Mr. Brite,.. Scotch-Brite

Hello Mr Brite! Welcome on board!

I bought meself this, this morning. SCOTCH BRITE - Quick Sweeper Kit. Normal price is RM39.90. Or RM36.00, can't remember exactly. For today is RM25.00. I need new broom anyway. I hate having to deal with dirt and dust but I can't afford to have cleaning service everyday. This is not exactly the next best thing (now, THAT is going to be a uncorded vacuum-cleaner *hint*) Anyway, if it works as it claims, I am sure gonna fall in love with this :D Temporarily, before the bonus comes in *hint* and I can get the SAID vacuum-cleaner.

That is what micro-fibre is famous for anyway, in household cleaning department. It traps. Less flyaways. If it is as it claims, I have less to deal with my endless season of shedding (rambut gugur lah tuuu.. sobs). The kit basically comes as 2 items. The batang penyapu and the cloth. Oh, can be used dry or wet. Eloklah tu, budak-budak ni memang suka tumpahkan air.

Buh pi la kaler apa pun. As long as it works. Am I right? Or am I right?

Adjustable. Ikut lah keselesaan masing-masing. Can be lengthened so Tebby can use it and shortened so any of the children can use it also :D :D But I am the defaulted user..........


The micro-fibre cloth. Feels like kain tuala. Ada yang halus sikit. Ada barisan yang kasar-kasar sikit.

The cloth is attached to the batang penyapu with 2 strips of velcro. Detached to clean and wash.

Owww yess.. let's give this baby a try

I tried sweeping the staircase and floor downstairs. The stairs always gives me headache bila nak sapu. When swept, dirts and dusts of kos lah flyaways jugak kan. And they jatuh on my sofa which is berdekatan dengan tangga. With this, since it traps, less of that problem.

Since I last swept the floor few days ago (seven days makes a week right? but 'few days' sounds less evil than 'a week' does hihi), the accumulation of dirt and dust was too much for this Mr Brite to handle. I had to sweep and then bersihkan the cloth and the swept again, and bersihkan semula. For light cleaning, yes. For a week worth of dirt and dust - no.

So, do I love Mr Brite? I do. Afterall everyone comes with own set of the goods and bads..

Note - Bought at Carrefour BTHO

On Leave! Dating! Shopping! *love*

Took leave. Went dating.
We held hands. We ate. We laughed. We shopped.

Where else. MidValley. The venue we frequent since our dating days. We still date anyway. So I re-phrase it as since our bujang days.

Went back home some $$$ poorer. But definately and certainly happy. And kenyang too.

View from where I sat. Depan Cititel. Traffic clear. Working days so it was expected. We sat at a comfy corner with cushioned settee on one side and two dining chairs on the other side. We both picked the cushioned spot. Ended up like baca berita :D

2 small plates of a kind of sambal each. They were first to arrive.



Hers.
Hot Lemon Tea.
Refreshing.
I don't do ice much these days. In fact, it's been almost 11 years that ice been striked out from my favourite drinks.



His. I think it was lemonade. I didn't taste it.

Garoupa in Tom Yam. Of course that's not the name on the menu. I can't remember what since the name sounded so Siamese :D Deep fried fish with texture to our liking. Not too dry. In Tom Yam broth. When you order this, you don't need to order anything soupy anymore. At first we were thinking to take grilled garoupa but they only do seabass for grilling.

Part of our menu. Grilled Squid hasn't arrived yet this time :D Yes, I tend to eat a lot when dining with Tebby. Back in Tebby's hometown, we celebrate visitors with food. In our case, we also celebrate ourselves with food.

Kailan in Salted Fish. Sedap. I'have always love Kailan Ikan Masin anyway. This one was crunchy and the proportion of taste was just right. At least to my tastebud.

Omelette. Too oily. You don't have to chew this cause it literally slipped down our throat. Too much oil. Tekak cepat rasa meloya. We only ate 1/2 of it.

Lookie! Lookie! Look who held the sauce for us..

