Saturday, March 17, 2012
Oops!
Hari ini saya tukar tong gas yang habis semalam.Nasib baik ada yang menjual di kampung.Kalau di pekan harga dia rm28.50 dan saya ingat kalau di sini paling-paling pun dorang minta rm30.00.Saya minta hantar la konon tong gas ni dan saya terus bagi rm30.00 tanpa bertanya lagi berapa harga yang sebenar.(si penjual saya jumpa masa pergi sembahyang tadi pagi)Masa dia datang menghantar saya pun tanya cukup ka tidak rm30.00.Dia jawab ada lagi rm1.00 tapi 'maan id kaagu'la..pengertian saya pada masa itu ada seringgit lagi tapi nanti dia kasi balik saya baki dia.So dengan confidentnya saya konon ni menjawab,bairla baitu,kena hantar juga.C penjual senyum saja tapi tidak cakap apa-apa lagi.Masa mau masuk di rumah sudah baru saya dapat tangkap maksudnya.Nasib baik dia belum beredar,baru mau masuk di kereta.Saya pun cepat-cepat pula pigi tanya balik...rm31.00 ka harga tu tong gas?Dia bilang ya,tapi nanti pun boleh ba.."tunggu-tunggu,ada juga rm1.00 sini"..malunya saya..nasib ada duit syiling dekat tv,ngam-ngam 2 keping 50 sen..saya berlari balik pigi kejar bagi tu duit..saya malu sudah tu tapi saya cuma cakap sama dia,"biar la tu seringgit,kana hantar juga kano kaka daa om saya negi berhutang".."inggaa toomod be rih" dia bilang dii gia.Oops!malunya..keep the change konon padahal tidak cukup bikin bayar..nasib baik c Anggut relax saja..moral of the story..jangan buat andaian sendiri..
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Day 4....
5.45am - Nikali bangun agak lewat.Kami akan pulang rumah niari tapi bukan pada awal pagi.Kami pigi ladang lagi.Nasib baik tidak payah bawa bekal nasi,air saja.Sup nangka semalam pun masih ada jadi nasi saja yang dimasak.Pakaian kerja pun tidak dibasuh lagi,sumbat saja dalam beg plastik nanti sampai rumah baru masuk mesin basuh.
6.30am - Kami bersarapan pagi.Siap sarapan saya kemas sedia barang-barang saya supaya bila balik nanti tidak ada apa-apa yang tertinggal.
7.30 - Jalan pigi ladang.Kali ini agak awal kami jalan,matahari pun belum naik tinggi sangat.Nikali abang ipar ikut bawa chainsaw jadi agak mudah sedikit la kerja-kerja kami.Tinggal mau angkat kayu-kayu yang sudah dipotong-potong.
11.30 - Kami balik ke rumah.Nasi pagi-pagi sudah dimasak dan sup nangka masih ada jadi itulah makan tengahari kami.Sup nangka sudah 3 kali dipanaskan.Siap makan kami kemas semua sebab nikali kami akan pulang rumah.
1.00pm - Kami pigi mandi di sungai sebelum balik.Biarpun matahari terik air sungai tetap sejuk maklumlah dari gunung,tidak tahan berendam lama-lama.
3.05pm - Kami berangkat balik rumah.Selamat tinggal Nalumad,lain kali saya tetap akan datang berkunjung kembali.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day 3....
5.00am..Saya tebangun.Perut rasa tidak selesa.Oh no,mau buang air besar laini.Pagi ini cuaca tidak seterang kemarin sebab bulan diliputi awan.Bintang-bintang pun main sembunyi-sembunyi.Nasib ada torch light,itu pun mau guna kalau terpaksa saja sebab tiada tempat mau charge battery.Saya tidak dapat menahan lagi lalu saya beranikan diri pergi ke sungai.I grabbed the torch light and I went to the river.I'm sorry fishes but I've to give you an early morning snack.Apa boleh buat.Memang saya agak seram juga turun ke sungai tapi nasib ada anjing jiran datang bertandang.Macam mengerti pula dia bila saya minta dia menemani saya ke sungai.And while I was in the river dia duduk di atas batu di tebing menunggu.Thank you Dog.
Pagi ini awal sikit kami siap sebab kain sudah dibasuh semalam.Kami jalan ke ladang sekitar 8.00am.Seperti sebelumnya kami buat kerja menyusun dan membakar kayu lagi.Kali ini perut rasa tidak enak saja.Terpaksa buat makeshift toilet di belukar.Nasib ada toilet paper saya simpan dalam beg handphone.
