The wait continues

Last Saturday afternoon I was pretty sure the baby is finally going to come out of the womb. The wife was getting the contraction every twenty minutes. It was consistent. I said it won't be long now. By Saturday night or latest Sunday morning we will get our latest addition to the family. However, up to this morning, i.e. Monday, the baby is still in the mother's stomach. The contraction somehow disappeared. It was a false alarm. So the wait continues. This baby is really different from Maisarah. Is more like Akid when the mother was in the hospital for almost three days, waiting for him to come out. Maisarah, she was so fast I even missed the event.

Futsal time

Really enjoyed the Futsal last night. Thought I carried myself quite well playing among people half my age. I even scored a goal that I will remember a long time. It was a lob over the head of the last defensive player done while the ball was moving. I struck it at just the right speed, the right height and the right direction. The ball ended in the empty goal, much to my delight. It sure took some skill to do that. Glad I still have those little tricks in me. Must play more futsal in order to ensure those tricks don't disappear.

Be careful

On the way to work this morning, I stopped by the roadside after I saw a man lying on the grass by the road. I was on my motorcycle so I could do that. Sitting beside him was a lady, must be his wife I presume. There were some blood on the mans face and body. However, I noticed his motorcycle was till intact. There were also a few other people standing around. On asking, I was told there was an accident. Trying to avoid a car, he swerved and hit the rail by the roadside. I was also told an ambulance has been called. That's one thing about riding a bike. Whether you are in the right or in the wrong, you will suffer the most damage in any accident. That's a given. So, be very careful when riding a bike. 

Me

Great way

Through the Whatsup application, I am connected to so many groups. Schoolmates, university mates, college mates, work mates, family, working groups etc. There's so many of them. For some of the groups, I am just a reader. For some others, I contribute every now and then. Let's just say I am not an active member for any one of the groups. I contribute when I have something to say. Otherwise I keep quiet. Nonetheless, I enjoy reading the articles, photos, messages or whatever sent in by the members. Every few minutes my phone will notify. Its a great way to be in the know.

Don't want to miss it

Despite this being my seventh child, I am still anxiously waiting for her to come into this world. Its a wait I can do without. I mean I hope the waiting will be over soon. It was last saturday when the doctor said anytime this week. Since then it has been four days. We are still waiting. My worry is I have to be in Miri in early march followed by Bakun soon after. That will be soon after the birth if everything goes to plan but we can only plan. Allah decides. That's why I am a little bit more anxious than normal this time around. I also want to be with her when she comes out of her mother's womb. Don't want to miss it.

I will in shaa Allah

A lot of things are playing in my mind these days. I'm thinking about myself, the wife and the kids. How will the future be for all of us? Lots of things I need to think about, most of all the kids. Will I be able to give them a good and proper upbringing just as I have given my earlier children? They need to have a chance to succeed, in this world and in the hereafter. For that I need to be able to provide for them a decent shelter, enough food and a proper upbringing. Sometimes in this world, you have to make choices. I chose this path. Now I have to take responsibility for it and I will in shaa Allah.

Grandchildren no 3

A really big one at 3.7kg. In shaa Allah will grow up to be a humble servant of Allah. Just like the older sister, I will not see  him often nor will he knows me well as he lives in Perth but that's okay. It's not a big problem for me. I will love all my grandchildren just the same.

I will be there

The baby is due anytime now so says the doctor. I am on tenterhooks, waiting for the all important moment. Hopefully it will be at a time when the roads are not busy. Otherwise getting to the hospital is going to be a hassle. Hopefully, it will be when I am at home. That will make things so much easier. I will not be going to Sarawak anytime soon, that's for sure. I do not want to miss the moment if I can. I missed Maisarah already. She was too fast. This one, in shaa Allah, I will be there!

Most valuable

Was busy preparing for a meeting this morning. Need to know my facts clearly and precisely. Otherwise, I wouldn't get through the meeting unscathed. I try my best to know everything but off course it is not possible. There are too many things to remember, too many things to know, too many things to understand. Anyway, it gets my brain to function overtime so I have no complain. I'm learning everyday, every minute. There are always new things to learn in the course of my work. It increases my knowledge that's for sure. When my brain is functioning well, my body is healthy. At this age, that's the most valuable thing.

Hope he recovers fully

Sometimes through Facebook, you get to read many things when people share them. I am not a Facebook friend of Ustaz Kazim but a few months back somebody shared his activities which the Ustaz has written in his facebook. Reading them, I can see that this Ustaz is one busy person, I wonder how he manages his time. He hardly has time to rest, rushing from one ceramah to another, traveling from one place to another, sometimes late into the night. Mind you they are not nearby. From Ipoh to KL to Ipoh to Sarawak to Sabah to Kl and so on. I said to myself, how long can his body take it? If he is not careful, his health is going to be affected. Yesterday, news came about his health. I wish him all the best. Hope he recovers fully.  

