I Have JUST Noticed

There are three blocks of apartment coming up.  They are built on  slopes of the hills behind our apartment.  The block nearest to ours consisting of 15 storeys in total.  Gradually it reduces as the contractors are trying to maintain similarity in height. At exactly 6:30a.m this morning the first heavy vehicle arrived.  Then all the happenings began.  The hustle and bustle of a busy built site.

Vaguely I tried to recall a few terms which I came across during a course with JKR some years back.  But one obvious remark came from the trainer was ...

"How come I see one lady arriving on a late late train?"... that was me.  Being the eldest in class, I knew the question, a joke or not, was directed to me.

Then came the reading of plans lay out.  The front elevation, side elevation, top and bottom.  Was there?  Introducing terms like mild steel, cement mix, ratio sand to pebbles, sizes of the beams, how much mix should be in the column, thickness of the wall, retention walls, roofs, flooring materials, fixtures and fittings, lightings,  and so many many more ........and at this point... I feel a little slighted as am writing this... WHY?

Because as I was packing and throwing things from the store room,  some time back in July, I came across books and notes related to the matter mentioned above.  I should have kept them in my new house and create a library for my generations to see what their grandmother was doing all along.  Suddenly I feel I am at a losing end now.  Well, it is too late to regret at this moment.  Those materials together with my annual reports, audited accounts, notes from courses, invoices, purchase orders, catalogs, pamphlets,  piles of files that I had kept since the beginning of time I started my business were collected by Alam Flora people to be sent to recycle centers.  I only keep the last five year's materials for ... I do not know what!

BUT I did not throw away any files from all those associations that I was involved in.  I keep them intact, even as far back as 1990's.  Among them I found files of Committee Members of University Women Association, Files of the Building Committee under UWA and a few of the related matters regarding the nursery we had run.  In particular and it is a must, I should still keep files from an organization belongs to the state where I come from.  This is an interesting organisation.  At one time when I hold office as its secretary, and in my pursuit to do my duties well,  I was kept eluded.  I dare not put away for good those files in case some smart Alec were to  emerge in future with some unbecoming "smart ideas"  and "investigate" cases.  I was aware of what went on but I was never revealed what went on behind me and the rest of the main committee.  Sounds mysterious ain't it?  Well aware!  In the event, I was "removed" together with the Prince "chairperson".

That led to the birth of a new association which I was the founder.  But working with all ladies was not all that easy either!  I left my name in it as one of its lifetime  members and as the person singing off at the end of its constitution.  I helped to prepare the constitution and went through until it was formally registered in 2006...

Working for political parties wasn't easy too.  People wanted my position as one of the leaders (not so prominent though). One occasion which was hard to forget and must not be forgotten was during one of the AGMs, one candidate who was so afraid that I could climb up the leadership ladder, asked me outright... and it was extremely daring and outrageous!

"Madam, could you please not participate in this election?  I have been wanting this position.  I hope you would agree" said her in the year 1996.  As she was blurting out those words, I notice there were two factions in the main hall. One was my supporters and the other might have been hers.  Trying not to do anything "against her will", I agreed and of course I did loose anything by doing so.  Disagreeing with her may have put me against the wall.  They all play "dangerous games"....

Anyway, I have left all those kind of volunteer work with such organizations...

Helping single mothers were my next task.  I tried to give them advise, helping in any ways I could, showing them ways to certain government departments to settle their woes, showing them who in the authority could sensibly help with their troubles and of course I get great satisfaction doing all these.

Some are "left behind mothers" with their kids being taken away by their "sleeping partners", some are broken-hearted mothers with spouses taking on another wife, while some are mothers who have "empty arms and disparity" in their lives with their children "leaving" homes.  Extremely pitiful.

My dream would be... my little secret...one day if am still healthy, I would like to share life with people in the old folks home...  I would like to share the little that I know, I want to keep them occupied with "useful" things to do... I just wonder what they may be????