Seven Career Killers by John McPhee, Forbes.com

Avoiding these seven deadly sins will also help individuals balance their "whole life" and assure they are ready to take on new workplace challenges as they are presented -- and execute them well.

Deadly Workplace Sins

At least seven "deadly workplace sins" detail key emotional offenses professionals should avoid at all costs to better assure upward career mobility. A few common sense tips will help aspiring pros get on the path to the ever-elusive paycheck promise land.

Pride
First, there's pride. Far too many who experience "workplace wins" take full credit for these achievements, regardless of any support or assistance received in the process. What often goes unrecognized is that people around, and especially below, the serially solo-successful resent the egocentricity, and may actually begin to actively undermine that person's efforts in the future. While one's pride wants all due recognition, a team philosophy can build the grass-roots support that can fast-track a career. Indeed, a dose of acknowledgment of and appreciation for one's peers and subordinates, so they may share in some of the glory, can go a long way to foster one's long-term success.

Envy
Moreover, while it's OK to recognize other individuals or organizations as they achieve, lamenting "what should have been yours" can be destructive and can adversely impact your own ability to focus on the job tasks at hand. Becoming envious of others in the workplace can sabotage your self esteem, which is one vital characteristic of every successful worker or executive. Rather than being envious, let the accomplishments of others become motivational fuel for your fire in working toward your own successes.
Anger
Anger is another motion that needs to be held in check. Begetting nothing but disagreement, dispute, tension or conflict, anger provides no benefit in the workplace. There is simply nothing productive about anger, which impairs one's objectivity, poise and self control. Don't let a bout of righteousness damage your reputation and image in the workplace. It's fine to feel passionately about your job or a project at hand and to disagree with others, but learn how to channel those emotions into actions that will work to your benefit in the eyes of others -- especially your superiors -- rather than against it. Those prone to angry outbursts rarely get promoted; they are seen as being poor leaders who cannot inspire or motivate others.

Short-sightedness
One's selfish desire for "more, sooner" is what motivates many in the Western culture to achieve their career goals. But taking this notion to the extreme can and will be self defeating as core values become misguided and life becomes unbalanced in the process. The road to success requires a long term approach in all aspects of one's job duties. Those laser-focused on quick, short-term gains may do well for the moment, but will be ill-prepared to take things to the next level.
Complacency
At the other end of the spectrum, sloth, or simply put, complacency and laziness have no place whatsoever in the workplace -- especially for those with high aspirations. Expecting one's past achievements and successes to carry them forward in their long-term career is imprudent. Today's uber-competitive global marketplace ensures that only those who continue to grow, evolve and make fresh contributions of value will succeed. In a global environment where outsourcing is becoming a norm, everyone at all levels of the employment "food chain" is now replaceable. So treat every work day and every project as if your job, and your future at large, depends on it. It very well may.
Imbalance
Many individuals move up the corporate ladder so fast that they actually end up failing as a consequence. More isn't always better -- especially if you're not ready for the challenge at hand. It's important to ensure that you are not only professionally ready to take on a new and bigger challenge, for which expectations are equally bigger, but also that your personal life is ready for the new demands and strains to be placed upon it. Achieving career success also includes maintaining a life balance, and a misplaced professional desire can create a backlash both at home as well as amid peers for your perceived obsessiveness.

Lust
At times this can spill over to lust. An overly intense desire for what others have achieved at work, or being chronically dissatisfied with one's own status, is a surefire career killer. Spending an inordinate amount of time fixated on what you don't have rather than what you do will foster a bad attitude and negative overall demeanor.

Above all, one's overall "presence" in the office plays a big part in who gets promoted and who doesn't. No matter how ambitious, it's prudent to be present and make the most out of your current position at this moment in time. Organizations recognize and reward those with a good attitude who make the most of a situation. Winners recognize other's success with sportsmanlike conduct, while at the same time exhibiting an air of confidence that they, and their team, will realize their own great achievements.

My rememberer

I notice that my forgetter is working overtime now, but my rememberer is working good as well. They are however work best at different time zone.

I forget what i wanted to do 3 minutes ago, but I remember clearly what happen when i was a child. Is this normal?

As i was sitting at some nice comfortable place, I entertained my wondering mind. I remember those days when I was a child. There was this incident so long ago that made me so humble and taught me a very good way to appreciate what I have.


I was at a boarding school, and during term break we got to ride the train for 24 hours to get home for 3 weeks. During those term break i always hang out with my former primary school friends. I would cycle for a few miles just to visit them and they would come and sleep over as well. I don't remember sleeping over too much, but I have friends slept over at my house (grandparents) all the time.

There was one time I was invited to break fast and dinner at one of my close friends house. I was happy to go and i guess my friend was happy to have me as I hardly go eat dinner at peoples' houses very often. I was humbled to see what was on the table for breaking the fast. There was only 2 dishes or was it 3. I remember there were 3 fried fish, a bowl of sayur lemak kangkong and sambal belacan. The rice came and it was cold and it was the leftover. I loved the food, but i realised that there were 7 of us. They wanted me to start, so i did, luckily I could compute that the 3 fried fish were not meant for me to get one for myself. They have to be shared between 7 people.

I went home after that and told my grand mother about how meager the dinner fare was. There was no kueh and sweets for breaking the fast like we had at home and we had to share 3 fish between 7 of us. I think my grand parents were a bit excessive with food on the table especially during the fasting month. We never have leftover rice for dinner, it had to be freshly cooked. We usually have a few dishes on the table to go with the rice. There is normally be a curry (meat or chicken or fish) Fried fish or chicken or beef and vegetables and sambal and acar rampai or acar ikan (ikan masak cuka). There is always the dadih manis or agar-agar for dessert. During the fasting month there would be table full of kueh2. Buah melaka, tepung bungkus, plus the usual desserts and of course there would be pisang mas and tembikai.

My grandmother would outsource the making of these kueh2, she would provide the flour, sugar and coconut to neighbours and in the evening, we would have them for breaking fast. My grandmother would cook all those beef, lamb, mutton, chicken and fish dishes. I love pesamah kambing or lembu. I love kari kepala ikan plotan and isi.

Well, what i was getting at was that in the late 1950's, 60's and 70's, there were a lot of poor households in my village. I never realized that until that dinner at my friend's house. I did not know that i had such a privileged childhood.

My rememberer is broke (broken)

I got this in an email.

My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm "here" I'm wondering
If I really should be "there"
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!

Oft times I walk into a room,
and Say "what am I here for?"
I wrack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say! "Hi" and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, "who was that?"

Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.

CAN YOU RELATE???

Hijrah-1

I feel challenged to write my thoughts on hijrah. I feel i need to write about it in relation to everyday life. I am a lazy blogger, but i blog hopped to many. There are blogs that are matured and makes a good reading as well as enlighten my outlook of life. There are blogs that the owners say they write to vent their bottled up frustrations, there are blogs that serve as a life journal to the owners and of course there blogs that are seriously political.

I do read the column di celah-celah kehidupan in Mingguan Malaysia and I feel that those who shared their stories are brave people. They found an avenue to share their unhappiness when there in no one close enough would listen to them. Most of them are women who are mistreated, abused and are left in despair.

Most of the stories are failed marriages. marriages that were built in good faith in the name of Allah. Expectations at the beginning into the marriages were high. The couple that tied the knots were expecting happy ever after.

Women, especially think they can live on love alone. They will marry for love, they stay in a broken marriage for love, they hurt their parents for love. For time in memorial, love does not hold a lot in a marriage. Responsibility, compassions come first in a marriage. Anyway, I almost forget, of course the reasons for getting married itself.

I do wonder if those women did any homework about marriage before they plunged into it. The first thing a person should do is to understand and read about what constitute a marriage, what bind in a marriage. No no no..don't listen to all the uztaz giving the ceramah. Go to the our reference Book. The al-Quran. Go read the surah al-Baqarah. Go to the hadith, but first go to the main source. Understand what marriage is all about. Understand what responsibilities that come with it.