BBQ Grilled Squid. I can't remember the exact name but that summarises the sotong lah. A far cry from gambar dalam menu. I expected something juicier. Something fairer and softer. A little too dry and a bit rubbery too. I prefer the one that En Tebby did masa our own BBQ at home.

Amarin gave us this. Yeah, 2012.. please be kind to me!

In collaboration with Citibank anyway. Bayar cash pun still dapat.

We did a little shopping before and after Amarin. Tebby bought many things, much to his own surprise. Of course he splurged after I coaxed him to.
Alaaaaaaaaaa... bukan selalu you beli baju.
Alaaaaaa.... selalu you berkenan tak saiz, now semua ada size.
Alaaaaaaaa... beli aje lah 3, every color each.
*mata kelip kelip*

His.
Nampak tu gemuk beg Metrojaya itu.
Office shirts, pants, shoes.

Hers.
Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah. My shopping bag lagi kurus than his.

Ours.
2 boxes of Popeyes and a bagful of buns.

Balik rumah, jenuh kena investigate dengan anak-anak. Alaaaaa... bukan selalu Ummi Abah dapat spend time together alone lama-lama macam ni *mata Ummi kelip-kelip*

Thanks Yang for the good time and good food. Ai lebiu!

Why Do When You Can Outsource Your Cleaning Woes?

To be frank I admit I rely on cleaning service for my household cleanliness and hygienne. It goes back as far as 2004 when I first used such service. The there was a 'break' - during the time I had lived-in maids from 2009 to 2011. And now it commenced back. My first maid ran away after we renewed her permit, second maid ran away after barely two days (after eating a big plate of nasi and sambal sotong PLUS took away my kids duit belanja sekolah) and my third maid quit due to family problems. I don't want to start on the maids in this entry since it deserves a very lengthy one on its own :P

Now back to the original topic, you can call me pemalas or whatever but I'd rather spend the free time with En Tebby and the kids than spending it scrubbing the toilets and climbing to wipe all windows. To us (me and Tebby), time is very precious. It is precious. To add to that, it is something you can't pay to get. But you can, when it comes to outsourcing your cleaning woes.

The first cleaning service I ever subscribed to was Kak Wan. It was not a proper company and her girls came and went. It was mid 2004, I was heavily pregnant with Iman. It worked well between us and I had the longest 'friendship' with a cleaning team, up to 2009. 5 years. Over that period, she charged us only RM70 per session. Not taking into consideration of the time taken. Janji siap satu rumah. She'd leave her girls (usually 2 persons, sometimes 3) and later came back about the time the girls finished cleaning up. Sometimes she joined the girls doing their chores. Sorry, I lost her contact number during many transitions of many handphone :P

Thing was, during that time, it was hard to find such service. With K Wan most of the times I needed to book a month ahead. And sometimes when the time came, I had other unforseen things to attend to. In between I used another small company service. They came only once. To me, when you are providing cleaning services, you must know what to do and do not have to rely on me to tell you EVERYTHING. That was my shortest 'friendship'. Once only.

When we were back maidless in 2011, and that I have lost Kak Wan's contact number, I started scouting around again. Remember when I wrote this? With the tittle 'Sapa Mau Tolong Kak Mon Cuci Rumah?'

Merrymaid (http://www.merrymaids.com.my/) & Parttimemaid (http://www.parttimemaid.com/) - They did not reply my enquiry. Maybe their financial situation is merry enough already.

Mynie informed me about Cinta Alam. Thanks Mynie.

Cinta Alam will do what they call 'initial cleaning', and they charged RM270 for that. 4 hours with 4 workers. I was told that it is called 'initial cleaning' as they'd clean your house inside out. Sadly though, it was not up to my expectation. The workers dilly-dally on many things. But then, beggars can't be choosers right? I called up again after two weeks to get subsequent cleaning. Not available. And the week after and the next. Always not available that I gave up. And they don't work on Sunday. And their Saturdays were always fully booked. Funny thing was, they called my up few months later offering yet another 'initial cleaning'. WTH? Okay, I don't cinta Cinta Alam. We were just not meant for each other, we broke up. In fact, they tried to resminiscence by calling me up again yesterday. Sorry, I am so terribly brokenhearted with you guys.

