Iftar @Qurum29

Today is the very first day of Fasting in this holy month of Ramadan in this hospitable Land of Legendary Sinbad ;) Alhamdulilah, so far I was able to brush away the temptation and just do the basic as far as Iftar is concerned. Also RY wishes to eat at home-sweet-home in Qurum29 instead of somewhere posh or in restaurants or hotels. 

So, I told him that I'll serve home cooked foods. As usual, we start with the sweet dates to break our fast. I also sliced some water melons to quench our thirst. He also bought fresh coconuts but I prefer to take them after my maghrib, isyak and terawih prayers or else I am not able to do any prayer because by then I'll be too full with water :D   With more water in my stomach will make me feel bloated, heavy and lazy ... Ouch!

Anyway, for the main menu, I prepared white rice. Also sotong masak lemak cili padi. I hope it tastes good especially the salt and what nought! Since I am fasting, so I am not able to taste the food. I shall base on my instinct hi hi hi. I also made sambal sardine with fried potatoes and deep fried ayam berempah. To add as appetizer I fried some dried fish both the ikan kurau and the ikan kering bulu ayam :)

Wow! While I deep fried them, they smelled  so good and yummy!!! I left the vegetable as last menu because I wanted  it to to be served hot and crunchy. I made stir fry taugeh or bean sprout for RY. I also made a simple ikan bilis masak kicap which I learnt from my SIL. She taught me this recipe because my children like it very much. This dish is also sought after by my family during imsak time! 

Well, looking at the whole set menu for Iftar on its first day, I think that was more than enough. Perhaps it is more of a luxury meal to some people, so Alhamdulilah, and all my doa to Allah SWT for His Blessings and wonderful foods on my table ;)

"Selamat Berbuka Puasa" to my beloved RY. 

   Iftar Dinner on 10.07.2013 for RY&Me

1Month Blogging

It has been one month since I started this blogging activity. I have always wanted to write and share but at the same time I fear of the outcome LOL :D

In fact, when I arrived at this country I met a beautiful and truly fair lady with mixed parentage who once worked @NST. She loves to write and indeed, I encouraged her to do it by starting her own blog where she could pour all her heart out. True enough she did! And, of course I followed her blog - which was truly nice and as if I was also trailing her journey to all the magnificent and spectacular places which she wrote and shared with her readers ;))

But, on my part I always feared of starting   something new and perhaps unknown to me. It was funny, right! I gave to  someone my view which in actual fact, I was very afraid to venture although I know it will be a good move! 

Instead, I kept all my writings to myself which I complied such as Gratitude Journal, Desert to Desert, Hot & Spicy Life of a Trailing Spouse and Tales from Muscat. I told myself these stories are exclusively   meant for my beautiful   children and perhaps to my 'future' grandchildren - one day if Allah SWT grants me with them. Insyallah. 

Also, my main purpose was with the hope that my 'future' grandchildren or better still great grandchildren know about their Grand Mom or Great Grand Mom. :D This includes her life as a DS as well as her lively and active journey which she has participated and truly enjoyed to be part of the trailing spouse community. But all those were nicely compiled and bound! Only for Yours Truly Eyes :))

Anyway, my fear eventually disappeared when we had a group of active bloggers get-to-gather.  Among others the issues discussed were they wished more 'Wives' and 'Moms' to be an ALL Rounder - not just ordinary wives instead computer savvy wives; and not just ordinary moms instead vogue moms! Hence, I joined the group and started with my blogging activities, just within their circles. I managed to write some 'tales' and shared with them, and vice versa :)

To date, since I started writing for the past   one month, I have written what I felt, what I observed, what I am thankful for and most of all about the every day happening in my life which captures my eyes and the strong feeling to share it with who ever reads my blog - musrustamy@blogspot.com :D

    First Day Blogging - 08062013!

For my courage to venture into the 'cyber world' my sincere TQ to Dr Liza who now turns to Computer Savvy Housewife; to Intan D' Vogue Mom and Amizian D'Truly Amy! Without them, undoubtedly I am still stuck with my compilation & compilation & compilation and yet ALL of them are neatly stacked in my Book Shelf!  

TQ to ALL my Blogger BFF for I strongly believe with the saying: Sharing is Caring :))

First Ramadan together ...

This evening I received a sweet email from my daughter who wished me and her Dad "Salam Ramadan." 

