Hole or no hole

This week was in KL on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The reason was to send the kids to pre school but since I was already in Kl, took the advantage to visit Ikea and a few other big stores to browse. No use sending them, then come back and later in the day drive again to KL to pick them up. That will be insane. We tried asking a few pre school in the kampong but all of them refused to take  new kids. Reason being there's only three months left of schooling. Back to the Ikea thing, everytime I browse, there's always things that I want to buy. Some of them are needs but most of them are wants. I have to be very careful here. If not, a big hole will be suddenly appear in my pocket. Anyway, yesterday I bought a water pump as the water in my bathroom is so slow. Hope the pump will do the trick. Its a need. Therefore, hole or no hole, I have to buy.

That's the problem with us

These days I can say every mosque or surau will do the 'sunat sejadah' every Friday without fail during the morning prayers. When I was living in Cheras they were doing it. In Gombak it was the same. Now in Bkt Cerakah, it is also the same. It has become sort of 'wajib' to do it on Friday. Don't know why it has become like this but the prophet don't do it every Friday. Its occasionally. Not every Friday. When I was leading the prayers at a surau while living in Gombak, I also don't do it every week. Only occasionally. That's the problem with us. We don't really follow the sunnah. Reading the surah Yassin every Friday is another one. It should be Al Kahfi but unfortunately, it is not so.

Form two

Many years ago when I was in secondary school. I love school days. Lots of fun and laughter and many friends. The only drawback were the exams. Otherwise, they are the most enjoyable years of one's life. 

One afternoon

Relaxing by the verandah. Its one of my favorite place to have a quiet time with a cup of coffee but for sure it won't be for long. The kids will soon join me uninvited and make their presence felt.

Orang pencen

 Enjoying a dip

 Maisarah and her drawing

Watching korban at Puncak Alam mosque

Toiling the land

Relaxing evening

Enjoying a quiet cuppa at the verandah of my house. Beautiful weather with fairly strong winds making it a cool day. Just the kind that I like.

Another view

Having fun

While her elder brother and sister were at school, she followed us to IKEA. Had lots of fun playing with everything she can get her hands on. We had to keep up with her every minute which can be tiring. These kids, they don't get tired!

Delivery service

Was at home the whole day waiting for delivery service from IKEA. They finally arrived at about six forty in the evening. So very late. They had actually been to three other places before coming to our place, which was their last for the day.To get the items fixed and ready took another three hours. By the time they left, it was already about nine at night. Still, we are satisfied with the things we bought. Costs us quite a sum but many items. Would have costs us a bomb if bought some where elsewhere. Furthermore, the quality would not be as good as well.

At the counter

When I was small

Can't remember what year it was or what age I was when the photo was taken. Must be about nine or ten. The school still exist today while most of the friends are somewhere someplace. The few that I have in contact are in a whats app group that we formed. Most of them are not living in Selama anymore. Just like me in KL, they are scattered everywhere like Penang, Taiping, Klang etc. One is in the US of A.

Another one

Houses for rent

The person who bought the piece of land in front of my house has built three two room houses to rent out. The thing is, even during construction, there were already people asking about its availability. Demand for the houses is so great that the owner will have no problem looking for tenants. Looking at the situation has given me some thoughts. The piece of land that I bought next to where I had built my house on is still empty. I was thinking of building a small garden or plant some fruit trees or even build a small cabin for me but now, I have different ideas. Why not build maybe two or three houses and rent them out? That will provide me with some badly needed income when my cash run out in the future. Hmm.....that's an idea that need some serious thinking.

Cash or nothing

Yesterday after sending Akid and Maisarah on their bus tour, we had breakfast before going to Ikea Cheras. There are still a few things we need to buy for the new house. If we can afford it, there are many more things we would like to buy but at the moment, we bought just the necessary items. Even then, it costs quite a sum. The pocket felt a lot lighter after paying for the goods. Two cupboards, one dressing drawer, one kitchen table plus chairs, one bed, one sofa seat and a few smaller items. Hmm....hopefully that will be the last of them but you never know. I have to carefully watch my budget or I will burst it. As a retiree, I cannot afford to be on a deficit budget. No money don't buy. Its cash or nothing.

Busy week

Been busy the past three days sending the kids to preschool in KL. Start the drive at seven in the morning, reaching their school in Gombak by about fifty past seven. Then hang around in KL before picking them up at twelve noon and drive home. On Friday it was even earlier as the kids had a bus tour to Sunway lagoon and a bread factory. We decided to let them continue their preschool in Gombak until the year ends. No point finding a new school for them in our new area. On the other hand, letting them stay at home without going to any school is also not a good idea. They will be just wasting their time doing nothing the whole day. At school, at least they have some activities and learn a few things as well.

Its a new day

Its been more than a month since I moved to my new house in Bkt Cerakah Jeram. For the rest of the family, its about a week only because of the water problem that we had. They moved only after the problem was solved. For me, it means no more having to go to Puncak Alam mosque every morning to have my bath. Now I can relax at home without having to worry about where and when to have my breakfast because after having my breakfast, my stomach will start churning. When the toilet in the house cannot be use, it is a real problem. To solve the dilemma, I usually have my breakfast at the mosque itself or any place where the toilet is easily available. Beside the mosque, one such place was Tesco supermarket in Puncak Alam. You never know how terrible it is to have no water in the house until you experienced it.

