Tired...

I'm tired. Just finished hosting a makan2 event... what else?!! Hehehe. Actually, the spirit was more sombre because yesterday we received news that an acquaintance who used to stay in Sudan died of a lung cancer. She was Pn. Bariah, the wife of En. Azzudin, the mother of 5 small children. Since today a small group of us already planned a morning coffee session, we just turned that into a yassin recital and morning coffee.

So, I just finished cleaning up the house. The kids just came back from school and they needed my attention. So, bye now... hope to write again soon. Been away for two days because I was sick with diarrhoea. That's my first since coming to Sudan last year, I thought my tummy's already sudanised...hehehe. I was flat for a day on monday. Nevermind, I'm better now. Hopefully tomorrow I can join the community outreach programme going to help the flood victims here in Khartoum. 

Kandahar revisited...

On Saturday the 3rd of October, we went to Kandahar. We went around 9 am with Nina and Saufi. Before we departed from the complex, Haisam already called Fatima to place our order, 3kg of khoruf.

For Malaysians here in  Khartoum, Kandahar is the place to go if you love eating khoruf. My husband love going there but we seldom get to go. The last time we were there was sometime in January with Syikeen and Ezalman. The food is really simple, fried khoruf (not with oil), salads, bread, tomato with peanut sauce and some kind of chili sauce.

The journey's about 30-45 minutes drive from Khartoum. When we arrived, the food was nearly ready so we didn't have to wait long for the food...hehehe. The meat was crispy and delicious, even the bread tasted better and softer. We even tried the special drink, khoruf milk with 7 up. Just look at the pictures... 

The food...

Haisam and Amir...

Preparing the salads...

Frying the khoruf...

From Kandahar we stopped in Souk Libya to look at carpets. Nina wanted to buy scarf for men aka serban. At first, I just looked on but later I bought 5 for myself... hehehe. Then, we went to look at the chiffon silk but he didn't want to sell for the price that I wanted so we looked at other materials. The cotton prints were beautiful, so Haisam helped us bargain so I bought 3 pieces. Amir was really restless because it was hot. 

Then we went to the carpet section. After a lot of haggling, we got the price that we wanted and Nina grabbed 7 while I bought 2. It was only a small carpet, just nice to be a prayer mat but it was thick and very beautiful. Actually we wanted to buy a carpet runner but we didn't like the design. We arrived at the complex around 12 pm.

Ole-ole from Malaysia...

The kids' schoolbags were a bit frayed already. But the most important thing was the fact that we're running out of pencils for them. There's such a thing as stationery shops here in Khartoum but I don't like the quality. The kids love the steadler 2b pencils (the traditional black and yellow pencils), but at the rate they're going, we've run out of pencils for school. I'm always wondering where did all their pencils went, they must have 'eaten' them or something...sigh

So, when I heard Kak Hanum's going home, I had an idea. I would enlist their help in bringing some of the stuff here. I contacted Kak Arah in Rawang to buy the things that we need and later send it to Kak Hanum who's also staying in Rawang. So, at first I wanted Kak Arah to buy school bags and some stationery's only, then I added some primary school pants (dark blue) for Hadi and Aliah. Later I added another item... a toy each for the kids...hehehe

So, when my husband came down from Kak Hanum's house, he had this huge brown box still wrapped nicely. The kids were excited because it was a surprise for them, they didn't know that we're getting them things from Malaysia. But first, we tortured them first. Aliah who spent the whole day playing in her room with her friends had to clean up her room first. Of course, she cried but fair's fair...hehehe

The boys also made a 'deal' with us. Hadi promised not to whine for a month. Kak Long had to promise to 'follow our instructions' for a month also...hehehe. When I started opening the box, the kids were crowding me. The first thing they saw was the pink school bag for Aliah. Then they saw the Ben10 bags...Then they saw the toys. That made their day. The boys got transformer toys while Aliah got her Barbie 'dream shower'. 

They hardly realised that there were still some more goodies inside the bags. Kak Arah bought them sweets, some panties for Aliah and even pants for me...hehehe. The funny thing was that one of Aliah's panties was printed with dinosaur names which interest Hadi very much. So they fought over the 'panties'...*rolled my eyes*. Finally we persuaded Hadi that the panties got ribbons and it's for girls...hehehe

My husband had to open the toys for the boys. Another 1 and a half hours later he was still trying to figure out how to transform the transformers...hehehe. And everytime he finished helping Hadi, Amir needed his help and vice versa. He didn't get to shower until 9.30 pm...hehehe

To their delight, the boys got two transformers each while Kak Long got a barbie doll and a shower cubicle plus dressing table for her doll. Later, the boys decided to 'bathe' their transformers in the shower cubicle...hehehe. Of course a fight break out...sigh. Amir also got a school bag and he was really happy... carrying it around...hehehe. 

