Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Take Her Words

November 11, 2009 by Enida

My Kitreena.Things were not  going so well with  Be’s health that the doctor wanted him to check himself in at the medical center Sunday night. And since food was the last thing (or maybe the second last thing) on his mind, Be left before dinner time. So me Monchies and me had a quiet dinner just the three of us. No, it wasn’t a quiet dinner. It was a silent dinner.

 

It was Kitreena who finally said, “Mom, I am glad you are home. It is really good to have you back. I really missed you. It’s not the same when you were not here. Thank you for coming home, Mom.”

 

She is a sweetheart when it comes to saying the right things, ya know. And I am not saying this because she is my sweetheart. I guarantee that I can get some back-up votes here if I pull a few strings. But this gal almost always knows what to say. And what she just said went straight to my heart as I saw tears in the corners of her eyes.

 

Peace of mind of mine.“I will always come home, Monch! Don’t you ever worry about it. I am your Mom.” And of course I had to take an advantage by rubbing it in with, “You should thank God you still have a Mom and I am here, you know. You’re lucky. I don’t have a Mom anymore.”

 

Kitreena suddenly sat up and gave me quite a stern look, “Don’t say that, Mom! You always have a Mom. She’s just not here because she has to be in heaven.”

 

A silent dinner went on to be a silent night. We left it at that, as I believed what I just heard were words sent from someone who had to be in heaven.

 

 

Posted in Monchies | Tagged | 2 Comments »

Bra Vo

November 10, 2009 by Enida

Growth on me chesty?There’s  always  something  new to  learn  everyday. And today I learned about how to wash bras safely. Mind me, peeps, for talking about something (you might find) private. I am actually surprised to see that my blog is a pretty popular finding for those who Google words like tetek and kemban. It must have been from my earlier post on penyangkut tetek – the term for bra that KaCher and I used when we were kids.

 

And today, I did not just learn something new about bras, but also about my hardworking helper, Esmeralda Coloma. I had always wondered why she kept my bra hooks done when storing them in the drawers. I just realized that she actually keeps the hooks done even before putting them in the wash. And, of course, that keeps other laundry pieces safe from being ‘hooked’ by the bra hooks. Duh, Enida!

 

While it may not sound like a smart discovery on my part, I do think of Emy as a very thoughtful person. I mean, really… how many of our helpers really do care about our clothes down to that little bit? Unless of course you are lucky to have good thoughtful kindhearted helpers like Bibik, Emy and Joy like I am (and have been).

 

I am also thankful and proud of myself that I am a person capable of learning new things pridelessly. Brava Enida, Brava!

 

 

A little lesson in Italian in case you’re wondering why I am using Brava and not the common Bravo.

Una piccola lezione in Italiano per noi:

Bravo = for male (singular)
Bravi = for male (plural)
Brava = for female (singular)
Brave = for female (plural) – pronounced as [bra-vei]
Bra = for females only (optional for males with tetek)

 

 

Posted in Write On | Tagged | 1 Comment »

Tough Cookie

November 9, 2009 by Enida

Karas bah ako!Yeah, tough cookie.
That’s what I thought I was… going on me T-scooter alongside Kitreena on her bike to school this morning with my hood off in 2.7°C. Until I came home with two tough, almost frozen ears. Burrrrr!

 

But then, as soon as I got into the garage, I was sweating like a newly baked garlic loaf in a Ziploc double-zipper bag. Though I did not smell garlicky, and instead smelled like Ralph Lauren’s Always Yours, (chewah!) I sure felt like jumping into the shower again.

 

It is cool, wet and gloomy out there.
But I’ve got sunshine tucked away in my oversized CAT luggage bag that I have not unpacked. Scroll down to see my hot stuff…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't cha wish your sunshine was hot like mine?

Posted in Pokrovsky Boulevard | 3 Comments »

Nama Mana

November 5, 2009 by Enida

Kalau saya tiba-tiba terasa seperti hendak menukar nama sebab sudah bosan dengan nama Enida ini… apa agaknya pendapat saudara-saudari sekalian? Adakah saudara-saudari akan terkejut? Seperti terkejutnya saya apabila seorang kawan menukar nama beliau dari Latifah kepada Nur Adlina, dan seorang lagi rakan, Raja Faisal kepada Rafael. Atau adakah saudara-saudari akan mencebik bibir kepada saya seraya berkata di dalam hati… “Pesseng dio doh!”

.

