Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Road to being happy cont...
One article says one way to be happy is to cook or eat something you liked as a child.
Before I get that food, I must remember what was it that I liked.
What I remember is that my Mum did not keep much food in the house. Both Mum and Dad came from poor background so I guess the habit of not eating much had stayed with them forever. We always have the 3 meals of the day, occasionally some sort of kueh my great grandma would make for tea, that's it. No pantry laden with biscuits, chocolate or cakes. Our snack would be from the 'Bai Roti' who would come by in the evenings. He announces his arrival by a little horn that goes 'pot-pot', 'pot-pot'.
This 'Bai', I think it means, 'brother', this Brother Bread would come on his bicycle carrying a big black 'canister' with a heavy cover on the back, that holds the fluffy white bread. My Mum would buy bread for breakfast the next morning and we would sometimes get 'Roti Kaya', 2 thick slices spread with kaya from a metal container the Bai hooks on the handles of his bicycle. The loaf though, only when bought, would be trimmed of its crust.
The first person who started asking Brother Bread for the crust was Mariam. She would cycle up to him and ask for the crust and soon, we all did. There were 2 sets of children then, the English speaking and the Malay speaking. Mariam is of mixed parentage. English and Malay so when she got the crust for us to nibble on, we Malay medium ones thought it was called 'Keras' (hard), since it was the part of the bread that was hard. It was much later that I realized the 'keras' we so much enjoyed at the playground in the evenings was actually 'crust'.
Anyway, no one could tell the difference then. Certainly not the Brother Bread.
When we were young even crust was delectable, especially shared among friends. But where would I find those crust/keras these days.
Before I get that food, I must remember what was it that I liked.
What I remember is that my Mum did not keep much food in the house. Both Mum and Dad came from poor background so I guess the habit of not eating much had stayed with them forever. We always have the 3 meals of the day, occasionally some sort of kueh my great grandma would make for tea, that's it. No pantry laden with biscuits, chocolate or cakes. Our snack would be from the 'Bai Roti' who would come by in the evenings. He announces his arrival by a little horn that goes 'pot-pot', 'pot-pot'.
This 'Bai', I think it means, 'brother', this Brother Bread would come on his bicycle carrying a big black 'canister' with a heavy cover on the back, that holds the fluffy white bread. My Mum would buy bread for breakfast the next morning and we would sometimes get 'Roti Kaya', 2 thick slices spread with kaya from a metal container the Bai hooks on the handles of his bicycle. The loaf though, only when bought, would be trimmed of its crust.
The first person who started asking Brother Bread for the crust was Mariam. She would cycle up to him and ask for the crust and soon, we all did. There were 2 sets of children then, the English speaking and the Malay speaking. Mariam is of mixed parentage. English and Malay so when she got the crust for us to nibble on, we Malay medium ones thought it was called 'Keras' (hard), since it was the part of the bread that was hard. It was much later that I realized the 'keras' we so much enjoyed at the playground in the evenings was actually 'crust'.
Anyway, no one could tell the difference then. Certainly not the Brother Bread.
When we were young even crust was delectable, especially shared among friends. But where would I find those crust/keras these days.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Road to being happy
Alhamdulillah I still have the ability to be happy. My sorrows and pains have not swallowed that part of my heart. So, this year I thought I would do more of the things that makes me happy or at least, feel good. I googled ' 100 ways to be happy' and got a few pointers. Its does feel like the things to do before you 'leave'. But its actually just another one of my 'bright ideas'.
The article said one of the things that make people happy is to be with positive people.