Thank you Kak Arah, Along Zali and Hani to buy all the stuff for us. And also a big thank you to Kak Hanum/Ipin for willing to bring everything back to Khartoum :)

The box... 5kg...

Khusyuk... tak sempat sikat rambut pun...sigh

Happy with his school bag...

Finally allowed to open her toy...

The boys in my life... 

With 'whirl'

The boys...

Playing on her own...

Peace...

With their school bags...

My Raya!

On Friday, I finally celebrate my raya enam...hehehe. So, I cooked a little bit special for dinner. I cooked my favourite ayam goreng berlada and I tried making beef rendang. I also made a first attempt at making butter prawns. It turned out not so bad...hehehe... yeay! 

While I was cooking we discovered that Kak Hanum and her family's arriving around 7 pm. So, I asked my husband to send some of the butter prawns and chicken to them upstairs (my rendang was not so tasty so, I left that out...hehehe). So, when my husband came down, he brought down our box from Malaysia. Yeay!

He also brought some cheezels for the kids and the boys were excited...hehehe. Though they were forced to bathe and eat dinner first before we opened the cheezels. Hehehe...

The butter prawns...

My rendang...

The boys finally had their cheezels...hehehe

Sapa yang demam?!!

On the 1st of October, my husband finished his puasa enam. We planned to break our house at one of the embassy's staff house but because Amir had a cold and high temperature, we had to cancel our plan. Instead we just ate leftovers and he bought khoruf beriani at the cafe. 

I was worried about Amir because he didn't eat well, didn't want his milk and most of all he didn't want to play. He was lethargic all day... Kesian dia. Normally when Hadi got back from school, he would perked up but not on that day...sigh. That means he was really sick. Poor boy!

But after maghrib, I found another boy asleep in my room. Actually they slept together, but Hadi slept on even when Amir woke up around 8 pm. So, sapa yang demam sebenarnya?!!

Poor baby...

Poor boy...

Meeting... Block A

On the 30th night, we had our formal Block A meeting in our house. At first, we wanted to have it next to the cafe as usual but since I still a lot of kuah kacang and nasi impit, I asked my husband to invite them to our house.

The menu was simple, nasi impit, kuah kacang, serunding, roti canai and dalca plus kueh raya...hehehe. Kak Aishah brought cucur udang and Kak Jas made teh tarik. I just made the cold drink, sarsi. Not many came, the usual faces...hehehe

The meeting started around 8.50 pm. We discussed about our plans for the Raya gathering which will be held on the 16th, insyaallah. I presented the proposed menu and it was readily agreed by all...hehehe. Now's the matter for finding sponsors for our khoruf.

So after that we ate while chatting. Kak Jas/Hj Rozlan and Kak Aishah/Hj Zul lepaked a little bit longer... and we had fun...hehehe. Now's the work starting for the upcoming event.

Some of the dishes...

My kueh raya...

Roti canai...

Sebijik cam kat kampung kan?

Makan time...

Sambil sembang...

Tenth day of raya...at Kak Rafiah's house

I was supposed to finish my Puasa enam on Thursday, but on Wednesday, Kak Rafiah/Kadir invited me for morning coffee, 'mamak' style...sigh. At first, I wanted to 'abstein' but felt guilty enough because she's going to slave for us... plus the fact that she's making tosei...hehehe

So, we went there at 10 am sharp. When we arrived Kak Rafiah was just about ready. Kak Maria and Ina sakinah helped served the food. Then we ate and ate and ate... The tosei was really good, the curry was out of this world and the putu mayam was great. Actually we were really impressed with Kak Rafiah's cooking... Really nice!

Actually, some of the ladies kept on refilling their plates until those who came a bit later could only listen to the description of the 'deliciousness' of the tosei...hehehe. Hey, I only ate 2 small pieces = 1 tosei only okay! Hehehe...

Dah kenyang makan tosei... makan buah lak!

Tosei dah abih, baru ambik gambar...

The desert table...

Mak2 makan while the kids were left on their own...hehehe

Apa lagi...time to pose ler....

Siap tutup langsir rumah orang, sebab nak bergambar...hehehe

3 sekawan yang tak dapat makan tosei...hehehe