Sailing To Glendorra

Hold my hand, Eva
And never let me go
Whisper in my ear, forever
How you love me so...

But the boats to Glendorra
Are sailing tonight my dear
Listen how the wind calls
Listen to my unspoken fears

Your wings, barely mortal
Your heartbeat next to mine
Charts our lonely existance
As your days measure my lifetime

I long to sail with you, I must
To the land of elven lore
But my hands would turn to dust
While yours, smooth forever more

And yet I would choose my path
Live a life on the journey
Gaze at stars, twinkling above
As the world listens to me

Singing on the boat to Glendorra...

Pour Glendorra

Je choisirais mon chemin
Vivre une vie sur le trajet
Aimez étoiles, un clin-dessus
Alors que le monde m'écoute

Chanter sur le bateau pour Glendorra



Mencari Glendorra

Ku belayar tinggi di awan
Pelayaran hidupku tersendiri
Ditemani bintang berkelipan
Dengarlah rintihanku ini

Berlayar mencari Glendorra
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Written for the Magpie Tales and OneShotPoetry

Five books on my table

Iman is now at matriculation college and finally enjoys a measure of independence. Inas is living with her grandma Tok Wan so that she can attend aschool which offers engineering drawing to pursuit her life long ambition to be an architect. Therefore, we have two unused rooms. So, I combined their belongings, whatever is still here, mainly their books, posters and furniture, and converted Iman's room into their private den when they come home. I ended up with one empty room. But not for long. I moved a console table from the kitchen, a chair, a bookcase, a wooden chest from the living room and some pots from the garden into the spare room, and then transfered all my Malaysiana books here - hence my Nusantara reading room was born..

It is still a meagre collection. I have one shelf of Hikayat and syair, one shelf of modern Malaysiana books by authors like Tash Aw, Karim Raslan and Adibah Amin. Tan Sri Adam Kadir and Datin Vasanthi Ramachandran. And more.

But on my writing desk, next to late grandpa's old typewriter I have placed six books (the one I am reading is on the side table in the same room) I consider my favourite contemporary Malaysian books.

Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, Shahnon Ahmad
1515, Faisal Tehrani
Tan Sri A Samad Ismail Menulis
Harmony Silk Factory, Tash Aw
IMAM, Abdullah Hussain
The Twice Born, Uma Mahendran


By the way, late Grandma's tea set is also in this room.

I love my new Nusantara Room.

The neighbourhood gas station

I was rushing for a press conference.

Never mind the mismatched shoes that had to be changed and quick bite into my kaya toast at the door. I was out of the house by 7.00am as planned. Quickly settled into my morning drive which I usually enjoy. But this morning, instead of my meditations and songs, I was busy smsing my staff on the last minute preparations. Etc etc etc

Suddenly, Bang! gduk...gduk...gduk. The car sounded real weird. I stopped the car and stepped out. Ahah! A flat tyre. What do I do? No, I am not one of those ladies who will get down to it and change my flat tyre. It's one of my few shortcomings. We can't all be perfect. Super Mum. Super career woman. Super dunking all life's curveballs.

Luckily, I was quite close to the Shell station.

I stop by this station every morning for the office newspaper and Kit Kat and stuff (I know it's not economical) but seriously, this people give me the right perk before I go to work. They say Hello, notice if you're late or early, remind me to take out my Bonus Link card because Rudi always does that, etc etc tease me about being the most ardent Kit Kat fan. Say something nice when you've made an extra effort with the way you look. They are just super nice.

Well this morning of my disaster of phenomenal proportions, they came to my rescue. When they saw me trudging along, the staff did not hesitate. They changed my tyre, and engine oil. Within 30 minutes I was on my way again - with a smile...

The neighbourhood gas station is like the internet. You can find everything there. The news. Social network. Cookies.

Thank you Shell.

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A couple of years ago, coming back from Kelantan, fire came out from under our car at a Shell station in Grik. Before we knew it, the emergency shut off was triggered, the staff dragged us away from the car while their colleagues put out the fire within a slit second.

They were so well trained.

We ended up sleeping at the rest house and the episode was a little adventure. Alhamdulillah..

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Anyway, as I was leaving the gas station, I remembered. Aaahhh.....I forgot to baca Bismillah and ayat qursi that morning. You see, life has its little lessons...

