Mai and Tok

It has been quite some time since the kids talked to mai and tok. Ailong has been pestering me to call them. I know I should have called them more often. It is just that I get tongue-tied when I talk to my mum-law. But I am aware that I need to make the effort. As they say, what goes around come around... I do not wish my children to bear a similar attitude towards me in future. Mental note: must call mum tomorrow.

The children love their mai and tok very much. It is no surprise because they tend to spoil them rotten and the kids could even get away with murder. Though I sometime disagree with their actions, I am happy that they love the kids. I can see that the kids too, enjoy the attention and care from their mai and tok to bits. And most of the time, they tend to take their grandparents for granted. Well, I guess that is what grandparents are for!

Take a lesson

The kids are bored beyond help. With one car broken down, Ailong has to use the other to get to wok. So, the children are confined at home. After almost three weeks of summer holiday, PS2 and the computer games do not appeal to them (especially iman and ihsan) anymore. Instead, they channel all their energy to themselves and start bickering and fighting with each other. One minute they are best buddies, the next they are mortal enemies. However, when they get into a fight,they can simply patch things up and be friends again.

Somehow, their 'lets be friends again' attitude amazes me. There is a lesson to be learned here. Children can be friends and foes within minutes. What about us? Adults? Can we act the same? Can we simply forgive and forget?

Summer

Summer updates:

The kids are enjoying their summer break. We enjoyed the must have summer BBQ at Hamsterly Forest. It was a great success. The kids enjoyed themselves and so did we. Ailong was busy showing off (hehehe) roasting and barbecuing those scrumptious feast. Ihsan busied himself playing in the shallow cold stream while iman occasionally was missing in action when he went down stream to catch fish with some buddies of his. Farah was also whining to jump into the creek but she was scared of falling onto the sharp edged rocks. Ihsan had some nasty bruises when he fell on some. Fatihah, too was enjoying the summer sun. She giddily walked everywhere and sat herself among the overgrown grass and bushes nearby the creek. She was lost in her own little world. I could tell she was happy.

Hartlepool beach

These are some of the photos at Hartlepool beach. We rarely go to beach here for numerous reasons, one thing the water is forever cold (even during the summer), the black sand (which fails miserablely in comparison to our white flour-like sand in Malaysia) and the people, some of them find staring at other people (especially us women yg pakai hijab) polite and acceptable.

Mula2 ihsan je yang nak mandi and main air, iman was reluctant. Farah pun excited macam Ihsan. Tapi bila lama2 Iman tengok his brother and sister were having fun, he could not resist the temptation anymore, so apa lagi, join inlah... Mind you, the water was freezing!!! Fatihah lepak jer dengan ailong.

Well, atuk and mai and uncles and aunties, enjoy the pics!

worrying wednesday

On Wednesday morning, with a few friends, I went to see Mrs Lyon again. It was settled. Our children are excluded from the christmas performance. Then it was decided that some of us would have to help out at the school. So, three times a week I have to supervise the children with with their project for creative curriculum subject. I had to teach them about India. Quite a difficult task to execute as I have left teaching for almost five years.

Yesterday, Ihsan told me that somebody kicked him on the way to school. The boy was in iman's class, while another boy, a year six student just watched and laughed. The one who kicked Ihsan is notoriously known in school. The other boy hit Iman with his lunch box. The other Malaysian children who were walking with iman and ihsan did nothing. I am really worried about this. This is serious bullying. Mrs Lyon was immediately informed and she promised to investiagte the matter. Ailong was also concerned and suggested that maybe Ihsan and Iman be pulled out from the school. Too drastic a measure, I should think. As a preventive step, on Thursday and Friday I walked them to school. The two boys were no where to be seen.

Anothet two fish died today. This time they were Farah's. She was quite upset this time. Baby is attacking the other fish, if this goes on, there'll be no more fish left.

troubling tuesday

Today a lot happened. In the morning, I received a call from Ihsan's headteacher, Mrs Lyon regarding his or rather our decison, not to join the Christmas performance. I was asked to see her at 3 p.m. I consulted a good friend of mine, ust midah, because her daugther also attends the same school. We decided to meet Mrs Lyon together.

At 3, we met her and she seemed concerned with my decision of not allowing ihsan to participate. I got the impression that she wanted ihsan to join in, citing the excuse that other Muslim children are doing it. You see, the main problem was the discrepancy between us muslims, some parents allow their children to take part in such religious performances (e.g Christmas, Easter celewbration) while others like us, do not. The meeting did not manage resovle anything as it she had other important matters to attend to. We would have to see her again on Wednesday. *sigh*

On the way back from the meeting, the three of us (me, ustazah midah and hubby) decided to call for a meeting for parents whose children are involved in the Christmas presentation. Tonite, most parents came and have unanimously agreed that their children cannot take part in religiously inclined activities.

On a different note, Iman developed rashes all over his body and he can't stop scratching himself throughout the night. Farah pulak, for the past two nights, has been coughing while sleeping and as a result, ermmm you guess it, muntah lah...Yuk slimey and yellowish substance..... Kesian princess ummi. The smallest member of the family, Fatihah has started coughing with a worrying deep crackling sound. Ihsan, so far, alhamdulillah... It's the weather. It's making everybody sick. Even kakngah...she is downwith a cold and sore throat.

Bad news. Another two fish died today. They were iman's. But he was too distrcated by his itching rashes to pay much attention to his dead fish. I'll have to fish them out and flushed them down the toilet. Yes, again....We found out who the culprit was, the one that has been attacking the fish in the tank. It was baby (Fatihah's fish). She has been aggressively attacking the other fish and something needs to be done. I might take her out of the tank. But where to put her? Flushed her down the toilet...ermm tempting! Tapi sian Fatihah kan, the fish is hers!

Another troubling news. I received the much awaited nerve wrecking mind boggling sleep depriving temper flaring email from Diane. Die lah.... nervous giler. InsyaAllah everything will be okay. Please dua for me...

mundane monday

Nothing much happened today. Iman was off school because he was still feeling poorly. Farah and Ihsan went to school as usual. Ihsan was a bit concerned about his Christmas performance. He wanted to be a part of it and yet at the same time, he knew it was religiously innapropriate for him to join. After careful consideration and some private talk with me, he decided to tell Mrs Clarke that he will not be joining the performance. Good boy!

On Wednesday, Farah will attend her Autumn dance festival in Spennymoor and she's extremely excited about it. She is involved in her class performance and she plays the part of a leaf, dropping from its branch. Last night, she showed Ailong and I her dance movement. It was soooo cute.

I learned how to make karipap pusing today and Ailong was quite pleased because after 11 years of marriage, this was my second attempt. The first was a complete failure. Well, better late than never right! This time around, the expert (kzu) came to the house and skillfully demonstrated the fine art of making it. My attempt was commendable.

Winter is here. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. The days are gloomy, wet and cold. The weather is really depressing.