One positive people is Kak Ros. At the age of 71, she is still spirited and active. She was going on and on about her priced 'kueh bakar' recipe that won her many cooking contests. So I thought, lets materialise this kueh. Lets get it out of Kak Ros's nostalgia and system. She was so happy when, as usual, I was willing to get everything prepared and she gets to do her thing. She said in a serious tone, "Kak Ros turunkan recipe ni kat Izzah. Dulu orang yang turunkan kat Kak Ros kata, kalau kueh ni menjadi, sedekahkan fatihah kat dia." I nodded solemnly, going by the sudden grave mood, and hoped I am worthy of this recipe. feeling quite honoured and apprehensive at the same time. She took out a butterfly brand oven, a rustic simple square black bottomless tin with a door and 2 layers of grill to put your batter. Just plonk this on the gas cooker and there you have it, an oven from your mother's days. making a comeback.
The kueh bakar that requires a few steps and alot of heat monitering had proved itself. It was indeed yummy.
The article said one of the things that make people happy is a picnic. I can do picnic.
Yesterday I decided to take my elderly aunt, Cik Ipah for a picnic. We drove all the way to Taman Botani, Putrajaya, one of the best lakes in the country. At first it was drizzling. I was let down since I was really looking forward for this outing. But I noticed something, each time I bring out an old lady. That Allah always makes it easy for them. What is normally not allowed to do, would be allowed with them.
At first I lost my way, and by the time I reach the park, the rain stopped. There was a garden wedding earlier so I just drove into the cars not allowed garden as if I was one of the wedding people. Took out the wheelchair and pushed Cik Ipah towards the beautiful lake, where the water was glistening in the soft evening sun.
"Buat ape kat sini?", Cik Ipah asked me.
"Jalan-jalan, tengok air."
"Jom la, balik la, dah gelap, dah dekat magrib", my aunt pointed out. It was not really 'dekat magrib'.
So I wheeled her the other way where there were more picturesque landscapes, soothings greeneries in all hues and flowers of various colours in bloom, hoping she would 'chill' a bit.
"Balik sudah la, dah dekat magrib". Now I know why Allah loves this old lady and makes things easy when I take her out. Must be her punctual prayers.
We drove around the little township, hoping she likes the place and its beauty, at least the many type of pattern lamp posts along the roads. The awesome mosque, the Ministries, PM's residence, the architectures.
" Apa nama tempat ni? Ini pertama kali aku datang sini, kalau tak, aku tak jalan mana-mana, duduk rumah di Singapura" she commented, impressed by what she saw.
"Putrajaya."
I guess it took a bit longer for it all to sink in.
98 more ways to being happy.
The article said one of the things that make people happy is to be with positive people.
One positive people is Kak Ros. At the age of 71, she is still spirited and active. She was going on and on about her priced 'kueh bakar' recipe that won her many cooking contests. So I thought, lets materialise this kueh. Lets get it out of Kak Ros's nostalgia and system. She was so happy when, as usual, I was willing to get everything prepared and she gets to do her thing. She said in a serious tone, "Kak Ros turunkan recipe ni kat Izzah. Dulu orang yang turunkan kat Kak Ros kata, kalau kueh ni menjadi, sedekahkan fatihah kat dia." I nodded solemnly, going by the sudden grave mood, and hoped I am worthy of this recipe. feeling quite honoured and apprehensive at the same time. She took out a butterfly brand oven, a rustic simple square black bottomless tin with a door and 2 layers of grill to put your batter. Just plonk this on the gas cooker and there you have it, an oven from your mother's days. making a comeback.
The kueh bakar that requires a few steps and alot of heat monitering had proved itself. It was indeed yummy.
The article said one of the things that make people happy is a picnic. I can do picnic.
Yesterday I decided to take my elderly aunt, Cik Ipah for a picnic. We drove all the way to Taman Botani, Putrajaya, one of the best lakes in the country. At first it was drizzling. I was let down since I was really looking forward for this outing. But I noticed something, each time I bring out an old lady. That Allah always makes it easy for them. What is normally not allowed to do, would be allowed with them.
At first I lost my way, and by the time I reach the park, the rain stopped. There was a garden wedding earlier so I just drove into the cars not allowed garden as if I was one of the wedding people. Took out the wheelchair and pushed Cik Ipah towards the beautiful lake, where the water was glistening in the soft evening sun. "Buat ape kat sini?", Cik Ipah asked me.
