Garden Update - February 2015

Sebelum Februari berakhir, saya nak selitkan jugak sedikit update dr kebun kecik saya tu.

Memang tak banyak yg boleh dibanggakan, tapi blog dah merupakan tempat saya mencatatkan aktiviti kebun saya, jadi kena jugak la rekodkan.

Setiap bulan saya berangan that the following month saya akan ke nursery, borong pasu, tanah dan pokok baru banyak dan tambah koleksi tanaman.

Tapi berangan saja la...yg sedia ada pon selalu terabai...huhuhu

Dah nak masuk bulan ke 3 musim panas dan kering. Utk pokok2 yg jenis berbunga, masa ni la pokok tgh galak berbunga especially kalau rajin dibaja dan disiram selalu. Saya tak banyak pokok bunga hiasan, hanya ada satu dua aje. Kalau ada banyak mesti meriah taman.

Salah satu pokok saya yg rajin berbunga di musim panas ni

Weeeheee...pokok cili dah berbuah...the main reason why I wanna make this entry. Tak sure ianya cili merah ke hijau..Mak yang bawak benihnya masa datang Disember tahun lepas

Pokok kari dah semakin pulih dari serangan kulat. 

My one and only pokok kailan...bayangkan ini adalah saki-baki dari pokok pertama yang disemai pada Oktober 2013. Not much left tapi takat buat rencah nasi atau mee goreng boleh la

Oh, saya terpaksa cantas abis pokok kacang botor saya. Kisahnya ada org tu konon2 nak tolong saya kemaskan pokok kacang botor yg menjalar ke sana sini. Tak tau la dia buat cemana, abis sebahagian pokok kacang botor layu kekeringan walaupun disiram hari2. Kecewa punya pasal, saya cantas abis sampai ke tanah. Sedih la jugak sbb lama saya tunggu pokok kacang botor tu berbuah. Bila dah berbuah lebat, jadi macam ni pulak. Takpe la, batangnya masih ada, mungkin nanti boleh subur kembali.

So itu saja utk bulan Februari 2015...daaaaaaa

Cuti2 Cherating/Kemaman - Part 2

Day 2 & 3:

We did not have much plan sbb cik HB sibuk dengan keje dia dari pagi sampai petang. So kids and I spent our time kat hotel aje la. We went for breakfast kat cafe hotel guna the complimentary bfast voucher yg utk 2 org. Isnin dan Selasa no buffet, sbb hotel guests x ramai... cuma serve ala-carte. Kami tak tau portionnya banyak, so kami tambah 2 set breakfast for kids. Tapi mmg tak terlarat makan sampai kena bungkus roti balik bilik...hehehe. Hari esoknya, just me and kids having breakfast, cik HB breaksfast kat tempat keje dia, so sy cuma amik 2 order ala-carte. So takde la membazir.  

We ordered American Breakfast, and it's so sumptuous.  

Lepas breakfast, it's pool time! 2 jam la jugak berjemur kat sini. Day 2 & 3 mmg kami saja la yang guna pool tu masa tu. 

This little girl mmg la sgt excited dpt main pool lama2. Jenuh nak ajak balik bilik.

Lepas pool time, mandi2, lepak2 atas katil tengok movie. Heaven ye korang!

Hari pertama cik HB pi keje, kami tak tau jadual dia cemana, so dia pesan order je la room service for lunch. So I ordered satu carbonara and satu bolognese spaghetti. Portion banyak so cukup la utk kami 4 beranak. Tapi rupa2nya cik HB boleh je keluar lunch time. Esoknya dia balik tengahari dan kami lunch kat luar.

Petang Day 2: lepas cik Hb balik keje, kami jalan kaki pi pantai dekat hotel. Dekat sgt2 pantainya, dalam 100 m je gitu. Tapi pantainya tak la cantik sgt. Area ni famous for surfing and low cost chalets - the reason why pelancong asing/backpackers penuh kat area ni

Hehhh? Nape di angkat pulak kain tu sayang?

Untuk dinner pulak Day 2, kami try makan kat Awang Ikan Bakar yang dikatakan popular utk masakan makanan laut area Cherating ni. Lagipon tak jauh dr hotel kami. Dengar cerita kalau hujung minggu atau cuti awam, Warung Awang Ikan Bakar sesak dengan pelanggan dan tempoh menunggu makanan pon lama tapi sbb kami dtg org pon x ramai sgt, maka kejap je la dpt makanan.