Sebenarnya, memang sejak azali lagi saya tidak berapa selesa dengan nama pertama saya yang berbunyi agak kejantanan. Pendek kata di zaman persekolahan dulu memang ada seorang rakan yang namanya sipi-sipi dengan nama saya. Saya Roslaimi, dia Roszaimi. Seorang Sarjan di Kor Perkidmatan Taiping yang bertugas dengan bapa saya pula bernama Roslaini. Mujurlah saya ada nama tengah ENIDA itu. Tidak perlu saya menyelak kain menunjukkan saya ini seorang perawan perempuan. (Dulu lah!)

.

Ramai juga yang bertanya kenapa saya sudah tidak lagi menggunakan nama komersil “Intan” seperti sewaktu di universiti, nama yang sinonim dengan personaliti La Femme De Jogette saya dulu. Itulah nama yang diberikan oleh bapa saudara saya dari Kelantan yang sebenarnya memanggil saya begitu semasa saya masih bayi kerana warna kulit saya yang agak ke-India-an seperti bapa saya. “Itei-itei si tapok manggeh, biyaa itei Pok Ngoh pande manih. Toksoh dok tiyok. Auung chak!”

.

Baby EnidaNama ‘Intan’ itu, selain tidak didaftarkan di dalam sijil kelahiran saya, sudah lama saya khaskan kepada keluarga dan sahabat-sahabat terdekat yang mengenali saya sejak zaman saya berhingus hijau muda dahulu. Dan jika saudara-saudari memanggil saya ‘Intan’, saya tetap menyahut dan tersenyum. Jika Sultan Perak yang memanggil, saya pastilah menjawab, “Ampun tuanku beribu-ribu lemon ampun. Sembah patik harap di ampun. Patik di sini, Tuanku.” Jika Pok Ngoh Soh yang memanggil ‘Itei’, cepat-cepat saya menjawab, “Yo Pok Ngoh, aghi gelaak itei pekaak ni tok napok ko?”

.

Walaubagaimanapun, jikalau saya bertukar nama dalam masa terdekat nanti, janganlah saudara-saudari sekalian terperanjat mendapat ‘Friend’s Request’ di Facebook, ya? Walaupun saya belum lagi membuat keputusan nama manakah yang terbaik untuk saya tukarkan kepada, nama pertama yang datang ke fikiran saya di senja nan merah dari kamar ini setelah lama termenung di jendela ialah… tidak lain, tidak bukan: Noorkumalasari.

.

.

.

.

Nota kaki:
Petang ni takdi Itei lalu dekak ghumoh Pok Ngoh. Memei gelaak ah dale ghumoh itei pekaak takdo oghei. Itei tingak ngak ko Pok Ngoh. Lamo do’oh doh tok dengaa Pok Ngoh laung ko namo Itei. Winduu ke Pok Ngoh owh.

Posted in Facebook, Language | Tagged , | 4 Comments »

Do It, Woman!

November 5, 2009 by Enida

I just went to darat. Darat is the local term for our tiny towncenter (and that is if you call a place with a population of 500 people a ‘town’). I was there with Edrick to get him a haircut. And he got the best haircut I have ever seen in almost 4 years… all for RM4.00 (that is equivalent to CAD$1.20, Neil)!

 

Now, will I kick, scream, swear, spit and spank when it’s time to get Edrick’s next haircut in Moscow that I know will cost me RM120.00? I suppose the question is not will I, but should I?

 

Duit to me bebeh! Ahah ahah!

 

 

Glossary for Neil:
duit = money
pronounced as [do-it] in Bahasa Malaysia

 

Posted in Service | Tagged | 4 Comments »

Do It, Men!

November 4, 2009 by Enida

To men out there who are man enough to read this, excuse my frankness. When it comes to money, there are two kinds you fall into. One: those who do have money and arrogantly flaunt it. Two: those who do not have money and shamelessly flaunt it. And both kinds are the pathetic kinds. The rest of you men… you don’t fall into any kind. And you are safe from my frankness – for now.

 

I mean, really! We all know that you can’t be having money all the time. When you do, and lots of it, that’s great. Good for you! But do you really have to unnecessarily show it, blogging about it, posting a scanned copy of receipts of your purchase as though the whole world has to know that your feet alone are wrapped in a pair of RM2557.65 worth shoes. Do you?

