When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping!

Alhamdulillah, things start a little bit more prosperously for Auntie and Ogabang this year compare to last year.  Not that last year was a bad year. On the contrary. However, beginning this year and at least for the next 3 yrs, Auntie has been given a little bit more responsibility in the workplace than before. In terms of work, this means much more time spent at the office and away from Ogabang but there is also that tiny bit of reward for us to enjoy some things life has to offer. In a moderate manner, of course.

So, since Thursday until yesterday, Auntie and Ogabang thought that we should spend some time surveying and making decisions about an item that we have been contemplating getting for some time. However, as always with Ogabang and hot weather, busy traffic and empty stomach, shopping trips would bound to be a laborious venture (as opposed to an adventure). Our shopping outing for the 'item' was amicable for the first 2 days but things got explosive yesterday and required the two of us to do a lot of cooling off.  But luckily, by late last night, we managed to re-establish some semblance of peace and as a reward for ourselves for not killing one another, we thought that we should indulge in these items:

 HIS

 

HERS

 

HIS N HERS

Hehe. These are things we got ourselves today. No, it was not an impulse thing.  Both our mobile phones are at least 4 yrs old and we've been thinking about a change but  had  been putting it off. But Ogabang's dad have been thinking about getting a basic phone for himself to use when he needs to make the trip to the hospital for Ogabang's mum. So, we thought that we could give him one of our phones (since they are truly basic) and buy ourselves new ones. Actually, Ogabang was supposed to give his to his dad and buy himself a new one, but tak kan Auntie tengok je kan? Mesti la auntie nak phone baru jugak. We decided on something modestly priced and we saw a good offer in Giant's pamphlet for some 'branded' phones. So, we went to Giant to look at the deal but the service people in Giant was quite rude and dismissive so we decided we will shop elsewehere. And before we left Giant we gave a piece of our mind to the Assistant Manager. Auntie hopes he does something about the complaint or else they will lose another customer. This was not the first time Auntie encounter s service like this in Giant.

So, after that unfortunate start to a 'shopping spree', we thought we'd go and find out if our other  more favoured hypermarket have anything to offer. In TESCO we found something that suits our needs and is a better deal than Giant. So, big loss to Giant! Anyway, our purchases are not exactly back-breaking spending. Auntie's kiddies may have phones that are far more expensive than what we bought. But at least Auntie could now store more than 200 contacts in Auntie's phone!

And the item that triggers this spending? We may be making that ultimate new year purchase very, very soon. Here it is:

Both Auntie and Ogabang are pretty easily pleased. So, those Malaysian-made phones and car are enough to make the beginning of our new year that bit more pleasant.  Thank you Allah for Your bounty. And thank you our mums and dads, siblings and friends for their boundless doa for our success and prosperity. Amin.

101 wishes to Big Bro

Auntie is still on the theme of number of blog entries. This is aunties 101st entry and today is the 42nd Birthday of Auntie's Big Bro aka Ayah aka Paklong Ami. Auntie wishes him the happiest of birthdays and may Allah grant him many many more birthdays and all his wishes.  Big Bro had a check in at IJN last year due to unsatisfactory result of a routine medical check up. It gave all a bit of scare but the angiogram result showed nothing to worry about for the moment. But it's a good thing that he went for the check. Auntie has not gone for full medical check up for some time now although auntie checks blood pressure and blood sugar every chance auntie gets (ie if auntie sees doctor for the sniffles auntie would ask doctor to check). Auntie will do it soon, Insya Allah. Paklong Ami also plans to go to Makkah for haj this year with Umi Ina. Auntie was invited to join them but since Uncle Ogabang expressed that it would be nice if he could go with Auntie but he is not ready yet (especially physically), being the good partner that auntie is, auntie thought maybe auntie will wait for Ogabang. Lagipun, auntie has just been given a big responsibility in the workplace starting this year auntie feels that maybe auntie should not take the long leave for haj this year. Auntie prays auntie and Ogabang will be able to realise our dreams of going for haj soon after Ayah and Umi will have realised theirs.

