R.I.P MUM.

My mum had been battling colon cancer for close to 2.5 years. She was a fighter with strong will. When she was first diagnosed for last stage of cancer in 2010, Doctors predicted that she had less than a year to live. She fought hard and took control of her own timetable. She was able to witness the birth of two beautiful great-granddaughters during this painful yet joyful period. She also made it through two of her grandsons’ weddings in 2010 and 2012. Unfortunately, the constant pain that she was suffering had worn down her body. She finally waved her goodbye to us the day after her grandson’s wedding. 

Photo credit and the above note by my nephew :Sih Han

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My mother passed on on 4th June 2012 at 8.48pm and was laided to rest on thursday 7th june, 2012.

I will alway cherish the memory of my mother who had make great sacrifice for her children and often depriving herself of the luxury of a good life. My father passed on when I was only three and she single handed raised my elder brother  younger sister and I.

Even manage to buy a house through her savings and loan from friends some 30 or 40 years ago at Rm18,000 which was quite a huge sum in those days. Always care for her children and she never fail to make me tea or  prepared my favourte soup for me whenever I visited her. I shall missed her love. Goodbye and rest in peace ma.

I would like to expressed my thanks to friends ,my pastor and elder who came to the wake to lend support and console me.I was surprise to see some friends whom i least expect to turn up but they did.  The one whom I was hoping would turned up did not. I felt hurt and betrayed. At least I am able to find the true color of a person from this episode.

A HEAVY HEART

The past couple of days was filled with anxiety. Preparation was in full stream for my youngest son's wedding. Then on thursday morning I received a call from my eldest son that my mum was admitted to the hospital. I rushed back home a day earlier than my planed leave. Half way my wife texted me to come home early as well.  I prayed a little prayer to God to halt everything at least till the ceremony was over. I reached the hospital around 6.00pm, and saw my mum so fragile. She was groaning in pain and as a son I felt so helpless, I could not do anything to help her.  All I could do was prayed that God ease her pain.
The docter came and from his report things does not looks good. He is opined at the most she has only a couple of months left. This morning my wife text me from the hospital not to return back to johor yet .Mum does not looks good. She had endured much suffering till her grand son's wedding. Maybe she knows everything has been settled now and wants to leave her. It breaks my heart, but then I can't bear to see her suffered further. May God have mercy upon her.   I can never repay the debt to my mum.  No words can expressed how much she meant to us. Mum we loved you.

I SHALL MISS YOU, MY BOY

Today my eldest son leave for home permanently after having worked in Johor for more than five years.
While I am happy  for him, that he can finally be with his family; I am sad at the same time. I will be all alone here. No one to accompany me to the movies, I will be having dinner alone. When I first got here my wife told me to take care of him, but it turn out he was looking out and taking care of me. Well he certainly had grown up. We were so worried about him, having gone through some trying times with him, but he turn out ok. Of course there were times  when he is just like a kid. He will wait for me to "taupow"(packed) food for him, even though the shop is just near by to where we stayed. Everyday he would text me to prepare breakfast and tea  for him. His office is just opposite mine. Two half boiled eggs is a must for him during breakfast and tea break.He was staying at the company's bungalow,but when I got the job here the company rented a single terrace house for me and so my son moved in with me. Now his room is empty.
I remember the good times we had when he was with me. Some of the things we did together, apart from watching movies was  wall climbing,outdoor activity like hiking  and oh yes he  followed me to some shooting events as well.  All the best to you son on your new job. I shall always cherish the moments we had while you were here.  

Reuben, with his family 

OH MY LEGS!

Have you ever walk until your legs could not longer carry you. You feel like giving up and lie down to sleep,but you know you just can't afford to waste time, you have to carry on in order to reach your destination. That was how I felt yesterday on my hike to Gunung Datok, which is at Rembau, Negeri Sembilan.

Gunung Datuk is 884m high (2900ft), making it slightly higher than nearby Gunung Angsi which is around 22km away. At the peak(ontop of gigantic bolders) one will be rewarded with the spectacular view. Duration of climb about 2.0 hours up and 1.5 hrs down.(plus /minus) The last time I was  there   was two years ago. Not much had  changed except the iron ladders which were rusty and  unsafe. 