Pilihan makanan laut agak best la jugak, kami amik udang buat bakar, sotong utk goreng tepung, ikan kerapu utk masak tiga rasa dan ketam utk masak cili. Masakannya sedap2 belaka. Harga pon berpatutan.

Day 3 pon sama, mandi kolam, lepak bilik, ptg mandi kolam lagi, malam keluar dinner kat kedai berhampiran.

Day 4: Last day...cik HB pon cuma keje half day. Lepas dah checked out, lunch kat satu kedai tepi jalan then kami pegi Santuari Penyu yg letaknya dekat2 Club Med. 

Tiada bayaran masuk dikenakan tapi digalakkan menghulurkan sumbangan utk dana santuari ni. Tempatnya takde la besar la tapi ada la jugak koleksi penyu besar dan anak2 penyu utk tontonan org ramai. Anak2 penyu ni dijaga disini utk sementera mereka besar yang sesuai utk dilepaskan ke laut. 

Kesian jugak tgk penyu sebesar ni hanya boleh berlegar2 dalam kolam yg kecik

Comel kan anak2 penyu ni?

Lepas Santuari Penyu, kami bergerak ke KB menyambung cuti CNY lagi 4 hari. Sesekali bercuti panjang mcm ni best jugak!

Cuti2 Cherating/Kemaman - Part 1

Last week, before CNY holidays bermula, cik HB ada kerja di Kemaman dan saya and anak2 ikut sekali. Mujur la kali ni senang saya apply cuti, lagipon sebulan sebelumnya lagi saya dah apply awal2...hehehe. So no reason management tak bagi. Ala, 3 ari je pon!

Kembar pulak, kami pontengkan sekolah dua hari tapi dah bgtau cikgu awal2 la. Cikgu pon ok aje sbb by Rabu sekolah dah mula cuti CNY.

Kami pilih utk stay kat Residence Inn Cherating sbb tak jauh dari tempat cik HB kena keje plus baca reviews ramai yang berpuas hati dengan Residence Inn. Oh ye, saya baru found out that book hotel thru online kadang2 boleh jadi lagi mahal dari book direct dengan hotel. Saya sebelum ni mmg suka book online through Agoda dan lain2 sbb konon2 lagi murah. Tapi kali ini sbb nak guna government rate, saya call pihak hotel dan bila ditanya harga lagi murah. Even without government rate pon lagi masih murah dr harga di online (masa tu la).

Kami sampai Residence Inn dalam pukul 2 ptg. Checked-in, makan nasi tapau dan rehat2 dulu. Since dah booked siap2 bilik deluxe with 2 double beds,  sgt memuaskan hati bila tengok keadaan bilik. Dapat ground floor room, ada balkoni mengadap swimming pool (semua bilik pon facing swimming pool..hehehe). Lagipon it was not peak season, so mmg la senang nak dpt bilik yg best. Harga pon berpatutan.

For 3 kids, having 2 double beds dah cukup dah, x perlu dah extra bed. 

Cik HB kata ada TV LCD yg penting, sbb dia angkut gadget mcm2 nak connect kat TV LCD!

Deco is not so much but still the room is cozy enough

Toilet and bath pon ok

Berangan nak lepak kat balkoni malam2 sambil minum kopi, tapi sepanjang 4D/3N x pernah pon...hehehe

Nice view eh?

Lauk tapau yang simple for lunch 1st day

Lepas dah makan, solat dan rehat2, kami keluar jalan2 tgk bandar Kemaman. Ini first time saya dtg sini. A friend suggested kami try makan sata kat satu warung yang dikatakan popular kat Kuala Kemaman. Thanks to Waze, senang je jumpa warung ni

Warung Aziz Satar namanya tapi takde kena mengena 

pon dengan Allahyarham Aziz Satar, pelakon veteran tu

Kat sini ada macam2 - sata, otak2, pais2. But honestly speaking, bukan selera kami la. Saya lebih sukakan otak2 Melaka. 

Bagi yg suka pais, kat sini ada mcm2 pais - ikan, sotong, kerang, mcm2 la

Yang ini ketupat goreng

Balik dari Kemaman, si abah and anak2 test swimming pool. Terasa mcm hotel tu private hotel kami, sbb sunyi sepi takde orang! Cuak jugak bila waktu malam sgt la sunyi sepi...hehehe

Saya? Saya malas nak keluar, lagi best lepak atas katil, tgk TV dan perati je diorg dari atas katil....hehehe

Malam tu kami tak kemana2 except pi makan kat gerai berdekatan hotel. Residence Inn ni terletak kat area yang ada banyak chalet dan resorts dan jadi tumpuan pelancong asing yg suka surfing kat pantai Cherating. For me it's a good decision amik hotel ni sbb kalau malas nak pi makan jauh2, banyak je kedai makan within walking distance. Errrr..tp kami x jalan kaki pon...hehehe

Bersambung......

