Pak Idrus's Blog

I have been dreaming of publishing a book and that dream became a reality this month. With the help of my two daughters and a small editorial team I  self published it and now ready for distribution. The book title From Kerala to Kuantan contains a short biography and selective stories from my blog (I start blogging from 2003) It would takes some time before one can find it at the bookstore. In the meantime I would do it online. The price of the book  is yet to be fixed. Once that is done. I would takes order.  Have a nice day folks.

Its past 6pm on the 31st October 2021 and tomorrow begin November 2021. I am sitting here at the Serambi just whiling the evening away and writing this. The sun is setting on the northeast throwing the light toward me. Soon it would disappears and night would fall, ending the day. Well at my age I noticed that the days leave us faster than before. Hardly you know it almost at the end of the year already. Asmah my spouse and I have been living here since 1974, raising 3 kids and now they are on their own living not that far away from our home. The grandkids too are married and have kids of their own(our great grandchildren). The month of November is significantly important to me since it was in November 1961 that Asmah and I met in Kuantan and got married the next year, just less than three months after. Now we have tied the knot sixtie years already and enjoying the golden years together. Alhamdulillah.  Well folks life have been good. 

Last week we went to Kuantan, my hometown for a family get-together. Our eldest daughter organised the event where we stayed at a new concept of resort.  It a Homestay where folks book a condo to stay unlike staying in hotel in individual room. In this case a whole family could stay for the duration in one condo with two double rooms. The condominium came we all the facilities just like a home.  Because ours is a large family of four generations we book five apartments. All facilities like swimming pool etc are available for use by the guests. The front of the resort complex is the China sea with a sprawling beach. And of course guests get to use of the beach out front too. All and all it was a great place for a family holiday. It was our first time staying in a homestay and we did enjoy it. Above is the scene of the morning sun on that weekend. Majestic indeed. Have a nice day.  

I just got a new cellphone and it can do macro photography. Here is among my first try. Have a nice day.

The Serambi is the place where I find peace and tranquility. A space created by our forefathers as a part of the traditional Malay house. It is a space that allows one to enjoy one's personal space without really living the house. Such a wise move. I had the Serambi built some years back and now in my golden years became my personal space.  I sat here to while my time,  reading or just let my mind to wander along. That piece of material as seen in the image above reminds me of the great times I had working in the state of Sarawak some years ago.

I am always a regular to my favourite bookstore, the Kinokuniya at KLCC.  Because of the pendemic and the MCO it became difficult to get to the store to get books. Lucky I had bought many before the lock down, so there was plenty to keep me occupied. After almost a year I had read them all. So last Monday I went there and got a numbers of books to keep me busy reading.  In looking for books to read among the thousands that are on  displayed in the store I left to my intuition to select books to read. I always believed that books looks for its reader and not the other way around, just like buying a good furniture. So this times after almost a year I picked up at random, glance at the brief writen at the back cover and then read a little from the beginning of the page. When I felt good about it I select it to buy. So on that day I selected 5 books as seen above. I have starts reading one and found it to be a good read indeed. Well folks like is like that.  Have a nice day.

One of my hobby is photography.  I have gone into using the latest technology in photography; from the bulky DSLR to now using the latest Mirrorless camera. It is compact and light. With additional lenses like the 200mm and the 230mm as well the wide angle and Micro lens I am able to move forwards with many ranges of photography. Above is an image of photo that I took with the Canon M10 on a night trip into the city. I was not driving thus I managed to snap that scene from a moving car. Enjoy it folks much as I had enjoyed snapping it. Have a nice day. 

Belimbing Buloh adalah satu satunya pokok tradisi kesukaan orang Melayu. Dulu dulu kat kampong mereka tanam ditepi rumah,  untok kegunaan sendiri atau diberi kepada jiran jiran. Biasanya pokok ini berbuah sepanjang tahun. Pokok ini memerlukan cuaca panas terik dan hujan dari masa ke semasa. Buah Belimbing Buloh ini masam dan amat sesuai diguna dalam apapun laukpauk tradisi orang Melayu atau dimasuk dalam Sambal Belacan menjadikan Sambal Belacan itu lebeh istimewa rasanya. Oleh kerana agak susah hendak mendapat buah Belimbing ini saya tanam se pohon pokok di depan rumah saya. Dengan demikian saya sentiasa dapat buahnya untuk kegunaan sendiri. Gambar diatas adalah buah dipokok depan rumah saya. Begitulah cerita nya.