Immediately after that, I received a Chat Text from my DIL who wrote: "Hi Mama, Happy Fasting ... Love You & Take Care. When I replied, "Jgn lupa bangun sahur ..." She returned with a note: "Yup, my turn to prepare sahur for Adik @ Hubby." Oh Wow! I am truly happy when I read her reply :)) 

While I'm writing this, I think they are now  preparing   to have their first sahur! Indeed, this time around she and my sunny son will start their First Ramadan together ... I pray to His AlMighty Allah SWT to bless this newly wed and may they live life to the fullest as a blessed happy couple. Amin.

As for my daughter, I am truly happy to note that that although this year's first Ramadan means she has to share 'her brother' with her SIL, yet I am pretty sure she'll be taken care of by her sweet and caring SIL ;) At least, there is someone to remind her of 'bersahur' in the wee hour before dawn!

Although I missed all of them, but my little heart wishes them well and pray for their happiness. May their first Ramadan together gets Allah SWT Blessings and may their life and well being be protected by His Almighty Allah SWT. Amin. To my beautiful children, please apply this simple rules which I found in the FB Wall, and I'm pretty sure you'll find and feel Happiness all the while ...

(a) Free your hearts from hatred.

(b) Free your minds from worries.

(c) Live Simply.

(d) Expect Less.

(e) Give More ;).

Also, never forget to do your prayers to Allah SWT for He knows best and He hears all your doa ;)

As for me, since we're living far away from home, so to celebrate the eve of First Ramadan this year together with my better half, we went to Irani House and had hearty and sumptuous dinner comprising of Chelow Kababs namely saffron rice with roasted chicken and lamb. Yummy! :D 

For imsak, we prefer to have light foodies. My better half had dates and juices while I chose milk, cashew nuts and sultanas ;) I was also able to do my tahajjud before waking up for morning prayer. Also read a few simple surah as well as five pages of Al Quran. Before Dzuhur prayer, I am truly fortunate and blessed to be able to perform Dhuha prayer. Alhamdulilah. 

I hope to complete my first day of Ramadan today with Allah SWT will and grace. Insyallah. May my first day of Ramadan receives all His Blessings & Berkat. Amin. Also I wish to prepare Iftar food for my better half. I am thinking of plain rice with masak lemak cili padi, deep fried ayam berempah, taugeh goreng and ikan bilis kicap with Bombay onions. Hopefully all these plans will materialize ... For desserts, perhaps I'll just prepare fruit cocktail since my better half does not fancy sweet foodies :D

But, I'll truly miss the foodies which my SIL always cooked for us each time we went home to visit her in our homeland, especially the ikan parang masak asam pedas, ketam lemak cili padi and ikan cencaru belah belakang :( 

    I truly missed these foods ;(

Not only the delicious foods which I truly missed, but most of all the wonderful family of Sister Ani and Brother Ishak  who have been very kind to me with their boundless love and honest caring towards me and my family especially to my children knowing that their parents are far far away from home.

Usually at Ramadan time, this sweet couple never failed to invite my children to their ever loving home and served them all with delicious and sumptuous foodies. Alhamdulilah and All praise to Allah SWT to bestow and grant this happy couple long and prosperous life. Amin.  

'Brainstorm Room'

Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said: "If you can't fly then run, if can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep on moving forward."

The above is also the positive attitude which we the 'Hawaii Five O' DS in Oman apply as far as ALC is concerned. We never think big, yet whatever small thing we do - we always want good things to be done for our group members. Ours is fun and carefree group but always within the protocol and full of etiquette. The brainstorming session is always held @Chado, hence we unanimously named the place the 'Brainstorm Room' :D

Normally over a pot of tea and some snacks or panini and sandwiches we 'brainstormed' what should we do to make our members feel worthwhile, more active and willing to happily participate in the ALC activities which had been proposed and scheduled through out the year. This includes activities relating to education, social, sports and charity. 

But today, our Brainstorm Room will miss dearly  one of the regulars because our dear BFF will soon leave us to a cooler place and covered with snow in winter. Well, time flies so fast that we did not notice it has been a year we treated ourselves with good Chado tea in this room :) 

Since we frequented the tea room, we too became well versed with the different kinds and names of the tea that were served to us from blooming tea to white tea to black tea. Also from green tea to oolong to white ginger and many more ...

To Brainstorm Room, you may wave goodbye to one of the regulars, but pretty soon you'll welcome another into your tea room. So, stay 'sweet' as you are and may the 'welcoming trait' in your superb ambience which you had shown us will be your goodwill and trademark!

