I have to write this. It is Max, he is a hero. Last night we had brush fire next to our north fence. It was late at night and Max was barking his head off. Usually we pay not much attention to his barking, because he would bark at anything that moves and of course at those rabbits running around mating in the yard.
But last night, his bark was different, so at about 2 am, Bill got up to look and he saw fire was raging right infront of our house. The other 2 dogs were sleeping in their houses, I don't blame them since the temperature was way below freeing. Max sleeps outside his house unless it was real cold like minus 20C degrees. He has grown a very thick coat and the coat is keeping him warm.
So, Max was awake and was aware that there was a big fire going on and he was barking towards the house and the fire that woke us up. Then the other dogs got out of their houses and started barking too. Bill woke me up and said we had a problem, there is a brush fire in the yard. We got out and got us shovels and started to put the fire out from the fringes around it. we worked around the fire so that it did not spread to wider area. Then after it got under control, we stared to get to the water. Of course, the garden water pump was frozen and it was hard trying to get the water hoses to the fire. We forgot that we had a water pump near the garage that we have it heated all day and night during winter time. Then I said, the water outlet near the garage may not be frozen. It was quite far from the fire, we had to make a very long hose, attaching hose after hose. The trouble was the hoses were not at the same place, some in the garage, some in barn and some near the chicken coop. At last we had the hose working and the water coming. It was very cold and our hands were frozen eventhough we wore gloves. Once the gloves got wet, they freeze. My coat was wet and it froze too. We took turn to water the fire and it took us an hour or so to put it out completely.
Actually the fire was from the ashes left in the brush after we burnt the trash 2 days ago. We burnt the trash/rubbish when the area was covered with snow. There had been burn band for a long time and we had been keeping the trash to burn when we have rain or snow. We did not realize that the fire did not go out completely 2 days ago, and was smouldering inside the big tree trunk and it took 2 days for it to go up in flame again. The vegetation is bone dry and although it is still covered with snow, the snow was of not of much help.
The water immediately turned into ice after the fire was gone. So this morning there was a big pool of ice where the fire was lastnight. The experience really scared me. I did not know that the fire can stay smouldering without any sign of smoke and break out again after days it was put out.
So, Thanks to Max, we could stop the fire before it spread out or come near the house. We would have a few 'hotdogs' and no house to live in or we would be dead.
Max my hero
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Saturday, December 03, 2005
The dream
A day before hari Raya, I got this message from an old friend who was desperately trying to reach me. She had no choice but to register as a member of rantauan.com in order to reach me. She wanted to keep in touch after such a long time. She gave me her e mail address and I immediately contacted her. I also told her about my blog and after reading my blog, she said that i should continue to write and write about all those travels that I made with her and others.
That brought back all the memories of my younger days gallavanting all around the globe.
I was with her in Istanbul, Turkey in the 1980's and what fun we had getting lost in that city. How excited we were when we saw "macDonald" and we thought we found 'civilization' after we had been having the local fares all week long. We were to be disappointed, for the burgers were not of beef, but of kambing and not to my delicate tastebuds. In Istanbul too we met a fellow malaysian, who was a prominent figure in his field. We met him in the elevator/lift of the hotel were staying, a grand 5* hotel. He assumed that we were Filipinas...then he heard us talking in melayu and he asked us "were u speaking malay?" we said of course. he was surprised that 2 malay girls roaming around istanbul. he insinuated that we were of 'bad' characters riding up and down the elevators in a 'grand hotel". We were mad and when we told him that we were not just girls visiting the hotel, we were staying at the hotel and my dear friend at that time was already a surgeon. I guess that put him in his place. We ignored him after that.
There was another experience in Innsbruck, that got us into stitches. We were so hungry for asian food, and one evening we saw this direction to a chinese restaurant that boast of having laksa penang on its menu. My friend and i were excited, we were prepared for the very 'fake" penang laksa, janji laksa, but we were not prepared for the ambiance of the place. The whole place scared the **** out of us. It was painted in black and red and have those ghostly chinese characters. We ran down the stairs and went have a kebab instead.
well, that's it for now..will cont later
That brought back all the memories of my younger days gallavanting all around the globe.
I was with her in Istanbul, Turkey in the 1980's and what fun we had getting lost in that city. How excited we were when we saw "macDonald" and we thought we found 'civilization' after we had been having the local fares all week long. We were to be disappointed, for the burgers were not of beef, but of kambing and not to my delicate tastebuds. In Istanbul too we met a fellow malaysian, who was a prominent figure in his field. We met him in the elevator/lift of the hotel were staying, a grand 5* hotel. He assumed that we were Filipinas...then he heard us talking in melayu and he asked us "were u speaking malay?" we said of course. he was surprised that 2 malay girls roaming around istanbul. he insinuated that we were of 'bad' characters riding up and down the elevators in a 'grand hotel". We were mad and when we told him that we were not just girls visiting the hotel, we were staying at the hotel and my dear friend at that time was already a surgeon. I guess that put him in his place. We ignored him after that.