Know the person you want to marry. Know his aspirations, know his bad habits. Know those stuff that would make your marriage gets a hiccup. It does not work when you say you want to marry a religious person, and the guy is so engrossed in his religious thingy that you think would help you. That is a big no no. You have already chosen the wrong guy. You already know that you and family will never be the first in his life. it is himself that is of utmost important to him.
A very selfish person is staring straight into your face.

What is so wrong with relationship is that most women think they can change their spouses character with love and devotion. Get this, that never happens!

For you all the women out there who want a partner in life, use your heads first before plunging into the imagined happy ever after relationship.

I went into marriage with my eyes wide open. I married very late though because it was my choice. I did away with all the cravings that young and impressionable women have first.

Money checked
House checked
Education checked
Car checked
High lifestyle checked
Good job checked
Work fulfillment checked
Travel checked

What i was lacking was a companion to enjoy simple life. The life i would like to share minus his baggage such as debts, emotional and responsibilities other than towards me.

Found one, not rolling in green, but have enough to enjoy the little things together. Simple things that make a day worth counting the blessing.

Hijrah

Hijrah means different things for different people. To most, it was the year the great prophet pbuh moved from the oppressing society in Makkah to a more receptive populace of Madinah. It was the main turning point for the prophet to preach Islam the religion of submission to the highest authority, the one and only Allah. He brought light and knowledge to the people of Madinah and a good government to a multi ethnics, multi religions and multi culture population of the place. There was freedom for the people.

Hijrah to me means moving on from a stagnant life to a more enlighten way of life. I do not mean in religious pursuant only, I mean in our everyday life. The real life. Allah has given us a mind that is so dynamic that can think and make decisions. Allah has given us the al-Quran to read and follow the good path, the correct one, yet the good brain Allah gives us, we misuse it. We build barriers around us. We short change the goodness in the Quran. We use Allah's words in vain. We use Allha's name in vain.

There is no my way or your way in practicing the religion. There is only one way, Allah's way. It pains me to see all those who called themselves good Muslims, actually are not practicing the religion the way it is supposed to be. There is no compassion in their dakwah, no compassions for their wife and children. They are actually very selfish individuals. They wanted so much to be with God, they forget their wives and children. Their duty in this life.

Just because you finished reading the al-Quran 10 times, doesn't mean you know anything about the content or the knowledge in it. You can tell people that my daughter can memorize surah Yassin at 6 years of age and be so proud of it, but do you realize that a child of that age can hardly comprehend anything. To me it is better that i take the Quran out read it a few sentences and understand the meaning of what i read. It takes us a few months for my husband and me to read the first chapter of the Quran with the translation and the explanation to grasp the meaning of the chapter. We still refer to it when we want clarification. At least the part of marriage, property and responsibility are quite clear to us. For us we just want to understand the basic teaching of the great religion. We leave the finer points to those who are more knowledgeable than us.

Well, to me hijrah is a time for us to look aback at our lives and move forward. Have a freedom to think and not be scared to move on.

Happy holidays

This year, the gathering was at my place. Ever since my mother in law passed on, it was always at my place. My husband, being the oldest of the three siblings often offers our place as the venue.

Winter wonderland

Maybe I should begin now

I think I have enough stuff to begin my project. I have to start at some point don't I?It was something I wanted to do since I quit my job. It is just a simple thing that does not need a real brain.
Before I go and hibernate to do my project, I would like to wish everybody a merry and joyful end of year celebration from us Mr and Mrs Beach.

Of a grown-up Nutkin

I guess Nutkin the happy hopping squirrel has grown up after all. I am glad he made through last winter and through spring and summer. Now, in the late Fall I see him still at his antics. There is this hickory tree next to my deck in front of the house that every year made plenty of nuts. This is the tree that Nutkin and his furry cousins like to play and collect nuts from. They say hickory nuts (the meat in it) is second to none. They taste better than walnut or pecan. The only problem we human have is that the meat in it is so little and not worth cracking them up. Not with the squirrels which have little sharp teeth that can nibble the thick hard nut in seconds to get to the tasty meat.

Recently I saw Nutkin playing chase me around the tree with his cousins and friends. It was fascinating to see them chasing each other. They circle the tree trunk by hanging on to each other's tail. they go round and round up and down. They look so fat in their shiny brown coat. Their bright eyes look so intelligent and so happy.

They like to tease the dogs. Now that Buddy has the whole front yard to himself, the squirrels have to make a detour every time they want to get to the hickory tree. They just run near enough to excite Buddy and jump on to the tree. That makes buddy mad and that makes Nutkin and his cousins and friends jubilant. I could see that Nutkin and his friends were applauding themselves. I guess danger makes life more exciting even to the critters.

of being a woman

being a woman is really really difficult, don't you think?. Actually it became difficult the moment you realized that you are a female, a girl. There were all kinds of expectations from you. You have to dress like a girl, you have to behave like a girl etc. etc. I still cannot figure it out yet. When I was young, and have not reached puberty yet, I was playing with kids my age, swimming in the irrigation canals climbing peoples' jambu trees and catching fighting fish from morning until dusk.

Then I went to an all girls school. I made friends and expected to be just like my old friends, but when you get to mix with girls of different ages, things were different.
Things like you used to do, holding hands while walking was frowned upon. You were looked at differently when you shared your bed with your buddy. How could a year difference from your previous life be so different. Going to school tuck shop and the gym together were thought that you were weird. That was sad. Very sad for a 12 year old who did not understand why others talked about her and her friend. Nobody came forward to explain why. Later she learnt that straight girls don't have another girl as a close friend. Then what is a straight girl?

Then when you get older and in college or university, you were expected to have a boy friend. There must be something wrong with you if you do not grab a boy friend in the first week of your life in a college. I was devastated for there was not a single boy in my college I wanted to hook up with. I wanted some friends not a single senior boy to hang with. I had some friends though who were in the same boat so we sort of have a 'gang'. That saved me for a while. Don't get me wrong, I did go out a few times with someone, but I was not comfortable to have myself labeled as so and so girl. All I wanted were a group of friends, sincere in friendship and have no hidden agenda.

Peer pressure was very strong. If you are staying in your room on a Saturday night, you are labeled as 'poor girl' that no body wanted to take out. By your final year you were expected to graduate with a steady boyfriend who would be you husband. If you did not find a potential husband in your university years, you were doomed.

I was one. I did not find anyone I wanted to be with for eternity. Hey, I wanted one, but none came close to my criteria. I do have plenty of men friends that I wanted them to be my friends.

After you got your first job the pressure for you to get a partner in life was even stronger. All kinds of pressures came your way. They came from your friends, your family and from anybody. This is the real one. When you start rooming with another girl, you are thought to have unhealthy relationship. Of course as 2 people living in the same house, you share a lot of things in common. You go shopping together, you go to eat together, you go to see movies together. You take holidays together. Why not, you live together.

Now all the well meant friends you think you have are looking at your relationship from a different angle. They start to piece things together. They make assumption that since you never have a lasting relationship with a man, you must be on the other side of the wall. You are different you prefer feminine relationship. What is wrong with preferring to have close friendship with a person of the same gender?

Then again, once you got married, you are pressured to have children, no matter what. Nobody cares about your personal wish. When I said that I did not want any children, nobody believed me. Women want to be mothers, they want children. Well, get this, This woman does not.

Then there are divorced women. They were made to look like they were useless and society want to punish them like they deserved to be divorced. Then they were made to be targets of all accusations. They would be out to steal your husband, they have to be watched. What kind of evil thoughts people who consider themselves good have.

It is hard to be a woman in a blinkered society.

About Raya

Usually for Raya i don't do any preparation except confirming the day and time for prayer at the nearest mosque. However this year it was a little different. A couple of Malaysian called and said that they would make their way to my house. So, I prepared lemang, rendang, ketupat nasi impit, kuah kacang and a couple of tradtional cookies. On the eve of raya, one called and said they would not be able to make the trip after all. They would try to make it the next weekend. Well, i was left with lemang and all the above. If I knew a couple of days earlier i would not have made all those stuff. For the whole week I ate my raya food. Then I re do the preparation the next weekend.