 

But man! That is still not as bad as announcing it to the world that you are broke. So broke that you could almost sell the Fung Keong canvas shoes your kindhearted Aunty Anne George bought you after your STP exam. And that is only so that you could buy a pack of GardeniaIn his back pocket! corn bun? Eeesssyyy walang hiya! That, I am so lah not sorry at all to say, patheticity at its worst! And then you’re complaining your girlfriend left you for a bloke who works at Burger King and drives a secondhand Citroen he paid RM14k for in cash!

 

Much of the pain is… indeed, self-chosen. But as painful as being broke can be, have some pride, will ya?

 

Still, a respectable man is not one who has the most or the least money. He is the one who respects his money and treats it like it is his secret lover. Go figure!

 

 

Posted in Sense, Write On | Tagged , | 6 Comments »

Retro Speck

November 2, 2009 by Enida

Wajah kesayangan hamba? Kah kah kah!I don’t usually write about strangers.  In fact, this entry isn’t about a stranger. I would like to dedicate this post to Irwan, my newly accepted ‘friend’ on Facebook. No, I don’t know him yet. He did not introduce himself in his Friend’s Request to me. And from this profile picture of himself, I swear I have never had a friend this retro. I pray to God hope this is just his ‘Untuk Hiasan Sahaja‘ kind of photo.

 

I don’t, let me assure you, usually accept any Friend’s Request from someone who does not have any mutual friend with me. I even wrote a note to a few people, asking if I had met them before, or if we had been introduced to each other before. True to the meaning of a friend, a stranger remains a stranger, ya know.

 

But in this case, because Irwan is a friend of a very very good friend of mine… I thought, Irwan would not and should not turn out to be DJ Dave or any Hi-One I would not really want to know. I also figured out using my own logic, that for Irwan to put such a hideous mysterious photo on his Facebook profile, he must be one of the two: i. He is extremely good-looking, ii. He is extremely mysterious. And both are good. Hehehehehe. You are free to interpret my “Hehehehehe” in your own way. No mystery here.

 

Uh, did you know that DJ Dave’s other name is Irwan Shah?

 

 

Posted in Write On | Tagged | 4 Comments »

Répondez S’il Vous Plaît

October 30, 2009 by Enida

Thank you ever so much to all dear  families and friends for the Répondez S’il Vous Plaît (RSVP) to my Potluck Project tomorrow. Obviously there will not be any frodos, foie gras or foes attending. Fans? Muahahaha who am I kidding? Sejak bila lah pulak ada orang nak jadik my kipas.

 

Those who are not able to come due to pre-planned activities, residing 1622km away from Kuala Lumpur, across the Tebrau Straits, Melaka Straits and New Straits Times and also 4100 meters above the sea level, or those who have lent their GPS or Navi Map to someone and cannot find Jalan Duta, and those who just cannot make it because they are on diet and food is the last thing on their mind… uh, no worries. I am organizing another Potluck Project on June 26th, 2010 at the same venue. Coming meh?

🙂

 

Nice potluck photo is from Juliatyz. Many thanks Juliaty.

 

Posted in Makan-Makan | 2 Comments »

Pot-of-Luck

October 27, 2009 by Enida

Calling everyone, come in everyone!
To all families, friends, fans, foes, frodos and foie gras… please be invited to my:

 

Potluck & Makan2 Project

on Saturday

31 October 2009

at 3:00PM

at My Mesra Place on Jalan Duta

I would truly appreciate an RSVP by 6:00PM this Friday so the security will be informed of your vehicle registration number. The mobile you can call or text is:                     +6019XXX4316                  You will receive a reply with a full address and driving directions if you need it. I can also email you a map if you ask me nicely. 🙂

No, you will not get the spare keys to my house if you call me tonight. Nor will you get tickets for 2 adults to Moscow, Vladivostok or Cha’ah. The only Cabutan Bertuah I am organizing for early RSVPs would be Cabut-uban Bertuah, thank you very much.

What to bring for the project?

  • Any of your specialties.
  • Anything you feel like making that day or the night before.
  • Anything your fridge has.
  • Anything your heart, your stomach or your throat desires.
  • Anything your budget allows.
  • Anything you want to show off.
  • Anything you can grab at the bakery, Mamak or 7Eleven on the way to my place.
  • Anything you can force your maid, your mom, your sister, your wife, your neighbor’s wife, your husband, your husband’s other wife/wives or yourself to make.
  • Anything at all.

But… only if it is delicious, please. If it’s not delicious, I’ll make you tapau it home with you. Berani tengok!