 I was glad now some good soul have replaced them with aluminium ones. This hike was in response of a friend's request and was long overdue. Finally I was able to organise this. I am not one who will go back on my word once I had made a promise.  I knew what I was in for, but because of a promise I had to force myself for this great ordeal. Well I made it ,in fact all of us made it ,albeit we had to suffer a while doing it.  Since I did not go back to my home town, I had to drive all the way from Johor passing  through two states to reach the hiking site. Took me almost three hours  I arrived at our meeting point a bit earlier but had to wait for one last car which came in half an hour later.  There were many who were there for the first time, so for their sake it was worthwhile. We started climbing at 9.30am and reach the peak at 11.00am .One hour later we were ready to descend .Reach base at 1.00om and after a quick shower we drove to seremban to have our late lunch. I had to excuse myself to leave early as it was a long drive home plus it was raining.The first thing when I reach my second home town was to get a massage .It did relieve my pain a bit, but not completely. I think I will need a few more session, before my legs will be normal again. Till then I think I will stay away from high hills for a while and try not to oblige to people too quickly.

group photos before the climb

The Big tree which is now a familiar sight.

New aluminium ladders

at the peak

the view from the peak

SHE'S HALF A YEAR OLD NOW

Just a little update on my darling grand daughter, Darissa.

Her aunt like to dress her up.

FAMILY TRIP TO BANDUNG

This was initially my wife, my youngest son and another daughter-in law's company trip, make possible by their company's sport club.  Since most of the family members were going, my eldest son suggested the rest of us join in as well to make it a family trip. Of course  family member have to chip in their own. This is the first time we had our family retreat as a whole family. Initially I did not want to go as I still had the fear of flying, but at the insistence of my eldest son, I relented.  Bandung  is indeed a shopping paradise as there were numerous factory outlet and prices were cheap compare to malaysia.

I only got a pair of jean and two shirts and the rest of the stuff were for my grand daughter. My wife too bought clothings for our granddaughter,who will have enough clothings for the next couple of months as her parent too bought some as well. It was a very tight schedule trip, since it was through a tour company and everything was arranged as per their schedule and we had to meet their time table, but of course where there are shopping involved you can expect some people who can't keep track of the time and we end up waiting for them as least for the first two days. However on the last day, they were on time only because they had ran out of money!  My wife and daughter in law is already thinking for making another trip next year. This time they intend to travel without the big group and without a scheduled time table. Here are some of the shots  of our so called family trip. It would had been a perfect family trip had it not been for a little inconvenience. One of my wife's collegue who had this phobia of sleeping alone and my wife was so concern and took pity on her. She told me she might cry in the middle of the night and so she had to accompany her and I end up sleeping alone.  Being a good husband that I am(ahem) I gave in to her request , even though I don't like to sleep alone just as  Paul Anka 's song says.
My observation during the trip.  Lots of hard core poverty everywhere. A nice get away, and indeed a shopping paradise if you don't mind the hustling from the peddlers who seems to follow you everywhere.

One of the extinct volcano

IndonesianYong tau hu, 

All in the family

with my Darling wife

The rice is rolled in banana leaf to give it a nice fragrant.

this is where we had our lunch

One of the many factory outlet at Bandung

MY LABOUR DAY GET AWAY

I laboured on labour day. Yes it's  suppose to be worker's day and all  workers laid aside their busy schedule and take a day of.  As for my son and I we were busy taking photos of 3 sexy ladies at the
Pulai Spring resort, Johor. Hey, it's still hard work ok? It was hot outside and we were sweating, not because of the hot girls, but the weather la.  The event was organised by LS shooting, based in Johor. I was invited by one of the model, whom I had shot earlier and she was also part of this event as well. This is the first time I had attended a full day shoot with 3 models and was suprise they even include lunch.So it was value for $$$ .  Anyway  enjoy the fruit of my 'labour'

Elaine

summer

jessica