Total Relaxation.....

            I have been to many places. May it be  big cities or  small towns. May it be far- far away or just nearby. But there is one place that can give me a feeling of total relaxation of the mind and soul...... just this one.

             I had to drive at least 2 hours from home to be at this place. From home I took the  DUKE highway. Then passed the Gombak Toll and take the Karak Highway. After Karak Toll, take left towards Bentong on the state road. Take right towards Mempaga after Bentong and  then you are on  the Felda road until the last 3 kilometers of off road!  LTER can easily be detected through your GPS .  Like me, I use Waze and sometimes Google Map.  It helps alot especially for first timers. To feel the  real total adventure..... just crack your brain and try using map instead! This kind of place is nothing new to me because when I was young, this is the kind of road that I had to travel for 26 miles to school. When the weather is dry, the road became very dusty and during the rainy seasons , we had to move on muddy road and worst,  flood! But it was fun.  So, this place brings back sweet memories to me. The memories of my childhood which I spent in the jungle deep in Padang Kubu , Kemaman, Terengganu with my late parents and sibblings. We need no friends because we have each other! 

My family home in Padang Kubu.  I miss my arwah Mak and arwah Abah.
I had to fight back tears ..... down to memory lane!!!

             Recently, I attended a wedding in Bachok, Kelantan. I drove my Starex and my daughter with her family in another car. I took the PT2 highway and passed through Padang Kubu. I took my family to the place where I grew up and showed them what life was  before. Through that visit, they now understand why I love Lembah Temir Eco Resort very much! It is just like going back home in the  TDMB Palm Oil Estate, in the jungle! 

 

            Lembah Temir Eco Resort belongs to a family friend. The owner is Haji Che Din Sulaiman and his wife Hajjah Wan Remlah. A very nice couple and always welcoming friends to their 78 acres land with Temir River flowing and forming two  beautiful water falls, 1,500 durian trees which include D24 and  Musang King, Rubber estate, Palm Oil estate and varieties of fruit trees like the Mangosteens, Rambutans, Pulasan, Dokong , Langsat, Jack Fruit, Ciku,  Bananas and everything else!  During the fruits seasons , 4  pick-up vans full of durians were collected and sold daily! Not only durians  but  other fruits as well.

Some of the fruits  planted in LTER

              Lembah Temir Eco Resort is still under construction.  They started buiding from scratch five years ago with only one small little hut . But now, they already built 5 chalets  plus 11 rooms which can accomodate the most 60 person at one time. As for right now, the main lobby with 11 rooms on top is about to be ready soon. They hope to start business somewhere in the middle of this this year! I have been visiting LTER for many times now and everytime I went, there will always be something new. No wonder, Che Din just love to be there riding his motorbike around to see his employees working to make his dream come true.  Hajjah Remlah said that whenever he is at home in Damansara, he will feel latargic, tired and grumpy but he will be a total;ly different man when he is in LTER...... always on his feet or on his motorbike making rounds and looking for ideas to build LTER his way and his wants.  

          Latest , they even made their very own furniture from  Chengal wood which they found buried underground or just left aside in the jungle. They have Chengal benches, tables and chairs built for the resort. Chengal is a kind of wood that no termites will be able to destroy because it is very tough and hard. You can use it indoor or outdoor! Mmmmmmmm nice!  Hope to have one coffee table soon...... keep dreaming!!!! hahhahahahhaha

Kayu Chengal furniture add colors to LTER...
well done CDS!

            LTER is lucky to have Abang Zul who is in charge of the whole operation when CDS  is not around. A very down to earth man and very hard working. I can say that CDS is very lucky to have such a very good employee. Not only he works hard but he is a very creative person. Everything that he sees in the jungle is art. He was so proud when he managed to cut tree trunks into halves and arranged nicely as a wall panel and blended with ferns from the jungle. The outcome is mesmerizing!!!! Beautiful at no cost at all! The best part is, Abang Zul is Hajjah Wan Remlah's younger brother! Everything is meant to be!

Abang Zul assisting HWER to cut open the
 Musang King Durian for the guests.