The second week of Raya I got a package of goodies from my brother and sister in law. I once told somewhere in my blog that I do not make cookies and raya goodies so that I don't have to feel the "loss" or that there was something to celebrate after the prayer. I appreciate the goodies and now I have plenty of raya goodies to last me until raya haji.

Fall is here but the leaves are still green and I bet there will not be a colorful Fall. What i see now, the leaves turn brown from green, not turning into yellow, then orange and then red before turning brown and then blown off the trees.

This fall, there are plenty of pecans and walnuts as well as hickory nuts. The squirrels are having a nutty party every where. I can't recognize Nutkin anymore. he and his cousins are so fat and probably Nutkin is a female after all.

My dogs have grown their winter coats and wearing them. My chicken have regrown their feathers as well. So everyone is looking forward to winter.

All my precious plants are transplanted into little pots ready to get into the house. Right now they move in the garage at night and out in the sun during the day.

Happy Birthday Max

My puppy Maximilian or Max for short is 3 years old today. It was like yesterday when he was first brought home in a blanket. A ball of white fluffy fur and big blue eyes. He is now all grown, 2 and half feet tall and weighing more than a hundred lbs.

A loving and protective puppy. I still think he does not realize that he is a big dog now. He still thinks he can jump up into my arms and smothered me with kisses. Only the other day he cuddled me and broke my glasses. He walks behind me all the time and sometimes even steps on to my shoes. Never very far from me.

I love him....Happy Birthday Max, my lovable puppy.

A letter from a 4 year old niece anda 16 month old nephew

Yesterday I received a brown envelope in the mail. I opened it and inside it there are 3 separate letters. One from my sister in law saying that my niece has been pestering her to mail her letter. Another is a letter from my 4 year old niece, saying that she enjoyed having me and Aunt Debbie and missing us. She said, there were six in the house now there are only four and she likes having 6 people. In the same envelope, my 16 months old nephew colored and scratched for what I like to think expressing his feeling missing us.
Of course I missed them as well, only those pictures of them and my family in my computer menjadi penawar rindu.

Selingan

When i returned home I checked on my family, namely my dogs and my chicken and guineas. They were doing good, and well disciplined. went into their coop right on the dot at 6:30 pm or hang around the coop by 6 pm. My dogs wagged their tails like they were going to take off. I love them I love those animals which I know sorely missed me.

However, i observed, there were no eggs in the egg cubicles. Perhaps the chicken missed me so much that they did not lay eggs any more. The next day I understood why they did not lay their eggs in their respective cubicles. There were 2 big black snakes curled up there enjoying a big meal. These snakes were smart, they came just after noon when the chicken had laid their eggs. Well, i guess that was the snakes' last meal. Now I have eggs again. Of course there are some chicks that feel more comfortable laying under my steps, in the garage, on Bill's backhoe seats on the boat etc.

here is how you check your eggs

Can You eat that egg?

If not sure you ought-er
then place it in water
if it lies on it's side
then it's fresh, eat with pride

After three or four days
at an angle it lays
But, it still is a treat
so go ahead and eat

ten days, stands on end,
in your baking it will blend
'Cause it's definitely edible
in your baking incredible

But if it floats on the surface
that egg serves no purpose
'Cause a floater's a stinker
Out the back door best fling ever.

Friends came visiting

I arrived on Wednesday 22nd August after a very tiring journey. We had to go through customs because we declared we have food in our baggage. Debbie had to open her baggage because she had limau kasturi with her which was a no no in CA. I asked to follow her since she was traveling with me. My bags were not opened but had to go through the scan again.

Bill was waiting for me at Will Roger's world airport but at a different exit. Had to wait for him to come searching for me. That took almost 30 minutes after the baggage.

Was happy to reach home and put my head on the pillow for the night. Thought I was over with jetlag, but of course not. sleepy at the wrong time of the day.

The next day went to town and when i returned Bill said our friend from Phoenix are arriving ahead of schedule. They were at some ranch vacationing and decided to hit the road earlier. Well, I had to hide my opened baggage somewhere and straightenen out my little house to welcome them. I had also had to put up my Jalur Gemilang and Bendera Pulau Pinang to welcome my friends.

They arrived monday and the next day we went fishing. We had a small catch and i hope they enjoyed their stay at my place.

Pulau Jerjak

Two days after arriving in Pulau Pinang, we went to Pulau Jerjak Resort and Spa. Pulau Jerjak which was once a Leper sanctuary, a quarantine post and a detention camp is now a resort and spa. The place is nice but needs a lot of improvement. There is no real beach except the one that was constructed by the resort.

We booked an adventure package that includes, the swing bridge, the trail, the ride to the old prison site, the rock climbing and the paint ball fight. So, these two middle aged ladies were all geared up for the adventure package. After scouting the area and the "adventure sites", nothing matched the Taman negara. So we decided instead to do the trail. We wanted to go the first evening we were there but we were told that the pre war landrover was broke. Then we postphone the next morning, it was still broke. Then the next morning we insisted we wanted to go. The sports dept of the Resort sent 2 young guides with first aid kits and map etc to go with us. That was after we heard this conversation on the walkie talkie "Pompuan dua org ni nak pi jugak" tak tau matsalleh ni depa nak pi jugak". I wanted to laugh but kept cool. Luckily they did not say "pompuan tua".The land rover was ok then and we took the land rover instead of walking in the humid weather.

The food was ok but the price is a little bit too high. We enjoyed the buffet dinner at RM42 a piece and we ended up stuffing our faces with rojak buah. One night we told the restaurant manager that we paid for the buffet because we wanted to eat the rojak, so he had our dinner bill down to RM10 each. That was very nice of him.

The Resort faces Penang island and it is a fantastic view. Ferry/boat trips to the island is very frequent. If one wants to shop at the mall such as the Queensbay Mall one can take the 10 minutes ride and shopped the kilometer long mall.

I had a good time there swimming in the purple pool on top of the hill near the spa watching air planes landing and taking off. The pool on top of the hill is attached to the spa complex. there is also the jacuzzi, the massage hut and a restaurant.

I enjoyed so much there that i had this idea of having all my family down for a get together. All my sisters and nephews and in laws came to join us the next day. We rented 3 chalets to fit all of us. One chalet (executive) costs RM400 a night and has 2 large bedroom and a big lounge.
That night we had a Tahlil in one of the chalets with my youngest sister's husband as the imam.

Since our chalets were on top of the hill near the spa, we had all the facilities to ourselves. The swimming pool, the jacuzzi and the restaurant. We even had the karaoke hall to ourselves. The dinner was costly and came a little late. The service was slow and the kids were hungry. But we allhad a good time.

Losing touch with my mother tongue, am I?

To my horror I discovered that i lost touch with my mother tongue, the first few days I arrived in Malaysia. I knew what i wanted to say, but the sentences did not come out right. The simplest thing like asking a receptionist, on how much
the fare to KL from KLIA stumped me. I went like " berapa harga nak ke KL dan cara mana yg terbaik" sounded so foreign even to my very own ears. I could not compute in my head, the way people 'normally ask". I was ashamed as well as felt lost for a while. Three days in KL I could muster enough courage to go on my Penang accent. Then I felt at home.

It felt bad that i could not communicate in my colloquial language. It was not so bad to communicate with hotel receptionists or sales persons, but I was not comfortable talking to friends. I did not want them to think that I was putting on airs by refusing to speak in bahasa melayu. I tried to explain, but i do not think that they could empathize with me

I could think in my head what to say in malay and even have personal conversations in malay in my head, but it was hard to speak it out loud. I could even chat in malay most time on the internet. believe me it was different when you have not used the language verbally for quite a while.

PJs at Gurney Plaza

We decided to spend a night a beach hotel as to be able to go to the famous mile long night market in Batu Feringgi. We stayed at this little hotel that has a beach. I think it is somewhere between Tg. Tokong and Tanjung Bungah. After checking in, Debbie and I went to survey the vicinity. I remembered the area, as it was near the chinese swimming club where I used to go swimming a long time ago. It was also near Motel Sri Pantai where rumours had it, that it was a place for rich people "simpan" their mistresses.