Auntie remembers Wan always telling that Ayah/ Paklong was born on the 19th day of the Syawal month in 1968. So, he was a sort of a Raya baby.  Ayah is actually the second-born but since our eldest brother was stillborn, Ayah became the eldest for us. As an adult auntie's Big Bro is a mild-mannered person but as a child he liked to pull pranks. Kak Zemah and the rest of the siblings were his 'victims' so we were always running after him screaming and trying to give him back for all the pranks. Auntie especially la coz the other two (before Mushu) were a bit younger and were mostly up to their own devices.

Ayah/ Paklong loves the guitar and Wan or Aki bought him his first kapok, I think, after he finished his form 3 SRP. Now he is reliving his guitar interests vicariously through Aiman who is being sent to guitar school.  So, hopefully, when we have our big family day soon, Paklong, Acik Din, Ogabang and Aiman will be able to put up a show to remember. Of course, auntie will be the penyebok and assume the lead singer role. All the cousins will prolly pack their bags and go home.

In any case, not to make this entry into a really long one, auntie wish Big Bro/ Ayah/ Pak Long the happiest day today and again, may Allah bless him with long, healthy and prosperous life. We had an almost impromptu celebration for him when auntie was in KL at Mommy's place last weekend and here are some pics:

 Birthday boy, Umi and kiddies

 

Birthday boy body double aka Ajmal the little terror. Cake was brought by Mushu and Uncle Joe.

Birthday boy and family + 1 (Qin is attached to Jijin so she has to be in)

The clan minus Uncle Joe (cameraman), Ogabang, Acik Din, CikJa, Aki and Wan.

The clan as above, minus Aiman, plus Uncle Joe

The food. At mommy's request, there was a third repeat of the roasted chickens (percik and original). This time they turned out much, much better.

There was also Auntie's famous sotong goreng tepung (hehehe)

There were only breast parts leftovers the next morning, which auntie used to make sandwich and Qin said: "Auntida, is this 'roti auntida' number 2?

In case you're wondering, this is "Roti Auntida No.1":

100th post and a day for Ogabang

Auntie said Auntie is keeping the 100th post for a very special day. It is today the 5th of January. It is AH's birthday and Auntie would like to officially change AH's pseudonym to OGABANG. Most of auntie's clan members and friends already know what this new name means but for 1 or 2 persons who still read auntie's blog but not in the loop, Ogabang is a derivation from OGAWA+ ABANG.  This is because Abg Hensem (AH) is currently, when he is not too cranky, auntie's version of the Ogawa massage machine.

Ogabang is 43 today though he looks like a 430 yr old Santa Clause. Auntie loves him all the same. He was already an 'old model' when auntie got to know him so auntie tak nampak sangat la the difference in him between now and 5 yrs ago except for the widespread white hair and girth. That's probably one of the advantages of marrying when you are a bit more mature in life. You can't complain about your spouse's appearance because you can't really compare dengan time dia muda belia dulu. You accept him, warts and all, physical wise. Of course kalau perangai macam boil on the butt, tak boleh accept la. Luckily Ogabang is far from being a boil. A small acne  on the cheek sometimes, maybe (sbb whiney bila lapar, panas and mengantuk) but most of the time Ogabang is a pleasant, thoughtful and considerate person.

We celebrated Ogabang's birthday with friends on New Year night, when we have the planned badak party. We surprised him because he thought we were going to surprise one of the kiddies with a birthday party. So when we started singing Happy Birthday, Ogabang sang along and said Ehsan's name and tekojut bila tengok kiddies nyanyi for uncle Ogabang pulak. Anyways, most pics at the party was from Samantha's camera, so here they are as auntie 'curi' from Samantha's fb:
 

 Birthday cake for Ogabang- dibawa oleh Nyonya and gang- Chocolate Indulgence

  Birthday cake tinggal setengah

 Ogabang tak peduli pun kat cupcakes auntie coz he said he didn't fancy all the banana and carrots in them. He only likes plain butter cake. Nanti berjanggut dulu la baru dapat bang...Eh, memang dah ada janggut dah kan?

  

The birthday boy on new year

And here are a few of pics of Ogabang in various stunts pre-birthday:

 

Goofing around

 

 Ogabang's weekly date is the Mamak Mee who serves this plate of Mee Mamak

 

 Happy when Auntie can join him

 

After the date, Ogabang happy, Mamak lagi happy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY DEAR NGOK NGEK!