Downton Abbey and Barbara Cartland

I have been wanting to watch this TV series since it was first introduced on Astro. However I haven't had the chance to watch it, save for the trailer, since it goes on air at 11.00 p.m every Thursday night - way too late for an old lady who has to step on the fuel pedal at 6.30 a.m to go to work!

It was a pleasant surprise that it showed just now (should try to tune in on Saturday then). Unfortunately, due to the rain, again the show was disrupted! Arrghhh! When are they going to settle this 'rain' problem?? Look here Astro, we pay every month without fail (most of the time, unless when yours truly sometimes forget!), we should get reception, rain or shine! 

Going back to Downton Abbey, I'd like to say that it was as good as I had expected it to be - no wonder they get the various awards! It would be nice to spend a leisurely weekend watching Downton Abbey undisturbed by commercials. How am I going to get that?? Boy, I wonder it you help me in that area??

Watching the series made me go back memory lane - enjoying each and every word from Barbara Cartland (such a long time ago - I was once a teenager , you know!) 

Here's a review from one of her fans (couldn't agree more - took words out of my mouth!):

I LOVE BARBARA CARTLAND'S ALL NOVELS. THIS ONE WAS GREAT. SHE HAD SUCH MAGIC IN HER HANDS THAT SHE TRANSPORT YOU TO ANOTHER WORLD. YOU DON'T READ IT BUT YOU SEE IT, DRINK IT , SLEEP IT DIVE IN IT.
WORDS ARE LESS TO DESCRIBE BARBARA CARTLAND'S WORKS.
 

The above review was about this specific book, a classic from Cartland

Tikam Seladang

Pernah dengar nama Tikam Seladang? Tiada kena mengena dengan aksi dengan seladang, sebaliknya nama sejenis bunga yang nama lainnya Kesidang!! Lukenabeb!!

Saja nak ceriakan hari Ahad yang sunyi sepi - Pak Aji ke seminar tokoh dan pemikiran Imam al-Hadad di Masjid Negeri Shah Alam - tak ikut sebab perlu rehat, esok kerja di Banting, lepas tu terus ke Shah Alam untuk persiapan akhir Pelancaran BBK di SUK Shah Alam. Isninnya pelancaran. 

Berbalik ke tikam seladang, (teringat pula lompat tikam - brutal betul orang Kelantan nih, asyik tikam memanjang??!!) Mak Aji petik bunga tu, sangkut kat tingkap sinki, buat kuatkan semangat buat kerja di dapur. Masuk dapur saja, boleh bau bunganya yang cukup harum, moga lebih bersemangat memasak. Namun begitu, kalau dah tinggal sorang, nak masak apa ke benda, alamat makan roti ajalah.

Belanjawan 2011

Ingat lagi belanjawan? Dulu masa Mak Aji kat universiti, kami guna istilah belanjawan, bukannya bajet. Tahu-tahu ada pihak yang seronok sangat pakai bajet, hinggalah ke hari ini, seolah-olah sudah diterima pakai secara meluas. Apapun, Mak Aji bukan nak pertikai apa istilah yang betul atau tak betul, sebenarnya nak sebut pasal pembentangan yang dibuat petang tadi. Mak Aji tak dengar apa pun sebab Mak Aji mesyuarat sampai jam 6.00 ptg tadi. Jam 6.30 baru tiba ke rumah. Terus tanya Pak Aji tentang apa berita terkini. Mak Aji silap tanya, tanya orang pencen, peduli apa dia pasal belanjawan! Dia belum tahu yang duit pencen dia akan meningkat 2 peratus mula tahun 2013! Kalau dia tahu dia dapat habuan juga, mahu juga dia dengar sebelah telinga.

Siapa yang tak suka bila gaji naik, dapat separuh gaji bonus (walaupun minta 2 bulan)? 

Yeh yeh, gaji naik, dapat bonus!!

Mak Aji sempatlah rasa gaji baru sampai pertengahan tahun depan, lepas tu, bolehlah rasa kenaikan 2% pencen setahun mula 2013. Alhamdulillah, naiklah sikit amaun pencen dengan kenaikan gaji! Kalau dahulu, peruntukan untuk beli sirih bertambah. Sekarang dah tak makan sirih, peruntukan untuk apa pulak? Nantilah kena fikir. Yang tentunya Mak Aji bermula raya tahun ini dah tak hantar jahit baju raya, sekadar pakai baju mana yang ada. Yang dihantar jahit pun yang kainnya jenis kain kapas - untuk alam 'kerja' di luar kawasan berhawa dingin, juga agar tiada lagi bil cuci baju di dobi.

Tak kiralah sama ada nak pencen macam Mak Aji ni, atau yang nak terus kerja sampai usia 60 nanti, Mak Aji rasa semua orang terasa yang harga barang naik berdesup-desup tanpa kita sedar. Memang betul orang kata, dulu kalau bawa RM50 ke kedai, banyak yang dapat dibeli, tapi sekarang dengan RM50, entah apa-apa yang dapat dibawa balik! Bagaimanalah nanti hidup anak cucu Mak Aji pada masa hadapan?? Wallahualam! 

Mak Aji sudah mengagak yang umur persaraan akan meningkat ke 60. Mak Aji sendiri tak sanggup kerja sampai ke usia begitu. Tak sanggup diejek orang-orang muda - "dah tua ganyut masih nak kerja, pergi masjid lagi baik!" Lagipun, pada usia begitu, kepala dah gok-gek, gok-gek (bergoyang agaknya), tak payahlah, elok duduk rumah saja. Jangan terkejut komen pedas tersebut pernah Mak Aji dengar di pejabat Mak Aji (nasib baik bukan Mak Aji yang menjadi sasaran!). Begitulah orang muda yang tidak tahu hormat kepada orang yang lebih tua - mungkin juga kerana orang tua yang dimaksudkan itu pula tidak menyayangi orang muda! Entahlah......    