"Jalan-jalan, tengok air."
"Jom la, balik la, dah gelap, dah dekat magrib", my aunt pointed out. It was not really 'dekat magrib'.
So I wheeled her the other way where there were more picturesque landscapes, soothings greeneries in all hues and flowers of various colours in bloom, hoping she would 'chill' a bit.
"Balik sudah la, dah dekat magrib". Now I know why Allah loves this old lady and makes things easy when I take her out. Must be her punctual prayers.
We drove around the little township, hoping she likes the place and its beauty, at least the many type of pattern lamp posts along the roads. The awesome mosque, the Ministries, PM's residence, the architectures.
" Apa nama tempat ni? Ini pertama kali aku datang sini, kalau tak, aku tak jalan mana-mana, duduk rumah di Singapura" she commented, impressed by what she saw.
"Putrajaya."
I guess it took a bit longer for it all to sink in.
98 more ways to being happy.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Shushu and Dae Woo
Driving to send Shushu to a mating service had us in mixed feelings. Mimi thought it is best that we just have her castrated but I thought lets give Shushu a more meaningful life. Let her have a mate, offsprings, love, happiness (the cat way). Not being really sure all these things are as important to cats as to humans but I know, cats have feelings, after having taken cared of many along the years.
Mimi said as soon as a cat gives birth, her condition would deteriorate, lost of fur, prone to diseases. I argued that thats how life evolve. Every makhluk Allah would go through this cycle. Actually I too was torn between the two decisions but in the end I chose to give Shushu another go at mating, going back to basics, after Giogio failed and ran away.
I searched for a mating service from mudah.com, called a Hazril and made an appointment, and off we went to send Shushu to her life changing rendezvous.
Being worried and anxious and wretched all at once, I went on explaining to Shushu in the car my intentions of sending her to this place since I know Shushu hates strange places and strange people.
"Shushu jadi good cat ok? Mama hantar Shushu so that Shu boleh kawan2 kucing lain, boleh dapat baby". For these few months without Giogio she would sit on the awnings all day long, looking down, calling for a male cat who would sometimes appear god knows from where, who could not come up to our floor and she cannot go down since the parking space is full of cars, coming and going. Except for the neighbours children mimicking Shushu's mating call, its a lose/lose situation. Then she would curl up in one corner, looking very dejected.
We found the place all the way to Bandar Tun Hussein Onn.. I did not expect it to be an apartment since I imagined a house with many cages and a reproduction lab-like thingy kind of room. But no, its only a smallish 3 room apartment.
Hazril, whom I imagined to be a seasoned owner of cats is actually a sweet young guy with a movie star good looks. He came down to take us to his unit at the 2nd floor. This is not what I imagined a money making mating business to be. This is just a regular guy in a regular home with 3 cats, 2 of it lazing and playing in the living room, and 1 out in the drying area at the back. An orange Dae Woo, the supposed to be 'baby making stud' was well behaved and friendly and not at all the 'female pouncing' type. This is good, if not unbelievable. We left Shushu with heavy hearts but happy to have chosen this place.
The next day we went to look upon Shushu. Hazril said she does not allow anything or anyone near her. Including him. Shushu was so mad with us for leaving her that she snarled at us, not letting us get close too.
I had to be firm this time. "Shu, this is your last chance dapat baby. Kat rumah kita Shu takde kawan. Kalau Shu tak nak baik dengan Dae Woo and Luna, nanti Mama bawak Shu pergi vet". All this tough love, doing all we can for a family member we love dearly. Shushu looked at me with tiny daggers in her eyes, and snarled. I turned to Mimi for reassurance and Mimi said, "she's a cat, Ma, she will adjust."
Yesterday Hazril called and told us Shushu is coming around, and had joined the household.
Alhamdulillah.
I hope this very compatible looking pair of cats would fall in love with each other.
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