Exercise V.S Housechores

My previous usual routines when I came house from work would be tending the never-ending house chores business.

Normally I arrive home around 5.30 to 6pm. It would start from the moment I park the car, I would sweep the porch and water the plants. Then bring in the many bags to the house. Then to the fridge and take out ingredients to cook for dinner. Then to the laundry area at the back and bring in the dried clothes, or hanging the washed clothes which left in the morning to be washed by the washing machine, or put in the next batch of dirty laundry into the washing machine to be washed.

Then perform Asar prayer. Then into the kitchen and start preparing dinner. By 7 or 7.30pm, it's dinner time and afterwards perform Maghrib prayer, recite Al-Quran and then perform Isyak prayer. And after Isyak, the next task would be dish-washing and cleaning the kitchen, then fold the dried clothes and if there's a new batch of laundry done with washing, then of course it needs to be hung. 

By 10pm, I am already exhausted but still need to read books to Insyirah.

Now having exercise to be included in daily schedule, I cook dinner meals in the morning and try to have the kitchen cleaned up also in the morning.

Back from home, first thing to do is toperform Asar prayer (yes, you should put priority to perform prayers first!!! above anything else!), then do the exercise. Just ignore the long list of house chores to do. Otherwise, I won't have time to do it later on the day and chances are I'm not going to do it all.

Believe me, it takes all the struggles to make me exercise!!!

I need to remind myself, house chores would never end. Kids would be making mess, they need to be fed, clothed, entertained, yada..yada...continuously.

But I need to love myself too. I need to embed in my head that exercise is part of loving myself and by taking care me, I would be able to take care others.

So make time for exercise just as you make time for other things. It doesn't matter if you don't cook 5-star menu for dinner, or your house is not in perfect order all the time. 

Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat: Ulama& Pemimpin Yang Tiada Gantinya

Perginya seorang ikon hebat, seorang ulama dan pemimpin yang tiada galang-gantinya. Seorang yang sgt sederhana, sgt tawadduk, sepanjang hayatnya dihabiskan untuk memperjuangkan agama. Walau pernah menjadi Menteri Besar Kelantan selama 23 tahun, dia tetap memilih utk hidup sederhana, tanpa rumah besar dan mewah, juga protokol ketat utk rakyat berjumpa dengan dia.

Saya tak pandai menilai politik. Selalunya mual rasanya bila membaca tentang politik. Tapi untuk Tuan Guru Nik Aziz, kekaguman saya adalah kerana cara hidupnya yang sederhana. Sedih bila memikirkan masih ramai yg mencaci dan menghina dia, yang kata mereka, dia hidup zuhud tu lakonan semata, padahal mengumpul harta sebanyak2nya secara diam2. In my personal view, berapa lama seseorang tu boleh berlakon? Takkan mampu berlakon sepanjang hayatnya 84 tahun? 

I believe he was what he was.....dia mungkin bukan manusia yang maksum, bersih tanpa sebarang dosa tapi dia adalah hamba Allah yang saya percaya ikhlas dalam perjuangannya...yang memang mengharapkan hanya syurga Allah menjadi ganjarannya. Bukan kesenangan dan kemewahan kehidupan dunia.

Semoga Allah ampunkan dosa2nya dan merahmatinya, serta dikurniakan ganjaran yang tinggi atas kebaikan yang telah dilakukan.

Al-fatihah.

Route To Fitness: Pilates + Yoga Exercise Video

Dear blog,

Motivators say in order for you to achieve your goal, you have to keep talking about it.

So this what I am doing now, I would like to keep myself reminded that I am in the process of losing weight and being fit. And I have to be serious and committed. 

I've been not been doing my walking exercise for 2 weeks now. Again, my commitments to my family making it difficult for me to come home late in the evening. Cik HB is busy with his work and somebody has to fetch the kids from school/babysitter on time. 

BUT good news is...I am still doing exercise. Yeay!!

I am now doing yoga+pilates from Youtube exercise video. It's a 42 minutes-video and easy to follow. Previously I did pilates based on another video but I became bored with it eventually. I guess I always have to change to another video when I am bored with the current one.