Well, when walking to find some drinks, we were directed to the pasar malam that was just starting. We had sugar cane water freshly squeezed. We bought ketupat palas and rendang, various foods as well a kilo of the great dokong for 3 ringgit. On the way back we bought a bunch of pisang goreng and cempedak goreng.

We saw 2 singapore registerd SUVs parked at the double yellow lines and at the busy traffic light. The Pisang Goreng man was saying that these singaporean have no respect forMalaysian law. I agreed with him. These people apparently went to the pasar malam earlier and were parked there to enjoy their food. They were still parked there when I left. One guy walking across the zebra crossing with us commented that, if he had a big lorry he would certainly run over those suvs which were obstructing the traffic.

We ate or food in the hotel room and then went down to the swimming pool where my little niec and nephew had a gala time. We just walked along the beach collecting sand dollars.
At night we went to the market and of course there were all fake branded goods, like coach handbags and pirated cds and dvds. bought some, but did not browse the whole mile.

The next morning we went to the beach and the tide was coming in and of course the kids want to chase the wave and we got wet.

my jeans and debbie's jeans were wet up to our thighs and thus had to change. we had no change of clothes, so we decided to go back in our jammies. When we reached Gurney drive, my sis in law wanted to stop at Gurney Plaza. Well, Debbie and I shopped in our pajamas. Me in my pirate of the Caribbean with skulls all over my pants and Debbie in her calf length pajama pants walked in the plaza very confidently. We even ate our lunch at that restaurant that faces the sea and nobody bid an eye lid.

Berkibar bendera ku

This morning my husband helped me hoist-up the Jalur Gemilang on the bell post and the Penang flag at the gate post. In a jest he said that not to be surprised if a red neck comes and shoot the flags down. The reason being, to some, it is unthinkable for someone to fly any other flags other than the US flag. I told him I will be ready with my shotgun. After all the flags are hanging on my private property.

What a Blast

I had the most memorable visit back to Malaysia this time around. I visited my family and my friends and so much enjoyed their companies.

I met with all my closed family members and friends. There were friends that I newly acquired and there were old friends that I kept in touch and there were friends (classmates that I have not seen since 1970.)

There was a friend who was my boss. The was the mother of my friend (who considered my husband and I as keluarga angkat) who were so gracious, so hospitable that I can't find words to described. Rashidah and family and kak Munah, thank you so much.

I enjoyed my trip to taman negara with the family of fellow blogger whose friendship and generosity I can never repay or reciprocate. I hope I did not embarrass her and family by making a fool of myself gorging the fruits by the roadside. MakAndeh and family and jedi thank you.

I am so much indebted to the "KL tour guide" who made herself available all her time to make my shopping and visiting during my stay in KL. I hope she enjoyed tagging along 2 ladies who could not make their minds what to shop. Bella we appreciate your patience and time you were with us. Please thank Korbau for letting us share his precious wife with us.

There was the "judge" who arranged for a reunion of my old classmates and offering the use of her personal chauffeur to take us around.

Of Course I will never forget the generousity and the hospitality of my dearest friend who put us up at her house for the duration of our stay in KL.

My brother and sister in law and their family who put us up while in Penang. They share their children with us too. Delightable kids. Thank you all.

I will write about my adventure later. This piece is to tell all my friends and family that they made my visit so memorable.

I also want to apologise to those friends that I could not meet or make contact due to my tight schedule.

Thank you all

Roo had a turkey dinner

Usually when we leave the house we always keep the gate closed and let Roo be the Guard. Today when we returned from town, we saw Roo had had her dinner with feathers everywhere in the garage. We assumed from the feathers, it must have been a turkey. poor turkey must have got into the yard. Any critters which are not familiar to her, she would definitely does her job. This time poor unlucky turkey that wandered too close.

Visiting or going home?

It is kind of hard to admit that I have made this place my home. I have worked hard to make this niche in the woods in rural Oklahoma my own. I am already missing my husband and my home before I even make my journey back to Malaysia for a visit which was not so long ago my home too. There were strong ties and pull then when my parents were still alive to make that long journey. It was not so painful to sit for 30 odd hours on the plane and in transits. It was then worth it.

My last 2 visits were not as exciting as I anticipated. My siblings and their families were busy with their lives and hardly had time for us (my husband and me). The friends/colleagues who were "eager" to see me again after a long time did not even bother to drop by at the place I was staying (which was within their walking distance from their work place.) I was sad, but then I thought that I was not a friend enough for them to see me. I should have made plans and thought of me first rather than making meeting and be with them my priority. Lesson learned.

However there was an exception on my last trip though. My brother in law in Melaka took a few days leave just to be around and cooked me delicious meals. Those dishes we used to enjoy at my mother's. He was so thoughtful because during that time my sister as a teacher could not get away from her school activities even at weekends. (she is a primary school teacher) That thoughtful gesture is embedded in my heart forever.

This time around, I am visiting for me. To see the country i left and still very fond of. I want to enjoy the country and if anyone of those friends can fit in my schedule, i do them too. I will not be disappointed or sad if they can't come to see me.

I have very GOOD friends too who offer me a place to stay when I come and visit. I have a friend who offers a car from their showroom for me to use.
On top of it I have made many new friends on the internet whom I want to meet.

I am hoping this trip will be a memorable one, to last for a long time. I can't win all the time, but I am hoping this time around is a winner. I am not getting any younger and long distance haul does not sound attractive anymore.

It is already July huh

Tomorrow 7th Day of the 7th Month in the Year 2007 will be my 55th birthday. I am maturing to this age very gracefully. I may not be the spring chicken, but I am not much older than the woman I was a decade ago. However, I have changed a lot. I have made a 180 degrees turn in my mid forty. I have chosen to live nearer to nature and be happy with what I have. I keep to my believe that happiness is a matter of choice not a chance.

I see people whom the terms "tension and stressful" are their daily vocabulary. I can only say that I feel sorry for them. I feel life needs to be organized and have priority in the correct places. Some people can't handle even a little bit of pressure. Some people can't even make a little change. This reminded me of the time I was on duty at the punch card. I observed the same people would be late every day, not overly late but a couple of minutes or five minutes. I asked why, it was always the same, traffic jam. I just wonder, if you know that at the same time everyday, the traffic would be bad, why not leave the house 5 minutes earlier.

oh well, Now I am retired, I have no worries about getting caught in the traffic jam. I also do not need to rush anywhere. My time is mine. I drive to town when there is minimum traffic on the road. I stay home when the weather is bad. And I talked to my dogs and my plants. I race my dogs in the woods.

Oh Yes, there is plenty of peace and tranquility where I live and I thank God for this life of mine.

Of being cheap

I buy fruits when they are cheap. i eat fruits like they are my staple. I buy fresh pineapples when the price is at $1.50 a piece (regular $3.85). I buy a few of them. I buy papayas when it costs 28 cents per pound (regular at $1.28). Buy a few green ones. I buy strawberries when it is $1.50 a box (regular $2.98). Nope they are not those wilting either. they are just the overstock that walmart have.

I change my taste of fruits according to seasons. I eat plenty of mangoes (from central America) when they are 4 to a dollar. I get plenty of them because mangoes are one of my favourite. i eat plenty of seedless grapes in winter when walmart import them from Chile, those big juicy black grapes for only 98 cents a pound rather than buy California grapes for $2.98 a pound.

Now I am eating plenty of strawberries big juicy ones at $1.28 a pound. I have boxes of them in my refrigerator. I eat them with cream cheese with sugar and whipped cream or dipped in Hershey's chocolate. I top my ice cream with them as well.

This year all my fruit trees are void of fruits due to the late freeze we had in late April. The only thing I see growing in my woods are wild grapes that bounced back and a few wild plums. My "commercial table grapes" are gone. Not a single leaf left on the vines. i hope they will not die.I am not too sure with my blackberries. i saw a few buds, and that's about all. I may not have any blackberries this year.