Never anticipate

Today I am thinking of going to Seremban to have a look at my house there. Not actually the house because somebody is still renting it but at the areas surrounding it. The last time we went was months or even a year ago. The condos plus the shop lots they were building within the area were almost completed. By now, it must have been completed and even occupied. I like the area there. Everything is nearby like schools, shops, mosque and even a hospital and a petrol station. Someday, I might be living there, who knows. A lot of things that have happened to me I never even anticipate. Never even cross my mind.

Kampung atmosphere

In Gombak I get involve in society more, at least within my neighbourhood. For example today a neighbour a few doors away is having a do after the zhuhur prayers. 'Akikah' for his grandchildren. Later in the day, after the Maghrib prayers there's an ustaz giving a talk at the local surau. Then, after the Isya prayers, another nearby neighbour is having a 'tahlil' for their father who passed away recently. Add to it my role as the Imam plus the monthly talk that I give at the surau, it sure makes for a busy involvement. Its a far cry from when I was living in Ceras. Then I was not involve at all. I go to the mosque for my prayers and come back. That's all. Maybe its because the 'kampung' atmosphere still exist at where I live in Gombak.

This morning

Akid woke up early this morning. I was just preparing to go to work. Normally he would still be sleeping at this time. Nowadays, he talks non stop, asks a lot of questions as kids his age would do. Soon , he will be having another little sister.  

Free for all

The fighting in Syria is getting from bad to ridiculous. There are so many parties fighting in the region I am lost as to who is which, who is with whom and who is fighting whom. Even the big powers are joining in like America and Russia. Then there's Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and a host of other Arabic countries. Don't ask me about the numerous other groups fighting under their own banner. There are hundreds of them. I would think even they are lost as to whom they are fighting. Its a free for all.

Second time

In a few months I will be joining the ranks of the retired once again. I was retired in 2011 at the age of fifty five. I chose to retire because I was tired of working. Wanted to relax and unwind, do different things while enjoying the freedom of a retiree. In 2013 I worked again. Don't know why but when I was offered a job I took it. Today, three years later, I am still at the job because after two years of break, I find working enjoyable again. Nonetheless, I will reach sixty years old in early July, the mandatory retirement age. I will have to retire as told by my employer. I want to continue working but that's the way it is. So, I might be hunting for a job in a few months times. Sigh…….

Will decide soon

Been busy in Bakun since I arrived Sunday night. It was 9pm when we left Bintulu airport heading for Bakun having just arrived from KL earlier. By the time we reached Bakun, it was 11.30pm. On Monday and today, was busy with meetings morning and afternoon. Only now I have a moment to myself, hence the blog updating. Tomorrow in sha Allah will travel back to KL. My wife is expecting in a few weeks so I don't want to travel anymore after this. Want to be around when my seventh child come into being. However, Looks like Miri is waiting at the end of the month. I am in two minds whether to go to not. Will decide soon.  

That's what I will do

Last night I gave another 'ceramah' at the surau in between the Maghrib and Isya prayers. Its my fourth time. Alhamdulillah, this time it went quite well. I am satisfied with my performance although as always there are rooms for improvement. For one thing, I need to improve on my knowledge. It has been a long time since I was reading prolifically books on Islam. At one time, I was reading three books at one go. My knowledge was at its peak then. Now they are distant memories.At the moment, I believe I can remember less than half of what I have read and learn. Therefore, I need to improve on my knowledge in order to be able to give a convincing talk. That's what I will do!   

We will see

Its been more than a year since we moved to Gombak. The house and the village we live in is ok although in the beginning I was a bit apprehensive. For one thing it is near my office so going and coming to the office is not so taxing. The shops are nearby making it very convenient. There are mosques and suraus every few metres along the main road as well as in the villages. In fact the surau that I frequent is a short walk away from the house. That's the main plus thing. I have always wanted a house near a surau. Now I have one although it is rental. It is great. I can live here forever but I think someday we will have to move on again. It depends on how it is with my work. We will see in July.

Its Friday again

On Fridays, I will use the bike to go to work. Its more convenient that way because there's the Friday prayer during lunch time. It's easier using the bike to go to the mosque compared to using a car. Usually I will go to the mosque at section 14 PJ, "masjid bulat" but yesterday I decided to try another mosque just for a change. This one at Taman Tun. Not far from my office but strangely it is my first time I there. Later in the day I somehow felt not well. My body was aching a bit, the first sign of sickness that may come later. I decided to go home early and rest. It was a good decision as it rained after that. Just a little bit later and I would have been all wet.