There was another experience in Innsbruck, that got us into stitches. We were so hungry for asian food, and one evening we saw this direction to a chinese restaurant that boast of having laksa penang on its menu. My friend and i were excited, we were prepared for the very 'fake" penang laksa, janji laksa, but we were not prepared for the ambiance of the place. The whole place scared the **** out of us. It was painted in black and red and have those ghostly chinese characters. We ran down the stairs and went have a kebab instead.
well, that's it for now..will cont later
Friday, November 18, 2005
Living in the country
I almost forgot that winter is fast approaching and it is time to pick pecan again. You know those delicious pecans that are so expensive in malaysia, but are growing widely in my part of the country. All along the dirt roads in my area there are those big pecan trees which most time are loaded with the nuts (fruits). You can pick as much as you want along the roads or if you have neighbours whose grazing land are dotted with pecan tress (for cattle to rest under), you can go and pick them for free. Usually pecan pies are a must for Thanksgiving and I think I will make a couple of them next week.
Another thing I forgot to do is to pick the ripe pessimon which were staring at me at the intersection of the dirt road to my house. I was planning to pick them and, I don't know how it slipped off my mind. Perhaps I will drive down the road and see if they are still good to pick. I guess Miz King's ( the only black in my area) pears are still on their trees. I have not driven that way for a very long time. Last Fall, she gave me hundreds of them pears, that I had to can them in syrup, otherwise they would have gone bad.
I must be getting old, or time just flies that i could not keep up with the changing of the seasons. Things are done here according to the seasons. You start gardening at the end of winter, you do serious gardening in spring. Summer is the time when all your garden produce is ready to be harvested, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, etc. Tomatoes if you have many of them, they have to be preserved. I usually canned whole tomatoes and make all kind of sauces as well as salsa. I canned green beans too and last year i canned my peaches as well as made them into jams and jellies. Summer too is the time to go and pick all those wild plums which are so good for making jellies. they just grow abundantly along the dirt roads or in someone's grazing field. You just go and pick them. This year i pick some and have turned them into juice and freeze the juice. Out of that juice I made jellies, that some people have tasted them. Summer is also the time to pick them big juicy balckberry from the back part of my property. Summer is a real busy time of the year.
Fall is just nice and relaxing depending if mother nature is kind. This fall so far has been dry and windy and above average temperature. This kind of weather means that they would be brush fires everywhere. We have some around our area, some hundreds of acre of grazing fields and wooded areas were burnt. We have to be very ready, because the fires can spread very fast with the wind is blowing at 30-40 mph. Living in the country we have to be sensitive to the weather and our surroundings. When we see smokes way out, we would call the fire department as well head that way with neccessary tools to help fight the fire. If it is near enough, my husband would take his tractor and i would drive the pick-up truck with a tank of water, just in case we need to use the water before the fire engines arrives. Everyone nearby would do the same. We are very neighbourly, eventhough our houses are miles apart and we do not know each other.
Macam duduk di kampong masa dulu-dulu. Gotong Royong.
Another thing I forgot to do is to pick the ripe pessimon which were staring at me at the intersection of the dirt road to my house. I was planning to pick them and, I don't know how it slipped off my mind. Perhaps I will drive down the road and see if they are still good to pick. I guess Miz King's ( the only black in my area) pears are still on their trees. I have not driven that way for a very long time. Last Fall, she gave me hundreds of them pears, that I had to can them in syrup, otherwise they would have gone bad.
I must be getting old, or time just flies that i could not keep up with the changing of the seasons. Things are done here according to the seasons. You start gardening at the end of winter, you do serious gardening in spring. Summer is the time when all your garden produce is ready to be harvested, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, etc. Tomatoes if you have many of them, they have to be preserved. I usually canned whole tomatoes and make all kind of sauces as well as salsa. I canned green beans too and last year i canned my peaches as well as made them into jams and jellies. Summer too is the time to go and pick all those wild plums which are so good for making jellies. they just grow abundantly along the dirt roads or in someone's grazing field. You just go and pick them. This year i pick some and have turned them into juice and freeze the juice. Out of that juice I made jellies, that some people have tasted them. Summer is also the time to pick them big juicy balckberry from the back part of my property. Summer is a real busy time of the year.
Fall is just nice and relaxing depending if mother nature is kind. This fall so far has been dry and windy and above average temperature. This kind of weather means that they would be brush fires everywhere. We have some around our area, some hundreds of acre of grazing fields and wooded areas were burnt. We have to be very ready, because the fires can spread very fast with the wind is blowing at 30-40 mph. Living in the country we have to be sensitive to the weather and our surroundings. When we see smokes way out, we would call the fire department as well head that way with neccessary tools to help fight the fire. If it is near enough, my husband would take his tractor and i would drive the pick-up truck with a tank of water, just in case we need to use the water before the fire engines arrives. Everyone nearby would do the same. We are very neighbourly, eventhough our houses are miles apart and we do not know each other.
Macam duduk di kampong masa dulu-dulu. Gotong Royong.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
My flock of guinea-fowls
In the early summer, a neighbour brought some baby guineas to us to keep in the incubator with our baby chicks. They were 30 of them. We raise them and the neighbour did not want them anymore because they have some white in their feathers. What do we do with 30 of those critters?. We lost a few, one was accidently killed by Roo, who thought that it was a quail. Roo can catch a quail in the air. When reprimanded and told that the guineas are her birds, she no longer bother with them. One was killed by Max who wanted to play with the baby guinea. He was told that he no longer can play toss and catch with 'his' birds. Nowadays, he only scares them to induce them to fly overhead while he chases them. We lost another 2 to the black garden snake. Then we had about 26 of them with one very sickly and ignored by the rest of the flock.