I've started since Wednesday last week and been doing every day until yesterday, except for Sunday. I really have to force myself doing it, if not I would end up skipping it and back to square one. Plus, it isn't easy doing it with kids around. Distractions always there!

So this is the video I am currently using now.

Belon Sabun di Taman Tasik Proton City

Balik Tg. Malim minggu lepas, kami sempat bawak anak2/anak2 sedara pegi Taman Tasik Proton City. Dah lama tak kesini, sbb every time balik Tg. Malim banyak sgt hal campur malas nak dtg sini. Tempat ni sebenarnya cantik dan aman damai. Sebab terletak di Proton City yang tak berapa nak maju tapi view sgt indah berlatar belakangkan banjaran Titiwangsa. Pelik jugak juga kenapa pekan Tg. Malim dan Proton City tak maju2 walaupun Proton City dah lebih 10 tahun dibuka. 

Proton City ni kalau ikut areanya mmg sangat besar tapi malangnya penduduk tak berapa nak ada. Maybe ramai yg bekerja ngan Proton or UPSI memilih utk tinggal di Lembah Kelang memandangkan jarak KL-Tg. Malim tak jauh mana. Sebab nak duduk kat pekan Tg. Malim mmg tak meriah la, nak beli barang2 pon tak banyak choice.

Berbalik kepada Taman Tasik Proton City, alhamdulilah ada la jugak taman utk org2 Tg. Malim berekreasi. Kat sini ada beberapa biji banglo yang cantik rekabentuknya, sayangnya dah terbiar kosong. Tak tahu la samada harganya terlalu mahal atau pun pemilik asal dah berpindah. Dulu2 macam ada nampak penghuni. 

Anyway, sampai2 kat sini, kami tgk ramai org main belon sabun. So kami terus approach org yg jual belon sabun tu. Satu bekas sabun dia jual RM2, yg gelung belon dia kasi pinjam percuma saja. Kebetulan masa tu ada 4 btg, dia pon kata boleh la guna empat2 tu (kami ada 5 kanak2 masa tu).

Cantik kan view kat sini? I really like the idea main belon sabun atas rumput instead atas pasir. Kat Melaka ada tempat gak main belon sabun tapi kat Pantai Klebang. Tapi main belon sabun kat pasir pantai sgt la merimaskan. Nanti sure pasir melekat2!

Kat sini main layang2 pon best sbb angin kuat

Berebut2 nak celup sabun

Insyirah sgt excited. Tempat wajib berkunjung lepas ni kalau balik Tg. Malim

9 Things To Say To Yourself When You Fall Off The Bandwagon

Looking for weight loss motivation?

I AM.

Here are some quotes copied from Prevention.com

We all make mistakes, especially when it comes to staying healthy. But whether you missed a week (or more) of workouts or totally blew your diet, all it takes to get back on track is a little motivation, says fitness expert Chris Freytag. That's why she surrounds herself with inspirational thoughts—they cover her office walls, her bathroom mirror, and even her T-shirts. "When I read them, they help me channel positive thoughts and energy," she says. "I just love the reminder to keep thinking positive!" 

"Being defeated is only a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." –Marilyn vos Savant

You meant to just grab a cup of coffee on your way to work this morning, but that scone lookedso good. When you give into a craving, you might be tempted to toss the entire day's eating plan out the window, but don't throw in the towel just yet. You have plenty of opportunities to get back on track—it's not too late to make today a success.

"Strive for progress, not perfection."

So you pushed snooze one too many times this morning (check out why you're tired all the time) and had to skip your workout. While you probably feel like kicking yourself, remember that everything doesn't depend on this one workout. Tomorrow is another chance to reach your goal. And when you look back in a few months and see how far you've come, you're not even going to remember that one time you didn’t make it to the gym. We promise.

"Fall down 7 times, get up 8. Don't give up!"

We've talked to thousands of women about their weight loss journeys, and 9 times out of 10, it wasn't their first (or second, or third…) time around. If you tried eating clean and just couldn't stick with it, or if that new gym routine really doesn't fit with your busy schedule, don't sweat it. You can always try again—this time might be when things really click.

"Yes, you can! The road may be bumpy, but stay committed to the process."

You've been following your workout routine for weeks when suddenly, you throw your back out (again). Unfortunately, injuries are just part of life. But just because you might not be able to work out for a few days doesn't mean you need to turn into a couch potato. Go for an easy walk, and then take the time you would have spent at the gym and use it to cook yourself a nutritious meal. A healthy lifestyle is made up of a bunch of little things, so don't give up when one area hits a roadblock.