11.30am lunchbreak kami niari.Masih awal tetapi badan agak lemah sebab selalu ke semak belukar mengeluarkan isi perut.Kami dua-dua kena tu,saya sama kakak saya.Mertua kakak saya entah macamana tu,dia kena ka tidak.Saya segan pula menanya.tapi dia pun balik awal.Jam 3pm dia sudah balik rumah.
5.30pm - kami balik rumah.Saya benar-benar terasa sudah kepenatan.Macam mau menangis saya bila teringat semua yang harus dilakukan bila sampai rumah.Nikali kami masak sup nangka.Nasib bapa mertua kakak saya sudah buka sedia kulit tu nangka masa kami sampai.Tinggal mau potong-potong lagi.
7.00pm- siap masak sudah.Kami tidak masak nasi sebab nasi lebihan pagi-pagi masih banyak.Seperti biasa mentua kakak saya makan duluan.Dan seperti biasa saya tidak makan malam.Bila kakak saya pigi makan baru dia sedar nasi sudah basi.Kesian mentua dia makan nasi basi.Mungkin mengutuk lagi mentua dia tu.Kakak saya tidak jadi ambil nasi,dia makan sup nangka saja.
8.00pm-kami masuk tidur tapi susah pula mau tidur abis jiran sebelah minum-minum sambil menyanyi.Bising betul.
11.00pm-abang ipar sampai dari kampung.Dia sampai saja terus pigi tidur tapi malangnya kuat betul dia bedengkur.Saya tidak lagi dapat tidur.Mungkin sekitar jam 3 atau 4 baru saya terlelap sekejap.Rasa penat badan tidak hilang.I really,really missed my own bed.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Day 2..
5.00 am -Di luar terang sebab ada bulan sabit.Cuaca sejuk dan nyaman.Teringin untuk merenungi keindahan alam di awal pagi tetapi bapa mertua kakak saya sudah bising-bising di tempat tidurnya.My sister said itu la cara dia untuk menyuruh bangun dan masak supaya dapat bersarapan awal.Kalau diikutkan perasaan memang saya belum mau berganjak tapi oleh sebab tujuan ke sana adalah untuk bekerja dan bukan untuk bersuka-suka terpaksalah juga meninggalkan tempat tidur dan membawa pelita minyak tanah untuk turun ke dapur.
Kami masak di sana pun menggunakan kayu api.Saya teringat zaman kanak-kanak saya.Early morning mau menyediakan api di dapur kayu untuk memasak.Mula-mula masak air dulu.Lepas tu masak nasi.Nasib kami berdua,boleh juga bagi-bagi tugasan.5.30 am bapa mertua kakak turun dan saya nampak dia terus ke sungai.To do his morning chores dia bilang kakak saya.6.30am kami sudah siap masak.Bapa mertua kakak kami suru makan dulu sebab dia biasa makan awal lagipun dia kena makan ubat-ubatan dia.Kami pula baru la membasuh pakaian kemarin sebab tidak sempat membasuh semasa mandi semalam.
7.00am kami sarapan tapi saya tidak dapat makan nasi sebegitu awal lalu saya minum kopi saja sama makan biskut kering.Kakak saya hairan sudah kenapa saya tidak saja mau makan.Semalam tidak dan pagi-pagi pun tidak.Saya begitu la kalau penat,saya tidak rasa lapar lagi.Apalagi kalau saya minum banyak air.Lagi satu tujuan saya untuk tidak makan banyak kali ialah supaya tidak payah membuang air besar.Tandas tidak lengkap jadi agak susah kalau mau membuang air besar.
9.00am baru siap semua yang perlu dilakukan di rumah.Memasak,membasuh,menyediakan bekal untuk makan tengahari,mengemas rumah.Baru jalan pigi ladang.Matahari pun sudah tinggi,panas mau jalan.Naik bukit lagi.Adduuh,I pity those biggest loser participants..
9.30am baru sampai di ladang.Naik bukit saja tu kalau mau sampai di sana.Mula la kerja kami mengumpul potongan kayu untuk di bakar.Mana-mana yang tidak dapat diangkat atau susah mau di susun kami potong-potong lagi.Matahari pun panas terik.Penatnya kehidupan....
1.00pm kami rehat untuk lunch.Duduk di bawah pokok mangga saja,nasib tidak hujan.