Guineas are an intelligent birds and they belong to the same family as the peacock family. They make similar sound or noises. They get excited rather easily and make a lot of noise. people say they are good 'guards' as they will shriek at anything they see which is not familair to them. They roam everywhere and they even go out of our 20 acres yard. However, they do come back in the evening to roost in their pen. One day they came back without the sickly one. I went around calling for 'nini..nini'. I was sad because i was sure that 'something' must have got it. There are a lot of predators around too. They would be safe in the yard, but when they roam around the neighbourhood, they are exposed to the elements.
One morning, the new neighbour south of us, came and told us that our 'ninis' have been visiting her yard and her son's yard. She said that she has dogs and her dogs might kill our 'ninis' if they keep going into her yard. My 'ninis' are not scared of our dogs as they are used to them. They even lay down next to Max or Dumdum to sun bathe. However, I suspected, my neighbour's dog must have got the 'sickly' nini that tag along the main group.
I did not realise that my ninis roam far and wide. they visit other neighbours too. They even brought home one afternoon, a very handsome peacock. Since then, the peacock keeps coming into our yard to visit and walk around with my ninis. If the peacock does not turn up in the morning, my ninis will fly over our 10 ft fence to go visit and bring back the peacock.
Oh..I now only have 6 ninis. I sold 8 of them to a friend at $8 each. Another 10 to a farmer down the road. By keeping only 6 of them, I could at least contain them in the yard. However, they still fly over the fence to visit the peacock and bring him home. Such friendship I could never fathom. Probably the peacock is lonely since I have never seen a peahen with him. As long as they know the way home before feeding time, i am ok with their disappearing act.
Guineas are an intelligent birds and they belong to the same family as the peacock family. They make similar sound or noises. They get excited rather easily and make a lot of noise. people say they are good 'guards' as they will shriek at anything they see which is not familair to them. They roam everywhere and they even go out of our 20 acres yard. However, they do come back in the evening to roost in their pen. One day they came back without the sickly one. I went around calling for 'nini..nini'. I was sad because i was sure that 'something' must have got it. There are a lot of predators around too. They would be safe in the yard, but when they roam around the neighbourhood, they are exposed to the elements.
One morning, the new neighbour south of us, came and told us that our 'ninis' have been visiting her yard and her son's yard. She said that she has dogs and her dogs might kill our 'ninis' if they keep going into her yard. My 'ninis' are not scared of our dogs as they are used to them. They even lay down next to Max or Dumdum to sun bathe. However, I suspected, my neighbour's dog must have got the 'sickly' nini that tag along the main group.
I did not realise that my ninis roam far and wide. they visit other neighbours too. They even brought home one afternoon, a very handsome peacock. Since then, the peacock keeps coming into our yard to visit and walk around with my ninis. If the peacock does not turn up in the morning, my ninis will fly over our 10 ft fence to go visit and bring back the peacock.
Oh..I now only have 6 ninis. I sold 8 of them to a friend at $8 each. Another 10 to a farmer down the road. By keeping only 6 of them, I could at least contain them in the yard. However, they still fly over the fence to visit the peacock and bring him home. Such friendship I could never fathom. Probably the peacock is lonely since I have never seen a peahen with him. As long as they know the way home before feeding time, i am ok with their disappearing act.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Max wants to be a film star
Max got excited when he was mentioned in Adiejin production with the Makcik bloggers concert and now he is trying to launch into acting and singing. He has been training hard into singing and he said he could be a back-up singer for makcik bloggers concert anytime. He now can do the woouuu, wouf wouf, auoooo, etc. He is also, polishing his act on the stomping and drum beat. So, anyone there talent scouting?? Max is ready, that is what he says.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Season changes
Everything is pretty if we only see
The world is a poetry
The birds and the bees
The ants, the flowers and the trees
The cloud that drifts, the sky so blue
The world is lovely, because I want it to be.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Beraya with my critters
Everyone I know is preparing for the big day. Hari Raya. I too am preparing to celebrate it with my critters. Of course, there will be Roo, Dumdum and Max to join me in the festivities. I have not got them any new clothes, but since winter is approaching, all the three of them have grown their own winter coats. Roo, has a nice golden color coat for the winter , Dumdum has spunned his silky shiny black coat ready for the winter and of course my puppy Max has his snowy white coat grown almost to his ankle. The chicken have grown their own dark red coats for the raya too. Not to forget the guineas, shrieking happily with their colourful feathers ready to celebrate Raya.
There are alot of critters living in our wooded homestead and it includes the squirrels. I am sure they will join me in welcoming Eid Mubarak.There are many of them since my husband had built many squirrel houses/nests and feeders. We hang the nests on trees and the feeder too. We usually feed them in winter since that time food is scarce for these critters. We would buy alot of nuts and put them in the feeder and hang the corn s on it as well. I love to see them so close.
Yesterday morning while walking with my dogs in the woods, I noticed that there were honeycombs scatterd around under big oak tree along the south fence. I went to check and saw big bees flying around. I guess that some critters of the night must have dug them out. Max and Roo went to check the hole and were chased awy by the bees. Fearing that the bees could be killer bees, I came back and told my husband and asked him r to come and look. We went there later in the evening when the temperature is cooler and sprayed some insect killing dust to chase the bees away. This morning when I walked by the palace there were no more bees hovering around. I hope they have moved. These are the only critters that are not invited to my Raya celebration.
