Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Repubblica di San Marino

I am in pain. Malaysian food poisoned me. After just over 1 week without rice, Malaysian food failed me. Maybe I need more cheese and tomatoes... LOL!

I'm in the room. Didn't get to send Rayyan to school 'coz I was in pain since I woke up and there was no one else free to send him so he ditched school today.

Watched Twilight DVD I bought 2 nights ago. Not too bad. Got some work done online and now, still in pain, trying to get my mind off it by blogging about my trip to San Marino on March 26th. I had the whole half a day to spare so got a few Malaysians to carpool in Bernadette's car.

Who's Bernadette? Malaysian, born in Malacca, been living in Bologna for 30 years, married a PhD holder in Nuclear Engineering.. who's Italian. She lives about 40 mins away from central Bologna and one of the Malaysian publishers stayed with her as sort of a homestay arrangement. Cheap! Euro 70 per night inclusive of dinner and transport.

She's a freelance translator for countries like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, etc during fairs in Bologna. The bologna exhibition center has international fairs almost every week.

I didn't get to know her last year 'coz was busy with the whole "Sheikh" gang. But this year she asks us to call her our sister. GREAT lady.... full of kindness in her heart.

Got the chance to go to her house surrounded with apple, cherry, grape, prune, pommegranate, walnut, chestnut trees and all are just about to blossom.... beautiful!

Anyways, our agenda for the 26th March was to go to the book fair one last time to checkout anything interesting to bring back home. Then by noon, we're off to Repubblica di San Marino just about 90 mins drive south east of Bologna.

San Marino is an independent state, used to have their own currency before they changed to Euro. It was on a hilltop, almost like a Genting climb, with more or less Cameron scenery, except the valley is covered with farms, factories and houses.

The main attraction - its Centro Storico... historical center, pillared by 3 picturesqued castles... managed to only get to 2 of the castles 'coz by then it was closing time.


Above: That's the view of the 2nd castle from the first castle.
Below: View of the first castle from the 2nd castle... taken with Bernadette.


Bernadette was kind enough to send me to the airport the next day, together with Yoke Chan, the exhibitor who stayed with ther the whole week. Even made me a salad and vege soup, after bringing me to a pharmacy 'coz I was feeling giddy and nauseated. She even brought us to a farm nearby her house and bought us some fresh fruits and 100% peach juice. Lovely!

I'll always have a sister in Bologna.... :)

Monday, March 30, 2009

Back from Bologna

Just got back from Bologna Saturday night and my body and mind still not in Malaysian timezone yet. Slept only after Subuh last night and woke up at noon.

Almost cried when I saw Rayyan running to me as soon as the arrival gate doors opened and then seeing Rayhana, Ja.. Felishia and Afnan.. sebak la sikit... even more so when Rayhana started to smile and then suddenly reached out to touch my face... betulke papa aku dah balik ni? hehe.. smart girl..

The whole of last week was actually the first time I have ever been distanced from my kids... so emo sikitlaaa haha

Rayhana started taking her first blended rice porridge last night. She loves it! Tak sabar-sabar nak pegang sudu sendiri so she could have it non-stop!

Rayyan loves the books I brought for him from Bologna. Now he keeps asking me to read him the books at bedtime.

Didn't buy any great souvenirs for anyone... bini aku pun dapat keychain and fridge magnet jer.. hehe all that from my trip to San Marino. Lovely place! 3 castles, only managed to go to 2 of them... beautiful... nanti I post gambar of San Marino.

Malas nak post gambar kat sini... already posted some of them from the Bologna Children's Book Fair on facebook. Go there and see!

Overall it was a great trip, business wise. The more reason why I should go there again next year! Orang2 yang kat UK tu, simpan duit banyak2... hehe I'm planing to visit Pompeii next year! hehe

:)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Coverboy Rayyan

I just published MAINKATA Level-based Word Puzzle for kids. Level 1 for 6 yo and below, Level 2 for 6-9 yo, and Level 3 for 9-12 yo.

I came up with the cover concept... to show a cheerful face of a child so that it would attract the parents to buy the books... hehe sapa lagi nak model dalam masa terdekat ni? I had 2 weeks to proofread, proofread again by a second set of eyes, get the content illustrated, publish and print 1000 copies each of the 3 books.

Oh by the way, I also wrote the books... based on a study I made through the years since I started to have children, and based on my expertise in instructional designing contents for kids.

So sapa lagi nak jadi model kalau bukan anak sendiri? hehehe...

Here are the other two books...

That's Arifah (my niece) and Zaref (my youngest male cousin)... semua model for free...

Zaref was not too bad 'coz he takes instructions well from the photographer a.k.a ME! The other two kids... hmm... sabar jelaaa... kena pujuk, bribe, etc.. all those photographs were taken on 3 separate sessions due to the models' prior commitments...