This Potluck Makan2 Project is mainly for me to say “Hi & Bye” (and mostly “Thank You”) to all who have loved and supported me through my rocky paths since… 2008, uh maybe even ten years before that. I might have lost count of the years, but I have never lost count of your thoughts and acts of kindness. So, do come over and gossip get together with me, Edrick and the special people in my life.

Here…

  Mesra Terrace view from the Bath House.

Of course you can also leave your RSVP in your comment here on this blog if you so mind spending 20sen calling or 5sen texting. Heeeeeessshh! Low cake! 🙂 Nah, just kidding. You can RSVP here if you are on my Facebook.

Posted in Makan-Makan | 1 Comment »

Sore Sorry

October 22, 2009 by Enida

Let’s admit it. The English language does not teach us the best expression to give or say when hearing bad news such as deaths, divorces, injuries, accidents, and yeah please feel free to lengthen the list. SORRY is probably the most versatile one-size-fits-all word that most people use and over-use much more often than we should. Really.

I don’t blame you when you said, “Sorry to hear about your Mom’s passing, Enida.” In fact, I would’ve said the same thing to you. Or to Enida. I have said the same thing to many friends on their Mom’s, Dad’s, sibling’s, cat’s, and iguana’s passing. The thing is, I have a bigger expression problem. How do I react to that “Sorry”?

Do I say:

  • “Ah, it’s okay.”
  • “Thank you.”
  • “Don’t be sorry.”

Or do I keep on doing what I have been doing. Joking about the expression:

  • “Sorry? What are you sorry for? Did you do anything I shouldn’t know?”
  • “Aaah that’s okay. There was nothing you could’ve done to save her anyway.”
  • “Don’t be sorry. Of all the people, I should be sorry. I was there and I didn’t do anything.”

Oh yeah, I am harsh. Kasar bunyinya, isn’t it? But I mean, really… I kinda know how to react to condolences. I say thank you. But when people say sorry to hear that my Mom has passed away, the two languages I speak have failed me of appropriate and meaningful responses.

First of all, if your Mom passes away… I don’t think ‘sorry’ is how I really feel. I am probably able to feel your sorrow because I am now feeling it.  Since my Mom returned to her beloved Creator 15 days ago, I think I can relate very well. Unfortunately, “Sorry” – sorry to say – is not sorrow.

I am known, therefore, to have said it all by hugs, or the touch of my hand, and the “Awwww…” expression on my face. I believe these actions would say it better than any words. Sorry included.

Secondly, I wouldn’t say sorry just because that’s what our father did, and his father before him, and his father’s father before him did. Can’t we evolve the language’s forms and functions a little bit here? Hello, the year is 2009! Does sorry seem to be the hardest word still?

When I am not there to hug, touch and make faces, I am known to plagiarize quote sayings in greeting cards for condolences. Worse comes to worst wordwise, I would just say, “God knows best, luv.”  I am also known to usually say nothing at all. People can think I don’t care that their Moms, Dads, siblings, cats and iguanas have passed on. But I am better off saying nothing than saying sore sorries that I don’t mean or don’t know the meaning of, am I not?

Now now, don’t you go berkecil hati with me turning your face away now thinking that I am judging you by what you said! You meant well when you said, “I am sorry to hear about your Mom’s passing, Enida.” I know you. I know you well.

Of all that I am sorry for, I am sorry that our language is not equipped with, and thus, does not let us say how we truly feel. It’s not your fault that English is not a perfect language. You didn’t invent it. Neither did you invent Bahasa Malaysia. No, you’re not that great old.

I know you are not sorry that my Mom is in a better place. I’m not. I am only sorry that she won’t get to see me turning 60 and counting my black hairs. Yes, I am going to be a Flat White by the time I’m 40. A latte gal that I am. I am only sorry that Mom won’t be there to see my first farmhouse on the Prairie land just like the one she used to see on the Little House on The Prairie show. I was her brown Melissa Gilbert back then.

I know you’re not sorry that my Mom is closer to God in heaven now and watching over me with a smile. Kitreena is ever so envious that Grandma now has wings and has been granted her wishes to fly. I am only sorry that I would have no ‘reference point’ to get back at my daughter. 🙂 Mom used to tell Kitreena stories about me when I was Kitreena’s age. My stories have ended at six and a half. Mom took the stories with her. Along with many many many other stories.

That… I am sorry for.

Bay-watching and be watched by an angel with wings.

Posted in Mom, Sense | 2 Comments »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »