Tak Pe Je

Assalamu’alaikum. Another year older, alhamdulillah… I had a blast in my own way. Not to say it was perfect but almost, much to my pleasure. Of course there were hiccups here and there as usual, but what more could I expect from this fragile world? Despite all the flaws, shouldn’t we learn to be grateful for the fact that we’re still given the chance to breathe yet another day by the Almighty? I felt loved by those who mattered. The presents and well wishes were considered bonus, to say the least. Counting my blessings, I thank Allah a lil’ bit more personal…   Happy birthday to me!  ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je.

Leave. ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je.

Assalamu’alaikum. My latest obsession is making mask extenders with existing accessories that I have at home, to a point that I think I should at least take a break or two this instant. Well, if that ever happens then I would be surprised myself for I am extreme by nature.  The good thing is that at least all the accessories can be put for some use and that they could now come out and be back in the game.  At the very least, if I may add. ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je. 

Assalamu’alaikum. Being a blast from the past means that we’re always inclined to the good old days, inclusive of food and beverages. That my friends, screams loyalties up to the brim of deepest hearts, which is deeper than the seven seas or oceans put together. Then how about some big fat caloried root beer float and treacherously sweet waffles at the A & W, shall we not?  My first official date at 15 years old with a high school sweetheart was at the A & W, Kuala Terengganu, by the way!  Now that the franchise has been rebranded with a new tagline, “Awesome Again”, we would surely witness some serious comeback along the way. So far so good, at least that’s how I feel.  But then again, let’s not hop in hop off such a venue too often and exercise some self control no matter how hard to do. Make sure to cleanse with loads of plain waters afterwards, so that our old age wouldn’t drag along diabetes and the likes.  Meanwhile, live life to the fullest! ~ Nai @ Ta...

Assalamu’alaikum. I append herewith a few significant pictures that marked the most historical moments in my entire life this year, by far.  1- Mom asked me to bring home some apples with specific request that my husband had to pick them. That was in the morning of July the 3rd 2022 Malaysian time, and it was a day earlier Swiss time. That night she was admitted to Hospital Ampang and the following day while I was at the Zurich International Airport with my two boys heading home, the doctor decided that she was going to be intubated to let her heart rest while treating the Respiratory Virus   that caused her already damaged lungs to severely collapse. Due to time difference and crazy long distance, we landed at KLIA on 5/7/2022 about 27 minutes after mom was intubated and there were loads of missed calls from my brother, attempting to invite me for the last video call beforehand. 2- What greeted me at the hospital that fateful evening was a death penalty, sending me right...

Assalamu’alaikum. Forgive my hiatus, dearest readers, for which I have valid reasons. My beloved mom was intubated on the 5th of July 2022 and everything went as dark as inside the deep blue ocean. Now that she’s home after beating all odds, I finally found my way to update this blog. She’s been recovering ever so miraculously, despite still depending on physical assistance every possible way.  And I know now the meaning of despair in a new level altogether, for oftentimes your strength would become your ultimate weakness. I was not strong at all, at all to bear that kind of despair. I remember seeing her lying helplessly in the Intensive Care Unit and literally crawled into my own skin, barely had any courage to keep going. I just refused to even pretend to be strong, to hell with people, that I cried and cried and cried… But mom, being the rainbows, fought till the end and came home after more than a month, alhamdulillah. Will try to do a proper entry telling quite a story about ...

Assalamu’alaikum. Lepas PKP ni bertebaran di muka bumi orang pakat buat majlis besar-besaran, lepas gian lama berkurung kekdohnya. Sebagai tetamu undangan, wajiblah hadir memeriahkan selagi mana berada dalam ruang lingkup berpergian. Alangkan puasa sunat pun hukumnya kena pecahkan kalau ada undangan, faham-faham sajalah betapa halus agama kita mengajar cara menyantuni perasaan sesama insan.  Atas dasar itulah maka aku kayuh juga menghala ke A-Park Puchong, Kampung Pulau Meranti yang masuk dalam hutan banat naik buggy bagai. Bayangkanlah dalam waze tak detect dari Setiawangsa, kena ikut koordinat Masjid Pulau Meranti dulu. Sampai sana baru ada dalam sistem haluan ke A-Park. Calar balar kereta sebelah kiri sebab bertembung dengan kereta-kereta yang hala balik, maklumlah aku bukan elok sangat mata sebelah kiri. Namun itulah realiti, bila yang mengundang kelihatan sangat menghargai kehadiran kita, takde apa dah yang menjadi isu jauh di sudut hati.  Indah nian kedua mempelai duduk ...

Assalamu’alaikum. I’ve been quite busy lately to update this blog, but here I am at 5 o’clock in the morning trying my level best to squeeze something. How about this, I thought to myself, let’s talk about my trip to Penang recently, shall we? I made a point to snap a photo with the same background for some 9 year’s challenge, well kind of. 2013 versus 2022, the same spot and the same person with a hell lot of life differences. Deep down I could feel some shiver due to the deja-vu attack, not to blame myself in any way. I chose to fly Air Asia from KLIA2 as opposed to other low cost airlines at Subang, mainly due to price hikes. People tend to flock in Subang airport for a little convenience factor, so the fares won’t be as cheap as they used to, now that’s business, no offence! But the consumers can always opt for an alternative or two, fair enough I would say. The take-off and landing went smoothly that I would want to applaud the captain that day. What an honor to be flying with suc...

