megaphone summer

Papa hasn't posted for a long time. You did something two weeks back that I want to remember, so I will just put in down here.

We were at the mall, having just bought some movie tickets-"Megamind" I think. I picked up a free copy of some magazine from the cinema. So suddenly you take that copy from me, and roll it up. "Hello, everybody!!!Listen and look !!-this is my Papa!!He is a good Papa!!!"

Huckster..

climb!

Camp5 1 utama Sat Aug 14. You think that the other kids are "not so good".... sounds like Papa- too much of a big head. video won't upload so we are stuck with a small photo of you in your hardhat.

missing summer

Well Mama has taken you off again without any warning to me. Probably zoomed off to Tampin...

Hopefully Papa will see you next week.

Papa took you a few weeks ago to to National Botanic Park, where they have some ziplines. The kiddie ziplines weren't very popular, so there was just one Mat Salleh couple with their two kids on the course. Papa wasn't sure you would be brave enough, so things went on in the car like so:

P: I am taking you to see something in the park that we went the last time. If you like it then Papa will book a flight for you.

S: Take the van! I don't want to walk so far!!

Uhm. We ended up walking for 1 hour (looking for mimosa on the way) I had to carry you the second part on the trail....On reaching the site:

P: Ok lets see...can you see the lines?? There's people zipping around! Do YOU want to try?

S: Yes! I can do it! I want!!!

toy story 3

Three things Papa found out:

1. you like 3d. "I want to see the one with 3d glasses!!!"

2. you are still very much a kid. During the incinerator scene at the end of the movie., you closed your eyes and tried to bury yourself into the cinema chair. "I'm scared Papa!!" So I had to seat you in my lap and hold you so you could open your eyes and watch the movie.

3. You like Barbie very much....Every scene Barbie was in, you would smile and giggle.

Its a hot day

A stop for ice-cream, Food kiosk in Taman Botani Negara

another week

Papa saw you last week , for the first time in one month. Don't know what to say.

Anyways Papa has been in the jungles of Kelantan in the recent weeks. This has been a pretty frustrating trip for Papa. We were looking for an orang asli village- Kg Kuala Sungai Yai.

Only problem was, there was no way we would get to it. See, it doesn't exist anymore. In the 80's the orang asli at Kuala Sg. Yai were relocated.Having driven about 100+ km on timber track and asking the orang asli whom we encountered for directions, we came to two conclusions-firstly the younger generation of asli do not have the same set of trekking skills as in the days of yore. Secondly, well that village is long gone.

Papa came to a third observation, that the forest reserves will be long gone in our time. Magnificent trees rising well over 100meters from the jungle floor, all gone from the Terengganu-Pahang border to the Kelantan-Perak border. All will be clear-fell, to make way for single species rubber plantations. On the books the plantations will however remain as "forest".

The rangers we had for guides asked us for jobs , they can see the end of the road for the jungles here.

There is a district, Jajahan Bertam in Kelantan which seems to be mostly populated by the orang asli.

Long stories to follow so Papa will stop here.

no summer??

Well last week Mama spirited you away so Papa couldn't see you. Last night Mama again smsed - Saturday cannot. You see her on Sunday" ( more or less). No response to sms, no response to calls.

This is getting tiresome.

how to eat spaghetti

one..close your eyes..
two..pull...

three.. open your eyes when at the finish.

Your mother has taken you away for this weekend. I only found out after midnight, on Saturday morning. So, since Papa can'y see you this weekend, Papa will be off tomorrow on an outstation trip.

summertime...and the fish are biting..

Putrajaya hot air balloons

Where are the balloons Papa?? You promised balloons...

still-life. "I bring my puppy to lunch"

bubbles

Surprise!! Mama allowed Papa to bring you out on Saturday AND Sunday last weekend. Its like the Brook­haven National Laboratory on Long Island who discovered that they may have broken a law of nature ( for a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a second. Reeally.)