Ayways, to all of you who stop by my blog, selamat hari raya and have fun with your family andfriends.
There are alot of critters living in our wooded homestead and it includes the squirrels. I am sure they will join me in welcoming Eid Mubarak.There are many of them since my husband had built many squirrel houses/nests and feeders. We hang the nests on trees and the feeder too. We usually feed them in winter since that time food is scarce for these critters. We would buy alot of nuts and put them in the feeder and hang the corn s on it as well. I love to see them so close.
Yesterday morning while walking with my dogs in the woods, I noticed that there were honeycombs scatterd around under big oak tree along the south fence. I went to check and saw big bees flying around. I guess that some critters of the night must have dug them out. Max and Roo went to check the hole and were chased awy by the bees. Fearing that the bees could be killer bees, I came back and told my husband and asked him r to come and look. We went there later in the evening when the temperature is cooler and sprayed some insect killing dust to chase the bees away. This morning when I walked by the palace there were no more bees hovering around. I hope they have moved. These are the only critters that are not invited to my Raya celebration.
Ayways, to all of you who stop by my blog, selamat hari raya and have fun with your family andfriends.
Friday, October 14, 2005
What we remember
Most of my life was spent away from 'home'. I was away in a boarding school at a tender age of 12 years. The boarding school I guess that shaped my life. After school, i was in the University, still away from my family and then I did my post graduate, still further away from my family. i came back after all those 'education' and worked still away from my family. Although this time it was nearer, which I could commute, but i chose to live nearer to my work. So, being away especially during Ramadan is nothing new.
I do not remember much about spending Ramadan with my family. The time i remember most during ramadan is when I was young, that is before I turned 12. I remember as a child those days in the rural area, when there was no electricity and nobody had an ice box. My grandfather had this huge ice chest that we filled with block ice bought every evening from the ice vendor. The ice vendor would come in the evening to sell the ice and it was stored in the wooden chest filled with sawdust. I would be one of the early customers, and would always buy a very big chunk of ice. I loved to see my grandfather, cut it into smaller blocks and stored in the ice chest, ready to put into a pitcher of syrup for the berbuka. The ice kept for a day or two in the ice chest. So, we could still drink ice water during sahur.
I also remember the Moreh. Since my house was near to the mosque, we always went out to play galah panjang at the mosque and played tiang seribu in the mosque's hall. My grantfather did not like us to go and play galah panjang in the dark, because he said there would be snakes, but being young and believing that all the jinns, ghosts and ular are all locked up during ramadan, we went out to play anyway. There would also be some enterprising people selling ice kacang, sotong bakar and some rojak near the mosque. I love sotong bakar (sotong katok) with its sauce.
Another thing I remember is that during Ramadan, my grandmother would start cooking by 3 in the evening. There were so many dishes she made. There would be buah melaka, tepung talam, dadih manis, tepung bungkus etc. and ofcourse, there would be lauk pauk. My grandfather would go to Kuala Muda to buy fresh fish every other evening and we would eat real fresh fish and seafood. My grandfather would leave home after work, around 3 in the evening and told the driver to be ready at the same time every day. We kids did follow him sometime, but going to buy fish was no fun, except to ride in the car.
We really did spend a lot during Ramadan. My grandmother would cook huge portions so that she could distribute to her relatives and we did exchange food with neighbours. So, it usually was a huge feast during berbuka puasa.
Kids who did not puasa, would be eating on the 'beranda tengah' ( the varanda enjoining the kitchen and the main house) not together with those who fast. They were not allowed to go and disturb the adults who puasa. Actually I liked to eat on the beranda tengah. We could look out and we could throw the kueh we did not like to the ground. usually the kids would be my 2 sisters and my cousin.
We usually berbuka with kueh mueh first and then off to do the maghrib and after maghrib, only we ate dinner. The dinner can last for quite a while. Then we kids, could not wait to be dismissed and quietly ran off to play galah panjang.
Those were the sweet memorie I have for Ramadan at home. The rest just a blur.
I do not remember much about spending Ramadan with my family. The time i remember most during ramadan is when I was young, that is before I turned 12. I remember as a child those days in the rural area, when there was no electricity and nobody had an ice box. My grandfather had this huge ice chest that we filled with block ice bought every evening from the ice vendor. The ice vendor would come in the evening to sell the ice and it was stored in the wooden chest filled with sawdust. I would be one of the early customers, and would always buy a very big chunk of ice. I loved to see my grandfather, cut it into smaller blocks and stored in the ice chest, ready to put into a pitcher of syrup for the berbuka. The ice kept for a day or two in the ice chest. So, we could still drink ice water during sahur.
I also remember the Moreh. Since my house was near to the mosque, we always went out to play galah panjang at the mosque and played tiang seribu in the mosque's hall. My grantfather did not like us to go and play galah panjang in the dark, because he said there would be snakes, but being young and believing that all the jinns, ghosts and ular are all locked up during ramadan, we went out to play anyway. There would also be some enterprising people selling ice kacang, sotong bakar and some rojak near the mosque. I love sotong bakar (sotong katok) with its sauce.