2.00pm kami mula balik mengumpul kayu dan membakar.Bertambah-tambah lagi la panas sebab kena matahari dan bahang api.Masa saya terasa sangat penat dan kalau boleh mau teriak-teriak sudah saya menangis sebab sudah la penat panas lagi saya pujuk diri saya sendiri and I look around me,towards the mountain and the hills beyond.Ke arah Banjaran Crocker,sejuk mata memandang.Take a deep breath then mula lagi.
6.00pm kami balik.Sampai rumah baru mula balik buat semua kerja rumah.Gelap,bosan.Saya tidak juga makan malam .Nikali saya pigi mandi di sungai.Agak takut-takut juga saya sebab mau gelap sudah tapi saya kasi berani saja.I look around me and there's no one and I actually considered skinny dipping but my courage left me in the last moment so I bathe in my shorts and bra.Quite revealing juga tapi nasib sudah agak gelap.
Tidur awal.Nasib nikali saya dapat lelap sudah sekejap-sekejap.
Kami masak di sana pun menggunakan kayu api.Saya teringat zaman kanak-kanak saya.Early morning mau menyediakan api di dapur kayu untuk memasak.Mula-mula masak air dulu.Lepas tu masak nasi.Nasib kami berdua,boleh juga bagi-bagi tugasan.5.30 am bapa mertua kakak turun dan saya nampak dia terus ke sungai.To do his morning chores dia bilang kakak saya.6.30am kami sudah siap masak.Bapa mertua kakak kami suru makan dulu sebab dia biasa makan awal lagipun dia kena makan ubat-ubatan dia.Kami pula baru la membasuh pakaian kemarin sebab tidak sempat membasuh semasa mandi semalam.
7.00am kami sarapan tapi saya tidak dapat makan nasi sebegitu awal lalu saya minum kopi saja sama makan biskut kering.Kakak saya hairan sudah kenapa saya tidak saja mau makan.Semalam tidak dan pagi-pagi pun tidak.Saya begitu la kalau penat,saya tidak rasa lapar lagi.Apalagi kalau saya minum banyak air.Lagi satu tujuan saya untuk tidak makan banyak kali ialah supaya tidak payah membuang air besar.Tandas tidak lengkap jadi agak susah kalau mau membuang air besar.
9.00am baru siap semua yang perlu dilakukan di rumah.Memasak,membasuh,menyediakan bekal untuk makan tengahari,mengemas rumah.Baru jalan pigi ladang.Matahari pun sudah tinggi,panas mau jalan.Naik bukit lagi.Adduuh,I pity those biggest loser participants..
9.30am baru sampai di ladang.Naik bukit saja tu kalau mau sampai di sana.Mula la kerja kami mengumpul potongan kayu untuk di bakar.Mana-mana yang tidak dapat diangkat atau susah mau di susun kami potong-potong lagi.Matahari pun panas terik.Penatnya kehidupan....
1.00pm kami rehat untuk lunch.Duduk di bawah pokok mangga saja,nasib tidak hujan.
2.00pm kami mula balik mengumpul kayu dan membakar.Bertambah-tambah lagi la panas sebab kena matahari dan bahang api.Masa saya terasa sangat penat dan kalau boleh mau teriak-teriak sudah saya menangis sebab sudah la penat panas lagi saya pujuk diri saya sendiri and I look around me,towards the mountain and the hills beyond.Ke arah Banjaran Crocker,sejuk mata memandang.Take a deep breath then mula lagi.
6.00pm kami balik.Sampai rumah baru mula balik buat semua kerja rumah.Gelap,bosan.Saya tidak juga makan malam .Nikali saya pigi mandi di sungai.Agak takut-takut juga saya sebab mau gelap sudah tapi saya kasi berani saja.I look around me and there's no one and I actually considered skinny dipping but my courage left me in the last moment so I bathe in my shorts and bra.Quite revealing juga tapi nasib sudah agak gelap.
Tidur awal.Nasib nikali saya dapat lelap sudah sekejap-sekejap.
A trip to Nalumad...