Last night

Last night after the Isya prayers at the surau, I went for a Tahlil session for somebody who had passed away earlier in the day due to diabetes. He was eighty years old. When I got home, it was almost 10pm. That's how it is living in a village. Everybody seems to know everybody. If you are a regular at the surau, you get to attend to these things. Off course the Tahlil session is a matter of contention. It was never a practise in the holy prophet's time. It is not in the Quran nor in the Hadis but it is widely practise  in this country. How it all started I do not know. I used to avoid attending them but I found it impossible to keep avoiding. So, nowadays, I attend them and once in a while, I even have to be the lead. 

We had a good time

I didn't want to be caught in a traffic snarl along the highway but I wanted to go somewhere for a holiday with the family. In the end, we ended up in Shah Alam. It was okay. There's the lake garden, the I City, Bt Cerakah, the mosque and plenty more to see and do. The kids had fun. I had a much needed break and so is the wife. We had a good time. 

Holiday time

Went to Shah Alam on Monday. Decided to put up a night there after taking the kids to the Shah Alam Lake Garden. Found a hotel at section 7 where we stayed the night. That night we went to I City. My oh my the place was so crowded we couldn't do anything much. Were worried we might lose the kids in the crowd so after a short tour around the place decided to leave. The next day we went to Bt Cerakah. Again the place was crowded so we didn't enter the place. It make no difference to the kids anyway. They enjoyed themselves.

Enjoying the holiday

To be around

Akid and Maisarah will have a little sister soon. I have a feeling it will be within a month's time. The mother is already having that feeling. It won't be long I guess. I have a few trips to Bakun lined up in the next month or so. Am thinking seriously if I should postpone them, that is if I can. Some are not within my control so I can't do anything about it. Anyway, I hope to be around when the baby comes into the world. I missed Maisarah because she was too fast. I couldn't be in the labor room as I had to look after Akid while waiting for the grandmother to come but Maisarah couldn't wait. For the coming baby, I hope to be around in shaa Allah.

In shaa Allah, will come back

Been quite sometime since I have been there. In shaa Allah, I will be back. There have been many changes since I last went there in 2012. The grand mosque is bigger now.

Its a yearly event

Just came back from Bakun last night. The flight was full because its the Chinese new year holiday. The airport was also crowded, both in Bintulu and KLIA. Alhamdulillah, I made it to the house in good time. I was worried the taxi ride from the airport would be troublesome what with people wanting to 'balik kampung'. The exodus started yesterday and will continue till today. Its definitely not a good time to go for a holiday anywhere as you will be caught in the traffic jam. Talking about exodus, in China, the largest exodus in the world has started a few days ago. Hundreds of millions of people will be traveling home for the CNY. Its a yearly event. I wonder how is is to be in the crowd?

Hmm….

The weather has been unrelenting. The sun has been shining brightly, the temperature has been hot even in the evening.  Together with the political scene and the 1MDB saga, it makes a hot day even hotter. The 1MDB saga will drag on relentlessly as long as the answers are not forthcoming. There have been attempts to answer. Unfortunately, it has not been convincing enough. There are still questions! The story in Kedah is also dragging on. Will it come to a conclusion soon? 

Plenty to be done

Been quite sometime since I last went to Bakun. My last trip across the South China sea was in December. Even that, it was to Kucing. Tomorrow I will going to Bakun again in shaa Allah. Will be there for a few days before flying back on Friday. There's plenty of work to be done, in KL and in Bakun. Bakun is still a work in progress. The project is completed. All eight units have been commissioned but there's a lot of improvement still to be done. 

Success guaranteed

So its true. After weeks and even months of intense speculation, the much awaited and the biggest transfer news in football is finally confirmed. The funny thing is, the person is not even a footballer! Yes, I'm talking about Pep Guardiola, the best manager in the world, so they say. Results speaks louder than words. His results are second to none, no doubt about it. The beneficiary? Manchester City, the noisy next door neighbor. They will be noisy no more! With Pep at the helm, success is almost guaranteed. 

We will see!

Looks like Djokovic is well on his way to becoming the greatest tennis player that ever lived. The way he is going, there's no one who can match him. All his closest rivals are having problems of their own. Nadal is struggling to recapture his form while age is a hindrance for Federer. Murray is just a little notch below, not good enough to challenge. That leaves us with no one else. If Djokovic wins the next grand slam, the French open, the only one he has not, then we can safely say that he will capture all the four slams this year. A tremendous feat no one has been able to do in the modern era. We will see!

Near but where?

Its the second month of the new year already. That's why this morning I noticed the roads were not that busy. Its a public holiday in Wilayah. That's another long weekend for them. Next week there'll be another long weekend because of the Chinese New Year holidays. So, it will be three straight long weekends for Wilayah. I am looking forward to the four days break. Thinking of taking the family somewhere but the thought of being caught in a traffic snarl put me off. Maybe somewhere near but where?