Well, walmart have all the fruits i can eat cheap, so i do not have to pine for my home grown fruits this year.

Of little tortoises crossing the road

These few days when i drive out to town i see not less than a dozen tortoises crossing the road. I know they cross the highway to be on the other side. Most made it across, but not all do. Wonder if it is worth it. I saw little biddy ones the size of a dollar coins to those the size of big serving plates.

In my woods too, these tortoises wonder around. I even saw some mating and of course Max had to separate them. He does not pick them up any more like he used to, he just ignore them except when he sees them tortoises are "fighting".

Improvise, improvise

You want to eat curry mee instantly? you have to improvise. get a packet of curry flavoured instant noodle. boil the water, add curry powder and add all the bean curd, fish balls, shrimps (prawns) etc. add the noodles. let it boil and add coconut cream/milk.

you want instant nasi lemak? get leftover rice. add coconut milk with a sprinkle of salt. sprinkle onto the rice and microwave for 2 minutes.

Shopping

Yesterday my husband and I went to window shop for a travel trailer. It is cheaper (gas wise) to use the pickup to pull the trailer than the motor home. Anyways the motor home parked by the garage is 32 ft. long and use about 8 miles per gallon of gas, so it is not economical to drive it for camping etc. We were looking for a 24 ft or so travel trailer. There was someone wanting to sell a 24 ft trailer but in the telephone conversation, she told us it was a 32 ft. one. So my husband and I went to look at it. the very moment i saw it i knew the woman was not telling the truth. I did not like the woman nor the trailer, so when bill was talking to the woman I just said "capital N", oh well we left, and passed a car dealer and swung in. Guess what, i got a new KIA sportage. I traded in my mazda 626 and my Nissan pathfinder and cleaned out my husband's check book.

Ouch!

This is that time of the season again. The puppies have to have their shots. The regular shots and of course the rabies shot. We always give them the shots because as they are yard dogs, they might get into contact with rabid skunks or other critters. As well as a prcaution the dogs bite anyone by chance. We do not want to take the risk of them getting sick as well being safe in case they playfully bite someone.
They three have their shots yesterday and Buddy only got his rabies shot this evening. He was not ready for the shot and was uncooperative. i guess he never had them before unlike my other three puppies who are very familiar with their shots.
Today, max was limping a little bit, probably because of the rabies shot on his hind leg. he looks so pitiful and wanted some tlc. I rub his leg and he purred like a kitten and slept. I hope by tomorrow he will be more energetic. Roo and Dumdum are as energetic as ever.

Roo, Dumdum, Max and Buddy

Great disapointment

I know that the weather in Oklahoma is weird and it is getting wierder every year.
Imagine in April we still have snow and freeze. I know too that it happens from time to time but but not this late. Not when my grapes are hanging in bunches and my plum trees are loaded. My peaches and my pears are as big as marbles. I am so sad that i had to say goodbye to them. This means no pear preserves, no pickled peaches and no plum jelly.
Today my husband told me, that there is not going any more fruit trees. he does not want to see me like this.

A New addition to my family

This is Buddy. He joined us a few days ago. He is three years old and a German Shepherd. He came to be with us after his old master wanted to put him to sleep. We just could not let such a handsome puppy be put to sleep. He is a healthy puppy but a little on the lean side. He is a real people puppy and at the age of three is getting a little naughty.
The reason his old master wanted to put him away was because he loves to chase young colts and horses. He chased them all over the pasture for fun, not exactly to hurt them. Those stupid horses would then run over the fence and hurt themselves. Buddy only wanted to play. He is still missing his old home and the boys that play with him everyday. He loves to play on the trampoline, but right now he has to stay on chain less he would dash back to his old home.
Roo, Dumdum and Max are not too happy to have another puppy around. However when they were introduced to Buddy, Max is kind of respects Buddy since both of them almost of equal size and Buddy is a year older. Dumdum wanted to claim his seniority, but was told to be nice. Roo is still not very happy. She wanted to show Buddy who is the boss on this property. She still growls at him, but since Buddy is a male, they don't really fight. Buddy shows respect to her. i guess she has to be satisfied with that.
Now I have 4 dogs to walk in the morning and sure takes more than 3 hours to do it. Good for my health though.

what do you do when the weather is urrrgh

Today is such a day. It is cloudy and rainy and yukky. I have several options. I could laze in bed, I could bake, I could sit and watch the television and of course i can surf around. I did all that. i was even tempted to go talk to the bull.
I made baulu and it turned out eatable and nothing to shout about. I guess I did not do it correctly except mess my kitchen. I surfed around and found out that the person i was waiting for a phone call had already come and gone home. yes today is definitely not a marvellous day.

Steaks for Bill and Pet for me

Bill went and bought a young bull (almost 2 years old). He says it is for food. I was ok with it. We used to do that, bought a cow left it with the owner until time for the slaughter. Bill would go and supervise the slaughter and say some prayer. The only thing I ever saw was a packed beef in steaks, ground and roasts. This time it is different, he brought back the pretty bull and it is sitting in the yard. I can't bear to think of it as steaks. I can't figure how I would feel when the time comes. Right now he was bonding with Roo. they have been kissing each other this morning. I called it rubbing their noses. Kind of getting to know you.
I have told Bill I will not feed the pretty thing, will not talk to it, will not look at it. But I just went and looked at it this very morning.

ooops all terrain vehicles

My old faithful the pathfinder and the polaris.

snowed in and one wonders

When one is snowed in, one is kind of trapped. Trapped in the beauty of the landscape. Trapped in a nice cosy toasty house. Trapped in one's own mind.
My world is however wide open despite being trapped in the house. My computer is on and I am able to go anywhere i want to so does my mind. Get connected. I went blog hopping following link after link and what i discovered was that I am actually living in my own rosy little world.
My culture that I hold high, my people, and the melayu I know is not the same anymore. I went to blogs written by melayu that write in the language that I never thought that it was possible by the "polite" Melayu I used to know. the cuss, the curses, the language that i dare not use in my life are rampant. Have I lost the melayu that i love?
The melayu i find in the blogspehre are so different than the ones I knew. There are some that i feel ashame to be part of or associate with. I tried to rationalise that some people want to express themselves with words, but there are beautiful words that can send the same message, not needing to curse one's own mother for that.
I am so much sadden with this that i thought this whole thing is because i am being snowed in. However when i go to other blogs and forum and i read the comments, i feel that many that left comments (bad ones) are either losers or insane.
I went to a famous malysian singer blog and I could not believe all those curses there. They find everything to curse her. are these people real?

Max's first adventure

Max is the baby in the family. Roo mothers him, Dumdum just ignore him. He is huge but thinks he is still a baby. He whines and cry when he wants off the chain or sees Roo gets a treat. He chanllenges Dumdum to a fight whenever he sees Dumdum is on the chain. He nudges Roo to a boisterous play and of course he wuld roll on the ground in order to be on the same playing field with Roo.
However, one day last week when he was left off the chain all by himself with the gate wide open, he ventured out. He knew there was many rabbits outside in the brush in the neighbour, so without a glance back he went out hunting. At the corner of my eyes i saw a dash and whooosh, max was gone. He was gone down the hill down to the road in a flash. I saw him turned west and i got in the pickup to follow him. I stopped at the nearest neighbour's house when i heard his dogs were barking wild. Nope, no Max. I stopped and called him and whistled, no sign of Max. It was hard to see in the woods covered with ice and snow as Max is white. Then i decided to return home. I looked in the rear mirror and saw Max running by the side of the pickup, his face and under his neck covered in red.
He knew he was not supposed to go outside the gate therefore he went back to his house panting. i went out of the pickup worried seeing blood all over his mouth and neck. I checked and there was no injuries, so i guess he must have hunted and got some poor critter for lunch.
Max must have had a good hunt. within 15 minutes he had hunted down his lunch. There you go Max.

