When old friends meet...

     When old friends called themselves TURTLES get together,  time is our worst enemy! 

Congratulations to both Man and Nik .

We, Turtles, wish the BEST for both your children and their newly weds in their future.

We thank you very much for your kindness and concern towards us.

Tasty Food and Beverages, 

warm welcome 

and even  

Two special tables set for Turtles.....

sorry we did add another two more ....hehehhehhe

Thank you.

To all Turtles who made it, it was full of fun with lots of laughter and never enough time.

Really nice to be among comrades.

The presence of Super Seniors and families made it more meningful.

We should try our level best not to miss any of the Tutles functions like this...

well.... it keeps us young !!!!

All aboard!

The used to be boys.....

The men

The ladies

Hubbies

Father-in-law

Zainal...all the way from Muar 

Membawang session

Our sweet Kasma

Lailee, Zu  and Manja

Abang Long Zainal and girls

The host and Amin

Madam host with Lailee

 

Jamilah, Norihan, Akhtar and Rahimah

Tuan Pengetua and Zu's hubby....Ridwan

Kak Teh n hubby...Pok Teh

Manja and Rosmah

Jamilah, Norihan and Shikin

Breakfast at hotel...

Ikram, Mat and Ibrahim.

Not even Turtles but always there at Turtles functions.

Wonder who their wives are????

A mother's dream

She is every mothers dream 

A daughter and my best friend

She is my everything

When I am down, she'll be there

entertaining

When I make jokes, she'll be there

laughing

When I nag, she'll be there

listening attentively

and smiling broadly

She always make time for me

telling me stories

and

sharing her ups and downs

and cracking silly jokes

which brightens up my day 

Always around to assist me

Always there to keep me company

I hope she will have her dream too

because she is a mother

and her daughter will be like her

just like she to me

My Little Lantern

Let the picture do the talking

Shirakawa-Go, Japan.

16th March 2018

Durian

Ia digelar Raja Buah

Kulitnya berduri

Isinya lemak berkrim

Baunya menguasai ruang

Bagi yang suka... mengiurkan

Bagi yang tidak... memeningkan

Tahun  yang lalu, hasilnya kurang menjadi

Seluruh negara ketandusan buah ini

Harga diletakkan sangat tinggi

Tapi demi tekak....tetap dibeli

Tahun ini, hasinya berlipat ganda

Seluruh negara dihujani durian

Sana sini durian

Pelbagai spesis diperkenalkan

Musang King, 101, Kampung, Kawin dan sebagainya

Rasanya ada beza

Ada manis

Ada pahit

Tapi yang penting harganya

Tahun ini kita makan sepuasnya

Alhamdulillah

Insan istimewa

Aku bekas seorang pendidik

maka telahanku tidak akan tersasar

aku tahu isi hatinya

dia insan istimewa

seorang manusia yang banyak berjasa

kepada

Agama, Bangsa dan Negara

walaupun rambutnya sudah memutih

walaupun sudah tidak bisa menggigit

walaupun penceritaannya tersekat-sekat

Tetapi

ingatannya masih jelas

setiap yang didalam foto dia kenali

setiap individu dia ingati

mula mendidik semuda 19 tahun

di Sekolah Menengah Kuala Kubu

sekitar tahun 1966 

pengajarannya mengikut lojik

pendidikannya ibarat magik

berbangga sungguh dengan hasil usahanya

kembang hati melihat hasil kerjanya

punya ramai anak didik ternama

yang sentiasa menyanjunginya

mengingatinya dan mendoakannya

jasamu tidak akan mudah dilupa

kelucuanmu 

kebijaksanaanmu

keikhlasanmu

dan pendidikanmu

akan dikenang selamanya 

terima kasih Cikgu Saiful

atas segalanya

Selamat bersara.

My sister Aeshahton Mohamad Yunos

My sister, A'eshahton binti Mohamad Yunos is a very dedicated teacher. She is 61 years old. She has never attended any Teachers Training Institutions....never. All her life, since she was young, she gives home tutions. Many of her students did so well in their major examinations. She is still doing it until now. 

Kak Chah, is a multi talented person. She is a very good cook, she sings, she dances, a  very good organizer and she teaches students from toddler to form five students! She is such an amazing person!!