Anyways.. I'm going to Bologna, Italy on Saturday night.. and these 3 books are coming with me for the official launch of Mainkata Level-based Word Puzzles!!

p/s: buku baru siap print and the printer should deliver them to me Friday, after lunch.

These are quality books... printed on 100gsm paper, 48 pages in all, perfect bound... planning to retail at RM9.90 each for Malaysian market.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Rayyan's SUN

The above photo was taken during a photoshoot which I did for a major project that's gonna be launched VERY soon! And I'm gonna launch it at the Bologna Children's Book Fair this coming Monday.

Rayyan has been doing quite okay at Genius Aulad, despite the many days he didn't come sebab demamla hingusla.. nenek tak bagi laa... etc..

Talked to the center manager and she told me that as far as conversing and learning in English.. Rayyan has no problem and none of the teachers are worried about his progress in that area. In BM class, that's where the trouble is.. because the class is conducted 100% in Malay. Whatever teacher asked him, dia malas nak layan.. haha.. and that's true at home pun.. kalau sesapa nenek2 sedara datang and borak dengan dia... either dia balas cakap in English or he wouldn't layan at all.. so puasla nenek2 tu suruh anak2 diorang cakapkan.. haha

We went to Temerloh last weekend for my cousin's wedding.. and we met my dad's friend who cam with his wife. His wife was asking something to Rayyan and budak tu selamba je cakap "I can't speak Malay".. or something to that effect.. nasib baikla my dad dah warn siap2 couple tu yang he speaks and thinks in English.

Macamana nak buat ni???? Mat Salleh celup sorang ni... but at least we have the maid at home to keep him grounded.. haha.. and we're trying to talk to him more in Malay.. tapi tak tahan gelak bila dengar dia cakap Melayu... every Malay word is a tongue twister.. hehe

Anyways... he has progressed through the Peter and Jane book 1a. and now he is on 1b. He reads well although most of it is just pure memorization. But I always show him the newspaper, books, etc and ask him to find any words he knows and he managed to point the words he knew from reading the Peter and Jane book.

The school only teaches him 1 page per day. And the reward for doing good at it is STARS at the bottom of the page. Some days he gets 2, 3, 4, 5 stars... and occasionally he gets 7, 8, 9, 10 stars... Rayyan can actually read the whole of 1a book and almost the whole 1b book before the teacher could finish the 1a book with him. And I've already started the 2a book at home and he could read half of it. I would go slow on that till the teacher at school catches up till 1c.


Rayyan is also doing quite well in his Iqra' class. Initially he was having trouble.. but now he could easily get loads of stars... and I was anxious and curious jugak betul ke cikgu ni.. sesaja je bagi berlambak2 bintang2.. betulke si Rayyan ni boleh baca... so everytime I see loads of stars, I ask him to show his skill... yeap.. he's good..


But one day he came home with a SUN!!!


Are the teachers out of stars?? hehehe dah tak larat nak lukis bintang la tu... hehe

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Rayhana is home...

After 4 nights at DSH, Rayhana is finally home, although I would have wanted her to stay on a bit longer.

3 reasons:

1. Her nose is still making noise.. although the wheezing is gone..

2. She still needs ventolin puffs every 4 hours and phenegan 3 times daily.. (yeah, checked with the specialists on phenegan.. they say it's the safest cough medicine for babies.. if taken according what is prescribed by the doctors).

3. I get RM400 for each night she's in the hospital.... hehehe (Prudential has been very generous to our family)

The 3rd reason may seem like the strongest reason in any given time but as for now it's not.

I'm leaving for Bologna, Italy on the 21st. I would have wanted at least she is free from all these nose noise and medications... Leaving sick kids with Ja alone will be difficult. She already took 4 days off plus 1 MC coz she was sick while taking care of sick kids last week...

So now kena jaga betul2 laaa.. so that Rayhana won't need those medications or need to go to the emergency while I'm gone for 1 week.

Anyways, she's so much better now... can senyum-senyum again.. gelak-gelak.. cakap sorang2... oh and of course.. she mastered the art of "meniarap" on her 2nd day at the hospital... she did it all by herself!

Ni sakit nak belajar benda baru la ni.... :)

Monday, March 09, 2009

Rayhana in Hospital


Still in hospital. The 4-hourly nebulizing action has been changed to every 6 hours, and since this morning to 8 hourlies....

Rayhana has started to be her cheerful self again since yesterday.. talking and talking.. and smiling... although we can still hear the heavy breathing.

Dr Musa said we'll see how she is tomorrow whether her chest is completely clear or not.

I'm at the office now... trying to get some things done.. so dah alang-alang ada camera kat sini.. upload la gambar sikit.. hehe

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Rayhana Admitted

Today is 8th March, Rayhana's 5th month.. and we're gonna be spending our time in the ward. She needs a 4-hourly nebulizer action, so might as well get her admitted. The whole family will berkampung there, Rayyan included.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Whatchalookinat??!