Free

                                         Joy Adamson and Elsa-Born Free



The story Born Free

About the lioness cub

Whose mother was shot





Once in Africa

Joy Adamson and Elsa

Grew up with fondness





A touching story

For all to see in movie

Return to the wild



September Heights, day 30 - Free.

It was a true story of a lioness cub named Elsa who was brought up by a couple, George and Joy Adamson who lived in Africa. When the lioness grew bigger they decided that Elsa should be released into the wild. The movie received much acclaim from film-goers for the moving theme. It was based on a book by the same title, "Born Free".

Battlefield

                             At Benteng 7 Lapis in 2008



I was in Riau

At Benteng Tujuh Lapis

Visit Battlefield




It was long before

We even knew where it was

Fort Dalu Dalu



He was their Leader

Padri Wars against the Dutch

Tambusai a cry



September Heights, day 29- "Battlefield".

I visited the former fort at Benteng 7 Lapis in Dalu Dalu, about 5 hours from Pekanbaru in Riau, Sumatera. It was there the last battle against the Dutch fought by my ancestor, Fakeh Hj.Muhammad Salleh a.k.a. Tuanku Tambusai in 1838. He escaped by jumping into Batang Sosah, a fast flowing river next to the fort and from there he made his way to Rasah, Seremban where he finally settled and died in 1882.

Waltz

September Heights- Day 28, P#187- Waltz



To the dance lovers

Dancing the Waltz is sheer fun

I love Zapin more



With Grace and  beauty

Reflects the lively culture 

Which resides in me



Zapin is not easy

Just like Waltz, one must practice

The thrill is many




I simply enjoy the Zapin steps and the music that goes with it,especially if the composer is Pak Ngah, who is the arranger of Siti Nurhaliza's traditional Malay numbers.

Footprint

Picture by courtesy of World Resources

Walk on the sea-shore

In the crispy morning sun

Footprint in the sand

It was then pristine

Greed has destroyed its beauty

Dirty Port Dickson

Nature has its way

To teach man how to behave

Just wait for the day

September Heights - Day 27, P#186- Footprint

I lived in Port Dickson when my father was transferred there in 1967 for a couple of years and it was then still idyllic and peaceful with its clean beaches. But now Port Dickson is ugly with hotels and apartments lining the beaches where the public has no access as what it was before. Nature's wrath shall teach man a lesson one fine day.

Paper Boats

Picture by Courtesy of Google images

Days of My Childhood

Just love making Paper Boats

Putting in the Stream

As it goes along

Sailing with flow of current

With Pleasure and Joy

Having Simple things

The Innocence of the past

Bygone were the Days

In response to September Heights-Day 26, P#185, "Paper Boats"

Nowadays children are more into gadgets and computerised games unlike our generation when the games we played were made from papers , wood or cans. But it brought immense pleasure nevertheless.

Sleep

Haiku Heights -Day 25, P#184- Sleep.

Taken for granted

Until One is all deprived

Sound Sleep and Slumber

More than once suffered

I just could not reason why

Wide awake like Owl

More Precious than Food

Losing Weight was Terrible

Let it be no more

I experienced twice the in the past of not being able to sleep like I usually do. My doctor prescribed medication to enable me to sleep. But it made me feel terrible after waking up. I pray that such bouts of sleeplessness shall not occur in my whole lifetime because it takes a heavy toll on one's well being.

Paradox

Day 24 of Haiku Heights,"Paradox".

Fifteenth September

Reunion of Old Classmates

Seremban Golf Club

I left in Form Three

The gathering for Form Five

What a Paradox

Seeing the pictures

Reminiscing the faces

Fifty years ago

Please see earlier posting on "Reunion" but I have to give it a miss owing to prior commitment. Perhaps I would keep the date free for the next one, InshaAllah!

Birth

                                                    Ayra bt Abdul Jalil born
                                  on 11 September 2012


In the afternoon

She came into the world

Birth of the baby



Allah's creation

The Sign of His Almighty

His Grace and Blessings


Joy to her parents

The first born to both of them

May Allah Bless Her



This is the continuation of Sept. Heights Day 22- P#181, "Birth".

The birth of Ayra on Sept. 11, 2012 at 2.40 pm, weighing 3.12 kilogram brings joy to my daughter Nurul and Jalil my son-in-law. She is my sixth grandchild and my second grand-daughter.

Glory

Today is day 21, P#180 of Haiku Heights. "Glory".



Merdeka the Call

Shouts were heard on the Padang

That Night of Glory



The Crowd was frenzy

We were proud to see our flag

Rising high slowly



On Selangor Padang

We waited for the moment

Of Independence




I was at my grand-mother's house listening to Radio Malaya where I heard my Uncle's voice giving an emotional commentary on the flag-raising ceremony as the clock struck twelve midnite 31st August 1957. It was a historic moment I shall never forget.

Lights

A Ray of Sunshine

Penetrating the Jungle

Of Million years old


I walk carefully

Through the hills and mountains

Steps treading lightly


The Lights coming through

The Canopy of Tall tress

Giving Life to many


This is in response to prompt of day 20 in Haiku Heights, entitled "Lights".