So Papa bring you out to see the hot air balloons at Putrajaya. On Saturday , you declare that "Papa is a super-hero..." Probably Deadpool. Papa thinks. But its pretty nice to be called a superhero, nonetheless.

No luck on Saturday, wind conditions do not permit the balloons to fly/float/whatever.

Papa brings you again on Sunday. This time you up the stakes.

S: "Jesus is better than Daddy..."
P: (how to compete?? better keep quiet)
S: reconsiders for 10 seconds...
S: "No....Daddy, you are better than Jesus..." (smiles)
P: (wow. really better keep quiet....)

That is probably the high-water mark for Papa.


bubbles in the sun.


My ring of power.

Papa loves you....

class boo boo

Well you had your first lesson last week. Didn't work out though, you were too nervous. So much so you couldn't continue in class. So Papa took you out, ten minutes into the class.

P: What happened? You don't like it? We can cancel the classes then....
S: I want!!...But I'm scared...

Hmmm...

Anyway, Papa has got some pictures of you looking a bit scared and lost in class.

Papa didn't take you to class yesterday, because Mama has gone nutso again...

Ho hummm....

Papa has been busy the last few weeks.

On a sidenote-Papa had his hands full driving /testdriving one Mitsu Airtrek and one Bee Eem 1 series. Chalk and cheese, they kinda remind Papa that he needs to pop you into a go-kart.

Also Papa needs to face up in some manner, to competitors , who seem to be from the state royal court, and various (ahem...) cronies of the state government. Perhaps Papa shall have to prospect in areas where no work has been done before, (either by the British geologists of yore, or the JMG people at present).

Papa misses you.

FAB ballet classes

Papa didn't get to see you for the new year, but Mama had a small change of heart so Papa saw you for two days running (yesterday and the day before). Pigs can fly...

We had lunch with Mama and Justin on Friday, this must be the first time we sat down together in over two years. You were so happy you just kept smiling and laughing with me. That is until Mama told you to "stop being rude to Papa". Papa saw you freeze up and thought you wanted to cry. Guess plain horsing around is "rude" in Mama's eyes. So Papa finally understands why you say Mama doesn't play with you.

Papa ordered the carparchio salmon and then Mama wouldn't eat the sushi ("I don't eat raw food syndrome") , but no matter because in a blink of the eye, you had finished all the slices on the plate. We pottered around , just you and me.

So on Friday evening, we went to the movies for a kiddie show-Percy Something and the Lightning Thief... you were pretty stressed out and wanted to leave half-way, but then it turned out you were afraid of Mama scolding you if you came home late. So either the movie was really bad or you were too stressed out, because you fell asleep at the end.

Papa bought you a little fur jacket so you wouldn't complain of being cold in the cinema halls anymore. "Comfy!!"

Then on Saturday Papa took you to the ballet school , and dumped you into the class for a(nother) preview while Papa filled out the forms and etc. When Papa got into the studio to see you, you were sitting quietly, watching the other girls in their tutus. Reds eyes, you were hugging yourself. Papa asked you if you were unhappy. You shake your head.

"Are you happy?". Nod. Hmm , looks like you want to cry from happiness......

"Lets go, mergirl. You are joining this class ok? You start in March. Papa kept his promise to put you in a dancing class with no boys." [You said you would hide under the table if a boy disturbs you...]




You insisted you wanted an iced lemon tea. Upon drinking it you promptly fell asleep....

Papa thinks!!

Papa saw you today, you looked just a bit taller but just as skinny. So Papa picked you up at BSC, and took you to the “playground” upstairs for you to bounce around. Then Papa decided to take you to Damas so as to buy some clothes for you.

Surprise!! We bumped into the wife of one of Papa's friends just a we were going in. So we had lunch with her at some japanese restaurant. Papa just sat back and watched as you regaled her with stories of you seeing lions in the jungle at night. Ah then , you did mention it was only a dream in the end, so I guess that lets you off the hook. And the food was to your liking, although you made no pronouncement of “yummy” this time.