"Optimist: Someone who figured out that taking a step backward after taking a step forward isn't a disaster, it's more like a cha-cha."

The number on the scale might go up and down every other day, but that's OK—this journey's about living a healthier, happier life, not just about fitting into a certain dress size. We've all got to deal with setbacks, whether it's missing a workout when we're sick or having to grab something from the vending machine when there's no time for lunch. Keep your eyes on your long-term goals. 

"The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow."

So you planned on squeezing in a workout during lunch, but you just got handed a major assignment and won't be able to leave your desk. Yes, it's frustrating, but there's nothing you can do about life's little surprises. Instead of worrying about the things you can't change, focus on what you can. Maybe that means getting up 30 minutes earlier tomorrow morning to hit the gym, or making do with a 10-minute walk. Either way, don't let one little hurdle stand in your way.

"It's how you handle the mistakes that creates your success."

You stuck with your healthy eating plan all day—that is, until you came home after work and couldn't help but inhale a block of cheese while you made dinner. Instead of beating yourself up, look at this as a chance for improvement: Now that you know when you're most likely to give in to cravings, be prepared. Bring a healthy snack for the drive home, like these portable snacks packed with protein, so you don't hit the house starving.

"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach." –Tony Robbins

The commitment to being healthier is completely up to you, but that doesn't mean you can control every little thing along the way. Sure, you can eat clean when you're in charge of the menu—but what about when you visit your in-laws, who don't eat anything that isn't straight from a package? Instead of freaking out because you won't be able to follow your diet, commit to getting back on track tomorrow, and remind yourself that cheesy potatoes are not worth a panic attack.

"If you stumble, make it part of the dance."

So you've decided to try your hand at the Paleo diet—but a few days in, you realize that there's just no way you can give up your coffee creamer. Instead of scrapping the entire plan, look at the big picture: If that one tiny concession will help make the rest of the diet work for you, then go for it! Figure out what works best for you and your body, and then stick with it. 

Abah's 71th Birthday

Alhamdulilah, ayahanda tersayang  menyambut harijadinya yang ke 71 minggu lepas.

Baru2 ni kami agak risau sbb Abah secara tiba2 pening kepala dan nak pitam. In general, Abah dikira agak baik kesihatannya walaupun ada darah tinggi dan kencing manis. Setakat ini Abah belum pernah la lagi dimasukkan ke hospital disebabkan penyakitnya tu. But at his age, kena la amik extra precaution. Mujur la masa tu adik lelaki saya ada balik ke kampung so dia la bawak Abah ke klinik. Doktor kata tekanan darah Abah was 200/90! Tinggi betul!

Tapi doktor kata tak perlu la masuk wad, cuma perlu makan ubat on time dan berehat. Kami rasa sbb Abah banyak sangat keluar bermotosikal tambah pulak cuaca panas skrg maybe tu la sbbnya tekanan darah tinggi. Alhamdulilah, lepas tu Abah banyak berehat kat rumah dan atas usaha sorang lagi adik, dipasangnya air-cond dirumah Mak Abah utk keselesaan diorg berdua, maka Abah nampaknya semakin sihat.

Sempena birthday Abah, kami balik beramai2 nak celebrate birthday dia. Walaupun 2 anak x dpt balik, 7 org campur keluarga masing2 pon dah cukup meriah. Kami buat BBQ kat rumah kakak sulung. 

Abah's happy face celebrating birthday with his children and grandchildren. I read that old folks mmg seronok bila dikelilingi oleh anak cucu mereka, so kepada mereka yang masih ada ibu-bapa rajin2 la menjenguk mereka sementara mereka masih ada. Gembirakan hati mereka mengikut kemampuan kita seadanya. Inilah kami adik-beradik cuba ingat selalu dan mengingatkan satu sama lain.

Canggih tak cara kami ber-BBQ? Tak yah guna kipas tangan, guna kipas angin terus :)

Antara menu yang disajikan...

Seafood aglio-olio spaghetti

Garden salad

Serius je muka Mak Abah :)

Didoakan semoga Mak Abah dipanjangkan umur, dimurahkan rezeki, 

sihat sejahtera dan dirahmati Allah sentiasa. 

Mcm2 aksi cucu2 Opah dan Atuk dan si bongsu tu :)