This image was take on the 7.3.2021, Asmah's 81st birthday. I am 6 month older than her. As we ages memories of the past became vivid indeed. I remembered meeting her some time in November 1961 at her home in Kuantan. Three months later, on 3.2.1962 we got married. She was 21 and I just 22 years old then. On 3.2. 2021 we celebrated our 59th Anniversary. Alhamdulillah. 

For months it have been difficult to get a good shot of the moon. It rains and often cloudy. This evening I went out and saw the moon. I took my camera and take a shot of the crescent moon. According to the Islamic calender it the 2nd of Safar. Above is the shot of the moon at 7.56pm on the 9.9.2021 and sharing it here for all to see. Have a nice day. 

The 9th Malaysia PM Ismail Sabri in his keynote address to the nation introduced a new term or slogan Keluarga Malaysia or Malaysian family. Beautiful words for a beautiful country  Malaysia. So let us move forward as a family in this trying times of our history,  as we celebrate our 64th years of our independence.  MERDEKA. 

After two decades of occupation,   today 1.9.2021  the Taliban took over the government of their country after the American left. An amazing victory for the Taliban indeed.  No country should invade other country for regime change, as well to imposed their norms and value. And never to intefear in the internal affairs of the country.  With independence Afghanistan may move on as a peaceful country. With peace they may be able to develop their country and with that enjoy the prosperity together. Alhamdulillah. (Image taken from the Internet)

Teluk Cempedak in Kuantan is the  beach where I felt in love with the sea. On one excursion trip with my Boy Scout friends seeking adventure on one weekend during our teens, we decided to venture to a new beach that not many have been to  It was in the mid fifties when the beach that folks goes were the Teluk Sisek beach and Tanjong Api. Teluk Cempedak was still separated by hills and jungle, thus not seen. We decided to go on an adventure trip to see what beyond the jungle. We track following a narrow path where monkeys and large lizard still roams freely. We track on upward and after a while got to the top of the hill. As we decends we heard the roars of waves but still could not sea the sea. It was midday and the weather was hot and humid. We hike on sweating and eventually reached the end of the trail and saw the sea for the first time. It was still pristine.  We decided to take a rest under a huge Ketapang tree and after a while walk to the beach and play with the wave

Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been appointed the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia. His is the first Prime Minister of the country from the generation of the post Merdeka after Malaya/Malaysia gained its independence 31.8.1957. He was born in 1961 and a law graduate from University of Malaya. Gongratulation to him for creating history in the political arena. After seeing him participate effectively in the government of Malaysia I am optimistic that he would give quality leadership to the country. (Photo taken from Kosmo digital) Have a nice day.

On the 31.8.2021 we would be celebrating the 64th years of Independence.  I had watch the first time  the Union Jack was lowered down during the first Merdeka day in 1957 and at the same time saw the new Malaya flag was raised for the first time on 31st August 1957 at the town Padang in Kuantan, my hometown. I was at the Padang in the uniform of Boy Scout standing proudly there.  I was then in my teens and now at 82 years still as proud to seen the Malaysia flags been flown including the one I fly in front of my house.  MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA!

A gorgeous bouquet for TokNyang on his 82nd Birthday on 17.8.2021 from the Idrus Clan. Alhamdulliah.

This is a profile of me, done by a PRC Chinese artist craft man who did this protrait by cutting a piece of paper while I was standing. Courtesy of a friend Janet of Sungei Wang Plaza in 1979 when I was 40 years old. Today 17.8.2021 is my 82nd Birthday Alhamdulliah.

It was just past three in the afternoon of the last week of June 2021. I sat her at the Serambi,  just a ritual to pass the time away. The weather has been unpredictable, it may rain and now it looks like to pour but it may not. Anyway the atmosphere at the Serambi is just nice and I felt real good. My mind just wander and decided to just write the flow of my thoughts and move on. I am alone here, before there was my favourite cats to accompany me but both have died of old age one after another. It was indeed a sad occasion when they became part of the family for almost seven years. Well life is like that we can never tell what's going to happen on our journey of life. So I just move on and try to enjoy life in the golden years. I still do photography to enjoy the beauty of nature and often share those images in the social media. Above is an image of the moon taken a few days ago. Enjoy it folks much as I had in snapping it from the sky above. Soon earthlings would sett

It 11.28am. I have been sitting here since after breakfast. Outside is a beautiful sunny day. In the little garden nearby I could see birds chirping and picking up bits of foods that I had left in the birds feeders.  The small fountain at one corner makes dripping sounds as the water falls into the container below. The stray cat that I named Tompang comes and go disturbing the silence of the place. After my cats Tam and Kenet died of old age I did not want to adopt any other cat. I would just let Tompang live here and feed her with cat food. For now I just want to continue with living as it is and enjoy the moments.  My Serambi provides me a space of tranquility to while the days away....