The best of all is, she love us very much!

Selamat bersara Kak Chah. 

May you find happiness in your new life. Stay cool and beautiful OK. I wrote a little poem for you. This is my gift to you.....

She has made up her mind...

This time is for real.

There is no turning back.

Her tears dropped like diamonds.

This place gave her life.

It gave her happiness and satisfaction.

Her voice heard.

Her presence felt.

Her ideas awed.....

But..she had decided.

She is not turning back.

her train stopped here...

But deep inside her..she knew,

She will be missed.

Her absence felt.

She cried......

Goodbye my friends...

Goodbye my students...

I wish you luck....

Please....

Please wish me luck too.

Aku mendengar.....

Aku diberi kesempatan belajar tinggi. Alhamdulillah. Tapi, disepanjang kehidupanku dari kecil higga kini, banyak yang kupelajari dari penglihatan, pendengaran dan pembacaan. Tidak lupa dari pengalaman diri dan pengalaman orang lain. Akhirnya, ilmu yang kita pelajari dari zaman sekolah digabungkan dengan baik sekali dengan pengalaman hidup menghasilkan AKU! hahhahahha.

Akhir-akhir ini aku banyak mendengar tentang kisah kisah sahabat-sahabat Rasulallah SAW. Nak baca dari buku mata dah rabun dan tidak  berapa awas dan penyakit mengantuk kuat mengganggu konsentrasi. Tetapi teknologi kini amat canggih. Buka saja Internet dan cari dalam  Wiki, You tube dan yang sewaktu dengannya amat membantu. Bak kata, ilmu kini di hujung jari. Cari dan tekan  saja maka  berlubur ilmu  dikeluarkan. 

Aku banyak ikuti penceramah Dr Khalid Basalmah tentang sirah Nabi dan sahabat-sahabatnya. Subhanallah, sememangnya kepakarannya tentang sirah Nabi. Penyampaiannya jelas, terang dan beliau membuat rujukan dari pelbagai kitab dan setiap satu kejadian dinyatakan juga versi-versi yang berbeza  mengikut pada -kibitab rujukannya.

Hari ini, aku mendengar kisah bagaimana Umar bin Khattab memeluk agama Islam. Umar bin Khattab adalah seorang yang bertubuh besar, tegap, berpendirian tetap, garang dan ditakuti musuh. Sebelum  Islam, Umar amat suka minum arak, menyeksa orang Islam dari terbit matahari hinggalah ke petang. Katanya, jika bukanlah kerana hari sudah malam, pasti dia tidak akan berhenti menyeksa orang Islam. Bencinya dia pada agama Islam, pada Rasulallah SAW dan pada  Muslimin tidak boleh dibendung lagi. Beliau bukan sahaja menyeksa hambanya yang beragama Islam malah turut sama menyeksa hamba-hamba sahabat-sahabatnya.

Ummar bin Khattab sangat ditakuti oleh musuh. Biar berdepan dengan 10  orang musuh dari berhadapan dengannya. Ini adalah kerana besarnya tubuh, kudratnya, kekuatannya , garangnya  dan pandai bersenjata. Beliau adalah seorang duta. Beliau juga akan dihantar oleh kaum Musyhrikin apabila ingin berhadapan dengan musuh kerana beliau amat ditakuti dan disegani.

Satu hari, Ummar bin Khattab ditugaskan untuk mencari dan membunuh Rasulallah SAW.  Beliau tidak tahu dimana tempat persembunyian baginda dan beliau terus berjalan. Sedang beliau mencari-cari Rasulallah SAW, beliau bertembung dengan seorang saudaranya bernama Abdullah an Nahham al Adawi. Melihat keadaan wajah Umar bin Khattab yang bengis dan dengan pedang yang terhunus di tangannya, Abdullah langsung bertanya kemana tujuannya. Langsung Umar memberitahu tujuannya ialah untuk mencari dan membunuh Rasulallah SAW yang telah menyebabkan perpecahan dikalangan penduduk Mekah. Ini amat merisaukan Abdullah kerana Umar terkenal dengan janjinya. Jika Umar diberi tugas untuk membunuh, misinya mesti diselesaikan sama berjaya atau tidak, salah seorang mesti mati.

