Whose Birthday Is It Today?

 Friday, 15 May 2015. Sofea Jane is one year old. Oooohhh.....how time flies.....
Will Mama bake a cake? Hmmmmm.....

Wordless Wednesday: We Love Cameron Highlands

She was stolen?

Yusuf.
The she with a he name.
Was mama's favourite among all who live in a shelter.
A recent visit revealed that she no longer lives there.
Someone had taken or stolen her.

Hmmm....why is it when a stray is skinny or full of fungus or dirty, no one except for a few exceptional souls would take him/her in? Once he/she is healthy especially the good looking ones, there'll be people queueing up to want and to some extend, steal them? No wonder mama tells me to stay indoors all the time....because I'm worth it?

Monday morning thoughts,
Sofea Jane

When there's hope, there's always a way...

or so my Mama says...

The story of my mother, Hope Elise Lange

Slightly more than a year ago, my Mama heard a kitty crying loudly. It came from a recently emptied unit underneath ours. Of course she went to investigate.

Mama found a skinny tabby and without hesitation, took her home. The tabby was very hungry and didn't stop eating. She ate and ate and ate and Mama thought, hmmm...she's fat now. So, took her to the V-E-T for the usual health check and whatever they usually do at that place. 

However, when Mama asked the evil one when they could book a date for neutering, the evil one laughed. And said, no way, ma'am. Don't you realise that she's pregnant? So, that's how I know nobody knows who my biological Dad is and my mom Hope won't tell either. 

Did I tell you that when I was born, mom Hope refused to let me suckle her? Of course Mama intervened. She took us into her bedroom, closed the door, and held mom Hope so she couldn't run away as I suckle away.....

To be continued....

The storyteller,

Sofea

Wordless Wednesday: It's Sofea's birthday month

Once upon a time

Angelina owns this space

Nine years is a long time

She can't maintain the pace

Take heart

Here comes Sofea

She'll blog from the heart

No favour or fear

(so much for wordless....hehehe!)

Eid Mubarak 2013

Friends and Supporters of YKMAM,

Today is the first day of Shawal 1434h and also 8 August 2013

Today is also the fifth anniversary of the foundation

Thank you for supporting us all these years

Thank you for making us your charity of choice

Ramadan has left us for now

Yet there's always time to do good

To increase prayers and deeds

To increase charity and help those in need

Shawal has come knocking on our doors

Bringing more opportunities to do good

While we rejoice and feast after a month of fasting

It is good to remind ourselves of those who are still hungry and thirsty

The Board of Trustees and staff of

Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia 

wishing you,

Eid Mubarak 

Please forgive us for any shortcoming

Malaysiana: A Fruit with Many Names

Roadside stalls are aplenty wherever you travel in Malaysia. Many of them are interesting if you care to stop and snoop.

Stuck in a traffic jam going up the hills of Cameron Highlands, we decided to cool off the car's engine and our parched throat with some exotic looking fruits. It's a kind of coconut that's said to have medicinal properties. Read about these fruits here. (OK, use Google translate if you must). Popularly know as African sea coconut, this fruit is also called tal, lontar and many others. Anyway, whatever its name is, we looooove it.

Just suck on the straw to draw out the sweet juice, then use a spoon to take the flesh out. yummmm.... 

Tal galore! Prices start from RM5 to RM15, depending on size. Or you can buy the ready made drink at just RM2 per cup. Oooh...we're talking about the darker coloured fruits at the bottom.

Another view of the fruits on display. We were told that these fruits come from the northern part of Perak.

The affable seller has amazing knife skill. 

Who's the crowd puller? Many people also stopped at this stall.

Angelina's note: An exotic fruit a day keeps the doctor away. purrrr....meow!

Wordless Wednesday: Seen at Feline Sanctuary

Feline Paradise on Earth

Yes, it does exist. Its existence makes you realise that there is hope yet in this crazy world we live in....

This is my Mama's account:
A chance visit to the northern island of Langkawi gave us an opportunity to visit this wonderful place called LASSie (Langkawi Animal Shelter and Sanctuary Foundation) currently occupying the grounds of Bon Ton Resort. The organisation was set up to receive, rehabilitate and care for neglected, abused and needy animals. I saw some woofies lounging in the enclosures but what made me sing is that the cats are allowed to roam free. Lovely photos will make you drool, peeps.

Look out for this marker along the road from the airport to Pantai Cenang, drop by for coffee or tea, lunch dinner or breakfast at this lovely resort. There's a lovely shop selling all sorts of creative crafts where proceeds will go to the shelter.