When my elder sister suggested that we go to Nalumad to help her son to clear the plot for planting kelapa sawit,I readily agreed.I thought that it is mindahu macam biasa saja,pergi pagi,balik petang.Tapi dia bilang mau tidur sana,tidak sempat kalau pergi balik pada hari yang sama.Jadi saya bawa la persalinan pakaian sama selimut.Peralatan mandi,berus gigi sama sunblock cream.Handphone saya bawa juga abis dorang bilang di sana ada juga line maxis.Saya tidak pula bawa charger abis macamana mau charge kalau tiada bekalan letrik di rumah.Kami naik lori tu pigi sana tapi nasib baik duduk depan.Kami bersesak-sesak saja 4 orang termasuk pemandu.Sudah la semua kami ni agak tebal2 juga punya jenis badan.Tapi kalau kami tidak buat begitu alamat ada la yang duduk di belakang lori dan makan habuk selama 1.5 jam perjalanan.Jalanraya under construction,jadi penuh habuk.Lori pun bukan yang kecil-kecil,yang lori angkat pasir punya,yang belakang boleh kasi tumpah.
Day 1...
10am - mulakan perjalanan.
12<> sampai di Nalumad.Sampai-sampai saja kami menyapu dan mengemas sebab rumah agak kotor maklumlah tiada penghuni tetap.Siap mengemas kami lunch break.Jam 3.30 petang baru kami pigi ke ladang.Sebelum tu sempat lagi kami pigi sana sungai tingu-tingu ikan.Banyak ikan di sana sebab sungai kana 'tagal' jadi ikan dia pun hidup bebas tanpa ada manusia yang datang menangkap.Tagal cuma dibuka sekali dalam 1 tahun.Ada juga saya nampak ikan agak besar,mau setengah meter juga panjang dia.
6.30pm - kami balik dari ladang.Mau mula gelap sudah.Sampai rumah baru masak balik untuk makan malam tapi saya tidak rasa lapar lagi so I skipped dinner.Gelap betul saya rasa sebab tiada lampu terang.Pakai pelita minyak saja.
Nasib baik abang ipar kasi tinggal torch light untuk saya kalau tidak susah saya mau pigi mandi.
9.00 malam - tidur dan rehat tapi malangnya saya tidak dapat melelapkan mata walau sepicing pun sampai esok pagi.Saya rasa sungguh penat dan sakit-sakit badan.My elder sister and her father in law had no trouble sleeping tapi entah kenapa saya tidak dapat tidur.
Day 1...
10am - mulakan perjalanan.
12<> sampai di Nalumad.Sampai-sampai saja kami menyapu dan mengemas sebab rumah agak kotor maklumlah tiada penghuni tetap.Siap mengemas kami lunch break.Jam 3.30 petang baru kami pigi ke ladang.Sebelum tu sempat lagi kami pigi sana sungai tingu-tingu ikan.Banyak ikan di sana sebab sungai kana 'tagal' jadi ikan dia pun hidup bebas tanpa ada manusia yang datang menangkap.Tagal cuma dibuka sekali dalam 1 tahun.Ada juga saya nampak ikan agak besar,mau setengah meter juga panjang dia.
6.30pm - kami balik dari ladang.Mau mula gelap sudah.Sampai rumah baru masak balik untuk makan malam tapi saya tidak rasa lapar lagi so I skipped dinner.Gelap betul saya rasa sebab tiada lampu terang.Pakai pelita minyak saja.
Nasib baik abang ipar kasi tinggal torch light untuk saya kalau tidak susah saya mau pigi mandi.
9.00 malam - tidur dan rehat tapi malangnya saya tidak dapat melelapkan mata walau sepicing pun sampai esok pagi.Saya rasa sungguh penat dan sakit-sakit badan.My elder sister and her father in law had no trouble sleeping tapi entah kenapa saya tidak dapat tidur.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Crime fashion...
I was at BSN the other day and I saw this woman .She was in her late 50's or early 60's but the way she was dressed,oh dear.I didn't know if I should laugh or cry.I know it's not a crime and she can dress however she like but personally,the way she was dressed is a disgrace to womenfolk.
Her hair was of medium length,streaked with gray which she left hanging on her back.She could have done better if she took time to comb it and secure it with a rubber band.Her top was a form fitting once-white sleeveless blouse,and she had on a white knee-length leggings with boxers underneath.(Yeah,boxers,you got it right).To top it all,she had 'adiddas kampung' shoes with loose socks,which she wore the wrong side out on one foot.Oh please,why didn't she just wore flip-flops like the average kampung folks?
I'd rather just wear a simple sarung and a t-shirt and flip-flops than trying to be fashionable and becoming a laughingstock.Oh,and she's sane,maybe just quite daring or she couldn't care less.