Then I discovered Lee Power Clean (http://www.lkspowerclean.com/) The first time, I booked a 7.00am slot. By 6.15 am they called me up to tell me they were coming (*yawn*) and by 6.30 am, a girl stood waiting at my front gate! She left her bag outside the front door and came in empty handed. She gave me a booklet containing the do's and don'ts, the warnings and whatnots. This is the kind of service I expected. They charged RM60 per cleaner for 4 hours. They have many packages and variation, please check their web okay. I usually take their 4 hours-1 cleaner. Puas hati okay. All work done in 4 hours by 1 person, which was better that what have been done by 4 persons by Cinta Alam. Why pay RM270 when you can do with RM60? Betul tak. Sila call dan book sekarang :D You need to book a week ahead.

In the spirit of 'trying', after one time using Lee Power Clean, I hired Embun Daun cleaning service. They charge RM90 for 2 persons for 4 hours. That is the most minimum. Since I also send my clothes for ironing at laundry shop (average of RM50 for 2 weeks load), I thought I'll get one cleaner to do ironing and the other to clean the house. My calculation - I saved up RM50 from the outsourced ironing, so I only used RM40 for the cleaning. One cleaner was competent enough to do the ironing. Too bad, she's also the one that was good in cleaning. The other one kept on yapping away talking. When the other one is ironing, she kept close holding the clothes. When the other one is scrubbing the toilet, she would also want to be in the toilet. By their 2nd visit, she started telling me bad things about her employer. Adoilah. I forgot to mention they did not sweep under the dining table and under the bed during their first visit. Like I said, when you are providing cleaning service, I expect you to know what and how to clean. Letih okay...... letihhhh!!! Oh lupa. On their 2nd visit, they were an hour LATE.

I first got to know about Embun Daun from this tiang!


Having written all that, I am sure you can guess already which company I am subscribed to. But then again, please be reminded this is solely based on my personal experience k...

Virgin Visit to Herbaline

This entry is based on my personal experience. What works for me maynot work for you. And vice versa.

Sepanjang bernafas di muka bumi hampir tiga puluh delapan tahun, tak pernah buat facial. Until 1st February 2012 aritu. Fes taim. Syok jugak eh. No wonder some people do it routinely.

Since yang nak dibayar bukanlah berbelas ringgit, maka haruslah buat homework dulu. Di mana, brand apa, salon cap apa kan. After skimming through feedbacks, testimonies and whatnots, I opted for Herbaline. Reason - reliable products, good service and of course most importantly yang tak harass customer suh sign-up for package that cost thousands of RM. Unless kalau pokok bunga kemboja depan rumah ni berbunga duit, barulah buleh sign package :D Location pun cukup convenience. I basically just need to lepaskan handbrake and put the gear in D and let my little car roll down the hill. Tak sampai 5 minit dah ada kat tangga Herbaline nun. Kalau nak ikutkan there's another one salon yang buleh buat facial. Kat dalam AEON Cheras Selatan. But I heard some of its branches so pushy suruh customer ambik package, so I scrapped that one out too.

Anyway..........

Do I like it or do I like it? I can't comment on the effectiveness, nor can I compare since that was my first time ever buat facial. But the experience was oh-so-good. If not, I wouldn't be snoring away eh.. ops!

After deciding for Herbaline, but before to actually going, I made some research as to what treatment to take. There's for ageing, there's for dullness, there's for hydration. My skin is a combination of all those. Basically I didn't know which to pick so I let the lady there to decide and suggest.

There's fine liness there miss. Oso dullness. But your T-zone is oily. The rest is dry.. yada yada yada. Oh there's pigmentation starting to show yada yada yada. Oso pimples scar yada yada yada...

See what I meant.

Bertabahlah :D

After explaining, she suggested me Face Lightening & Active Cell Treatment.

Lepas ini muka you akan jadi terang. Kalau you nampak semua yang muka terang-terang itu, mereka itu selalu buat facial.