Hmmm...reception committee awaits...complete with head butts and leg wraps.

Yusuf...beautiful, regal and friendly...ok...maybe a bit gender confused. A she with a he name...

Mama says Yusuf will be Brad's new bride. Lulu is free for others now...teeheehee....

Mama says this little lady reminds her of me when I was a little girl...

.....and...action! They really know how to pose for the camera.

And who says cats hate water?

When cat ladies meet....they talked about....ermmm...cat toys...environment friendly cat toys to be precise.

The Bon Ton Resort offers a unique experience of staying in Malay village houses...complete with resident cats, of course.

Beautiful landscape at the resort...purrrfect setting for Brad and Yusuf's wedding I must say.

Mama says next time we'll stay here.

Visited the shelter proper, those staying in the enclosure are either sick or new arrivals, not fit to roam the grounds yet.

Guess this kitty's name? Hint: moustache.

aaahhh....what a life...

Oh...the kitties need forever homes too...They can't stay in the shelter forever...

Yusuf saying goodbye at the end of the visit.

Angelina's note: Check out www.langkawilassie.org.my and www.bontonresort.com for further information. A quick glance tells me you can contact them to make a donation, make a booking to stay at the resort, or even if you want to volunteer at the clinic and shelter. purrr.....meow!!!

Discovering Kunak

I am sad with the turn of events in Sabah right now. Many hoomans from both sides have lost their lives and I don't know how many more will lose theirs. I wonder if the evacuated locals remember to bring their pets with them....

Anyway, a few districts have been mentioned in the news, where the militants are supposed to be still at large - Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak. My Mama is a frequent traveller to Semporna, en route to her projects on the islands, and....has also visited the least known Kunak. Serious! Now, how many of you know where this place is? Hmmmm....? (raised one eyebrow!)

Kunak first came into our radar when we saw an agriculture TV programme that highlighted Kunak's salak madu. Salak is a kind of fruit from the palm family that has a snake-like brown skin and white flesh that tastes kinda sweet, sour and tart. The one from Kunak is said to be extra sweet (hence madu or honey) and crunchy.

Hmmm...people say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In this case, we'd have to find the fruit and eat it first. Or so my Mama said. And so we made a more than 20km detour off the Tawau-Semporna road into Kunak, in our quest for a fruit.

First roundabout we came to in Kunak has these humongous prawns basking in the sun.

Then we stopped at this row of stalls selling tidbits and fruits, and ask around for the whereabouts of the fruits.

We found some! They were selling for about RM4 per kilogramme. The stall owner was kind enough to give directions to the fruit farm.

Just go along the road from the fruit stalls until you find this sign by the roadside.

Not too far off the main road, you'll see this signboard. The name of the fruit farm owner is Sudirman or better known as Pak Sudir among the locals.

The salak trees resemble oil palm trees, only smaller.

Bunches of unripe salak fruits upclose. The young ones are very thorny. Oooh...beware of snakes!

I assume that these are the seedlings. Hmm...maybe should have bought one or two and try to plant at home.

Is this woofie the guardian of the farm? He was friendly though. I hope he's fed for his services.

Brad's notes: Our verdict? The salak fruit from Kunak is sweet as honey and crunchy, as publicised. Nowadays, whenever we come across anyone selling this fruit, the first question we'll ask: is this from Kunak? har har har *evil laughs*

Wordless Wednesday: Brad versus Sebastian

Sunday Blues: Life is Not a Bed of Roses

....when you are a roll of paper towels living under the same roof as Sebastian the Destroyer.

He said: It wasn't me Mama...it's that smiling cat on the bag! Yeah...right!

Tuesday with Tabby: I Love Tuna

Fresh from the sea....I just love watching the fish being prepared for cooking....this tuna is rather small compared to the usual 25kg ones I've seen.

What are those crabs doin there? Hmmm....let's concentrate on the tuna....I must say this particular fish is very....how shall I put it....bloody?

Fillets and cutlets...hmmm...delightful morsels of tuna they are....

This is tuna umai, umai is a kind of raw fish salad Sarawak style...very refreshing and yummy......the fish must be very very fresh to make this.

Tuna soup Mabul style....I looooove this too...

Brad's note: We've also tasted tuna barbequed, curried and fried. I looooove them all. Even the canned variety. Please bring some home the next time you go there, Mama! har har har *evil laughs*