It is snowing again

We had an impressive amount of snow in late fall. i was all excited about it, but when we had ice, i was not at all ahppy because the ground was covered with three inches of ice. It is hard to walk on ice and it took almost two weeks to get rid of the ice. on top of that it snowed again. I was worried that the roof would collapse and indeed the roof of the barn was sagging badly.
Today it snows again. It is snowing now and it looks so pretty with huge flakes falling down. It is accumulating fast and the weathermen say that we will have on and off snow for 4 days. I can't imagine how many inches it will be this time around and there is little doubt that it will go away soon as the forecasted temperature will remain below freezing for the entire week and next week.
It gets old rather quickly when you have snow on the ground just like living in a flooded area. However this is moisture and we thank God for it. At this time last year we were fighting brush fire because it was so dry. I would rather have snow than fire anytime.

Mari kita menternak pulak

berkebun bertenak amalan kita
hasilnya bagus kesihatan dijaga
makanan sihat itulah dikata
tidak tercampur toksin segala

ish apa pula silap salahnya
blogger.com tak mau bekerja
gambar yang diletak tidak tertera
ni yang buat malas nak update semula

Mari berkebun

Jelak membaca cerita seloka
mari berkebun pulak la kita
sedikit sebanyak legakan belanja
Bila di rantauan semuanya berharga

sambung lagi

Keliling rumah diliputi salji
tebal agaknya sepuluh inci
Hujan saljinya dah beberapa hari
Belum dapat dicairkan si matahari

Waktu malam bulan mengambang
Indahnya rupa bukan kepalang
Sunyi damai mata memandang
terubat segala hati yang walang

Kembali kita berkisah lagi
perjalanan hidupku berliku liki
bahagia sungguh hidup di hawaii
ramai orang dapat ku kenali

Pembesar negara serta raja
pernah semeja menjamu selera
di sana taraf sama belaka
beramah mesra I dan U saja

se tahun di sana sekejap sahaja
rasa tak dan nak buat apa
ku semat ku simpan segala
kali ni saja aku bercerita

Di sana calon jodoh ku jumpa
Walau pun biar seketika
kembali ke negara semuanya lupa
16 tahun kemudian berjumpa semula

Kini hidupku bahagia disamping si dia
Semuanya ini kuasa Nya jua
bertemu semula siapalah sangka
terima kasih alam cyber

1982 ku kembali ke malaya
menyambung balik tugas di sana
berkobar-kobar nak kongsi ilmu di dada
tapi Boss mencebih bibir saja

Tahulah aku pemergianku tak direstu
marah sangat boss yang satu
rupanya beliau tidak setuju
sebab calonnya tak diterima dulu

segala usahaku tidak dipandang
rasa diri macam terbuang
nak tukar kerja selalu dihalang
merengkoklah aku di penjara tak berpalang

ish tercerita kisah sedih pulak
semua datang tak dapat ditolak
ku buat kerja jangankan tidak
ku ubat hati merantau sejenak

Sudah tak ingat tahun nya bila
Ku jelajahi eropah semula
kali ini berdua sahaja
bermula dari istambul la

Agak sebulan juga lamanya
Benua eropah ku redah merata
bersantai di gunung ganangnya
beramah mesra dengan penduduknya

nanti sambung lagi

Sambung cerita dalam seloka

Setahun setengah menimba ilmu
satu diploma dapat dipangku
cerah gamaknya masa depan ku
mengharungi hidup serba berliku

Cuti sekolah aku bekerja
untuk mendapat wang belanja
merantau eropah melihat dunia
Masa mudalah nak buat itu semua

Pertama kali ke benua eropah
ikut rombongan ala cik kiah
singgah di tempat-tempat yang indah
lima enam negara habis dijelajah

bersama segulung ijazah
pulang ke negara bertuah
memberi bakti tanpa gelabah
membina bersama negara yang indah

Tahun 1978 mula berbakti
tak lama kemudian gatallah kaki
luar negara ingin ku jejaki
mendapat peluang mencari rezeki

Ku teliti macam-macam berita
mungkin ada peluang biasiswa
ternampaklah satu berita
hadiah menyelidik Fulbright-Macee namanya

Dengan segera ku melamar dia
takut tertinggal peluang yang ada
tak berapa lama dengarlah berita
Hadiah itu aku yang punya

Ke Honolulu ke barat pula
aku mengangkut beg segala
Dengan hati yang sangat suka
mulalah aku berkhidmat di sana

Cantik dan indah rupa pulaunya
bertambah pula ramah penduduknya
terpikat hati bila di sana
rasa nak duduk beberapa lama

sampai di sini cerita dulu
aku nak pergi sodok salji yg beku
kalau tidak jatuh berdebub lah aku
sakit b*nt*t lah macam tu

The snow is here

cerita melalui seloka

Pagi ini muram sahaja
sleet dan salji turun melanda
Laman sekeliling putih semuanya
Angin membadai menderu bunyinya

Bila sejuk-sejuk begini
terkenang di Inggeris pertama pergi
Ingin melihat bermain salji
baru ku tahu London salji jarang sekali

Semasa sampai di luar negara
walau pun diri tak berapa bersedia
Dengan berkat darah muda
semua berjalan dengan berpada

Ku daftar diri kursus sarjana
Di politeknik, sekarang dah bertukar nama
Tempat tinggal entah di mana
seketika itu tinggal di asrama

Asrama jauh tidak terhingga
Ku lamar tempat di Dewan Malaysia
mereka kata lamaran ku tak boleh diterima
kerana bukan pemegang biasiswa JPAnya

Ku merayu ku meminta
berilah ku tinggal sementara
nanti ku cari tempat lain pula
oklah kata mereka, cuma 2 hari saja

lepas kelas aku meronda
bersama kawan yang ingin mencuba
mencari tempat tinggal yang selesa
walau pun tak tau entah di mana

Selepas beberapa lama mencari
Terjumpalah bilik yang dapat di diami
naik turun bas, tube beberapa kali
Berasa lega di sanubari

nanti sambung nostalgia di luar negeri

seloka lagi

Apa nak kata sudah terjangkit
gurindam seloka macam penyakit
Ku asah bahasa berdikit-dikit
macam menenun si kain songket

Ingin dikongsi cerita lama
lepas ditinggalkan sekolah asrama
Menetap pula di kolej pertama
di universiti malaya tempat ternama

Belajar, bersukan bermain bersama
untuk mendapat ijazah pertama
Belum tahu rezeki di mana
Mintak-mintak tidak tunggu lama

tiga tahun cepat berlalu
Macam tak cukup masa nak baca buku
peperiksaan akhir datang melulu
Bagaimana masa depan belumlah tentu

terbaca di dada akhbar berita
ada biasiswa ditawar sedia
jika berminat lamar lah dia
tawaran belajar di luar negara

temu duga di musim periksa
waktu tepat pukul dua
peperiksaan di pagi ada
ku terus bersiap sedia

Habis saja kertas periksa
Terus ku naik bas srijaya
mennghadapi si penemuduga
dalam hati berdoa dimudahkan usaha

Belum pun habis periksa
ku ditawar biasiswa
belajar nun di luar negara
colombo plan nama penaja

gembira hati tidak terkira
tersengeh tersenyum masa periksa
harap-harap urusan mudah sahaja
ongkosnya belum tahu entah di mana

of pantun gurindam dan seloka

Tak tahu di mana harus bermula
membuka cerita perihal segala
supaya yang mebaca tak pening kepala
mencari maksud seloka saya

Pagi tadi berjalan beriadah
Bersama anjing yang manja sudah
sambil berjalan sambil bermadah
menghayati bahasa yang amat indah

Ingin ku bercerita lucu
bila berumur lupa selalu
cermin mata letak melulu
takjumpa dicari kehilir ke hulu

Ku cari merata-rata
atas bawah meja komputer
Di bilik tidur di bilik air merata
Ali-alih ada di kepala

Teringat aku kata arwah ibunda
bila berumur banyak lah lupa
perkara yang baru tak pernah ingat di kepala
Tetapi kisah lama ingat semula