                     Hajjah Wan Remlah's Kelantan food is another attraction to LTER. She will always sent me photographs of her cookings which she knew I cannot resist. If I gain weight, it is all because of her marvelous, tasty cooking. In the mornings in LTER, she will always prepare Nasi Berlauk..... ( one of the favourite food served for breakfast in Kelantan).  In the afternoon she will prepare many different kinds of dishes which comes with White Rice, Sambal Belacan,  Sambal Tempoyak, Petai, Salad and not forgetting...Budu!  She will prepare desert as well. It might be Jemput-jemput Durian, Curry Puffs, Pulut Manis, all kinds of Pengat and so on. So if you want to gain weight, this is the place! In LTER, food is totally home cook! She reminds me of my arwah Mak who just love to feed people with her finger licking good food. My daughter said that, when she missed her arwah Mak Tok, she will look at HWR's face and that helps! That is how I felt too.  They look alike.

The famous Nasi Berlauk

The most tasteful Laksam..... yummeyh!!

HWR always make sure that food is good and enough.

HWR just love entertaining guests.

CDS and his sons welcoming their guests with open arms.

            The 78 acres piece of land has much to offer for nature lovers. You can ride you 4WD into the jungle, ride on the motorbike, cycling, jungle tracking, fishing, swimming and just practically anything including playing Futsal . A Futsal court had been built and used ... but as I said, not all is  ready yet. Just wait and Insyallah, CDS will think of everything for his guests! 

Chalet number 9 is nearest to the falls. It is my forever favoutite.

                 Just underneath the lobby, is flowing the Temir River with a school, a big school of Ikan Kelah waiting patiently for us to feed them! It is a beautiful view when you see the fish swim and jump against the current to go upstream....... just like the Salmon! Very Interesting!

The school of Ikan Kelah in LTER.
You can even swim with them. 

Ikan Kelah will swim and jump upstream from this pond towards the falls.

                       What can I say? I just love this place very much.  When LTER comes in mind, I just drove there with my husband and sometimes even with friends just to be away from the noise. It is so peaceful in LTER. All you can hear is the sound of the water, the sound of the insects and  a total peace of mind.  Furthermore, because it is  away from the nearest town Bentong,  phone coverage is not easy to get. You need to be in one spot , the highest point in order to check your phone calls or messages which I think is good. We shoul learn how to enjoy the nature more. Life will be more meaningful and families can finally sit, eat and talk together as what  humans do!   Trust me, no regret! Almost all of my friends and  neighbours whom I introduced to this place, just love to revisit again and again. One even dream to ride horses in LTER! Hahahhahahahah. To me, LTER is one place, the best place for honeymooners! 

My Little Temir

                 Back at home in Shah Alam, whenever I miss LTER, I will sit by my fish pond and with my very own creativity, I made it looked like a tropical jungle! With my Koi swimming and the sound of the water falling and sometimes the sound of the  birds made me imagined of being in LTER. Meet my  Little Temir!!

                I do hope CDS dream will come true and hope many people will come and stay at the resort once it is ready. As for now, I will keep on visiting LTER to ease my pain of missing the good old childhood days of mine..... many-many years ago.......

Selamat Pengantin Baru......

Hampir setiap hujung minggu, tugasan utama kami suami isteri adalah memenuhi jemputan ke majlis-majlis perkahwinan.  Kami bersyukur kerana masih ada lagi orang yang mengingati kami dengan menjemput kami ke majlis meraikan anak menantu mereka sebagai pengantin. Alhamdulillah. Bila ada jemputan bermakna, masih ada yang memikirkan kita. Semoga yang baik sajalah yang diingati mereka. Insyaallah.

Minggu lepas, dua orang anak angkat perempuan kami telah selamat dinikahi jejaka pilihan masing-masing. Sebagai ibu bapa angkat, kami cuba sedaya upaya memainkan peranan yang sepatutnya. Allah menguji kesabaran kami dengan hari pernikahan dan hari persandingan diadakan pada hari yang sama! Kemanakah harus kami pergi dan dulukan. Kedua-duanya kami sayang. Alhamdulillah pernikahan ZZ berlangsung pada waktu siang selepas solat Jumaat dan pernikahan SS pula berlangsung pada waktu malam selepas solat Isyak. Lega. 

