How's your Sunday, lovelies? Are you enjoying every bit of it? I do, till NOW!
It was raining, and I was attending my laundry at my store room which is attached to my laundry room. When I entered the store room, I found that a pond of water on the floor! I called up Juma and we found that the water seepage also happen in the laundry room!
Apparently, the water get through the roof. Now, the ceiling is not virgin anymore with few spots of water. And what's my biggest fear is that the water will damage the whole ceiling of the store room and laundry room.
Take a look of the condition in my laundry room and store room currently:
My laundry room. The items on the floor belong the store room. I have to find place for a new home to them while the people work on the problem.
Can you spot the water patch at the ceiling? This is in the laundry room.
Can you see a small hole at the edge of the ceiling, near to the wall?
Because of the hole at the ceiling, I have to remove some of the items to the laundry room, as you can see in the picture earlier. Most of it are magazines and books. Damn! The pail is collect the dropping water.
The contractor who did built the store room and the laundry room just went back. They found that a pipe is broken and a tile roof need to be change. Let's see what happen tomorrow!
Let's talk about house maid again. A little bit background info about my history with maid. I've been staying with maid since I was in primary school, when my parents left to work. I also experience hiring two maids to take care of my children. Here's the list of my bad experience with them:
1. Stealing
My first maid went back to Indonesia with my jewelries! I've hide my jewelries in a place that I assume nobody would ever think of. But she is smarter than me and she found it. I didn't check her luggage when she was leaving my house since I trusted her. At that moment too, she was upset with her lost as her youngest daughter died. But the heartless bitch ran away with my gold bracelets, necklaces and so forth!
My mother's maid stole my parents belonging. How we got to know about it? When we went to her house, we saw the painting that my father drew was hanging on her house's wall, the brother was wearing my father's shirt and many more. Why can't you ask?
2. Abuse
My brother been abused physically and verbally by the maid. I saw it and told my mother. She admitted it and apologized, But again, she did it again and again! Damn her!
3. Neglect the children
I saw with my own eyes that my maid pushed Maleec away when he went near the maid. It's normal for young kids to hold you now and then, but the maid just pushed him away. I was so sad with her behavior towards my son but I didn't say anything. Why? If I say something that she might not like, perhaps she will take the revenge on my kids when I isn't around. Therefore I just keep quiet.
I saw my maid was busy talking on the phone with her boyfriend and hold my 4 months baby with a single hand. At this point, I told her to put down the phone and pay attention to the baby. She gave me unsatisfied look!
Maleec was asking for more food and my maid just walked away from him without attending his need.
4. Busy body
My mother's maid can't wait to bring us to the playground in the evening. Why? That's the place where she met her friends, who were maids as well. They will gossiping about the domestic issues in each house. In the end, everybody in the neighborhood knows what's happening in my house.
My aunt's would eagerly come back from the playground when she heard a bad rumors about neighbor to bitch around with my aunt. I just can't see the point why you have to busy body about people's life. But later, I found the answer: the maid feels it is the only way to connect with their employee. Sad!
My maid will tell me every single detail on what happened in my in-laws' house when I was away at work. Even she ear dropping my father-in-law's conversation with his wife and children. Too much information!
5. Not appropriate attire and behavior
My maid was lying on the floor in the middle of my living hall, with her a skimpy, tiny blouse, exposing her tummy (not so flat!) while my husband was around! Need I say more?
6. Demanding
My maid only wants to wear the same products that I'm using.
My maid was choosy with food and I had to prepare special food to her sometimes as she didn't eat certain food, e.g shrimp, squid! Who's the maid now?
My maid demanded to have holiday on each weekend. Reason: she wants to go to Chow Kit to eat Indonesian cuisine! Halo! You have no holiday until you work for 3 years! And what is so tiring about your work? You don't have to cook. You barely clean up my house. And you have to look after my baby, but most of the time, my mother-in-law was the one looking after him!
7. Lack of capacity
My maid doesn't know how to cook, clean up the house, communicate with the kids; yet she demands for better salary! Wow!
8. Hygiene
My maid always need to be remind to trim her fingernails. She also needs to be remind to wash her hand after she did housework, before attending the kids.
I know some people are lucky to have a good maid. But I had a bad experience with them. I don't think they are fit to handle my children. And I wouldn't take the risk again to hire maid.
Halo again! How's your day today? Productive enough to put into a tight sleep?
I would like to share with you a RECIPE! Do you brownies? I do! I do much. I love anything with chocolate.
On early February, my mother and stepfather organized a thanksgiving feast (kenduri kesyukuran). There is many reasons for the celebration... my parents are able to go for Umrah again, my brothers' wedding, my sister-in-law's pregnancy and my step siblings' wedding. I'll story about the feast in another article, so, stay tune!