Some recent photos

more photos

even more photos

Phobia

Was in KL on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday it was my wife birthday. We had a little celebration at Sentosa Sentral in Danau Kota. Just a piece of cake with one candle. On Friday, I went to Celcom Blue Cube to settle some outstanding problem with my internet bills. On both days, by about half par three we were back home. On Friday, we arrived home only to find that there's no water flowing from the pipe! What? Again? After the problem with the water that we experienced before, it is something of a phobia to us when again there's no water. Alhamdulillah it was not a problem with our house alone but there was a pipe leak somewhere in the kampong. Syabas was doing the repair work.As a result, the whole kampong was without water. It was almost 11pm before the situation was rectified.

Adding here and there

With the water connection done, the house is almost complete. Of course a house is never done until you have live in it for a while. Then only you will know what more need to be done. As an example, I put up grill at the backyard after finding it will be much better in terms of safety and feeling of comfort. I added awning to the existing one at the side verandah because I discovered the rain water that falls on to the verandah will flow across it to the front portion. There are many other little things here and there that I have added. Some I called the relevant contractors while a few I did it myself. I am becoming handy at work around the house, using the electric drill and the jigsaw.

Back to normal

After changing to Maxis, I am having it much easier with the internet. If before, I had to go out of the house, even then only at the front porch, not the backyard, to get access to internet, now even in the house its available. I can even access the internet from my working desk. That is really great. It will be much easier to update my blog. Before, I had to bring my laptop outside the house to the front porch, connect to a power point, get a chair to seat plus another chair for the laptop etc etc. Now its back to normal, at my working desk. I lose some money because I did the transfer early in the billing time meaning I still had about a month from my former carrier but its okay. I can accept it.

A need

Everyday I kick start my motorcycle at least ten times a day. Every time I go to the mosque, I kick start at least twice, the first one to go and the second to come back. These days I go to the most five times a day most of the time for the five daily prayers. That why it's at least ten kick starts a day. If I stop over at a shop or something, it will mean even more kick starts. What I am trying to say here is it is taking a toll on my knees. I am feeling it although not much at the moment but if I continue this way, I think it will get worse. So the solution is to buy a motorcycle with a button start. It is a need, not a want.

Maxis it is

My wife is using Maxis. Her phone internet with Maxis is good here in Bt Cerakah, Jeram. My phone using Celcom has poor coverage. I can't get the internet most of the time especially when I am in the house. Outside sometimes it is good, sometime it is bad. It depends on which area. Even within the compound of the house, the area plays an important part. In front of the house, the coverage is good. At the back of the house, the coverage is bad but Maxis coverage is good. Even inside the house. So now, I am sure I will change to Maxis. My wife is already having Maxis so I will go under her. That will solve the internet problem.

Wedding

Was at a friends wedding reception last Saturday for his daughter at Shah Alam. Met many old friends from my university of Surrey days. Had a great time.

Problem a plenty

Getting water connected to the house was a real problem even after the approval was obtained. The contractor came last Friday with the meter ready for connection. After connecting the meter, they started digging the roadside looking for the main pipe of Syabas. This is the pipe that will be the supplier of water to my house. From this pipe, a smaller pipe will be connected to my house thus bringing in the water, through the meter of course. Well, the dug and dug and dug.......... and guess what? They couldn't find the pipe. For more than two hours they were at it but still the pipe was nowhere to be seen. Normally, it will take just a few minutes. They found a pipe but it turned out to be the old one. They found another pipe but it was TNB's. Finally they had to stop as it was getting dark. Gave up. They will try again on Sunday. Sigh....... very frustrating. It means still no water for me!

Water, water

On Sunday, they were at it again. This time, I saw that they were digging in the direction of the road. perhaps they have an inkling that the pipe is under the road. Sure enough, after just a few minutes of digging, the found it at last. What a relief! After that, it was just the job of connecting the pipes. It took a further two hours, almost, before the job was done. At last, I have water in the house. There were leaks here and there but those were minor. Most importantly, I have water in my bathrooms. After such a long long time, its finally over. They started the work at about 4pm and completed it by about 7pm. Early the next morning, the wife came to do a thorough cleaning of the house. I also called in a plumber to clear the leaks. Evening we went back to Gombak to fetch the kids. Finally, the ordeal is over. We are back together again. Alhamdulillah.

Great

The house in front of mine is completed. Its three doors, meaning three houses and they are for rent. From what I heard, demand was great so much so that even before it was completed, the houses were already taken up. Now, like me before, its only the electricity and water to be fixed. Meantime, behind my house, another house is being build. Soon, I will have many neighbours. That's great. I like it.

The house in front. Its completed now.

At last

Having being disappointed for so many times, I refused to even hope although after the visit to Syabas two days ago, there was room for optimism. I refused to entertained any thoughts about the problem even. I just get on with my life like normal, knowing I have done my best. The only thing I can do is to ask help Allah the Merciful, the most Powerful. Then suddenly the call from the contractor came. The one I have been waiting all this while. I was driving actually when it came but the call bring with it the sweetest news I have heard for a long time. Its done. The application has been signed. Now they will come up with the bill for me to pay. Once that's done, one day later (meaning today) the water meter can be picked up from Syabas office by the contractor to be fixed at my house house. Alhamdulillah. As I am writing this piece, I am waiting for the contractor to come and fixed the water meter. After that, voila! Water, water, water. Alhamdulillah.