Her hair was of medium length,streaked with gray which she left hanging on her back.She could have done better if she took time to comb it and secure it with a rubber band.Her top was a form fitting once-white sleeveless blouse,and she had on a white knee-length leggings with boxers underneath.(Yeah,boxers,you got it right).To top it all,she had 'adiddas kampung' shoes with loose socks,which she wore the wrong side out on one foot.Oh please,why didn't she just wore flip-flops like the average kampung folks?
I'd rather just wear a simple sarung and a t-shirt and flip-flops than trying to be fashionable and becoming a laughingstock.Oh,and she's sane,maybe just quite daring or she couldn't care less.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
All in a days work...
Mengurus surat perjanjian anak yang berada di Maktab sepanjang hari ini.Penjamin pertama,penjamin kedua dan saksi lagi.Pagi:9.45am-ke rumah kediaman penjamin pertama.There are 5 forms for them to fill in and put their signature on so I know it'll take quite some time to fill in all that.When I reached their house my niece was just starting to cook for their lunch.Cooking for lunch at 9.45?Sure,because she and her son will be off to school at 11.00am.I took over whatever she was doing just then because I couldn't just ask for her to fill and sign those forms for my daughter and do nothing in return,can I?She had to bathe her baby too!(But I just took over the cooking,not bathing the baby though.)
2.00pm - ke rumah penjamin kedua. Around this time penjamin kedua is usually home from school because he teaches in the morning session.So I went there and waited for him to come home but what I didn't know is that he will be at school all day long because it's sukan time at their school.His mum was unable to call him because he left his cell at home.So his mum and I had a long visit.It's only at 6.30 pm when he reached home.So I've been at their home for more than 4 hours.Luckily his mum and I had much to talk about .
Didn't have time to go to find the saksi though.It will have to wait until tomorrow evening when he come home from work.Saksi: Definitely the Ketua Kampung,who else?
2.00pm - ke rumah penjamin kedua. Around this time penjamin kedua is usually home from school because he teaches in the morning session.So I went there and waited for him to come home but what I didn't know is that he will be at school all day long because it's sukan time at their school.His mum was unable to call him because he left his cell at home.So his mum and I had a long visit.It's only at 6.30 pm when he reached home.So I've been at their home for more than 4 hours.Luckily his mum and I had much to talk about .
Didn't have time to go to find the saksi though.It will have to wait until tomorrow evening when he come home from work.Saksi: Definitely the Ketua Kampung,who else?
Monday, July 4, 2011
Life is too short...
I suddenly feel like blogging again.Maybe it's because I'm alone at home,
again.And yes,I'm not a shop assistant anymore.
Actually there's much to be done but like the procrastinator that I am,those works don't need immediate attention so here I am.
The day before yesterday I went to a wake.A young man who was the same age as my eldest took his own life.His family said that he drank about 300ml of pesticide,a Decis,one of the most potent.They brought him to the hospital on the same day but he died anyway.
It made me wonder why would someone took their own life?What problem is so great that it cannot be solved?It's a good thing that he was still single.
Maybe if he was a man with faith,no matter what religion,he would not have been so desperate.Even if he could not have confided to any living souls for whatever was ailing him,to God he could have confessed and he would have been given a way to ease his burden.The day he was buried was his 29th birthday.
again.And yes,I'm not a shop assistant anymore.
Actually there's much to be done but like the procrastinator that I am,those works don't need immediate attention so here I am.
The day before yesterday I went to a wake.A young man who was the same age as my eldest took his own life.His family said that he drank about 300ml of pesticide,a Decis,one of the most potent.They brought him to the hospital on the same day but he died anyway.
It made me wonder why would someone took their own life?What problem is so great that it cannot be solved?It's a good thing that he was still single.
Maybe if he was a man with faith,no matter what religion,he would not have been so desperate.Even if he could not have confided to any living souls for whatever was ailing him,to God he could have confessed and he would have been given a way to ease his burden.The day he was buried was his 29th birthday.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Today my job is to do overall sweeping.I have done the toughest part of the cleaning and when I look back dusts have settled all over again.I have to dust and vacuum and sweep all over again.The curtains will have to wait until my daughters got home.
What really makes me mad is the water.It choose today to play hide.I went down just now and there was no water.I really hope that somebody will volunteer to do the 'seeking' job.I would if I could.
Next task,find any available big container to store rain water.If the tap water continue to hide,then I will have to store rain water for washing since there's no other source available.
What really makes me mad is the water.It choose today to play hide.I went down just now and there was no water.I really hope that somebody will volunteer to do the 'seeking' job.I would if I could.