Ini kisah lama dengan lucunya
Semasa berjalan di bandar Geneva
Ingin menaiki pengangkutan bandaraya
Tak tahu tempat mendapatkan kartunya

Di perhentianya orang ramai berbaris
Mungkin di sini dibelinya karcis
Ternampak kotak tergantung beriklan habis
Ingatkan di situ dijualnya karcis

Ku masuk wang ku tekan butang
Tak jugak keluar apa pun barang
beberapa orang menolong datang
terkeluar kondom, malunya aku bukan kepalang

pernah ku melilau seluruh dunia
hingga sampai ke Vitigmilia (ejaan)
banjir besar tidak terkira
sungai penuh dengan kereta

perjalanan ku tersekat lama di situ
Tunggu lah aku beberapa waktu
Tak sampailah ke tempat yang nak dituju
Malam itu tidur di bangku

Dini hari aku di kejutkan
Ada bas hendak ke pekan
Kalau mahu teruskan perjalanan
Naik lah bas separuh jalan

Ku ikut saja orang semua
Sebab tak faham bahasa catalan nya
Cuma ku tahu cakap nak ke barcelona
Aku di hantar ke keretapi naik percuma

The deer hunting season is here again

Much to my dismay, the season is here again. There are alot of hunters around, hunting on public and private lands. Although the hunting is regulated especially on public lands, I still feel awful when I hear gunshots. Some hunters use bow and arrow to hunt, some use smoke guns and some use rifles. We used to keep our southeast gate open, so that the deer can take refuge in our property. However,i feel that I feed them to make them fat and some hunters get them in their pots. Since the gate is open, the deer do come in and out everyday.
Another reason i don't feel happy about is that I have to put my Dumdum on chain. Dumdum is not scared of guns, he thinks when the gun goes "booom", it is time for him to go and search and get the kill. it is his breed, a bird dog that goes hunting for ducks and geese and turkeys.
Although our 20 acres property is securedly fenced-up (8-10 feet), somehow Dumdum finds away to dig under the fence to venture out. Roo and Max are not as adventurous as Dumdum, and they listen to me when I whistle and tell them to stay in the yard. Poor Dumdum will have to be on chain until next year.
Some morning when Roo, Max and me go for our walk around the property, we do see deer hiding from hunters right next to our fence. Of course Roo and Max get excited and chase the deer away straight to the hunters. I was so upset yesterday morning, when we saw some deer hiding around our property and Max got excited and stalked them, the deer took off and soon after we heard the gunshots. I knew for sure that the deer were gone.

Fall is my best time of the year

Dumdum and I went for a walk in the woods.

an evening sun on the trees

My yard, facing northwest and the driveway

Dumdum

Dumdum joined the family on one October morning three years ago. He walked into the yard and refused to leave. He rolled over and went on his tummy to seek permission to be part of the family. So we adopted him, even old Bubba welcomed him by ignoring his antics. Roo immediately took over to mother him and be his protector. We don't know his bloodline but we do know that he was a cross breed of a Labrador retriever. In short he is a mutt. He has grown to be a handsome dog. He likes water and would jump into it whenever he has the opportunity.
Lately he has been marking his territory far and wide and he ventured out of the fence (20 acres)to stake his territory. He would dug a hole under the fence and creep under it. He has been good. He would mark his territory and get back in the yard. However as of last week he has been grounded. The farmer a quarter mile down the road followed him home and reported that Dumdum has been messing with his turkey. Now Dumdum is on a cahin tied to a runner cable about 50 feet apart.
It was hard for him and for me to see him grounded. Until he learnt that his territory is only within the fenced up 20 acres, he would stay on his chain. I do take him for a walk from time to time so that he does not feel abandoned.
I love animals and especially dogs, I could talk to them for hours and they would listen to me without any interruptions.
Hopefully one day soon Dumdum can run in the yard again.

Raya for me

As aidil Fitri is approaching, I can imagine many a household is abuzz with activities. many are sleeping late or getting up early to make all the cookies and kueh mueh for the raya. I am not particularly interested in joining the crowd, but i do say that these activities add up to the festivities.
Here in the boonies where there are only 2 of us observing the ramadan, it is kind of sad to indulge in these activities. I used to invite friends and relatives over, but I find it quite tiring and tiresome.
We usually stay at home and perhaps have some kind of celebration on the last day berbuka. The day itself, if and when weather permits, we would get up early and leave the house by six in the morning for a prayer in the nearest mosque (60 miles away). otherwise, we pray at home. I don't turn on the takbir because it would make me homesick, so, we just sit around and watch movies.
I am used to celeberating raya alone since i was a child of 12, so whatever memories i have of having fun on raya day were those when i was really really young.
later when i was working, raya to us can be any day when all of us ( my siblings and families)could be at my parents all at the same time. That is RAYA for us.
Selamat hari raya to all

Mama nini (guinea fowl) is missing

I have 6 ninis (guines fowls.) i am positive that 2 are females and 2 are males. The other two, I have no clue. The 2 females i know because they lay eggs. The 2 males I know because, they stay by the nests waiting for their partners to lay eggs. The other 2, they hang around the males and the females.
Two weeks ago one went missing, with the male partner yelling and calling for it to come home. I thought it was dead, something had had it for dinner. However the next day I saw it in the yard eating and scratching around. By evening when all my critters go back to their respective pens, this one was missing. So I guess she must have a nestful of eggs somewhere nearby.I don't know how long it takes for the eggs to hatch, until I hear the little biddy ninis, I know the mama is ready to come home.

of Puasa and ikan Masin

I don't know why, ikan masin is like a must in Ramadan. Before Ramadan begun, I went shopping for all Ramadan stuff, ie food. They include dried fish, cuttle fish, dried shrimps, dried soya bean curd, fish balls and all the herbs. Foer the sweets , it was nata de coco, sago pearls and palm sugar.
Well, back to ikan masin. I have a few types, ikan gelama masam/kering (ikan glamour to some) anchovies of different sizes. So, after a few days of fasting, i embarked on frying the ikan gelama masam. That wasa a BIG mistake, no a HUGE mistake. Not only it sent my husband out of the house, it nearly made me fainted. Moved the frying pan out on to the deck and i guess if I have close neighbours, I swear all of them would be out, thinking there must be some gas leak somewhere. it took almost 2 days before the house smell ok again despite air freshner etc.
However, when I ate it with sauted onion rings and fried dried cayene, poooh, i forgot the torture i had to go through. I ate on the deck by the way.

my chicken

This is my proud Rooster
It was 2 years ago My husband and i decided to raise chicken for our own consumption. We bought about 100 little ones.We raise them and they multiplied. we now we have them running around the yard.

beautiful and cruel winter

Winter in the boonies can be very beautiful and sometime can be cruel. It is beautiful when the ground is covered with snow and the sky is blue. It feels beautiful when it is cold and dry.
It can be cruel, when mother nature decides to drop liquid from the sky on an already frozen air and ground. Then we have ice everywhere. The heavy laden tree branches will snap and powerline will do the same. when powerline are down it will result in no power for at least a week or so. Imagine that in the midst of cold winter, ice, ice everywhere and you have no electricity. For all of us in the boonies, we are ready and prepared. We have generators to run the electricity and we have gasoline stocked up.
We will practically be iced-bound. can't go anywhere, can go down the hill, but not up the hill. We glide from one spot to another. My dogs love to run and glide on the frozen ponds.

seasons change

While chatting with a friend in Phoenix on this hot summer afternoon, I want to think of those cool Fall and Winter days. My favourite time of the year is the late Fall. Clear blue skies and cool. This is the time to sit on the deck watching geese flying south in a formation, one group after another.

Spring in my boonies

It is in the middle of a hot hot hot summer which makes me want to think of the early spring. My backwoods were filled with all kind of foliage and blooms. There were wild grapes blooming, wild plums white with those sweet smelling flowers, The blacberries making the ground looked like a carpet of white roses. My cherry trees and peach tress were covered with pink flowers and pear and apple trees were covered with blooms. Then the bees busy buzzing around from one tree to another.
Wild sun flowers come out a little later, but those blue/purple flowers and those brown eyed susans were abundant. The honey suckles were sending all the sweet smelling fragrantce all around.