Then it was off to looking for clothes. Not too chinese-new-year-ish, so no reds , no pinks even. One colourful indian-blue dress, one japanese label off-white gown, one cute white Tee with the words “LOVE” emblazoned on the front, with a crucifix cut-off at the back and one spotted hippy-like long-sleeve dress that you called “comfy” the moment you stepped out of the changing-room.

Then we had tea, when Papa decided that perhaps you should be off to Mama before she made noise. Hmm, as soon as Papa told you that, you decided to see the toys at TOYS-R-US. And you wouldn't leave. Out from the toyshop, you wanted to see the pet-shop. And then you didn't really want to leave either.

P: “What's wrong girl?? We got to go now, why do you look so unhappy??

S: “I don't want Daddy to leave me...I don't want to sit in the house...”

Doink!! So all the times you kept asking Papa to take you places when it was time to go back to Mama, you were just trying to squeeze more time together .

Well Papa drives you back to BSC, and you fell asleep in the car and Papa has to carry you to the cafe, where you sleep on Papa while Papa tries not to move around too much on the sofa. Your eyes are closed until Mama came to fetch you, then Papa left you for a while with Mama as Papa had to pick up your bag from the car. When Papa came back, you looked so pale and sad and beaten down, there were tears about to well up in your eyes. (Sounds like a Drama Minggu Ini.)

Papa hugged you.

P: “Don't cry ok...Papa will see you next week ok??”

S: “...Papaaaa...”

P: “Papa will give you a big hug... you mustn't cry...” [Tears welling up]

Oh dear.

Less than one hour later, Papa gets a call.

M: “You lost her hair-band! That lady-friend of yours took it off. Hairbands are very expensive, I want it back...”

Huh?? The hairband was on you even when you were sleeping on Papa. Papa knows because he couldn't run his fingers in your hair then. How did Mama know? Has Mama got sixth sense, or did she grill you??

American V: A hundred Highways

Wooo. Not sure how to approach this album. At the end of his (pretty chequered) life, Mr. Cash goes and records some songs. Papa got hold of American V and what a treat.

The gravel almost gone in his voice, Johnny Cash sings or rather drones out dirges. He doesn't seem to sing so much as to drag out the lyrics to the songs in a monologue. And the songs- Help Me, God's gonna cut you down, I'm free from the chain gang now,etc....Looks like here's a man waiting at his last stop in life, killing time by doing the only thing he can -by singing.

On first listening, you would think it was just the vanity of a dying man. And a record company pandering [can't hurt, there's got to be some $$ there still] . But then the voice... It will pull you in, if you let it. And if you listen beyond the tremor in the voice and the weariness behind the man, then you will find a quiet dignity of a beautiful and honest album. A kind of tacky mixed with a whole lot of tasteful.

And then you hear the need of a great singer and legend to sing one last time. He just wants to sing "Well our good times are now gone, and I'm bound for moving on, I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.."- Four strong winds. The strong, strong voice is gone, it breaks and shatters everywhere.

"Got on my dead man's suit and my smilin' skull ring
My lucky graveyard boots and a song to sing
I got a song to sing, it keeps me out of the cold
And I'll meet you further on up the road.

Further on up the road
Further on up the road
Where the way is dark and the night is cold
One sunny mornin' we'll rise I know
And I'll meet you further on up the road.

-Further on up the road.

Track for track, probably the most brutally honest and gentle album that I have heard, exceeding Lucinda Willian's pean in Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.

J. Cash, free from the chain-gang now.

(PS-Or maybe not really...JCash is still working for the record company, from beyond the grave. I kid you not- American VI : Ain't No Grave was released on what would have been his 78th birthday. There must be a sub-species of irony at work here. )

(PPS- but then the last song he ever wrote is 1 Corinthians 15:55 . That will probably close out American VI. Papa can't wait to get it. For non-Christians and more for ease of reference, that verse goes:
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?")
Last words from beyond the grave. 'Nuff said.

fish- patins

Papa's shopping list for fish fry.

patin buah,
patin lawang,
patin buah kampuchea,
patin muncong,
patin hitam
patin jelawat
patin mekong
A horizontal tasting would be nice...