I take it that terang meant glowing. No? I kept on imagining lights being switched on in a dark room.

OK, whatever.

Then she introduced the beautician that was assigned to me. My.. she's flawless. The beautician. Memula sekali adalah acara cuci kaki. Aik.. I was coming for a facial pastu main basuh-basuh kaki plak. Tapi suhu airnya sungguh tak friendly. Panas ok. Kalau rendam bayam, konfem after few minutes buleh makan bayam celur cicah sambal belacan. Lepas tambah air biasa sampai jadi suam, tabur sedikit garam then basuh lah kaki anda sesuka hati.

Then I was ushered to 3rd Floor. Oh ya, ini kedai cuma shop lot. I know there's opther branches yang guna rumah corner lot as salon. This Herbaline occupies 2nd and 3rd Floor. Sampai je kat 3rd Floor, ada periuk bertutup. Bila dibukak aje, tu dia.. wap beraroma lavender. Sila tarik nafasss... lepas kan. Tarik nafassss... lepaskan... Untuk calming katanya.

Pastu masuklah ke partition yang disediakan. In between partition adalah dinding. Tapi bukan dinding simen lah. Maknanya kalau berdengur, konfem orang sebelah dengar. Pastu each partition ditutup oleh langsir. I changed into sarong. Berkemban babe, macam perempuan melayu terakhir.

Then the journey begins. Memula cuci muka. Pastu kasi buang dead cell. For someone tak pernah buat facial, konfemlah banyak dead cell melekatkan. Bunyi cam cropper rambut kat kedai amoi gunting rambut my boys, only perlahan sikit bunyinya. Pastu cuci. Pastu stim muka. Syiokkk.. sampai tidur. Snoring somemore heh heh. Pastu buang black/white head. Adoi.. yang ini sakit. Bila amoi tu tanya, manjang tak sakit walhalkan meleleh air mata :D pastu pakai mask. Syiok. Rasanya asik ter doze off je kerjanya. While the mask was plastered to my face, itu amoi buat shoulder massage. Syiok weh. Pastu cuci muka.

Pastu siap. Pastu tengok cermin. Eh, apsal macam sama je dengan sebelum buat tadi? Should I be expecting obvious difference? Or kena pegi few sessions baru nampak kesannya? Oh ya, terpaling nyata, my black/white head sume licin.

Before making payment, of course lah ada promosi skincare kan. I tried few items. Cuci mukalah, moisturiser la.. aloe gel la (aloe gel ni ramai kasi +ve review), sunscreen laaa.. layan. Nasib dia tak pushy suruh beli macam-macam. I ended up membeli Purifying Milky Lotion dan Sunscreen Lightening Cream. Purifying Milky Lotion tu sebenarnya ialah cleanser. It's non foaming. Tapi sama je perasaannya dengan guna Kiehl's or Cetaphil. But I lurveee its Suncreen Lightening. So far masih belum light (baru nak light, pegi berendam kat PD.. howlah?). Very light, tak sticky. Absorbs well. I have used Kieh's and L'oreal before, those were good but Herbaline's better.

At the payment counter.. tett tettt tettt tettt.. RM276.00.. kachinggg!! I asked for RM6 discount. Aiyohh... kedekut okay. She gave an angpow containing a voucher worth RM12 instead. Pandailah yer, haruslah datang lagi kan nak redeem :D

RM12 voucher, expiring 31st March 2012. Bolehlah redeem for next round of facial.



My bill. The facial alone is RM128. That was not a basic facial. For basic facial it's around RM76, which my friends kata okaylah, tak mahal mana.

If you ask if I am going again.. my answer is DEFINATELY. Lagipun voucher RM12 tu rugilah kalau tak pakai kan?

2 additional items. Milky cleanser and a sunscreen. I lurve that suncreen.

Nota:

website Herbaline - www.herbaline.com.my

Iman The Darling

Iman is such a darling these days.

I FB-ed last week on how he woke up at 1.37am only to kiss me goodnight.
KENAPA ABANG?
Tadi semasa saya nak tidur saya lupa nak cakap goodnight.
Though he almost make me fainted sebab terkejut, I went to bed smiling.