Another thing I remember is that during Ramadan, my grandmother would start cooking by 3 in the evening. There were so many dishes she made. There would be buah melaka, tepung talam, dadih manis, tepung bungkus etc. and ofcourse, there would be lauk pauk. My grandfather would go to Kuala Muda to buy fresh fish every other evening and we would eat real fresh fish and seafood. My grandfather would leave home after work, around 3 in the evening and told the driver to be ready at the same time every day. We kids did follow him sometime, but going to buy fish was no fun, except to ride in the car.
We really did spend a lot during Ramadan. My grandmother would cook huge portions so that she could distribute to her relatives and we did exchange food with neighbours. So, it usually was a huge feast during berbuka puasa.
Kids who did not puasa, would be eating on the 'beranda tengah' ( the varanda enjoining the kitchen and the main house) not together with those who fast. They were not allowed to go and disturb the adults who puasa. Actually I liked to eat on the beranda tengah. We could look out and we could throw the kueh we did not like to the ground. usually the kids would be my 2 sisters and my cousin.
We usually berbuka with kueh mueh first and then off to do the maghrib and after maghrib, only we ate dinner. The dinner can last for quite a while. Then we kids, could not wait to be dismissed and quietly ran off to play galah panjang.
Those were the sweet memorie I have for Ramadan at home. The rest just a blur.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
My subsistance living in the boonies
Today I made key lime pie for the first time. They said it is difficult to make from scratch, but i did it, it looks ugly, but tastes good. I grow my own key lime in a very big pot. Key lime only grow well in tropical weather and originates from the Florida keys, hence the name key lime. Actually, it is more like our limau nipis, not limau kasturi.
I planted it last year and last winter I brought it into the house and had plant light on all night long. During the day, the pot sit near the window to get the sunlight. I did not think that it will survive, but when spring came, I had it out in the sun and alhamdulillah it made so many fruits/limes. I use it to make sambal belacan and all the chillie padi with kicap for my meals.
Beside the key lime, i also have serai (lemon grass), cili api (bird's chillie pepper), daun kesum, mint, kiwi vines, sharing the arbour Bill made for my grapevines.
I think for a melayu abroad, having cili api as well limau nipis is heaven sent. We can have sambal all the time, air asam, asam pedas etc. I am trying to grow papaya this coming spring. i don't know how long for a papaya tree to bear fruit, if it does not bear fruit by end of summer, I will have papayas in the house. Cool isn't it, can petik in the house.
My late mother said i have very 'hot' hands, hence I could not grow any plant at all. That was when I live in malaysia, when everything is hot there, but now, the plants i grow seem to flourish.
We are trying to be self sufficient, we raise chicken for meat and eggs, we go fishing for fish and from time to time we go hunting for deer. My female dog one time brought home a screaming deer one early morning. We have to slaughter it for it had a broken leg. We however, put the deer on the big grill and let the dogs have a feast for sometime. We actually can eat animals hunted by dogs, butI just could not eat what the dogs brought home.
I do believe that berbudi pada tanah, you can collect the hasil.
I planted it last year and last winter I brought it into the house and had plant light on all night long. During the day, the pot sit near the window to get the sunlight. I did not think that it will survive, but when spring came, I had it out in the sun and alhamdulillah it made so many fruits/limes. I use it to make sambal belacan and all the chillie padi with kicap for my meals.
Beside the key lime, i also have serai (lemon grass), cili api (bird's chillie pepper), daun kesum, mint, kiwi vines, sharing the arbour Bill made for my grapevines.
I think for a melayu abroad, having cili api as well limau nipis is heaven sent. We can have sambal all the time, air asam, asam pedas etc. I am trying to grow papaya this coming spring. i don't know how long for a papaya tree to bear fruit, if it does not bear fruit by end of summer, I will have papayas in the house. Cool isn't it, can petik in the house.
My late mother said i have very 'hot' hands, hence I could not grow any plant at all. That was when I live in malaysia, when everything is hot there, but now, the plants i grow seem to flourish.
We are trying to be self sufficient, we raise chicken for meat and eggs, we go fishing for fish and from time to time we go hunting for deer. My female dog one time brought home a screaming deer one early morning. We have to slaughter it for it had a broken leg. We however, put the deer on the big grill and let the dogs have a feast for sometime. We actually can eat animals hunted by dogs, butI just could not eat what the dogs brought home.
I do believe that berbudi pada tanah, you can collect the hasil.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
My Puppy Max is one year Old today
Max my great Pyrenees puppy has turned one on October 1st. It is hard to believe that he has been with me for almost a year. We adopted him when he was six weeks old, small and cuddly, with blue eyes that say 'love me, love me, love me'. Watching him grow into a huge puppy is something that amazes me. From a puppy of 3 lbs, he is now almost 100 lbs, and stands almost3.5 ft. How'ever, eventhough he is such a huge puppy, he still behaves like a puppy. He will always want to sit on my lap and gets on the hammock with me. He has only learnt to catch tortoises and play with them, but he is an avid learner, he watches Roo dug out and killed armadillos, killed snakes, and rats. He also, participates in hunting rabbits which he never gets one. Sometime, when Roo and Dumdum take pity on him, they would let him play with their catch.
He is a very obedient puppy, walks by my side every morning into the woods. He would from time to time run to chase immaginary critters, but would soon be back by my side. I think when he is mature enough he will be my protector, just like Roo.
happy first birthday Max (Maximillian)
He is a very obedient puppy, walks by my side every morning into the woods. He would from time to time run to chase immaginary critters, but would soon be back by my side. I think when he is mature enough he will be my protector, just like Roo.
happy first birthday Max (Maximillian)
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Thankful
This afternoon while enjoying the nice breeze of the late summer on the hammock under the old oak tree, it occured to me, that it is a beutiful day to be enjoyed and be thankful for. So here the poems that I remembered I read somewhere before, and some I reka-reka.
