The SAL Centre Project

During the one-week mid-term break I was involved in the setting up of the SAL Centre in my school. The old one was demolished along with the whole building to give way to a new four-storey block. Thus, when the old library and resource centre moved to the new building, the old resource room was left redundant. So, the Principal asked the English panel to set up the SAL Centre.

 We had extra classes during the holidays. After the extra classes, I came with the assistance of the five form four students whom I elected as the committee members of the room, to set it up slowly and from scratch. There was no budget for the room. It was personal budget with some aid from the Senior Subject Teacher for Languages. I volunteered to be the coordinator as I could set up my own room here. Besides, my classes were all on this block i.e. on first and third floor. If this is my last year of my teaching career, I wanted to leave this room as a legacy to the English unit.

Hence, I had fun and enjoyed setting up this room. I roped in all the help I could. When Zin came for a visit, he also came to help out with the carpentering and repairing whatever was necessary in that room. My students helped to move the books from the GK's room and we rearranged them on the shelves. I was given permission to use whatever I needed from the old library next to it. Thus, I fully utilised whatever I could use from the old library. Tables, shelves, book stands, TV, chairs .... and finally, after a week of hard work, sweat and money  .... here was what we had achieved ...

The front part of the room - the white board was put up by Zin - the pink door is my room :-))

The back part of the room

The left side at the back of the room

Since I like quotes, I added them as motivation and reading material

The coordinator's room - ME !!! :-)) - the door separated the old library

The dedicated and willing students who spent their holidays with me ... 

The Red That Was Just Not Red Enough .... hmmmm

More purplish brown than red, as it was supposed to be .... hmmm ...

When Ikram was home for his semester break last February, we tried to bake the red velvet cake. I found this recipe through the internet ... as usual. The cake that we bought was really quite plain and flat. The recipe which I found for this cake was quite nice. We tried it and it was delicious with the extra thick cheese frosting. The guys licked and scraped the cheese frosting clean ..... :-0))

The only slack was the colour. The problem was I used the liquid colouring that I usually used to do my home-made syrup. Guess it was not red enough. It was quite brownish. When we posted the photo of the cake to Akmal via facebook messenger, he said it was purplish red. The tinge of red was there but the cocoa powder and coffee made it darkened.

Oh yes, I would certainly try this cake again. However, I must remember to buy the correct type of colouring from the cake ingredient store. Maybe when Ikram is home again in June ... or for Hari Raya since June is fasting month....

Seafood Curry Mee - Fusion

This term break, we had some guests as usual who came for tea. I was bored of cooking their favourite curry mee which used chicken as its main stock. Thus, I substituted chicken for seafood. To make it tastier, I twisted the original nyonya recipe and fusioned it with a Malay taste.

I blended the local herbs of daun kunyit, daun limau purut, lengkuas, halia, serai plus scallops, large onions, garlic, fresh red chillies and fresh tumeric and turned them into a paste as the base for my gravy. Then, I cooked the curry gravy as usual adding blended dried chillies and a spoonful of curry powder. I poured in the coconut milk. When it was boiling, I added the salt and sugar to taste. Finally, I added large prawns, squids, fish ball, tau foo and brought it to a boil.I substituted long beans for mustard leaves. Hmmm .... the aromatic smell of the fresh local herbs and sea food .... Not bad. Well, the guests ate it and scooped the gravy to its last drop .... I was glad I could still make my guests left with contented stomachs and happy faces ....

The fusion seafood curry mee - for photo shoot purposes, the gravy was not added to the bowl's brim ..

Sakura Flowers ....

The rows of blooming "tecoma" trees along Al-Bukhary mosque 

What a sight for sore eyes on a blazing, scorching day. This is the view along parts of Jalan Langgar in Alor Setar. I take this route to Taman Jubli Intan or Taman Rimba as is locally known for my walk. This is the blooming season. They are known as "tecoma" trees or the locals call it "sakura" as it is known in Japan. The council or whoever is in-charge plant these trees lining Jalan Langgar and along the North-South highway after Gurun. They are colourful, eye-catching and cooling to watch. Flowers have a way of making you smile and soothe the tired, overworked and stressed-out souls. I don't know about you folks ... but I love it. Especially when I stopped at the traffic lights near Masjid Derga and the winds blow the "sakura" flowers all over the cars .... it's like colourful, light snow flakes falling onto your car. It makes you smile and your heart lighter despite the heat. Even along parts of Taman Rimba, there are a few "tecoma" trees. I catch a falling flower. It is so light and fragile to the touch. No wonder when the wind blows, they fall easily and gracefully down to earth ....

The view along Jalan Langgar after the traffic lights at Masjid Derga

The "tecoma" trees in full bloom. They bloom in all their glory during this hot and dry weather

Yet, amidst the beauty is the leftovers of the dried flowers which litter the roads .... what a bane for the road sweepers ... sometimes I feel it is such a monumental, uphill task .... one sweeps the dried leaves and flowers ... before one's back is turn or the sweat has not even dried ... more leaves and flowers will come gently down and settle on the roads ..... it's all in a day's work ... :-))

Imagine your grave covered full of flowers ....

*Credits go to Yusuf Ne - Kelab Peminat Bunga facebook - for the glorious photos. I cannot take the photos while driving, can I ????

My Feline Friend ...

This is Cik Ching. She is the resident cat. She belongs to my neighbour at the back of my house. I do not know what she is called by her owners but she likes to drop by for a visit and a saucer of milk whenever I open my back door. She does not make a lot of noise. She will mew once for her milk and to inform me of her appearance. After that, she will go under the ladder near the store room and go to sleep. When she wakes up and she is hungry, she will look for you and mew once or twice and sit quietly until she gets something from you.

Looking at you with soulful eyes ... 

Waiting quietly until you give her something ...

Siesta time after a saucer of milk

Having her milk - powdered milk since we do not drink condensed milk 

Well, this is the latest cat which seems to think that it has a right to my house and milk ration. I have no wish to be attached to it yet it endears itself to me. I do not like noisy cat so she suits me fine. When I have to close the back door, I will let it out first. Well, at least there is "someone" home to greet me when I return from school to an empty house. Hmm ... maybe that is why I am having problems socialising with humans. Cats are so easy to get along with .... :-))  

After Nala died, I refuse to have another cat. No more attachments to any felines. Regular visitors are allowed as they usually do not stay long. And I do not feel guilty of leaving them whenever I go off to visit my sisters or sons. Neither will I miss them ...