CC: What do We Want from Each Other?

We have realized that our partners aren’t perfect ones; as there’s no perfect person. NOBODY’S PERFECT, right? I believe that accepting your partner’s imperfection will make your marriage happier. Too much expectation can annoy your relationship. If your minds are full of thinking on your expectations about how is your partner should be; you’ll often feel disappointed.

So, if you have expectations, don’t hide it in your mind; say it to your partner. But don’t force him to change immediately. It needs process and many times to change one’s habits and personalities. Moreover, you should be ready if in fact, your partner is hard to change or can’t change at all!

Well, here are a little bit of our wants:

What do I want from my hubby?Keeping what we already have had: our strong love; for forever!
I want that in his mind: I’m the one and only woman for him.
I really want him to stop smoking; but it doesn’t happen until now.
Always becomes a loving hubby for me.
Always becomes a funny, smart and full-of-spirit man.
Lessen his jealousy -hehehe.

What does he want from me?Of course, he also wants me to keep our love.
He wants me less stubborn.
He wants me not to leave far from home alone.
Always becomes a supporting and caring wife for him.

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A Fish Pond

On our journey back home from visiting uncle’s house in Bandung (West Java, Indonesia), we took a rest to have dinner at a restaurant. There’s a fish pond inside the restaurant. When I was nearing the pond to take pictures, the fish were also nearing me. What a nice view!

Watery Wednesday

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Is Your Child still Picking His Nose?

Mindy Berry Walker wrote this tip for you. If your child is continuously doing it; probably it’s because he feels that the habit is relaxing; the similar way with kids that love twist their hair.

Ari Brown, a pediatrician, said that children go through a sensorimotor phase. In this phase, touching everything is how the children learn. You, parents, can assume the picking nose as a problem is your child is still picking at age five or eight. It means that your child has gotten trapped in that phase.

The trick is to get his hands on someplace else. One useful option: keep a small cube of satin in his pocket or pinned to the inside bottom of his T-shirt. Touching this throughout the day will give kids their sensory fix. For older kids (more than eight years old), give them a stress ball.

No matter your child’s age, when you catch him in the act, gently take his hand out without saying a word, give him a tissue, then tell him to wash his hands.

Furthermore, rubbing a thin layer of Vaseline in the child’s nostrils to prevent picking-induced nosebleeds can work as avoidance, because he probably won’t want to touch the sludgy stuff.

Source: realsimple.com

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Albino Carabao

Accidentally, I saw these raw albino carabaos. There’s no one guarded them. They were eating grass in a grass field between two roads; not far from our home. In Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, albino carabaos are very sacred animals. They get special treatment and respect from Solo people. So, I was rather shocked to see them here (Bogor, West Java, Indonesia). I captured it from a moving car; that's why I didn't have best angle.

What is Albino? Albinism is due to various gene mutations that affect the production of normal pigmentation. True albinos lack melanin and are white with no markings and with unpigmented pink eyes. Partial (blue-eyed) albinos have some residual pigmentation. There are various degrees of patchy albinism (piebaldism) due to localised mutations in skin cells.

It’s a pity that I can’t find specific information about albinio carabao. The carabao or Bubalus bubalis carabanesis is a domesticated subspecies of the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) found in the Philippines, Guam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and various parts of Southeast Asia. Carabaos are associated with farmers, being the farm animal of choice for pulling both a plow and the cart used to haul produce to the market.

Adult carabaos weigh seven to eight hundred kilograms—almost 2,000 pounds—and have fairly long gray or black hair thinly covering their huge bodies. They have a tuft of hair on their forehead, and at the tip of their tail. Normally, they are silent and passive, but they will give a trembling snort if they are surprised. Both male and female have massive horns. Since the carabao has no sweat glands, it cools itself by lying in a waterhole or mud during the heat of the day. Mud, caked on to its body, also protects it from bothersome insects.

The carabao eats grass and other vegetation, feeding mainly in the cool of the mornings and evenings. In some places of the world the carabao is a source of milk just like the cow, or it may be slaughtered for its hide and its meat. Its life span is 18 to 20 years and the female carabao can deliver one calf each year (Wikipedia).

