Saturday, April 28, 2007

The Two Heartbreakers


Just look at the baby anne (my mom in law ) was holding during our wedding in istanbul almost 8 years ago....That baby in the diaper was Zeynep.There were also Safa...Merve...and Mahture Yenge holding Keremcan...My own daughther and son at that time was...well... they were non existence!


True, i was fascinated by the beauty of my surroundings when i was in sapanca. But I was also totally fascinated by these two girls....At how much they have grown up.Hatice is in her pre school education while Zeynep is in the second grade...there is a two years gap in age between the two girls and there is a 2cm difference in height between them as well....


Where had the time gone to? They r growing up so fast. The next time i blink... a guy(or guys) will probably be knocking our doors (Funda's and mine) for a hand in marriage! I cant say i am looking forward to letting my girl go too fast...






and these two.. the younger siblings of the heartbreakers wont find it easy to ward off the men the elder sisters whose hearts will break in the future...:0)..
But then..elo is gorgeous in her own right as well... so i suppose Selim and Funda will have to paste a notice at their door saying...
"Good hearted MEN onLY!"
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Thursday, April 12, 2007

This Week's observation

Minus the long neck and slim tall body, I am beginning to feel like Aunt Petunia…. Harry Potter’s aunt who likes to peep and see what the neighbours r doing from her window…

I can imagine our couch yelling…
“Hey! Stop choking me with ur 74 kgs stepping on me!!”

But what can i say?? İ am so very truly curious of my bride…. !! Has she produced the eggs? Has she got the eggs hatched??

Well, from the way i see it, she is there.. at the same spot everyday..unmoving. I assume my future grandchildren r already being laid…my bride left not her side as to heat them up…how do i know? İ checked her position so very often hehehe….

And what dou know?? The groom comes n goes to feed his beloved wife!! How so very sweet!! That is what i call a real gentleman!! I am so proud of u my dearest groom.. Hopefully ur children will follow the mom’s look and ur strong character!

And guess what? The future grandpa is as excited as the future grandma!! He kept telling the future grandma to snap the photos of the bride and the grandchildren if possible… Gee…they r well hidden… i can only see the head of the bride even after stepping on the couch n the window sil….

I cant imagine what the neighbours will say if they discover this thing though..they r soooo very complaining….. u can keep my secret, right? :0)

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On another lighter matter, .. let us talk about my real children.. Hatice n baddin :0)

Despite the fact that i love to hear music.. Halil loves music.. the kids r attracted to the music, our home is not a home where u listen turkish songs. Halil for example has his beloved types of music that he loves (mostly Turkish)… the types that lul me to sleep if i have to hear them… my types of music (English songs mostly –well..u can hear them in my blog anyway) r the types that drives Halil crazy! So we both cant really mix each other’s songs….i secretly turn on my mtv whenever no one is around (which is very rare) n Halil mostly listens to his songs at his Office room at the university…

And yet… my daughter seems to know many new Turkish songs!! She was singing this song and that song at home..mostly turkish..… and when she sings, the brother listens too and he too learns. their latest craze..a song entitled “Shake it up Şekerim” ..

When i asked her where she learned the songs.. was it from her friends? Her answer was…

“Ramazan abi serviste radio açıyor*
(Ramazan brother-the school bus chauffer turns on the radio in the school bus service)

Despite my taste and halil’s taste in music, apparently it seems that my kids will know the hip hop n whatever it is that Türks r listening… this is really interesting…


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While u were in school… how do u remember ur classmates’ names? Do u remember them by their short name? Or do u remember them by their full name?

There i was talking to Hatice. She was asking me about Thursday’s *Lezzet Gunu* (delicious day) where today, a friend in her class will be in charge of bringing some food (normally cookies, cakes etc etc) for tea today. I mentioned a name..(Damla) and she asked me..

“İs it Damla Kayıkçı?”

i am impressed at how well she can remember every of her friends’ names… the surnames of some of her friends can be very long too.. and yet, she can remember them all!! I am at awe!

I think this is NOT my last entry for this week -sebab tadi i cakap this will bemy last entry for this week.. (ADA GAMBAR TERBARU I NAK TUNJUK KAT U ALL -i've got new photos to show u all).. have a nice weekend everyone! See ya all next week! :0)

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Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Pictures from the Graveyard

Halil n i had some matters to settle at the other side of the bridge today (the kids were left with mahture yenge n later with mıstık)…. After almost settling the matter…. We went for a visit at anne’s (my mom in law) graveyard…

Zaimlar….evet..hala tam olmadı yahu.. karakola bize gelecek..sonra yine karşı ya gideceğiz..sonra ceza ödeceğiz…..bir ay daha surer bu işi :0(
.