I am thankful
For colors that flung across the land
In foliage, birds and rainbow span,
In simple things I understand,
For these I am thankful
Another one
The sun was disappearing
When I saw with sheer delight,
A maple tree in all its glory
Caught in pool of lights.
Around the tree were shadows
Caught in twilight's hand
And then the evening settled
With darkness over the land
I am thankful
For colors that flung across the land
In foliage, birds and rainbow span,
In simple things I understand,
For these I am thankful
Another one
The sun was disappearing
When I saw with sheer delight,
A maple tree in all its glory
Caught in pool of lights.
Around the tree were shadows
Caught in twilight's hand
And then the evening settled
With darkness over the land
Thursday, September 08, 2005
What is it with us
When the tsunami hit southeast asia, pat robertson a TV evengalist said that it was God's way of cleansing non-christians. The Muslims especially in malaysia said that It is God's way to punish the people of Aceh (muslims) for not adhering to God's teaching.
Then Hurricane Katrina came, the same, we hear the same things that the Muslims in their websites called it God's army wiping out the unbelievers for their sins including calling New orleans as the sin center of gay community.
These people who never even thought of offering the innocent victims sincere prayers, suddenly became "God's spokeperson". (Zaman kenabian dah tamat). God has not appointed anyone to speak for him since Muhammad saw.
We know God does what he does, so, let it be.
Then Hurricane Katrina came, the same, we hear the same things that the Muslims in their websites called it God's army wiping out the unbelievers for their sins including calling New orleans as the sin center of gay community.
These people who never even thought of offering the innocent victims sincere prayers, suddenly became "God's spokeperson". (Zaman kenabian dah tamat). God has not appointed anyone to speak for him since Muhammad saw.
We know God does what he does, so, let it be.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Jika kita perhatikan
Saya mempunyai banyak masa sejak pencen dan bermastautin di perkampongan di Amerika Syarikat. Ramai di antara kita menganggap cara hidup di Amerika, adalah seperti yg kita lihat di kaca Televisyen. Dalam pemerhatian saya, lebih ramai rakyat Amerika yang hidup dalam kesempitan. Kita sangka bahawa semua orang yang mempunyai kenderaan di Amerika, adalah orang senang. Kebanyakan mereka hidup dalam hutang. Kenderaan ada lah benda yang wajib. Di bandar-bandar besar sahaja mempunyai pengankutan awam, tetapi bagi bandar yang sederhana, tidak ada, apa tah lagi bandar-bandar yang kecil yang penduduknya kurang daripada 10,000. Untuk hidup kebanyakan mereka bekerja dengan gaji minima, terutamanya mereka yang hanya berpendidikan setakat sekolah menengah saja. Motivasi untuk menyambung pendidikan ke tahap yang lebih tinggi sangatlah berkurangan. Lepasan sekolah menengah (high school), di bandar-bandar kecil kebanyakannya tidak tahu membaca dan menulis dengan baik. mereka hanya tahu menulis nama mereka dan nombor sahaja. Tidak suka membaca, sebab tidak boleh membaca dengan baik. Walau bagaimana pun kebanyakan mereka pandai bercakap, yang tidak tahu ekor pangkal. Kadang-kadang, saya merasa kasihan terhadap mereka ini, cakap sahaja berdegar-degar, tetapi semuanya kosong.
Entahlah...
Entahlah...
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Toys: of grown men and boys
People say the difference between men' toys and boys' are the price. How true. Boys and men like the same toys. Cars, heavy and mean vehicles, monster trucks etc. Boys got the thrill of having those you bought them from the stores. Driving them over sand pit or on the floor. But 'real Men" like the real things. Guess my husband is one. Look at my yard, there is the mean D7 Bulldozer, a White backhoe, a Pontoon boat, a tractor, and the smallest one is the ATV. Inside the house there are guns of different capacity, from SKS, a few shotguns, a few handguns, meanest of the handguns is the Magnum. (Some of them I enjoy sharing my husband's collection and some are my very own.)
Computers too are toys for grown men. There are 4 computers in the house of two people and 3 dogs. Wish the dogs know how to operate the computer, so that I can move them computers to their houses. Well, the spare bedroom is full of computers and their paraphernalia.
The 2 garages are full of power tools which I can not even think of naming them or what they are for.
Men, men, men, wish they remain as boys when come to toys.
Computers too are toys for grown men. There are 4 computers in the house of two people and 3 dogs. Wish the dogs know how to operate the computer, so that I can move them computers to their houses. Well, the spare bedroom is full of computers and their paraphernalia.
The 2 garages are full of power tools which I can not even think of naming them or what they are for.
Men, men, men, wish they remain as boys when come to toys.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
It's gone for good
I had my long awaited surgery last week Wednesday 17th of August. It is gone now, that little biddy thing called gall bladder. It took only a few minutes to get it out, (but of course I was not aware of it). The waiting was the painful one. Tests after tests were done, just to confirm that it is the culprit that was making me sick for a long while. Even after it was first confirmed, and a date was set up for the surgery, the surgeon wanted another nuclear medicine test to be done. After those were taken care of, I had to go and have the lab works done. I have my arms poked everywhere to get blood, x-rays, ekg, etc.