Abdullah an Nahham al Adawi merasa amat risau. Sebenarnya dia juga seorang Islam dan tidak diketahui oleh Umar bin Khattab! Lalu Abdullah mengalihkan tumpuan  Umar kepada hal yang lebih menyakitkan hatinya iaitu menyatkan bahawa adiknya Fatimah binti Khattab dan suaminya sudah Islam. Umar terus ke rumah adiknya. Oleh kerana tubuh badannya yang besar,  langkah kakinya  sudah kedengaran dari jauh. Ketika itu Fatimah dan suaminya sedang belajar mengaji dengan seorang bekas hamba yang juga sahabat Rasulallah SAW iaitu Khabbab bin Art. Mereka langsung menyorokkan guru mereka dan tulisan AlQuran yang tertulis di atas kulit dipegang oleh Fatimah.

Beberapa kali pintu rumah di ketuk tetapi tidak dibuka oleh Fatimah dan suaminya kerana takut. AKhirnya, Umar merobohkan pintu rumah  lalu masuk dan bertanya apakah yang sedang mereka bacakan  dan di nafikan oleh Fatimah. Umar menampar adiknya Fatimah dah iparnya berusaha membantu menghalang tetapi turut di pukul .  Berdarah mulut Fatimah dan Umar merasa malu akan perbuatannya mencederakan adik kandungnya sendiri. Apabila Umar ingin menyentuh ayat Al Quran, Fatimah melarangnya dan menyuruhnya mandi dan membersihkan badannya terlebih dahulu. Setelah selesai, Umur duduk dengan membaca ayat yang tertulis di atas kulit kambing tersebut. Bacaan yang mula-mulanya dengan suara yang keras akhirnya  menjadi lunak dan beliau terus membaca dan terpegun dengan susunan ayat-ayat tersebut. Mendengar suara Umar membaca seolah-olah menghayatinya, Khabbab keluar dari persembunyiannya dan Umar meminta agar di dipertemukan dengan Rasulallah SAW.

Khabbab terus memimpin Umar ke Darul Nadwah . Dari kejauhan, orang Islam menyangkakan yang Umar telah menangkap Khabbab dan membawanya ke Darul Nadwah. Saidina Hamzah bersedia untuk bersemuka dengan Umar sekiranya diserang. Untuk mengelakkan pergaduhan, Saidina Hamzah di sorokkan dan semua sahabat di minta bersembunyi kerana Rasulallah tahu akan kekuatan Umar.

Setibanya di dalam, Rasulallah langsung memegang Umar dan bertanya sebanyak tiga kali diulang soalan yang sama iaitu,'Adakah kau mahu menunggu hingga azab Allah turun kepadamu baru kau mahu meninggalkan agama asalmu?" 
Umar terus bersyahaddah! Seluruh Darul Nadwah bertakbir dan lauangan takbir itu kedengaran hingga ke Kaabah!

Dr Khalid Basalmah menyatakan tiga sebab Umar masuk Islam:

1...Doa dari Rasulallah SAW. Setelah baginda melihat bagaimana kaum Muslimin di siksa dengan sangan hebat sekali  oleh kaum Quraisyh, baginda memohon doa kepada Allah.

2...Terdengarnya  bacaan Surah THOHA oleh adiknya Fatimah binti Khattab.

3...doa seorang saudaranya  Abdullah yang keluarganya dalam perjalanan untuk berhijrah dan bertembung dengan Ummar . Ummar membiarkan keluarga itu berlalu dengan selamat sedangkan tugasnya ialah untuk membunuh saja orang Islam yang keluar dari Mekah.

Agama Islam telah menyebabkan seorang insan yang sangat jahil jadi berilmu, seorang yang bodoh menjadi pandai dan bijaksana, seorang yang sombong menjadi baik dan  seorang yang keras hati  menjadi pelembut. Dinyatakan juga bahawa antara sebab arak diharamkan adalah kerana doa Umar bin Khattab. 

Banyak yang kita pelajari dari kisah sahabat yang hebat ini. Sampaikanlah pengkisahan sahabat-sahabat Rasulallah SAW kepada anak cucu dan sahabat handai kita agar kita dapat bertemu mereka di Syurga nanti.. 