Here is nutkin

Here is nutkin enjoying a nut under the oak tree.

Roo and her adopted babies

Mother hen has decided to abandon her babies, so now Roo has taken over baby sitting the chicks

Tales of my critters - Roo

A couple of months ago, a hen from my flock went missing. I thought it must have been dinner for some predators. However,one evening, I told Roo to look for it by saying "roo go find chick chick". She went to her house and look inside. I thought she was just acting strange and not understanding my request. I told her again. She just sat there and wagged her tail. Oh, well, I went and looked inside her house, and there was a hen sitting right at the back of her house. She was sitting on a pile of eggs. So, all these while, Roo has been sharing her house with the hen. if only roo could talk.

I petted her and told her that she was a good girl. She was indeed a good girl. Then after a few weeks, I saw roo was jumping around and playing around her house I kept a distance and watched her picking up a tiny baby chick in her mouth and put it back inside her house. Then a couple more of the chicks jumped out of her house, she had a fun time putting back the chicks into her house. I went and asked her what she was doing, she picked up a chick and brought it to me. i did not know that dogs can be so gentle with helpless babies. I told her she was a good girl and to look after the babies. After that she became a guardian for the hen and baby chicks. She would guard them from max and other hen.

They now do not share the house anymore since the mother hen has brought her babies to the chicken pen. But everyday without fail, the chicks and mother would go and stay around roo's house. Drink from her water bowl and just laze around her house.

Tales of my critters

I have never thought how fancinating it is to observe critters at their antics. People must think that I am insane or gone bonkers wasting my time watching them. But then I have all the time in the world to do whatever I like. I am sure many people think that not being employed is a faculty failure. I am looking at my life from a different angle. There is no more need to calmour for materials acquisition. It is now to enjoy God's given paradise.
I observed a baby rabbit grows all by itself. It made a home under the pile of rubble of our torn down building. Every morning it will come out to eat and play with the chicken. It is smart as it would run and hide the moment it sees my puppies (dogs) are out of their houses. When it feels sfe to go out again it would come out to play and have a dust bath amongst the chicken and guineas. It is wonderful to see how animals are just being animals and having fun.

Nutkin, the squirrel with an attitude

I tried and tried to get a picture of Nutkin, but he is so elusive. Today, he played hide and seek with me. I saw him hunching over the corn cob ontop of the feeder and the moment i got the camera out, he went to hide under the feeder. The nearer I got to the tree, where the feeder is, he moved to the other side of the tree. oh well, however Nutkin has an attitude.
Usually during late winter and early spring, i like to put out feed for all kinds of critters in my yard. I like to look at Nutkin because he is like a naughty kid. he would steal food from under the chicken mouth (beak?). He would rush out for the food I throw out for the chicken and eat with them.
However Nutkin can be very irritating. I used to put nuts on the deck and Nutkin with his clan would come and steal the nuts and eat them. For a while they behaved quite well, but Nutkin, being braver than the rest would come and shake the door screen if there was no more nuts on the deck. Soon, he would come frequently to shake the door or window screens for the nuts. He was not interested anymore on the corn on the cob. he was also tearing the window screen. he was not scared, he would hang on the door screen showing us his big manhood (big for a squirrel). He did this a few times and even when poke from inside, he would not budge until one day when my husband had enough of Nutkin's attitude. he warned Nutkin to quit, or face the consequences. with pallet gun, my husband shot near enough to scare nutkin. Until today he has not done his show anymore. he only comes to eat at the feeder.

fun in the summer

What do we in the boonies do to while away our summer days? Ohhh, we go boating, we go riding and we sleep off the afternoon heat.

Call it friendship

This lonely peacock has made friends with my guineas and chicken. Every morning, it is either, the peacock comes to call or my guineas will go and fetch him. They will roam around together in the yard till night. Some nights the peacock sleep over and sometime he flies home. Incredible isn't it.

My Puppy Max is now a grown man

It was like yesterday that Max was a little bundle of white fur. Now Max is a grown Great Pyrenees at the age of 1 year and 5 months. Max has learnt to mark his territory. he has learnt to p** by balancing on his 3 legs, lifting one hind leg to shoot at a target. Was is last week he was not able to balance to do that? It was just like yesterday, this big furry bundle was squating to do his toilet? Now he is doing just like all the males of his specie do. However he is still Max. Max who does not know that he weighs over a hundred pounds. Max who still wants to sit on your lap when he has the chance. Max who runs to you the moment you whistle. Oh my Max.
Max is still playing with the chicken, tossing one up in the air whenever he catches one eating his food. He is also intelligent. I watch him managed his food bowl and his favoutie bone. In between eating his food and keeping the chicken away from his bowl and bone, he solved it by bringing his bone into his food bowl. Isn't he a problem solver?

Those were the days

My last blog sort of triggered this desire to write on my quest for travels in my younger days. I went to the UK in the 70's for my first post graduate degree. It was in London and wanting to see much more than London, i did travel up and down the the country. Beside the short trips to nearby cities and covering London from one end to the other, I did go up to Scotland a few times. One winter time we drove up north to see the snow. As we all know, it does not snow in london as regularly as in the north. My friend, I and the parents of (Shalin Zulkifli) drove up north stopping at the cities along the way. We enjoyed Leeds, Carlyle on the way. We drove up to Edinburgh and did all the things tourists usually do, the castle, etc.
The trip got exciting, when we wanted to get to Inverness. We forgot that it became dark right after 3.00 in the afternoon. We drove on and it started to snow and it was getting dark real quick. The further we went, we met with accumulated snow on the road. We could not see the road as new thick snow was falling too. The driver was Shalin's dad. We skidded a few times and there was no other vehicle except us in the middle of no where. So, we decided, the next light or house we see we would stop and ask to sleep for the night. We did drive into one later and spent a night in a small room in a house of an old couple. Thank goodness that the couple warmly welcomed us. Those days, people still have trust in people.
Then we went on to Aviemore and stayed at one little town called something i still can not pronounce, Carra...something. That was a lovely place. We stayed in a bed and breakfast for a couple of days. Then we drove on down the lakes to see the great Lochness and down to Fort Williams and to Glassgow. That was an exciting trip.

A visit from the past

A friend from Hawaii came for a visit last weekend. It was an enjoyable visit. All the years we did not see each other seemed to have vanished. It was like only last week we said goodbye at Honolulu airport, yet it was 24 years ago. Suddenly all the Honolulu city lights bringing back all the memories. Memories of friends who skinny dipped in the blue pacific ocean. Memories of the party nights on the windjammer off the fishermen wharf. Memories of the trips to Maui and Kaui, sneaking the weekends away without the knowledge of my supervisor. Memories of the surprise find of a nude beach on Kaui. Memories of walking fully clothed on that beach and memories of seeing a professor you knew on a gay beach. Those beautiful bodies!!
And I was young again once more!!
Those days when I was young and invincible, riding a bus with bikini clad women and shopping in Ala Moana Mall in my swimming costume and Anne, my dorm mate in her skimpy bikini. Eating at Keo's and Mekong restaurants and licking Baskin and Robbins icecream cones, those days seem to float back in my mind.
My friend Ruth was on her way to a conference in Orlando Fla. decided to swing by and pay me a visit. Although it was a very short visit, it was a very enjoyable one. We caught up with all the years in between. We talked about those colleagues that have retired and those who are still there (East-West center) and i can still picture those faces I left behind.
Over a box of hawaiian Host macademia chocolates, we talked about those "swap meet" that we could buy a sack full macademia nuts for a few dollars. We talked about the "pakalolo" guava juice that I loved so much. wonder if they really have 'pakololo' in the juice. We talked about the 'kalbi' over rice at the food court in Ala Moana and the the korean kimchi.
Wished she could stay longer and we could talk forever.