GOING GREEN

This month, the whole family rallies behind my efforts to improve our environment.

Inas asked me to buy rechargable batteries. So we included that in our grocery list this week. I taught the girls to use fountain pens. Buying two bottles of Quink really took me back to those Quink bottles on my grandfather's writing table. Irani even got her own left-hand pen. Rudi made sure all lights were energy saving. We promised not to buy unnecessdary things, we recycle, reuse, rearrange aggresively. And the house manages to look new without us buying anything except Pledge - have to look into homemade cleaning/polishing agents soon! Martha Stewart's website is my guide.

We got the old digital camera to work, repaired watches and revamped old notebooks and pledged we will not buy unnecessarily. All the cables, chargers and what not were straightened out - again so that we don't have to buy another one when they go 'missing'.The closet under the stairs was converted to a craft and artwork centre - must be the most popular 'room' now! Playtime includes lot of claywork, drawing, cutting and pasting. And kitemaking and flying! NO MORE TOYS! Which is really quite the norm for us. The girls appreciate and love their cousins' barbie dolls and gifts from aunties - stuffed toys like Moo Moo and the likes really last forever. Even Kak Long's grey stuffed fish from her first ever sport's day and knitted pink doll from Mrs Bowling are still around (Mrs Bowling passed away some years back). We started to use soap bars and biodegradable garbage bags earlier this year. And organise cleaning the neighbourhood playground family outings once every six months.

So Inas took out the old camera made new on her bicycle and the younger girls flew kites all afternoon with Rudi.

The passion-fruit is beginning to fruit again, so are the ciku trees and ceri tree for the very first time. As Bik is back tending to the garden, everything seems to be robust and well.

A wonderful weekend.

By the way, Grandfather was all for the environment long before it was the in thing. He made sure water was not trapped in plastic bags - in fact he hated plastic bags. He always said that tisu papers and 'the abhored toilet paper' were sheer waste - towels, rags and water would do just as good a job. Everything lasted forever in his house, he tinkered on it all - the wall clock, his car, his radio, his catch-all dustbin - even the 'periuk nasi tembaga'lasted three generations. Something to think about - those household items that lasted a lifetime.

Of course he used a fountain pen. And a manual typewriter which still exist til today.



Some blogs for thought:

10
Recycling Oddities: The Strangest Things You Never Thought You Could
Recycle - Living Green - Your Life - MSN Lifestyle

The Fright Irani gave me

Irani came home late from school, she had Sukaneka practice.

I was frantic, a nervous wreck and called Rudi a 'million ' times. And when I got to speak to her on the phone, she said...'Mak, everything is fine. I had fun!"

Kak Long, the girl in love, had a good day at tuition but still called to check whether Irani was ok.

Ilena went for tuition and spoke to Inas about tuition as well.

Hmmmm

Hari Raya in Melawati

HIKAYAT TAKES OFF

At Tok Wan's

Irani, Ilena and Ikesha spent a week at Tok Wan's. The result:

Ikesha speaks softly and shows due respect when Tok Wan speaks to her. She sits in the corner when asked to.

Ilena started fasting.

Irani is the young lady of the house and called me on my birthday to wish me.

Note:

Tok Wan is surprised when Ikesha reads her SCHOOL BUS book! Especially her name and the word MAK!

HOME ALONE [28.8.09-31.8.09]

DAY 1
Rudi and the girls are back in Kelantan. Bik has gone back to Indonesia for a good rest - one month long holiday.

And I have three days to do as I please! I am sure by Merdeka, I will be missing the girls and their Daddy tremendously. But at the moment I am just enjoying myself doing the things I love...writing, rearranging the little corner here and the framed photos there, eating chocolates, dates and acar masak for break fast! Yummy!

Talking to Cruikshank as I please. And drinking raspberry tea.

Heavanly.

DAY 2
I love driving to work on Saturdays. The roads are clear and I can blast the radio as loud as I please. Often on Saturdays, I get to go to work on my own because Friday nights are Rudi's night out with the boys.