ZZ ibarat adik kepada SNI. Mereka membesar bersama.

Pada kedua-dua majlis tersebut, suamiku berperanan sebagai pengerusi majlis pernikahan. segala skrip ucapan disediakan agar perjalanan majlis lancar. Bermula dengan mengalu-alukan kedatangan pihak lelaki sehinggalah selesai majlis. Dan aku pula selaku wakil kepada tuan rumah dengan mengendalikan perjalanan majlis licin dan teratur.

Teman karib SNI dan SS

Seperti biasa,  selesai diijabkabulkan, diikuti dengan solat sunat syukur berjemaah kedua mempelai dan penyerahan mas kawin kepada isteri dijalankan. Tetapi majlis tidak selesai disitu sahaja.  Kami inginkan kelainan untuk majlis ini. Kami mahu supaya majlis pernikahan ini memberi lebih erti kepada kedua mempelai dan kepada semua hadirin  yang hadir. Kami meminta agar bapa kandung kepada pengantin perempuan memberi pesanan kepada menantunya tentang perasaan dan harapannya dan harapan ibunya agar anak perempuan mereka  di jaga dengan baik dan sempurna dengan penuh kasih sayang dan saling hurmati-menghurmati. Ketika ini, kedua ibu bapa dan hadiri menitiskan air mata. Syahdu mendengarnya... apa lagi apabila diucapkan dengan penuh perasaan dari lubuk hati  seorang bapa.

Pasangan bahagia Kushaa dan Ss bersama G15.

 Kemudian, pengantin lelaki mengambil peluang pula untuk menjawab permintaan bapa mertuanya dan disaksikan semua orang. Namun pada hari itu, ZZ membuat kejutan dengan mengucapkan terima kasih kepada kedua ibu bapanya atas segala pengorbanan mereka melahir dan mendidiknya serta memberinya pelajaran sehingga ke peringkat tertinggi. Lebih syahdu lagi apbila ZZ yang membahasakan dirinya 'adik' meminta agar ibunya menghalalkan setiap titisan air susu dan memohon keampunan dari kedua ibu bapanya dengan nada yang tersekat-sekat dan akhirnya seluruh hadirin tidak dapat membendung lagi rasa sebak dihati. Maka bercucuranlah air mata di majlis tersebut.  Aku bangga dengan adik. Jarang seorang anak muda begitu berani berbuat demikian... sangat jarang.

Pasangan bahagia AF dan ZZ bersama G15.

Sebenarnya, Majlis Pernikahan adalah majlis yang paling penting dalam perkahwinan. Kebanyakan  orang gagal melihat akan kepentingannya. Sayang sekali! Sebab itulah, Jurunikah mestilah berperanan apabila menyampaikan khutbah nikah. Khutbah nikah yang disampaikan dengan jelas, terang dan nyata den

gan ton suara yang sesuai akan memberi impak yang baik untuk semua yang hadir.... menusuk ke hati! Harapan kita agar yang hadir itu, sekiranya sudah berkahwin, akan memperbaiki kesilapanan mereka, bagi yang belum berkahwin, agar terbuka pintu  hatinya untuk berumahtangga dan bagi yang baru dinikahkan agar memberi mereka bersemangat dan bertekad  menjaga hubungan mereka suami-isteri hingga ke Jannah. Insyaallah. 

Bagi kami yang dapat sama menghulurkan sedikit pertolongan merasa lega dan gembira apabil keluarga kedua belah pengantin khasnya tuan rumah dan hadirin dapat merasa kesyahduan majlis tersebut. Semoga masjlis ini menjadi kenangan abadi buat semua khasnya bagi kedua mempelai dan keluarga mereka. Semoga usaha kami diberkati. Insyaallah.