Out of blue, I decided to bake brownies as the door gift. In my love, I've baked brownies and it never turned out to be normal. It will be either too soft or too hard. Once, the sugar settled at the bottom of the brownies. But I challenge myself to get the right recipe ASAP and make the door gift.
As now, my faith in Anna Olson is quite high. Therefore I googled the recipe of brownies from Anna Olson and tried. It didn't turn out well! It wasn't soft and it seems it didn't 'get-up'. After looking closely at the ingredient, I realized that I didn't put in baking powder! Silly me!
On the next day, I baked again and at this time, I got it right. So let's try out and let me know whether you like it or not, ok?
Ingredient
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (you can add more as you wish)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs ( I separate the white egg and yolk)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (I use 1 cup wheat flour and 1/4 cup self raising flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
toasted walnuts (or other nuts)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and grease an 8 x 11 inch baking pan.
2. Pour in sugar in a large bowl.
3. Melt butter (over stove or in microwave) and pour into the bowl of sugar. Stir it well.
4. Add in cocoa powder.
5. Lightly beat the white egg and yolk. Add in the white yolk and mix it well. Add in the yolk and mix it well.
6. Add in vanilla extract.
7. In separate bowl, add in flour, salt and baking powder. Mix it well.
8. Add the flour mixture into the mixture.
9. Stir in walnut.
10. Pour into the pan and let it sit for 15 minutes. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until firm when touched.
I didn't snap the picture of the brownies. Will post it once I bake for Juma, perhaps in 4 days time.
I quit my job because I need to take care of my kids. Not that they are sick or need special attention compare to other kids, but because they are my children. Some people suggest me to send my children to the nursery, child care center or hire a nanny to take care of them while I work. Those are brilliant ideas, just that, it doesn't work for me.
When I had Maleec, my first son, I took some times off from work. When he is big enough in my opinion, I went back to work. I left Maleec with my in-laws when I went to work. When I was about to have Aaron, my second son, Juma and I had a discussion and we made decision to hire a maid. Initially, the maid will be taking care of the kids at my in-laws; house when Juma and I are working. We had a maid. She arrived few months earlier before the arrival of Aaron.
She did her work well. But I didn't get along well with her. To me, I hate a nosy people. She is that type. She will talk about what happened in my in-laws' house once she got into my car. I hate to know too details about the domestic issues of my in-laws' family as it will effect my relationship with them (it did!).
Besides, she also knows how to demand. Once, I bought her a shampoo. Instead saying 'thank you', she told me that the shampoo doesn't suit her hair. In my opinion, if she wants to use certain type of product, it is not my responsibility to meet her request. Like it or not, that's what I bought for her use and if she has favorite products, she is welcome to buy it using her own money.
She too seems not so eager to work long time with her due to her problem with her kids back in Indonesia. Happens to be, her ex-husband loves gambling and use all her belonging to gamble. She was afraid that her ex-husband will take her kids and harm them.
When Aaron arrived, she did take care of me and Aaron very well. I praise her on her job while I was in confinement period. She cooked healthy dishes to me, she massaged my whole body and took care of Aaron like her own son.
Unfortunately, her youngest daughter died and she has to return to Indonesia. We gave her 2 weeks break but she didn't return. She went back to Indonesia with my gold jewelries! Since then, I better be more careful!
But again, I have no choice but to find another maid. At this time, I was looking for a younger maid with less responsibilities. And I found one. She is totally opposite of the first maid I had. She never leaves prayers, she wears hijab and she didn't talk much. But, she has a phone and 24 seven she is with her phone. I knew she has a boyfriend and I think everybody has their own right to be in love.
The maid didn't know the limit and most of the was on the phone. Her work quality is poor. She didn't know lots of housework and not willing to learn. Or in short, she is a lazy bug!
I've talked to her, warned her and even scolded her. But no improvement. Her poor hygiene always leaves me in trouble. Just imagine, that hand with long finger nails is the one that feed up my kids. Me, a Malay, use my fingers, instead of spoon and fork, to eat. Maleec been hospitalized once because of the Hepatitis A. In fact, he spent a night in ICU because of that problem. I know who's the culprit: my maid!
Oneday, while I was at work, my mother-in-law called me up and told me that my maid ran away! She left Aaron in the middle of the living room in my in-laws' house and ran away without her belonging! Sayonara my maid! I don't need you anymore and you just make my life lots easier!
Ever since the incident, my mother-in-law refuses to have any maid in her house. Therefore she took care of the kids by herself while me and Juma working. But she isn't feel well. And Juma and I made decision to not sending them to childcare or hiring new maid, but me to leave my job!
I can't be at work, worrying about my kids' at home. Some people install surveillance camera and connect to their phone, to see what's happening in the house. But I rather not to take the risk. I love them so much though they always drive me crazy. I can't think if anything happen to them because of the babysitter or the maid, I could forgive myself. Juma and I are not rich, but what we have is enough for us to live. That's why I can leave my job and take care of the kids.
