RA

I've been neglecting this blog for quite sometime now. Too busy with life i.e. Zade, research work, travelling home etc. Anyway, today I just got an official offer to be a part time resident assistant from Taryn, the manager of University Mews. She offered me the position for a couple of months till I go away for the summer holiday. I've accepted the offer, as if I don't have enough on my plate right now. It would be intersting to see how that will go.

Werribee Zoo

Despite the gloomy skies, Aileen and I decided to take the kids to Werribee Open Zoo. It took us about half an hour to get there and by the time we arrived it was already 10.30 am. I bought an adult ticket which costs AUD 23.60 but I didn't have to buy one for Zade as admission is free for kids under 4. The ticket price was not too bad as it includes the safari tour which lasted for almost an hour. The zoo has a huge ground but not too many animals. Too bad we couldn't get to see them up close. However, Zade and Keanne had a wonderful time, and the adults did too.


Zade and Keanne having fun


Zade waiting for the bus


The safari bus


With the walking zebra


The real deal


Giraffes


Camel


Lazy hippo


Cheeky meerkat


Sleeping lions


Zade on the trail


In Africa, most human deaths by animals are caused by hippos!

The Pressure's On

This week my supervisor has suddenly shown interest on my research work. He decided that my design needs to be changed as he doesn't think that the model that is currently being fabricated will give good results. He wants me to use ABS i.e. a type of plastic for the wing skin which I have been proposing in my last two papers that he had failed to read obviously. Now I need to change my whole design as the new model which does not require ribs will be manufactured using a rapid prototyping machine which comes with its own set of limitations. On top of that, I just found out today that he wants the wind tunnel test to be carried out in August which is 2 months away. This is due to the fact that the reasearch grant that is funding my project will expire in November and a report of the experimental results will be due at that time.

I'm not complaining about all the extra work that I need to do, I just wish that I was given some warning. I have two months to finalize my design, draw it up using CATIA, manufacture the model, install the SMA wire - which have yet to be purchased by RMIT, make sure that the model works and set it up for the testing. However there is silver lining. Another postgraduate student will be paid to help me with the assembly and testing. Phew! Atleast I had a good lunch today. Nasi lemak that I made for the first time. It turned out better than expected. Yummy.

Caterpillar on Zade's Face

This afternoon when I went to pick up Zade at Numdaji Kwei, I burst out laughing upon seeing him. Rose had painted a colorful caterpillar on his face. However Zade was not very amused. He refused to look at his face in the mirror. He was actually afraid. No worries. As soon as I wash it off, he was happy to look at his own face again.

First Day of Winter

The weather today is a perfect reflection of my feelings. The dreaded winter is officially here. The days are cold and gloomy. Outside my apartment stands a tree with buds ready to bloom when the days are warm again

Life Continues in Melbourne

Zade and I have said goodbye to Danial numerous times, but last night was the first time Zade actually cried and called out for his Papa when he had to leave. It just broke my heart to see him that way and knowing that he's hurting but there's nothing that I could do about it. Sometimes I wonder if my decision to study far away from home is worth all the heartache.


Danial and Zade at the aiport


All together before departure

The journey back was quite uneventful which was fine by me. We were served nasi lemak which I thought was quite awful and roasted chicken which was surprisingly tasty. I would definitely suggest getting the international meal whenever flying Air Asia X. Zade and I both fell asleep after having our meal, with Zade only waking up about half an hour before landing. I was so relieved to finally get back to the apartment after the long journey, and I'm sure Zade was to as he took a five hours nap. Later that night Aileen and Keanne came over to say hi. Zade was jumping up and down when he heard their voices outside in the corridor. He was excited to see Keanne again and I was glad to see familiar faces.


Zade in the plane before take off


Zade slept all the way

This morning I dragged my feet out of bed and tried to get ready. I was sleepy and my body was aching. Zade also woke up quite late. Eventhough we're both still tired, I thought it would be best to get back to our routine here. I dropped Zade off at the Numdaji Kwei around 11 am, and to my surprise he didn't cry when I left. He must have missed all his friends and carers. Before I left Rose handed me an envelope with a big flower on it which was a Mother's Day gift for me. I felt really happy and a bit teary eyed when I looked inside the envelope. There was a bookmark with a poem entitled "What is a Mother?" and a little picture of Zade on it. It really made my day.


Mother's Day gift from Zade

I stopped by the market to get some groceries before making my way to the office. It was good to see all my friends and getting updates on the latest happennings. As I get back to running simulations and continue writing my paper which is due next week, I feel at ease. I love this part of life here. I get to do what I love without being distracted by paperwork, KPIs and office politics. And the friends that I have here are so mature, intelligent and always looking out for me eventhough they are much younger than I am. And I love having more time to take care of Zade and watching him grow. Being here with him far away from home has strengthen our bond. Maybe my life here isn't so bad after all.