        The Brainstorm Room @Chado 

Life outside the Bubble

I recently read a blog which among others  the blogger KK wrote that she watched a 'touchy' movie Laskar Pelangi or The Rainbow Troops. I quickly clicked to the trailer and was instantly attracted to it which made me wanted to watch the full movie, too. 

The title also captures my heart because I am always fascinated about pelangi or rainbow. It reminds me of my late Abah who used to tell me stories about the seven magical colours. Also the fairy tale or dongeng that the most beautiful and most loving seventh princess from heaven came down to earth to take her bath ;) 

And, being his youngest and the seventh child, while he was narrating the story, I was dreaming that I was the princess! LOL. Till today, he made me fall in love to the beautiful spectrum and by just staring at the beautiful layers of multi colours after a down pour gives nostalgic feeling to me ;))

Since KK noted that the story is 'moving' it also made me curious and I wanted to know more about it. So, yesterday evening - almost two hours my eyes were glued to my little iPhone and watched the 'touchy touchy' movie. My heart ached and, my eyes become blurry and slowly watery throughout the 'show' ... 

The impact was truly great to a 'touchy' person like me when it comes to education. It also soars all the way up to Al Mighty Allah SWT for all His Blessings and to heaven seeking for my late Abah to thank him for instilling the importance of good education both for this world and the hereafter.  I also know at this moment Abah is watching me, too. Al Fatihah to my Abah :(

Later, I found out that the movie was based on a novel written by an Indonesian novelist Andrea Hirata. It was made into a movie in 2008 and according to some cinema critics the plot was very simple vis a vis education yet it gives a universal impact to the viewers. On this, I absolutely concur with them :)) Education can eradicate poverty. Through education one could come out from the slump. But, one must have a dream. And, there is no harm dreaming as long as we work towards our dreams. 

The simplicity plot in the  movie gives not only a nostalgic reflection  about my past and the importance of educating myself to be what I am, today; instead it also gives new perspective to me then that we must all live our life outside our bubbles. In other words, a person must not feel complacent or satisfied only with his first achievement, if he knows that he could achieve more achievements by putting more efforts and works a littler harder. We have to strive the best we could and give the best we can. We must always aim to be the best of the best! For second best, is not enough. 

And once we are successful, never ever forget our past. We should look back to our roots. We must remember to give some portions of our wealth as it is other's turn to receive what we once had received. Give others the chance or opportunity like we  once had! By giving and sharing, it means we truly care for them. 

And while giving back, it is a lot better to give more to others. A popular saying which was instilled by my late Abah that still lingers at the back corner of my mind - it is much better to give others whatever we have than to accept from them or the hands that give is better than the hands that take! When we live life outside the bubbles, insyallah we could see this part or perspective clearly and appreciate life much more. 

As was shown by Ikal's character in Laskar Pelangi when he left his Belitong Village and off to Paris to persue his childhood dreams based on the picture of Eiffel Tower on a chocolate box, a sacred gift from his 'puppy love' Ah Leng :) Indeed, he was blissfully thankful to his buddy Lintang who gave him the foresight although he has never been out of the bubble physically, yet his mind has been living outside the bubble all his life through his interest in reading and always hungry of knowledge :D 

In short, as long as we are willing to open up our minds, our life will not be constraint. Instead we will be enjoying life much more and carefree as seen by persons who are living outside the bubbles! 

TQ Laskar Pelangi for the beautiful movie. 

Indeed, by watching you, I truly believe not only you were able to spread colours to viewers through your multi coured spectrum to those colourless soul, but certainly you also have touched and opened those colourless hearts. Insyallah ...

   Laskar Pelangi - The 'touchy' Movie ;))

"Come & Go"

There is a Malay saying "Yang patah kan tumbuh dan Yang hilang kan berganti" which literally means things which are broken could be repaired and things which are lost could be replaced. When we relate to persons it gives us the meaning that when one person goes, another may come to replace ...

Similarly, @CMO last night  I saw two persons, one being happily ushered to join in while to the other it is quite sad to see her go and to bid her goodbye ...

Such is the life  cycle of people  working in the diplomatic service - one comes another go! 

Looking at the new comer who is young and about the age of my children, I feel like I am her Mom :D 

But to the 'outgoer' friend who is  a little senior than me as of age, I honestly feel like she's my elder sister ;)

To both newcomer and 'outgoer' - Best Wishes @new working places. One is to be stationed in this Land of Sindbad surrounded by bronze dunes, while the other will fly to home-sweet-home aka the Land of Hornbills with exotic green palm oil fields :) Both places are truly scenic, beautiful and surrounded by friendly cum hospitable people.