With current favorite songs - Kiss me on the phone, Towards Zero by Archuleta and Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait - I think about the things I'd like to get going today. As usual, when I can't write, I create a ridiculous sentence which uses all the key words of my checklist. Inspiration abounds when I am in the shower or while I am driving so this technique works best for me. Today's sentence is:

James Dean kindly reminded Marilyn Monroe and Colbie Callait arising from the M&E works, their white skirt and beautiful hair will not be flying in the breeze as usual.

After my SPM exams, my uncle taught me how to race! It was exhilarating and I suppose, dangerous at the time. But when you are 18, you do not think of things like this. Anyway, my escapades on Saturday mornings remind me of those times...of my James Dean moments...black jackets and all.

Then Rick Astley comes on the radio singing - Never Gonna Give Up On you...

DAY 2
Datin V, Arul, Terry, Evelyn and I work hard at a project close to heart. Creativity, hunger pangs and excited discussions potray the best of our Merdeka spirit, collaboration and contribution.

Tonight, I'll have Doritos for break fast!

DAY 2
Slept at Datin's.

DAY 3
Woke up at 6.30am. Drove back to Rawang and tidied up the garden. Almost cried at my ruined white bed-cover until I had a brilliant idea. Turned it into the breakfast corner round table cover [very expensive tablecover]. The texture was perfect. Also dressed up the sofa with the decade old but in perfect condition blue velvet rug. And matched it with my old made new dusty blue cushions.

The living room looked perfect.

Met Terry at the studio and worked on a mini-documentary on International Women of NAM and another in tribute to local past women leaders.

Came home too tired to do anything. Called Rudi and the kids.

DAY 4
HAPPY MERDEKA.

Started writing an article about all the books that made an impact on me throughout my life. Just finished it 10 hours later.

The family will be home later tonight. Worried about Cruikshank. He hasn't been home at all but there is this pregnant cat who looks like Cruickshank, the similarity is uncanny. It can't be, Cruikshank is a guy! And this She-Cruikshank just stares at me.

I must admit, while I missed them, I truly enjoyed myself.

Had dates, dried apricots and boiled eggs with pepper and kicap for breakfast. I can feel myself slimming down. Must do this again.

Water balloons in August

Suddenly Ikesha is a toddler.

As her third birthday looms ahead, she is making her presence felt as only toddlers know how to. No longer content of 'being left behind', I have finally mastered the art of taking five girls out for a day of fun - with a lot of 'don't do that', 'don't talk all at once' and 'don't talk while I am at the junction' provisos..

Ice Age 3 early this month was our movie outing for the month, followed by a visit to Ayah Ngah in Klang, Ilena's birthday saw us (courtesy of Mak Su) leading a giant bubble session by the water-fountain right infront of KLCC. Ikesha decided to start a 'Under the water-jet race' and I - believe it or not - decided to allow it!

And this week, we stayed at home for a water balloon race! Iman and Inas had to be dragged into the game - with the excuse - let's do it for the kids.

Hah! Iman and Inas had the most fun bursting each other's water balloons!

While Ilena and Irani only cared that they have the pink balloons, Ikesha gingerly carried her water balloons to Inas to throw into the final bucket!

No losers for this race - everyone had fun!

Captured Moments

Today, I took the day off to see Ilena at her Wet Wet World funtime at her kindergarten, Balqis.

My, what fun it was. The fire brigade came by and the red engine truck was parked right infront of the kindergarten. Then the fire-officers sprayed the kids - who were in their swimming suits - it was amazing! the kids splashed each other and soon rainbows began to appear all over. Soon the kids played bubbles...I have never seen so much fun at the school.

The fire-officers took a photo with Ilena at the end, Ilena said thank you with her winning smile.

I think over the last year - we have had many moments like this - our recent trip to Pekan and stay at Inderapura, 60 Earth Hour day was fun with candles in the outdoor, the girls trip to Bahrain - even the visit to the airport with Megat and Hanif, painting the living room, Ikesha snapping her fingers and singing Mamma Mia, Irani's visit to the theatre to watch Beauty and The Beast with me, our Night of The Keys...

Thank you God, for all these special moments we share...