Fun Time Around KL

Eventhough we were in KL for a short time, we managed to do some fun activities. First we went to Aquaria in KLCC which was the second time for me and Zade but the first for Danial. Zade enjoyed it more this time around as he was much younger the first time he was there. Then we had a chance to go the National Zoo where Zade got to see one of his favourite animals which is the elephant. I didn't like it very much cause it was so hot. Zade also enjoyed playing at the Alpha Angle's Playland. His favourite is jumping with the flying balloons. And the most fun activity for Zade was swimming. He just loves it.

A Day for Mama

I'm sure for all mothers, each day after your first child is born is a wonderful day. Their life changes significantly with the presence of another soul that's more important than themselves. And each year a day is dedicated to mothers for the sacrifices they make to ensure the safety and happiness of their children.

Usually I will celebrate my Mama on this day this wonderful day, but now I'm also being celebrated. We went to Cafe Lavista in Equatorial Bangi for a very big lunch. We actually went yesterday as Danial had to work today. This morning Zade and I gave my Mama presents, and unexpectedly I got a present when Danial came home from work. It was nice but it wasn't necessary. The cuddles that I get from Zade is all the gift that I need. Each day I get one is like a mother's day to me.

Catching Up on Old Times

I had the chance to meet up with a few of my college mates. There was a bit of confusion on the meeting place, but we managed to meet at Old Town in Baru Baru Bangi - although one of my friends waited at another Kopitiam nearby before realizing his mistake. It's been almost 8 years since we graduated from UPM, however when we reminisced on old times it didn't seem like it was that long ago. None of us have changed much physically, except for the extra pounds, but all of us have been through life changing moments. As much as we hated to admit it, we have grown older and more mature, but maybe none the wiser.

For me personally, it was really nice to see them again, the people who were there with me through a not so great period of my life. I was very upset that I had to study in UPM for my degree instead of going to US. However this small circle of friends made it not only bearable, but memorable. I wish them all the best and hope to see them again soon. Thanks again Fairuz for organizing on a moment notice.


The ladies


The gentlemen

Travelling Home with Zade

I've been home for a couple of days now. Zade and I left Unimews around 9 pm Tuesday night. Aileen was really nice to wait for a cab with us. The night was cold but I thought wasn't too bad. Or maybe I was too excited that I didn't mind it. After 5 minutes of waiting, the cab arrived and 15 minutes later we were at the airport. I put Zade in his stroller and made my way to the check in counter. Although it was a bit tricky trying to push Zade and pull my luggage at the same time, I managed to do it given the fact that Melbourne's airport is really small and the check in counter is right at the entrance. And I had the right mind to travel light, which is the first for me. The new stroller that I got for Zade was great. It had very good handling and was easy to maneuver. I had no problem pushing with just one hand.

The line was quite long as the check in counter wasn't open yet. There was a lady walking around tagging luggage of the people waiting in line. If I'm not mistaken it was the same check in counter for MAS. There was another lane for those who have checked in online. They just needed to drop their luggage and show proof of identity. I need to remember to that next time I travel. It was ridiculous to wait in line for more than half an hour. Zade cooperated for the most part but when the counter opened, he started squirming in his seat, trying to get me to let him walk. I gave him crackers and sultanas to quiet him down. It was finally out turn after what seemed like hours, although in real time was appoximately 45 minutes.

There was a little confusion because I initially bought a ticket with Zade travelling with me as an infant. Later on I decided to buy another ticket for Zade so that he has his own seat because I thought it will be easier for me on the flight. This is my first time travelling on Air Asia X, so I wasn't really sure of what to expect. Usually when I fly with MAS, the flight attendant will find empty seats and offer that I change seats onboard the aircraft. I wasn't sure if that will be the case with Air Asia X. Anyway, I couldn't cancel Zade's name on my ticket so Zade was double booked. They had to spend a few minutes sorting it out.

After checking in, we proceeded to the departure lounge. It was such a hassle to go through security. Poor Zade, he was beyond tired. He had a full day at child care today, and it was almost 11 pm. He dozed of in the cab on the way to the airport for 10 minutes. But he doesn't seem to want to sleep at the airport. Maybe there was too much going on around him. At the departure lounge I let him out of his stroller so that he walk about. I ended up chasing for half an hour as he ran all over the place. I was so relief when the time came for boarding.

Zade fell asleep after we took off and woke up about an hour before landing. I got some rest and read the in flight magazine which was quite good, even better than MAS which I've always thought to be a tad pretentious. Just before I fell asleep, the flight attendant came around with some food. It was not too bad, but it might just be because I was hungry. I had chicken rendang and french beans served with parsley rice. I ordered the meal online, so it came with a bottle of water and a Kit Kat. I ordered a meal for Zade too, but declined since he was asleep. We landed in LCCT ahead of estimated arrival time at 6.45 am. It was a good flight and the flight attendants were pleasant and helpful. I have to admit that I had low expectation of the service, but I'm glad I was wrong.

