

Langkawi

12-14 September yang lalu, Embak, mak, abah dan Linda melancong ke Langkawi. Aik, koma-koma mesti kata, asyik berjalan je Embak ni, tak kerja keeeee? Jangan jeles ya. Sebenarnya abah yang berhajat nak pergi ke Langkawi sangat-sangat. Mula-mula ajak mak, mak tak mahu ikut. Abah hampir ikut rombongan Pakcik Misai naik bas reramai ke Langkawi, punyalah kepingin sangat. Itu yang buat Embak aturkan trip ini khas untuk Abah. AirAsia pun ada offer tiket RM19.99, Chik dan isteri pulak sponsor penginapan; kiranya trip ni dah dapat 50% diskaun.

Kami sewa kereta sebiji dan berbekalkan peta, kami puas ronda satu pulau. Kami juga ikut bot island-hopping, cuma mak sahaja yang tak dapat naik ke pulau-pulau Dayang Bunting dan Beras Basah sebab tangga jeti tinggi dan cerun. Gambar di atas ialah pandangan dari bot memandang ke Pulau Dayang Bunting, menanti penumpang-penumbang bot kami. Di Pulau Singa, kami dapat lihat pertunjukan helang-helang terbang dan terjun mencecah air. Embak enjoy betul show ini sebab ianya semulajadi, macam ikan-ikan lumba di laut off Lovina, Bali. Embak dapati di Langkawi tempat-tempat tumpuan pelancong dah banyak yang "tacky" dan "contrived", contohnya Oriental Village dan Kota Mahsuri.

Di Pulau Beras Basah yang pasirnya putih dan halus, tiba-tiba hujan turun dengan lebatnya. Dan perjalanan balik kami ke Langkawi tersangatlah choppy, tetapi tersangatlah seronok. Kami basah kuyup, terpaksa balik ke apartment untuk salin baju sebelum keluar balik meronda Langkawi.

Abah enjoy habis, tapi mak dah swear off melancong. Embak faham, she has mobility problem. But for Abah, he's already thinking about Sabah.

Air Terjun Gabai

Pada 2 September yang lalu, Embak dan kawan-kawan dari FSG HUKM ber-riadah dan bermalam di Mestika Safa, Pangsun. Keesokan harinya kami berkelah di Air Terjun Gabai. Disebabkan hari sebelumnya hujan, maka air terjun haritu tersangatlah banyak dan laju airnya. Masa kami sampai tu, tak ramai lagi orang yang bermain di air terjun tu, jadi Embak pun ambil peluang berendam. Tapi hajat nak mandi bawah air terjun tu tak kesampaian sebab air dalam (kita tak pandai berenanglah), dan nak susuri batu-batu di tepi, licin pula. Tapi sekurang-kurangnya hilanglah kempunan. Rasanya setelah 4, 5 kali ke Gabai, ini kali pertama Embak dapat mandi.

Orang yang berdiri dalam gambar tu, bukannya Embak, tapi kawan Embak. Embak nak buat macam dialah, tapi tak berani. Jeles kita.

Tangling

This is my favorite breakfast joint. This place is actually renowned for its nasi lemak, but I feel I have eaten better nasi lemak elsewhere. I come here for the noodle fare served by this stall Mee Goreng Tangling. Honestly, I have not tested the mee goreng, but I have tried their Kung Fu Meehoon, Mee Kicap, Kuey teow soup, mee hailam and Wantan Mee Curry. They are all delicious, and fairly priced.

And on Wednesdays, there is a one-lorry pasar tani in the parking lot. It’s only one lorry but they have so much stuff; various leaves; some I do not know their names, ubi kayu, ubi keledek, umbut kelapa, young coconuts, a few types of pisang, tempe, etc and when in season, durian and other local fruits. Not forgetting yummy snacks; tapai, rempeyek, roti canai segera , kuih denderam and my fav, thinly sliced kerepek pisang tanduk.

This lorry comes all the way from Johor and I was informed that after the Tangling parking lot, they go to Bukit Aman, which is nearby before returning to Johor. The most fun part is paying for my purchases; it’s always cheaper than I had thought. I am not sure whether the guys don’t know their math or that they just like to give discounts. I never correct them, I always choose to believe the latter.

Merdeka ke 49

Salam Merdeka ke 49 untuk pembaca-pembaca blogku (yang terdiri dari adik-adik dan anak-anak menakan). Gambar ini diambil dari bilik Embak, menunjukkan bumbung baru. Jika diamati di tengah-tengah foto ini ada Jalur Gemilang yang dipasang oleh Abah, seperti setiap tahun. Penat Embak tunggu bendera tu berkibar, tapi angin sepoi-sepoi bahasa sahaja.

Rumah-rumah di Taman Embak ini sudah 28 tahun umurnya, maka sudah sampai masanya bumbung-bumbung diganti baru. Sebenarnya, Embak siarkan gambar ini khas untuk Ayie yang khabarnya sedang kerinduan. Hang in there, Bro dan selamat bercuti semua!