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CC: Hardest Days of Our Marriage

Maintaining a marriage isn’t an easy job. It needs strong commitment from both sides to keep the marriage forever. I believe that every marriage has its own obstacles. It becomes a kind of test for the married couple; can they face and solve the test properly? Or the obstacles become the cause of their broken marriage…

Our marriage in early years was a hard time for us. I really want to share our hardest days here completely; but my hubby said that I should only mention it in general. Ok, I can understand…

I supported my hubby’s business in another town; but we had to face the business failure and got bankrupt. Finance became our major problem at that time. It’s very hard to exit from the trouble; but at least, we can survive until now.

Actually, my hubby hasn’t yet had a new business that running well. He has tried to start several different businesses; but there wasn’t yet that came with the good result. Now his activity is helping his brother to run a small new restaurant. We don’t have much money, and we live in a modest life style. But it’s not a big problem, since we have strong love and commitment to keep our marriage. Of course, we have hopes to live in a better condition.

If I have my own child one day, I really want to give him/her the best education. And it means: we need to have special budget in education. We just do our best; only God knows our future!

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Ranjeng Lake

The lake is located in my husband’s home town (Bumiayu, Central Java, Indonesia) city. From the center of the city, it takes about thirty minutes through the uphill and windy roads to arrive at Ranjeng Lake. The lake is laid under the Slamet Mountain and a part of 48, 5 hectares preserved forest.

Ranjeng Lake is different from other lakes. Thousands catfish live in this lake. Several months ago, you can see the fish in a very close distance or even touch them! The lake’s depth is about three meters but there is a narrow and shallow spot (about ten meters square area) by the edge of the lake that the crowd of catfish are used to gather. Unfortunately, according to the Lake Keeper statement; it has already been nine months that the catfish can't be seen anymore. On my last visit several days ago; I only see some goldfish.

In other water recreation objects, you are able to swim, catch fish, ride a boat around the lake and do other things you want to do. But on the Ranjeng Lake, there is no one dares to do such activities like that. Local people still believe that the lake and also the fish are very sacred. The good point is; this local faith keeps Ranjeng Lake as a natural beauty. The water is so pure and clean from any pollution.

When I was nearing the lake to see goldfish, actually I walked on the water surface. The thick grasses protected me from falling down into the lake. Watch out with your step; choose the grass spots that are strong enough to walk on. It feels like walking on a hanging bridge; but this time, your feet are wet.

Watery Wednesday

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Sheep and Carriages

Actually, it’s my first time seeing sheep that used to pull little carriages. I saw these interesting animals at Raflesia Garden in Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia. Children love it! They ride the carriage and then wandering around the garden. The carriage owner guides and walks in front of the carriage.

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At Grandfather’s House

Dear friends, right now I’m still at my FIL’s house; that’s why I haven’t yet replied your friendly visit. Thanks for all of you who have came to visit me here!

My grandfather’s house is our first destination in this Eid ul-Fitr vacation. We (I and my husband) spent one night there, dropped my father, and the next day we continued the trip to my FIL’s house.

My grandfather’s house is located in small city Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia. My grandfather and grandmother has passed away long time ago; fortunately, my two aunties can stay there to look after it. It’s an old house; but still looks beautiful. The house has very large yard. There are small fish ponds on the some spots of the yard; I share two of them here. On every visit, I always enjoy walking around its large yard.

If the house were near our home; definitely I’ll visit here often. As the traffic jam almost along the road; it took 12 hours to reach this house. Sigh.
An entry for Watery Wednesday.

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Happy Eid ul-Fitr

Eid ul-Fitr is the festival that marks the end of the month of Ramadan. Fitr means to break and it therefore marks the breaking of the fasting period and of all evil habits. Happiness is observed at attaining spiritual uplift after a month of fasting.

To all my friends who celebrate:

May Allah flood
your life with happiness on this occasion,
your heart with love,
your soul with spiritual,
your mind with wisdom,
wishing you a blessed and very Happy Eid ul-Fitr.

Dear friends, now I’m packing and tomorrow I’ll be on my way to my great grandfather and FIL’s home. I’ll go mudik! Mudik is a tradition for Indonesian people; to gather with all family members and relatives in their hometown during the Eid ul-Fitr celebration.