Selamat pengantin baru kami ucapkan kepada kedua pasangan pengantin dan keluarga mereka. Semoga kalian berbahagia selamanya dan cepat-cepatlah menimang cahaya mata kerana kehadiran seorang cucu akan sentiasa memberi keceriaan kepada sesebuah keluarga...Insyaallah.

Apa yang tinggal kini........ hanyalah sisa kesal kelmarin

Gurindam dan irama tidak lagi kuhiraukan

Sete;ah api cinta terpadam

Apa yang tinggal kini hanya sisa kesal kelmarin

Menjadi simfoni mendayu pada setiap malam minggu

Setahun sudah berlalu Februari muncul kembali

Dengan kehangatan semalam

Tanpaku sedari, kupetik mawar merah

Kutulis sekuntum puisi

Tapi sayang pada siapa kan kuberi

Kesepian memaksa, ku lihat wajah dicermin

Terpandang parut dimukaku

Bekas cinta yang lama, apakah tidakkan hilang

Kesan cinta yang terus mendatang

Bermain dijiwa ini

Setahun sudah berlalu, Februari muncul kembali

Dengan kehangatan semalam

Tanpa kusedari, kupetik mawar merah

Kutulis sekuntum puisi

Tapi sayang pada siapa kanku beri

Bukan nyanyian yang ingin aku kongsikan, tapi perasaan yang ditaburkan dan di maksudkan oleh lirik lagu tersebut. Lewat malam ini, tepat jam 12 tengah malam, maka akan bersoraklah manusia seluruh dunia secara berperingkat mengikut zon waktu masing-masing dengan laungan Selamat Tahun Baru dengan bahasa masing-masing. Begitulah juga laungan AZAN  membesarkan Allah, berkumandang di seluruh dunia pada setiap saat..... tanpa kita sedari!

Maka bermulalah satu hari baru, hari pertama bagi tahun yang baru......di saat itu, cuba kita pejamkan mata dan cuba imbaukan kembali apakah pencapaian, kegagalan dan kesilapan kita sepanjang tahun yang lalu. Cuba fikirkan...... sudah tercapaikan azam tahun lalu atau akan bawa ke tahun baru pula? hahahhahhahha!

Selamat Menyambut 2014! Semoga negara kita bertambah aman dan dilindungi dari mala petaka. Insyaallah. Bagi yang keluar menyambut kedatangan tahun baru, peliharalah kesopanan diri dengan berlandaskan batas-batas agama dan jauhi dari perkara-perkara yang memudaratkan. 

Bersujud syukurlah yang kita masih bernyawa dan diberi kesempatan untuk terus mengecap nikmat hidup yang Allah berikan. Ingatlah akan tanggungjawab kita kepadaNya dan ingatlah bahawa kita dilahirkan ke dunia untuk bersujud kepadaNya dan membesarkanNya!

I wish......

"Mak, I am collecting food and all kinds of neccessities for the flood victims in Pahang.  I  am looking for people who wants to help by sponsoring.  Do you think people will respond?"

That was the question she asked me before she and her friends  started to blast the news in their Facebook, Watsapp and other media.

Alhamdulillah,  as expected, aids came from all over. Loads of food, cleaning detergents, diapers for babies, cloathing for all ages, blankets, pillows, mattresses for babies and adults..... just name it!  One came up with sponsoring the transportations for carrying the goods to destination. Amazing!

After two weeks of collecting, on the 18th of December 2013, my daughter Hana, her husband Muhammad A'sim with a group of 16 , drove in four 4WD followed by 2 lorries towards Pekan, Pahang. 

Upon reaching, they unloaded everything from the lorries and started to divide as much as they can equally to be given to the victims. They got help from the locals but most of the jobs were done by themselves.... the 16 of them. It must have been very tiring for them but those victims comes in the picture first..... everything else were pushed aside!

On second day, after the first distribution, my daughter called me. I knew that she was in tears when she explained how bad things were out there. How much the victims lost their belongings, the state of their homes with no food .....  she said, she felt so greatful to Allah for giving her all the goodness and rezeki in life.  Masyallah....... I felt good when my daughter said that. She had to see it to feel it !  Where else, I had to face it to feel it! hahahhahhha. 