What i saw saddened me..her graveyard is totally unkept…wild plants roaming around at ease…None of us could visit the graveyard often since it is at the other side of the bridge… n the graveyard care cater is…. ..anyway….as u can judge urself… her graveyard needs looking after…


We read the yasin n a few other surahs for anne n the rest of the relatives there as well as for the rest of the occupants of that place…At the same time, my hands were busy pulling the wild green weeds..leaving only the wild flowers around as much as i could…

Well..the truth is… anne wouldnt have cared if the graveyard area is full with wild things… it wouldnt have mattered to her if anyone ever come there anyway….


But for us the living… it made us feel better to be able to visit her…but it also makes us feel sad to see her graveyard in lack of attention…u want to do more…


In islam at least...what matters to her is the doa….she would have been happy with all the doas we read for her (no matter where we read the doas from)….hopefully the one we read today reached her with a golden plate…doa dari anak yg mukmin ..itu yg penting…dan masyaAllah.. halil tak pernah lupa menghantar doa utk ibunya...hatice pun sama..sebelum tido dia akan berdoa utk baba anne dia...

I remember the last time we visited anne's grave a few weeks ago... hatice cried...she doesnt remember anne much but she cried...


I in particular left the graveyard feeling slightly happy.. happy for being able to read her the yasin with halil…(more like he read it from the book n i followed him together silently from my memory)…n happy coz at least i left the place after pulling some of the wild weeds…

N i also noticed some nice flowers there…. Some planted n some wild….even at the graveyard area….spring is here.. :0)
















See the small turkish flag? n see the big turkish flag on the ground? That turkish flag on the ground r actually tulips!! i managed to snap this picture from far while halil was driving the car...

p.s am busy busy busy...tak sempat nak hop hop hop sangat..sorry yea :0)


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Friday, March 30, 2007

We have guests

YES...
We have guests… but these guests wont be going away too soon…

İt was a few weeks ago… when i heard the groooooooo grooooooooo sound coming from our balcony…i assumed it was the pigeons looking for food…It went on for a few days….then it stopped… but i could hear flying sounds in n out of my balcony esp early in the mornings…esp during the times Hatice was preparing for going to school

It was then…..one day…
İ saw….
2 birds…
one holding a twig with his beak…flying into my balcony while the other took guard!!

I beamed…how could i be so ignorant??
It is spring!!
And they have chosen my balcony!!

And i am going to be …


A GRANDMOTHER!

Hahahahahahaha



The problem is… now i am hesitant to enter my balcony just in case i am disturbing the lovebirds….can u believe it? İ even apologize to them everytime i have to enter the balcony! Hahahah i think i am going crazy!

One of the birds in my balcony..


Have a nice weekend everyone!
Simah over n out for the weekend..see ya next week!

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

My discovery today..

I have to apologize if the topic today may offend any of u.. but u see.. i have discovered something today…

It has something to do with this..



Yup.. it is a veggie we call..cabbage in english.. kobis in malay and lahana in turkish.

In malaysia, it is an all year round veggie. In 4 season countries however.. in turkey for example, it is the winter veggie.. it is only at this time of the year, u can buy the cabbage from the Pazar or the market. What do turks do with cabbage? ..Well they definitely dont play with it hehehe..yes..they eat it.. they use cabbage for making dolma (stuffed veggie)… like the stuffed dolma u can find in Zaim ladies Recipe book blog (see the side bar)… or they make kapuska out of the cabbage..or other food that i dont know of..like salad? Coleslaw? Hmmm..

I love cabbage…that i discover after i reach this country..But the problem is.. cabbage.. ..after eating it.. i will definitely need to let out my *gas*.. and i am not talking just any gas.. it it that very high volume non stoppable gas hehehehe (u can use ur imagination right?) heheh it can be embarassing really..how many times i felt embarrased for letting out the gas like that..i just cant help it.. and the worst part.. cabbage gives me stomach cramp….i love it.. but i suffer after every cabbage eating… adoi…not something to look forward to eh?

I have always known that ginger is good for gas.. having 3 younger siblings, i remember how my wan (my dad’s mom) used to cook food with ginger for my mom after each birth.. *-buang angin- to clean the gas in the body* she said..but being the ignorant person i am.. .. i never thought that i’d apply it to myself..

Anyway.. it was only a few years ago that i discovered fresh ginger in turkey.. fresh ginger (thanks Carrefour n migros!)..it is expensive as well.. hence, i never really wanted to burden Halil with buying the ginger.. though i have to say.. now i just buy the fresh ginger ..a lot of them everytime we enter carrefour hehehe ..