Next task,find any available big container to store rain water.If the tap water continue to hide,then I will have to store rain water for washing since there's no other source available.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Cleaning ...
Yesterday I wished for an extra pair of hands and it was granted.Thanks to my nephew,Kipung,for helping me to mow the lawn.Downstairs rooms - done.Today I'm going to tackle the kitchen windows and cabinet.The curtains are soaking in the washing machine now and then next load will be the table cloth and the dish clothes.I really hope that the water won't choose today to do it's favourite games of hide and seek,the 'now you see it,now you don't' type.It's been doing that for the past three days,which really makes me mad.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
If only I have extra pairs of hands..
It's 5 days to Christmas and 3 of my children will be home in 4 days time and I haven't started cleaning their rooms yet.The upstairs rooms will not pose much problem but the two downstairs rooms really need a complete cleaning from top to bottom.
I would have done it before if I didn't go to help at the Ketua Kampung's house and yesterday a gotong royong at our chapel.So many works to do with only me here.My niece told me that there's someone she knows who cleans house for rm30 per day but that will be my last resort.What will my friends say if I hire a cleaning lady?
I would have done it before if I didn't go to help at the Ketua Kampung's house and yesterday a gotong royong at our chapel.So many works to do with only me here.My niece told me that there's someone she knows who cleans house for rm30 per day but that will be my last resort.What will my friends say if I hire a cleaning lady?
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wedding..
Tomorrow there will be a wedding .The Ketua Kampung's daughter is getting married.Tonight we'll go to their place to help with the food preparations.I'm given the task of cooking sweet and sour fish.
I don't know yet how many types of dishes will be served but hopefully I don't have to do more than the sweet and sour dish.That alone is quite plenty - 50kg of fish.
I don't know yet how many types of dishes will be served but hopefully I don't have to do more than the sweet and sour dish.That alone is quite plenty - 50kg of fish.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Today was a slow one at the shop.There were only a few customers and the first one only came after 11am.Maybe it is because of the fasting month that not many students came to the shop during midday.
When the first customer came,I can see her smiling even before she came inside.So I smiled widely in return.It was then when she came inside that I noticed .She wasn't smiling at me at all but because she was hare-lipped.I've never seen her coming to the shop before today.Maybe it's because there were no other students at the shop that she came by.
Because I didn't want her feeling unwelcome,I keep on smiling even when I know that she's not smiling.I really felt for her,for being forever in a smiling mode.Poor girl.
It made me rethink and count my blessings.I am blessed with a good and healthy life,happy and united family,also able bodied and beautiful children.We might not be rich in materials standard but I'm forever thankful for everything that the Lord has bestowed on us.
When the first customer came,I can see her smiling even before she came inside.So I smiled widely in return.It was then when she came inside that I noticed .She wasn't smiling at me at all but because she was hare-lipped.I've never seen her coming to the shop before today.Maybe it's because there were no other students at the shop that she came by.
Because I didn't want her feeling unwelcome,I keep on smiling even when I know that she's not smiling.I really felt for her,for being forever in a smiling mode.Poor girl.
It made me rethink and count my blessings.I am blessed with a good and healthy life,happy and united family,also able bodied and beautiful children.We might not be rich in materials standard but I'm forever thankful for everything that the Lord has bestowed on us.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Some people just can't say it right...
Usually when a customer came to the shop for a top up,especially the students,they'd say,"top up saya".
One customer came and just said,"ada mas-is",or something like that.So I said,"oh,tiada,kami tidak jual mancis."I said that because we don't sell matches at the shop.He gave me a stare as if to say,"is this lady daft,dim witted or just plain deaf?"
My friend said,"kak,maybe he wants to top up his maxis",and sure enough that was what he wanted.But why didn't he say up front that he needed a top up?
When the customer left we both doubled up laughing.My friend said that she too heard mas-is but she thought of maxis and got it right.I heard mas-is and automatically thought of matches.
One customer came and just said,"ada mas-is",or something like that.So I said,"oh,tiada,kami tidak jual mancis."I said that because we don't sell matches at the shop.He gave me a stare as if to say,"is this lady daft,dim witted or just plain deaf?"
My friend said,"kak,maybe he wants to top up his maxis",and sure enough that was what he wanted.But why didn't he say up front that he needed a top up?
When the customer left we both doubled up laughing.My friend said that she too heard mas-is but she thought of maxis and got it right.I heard mas-is and automatically thought of matches.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Being a tailor shop,customers sometimes bring in their clothes to be repaired,mended or altered.We'd do repair jobs on jeans,slacks and shirts too.
