Snippets: LaundryMonster

The Little Girl victoriously applauded and excitedly exclaimed, "Wow!"

I guess she has only seen a huge mess of laundry to be ironed most of her life.

Let me just bask in this temporal Brabantia glory for the next few hours...

Shawl Crush

My current shawl crush is this instant slip-on, "stays put without any pins" genius from Poplook. I love how I can go from not-ready-to-receive-any-guests to hijab-compliant just as the Salam is returned behind a locked wooden door. 5-6 seconds, maybe? Perfect for receiving food deliveries and courier, awesome!

My wish is to see them in every colour, considering how affordable and wearable they are. True, I have all 3 colours that they have launched; but I just cannot wait for more! Dreaming of navy, dusty mint, lilac and such...

Shawl swish until my next post. Take care, my lovelies!

Joys of Shawal

Assalamualaikum and hello, my lovelies!

Here is a note to wish you safe journey home after the recent celebrations. Please observe speed limits, stay alert and take a break at the slightest feeling of needing some fresh air. Safety first, ego does not matter. Lives do.

Open houses aplenty this weekend, so please practice moderation. Please do not show up early as the host may not be ready to receive guests. Please do not show up after the opening hours either. 

Please do not hog the buffet line. Please do not waste food and drinks. Please do not overstay your welcome. I was going to say "please don't ask your host how much -insert whatever item which looks lovely and may cost an arm and a leg- cost", but you should know that already *giggles*

This is my 7th Eidulfitr and I am already accustomed to hosting relatives at The House. I am so glad I have not heard or said anything remotely offensive related to political, racial or religious matters so far. Not even in retort, defence or discussion of current affairs. This, I credit to a short and special supplication of intending a peaceful, harmonious and happy gathering by offering the reunion to Him. Alhamdulillah! 

In conclusion, my lovelies:

1. Stay safe.

2. Be polite.

3. Have fun!

That will be all. 

p/s: Fresh flowers were curated by The Little Girl. Her first free choice! 

Eid Mubarak!

Happy holidays and journey mercies too, my lovelies. May all your family and relatives have joyous reunion and renew your silaturahim. "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and be not divided, and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you" [part of quote from Surah Aal-e-Imran Ayat 103].

May all our pure and cleansed body, heart and soul remain steadfast until the next Ramadhan, inshaAllah. Indeed, every Ramadhan comes to change our souls, alhamdulillah.

May all our acts of worship and good deeds of the last Ramadhan and present be accepted and continuously pleasing to Him.

Amin.

Sahur, Sleep & Such

We are in the final week of Ramadhan for this year and I am starting to really appreciate this Holy Month.

It is my spiritual boot camp and I hope to keep this up for the rest of the year/life.

My daily schedule is slightly altered, as with most fasting mums.

3 am: Wake up, freshen up, cook rice, reheat beef curry/rendang, prepare and cook vegetables, serve meal with hot drink, Evian and dates. "The best Sahur for the Believers is dates." [Abu Dawud, Al-Baihaqi and Ibn Hibban].

 

As for me, I pray hard Bean stays asleep, haha!

3.45 am: Wake The Other Half up for a hot meal. He does not complain about the lack of variety in our Sahur meals (lucky me!). "Take Sahur as it is a blessing." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4.30 am: Done with eating, we load up the dishwasher, continue drinking water. "Eating Sahur is blessed. Do not neglect it even if you take a gulp of water." [Ibn Hibban]. Shower and get ready for Fajr/Subh prayers.

5.30 am: Stop all consumption, start of intention to fast for the day, and this largely is a coordination matter in my household, just upon day break. "Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes his call to prayer. He does not make it until the break of dawn." [Al-Bukhari]. 

5.45 am: Prayers (or breastfeeding Bean). I am constantly working on my Subh! It is much easier for The Other Half, and I "envy" him. 

6.30 am: The Little Girl wakes up for the day. School preparations on weekdays, otherwise she sleeps in on weekends. 

By this time, I am ready to collapse back to bed. The reality is I have school run. I count my blessings because thousands of other working mums have a full time-demanding job to go to! Salute to you ladies, you know who you are, and you know I admire your stamina!

Start of sleep-deprivation report:

I usually get to bed quite late, against my will *sad face* Bean has been having some sniffles and I count myself lucky/super blessed if I can survive on very short nap between 2 and 3 am. I try to sleep by 10 pm as soon as both kids go to bed. Unfortunately, they are not clockwork and sometimes their circadian rhythm or schedule does not work in my favour.

Yes, I nap. Not even sleep. 

After sending The Little Girl to school, I feel so sleepy. Honestly, I am so protected by Allah swt to have made it back home alive without any accidents. MasyaAllah!

By the time I get home around 9.30 am, I choose to ignore the housework and try to nap until 11.30 am. However, I cannot be ignoring my duties every single day, so I have days when I have to at least try to do some laundry or vacuuming. Or groceries, which is in itself equivalent to going to the gym and lift weights.

Bean then comes home and sometimes he will nap at 1 pm, and I gladly join him! This is when I ask The Other Half to help with the afternoon school run so that I can enjoy that 2 hour nap. 

Total nap: 6 hours per day. Alhamdulillah!

Mood: Short fuse and forgetful. Luckily Ramadhan comes to improve/alter that to patience and rememberance of Allah swt, which is a powerful physical, mind and heart boot camp. SubhanAllah. 

End of sleep-deprivation report.

How has Ramadhan changed you this year? Please do share.

Gratitude: Bebe

Today I am grateful for His mercies, protection and help.

Bebe's fine after spending half a day at the workshop to have its alternator belt replaced. The snap produced a loud klonk that had me worried, in now fixed. The bill is small compared to having to take out a new car loan. We are so glad Bebe is good to go again. Alhamdulillah.

The incident happened just outside of one of the safest place, a police training academy. Alhamdulillah.

(psst: the OCD in me wants to correct the sticker on the tow truck with spelling error!)

I managed to steer Bebe out of the heavy traffic to the guard post thus avoided causing blockage to an already congested artery. I would have been nervous if Bebe had been an island of stagnant steel with daggers all over from stares of irritated drivers complete with the one finger salute. He speared me from all harm and negativity. Alhamdulillah.

I waited with a shut down version of Bebe with its hood open at the guard post while being chaperoned by policemen. It felt safe. It could not possibly been safer. Alhamdulillah.

No rogue tow trucks buzzed around me that cool and cloudy morning. It would have been tough to fast, wait out in the humidity or rain while being pestered by strangers. He spared me from all that. Alhamdulillah.

My usual service team backed me up with a reliable tow truck in good time. The wait time was short, the service was impeccable, despite my forgetting of the privileges and benefits of The White Card. Alhamdulillah.

The Other Half managed to drop Bean off at The Playschool and came to my side within record time despite heavy traffic. Alhamdulillah.

He then let me nap all the way to my dentist appointment, without missing my turn at the dentist to have my chipped filling fixed. Alhamdulillah.

Verily, His Blessings come in great and significant ways, even when it seems petty. SubhanAllah.

What are you thankful for today, my lovelies? Please do share!



Bebe

What is wrong, Bebe?

You have served me so reliably since 2006. It saddens me that the day has come when you just klonked to a stop without any warning, this morning.

Were you jealous because I stole a glance at the new Active Tourer?

Were you feeling insecure because The Other Half, The Little Girl and Bean are outgrowing you?

*pat pat sayang sayang*

Get well soon, Bebe. InshaAllah, to many more safe rides!