While observing them during the handing over NotaSerahTugas reminds me of my life as a DS. Indeed, our lives are never stationed at one place. One day, we may be in our homeland. Another day, we'll be called and told that we'll be posted to a place somewhere near the Safari. Not surprising, if in just after two years there, we'll be recalled again. Where to?

Most will be recalled to homeland. For some, they'll be cross-posted to another  continent. Others were rumored to go to a new country where the capital is a beautiful place by the sea. A few will go to cool  climate nations. One or two may be sent to places where sakura blooms at spring! Yet, all of us are clueless and won't know until we receive the posting order (PO) :D

Our life as DS is always on the move ;)) Sometimes for a short period but at other times it may be a little longer. It all depends on the 'PO' - But, wherever we are, we always make the best of our postings. As one Malay proverb said, "Di mana bumi di pijak, Di situ langit di junjung." We discharged our duties and responsibilities the best we could irrespective of places. Our duty is to uphold the good name of our beloved nation. 

That was our priority no matter where we were stationed to for our life is destined as "Come & Go!"

Once again to the young newcomer, "Ah Lan Wa Sah Lan" to Oman :)) and to the senior 'outgoer'  "Selamat Pulang ke Tanah Air & Semoga bertemu Kembali, Insyallah."

Also, I would like to recite a pantun:

To newcomer:

Buah cempedak di luar pagar

Ambil galah tolong jolokkan

Saya budak baru belajar

Kalau salah tolong tunjukkan

To 'out goer':

Kalau ada jarum yang patah

Jangan di simpan di dalam peti

Kalau ada silap dan salah

Jangan di simpan di dalam hati

    "I'm now Handing Over to  You ..."       uttered the out goer to the new comer ;)

Personal Keepsake!

At our ALC get2gather organized by a caring friend @5*Hotel, another loving friend showed to me her compilation of ALC materials and photographs which we had been enjoying for the past one year. It was incomplete but indeed a  good job and soon after I volunteered to continue with it and to re-organize the materials. But, I have to do some write-ups to make it readable and informative. 

As 'likeminded' persons, we hope to make it as a fairwell sovenir to our outgoing colleague, the lovely CJ who loves libraries, books, reading materials or anything that involves education before she leaves ... Wishful thinking :))

At home, after browsing, reading and mulling through the compilation, it gives me an idea to turn it into our first ALC NL. Immediately, I key in some words into   my computer and save it as ALC Project. I also asked my friend to email to me the little write up which she had compiled, so I could select the materials especially the photographs of the events which we had been attending and organizing as a group. 

Being someone who is less computer savy, it was quite tedious to arrange the events followed by the photographs. Hence, I did all the write ups first including to re-write the recepies to be shared to ALC members with the hope that they will try the cooking. Insyallah :))

Next, I opened my old folder to look into the articles where ALC was in the News!!! I also have to call up some of my colleagues and members for other materials which I do not have, yet pertinent to be included in the NL such as on events which I was not able to attend because I was away for home on some urgent matters :)) But, alhamdulilah the respond was truly good and positive. I received the feedback promptly :D   Big Thank Q, my friends!

I am happy and delighted to see the draft of the First ALC NL is taking shape. Then I emailed to my other colleagues for some comments, also assistance regarding   layout, graphic  and what else to add in the NL. I was hoping that all my  colleagues   and friends could help  me with their honest and constructive  inputs. 

True enough, like the true blue ASEAN spirit of togetherness, my colleagues responded promptly and gave their ideas. Also a simpler layout which is simply awesome. I thought of taking it into consideration and perhaps  to emulate  to a certain degree so as to make the intended NL more chic and attractive :) 

But, sometimes things happen not as what we proposed, intended or planned. Perhaps, it is for the better :D   In our case, before I could make further amendments and adjustments due to hay fever and flu as well as praying hard that everything will be okay and the First ALC NL will become a reality :)) something happen which makes the intended ALC First NL is now more of a Personal Keepsake! 

Yet this Personal Keepsake is very special which accumulates a one year special and unique bond of solid and beautiful friendship between US! Also, while presenting the unexpected Personal Keepsake to CJ, another surprise event happened where a well thought and beautiful one of a kind mugs were distributed to all of us from a very caring and thoughtful friend to commemorate the true meaning of Friendship.

Thank You ALL for the thoughts, cares and togetherness which we share in this truly hospitable land. With all of you sharing your kindness and boundless love, my life in this Sultanate is more exciting, fun, and joyful!

   Keepsake for my 'Mugging' Collections