Waiting for the day of the surgery was not that bad because I had company from Nashville and that helped kept my mind off from the surgery. Then the day arrived. Packed my things in a small backpack and off we went to get the surgery done. We had to wait for quite a while, though my time was supposed to go under the knife was at 11:30 am, it was'nt until noon I went to sleep under those big lights.
An hour or so later i was in the recovery room with my husband was no where to be seen. I woke up with a little nausea, other wise i was ok. I had to stay in the day ward for another hour or so, before I was allowed to go home. My husband was there waiting. He was arranging to have drugs ordered and be picked up at the pharmacy on the way home.
I was put on the wheel chair and wheeled out to the car and off we went to pick the prescription and home. At home, I looked down on my tummy, and i saw 4 places covered with bandaid, so I guess those were the places that had been cut up.
I slept and woke up having nausea and threw up. I could not eat or drink anything because my throat was very sore. I went to sleep again.
The next day my friend from Nashville and his friend M came to visit me. M cooked me chicken soup and the aroma kept me awake in bed. However, i could not eat that lovely soup because I still could not swallow. I ony drank some of the soup. Thank you M and Mo for coming to see me and cooked me the lovely soup which I ate yesterday.
They stayed overnight and in the morning my husband made waffles (the easiest thing to make) for breakfast. I sat and joined them for breakfast, but i still could not swallow, I ended up eating most of the cantaloupe instead. I hope they did not serik coming to visit me. I am sorry i could not entertain them properly.
oh I forgot to mention, when i was recovering, my husband went and got me a present, a new toy for me, a SHOTGUN.
Alhamdulillah, I am doing fine now. My staples will out on the 24th August.
Waiting for the day of the surgery was not that bad because I had company from Nashville and that helped kept my mind off from the surgery. Then the day arrived. Packed my things in a small backpack and off we went to get the surgery done. We had to wait for quite a while, though my time was supposed to go under the knife was at 11:30 am, it was'nt until noon I went to sleep under those big lights.
An hour or so later i was in the recovery room with my husband was no where to be seen. I woke up with a little nausea, other wise i was ok. I had to stay in the day ward for another hour or so, before I was allowed to go home. My husband was there waiting. He was arranging to have drugs ordered and be picked up at the pharmacy on the way home.
I was put on the wheel chair and wheeled out to the car and off we went to pick the prescription and home. At home, I looked down on my tummy, and i saw 4 places covered with bandaid, so I guess those were the places that had been cut up.
I slept and woke up having nausea and threw up. I could not eat or drink anything because my throat was very sore. I went to sleep again.
The next day my friend from Nashville and his friend M came to visit me. M cooked me chicken soup and the aroma kept me awake in bed. However, i could not eat that lovely soup because I still could not swallow. I ony drank some of the soup. Thank you M and Mo for coming to see me and cooked me the lovely soup which I ate yesterday.
They stayed overnight and in the morning my husband made waffles (the easiest thing to make) for breakfast. I sat and joined them for breakfast, but i still could not swallow, I ended up eating most of the cantaloupe instead. I hope they did not serik coming to visit me. I am sorry i could not entertain them properly.
oh I forgot to mention, when i was recovering, my husband went and got me a present, a new toy for me, a SHOTGUN.
Alhamdulillah, I am doing fine now. My staples will out on the 24th August.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
What I got for being a brave girl
For being good and brave to undergo all the lab tests and the nuclear scanning, my husband bought me a 9mm hand gun. Drool Ayu drool..shoots good and just nicely fit in my hands. I have been target shooting these few days and trying to beat Ayu's accuracy. And I am getting better especially with this little cutie.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
She came and...
She came and before we knew it we were sending her to airport again. Before she even boarded the plane, we were already missing her. We made sure she got through the screening area before we left incase the gun powder residue might got her into trouble.
We hope she had great fun the weekend she had with us. We sure did enjoy her company. Wished she had more time to ride the four wheelers and had some fun riding on wilder terrain. We could have arranged a trip to the river bank where it would be more challenging rides. Wished she could go horse riding too.
I knew my husband enjoyed some intelligent doscussion with her. They discussed Einstien which was beyond my range and all those things about space travel. i guess my husband got carried awy with his love for sciences and science fiction ;).
We hope she would return.
We hope she had great fun the weekend she had with us. We sure did enjoy her company. Wished she had more time to ride the four wheelers and had some fun riding on wilder terrain. We could have arranged a trip to the river bank where it would be more challenging rides. Wished she could go horse riding too.
I knew my husband enjoyed some intelligent doscussion with her. They discussed Einstien which was beyond my range and all those things about space travel. i guess my husband got carried awy with his love for sciences and science fiction ;).
We hope she would return.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
My Guest is coming
That friday evening, Bill and I left for the airport to pick up my first Malaysian guest. There was some delay, and when the plane landed we scanned our eyes for a familiar face (muka melayu). There were many planes landed at the same time and there were so many passangers pouring out of the gate. Bill, kept on saying, there's a short one and skinny one...then nope looks old...and again there's another...nope someone was hugging her, nope... not our guest.Then there she was smiling towards us. I told our guest during one of our YM messages to look for an old matsalleh and an equally old melayu woman waiting for her, she would not be wrong.