Look at this video (though I haven't and wouldn't watch it!). I love my kids and I will do everything I can to prevent them to be harm . They are sick people out there and who knows it is your maid!
1. Is watching 'Hitch' and I confirm again and again that Eva Mendes is not beautiful. To me, she looks plain and nothing extraordinary. Her acting was so-so. Nothing wow about her.
2. It;s midnight. But, the sound of fireworks break the silence of the lovely night. Happy New Year to all Chinese!
3. I'm so tired and worn out.
The kids weren't easy today. They were choosy with food. They were naughty as well. I'm so tired.
Aaron is playing with my stepfather's lappie!
Maleec is dancing, like Timmy :)
I think I was hard to handle too, when I was small and young like Aaron and Maleec. My mother and grandmother told me that I was a short temper and pain in the ass.
But of course I was small at that time and I don't mean to give a hard time to my mother and grandmother (or anybody who is taking care of me). If I could turn back time, I wish I could behave at the best, be the easiest child to my parents and make them proud. How I wish I didn't make my parents sad with my actions.
That's what I told myself whenever my kids are not behaving well. I know, when they grow up, they wish they didn't give me a hard time when they were small.
But that is the circle of life. Now, I need to rest.
I'm 31 years old already (yeah! I don't mind to let other people know my age). And I know sometimes I don't sound like 31 years old. But, to the heck with it! One more thing, I still enjoy watching chick flick. Hahaha.
There is so many movies that I want to watch but either I have no time to down or I don't have chance to tell Juma to get the DVDs for me.
One of my brother, Fareez, is home for Chinese New Year break. He told me he downloaded a Malay chick flick movie, 'Istanbul Aku Datang' (Istanbul, I'm Here). From the trailer, it looks appealing to me and it is one of the movie that is in the list that I should look for it and watch it.
Oh my! I just love it! Every second of it. Not even a split second bore me. What i love about that movie:
1. The costume. I love everything on Lisa's body. The top, cardigan, beret, tights, shorts, the colors, the printed, everything!
2. The cinematography. It is well plan. You can feel the tense, the joy, through it. The director has a good visual and it has become reality by his good team.
3. The story line. It was simple, predictable and sweet. The script is not cheesy, just straight to the point. It sounds like the lay man conversation rather than trying to woo the audience with phrase that make us puke sometimes in order to sound more romantic. (I hope you get what I meant!). The script and story line managed to make people who is married (read as me!), want to fall in love again and again with their partner.
4. The actors. Lisa and Beto did a good job, kudos to them! Tomok can do better, but to expect, he is a singer, not an actor. The rest of the supporting actors too, did a wonderful job! A good team indeed. Though it is a small role to Aizat, we could see himself in that movie.
5. The music. Oh my! I loove every song in the movie. Lovely. It suits every scene.
6. The location. After watching the movie, I feel like I want to visit Istanbul. Istanbul is the next Paris then, thanks to this movie!
Congratulations to Bernad Chauly, the director, to the producers and to the actors. Good job and keep it up. Ok, need to go now. The third round of 'Istanbul Aku Datang'.
I've been using the Blackberry phone since Aaron never exist in this world... and it died today!
This post is a story in a story. If you don't understand what I mean, you'll get it sooner or later.
Few hours ago, I dug my phone that was in my bag. The whole day today, I didn't have time to check on my phone. My had a small family and friends gathering today and of course I've been busy helping her. The gathering was held in a hall, so I just tossed the phone in bag and off to the hall. That's explain why I didn't know about the status of my phone.
After dinner, I was wondering why Juma didn't call me today and would like to check whether he had been trying to reach me. Nevertheless, I found that my phone was off. Then, I charged the battery but still no sign from the phone that it is charging. Luckily Farhan was home and I asked him to check on the phone. My mother heard our conversation and told me that Aaron dipped the phone in the tea drink! And that is how my Blackberry phone died!
I was so angry! NO! I'm still angry! Juma bought it as a gift and I hate to spoil any gift from Juma. That is one. Another thing; I'm broke! Damn broke! SO, where am I going to find money to get the replacement? Grr!
Aaron is being super naughty lately. Once he awake from his sleep, he starts to 'work' (read as making mess). Now that I'm staying few days in my mom's, Aaron had been giving her headache. In this morning, while I was half asleep, I heard my mom screamed few times to him. I heard that my mom scolded him that he put my stepfather's shoes on the bed. Later, Aaron took few packed drinks and pour it on the clean clothes. Then, he went to the cabinet and took off the vacuum cleaner. After bored with it, he went to my mom's room and started to suck on the jubah that my mom ironed to wear for the gathering.
In short, he would never stop making mess until he is off to sleep. Grr!!
I love you son, but can you please reduce your naughtiness?