After going through immigration we headed straight to baggage claim. And as usual we ended up waiting for Danial. He was waiting for us at the immigration but somehow missed us. I had to call him to come down and meet us. Words can't describe how I felt when I saw him, and looking at Zade, I know he felt the same. He was so excited to see his Papa. I'm so happy that we're home again.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I usually make butter pound cake. But once I had some cream cheese, so I went to look for a recipe online and found this at grouprecipes.com. This is a simple recipe that I've tried a few times. And each time in turned out great. It's really easy to make with only a few ingredients. One of my neighbour at Unimews gave me some bubur jagung today, so I thought it would be a nice gesture to give her some cake. Since I'm travelling tomorrow, I'm going to take some with me on the flight cause I'm sure the food is not going to be great. The cake taste as lovely as always, especially when it's fresh out of the oven.

Ingredients
125 g butter or margarine, softened.
125 g package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp.vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted self raising flour

Directions
1. Grease and flour a 10" tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Beat butter and cream cheese together until well-blended.
4. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Blend in vanilla. Sift flour and salt together and blend into the creamed mixture.
7. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 1" from edge comes out clean.


Hot out of the oven

Relief

I have been trying to get the application to built my protoype in order before leaving for a short break. I wanted to submit it two weeks ago but I had to make minor changes to the drawing. Since it was Easter last week, my supervisor and Gil, the technician who's going to help me fabricate the wing, were on vacation. So I had to put it on hold for another week. This morning my supervisor finally signed the request form. Then I went to see Gil at the workshop and handed him the drawings. So I'm all set. Alhamdulillah. The only thing left for me to do is get the Nitinol wire from AGR Matthey. I've e-mailed them before Easter and called them last week to request a quotation but I have not receive any feedback. If I don't hear from them by the end of the day I just might go the hq in Thomastown.

Shrimp and Avocado Pasta

As always when I run out of cooking ideas, I will go online to search for one. Meals.com is one of my favourites and I've been using it for more than five years now. There's a lot of simple recipes and it helps you find a recipe using ingredients that you have at home. So I went searching for a recipe with avocados as they are now in season. I found a pasta recipe which looks easy enough to make. It turned out to be quite delicious and Zade loves it too. Yummy!


The shrimp and avocado pasta

The ingredients are:
Olive oil
Garlic
Basil
Shrimp
Avocado
Salt
Cooked pasta

Zade's New Wheels

I'm sure most parents are dependent on prams and strollers, especially those who travel a lot or take the public transport regularly. For new parents, to decide on the right one can be pretty daunting given the selection available in the market. And the price starts from as low as RM50 and it goes up to thousands of ringgit - the average price of a Buggaboo pram is about RM6000. And I'm sure that there are more expensive ones on the market.

Anyway, Zade's first pram that he still uses till today is the Graco Winnie the
Pooh Travel System with Snug Ride. I actually bought it in US just before I graduated in 2004. I wasn't even pregnant back then. I knew how expensive prams are in Malaysia and so I decided to get one there as it is much cheaper. It cost me about USD150 which was a really good deal. It comes with an infant carrier which doubles as car seat. Zade used the infant carrier till he was about 6 months after which I had to get a bigger car seat. So do I like it? Absolutely. It has excellent handling qualities, the seat is easy to recline, it has a huge basket and it's very easy to fold. However it has one major drawback. It is very bulky and quite heavy which makes it unsuitable for travelling. I leave it in the carboot and only use it for shopping around here.


Zade in the Graco pram when he was three months old with the infant seat.


Zade at 10 months old sleeping in reclined position.

Before going back to Malaysia last year, I decided to get an umbrella stroller so that it would be easy for me to carry it around. I decided to buy a Baby Love umbrella stroller (Australian Brand) as it was one of the lightest that I found. It was on sale for AUD 60 at Target. I soon found out that the only good thing about this stroller is that it's lightweight. It had terrible handling, buckling was very tricky, it has a very small basket and the seat doesn't recline. After travelling with it for two months, it became harder to navigate.


Zade in the Baby Love stroller


Since I'm going travelling again soon, and this time it would be just me and Zade, I thought it would be a good idea to invest on a better stroller to make my life easier. I went online and did a little research on strollers that are available here. I found out that a Maclaren stroller would be my best bet. I'm quite familiar with the brand and I've heard some good reviews. So yesterday, Zade and I went to Baby Bunting in Thomastown to get the Maclaren Triumph. The price is AUD 269but I got it on sale for AUD 199. I've tried to unfold and fold it several times, and found it to be quite difficult. It's lightweight and has a bigger basket compared to the stroller. I'm still not sure if I really like it, but I'll know for sure after my trip next week.

Lunch for SAMME Postgraduate Students and Staff

I received an invitation for lunch today but didn't plan to go cause I probably couldn't have any of the food served. However Chong wanted to go and asked me to go with her. So I thought of accompanying her and might have some salad and a drink. To my surprise the food served was halal, so I was able to eat after all. I had a bbq burger with salad and coleslaw. It was such a lovely day that we decided to eat outside at the picnic table. It was a nice lunch with wonderful company.

Zade's Art Work

While I was at Numdaji Kwei today, I had the chance to see some artwork that Zade has done this year. I was amazed that he's already painting. When he brought home his first artwork two months ago, I realized that he's actually ready to start drawing. I bought some crayons and let him draw at home. He really enjoys it.


Zade's feet and hands


Zade's painting displayed on a wall