Assalamu’alaikum. It’s been a while since we’re attending wedding functions, albeit still maintaining some Standard Ops Procedures. With the traditional attire theme, I showed up at our neighbour’s wedding reception recently donning vintage lace kebaya and Terengganu batik sarung. Seriously, I think I’ve always craved for old collections each time I open my wardrobe and then questioned myself: why do you buy new clothes anyway? My sister once said that I had lost the ‘touch’ because my clothes weren’t as good as they used to be. Well, that’s because I had stopped buying good ones, I guess. Good ones usually need more budgets, if you know what I mean. Then maybe that’s why I tend to dig into old ones, now that makes perfect sense, somehow or rather. The lace that I bought donkey years ago when Azieq was 4 or 5 years old really did the trick, much to my delight. I used to wear it with long black dress back then, before hanging it quietly unattended. Azieq didn’t quite match the theme, no...

Assalamu’alaikum. One obvious lesson Covid-19 has given us: We learn to appreciate freedom of movements… ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je.

Assalamu’alaikum. We can’t change the directions of the wind, now can we? Then again, we can always adjust the sails and head to our destinations. The choice is ours, take it or leave it.  And when it comes to adjusting sails, soar higher and smile brighter! You’re doing just great, tell ourselves that over and over… ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je.

Assalamu’alaikum. Betapa Ramadan enggan bertamu cukup sebulan, Allah awalkan tarikh keberangkatan pulangnya sehari cuma. Itu pun dah menggelupur umat manusia di seluruh Malaysia kebanyakannya. Baru sezarah kejutan yang dizahirkan, marilah kita sama-sama menginsafi kekerdilan diri. Kerana siri-siri kejutan sudah terlampau banyak jika diamati baik-baik, dari alam yang mulai bosan bersahabat dengan kita. Bagi yang tadarrus al-Qur’an sepanjang Ramadan, mungkin ada yang terdetik di benak yang paling dalam saat menyelusuri mafhum kalam Allah. Mungkin juga terlepas pandang atau terhijab daripada memahami tentang amaran-amaran kejutan luar biasa yang telah lama termaktub. Maka dengan itu, usah dikejar khatam jika maksud sepatah ayat dijeling pun tidak. Bawa-bawalah menelaah selepas ini ya, kawan-kawan.. semoga akhlak kita ikut mewangi dan mewangikan sekeliling. Tazkirah panjang hari ni, sesekali menyampaikan pesanan walaupun sebaris ayat… takpe je kan? Kita borak-borak kosong pulak, jom. Aku t...

Assalamu’alaikum. How’s Syawal so far, you guys? (Apart from the surprised announcement, but of course). Actually I’ve kinda been missing this ‘guessing game’ of esok raya ke belum, that’s what made the excitement of waiting eagerly in front of the TV for the confirmation was all about. The penyimpan mohor-mohor thingy that used to mean so much for kiddos back then, if you know what I mean. The same element of ‘uncertainty’ that used to make our fore-parents more alert and well-equipped with the necessary preparations, just in case Ramadan would end a day earlier. This generation needs to learn not to take things for granted and be more disciplined in taking a least two steps ahead of everything, now shall we?  Anyways, back to the title: are you one of the bawal teams for Eid? I didn’t buy any raya collection, so I just used a matching piece from the previous edition. I mean, I’m so done with keeping up with oh-the-latest-launch pieces, not going to subject myself to that kind of ...

~ just something lying around…  

~ moving on.

 Assalamu’alaikum. Resipi kedua yang nak aku abadikan dalam blog rojak ini adalah Udang Kam Heong, versi Cik Puan TPJ. Udang sebolehnya guna saiz XL ke atas, kalau nak betul-betul macam makan kat restoran, gunakan Udang Harimau Poket Menangis. Macam biasalah, kena expect kepedasan lebih daripada biasa dah namanya versi aku, kan? Marilah kita sama-sama menipiskan kulit perut. Bila dah ada menu Udang Harimau Poket Menangis ni atas meja, tak perlu beriya buat sayur apa bagai, cukup dijodohkan dengan broccoli ataupun cauliflower rebus. Less is more, guys! Kita jumpa lagi, bye for now. ~ Nai @ Tak Pe Je.

Assalamu’alaikum. Sebelum aku start berkejaran dengan puing-puing waktu, molek rasanya kalau kita borak pasal resipi special sempena Ramadan kali ni. Special sebab aku yang masak dan solat kat masjid dah rapatkan saf. Bagi aku itu sangat special news, alhamdulillah. Maka dengan itu tanpa membuang masa, kita mulakan dengan penuh gaya bagaikan diva!  1- Seekor ikan kerapu (dilumur, dicelup dan direndam tepung jagung/gandum + garam secukup rasa). Belah tengah dan goreng lautan dalam, maknanya minyak biar panas membara, hapus tenggelam ikan.., melimpah ruah seperti kasih Baek Yi-Jin terhadap Na Hee-Do.  2- Untuk kuah yang bakal disiram atas ikan yang siap digoreng, mayang halus mulus bak kulit wajah Ko Yu-Rim tanpa pori-pori bahan-bahan berikut: (a) Selabu bawang putih; (b) 5 ulas cili padi; dan  (c) 2 ulas cili besar.  - Tumislah ketiga-tiganya sekaligus sambil pakai mask sebab weh… menusuk ke hujung nostril anda!  - Dah nampak bertukar warna bawang putih itu, masu...