When I was young, most of my life were in  Padang Kubu, Kemaman, Terengganu. It was 1971 and that was the worst ever flood in history. The water level was as high as the tip of the lamp post! Many lost their lives. I remembered two of my neighbours got swept away.  Food were flown in by the TUDM helicopter. To me as a child at that time, fear was number 100. Joy comes first!  Monsoon season means, no schools, running in the rain, eating Ubi Rebus with Sambal Tumis and doing all the things that we like, as we like! hahahhaha. My arwah Mak and arwah Abah must have had a hell of a time during raining season with all their children at home!  We never knew that we were short of food because porridge served with ikan kering or telur asin is served everyday. To us that is delicacy but just imagine the feelings of my late parents. We never complained because to us that was life. We took it as it was. How I missed those days. Al Fatehah to both my parents who had to sacrificed everything to keep the family together.

I wish I am as strong as I used to be so I can lend my hands to help the needys like my daughter did. But it is impossible because is she is there, I have to be here  I have to take care of her children..... my two little dinosaurs, A'mmar and Aa'fi! I considered it as a lending of hand too... hahahhha. I hope and pray to Allah that the raining season will stop soon so the people can move on with their life. 

  

As for my daughter and my son-in-law, I am so very proud of  both of them and I hope that many more young men and women take the opportunity to do the same.  I knew that many already did. Keep up the good job and  with the right intention!  A very big thank you to all who sponsored.  May Allah bless you all with more rezeki and good health. For the victims, stop feeling sorry and angry. This is not caused by humans but a little reminder from Allah Subhanahu Wataala.  He knows what is BEST for all of us. Be greatful that aids comes from throughout the country. You are not alone..... you are never left alone.  The goverment is doing the best to help. So be patient!  If you think you have lost everything, think of others who lost their family members! Remember that there are always people who faced  worst scenario than yours. Help is on the way. Good luck!  

Kau dan aku......

Masa muda

begitu bertenaga dan bergaya

Namun

kaku pertama kali bertemu 

kekok pergerakanku

Ketika kau melamarku

menjadi permaisurimu

aku hampir tidak percaya

Manakan tidak

umurku awal dua puluhan

 kau pula akhir dua puluhan

jauh bezanya

Tapi janjimu unuk terbang bersama

kita terbang setara

Alhamdulillah kita sekata

Kini kita sama-sama sudah berusia

Kita tetap serupa

gembira dan bahagia

keluarga kita sudah mengembang

Dari dua... menjadi empat

kurniaan seorang menantu dan dua cucu

melengkapkan hidup kita

30 tahun kita bersama

 kita harungi segala

susah dan senang kita hadapi jua

kita ketawakan diri kita

 kita menangis kesilapan kita

dan kita berjaya 

sekian lama kita bersama

kita bisa membaca gerak hati

kita bisa mengenal hati budi

kita faham masa suka, duka dan murka

dari gerak jari kekerlingan mata

kita bersama boleh membaca

kita serasa dan sekata

bertingkah kelebihan kita

bersyukur kita kepada Illahi

akan anugerah ini

10 Disember 1983

kita diijabkabulkan

Selamat menyambut 

Hari Ulangtahun Perkahwinan yang ke30

buat kita sayangku

semoga kebahagiaan ini selamanya

semoga kita diberi kesihatan yang baik

semoga kita diberi yang terbaik dunia dan akhirat

Insyaallah.....

A tragic love song,,,,,,

          
While listening to this magnificient singer, Mayumi Itsuwa singing her hit song Koibito Yo (My dear love), please read the following story which I translated from the song lyrics.  The feelings and emotions expressed in the song made this song a number one hit  in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong in the 80's. 

In early 80's, my husband visited Japan on business. He had lots of trouble memorizing the wordings of this song. In a gathering , some representatives from Malaysia  were asked to perform some songs.  So, my husband took the challenged and sang with full confidence.  Unfortunately, the Japanese did not understand a word! Hahahahahhaha...... but the melody was there!
  
