On a happier note.....

1. Dad was discharged from hospital this morning.

2. Today is the last working day for the week. Esok public holiday, and Friday i'm on leave.

3. Kakak will be home from Haj tomorrow.

4. I'm going shoe shopping with 2 girlfriends tomorrow.

5. Tomorrow is the Amazing Race Asia finale.

(Jill, see no mopey post today;-)! )

Losing friends………

16 days from today, I will no longer work here.

I am staring at my laptop thinking I will miss my office friends. I have only worked here for 2 years, and a few of us gals got on pretty close the past year or so. I wonder if we will slowly grow apart, just like the rest ….

Back in my school days, I had a “geng” just like most people…….i don’t keep in touch with any of them after SPM. There were the odd postcards and letters the first year out of school, and one or two keep in touch once in a while during university days. Then, nothing.

I made many good friends during A Level days…..a few I still keep in touch until today, but we don’t contact each other that often, though I know where to find most of them.

Then there a friends from Uni, a special bunch of people…some will be reading this blog…the ones that remains close, I can count with one hand…the rest, are somewhere leading their own lives.

Then there are friends from the previous workplace….we were really close, like second family almost. We do keep in touch…another handful, but not like those days.

There’s Jill, Baby and Halley (in another country!)– I guess these 3 peeps wont drift away anytime so soon, but the rest will. Maybe it’s me – not making the effort…it has to work both ways I guess.

I Feel......

Mom, dad and mak ngah has gone home after a month at my place.

I'm half relieved that my life is returning to "normal".

I'm lonely to come home to an empty house.

Dad was not feeling so good on that Saturday, and mom took him straight to the hospital upon arrival.

I feel guilty for not being there.

The Last 7 Days..........

Last Friday

It was supposed to be a wind down day turn frantic coz the "power puff girls" of the department had to be sick....one had a hospital appointment, one had asthma attack, and another had food poisoning. Anyways, i already promised my 2 "moshi gals" for a lunch treat to make up for christmas presents that i never got round to buying for them. After settling the things at the office, we went for a late lunch. I let them choose the venue.



We had lunch at Delicious@Ms Read, One Utama


I would higly recommend this Watermelon n Lychee Blast, a perfect combination



I had the Spicy Seafood Spagetti



The gals had Spagetti with Duck Confetti and Spagetti Bolognese

I would have to say i prefer pasta dishes at Fasta Pasta than here, but there are many things on the menu i would like to come back and try.

After lunch came back to the office, had a meeting and decided to do an early exit, drove to USJ coz dad was not feeling so good. Big mistake!!! Only to be called back. Left USJ at 6.00pm, in the ugliest of traffic, reach office at 7.00pm, emailed whatever, headed back to USJ (meredah traffic jam sekali lagi) to fetch the folks, and half dead by the time we reach Shah Alam.

The Weekend

Saturday was nice and easy. Abang came over with the family for breakfast. Dad loves to have the kids around, puts him in a good mood. I went out for grocery shopping, and they decided to stick around for lunch. Lupa nak ambik gambar...my sister in law Kak Z made her famous fish curry ala Kayu Nasi Kandar, i made mixed vegetables with fresh cameron cauliflowers and sauteed mushrooms and Sally (the maid) took care of the rest...fried fish, fried chicken, sambal belacan, ulam. Simple kampung style feast...tapi makan ramai-ramai memang best.

I wasnt prepared really for Sunday. My second brother invited us over for lunch but dad was not up to the long drive. So we had all of them come over. They brought loads of Nasi Ayam...they must have wiped out the entire gerai. Good that i dont have to cook lunch:-)
After lunch, in the true spirit of Malaysia Boleh we cheered for our shuttlers - Malaysian Open Badminton Finals live!

Then 3 aunties came over to visit...at this point, there are 15 people in my tiny apartment. Then a cousin called to drop by...+ another 3, then Abang decided to drop by...only with Kak Z and Sabrina, so that makes it 21 people sharing the living and dining room space. People everywhere...every chair in the house was occupied, including the dining chairs, the plastic stool and people on the floor. Lucky all guests brought food and snacks (phewww), so Sally just had keep boiling water and make tea.

Orang cakap tetamu datang rumah, dont complain...bawak rezeki. Insyaallah...Amen.

Jinx?

I have come to a conclusion that any of my dealing with banks, financial institutions or related matters is bound to have some problem. I just got off the phone with the insurer. I have refinanced my house last year ( a huge problem that one...i've blogged about it before i think), and i should have gotten the refund for my MRTA. The last time i contacted the insurer, this nice lady told me they are waiting for the cheque to be signed...that was around october/november. Today i decided to follow up, and this officer for the life of her could not understand why my claim has not been paid. She kept saying you should have been paid, but the system showed no record of any payments issued. I was asked to resubmit my claim all over again....(just in case we cannot find your documents, she said.) Arrrgh

Just last week, i received a telegram (yes, a TELEGRAM in this day and age)from the finance company that legal action has been initiated against me for missing 2 car installments. The old car.....I traded in the car when i got the current one in November, which explains why i am no longer paying the loan. So i had to call the dealer and make a hell of a noise...and call the finance company to explain.

And then there's the credit card company chasing me down for a RM90 payment (its the full balance ok, not the minimum)...the thing is i have been to the cash machine of 2 different branches a few times but it didnt work each time. Then, sometime this week, i got another call from the same lady telling you have to bank in cash today or else......So i did, and paid over the counter.

too free?

My current job is mostly project based. With me leaving in about a month's time...35 days to be exact (termasuk hujung minggu dan cuti umum;-)), i'm not taking on anything new. And the project i'm supposed to be finishing has been put on hold at client's request...but hey, whose complaining.

So during the working hours, i'm pretty much on a frolic of my own...reading blogs, surfing the net, gmail talk...lunch being the highlight of the day. Today the whole gang went out for lunch to this place called The Courtyard near our office, nice ambience, ok food - i wanted to take pictures but it was pretty dark inside the place. Our boss got a promotion, so it was free lunch today.

Two days back was more interesting.....my colleague Willy decided he need new shoes, so 4 of us drove to midvalley and pick out new shoes for him. Willy settled for a pair of black no-lace shoes from Primavera....and i played "stylist" cum "paparazi"..Today Willy's complaining the shoe is a bit loose...I told him leather shoes expand and to go for size 7. Tu la, next time listen to your stylist!


That's Willie browsing


Trying out a few pairs

There's a possibility that my pending project will re kick-off, i will know more on Monday. Fingers' crossed it will be in February or something, then i can have the new manager take over;-).

I need to rush to an office networking event in 1.5 hours, beats me why they planned this after work on a Friday. Meanwhile, i have time to plan my 2007 shopping wish list. (Jill, we better win the Dubai project;-))

Can be too careful

I just got back to work yesterday, after another trip with the folks back to hometown. Did i I mention the last trip cost me my windscreen. The lorry (....or was it a bus) in front must have run over a stone and it landed on my windscreen....leaving a small star-like mark....too small for an insurance claim...however huge enough to irritate me...


This trip, another stone flew over from the other side of the highway and dented my front bonnet....this rather deep dent the size of a 20sen coin.... aaarrrghhhh!

I've been really careful with the car to be honest. I suppose its natural when its brand new, you tend to fuss over it more than usual....and this happens.

I wanted to upload pictures but loading was too slow...;-(

Happy 2007....Counting Days

Its now a ritual....sharp at midnight of the new year, i will stand by my bedroom window and watch the fireworks display. The countdown is over for most people but for me i'm still counting days. 44 days to be exact before i leave my current workplace, and embark on a new beginning.

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Happy New Year Everyone!!!!