Yesterday, he bought 'air plastik'. (the one in tube macam aiskrim Malaysia tu)
He bought two, normally he'd just buy one.
WHY TWO ABANG?
Satu saya punya. Saya belikan untuk Adam juga.

Iman bought something for Adam? THAT, must be recorded at the back of my mind. Because Iman and Adam rarely in sync together.

Today we had dinner outside.
The elder two ordered Nasi Goreng that came with a slice of keropok in each plate.
He took his and gave it to Adam.
Awww sweetieee..
(he later took Kakak's for his own consumption anyway!)

Each time when he asked me to do something for him, I always get a warm 'THANK YOU UMMI'

This is him on our last day at Lexis PD. He finally has the gut to get into the adult pool (with ummi's very, very, very.................. very close supervision). Albeit with the float, I am glad he has conquered his fear. I asked him to race me from one end to another. Of course we both had floats, he in his swim ring, and I, a kick-board. In the beginning I was leading. Then suddenly I heard him saying, 'UMMI SAYA PERGI DULU YA' and swam on, leaving me behind by some metres.

How can my heart not melt :D *beam proudly* <-- walaupun kalah acara berenang dengan pelampung hi hi

4-feet Lunch

Setelah 4 hari bertenang-tenang tak datang ofis...
Setelah spend time dari 4 Feb sampai 6 Feb kat Port Dickson...
Setelah cuba bertenang-tenang di rumah pada 7 Feb dalam longgokan kain baju x berbasuh...

Hari ni 8 Feb datang kerja.

Only to be invited (requested,.. or mandatorily demanded) to join a meeting secara adhoc. I wasn't prepared. For the meeting agenda. For the fact that meeting tu dengan VP and orang lain paling-paling pun adalah berpangkat GM. As well as the fact that it ended at 2.10pm! Laparssss!!

I put aside my original plan for nasi putih+lauk pauk. At 2.10pm yang tinggal mungkin hanya tray ajer. Kalau nasib baik sikit, adalah tinggal sekor bawal-yang-besar-gedabak-takde-sapa-nak-ambik. Atau kuah telur itik masak lemak dengan beberapa cebisan telur. So....quickest and easist was Penn Station at neighbouring office tower. Asked for Savory Lamb Sandwich (ala... tak spicy ponnn) and a Banana Walnut Muffin.

Tett tett tettt.. (bunyi cash register, in case you're wondering)

'RM11.60 Kak'.

That could've paid my 2 days lunch. Beggars can't be choosers so hantam sajalah. Makan nasi putih dengan ikan bawal-yang-besar-gedabak-tekde-sapa-nak-ambik tu pun mau tujuh lapan ringgit kat latip. Tu belum kira ambik kuah telur itik masak lemak nun. Apapun nasib sandwich kambing tu sedap. Alhamdulillah.

Coincidently, this is how my sandwich looked like.. with 4 feet and a tail! tee hee hee..

Moroccon Rose - I'm In Love!

My relationship with BodyShop goes a loooooonnggggg way. Sadly tho, we're not engaged :D It's a casual relationship I'd say. On off. As and when.

Since my virgin visit to Hammam Bangsar (read here), I fell in love with roses smell. Not that potpourri kinda smell. Soft and lingering but not to obvious, as if you're smelling the real roses.

So, here's my first collection of BodyShop Moroccan Rose range. Body milk with spray pump. Spray spray spray. Dab dab dab. Rub Rub Rub. Syiok!

I went overboard (what's new?) with Body Mist. To be sprayed after shower the SG said. I went even further by spraying onto pillows and linens heh heh.

Do I like them? Indeed. I have no complaint on the Body Milk. Absorped well. Smells good. No sticky feeling afterwards. It's a kinda thin tho. Maybe I sould get their Moroccon Rose bodybutter for night use and use this Body Milk during the day. Bodybutter and me don't go along well during hot sunny day despite me having dry skin.

For these, I got a RM20 cash rebate for my next purchase. Loike!