         Once upon a time, somewhere in Japan, a young girl awaits. Under the drizzling rain, and seated on a broken chair in a park waiting.  The pebbles jogging path were glittering under the rain.....This was the place where a love began.

          The autumn leaves were falling. It was on the branches in Spring and Summer. But now , the trunks and branches are almost visible. Gone were the leaves....... all gone. It shows that winter is coming soon.

          With eyes closed, tears flowing down her cheeks, Mitsu was hoping that that the weather will stay sunny and bright... as bright and as light as her heart so in love. But as she opened her eyes, Mitsu realized that it was not a dream at all. This was reality!

          Gone were the love songs... all what was left was only memories which hurt  her so much. Mitsu was hoping that he will come back to her in open arms. With laughter and twinkling eyes and telling her that it was only a joke....... but it was not. It was a tragic! She cried again but was lucky that nobody realised  it because it was raining.  

         Then suddenly, a male jogger passed by and saw Mitsu sitting on the broken bench in the rain looking blankly at the pebbles where he was standing.  He remembered she was with someone before, the same seat, the same time..... But now she was all alone.  She was in distressed. It showed! As if he knew of the caused, the man talked to her and encouraged her to move forward and never to look back. The past is over... let bygone be bygone. It hit Mitsu. She awoke from her bad dream. She stood and walked away without looking back anymore at the bench where her love ended.  

Sayoonara......

Less is more............

An unforgettable reunion of the pioneers of MPKT Turtles.... Eventhough 12 turned up out of many..... we were still happy! Really happenning!  At that moment, we forgot completely that we are all grandparents! Hahahahha..... It was fun though. Lots of stories from the past and present. Alhamdulillah, we all  are granted with good health!

We gathered at Akhtar Zaiti's place to celebrate her son's wedding in Kampung Pauh Panji, Kota Bahru, Kelantan. Turtles who came were Noraini Hamzah, Noni, Kasmawati, Titina, Azean, Ridwan, Kak Teh, Kamariah, Nani, Norihan myself and  of cause Akhtar.

Avery happy father.... Cikgu Wan Ikram.

The proud mum.

Proud to be the Turtles of MPKT 1981-1983.
A friendship we hope to last forever. Insyaallah.

Simply beautiful......

Cik Yah's roomate.
So excited to his function...soooon!!!

As sweet as ever. In ornge is Nani from Tesl B.

All taken......
Kak Teh's, Lailee's and Kasma's!

Bersama Wan Rosnani.

Bersama Norihan

Grandmothers and Grandfathers  day.....

Best friends forever.
(L-R)  Norihan, Cik Yah, Kasmawati, Yan, Titina, Lailee,
Cik Nie, Akhtar and Kak Teh.

Tesl A representative.
Cik Yah. expecting more turtles to attend her function end of this month!

Next gatherings will take place at 

• Cik Yah's place in Red Land Kelantan for her daughter's wedding. The date is 30th November 2013.  All Turtles  are expected to attend.  
• Noni is inviting us to her daughter's wedding on the 14th December 2013. 
• Next is end of  May next year.... Kasmawati's daughter is getting married . 
• 31st August, Cik Nie is expecting her second daughter's wedding.
• Noi's daughter is also getting married next year. 

Representatives of Tesl C 

Rojak!

The two Mats... Mat ASKAR and Mat RISDA!

Turtles with the bride and groom.

Three Hajis posing.

Must be something funny!

Kasmawati's roomate.

Cik Nie's roomate.

May they live hapilly ever after.

Discussing about our plans.....

Usherer...

Noni, one of the first to arrive and
the first to leave to attend another wedding.

Akhtar's heroes.

Just jump in the function even if you did not recieve an invitation card from the host. It does not mean you are forgotten but it just slip off the mind.  Too much to think, do and remember..... trust me! I was there.  I told Kasmawati to send invitations through  watsapp..... easier, faster and it is FREE! Hahahahhahhahah.....

Should any of you Turtles who wants to wed your children, just keep me inform so I can update!  But forget it if you (additional) are to be wed!  Hahahahhahahahha.....