A New Year ... A New Baby

Its the last day of 2005 and I can't help but wonder how quickly the year had passed. There were so many things to do and before I realise it, we will be ushering in the New Year in a matter of hours. InsyaAllah, next year will bring better things for all of us, and the proposed reunion in early Janaury will be a good start to renew friendships and strengthen ties. Hopefully, more will join us in Putrajaya. I missed the OGA Raya Gathering recently, but if any of you are interested, just go to the TKCOGA blog (the link can be found at the sidebar of this blog), where Kak Ruby has posted some photos. I hope to be able to gather some good photos of our January event, to be posted here for the benefit of all who cannot attend.

Meanwhile, the good news is that our Blog had gathered quite an encouraging number of visitors. Most of them are girls from our Batch, but some are not, although they have become regulars. Very few leave comments to the postings, but I know many are just "silent" readers. Of course, most of the Sisters of 74 read the postings in their email, because the postings are sent to the egroup anyway!

For me, 2006 brings a new addition to the family ... no, I am not having a baby! It is a new addition to the Sulong family because my brother's wife has just delivered a new baby boy early this morning. At 3.54 a.m., to be exact. Here is a picture of the Baby which my sister-in-law sent via MMS.

8 hours old Baby Danial

Well, I will end this post with a New Year wish for all, and hope to see you in Putrajaya!

My Little Accident

Two Thursdays ago, I fell by the roadside while walking to a meeting and injured my knee. It was excrutiatingly painful since my knee was dislocated and I looked in horror at my bent, distorted looking knee. It was also totally embarassing since passers by stared and cars slowed down to look. Some good Samaritans and 2 policemen tried to help me up but it was too much for me. So, I tolde them to hang on, and tried to starighten my knee very slowly, until I heard (or felt?) a snap and my knee looked closer to its original state, albeit somewhat swollen! Wow, I actually did a McGyver!!! Never in my wildest dream did I imagine something like that could happen. (Of course, later the doctor told me that it was quite possible for the knee to slip back in like that easily.)

I was rushed to the nearest hospital (PUSRAWI) in a taxi flagged down by the policemen. After X-rays, I was told that I needed to be admitted and a procedure (athroscopy, I think) needed to be done. By next morning, the knee area had swollen so bad, and I was almost eagre for the doctor to do what needed to be done. Luckily, I didn't need a General anaesthetic and was awake throughout the whole proecedure!

I was given 3 weeks MC, and am now recuperating. That means I can mope around the house till after the new year! Of course, going for physiotherapy too. I still go to office now and then because there were some stuff that required my attention. Also probably, because I needed to feel useful!!!!

Anyway, I don't know if I'll be able to move around as usual. The therapist thinks that I could be restored to almost 90%. Cuma tak boleh squat saja lah, he said. It could be either impossible or too painful. Anyways, I am hopeful.

Need to lose weight though. Now that I really cannot work out in the gym to shed off the excess baggage, any ideas on some magic bullet that can shave off those extra kilos? Ha, got to put this down as a New Year resolution!

A history lesson.......

I have just discovered something very interesting (actually, I knew it long before but did not realise the extent of it). My husband's family on his mother's side has a long history that can be traced back to an Indonesian freedom fighter. Like I said I knew about it much earlier but only realise the significance of it recently.

It all started when one of his cousins mentioned about wanting to trace their family history, since he had also known about the relationship with the freedom fighter. And as a result of of his search, a big gathering of all the suku-sakat was held sometime the third week of Raya in Seremban.

It turned out that his moyang (to the power of?) was one Tuanku Tambusai (or his real name Fakeh Muhammad Salleh Tambusai, aka Tok Ungku), a respected religious teacher and freedom fighter in Indonesia. He came over to this country sometime in the 1800s, fleeing the Dutch after they had defeated or killed most of his comrades. The Tuanku Tambusai came to settle in Kg Rasah in Negeri Sembilan with some of his followers. He did not get involved in the politics of the region after that but his followers did, which had an impact on the history of our country. Jalan Raja Laut was named after one of his followers ..... so it seems.

The Tuanku Tambusai died in Kg Rasah in mid-1800s and was buried there. His makam is on a small hill, and has now been turned in a historical site by the NS goverment. The Indonesian govt has also recognised the Tuanku Tambusai as a national hero, and a plaque was place at his makam to announce this. Some of my husband's other ancestors/relations were also buried there, some as recent as within ten years ago.

By strange coincidence, I remember watching an Indonesian film on TV years ago about Tuanku Tambusai. At that time I did not know about this history so I did not say anything to my husband about it. I was watching alone and it was shown late at night. I was getting sleepy and did not wait to see the ending. Later I found out that the producer filmed his makam in Kg Rasah and inserted in the closing minutes of the film.

I visited his makam some Raya back (about 15 years ago) and visited it again recently after the clan gathering. My husband managed to get a copy of the Indonesian film and I noticed that the scene of the makam in the film was as when I first visited it. The place looks better now since it has been declared a historical site. You can drive up to the site, whereas before that we had to walk up the hill for about 150 metres.

Just for the record my husband is the 5th generation and the youngest of the clan is of the 7th generation ....... I think.

There are a lot of info about Tuanku Tambusai on the Indonesian websites but I have not seen any on Malaysian websites.

Well ...... just thought I'd share some history with you all.

I am Back!

I know it has been quite a long time since I posted on this blog. Since the fasting month to be exact, and that is way too long! What can I say? Too many things to do ... and too little time to do it! A cliche, yes, but that is the sad fact. Thanks to Jon, at least the blog is still somewhat alive.

I am happy to have met quite a number of the gang during that time, though. Some pre-arranged, while at least two, were unplanned.

It was good catching up with Adillah, Pah, Sham, Shamp, Norsiah, and of course, Jay, who I bump into every now and then (because we live nearby) and a few others (sorry if I missed out your name. Poor memory. A natural consequence of aging!) Also I was pleasantly surprised to bump into Noshi at the recent Bicara Minda with Kak Ijat at Panpac. It has been more than a year since I met her, i.e. since the last reunion. We were lucky because it was free seating and we were able to sit together and talk about ourselves, our work, the happenings, and better yet, (ahem!) exchange gossip and bitch! No, I am pulling your leg. We are too nice to do that! Also met Opah there, but she came later and sat with her colleagues from Telekom.

Anyway, all these remind me that we must have another planned get together soon. Some have mentioned the Putrajaya cruise. Maybe that will be good, though I may get seasick! Last I was on a boat like that was some 25 years ago, on a cruise along the Nile! Not sure whether I can find my sea-legs again after all that time. Mazrah, Fidz, do you remember that one! Still have the photos (sigh!)

I have started the arrangements for the 30th Reunion CDs to be duplicated, as requested. Will endevour to get it done up nicely, complete with the nice CD covers and labels. Semi-pro, gitu! Hope there is still a budget for it. Ada lagi ke, Jon?

Moving forward, I would like to take up Jon's proposal (or was it Jay's or Hafiz's) to do another one on the Sisters of 74, this time with photos of all (if possible) our girls and their updates. Better yet, if we can get everyone to submit a video of themselves giving their updates personally. Well, we can discuss the details, but its worth a shot. (Ani Che Dan, yang ni kalau your hubby nak copy for his Batch, kena bayar royalty!) Any ideas, anyone? Caution though, you tend to look much bigger in the videos, so I better start going back to the gym!!!)

Let's start the ball rolling, in time for the next reunion. Otherwise there won't be enough time to complete this Project.

I have to go. Dah lapar ni. Salaams to all.