Papa is eying the patin mekong as well as the patin muncong.

Patin muncong is $$$ (at 10 times the price of river bred patin), Papa has not tasted one. Perhaps that would be the house brand for the infamous K Lipis restaurant??

new toy

Papa got big plans for Tasik Summer. However on the practical side, Papa needs to LEARN how to prettify a lake- hence Papa is looking for a guinea-pig. A smaller pond to learn the ropes. Otherwise there won't be anything to translate in the scaling-up of pond to lake.

Papa is going to learn how to stock up a live lake with fish. And then Papa has got to make sure the water is sweet, so the fish grow up to be nice and juicy on the dining table. Pond's has got to look good too, so Papa is going to do some landscaping with fruit trees and a gazebo with a bbq. In Malaysia that would be translated roughly as a "pondok". Papayas with some freshwater fish by the lake....Papa's got to fence up the place first.

Papa's guinea-pig (and giant toy) just below. This lego set needs manpower and money , so Papa's got to do some running around to find out how much dough is needed .It needs some green by the slopes and a pathway down to the water's edge. A stream runs 50meters away at the edge of the land, and that will provide fresh water.





You can't see the stream but its there.

forever at 4

In Papa's mind you are 4 years old. So Papa has written for a 4 year old summergirl. Problem is, you are 5 now. Sometime in the future, 6 then 7 and so on. Time and tide etc...

Accordingly there seems to be a somewhat massive flaw to Papa's missives to you. Obviously you won't be a five year old when you get to read this (that is, if you get to read this at all). So, Papa will write stories for the girl that you are now , and then also write for the girl and woman that you will be one day. Papa will try anyways.

LangDetectru>en YahooC

Papa

Mama done it again and again

well three days of holidays at a stretch- saturday, sunday and monday. You would think that Mama cound spare one day for you and me. But then Mama has taken you away to Tampin. And so she does it without a sound and she won't answer Papa's calls and smses.

Papa has so little time with you and yet Mama will steal and take away even that bit that Papa has- its a strange strange world.

You have not seen Papa's mother for three years now- the last time Papa brought you to see your grandma, Mama was hysterical and tried to run Papa down.

So, in the most peculiar way, poor Mama.

Papa loves you, my little girl.

toilet

Papa saw you on the day after your fifth birthday. A little more grownup, you wanted to go to the ladies toilet alone. So Papa waited for you outside one of the toilets in the Midvalley. Two minuted later you were out and in Papa's hands. No drama.

waiter's code

malaysian economy redux

simpsonmarine revisited

The last time Papa tried to get you into a boat, you flat out refused . That was at the Simpson boat show at the PD marina, you were three plus coming on four then.

Now, hmm- "Boats are fun, Papa!"

art and craft

Well Papa didn't get to see you for your birthday, Papa didn't get a chance to speak to you either. But Papa did see you yesterday, and at your insistnece bought you what you called a Barbie "slide" set. Papa had a good time teasing you, what with telling you that Papa wouldn't buy it, and then telling you it got lost somehow. [Papa put it at some point later with the cashier in Borders]. Tears would have flowed- you are pretty serious about Barbie.

Anyways Papa took you to a art shop, ahem- correction by you- a "Art and Craft" shop. Bought some crayons and chalks. You wne horsing around, but expressed a great desire to paint with oils and etc. We will find out later if you are artistically inclined or more of a mechanical bent.

Papa in the meanwhile has been busy with various workstuff which is both mostly boring and frustrating. However, the idea of Lake Summer, being an insidious germ, refuses to die. Accordingly Papa is going ahead with stocking a little pond with game and eating fish as an experiment. To mix metaphors, it will be a guinea pig lake, with Tilapia (quite certain), Kelai, haruan (maybe) and other assorted species. It will be a private fishing pond - it will also be Papa's private lab-cum-toy and if it is viable then Papa will upscale to Lake Summer (ahem).