There's this regular customer at the shop.He comes to the shop every day or every other day to buy soft drinks and biscuits.He's a worker at the construction site at the school.Sometimes he'd ask us how much it is to tailor a shirt,a baju kurung and whatever it is that catches his fancy.He always ask,"berapa mau jahit?But he pronounce the jahit as 'rait'.Because we don't know who his real name is,my friend and I named him Rait.
Rait is a foreigner and one who you wouldn't want to encounter in a dark alley alone..with longish yellow hair (not dyed),filthy clothes and smelly.I'm not exaggerating,he really is like that..
One day Rait brought his work pants to the shop to be mended.Truth be told I had to hold my breath when he handed me the pants because it was smelly.It was also still damp,maybe he made an attempt to wash it but you just can't wash away the smell and filth at one washing without soaking it in concentrated detergent first!It was a ripped seam,about 5 inches in the groin area.
Normally I'd only charge RM2 for that kind of repair but I charged Rait RM5.When he said "sikit saja koyak",I told him that it is because I doubled-stitch it,using the electric sewing machine.In truth it's because of the smell that I charged him extra...
There's this regular customer at the shop.He comes to the shop every day or every other day to buy soft drinks and biscuits.He's a worker at the construction site at the school.Sometimes he'd ask us how much it is to tailor a shirt,a baju kurung and whatever it is that catches his fancy.He always ask,"berapa mau jahit?But he pronounce the jahit as 'rait'.Because we don't know who his real name is,my friend and I named him Rait.
Rait is a foreigner and one who you wouldn't want to encounter in a dark alley alone..with longish yellow hair (not dyed),filthy clothes and smelly.I'm not exaggerating,he really is like that..
One day Rait brought his work pants to the shop to be mended.Truth be told I had to hold my breath when he handed me the pants because it was smelly.It was also still damp,maybe he made an attempt to wash it but you just can't wash away the smell and filth at one washing without soaking it in concentrated detergent first!It was a ripped seam,about 5 inches in the groin area.
Normally I'd only charge RM2 for that kind of repair but I charged Rait RM5.When he said "sikit saja koyak",I told him that it is because I doubled-stitch it,using the electric sewing machine.In truth it's because of the smell that I charged him extra...
My first attempt at sewing a slack was hilarious.When my friend asked me whether I know how to operate a sewing machine I told her that I can.When she asked me if I can sew,I told her that I can,but I've never done any sewing besides curtains and table skirting before.So she said that it won't be too difficult,that she'll teach me.A customer had asked for a Punjabi style attire and she'd sew the blouse with all its trimmings and I'd do the slack,just a plain,elastic-waist slack.No pleats and no zipper so I thought how difficult can it be?
"A little curve here and a straight line sewing there",she told me before I started.She also had marked it with a tailor's chalk.I didn't know what I was thinking but after the curve,which was supposed to be the behind,I go on sewing in a straight line until it's finished and I did the same to the other side too.It was done in no time at all and I thought,well,it's not that difficult.
It was only after I took it off the sewing machine that I discovered to my dismay that I had it done like a skirt but with the bottom sticking out!OMG!Looking at it I couldn't help but laugh at my own handiwork.I had to start all over again and after the third attempt I finally had it done.
"A little curve here and a straight line sewing there",she told me before I started.She also had marked it with a tailor's chalk.I didn't know what I was thinking but after the curve,which was supposed to be the behind,I go on sewing in a straight line until it's finished and I did the same to the other side too.It was done in no time at all and I thought,well,it's not that difficult.
It was only after I took it off the sewing machine that I discovered to my dismay that I had it done like a skirt but with the bottom sticking out!OMG!Looking at it I couldn't help but laugh at my own handiwork.I had to start all over again and after the third attempt I finally had it done.
Monday, August 16, 2010
May 2010...my youngest flew off the coop..she went to college.Now I'm really and officially alone at home.
For lack of nothing better else to do,when a friend asked me to help in her shop,I jumped at the chance.That way I can meet other people everyday and not feel so alone.The shop is also not far from home so it's convenient.
I manage her sundry shop and sometimes help her to sew.She's a tailor but since her youngest is just a little over a year old,she has her hands full.So I'm a shop manager,a tailor's assistant and a babysitter all rolled into one.I'm also a mother,a sister,an aunt,a friend and a sounding board...The last one may sound peculiar but that's the truth...