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Two Thieves and a Wrought Iron Table

Look at this table. It is a heavy and solid wrought iron table. My five daughters had wonderful tea sessions, watermelon glory and main masak masak on it. Rudi and I had late night caps out in the garden after a busy day here. My maid shared many hours with Ikesha while waiting for the other kids to come home from school.

Now it is no more.

One scrawny looking boy jumped over our back gate with his white helmet still secured, placed the pot of bunga melur which was on the table onto the ground carefully and handed over the table to his friend. Bik arrived at the scene and shouted at them from the kitchen. This cool cucumber proceeded to load the chair over too before they sped off on their equally scrawny motorbike into the horizon.

Our poor Bik was totally shaken. The girls meanwhile, Ikesha, Irani and Ilena were upstairs. Irani, quickly locked the door and barricaded it with the long sofa. Bik called and I called the police from the office. When the police arrived, the girls finally came out from the room.

I am just glad everyone is safe and sound. I came home and after listening to the full description of the incident, thanked God for looking after my family.

Now, what do I do with one single wrought iron chair?

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By the way, yesterday, a flock of birds surrounded Bik while she was in the garden. She told me yesterday that the birds were chirping away while they ate from her hands. Never happened before. Now we are left wondering. Were the birds trying to tell us something?

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Remedy - treated Bik and the girls to bakso and nasi goreng at Medan. Then spent the night singing French songs - the girls practiced singing Frere Jacque, Allouette and Au Loin de Decembre for a'lliance francaise karaoke session. Finally, they drifted off to sleep.

More wrought iron table memories

WORK IN PROGRESS

A year ago, my editor over at Utusan Publishers asked me to write a book on my garden. However, I was 'embroiled' in Hikayat and after that, Legends Of Asia. So IFTG was a project shelved for quite some time.

After writing Legends Of Asia, I no longer have any appetite for hikayat, folklore and legends. Well, for the time being at least. And yet, not writing felt strange. So I revisited IFTG and arranged a meeting with Mr Lam Peng Sam.

Mr Lam was a columnist for gardening in many of the top dailies including STAR, UTUSAN and NEW STRAITS TIME. I have always enjoyed his articles and home-made marmalade. Both Mr Lam and Mrs Lam and their daughter Evelyn are good friends. Needless to say, I was grateful and relieved - not to mention happy, when Mr Lam agreed to co-write IFTG with me.

This would be a collaboration of the young and old, the expert and the enthusiast on many levels. I look forward to this journey.

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Photo : My passionfruit on our garden fence

Just for show ?

I admit. I was one of those enamoured, inspired and taken up by the charms of Barack Obama ever since his voice - compelling and sure, took on the world and promised change. I still am.

But last week, when President Obama spoke at the AIPAC Conference, I listened to his whole speech patiently while he stressed the US unbreakable support for Israel. My heart slowly crushed. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbyists sought :

1 - Billions in aid to Israel for fiscal year 2012 as well as ask for support for the overall foreign aid budget.[No wonder some in Joplin are still upset with the aid they receive...]

2 - To pass new legislation that imposes tough new sanctions on Iran. The bill, the Iran Threat Reduction Act, will prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons - yes,this reaffirms THE THREAT].

3 - Called on the Obama administration to oppose a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood as well as threaten a major change in U.S. relations with the Palestinian Authority, including a suspension of U.S. aid, if it includes unreformed Hamas members in its government.

And the President gave them what they wanted to hear. And to the rest of us he gave a piecemeal offering - that real peace can only come from sincere peace engagement with the whole Arab nations etc etc etc...

And what happens today?

An Israeli firm, Ofer Brothers Group [and its Singapore based subsidiary - is this any surprise, sorrylah...] is accused of trade with Iran.

Marah big brother...

But is it just for show ?

In any case, the highly charismatic and handsome Mr Obama is back on track and hugely predicted to win in 2012.

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Mr Obama rises to the occasion, yet again

It was a tough day for the President at the United States. Unemployment at 9.1%? That's serious. An alarming 0.9 person out of 100 out of work. And yet, as I watched Mr Obama deliver his speech on the success of Chrysler or rather the automobile industry, I felt my admiration for his command for the rhetoric grow.