The Queen visited Melaka in 1971. This is a posting from my other Blog. This picture is from my archive... A scene where the Queen of England visited Malacca in the early seventies.. I was given the responsibility of organizing the cultural tour for the Queen and her entourages which includes Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh and the late Lord Mountbatten... Looking back to those great days in my life, I felt it was just like yesterday...The memories still clear in my mind... What a great day it was....During my years of working in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Malaysia, I had many opportunities like this, meeting heads of government both when these dignitaries visit Malaysia or when I had the opportunity to go on official visits to foreign countries.... [that's Me talking with Prince Philip]

I love gardening and with the little space that I got in front of my patio I planted many greens including the one that flowers throughout the years.  As they say flowers are the keepers of our Joys.  Indeed they are. I am always happy when looking at these wonderful God's creation. Here are some of the flowers that blooms in my little garden as well those that grows in front of the house. Enjoy it folks much as I had enjoyed growing them.  Have a nice day.

Our second cicit Nadaa's grandparents (our eldest daughter) organised an Aqiqa as well a Majlis Kesyukoran for the 2 months old baby of their second daughter, on 7.3.2021 at their home. Because of the MCO the traditional ceremony had to conform with the new normal during the lockdown. So they organized the event lives online using the latest technology. Only the family members were in the house and other relatives and friends join in via Zoom. It turns out to as successful as had been anticipated. To add to the already colourful event it was also the NekNyang Asmah's 81st Birthday. So her birthday was also celebrated in the house as well.  What a way to celebrate such a beautiful events on both generation of the Idrus clan.  I am indeed happy that things turns out to be as successful with everyone having a joyous time. Alhamdulillah.  Have a nice day. 

Another Saturday. the last weekend in February 2021. Me at the Serambi reading a book, another the unputdownable book that I got from Kinokuniya last week. I alway believed that books look for its reader and not the other way around. That's how I got this book by Tana Frence.  Now with the Coffee and this book as my companion at the Serambi I would continue to enjoy life as it goes. Fun kan Have a nice day.

Now that the weather is hot and with less rains it times to look at the sky for a shot of the Moon. During the last few days I have managed to get some good images of the moon. From childhood I have been fascinated with the moon especially on a dark day before electricity. On a full moon we could easily walk to the Kuantan town on the laterite road from my house. Without the moon the whole area would be pitched black. We can't even see ourselves as we walk. That is darkness before the arrival of electricity to the kampong and towns in Malaya. Now folks take for granted where electricity is the norms and folks does not understand what darkness means. It history now. This evening I managed to get a good shot of the almost full moon with my Fujifilm X-T100 with the all new 230mm lens. Happy with it I am sharing it here for everyone to see and enjoy much as I had enjoyed snapping it.  Have a nice day.

Well it's has not been easy to do photography lately because of the weather. It has been raining and when it did not, the atmosphere is cloudy which made photography difficult. This morning when I went out of the house to take a breath of fresh air I scan the heaven and was delighted to get a glimpse of the moon. I then went back into the house and got my camera.  With the 230mm lens I aimed the Fujifilm x100 and took a few shots of the moon. Happy with it I am sharing it here for everyone to enjoy.  Have a nice day.

This is my first blog posting since the new year of 2021 and today is already the 21st day of the new year. See how time fly. Let me me starts by saying Alhamdulillah for the family.. the Idrus Clan move forward with an addition to the family. On 7.1.2021 our second great grandchildren was born, a baby girl to our second granddaughter. With that now we have two Cicit (great granddaughter) We became  Moyang (Great grandparents) on the  21. 6. 2018 when we were blessed with the first Cicit from our eldest cucu (granddaughter) The first cicit is named Ayra and the new arrival is Nadaa. Folks of my generation would never dream in seeing such names but our grandchildren knew what they are doing by giving their babies meaningful and beautiful names. Coincidentally their Nenek, our eldest daughter retired on 5.1.2021 after 30 years of service at UKM. And it looks like a good timing for she would have a great time in helping to nurture these babies in their early years of developme