A beautiful blend.....

 One of the things that I love most besides reading, sketching  and painting is travelling. The experiences throughout the journey made me understand why Allah wants us to go places.  For what? To see and appreciate  his creations. To learn from the past. Through these visits, then only we know how Great Allah is and How Powerful Allah is! Alhamdulillah.

Pokoshko Jeezero

This year I visited Bangkok, Thailand; Bandung, Indonesia; Tokyo Osaka Hiroshima, Japan and just recently Bosnia and Herzegovina. All of these places gave me different experiences. Well the weather, humidity, way of life, food, warm hospitality .... the people, the culture, their attitude, their lifestyles, their homes and families, transportations and of cause their landscapes. Four different countries with four differences in almost everything! I felt blessed to be able to visit, I really do ... Alhamdulillah.

To go places, one have to be ready inside and out. Ready for any kinds of situations and circumstances.  Always be prepared! Currencies need to be handled properly. Need to put aside some,  in case of any emergencies. Language? English helps but if you are lost just google translation. Get the Google Translate to do the job !! But one need to be in the best of health....that is a must! If you have diabetic, high blood pressure, migraine, and so on, then you need to bring your own stock. But do take along common medicine for fever, flu, sea sick and so on. 

Thailand and Indonesia are nearest to my country. A two hours flying and you are already there. In terms of food and beverages, we almost have the same kind of taste ..... only slight differences.  So it is no problem at all.  Shopping is heaven in both Bangkok and Bandung! You'll see that your bags started to multiply rapidly without you realising it! Hahahahahhhahha.

My husband and I flew to Tokyo later by shinkansen to Osaka and Hiroshima. This was our first time. As tourist, Japan gave us a lot of privilages especially the bullet trains tickets. Things are made easier for us that we can purchase train tickets, theme park tickets and even hotels rooms from Japan Tourist Burue or JTB. In Shah Alam, they have a booth in AEON Shopping Centre, Shah Alam.  I am telling you, they are professionals and they really helped. So in other words, my trip to Japan which I covered Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima was superb! Unfortunately, we only spent a week in Japan and it was not enough. We should have lenghtened our stay for another week so we can visit more places of interest.  But, look at the brighter side of it....there is a chance of revisit!!!

Last month, just before Aidil Adha, my husband said that he wished to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina [BiH]. I was puzzled because it was not in our list for this year ... not yet. But his wish did come through. We flew to Sarajevo through Istanbul. 12 hours flying hours inclusive of 2 hours transit time in Istanbul.

The beautiful landscape.

Before getting here, I just cannot imagine how this country will look like. Last 14 years I was on my way, by road from Munich, but an emergency came up and we had to turn back to Munich. Since then, BiH is always a dream place to visit.

The landscape is so beautiful. You can see layers and layers of mountain range near and afar. It makes the color so beautiful from fade grayish, to bluish, to greenish and then the green forests ... if only I could stop and paint ... it would feel marvelous!  So picturesque! The rivers flow freely and can you imagine how clean the water is ... crystal clear.... mind you! Should you go to the streams, rivers or any of the water fountains, just have a sip because the water is drinkable!!! With  mountains surrounding them, this creates ravine and created many waterfalls throughout the country. Everywhere you go, there's always  river flowing, some calm and some fast flowing and there were many lakes too.

 

  

Plava Voda, Travnik

 

The Old Bridge, Mostar

This beautiful land has everything, and everything seems to blend together with the warm hospitality of the people, the tasty food and  the histories of many thousand of years made Bosnia and Herzegovina a must place to visit. 

Being a Muslim, Alhamdulillah, and seeing many mosques, big and small, ancient and newly built, beautiful and  standing tall, gives me a sense of belonging. Nice to see the locals gave salam to us and some even thanked us because they remembered our country helped them during the Balkan War 25 years ago. It was so touching to hear them telling us how helpless they were and the Malaysian troops came to the rescue. MasyaAllah. It makes me feel so proud and blessed.

I hope to revisit again and again. Eversince I came back, BiH has always been in my mind and in my heart. I hope many more people visit this country and experience the real life of the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and enjoy the picturesque views of the landscapes and  not forgetting the food......oooohhhh wow!