Today, i though i’d make an experiment on myself.. the main menu of the day.? Suprise suprise… cabbage of course.. ! cabbage dolması (lahana dolması)..n my fav cabbage dish..(only form e coz i put chilli in it hehe)..


Experiment 1 - I ate that fav dish of mine for lunch (not the dolma one..it’s the other one with chilli).. n i repeat loads of it. Next to it, i had hot water boiled with fresh ginger with a bit of honey added as my drink.. together.. i had a delicious lunch (at least to me).. n guess what? For someone who has got a problem with eating cabbage.. i did not let out air as i normally do!! No cramp at all.. i felt fine!!

Experiment 2 – For dinner, again i ate the same dish..again loads of it.. this time without the ginger drink.. Not suprising, after 5 minutes, i let out a not so ladylike air… my tummy felts weird as well.. almost a cramp..but not so bad.. perhaps it was the effect of the ginger drink i had drank during the day that prevented the bad cramp ...now i am drinking the ginger drink as to prevent any bad cramp..as i type this entry..

My conclusion: Ginger is good for health..esp if u have *gas* problem….

I surfed the net as well to find a beter more scientific study on ginger n its benefits.. here is what i found..


*Ginger is a culinary spice known to add its pungent taste and aroma to whatever dish it is added to. It has a long history as a culinary spice and medicinal herb for thousands of years in Asia, and has been exported to the West thanks to Eastern traders. Since then it has become a staple in most kitchens around the world.I.

History Of Ginger

Ginger or Zangiber officinale in Latin, is an aromatic underground stem or rhizome. This plant has a long history in Asian cuisine for thousands of years. Indigenous to China, it was used as a culinary spice for more than 4,400 years. Its medicinal value was sought after; for more than 2,000 years it has been recognized as a cure against diarrhea, nausea and stomach upset.

use became widespread in India, under theMuslim rule, when it was used in preparing meat dishes, and even buttermilk and curd products.During the time of Roman Empire, ginger was brought by Eastern traders to Rome for its medicinal properties. Even when the Roman Empire fell, and when Arab merchants controlled the trade of spices and herbs, it was constantly exported to Europe.

By the 16th century the Arabs brought the rhizome to East Africa to plant it there, and introduced it to the Carribean.II.

Culinary Uses Of Ginger

You may be wondering about the taste and smell of ginger. It has phenylpropanoids (gingerol and zingerone) and diarylheptanoids (gingeroles and shoagoles) - compounds that are responsible for its distinct taste.

When cooked, gingerol transforms into zingerone, which has a less pungent, spicy-sweet aroma.Ginger is a common ingredient when meat dishes are cooked, as it acts as a tenderizer to soften the meat.

In the West, ginger acts as a flavoring in baked goodies like ginger cake, ginger biscuits, and in drinks like ginger ale.

II. Health Benefits Of Ginger

Modern medical science has proven its efficacy in treating nausea and motion sickness. In one study, for example, 80 novice sailors prone to motion sickness were made to take powdered ginger. The subjects showed significant reduction in cold sweating and in vomiting.

It is also seen as a more effective aid for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting compared to placebo. In one large study composed of 70 pregnant women with severe vomiting and nausea, those who took 1 g of ginger each day had reported less vomiting and being less nauseous, against those who took placebo.

Ginger contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in certain food like garlic, green tea, coffee, red wine and apples.These are responsible for fighting free radicals which naturally occur inside the body, and which contribute to the development of health problems such as heart disease and cancer.

Aside from that, it acts as a natural anti inflammatory in health problems like arthritis, ulcerative colitis, bursitis and bronchitis.While no major side effects are associated with taking ginger as a medicinal herb, caution is advised to those with gallstones. Consult your physician first before taking it.*

http://www.articlemotron.com/Article/The-Health-Benefits-Of-Ginger/23072

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Benefits of Ginger Root

Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for over 5000 years for its powerful health imparting properties. In fact, Indian ginger is said to have the most potent medicinal properties.
Due to such a prolonged belief, research on ginger benefits was natural. Sure enough, the results were on expected lines:


Danish researchers found that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandin - a substance that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain and can lead to migraines.


Ginger was found to be effective for relieving the severity of nausea even in cases of pregnancy.
Many women claim that ginger tea helps rid them of menstrual cramps.


It has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming action on the upper respiratory tract, so it has been used to treat colds and flu.


It has been found to be effective in cramps caused by stomach gas. Ginger also stimulates digestion.


It has a wholesome effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky and is of great benefit in case of circulatory disorders.


As a mood enhancer, ginger's cineole content may help contribute to stress relief.
It is a great mouth freshener and ginger tea has vastly refreshing properties.


In all, incorporating a ginger intake in your daily routine can lead to definite wholesome effects

http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/product/gteabeni.html

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