For lack of nothing better else to do,when a friend asked me to help in her shop,I jumped at the chance.That way I can meet other people everyday and not feel so alone.The shop is also not far from home so it's convenient.
I manage her sundry shop and sometimes help her to sew.She's a tailor but since her youngest is just a little over a year old,she has her hands full.So I'm a shop manager,a tailor's assistant and a babysitter all rolled into one.I'm also a mother,a sister,an aunt,a friend and a sounding board...The last one may sound peculiar but that's the truth...
Sunday, March 7, 2010
I'm not blaming my parents for our scarcity,far from it.My parents were just farmers and with seven children to feed,it's sure hard to make ends meet.We were thankful that we had shelter over our heads.And when my eldest brother got married and had a child,well,more addition of mouths to feed.Now,looking back,I felt that we were luckier than most because we never went to bed hungry.My parents priority were feeding us.They worked hard for that purpose and thanks to them,we've never known hunger.We had three whole meals everyday and we can eat whenever we felt hungry.Most important of all,we could eat rice everyday and that was considered a luxury in those days.We always had the 3 basic foods whenever we had our meals that is rice,vegetables and fish,salted of course,and sometimes we had those bland tasting dried anchovies.Some of my friends then rarely had those.Most eat only sweet potatoes,yam or tapioca .They rarely had rice or fish.
My parents were a strong believer in hard work.Every single one of the family members had to pitch in to help as long as they were able.The elder children would help in the fields or being given the task of collecting firewood.The younger ones would help with the housework or looking after the toddlers.Even fetching water was a full day's work since we had to fetch it from a source quite far from the house itself.Indoor plumbing? - well,again,dream on!
My parents were a strong believer in hard work.Every single one of the family members had to pitch in to help as long as they were able.The elder children would help in the fields or being given the task of collecting firewood.The younger ones would help with the housework or looking after the toddlers.Even fetching water was a full day's work since we had to fetch it from a source quite far from the house itself.Indoor plumbing? - well,again,dream on!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I've heard it said and read about it often enough that if you really want something,you'll get it eventually even if you have to wait for a long time to achieve it.Prayers, honesty,perseverance and hard work will pay out in the end.
When I started school and learn how to read,that's when I began to dream,so to speak.I've always been fascinated with books so I was very happy when I finally can read one.I remembered my favourite subject in Primary School,the Hygiene,where there were many pictures of houses with beautiful kitchens,bathrooms and bedrooms in its textbook.I never tire looking at the pictures and dream that I'd live in house like that one day.
I was especially fascinated with the bathrooms and kitchen stove pictures.Maybe it was because in our house then there were no bathrooms.No indoor plumbing,only an outhouse which was built quite far from the house so as to avoid the smell.You wouldn't want to go there alone at night!As for the kitchen stove - well,never seen like that in real life before,only in books!In our house we used firewoods.Gas stove?Dream on..
When I started school and learn how to read,that's when I began to dream,so to speak.I've always been fascinated with books so I was very happy when I finally can read one.I remembered my favourite subject in Primary School,the Hygiene,where there were many pictures of houses with beautiful kitchens,bathrooms and bedrooms in its textbook.I never tire looking at the pictures and dream that I'd live in house like that one day.
I was especially fascinated with the bathrooms and kitchen stove pictures.Maybe it was because in our house then there were no bathrooms.No indoor plumbing,only an outhouse which was built quite far from the house so as to avoid the smell.You wouldn't want to go there alone at night!As for the kitchen stove - well,never seen like that in real life before,only in books!In our house we used firewoods.Gas stove?Dream on..
Monday, February 1, 2010
Who'd want to buy???
I didn't realize how much junks was accumulated in my own household until a friend lamented recently that she's out of storage space for all the unused junks.It's then that I saw all the broken down radio,cellphones and charger,computer monitor,keyboards,mouse (or shall I call them mice since there are plenty),printer,voltage regulator,hair dryer,iron,rice cooker,blender,washing machine,you name it,it's there.I can set up shop !
If only I can sell these back,even for a fraction of their original prices.It made me ponder.30 years ago many wouldn't know what all these are.Well,maybe the radio,yes,but the others?Even a gas stove is unheard of in many households then...
If only I can sell these back,even for a fraction of their original prices.It made me ponder.30 years ago many wouldn't know what all these are.Well,maybe the radio,yes,but the others?Even a gas stove is unheard of in many households then...