Itik Lagi

Makan malam ini itik goreng,  tenggiri  masak singgang, ulam pucuk gajus dan midin cicah budu. Pak Aji berselera makan sampai bertambah nasi. Mak Aji kalau ikutkan hati nak juga tambah, tapi akal kata cukuplah tu. Ingat, masuk kena kurang daripada yang keluar! Eh, pembetulan, nanti salah faham pulak. Makan kalorinya kena kurang daripada  kalori yang dibakar. Kalau tidak, nanti makin lama makin kembang, mengempis jangan haraplah. 

Sebenarnya siang tadi Pak Aji jumpa kawan dia yang bela itik (untuk mendapatkan telur) di Kg. Melayu Subang. Orang itu dia beri percuma seekor. Masa Pak Aji datang jemput Mak Aji, dia kata kawan beri itik. Ingatkan yang dah mati, rupanya bila sampai rumah, elok saja dia jinjing itik yang masih hidup untuk dibawa ke belakang untuk disembelih. Nak tak nak terpaksalah bantu dia pegang itik. Mak Aji seram sikit sebenarnya! Baki itik kenalah tunggu hujung minggu ni nak masak apa - itupun kalau sempat. Nampak gaya hari minggu ni kena kerja. Tengoklah kalau-kalau sempat masak.

My Kind of Daughter-in-law

Last weekend, out of the blues my son (25 yrs. old - second child) asked me about what kind of daughter-in-law I wanted. I answered why and he replied, "saje je nak tahu." To that I answered:" First, she of course must be a practicing Muslim, meaning she wears the tudung (sounds simple but to me if she does not, it means that she out-rightly defies Allah. If she defies Allah, how on earth is she going to listen to what her husband  says??) ), prays 5 times a day, fasts during Ramadan bla bla bla..... She does not need to be pretty, just pleasant-looking enough for my son to be attracted to her. If she is really pretty, that's a bonus. If she's educated, that is also a bonus (everyone goes to school nowadays right??). However, I prefer that she stays at home and look after the children and not have a career. It would be my son's duty to put nasi on the table and not her. If she can cook, that is also a bonus. She only need to want to learn how to cook and I'll be there to give her a hand." How about that?? Am I asking for too much?? I don't think so!

All in all, she needs to have the good qualities of a Muslimah. Her akhlak must be good. As what is prescribed by Islam, a Muslim should marry a woman for her piousness (religion), not for her beauty, nor her wealth or her lineage.

"Okay, okay," my son said absorbing my short lecture! Is he going to bring back such a wife, well, that remains to be seen! We'll just have to wait. Oh, yes before I forget, you my son, in order to get that daughter-in law of my dreams, do take a very good look at yourself in the mirror .. tell me, do you deserve that kind of a wife??? Are you as good or remotely as good as Sayyidina Ali radiallahuanhu to deserve Sayyidatina  Fatimah radiallahuanhu?? You've got a lot to do my dear!!

Ayam Kampung or Free-range Chicken

Watched River Cottage Spring on AFC yesterday. It touched upon a topic close to all of us - chickens! Me - don't quite like them, except for ayam kampung. My children - cannot live without them! I'm sure that is the situation with most households. I was informed that (Dr. Mercola touched upon this topic a couple of times before with almost the same conclusions) industrially-reared chickens have very much less omega-3 and so much more fat as compared to ayam kampung. Ayam kampung on the other hand has 25% less fat and 80% more omega-3, therefore so much more nutritious! How about that - meant intentionally for those who do not take ayam kampung!!

So, does anyone have any spare land to rear chickens? If you do, go get some to rear yourself - just don't get into trouble with the local authority! Me - am considering it soon, when I'll be home full-time. Got no small children to take care of, a bunch of chickens would do nicely! Only thing is, got to make sure that they don't have access to my porch -  don't quite like chicken poo! 

Industrially-reared chickens

Happy-to-roam ayam kampung

My Elusive Masseuse

Last week was quite hectic. I hardly had the opportunity to have time off at the office. Been running around for meetings outside of the office, in preparation of a very busy Bulan Bahasa Kebangsaan for the whole of next month. Oh boy, here we go again, like the past two years! Then home was like a hotel, I was running in and out of the house, being back only to pack some clothes and off I went again for a few days, often coming home late at night. The only consolation I have is, by next year, no more Bulan Bahasa, no more Ramadan traffic chaos,.... Insya-Allah come middle of next year I life will be so much more peaceful. I'll be able enjoy life as it should be enjoyed, insya-Allah!. 

Anyway, the hectic week took quite a toll on these tired old bones and by Friday I felt a fever coming and true enough it did. Pak Aji asked me to tag along for his plans in Kemaman, which I tried to refuse. He insisted on me going but after seeing me not up to it, he relented and went off with his friends. There I was yesterday, could not hardly lift my head because of a blinding headache and with a fever setting in. Took some pills, dozed off almost all day, missing a wedding invitation - sorry Aida, can't make it!   

Come Sunday morning, am feeling much better. I hate thinking of starting the week all over again! One more hectic month ...  Allah help me!! 

I remember what my sister used to say ...."If I were rich, the first thing I would do is to hire myself my very own private masseuse! She will always be at my beck and call every time and any time I need her!" That was exactly what I was wishing for on Friday and Saturday! It has been months ago since the last time I went to see her to get a 'workout'. Oh Kinah, where are you, why so elusive. Have I been underpaying her?? I should think not. Or is it that you're only serving Mak Datins now, no longer serving people like me anymore?? 

Heaven is this....