Well, we had our guest tucked in our small speedy car and sped off home to the boonies. Bet she never knew how the boonies look like before. we arrived home late and then after a roti canai do, we all went to sleep. My guest slept on the couch.
The next morning we went to town to get our fishing licences. Then my guest had fun riding all the big machines around the yard.
That's all for my day one hehehe
Well, we had our guest tucked in our small speedy car and sped off home to the boonies. Bet she never knew how the boonies look like before. we arrived home late and then after a roti canai do, we all went to sleep. My guest slept on the couch.
The next morning we went to town to get our fishing licences. Then my guest had fun riding all the big machines around the yard.
That's all for my day one hehehe
Monday, July 25, 2005
A Bad Fishing day is better than a good day at work
There is this advertisement on the local radio saying that a good day at work is nothing compared to fishing. Of course, the advertiser was promoting his fishing gear store. However, indeed, fishing is a very good way to relax and catch on your dreams. I used to go fishing with my husband and my dogs during weekend not so long ago, when we still have the old motorhome. We used to load up the motorhome with all our needs for a few days away from home. Of course, when the dogs came along, their food too. The dogs enjoyed the swim in the lake and keep unwanted creatures away from our camp. Bubba used to ride beside the driver and no one could make him move from the spot. Mind you Bubba was not a small dog...a real big mastif Boxer, with an ugly face. He used to get a lot of attention on the road. Those were the days. Later we had 3 big dogs, getting them to agree to get on the motorhome was a chore. Since then the dogs did not go along anymore and we only limit our camping for overnight.
Let's get back to fishing. When my guest came, one of the agenda was to go moonlingt midnight fishing. I usually did not go with the 'crew', but since my guest was going, I too went and got a fishing licence for the weekend.
According to the 'crew' a diehard fishers, the night we went was the worst night they had, since there were so many boats anchored and fishing. Usually They would come home when their 3 or more ice chests (coolers) get full, but that night we had only one ice chest full. Anyways that was more than we can eat.
The ride on the boat was heavenly, the breeze kind of make you want to go to sleep. I was sleepy, since my guest and i did not nap in the afternoon. We spent yakking. We packed some food to take a long in case we get hungry. We also brought along an empty bucket, incase we need to ermmmm like my husband said 'to water the fish' We did not use the bucket though.
When we arrived, our seasoned fishers found that their favourite spot had been taken, but the sonar on the boat showed a lot of fish swimming around under us. We picked a spot and anchored. Then, my husband was fixing our fishing rods with fake worms and each fishing pole has 3 hooks. We began fishing and guess who caught the first fish, my guest!!
Most time according to our seasoned fishers, they caught 3 fish at one time, but that night only one time Lynn's grandson caught 2 at one time.
Well, we went on jigging our fishing lines, with my guest sitting on my left and my husband on my right. They kept bringing in fish after fish and none bit mine! however, when we were getting to leave I caught the last one...a big one too.
Let's get back to fishing. When my guest came, one of the agenda was to go moonlingt midnight fishing. I usually did not go with the 'crew', but since my guest was going, I too went and got a fishing licence for the weekend.
According to the 'crew' a diehard fishers, the night we went was the worst night they had, since there were so many boats anchored and fishing. Usually They would come home when their 3 or more ice chests (coolers) get full, but that night we had only one ice chest full. Anyways that was more than we can eat.
The ride on the boat was heavenly, the breeze kind of make you want to go to sleep. I was sleepy, since my guest and i did not nap in the afternoon. We spent yakking. We packed some food to take a long in case we get hungry. We also brought along an empty bucket, incase we need to ermmmm like my husband said 'to water the fish' We did not use the bucket though.
When we arrived, our seasoned fishers found that their favourite spot had been taken, but the sonar on the boat showed a lot of fish swimming around under us. We picked a spot and anchored. Then, my husband was fixing our fishing rods with fake worms and each fishing pole has 3 hooks. We began fishing and guess who caught the first fish, my guest!!
Most time according to our seasoned fishers, they caught 3 fish at one time, but that night only one time Lynn's grandson caught 2 at one time.
Well, we went on jigging our fishing lines, with my guest sitting on my left and my husband on my right. They kept bringing in fish after fish and none bit mine! however, when we were getting to leave I caught the last one...a big one too.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Sifat, tamak haloba, dengki dan pentingkan diri
Tell me if anyone out there does not have one of the above. I like to read the problems and issues in the Utusan Malaysia column DCCK (Dicelah-celah kehidupan). Most of us have one or the other, but in different degree. I read about single women who are educated and holding good professional carreers yang tak teragak-agak bermadu demi untuk memenuhi permintaan nafsu kehidupan mereka. I sit and think, isn't this one kind of tamak? you want to have it all at the expense of another? Don't they ever think that they are blessed with kesenangan, kemewahan, kebendaan etc. and not thankful to Maha Penyayang? Praise Allah for what they have dan rezeki yang mencurah. Don't they think, that is their rezeki? perhaps itu saja rezeki mereka? Kenapa mesti tamak dan iri hati dengan alasan tidak complete kalau tak bersuami. Enjoy anugerah Allah, dengan apa yang ada and kalau bukan rezeki tu, memang tidak menjadi rezeki.
Just my thought for the day. To get away from the miserable feeling before my surgery :)
Just my thought for the day. To get away from the miserable feeling before my surgery :)
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