It was an experience in climbing Gunung Berembun during the Annual Camp in Brinchang which was then pristine, unlike now where there are too many buildings that have spoilt the beauty of nature in the Highlands.

Island

I missed the previous prompt because I have to be at my daughter's place helping her out during her confinement. Now I must not let the momentum falter; here goes:-

                           Island

A little red dot

So said a famous guy once

It is exacting


Once a backwater

Infested by mosquitoes

Now a first-world class


Squeaky clean at most

Well known for its Kiasu

Not my favourite



When I first transit the Changi Airport in September 1972 on my way to London via BOAC, it was the first day of the once single airline operating separately as MAS and SIA. I can still recall the way MAS counter was struggling as an "infant" compared to the "Cocky" long spacious counters of SIA overlording the others. It made me despise the Island since then.

Trip to Derby

In response to Hank's urgings to go for the extra lines in Haiku, I hope not to disappoint him. So here goes;

                       Trip to Derby

Riding in the coach

To visit Derby Castle

Passing the Meadow



I ask Mariah

Did you see the sheep and cows?

Lazying on the grass?


Does it remind you

Of our colleagues back home then

Like being in meadow



I recall this trip in the Spring of 1997 to Derby Castle which once belonged to one of the Lords in the County of Nottinghamshire which has been turned into a tourist's attraction . Mariah, a colleague who was attending the same course in London with me was seated next and I showed her the sheep in the meadow as we passed by not far from the Castle. She laughed when I mentioned the parable.

Grass

                                          Courtesy of Google images.


In accordance with my accomplished friend's wishes (aka Hank) I said I'll try to keep my promise on Haiku.


                                         Grass

In the dry Desert

Clump of Grass is not Mirage

Sign of Almighty



This reminds me of the journey between Mecca to Medina during my Hajj together with Nasimah in 1999. We travelled by coach on the first day of Muharram to Medina from Mecca. It just took about 6 hours, including waiting time for security clearance at the Hajj Check-point. An experience not easily forgotten, passing through the arid Arabian desert and the bare rocky mountains along the highway.

Revelation

Whenever I meet my dear friend Hank, he would always broach the subject of Haiku. He even brought with him the volume on glossary of words to convince me. I actually owe a lot to him on keeping the interest on Haiku for without his instance, it would have died a natural death. Here goes;


                                           Revelation

Mulling in my thoughts

World without Revelation

Would life be the same

Ayra, my second grand-daughter

                                         Top: Family Photo taken before Ayra's birth

                                         Below:  Ayra, born on 11 September 2012


My daughter Nurul Husna delivered  her first child last Tuesday 11 September 2012 at 2.40 p.m.My thanks to Allah Almighty for her bundle of joy together with Abdul Jalil who was with her during labour and the delivery. Both mother and daughter are doing fine and we are fortunate to be able to see them both when they were taken back to their room in the Hospital at around 5.45 p.m. on that day.
  Jalil and Nurul named her Ayra, and when Nurul's cousin asked Jalil what is her full name, he replied, " Ayra Abdul Jalil". It is short and easily remembered, he said. She weighs 3.12 kilogram at birth, and both mother and child were discharged from the Hospital on Wednesday evening, 12 September. All of us  welcome the new addition to the Family and may Allah endow her with His Grace and Blessings, Amin!

The Reunion

                                           King George V School
                    Seremban, Form 5 A, 1962

Last Sunday 09 September, I had a pleasant surprise when I received a call on my mobile phone, from someone whom I have not met since I left my former school, King George V Seremban in 1960, a classmate of mine, S.Thavamani.
She is her usual chirpy and bubbly self, when she told me that she got my number from another classmate now a retired Judge whom I met last year at a Hari Raya invitation from my former office in Putrajaya. Although I was not in the KGV form 5 class  in 1962, as shown in the picture above (taken from the school magazine), but she still extend the Form 5 Reunion to me, since I knew many of the faces which appeared in the photo. After 50 years, some have passed away, but many are still recognisable. Unfortunately I could not attend the reunion owing to prior commitments on this 15 September, when the reunion is to be held in Seremban. It would have been wonderful to see my former classmates after half a century! Of course with the mature and dignified white hairs some may have on top or none at all, we would have a hilarious time recalling the good old days. The organiser for this reunion is none other than the affable Victor Lee Wee Kah, whom I remembered, as he was always smart and carried himself well with his classmates. Those seated in the front row in the photo above are Boon Cheng Ee(deceased) Lee Wee Kah, Malik Yasin, Choong Siew Min,Md.Nor Tan,Muthukumar, Musalmah Asli,Zaiton seated in the first row of form 5A. Those who have passed away are Johari Baharudin, Maarith and Bukhari. The others whom I can still recall are Tee Ting Chai, Lee Chin Hwa, Kulasingham,Jeyasingham,Liew Siew Mun,Madhusudan Patel, Rosli, Mat Saman,Zaini Hassan and many others whose names I have forgotten.I wish Victor Lee Wee Kah's class reunion is a success and may the presence of those who attend bring back happy memories of the comradeship of our former classmates and my respects to the teachers who are able to come.