About young triathletes and religious fanatics

Pic of a lovely evening with friends (thanks Juli for the pic)


Life is back to normal. Rahmah is back and the household runs smoothly under her excellent care.
Kids are back in school, exams are finished.All eagerly waiting for the long holidays to start.
Kalam is the only lucky one, he took a few weeks leave (he's got soooo much leave >40days a year I think). He will only start work on monday.He finally managed to snap out of the zombie-state that caught hold of him in fasting month. Normally an active person, however for 6 weeks he was just vegetating either in bed or in front of the TV. But he's back to normal, running, cycling (n a bit of swimming). GGRRR, even after 6 weeks of complete standstill his runs still looks smooth and I'm struggling to run 500m as usual.

Sunday the 2nd the whole family is going to take part in Brooks' fun run (5km). Darimi is really looking forward to it, he finally will have a number on his shirt!!! He is still very motivated to become a triathlete. He's training with me or Kalam, a few rounds on his bike.... His biggest idols in life are; 1. Abang Salman (or 'Salaman' as he pronounces it)
2. Abang Lidum (but Lidum has graduted from UPNM and has moved on the Alor Setar)
3. Abang Dino
I have to try and snap a pic of him on his bike training alongside Kalam, sooo cccuuuttee (Darimi I mean, not Kalam).
Apart from becoming a triathlete Darimi is suddenly very religious. In kindergarten he's learned all the doa's and we get frequent spot checks now. "Mum did you read doa before you started eating"oops, "Papa, did you read doa before you entered the toilet", oops. "Abang did you read doa before going out of the house", oops. So far he's not checking on visitors yet, but anyone coming for a Raya visit better brush up on those doa's!!!

I've started training bits in the afternoon but it is slow going, all fitness level has gone down the drain. My weight is up, my body feels like flubber and I'm slower than ever, sigh....

that's life

Raya is over and I can't say I mind. It has never been my favorite festival, going from one house to another and stuffing yourself. Boring programs on tv, one exception - we just watched "Mukhsin", I can understand why this movie has won several international awards, suc a lovely enchanting story.
What is it with Malaysians and food anyway? Yesterday the minister was talking live to Malaysia's first astronaut and guess what the first question was about? (No prizes for for correct answer). Similarly a lot of the newspaper reports have been focussing on the food that he took along (rendang in space, tiada benda lain yang penting ke?)

On saturday night I felt a lot of sympathy with stuffed christmas turkeys. I know exactly how they must feel.
We visited Jasmi's and family who has been posted to Gemas Army camp one month ago. Nice to see him and hisa family but also a twinge of sadness. he should have been in Kona for the Ironman Worldchampion after finishing as Malaysia's no1 in Langkawi last februari. He's qualified for Kona 3 or 4 times allready but hasn't been able to find a sponsor yet.
We're back in town since monday, and tomorrow it's back to the office for me. Danial decided he wants to fast the 6 extra days in Syawal, Kalam joined him and after one day Dayan did as well, so now the 3 of them are fasting till saturday. Not for me, I missed the swimming pool way too much. Had a nice 2km swim yesterday, my face is sunburnt and I feel sooo much better. Indeed triathlon is addictive.
Otherwise not much news. We haven't seen our cat 'Squeekie' since we've returned. But even before we left she wasn't around much, too busy with her boyfriends....
My sister in law asked for a few cats, her cats are all elderly. Thinking of which ones to give her.
Kalam's mum is staying with us for a few days till the weekend - in the weekend we have to go and pick up Ati (she with her auntie in kampung)-.
Rahma returns from Indonesia next week, till then I have to be a housewife, yikes -never liked housework. And Kalam isn't exactly an enthusiastic help in the household putting it mildly). So even with a few days off didn't get a change to relax or train much, that's life...

Increasing waist bands

I've noticed a big difference this year while doing my Raya shopping. It used to be near-impossible for me to buy a ready-made Baju Kurung in my size. This year no problem at all; lots of L, XL, XXL etc available, got a Raya dress in just 15 minutes shopping-best!

I guess waist sizes in Malysia have been steadily increasing. But now I had another problem. Kalam uses a size S (unbelievable, he's still the same size as he was 15 yrs ago, talk about life not being fair!!!). There used to be lots of choice for him, Baju Melayu in all colors of the rainbow. But that's a thing of the past. I haven't been able to find a S-sizes in any of the 5 shops I've looked. Only M size, and nowadays M-size is really M-size, Kalam might drown in that size.
Desperate I came across a teenage Baju Melayu for a 13-14 yr old, it looked quite right to me. When I arrived home both Dayan and Darimi said 'That's for Papa?, but that baju is soo big'.
Let's see what happens when he tries it on. Of course I won't tell him it's a kids size (unless he reads this blog - do men read what their wives write I wonder, they don't listen when we nag so why should they read our blogs?)
Next year better not delay my Raya-shopping till last moment, those S-sizes a rare nowadays.

