In Memoriam

Kak Mon (2007-2009)

cats have a way to get really close to us. Just last night when I was out exercising at the Taman in front of the house, a teenage cat just simply joined me and then followed me back until to the front gate. At home in kampung, Kak Mon had until earlier today, been keeping father company. Her presence will be sorely missed by him.

My first pet-cat was Bob. We had him a long time ago but he left me a scar, literally, and it's still visible on the back of my right hand. Our family never keeps a dog because mother is religiously allergic to them. But some day when I have to manage a large farm/ homegarden I may need to enlist the help of a rotweiler. god willing.

rumahku

For the past few months I have been spending time (and lotsa money) to "rehabilitate" the house that I never grew up in. It belonged to my mother and her mother and the mother before her.... but my mother has recently decided to pass it on to me. RUMAHKU. Actually I'm just a "guardian" as any rumah pusaka actually belongs to a paruik. The project manager is my sister, Nor Haslinda Hashim. Thank god she seems to know what she's doing (albeit at my expense) since she has architectural training from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Dr. Naziaty of Universiti Malaya has been very encouraging too. There's no ramp to get into the house yet but the new staircase is quite accessible and safe for some people. There's an accessible toilet on the ground level...yeay.

The view from the frontyard overlooking sawah padi. Just beyond the bamboo grove is Sungai Muar.