Last few days of fasting, this morning send our maid on a well deserved holiday. So now Mum has to do the cooking, cleaning and washing,pff. Got lots of chores lined up for our kids, spoiled brats, hardly ever washed a dish in their lives.

Still looking for someone to feed our cats while we go 'balik kampong' for a few days. All neighbours also balik kampong.
Talking about cats:
Last week Ati told us a big male cat was after Squeekie, he was even biting her! But she defended the our poor cat and chased the bugger away...., sure both cats frustrated!
Okay Mum gotta go and start cooking for Buka puasa; lambchops with black pepper sauce, yum

Have to grade my students exams, no energy this month...

ANIMAL KINGDOM PT 2

Hakuna matata.... we are ANIMALS yeahhhh!! Join us...

These are fishes... in aquarium. Count it! Go to next photo if you got it correct.

These are fishes too but glamour one. They are both employed by Hollywood people. See the different between these two 'aquariums'! Rich fishes, poor fishes...

Hello, my name is Kura Kura. Sounds like Japanese name, but I am not a Japanese tortoise. I live for a while with this crazy tryathletes family, lucky I managed to escape before I end up in their plate! No celebrities associated to me neither... am not Hollywood star.

If you are reading this, means I am dead! I took a wrong step into tryathletes house, I heard about the danger before but I was too late. With my last breath, I want to tell you my short story. I got a role in Bug's Life, so I was going to book my flight. I thought I could use their computer but I was wrong. I am a centipede damn it! Guess who took over my role in Bug's Life??? Just because he had many legs like me, that doesnt

mean they can send sumo wrestler to do Ironman! I wonder which is more painful, dead or my role taken over by this fat ugly caterpillar.....

Near standstill

A miniature orchid, the flowers are so small, only

few people would recognize it as an orchid. Something like 'orchid anonymous'

Coelogyne Mayeriana (at least I think so)

Tiger orchid

Bulbophyllum pileatum

These are all native orchids, the tiger orchid is wellknown and frequently grown in gardens, some of the others are rare. Some orchids might have been lost allreadydue to logging before anyone had a change to 'discover' them.

These orchids flowered in the last two weeks.

Aini, just come and visit and I can give you shoots, silly Kalam want to sell chaep (he's just joking, Kalam loves teasing)

Last saturday had a lovely 'buka Puasa' at Shazly's house. Nice to see 'the gang'. In Desaru I thought I probably wouldn't see anyone of the gang untill Powerman Lumut. Luckily I was wrong...

Training is at a complete standstill. Next week after Raya I need to get my butt of the chair. Kalam just registered himself, me and Danial and Dayan for Powerman.

Pff, feel all puffed up, no training, despite the fasting it feels as if I've gained some weight (scared to check)

Gotta go, last batch of Raya-cookies need the finishing touch.

Selamat HARI RAYA to all our friends and 'MAAF ZAHIR BATIN'

Flora

A rare native orchid, not even sure of the name. It was about to open its flowers a few days ago but some nasty bug ate the flowerstem overnite. If I can get my hands on the bug, he's dead meat. The picture is from last year, that time also had flowers during fasting month.

A sunny hybrid orchid

Oncidium species. This plant took 2 years or so before the first flowers appeared. Since it has flowered every other month or so. I've slit the original plant into several pots. It is one of the few orchids with a smell, especially in the morning it has a soft vanilla like smell.

Besides the fauna our garden also contains flora. Here are some orchids which are which are floweriung this ramadan month:

Wah, one month with practically no training...., I miss swimming badly.
Work is busy, preparing exams for my ICU girls.

Rahmah is going back to Indonesia for a 2 weeks leave coming wednesday. I will take a few days off balik kampung sekejap...

20 DAYS FASTING - ANIMALS KINGDOM

So scary, dinosaur in my garden.... luckily my boys are brutal enuff to catch them!

Caterpilar eat my lemon tree arrgghh...

Caterpillar eating my ferns...

Mr Window cleaner

Ikan sembilang

Ikan kaloi

Aiyooo Su 3o going even faster! It is already 20 days fasting. I just got back the computer after repair. Reasons for repair? CLASSIFIED. Only CIA knows ahahaha... well apart from that life is normal. Work as usual, am actually lazy to write anything in here. Thinking of putting a lot of photos instead. Much better huh? I think I'll put animals photos. These are the pets and animals around the house.