I’ll still bring my laptop (hehehe); but I can’t promise that I can drop by, reply your friendship visit and leave comments in your posts for several days ahead. So, see you later!

Image source: muslimmedianetwork.com;imserba.com

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The Meaning of a Child

As parents, what is the meaning of a child for you? I believe every child is a blessing. For your inspiration, I share a famous poem that perhaps you have read several times. I love this poem and every word in it. When I have my own child one day, I’ll treat my child like the words stated in the poem. What about you?


On Childrenby Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Image:my nephew-Ais

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A Flying Creature that isn’t a Bird

That night I was rather shocked.
It’s my first time to see.
A little bat hanging on the ceiling of our porch.
It was raining hard outside.
I guess he just took shelter.

Bats are mammals.

They have fur or hair.

A baby bat is born live.

The babies nurse from their mother.

Bats have arms, hands and feet.

They are warm blooded.

Birds…

They are hatched from eggs.

Birds have feathers, not fur or hair.

Babies are fed from mom's mouth.

They have wings, but no hands and fingers.

So, are bats and birds different?

Yes they are.

And, a bat is the only mammal that can truly fly...

even though it is not a bird!

Isn't that remarkable?

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Special 21st Birthday Gifts for Your Loved One

My sweet cousin will be 21 years old in one month ahead. Her mother has called last night and asked me to help preparing her daughter’s 21st birthday celebration next month. Why 21st birthday is very special in someone’s life? Well, turning 21 is an exhilarating time for every young person. It commemorates entering a legal adulthood!

The first thing that comes out in my mind is preparing the special gift for her. It should be unique, beautiful and personalized thing. Since she is a calm and simple young woman, I think a piece of jewelry could be a perfect gift. Then I start to find it online at websites that offer wide option gifts on every gift giving occasion. In this case, I search the gift in 21st Birthday Gifts section.

I am so glad to discover this beautiful Twenty First Birthday Wish bracelet. It’s really perfect as a special birthday gift for a young woman like my cousin. Her mother also agrees with my choice. If you would like to create your own gifts, you still can browse the gift websites. It really can give many birthday gift ideas for you.

My cousin is not a party girl. That’s why we don’t intend to plan a birthday party. She prefers to celebrate with family only and closest friends. So, we will prepare a special family dinner at her mother’s home. The dining room is wide enough; we don’t need to use another place. To make it a memorable celebration, we will add personal theme on the table and whole room decoration. Since she loves sun flowers; we will use sun flowers theme for the whole decoration.

I hope every thing will be running well until the celebration day. One thing that ensures me; my cousin will surely love the gift. I can’t wait to see her wearing the bracelet!

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CC: How do We Help Each Other

I believe that a married couple is a team work; we should think and act as a team. Though we have different characters, actually we complete each other. To be a strong team, there should always be a good cooperation. In a marriage, helping each other is a must!

How I can help my hubby? I’m still trying to be a good wife for him, and here is the list of what I always try to do every day:

1. Be warm, kind, positive, understanding and friendly. I always welcome my hubby with a smile when he comes home.
2. Treat him with respect.
3. Keeping open communication. We usually find time to sit and talk daily; even if it is for only half an hour. I try to be a good listener when he is talking and allow him to talk first.
4. Be Supportive. I believe that my hubby expects my support and understanding especially in times of troubles. A good wife loves her hubby through his successes and failures and provides reassurance when he's feeling down. I should support my hubby in all stages of his career and life.
5. I avoid become a nagging wife.
6. I still give him his space. As a wife, we need to understand that hubbies also have a life other than us. He has his family, friends and colleagues who are part of his life, too. He also may have some hobbies or passions he is involved in.
7. Be a good home maker and wise with our money.

How my hubby can help me?
1. Be my sounding board. Sometimes, I need someone to be my counselor and to listen to my problems sincerely. I’m glad that he’s a good listener.
2. Always shows respect.
3. Always tries not to sweat the little stuff.
4. Be an affectionate hubby.

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The River that Flows inside the City

The Ciliwung River flows through my city (Bogor, West Java, Indonesia). If you have seen the Ciliwung River condition at Jakarta that full of various rubbishes, you’ll think that these watery views -I captured last Sunday from the 3rd floor of a mall- are more more beautiful.

To see other participant’s photos, visit Watery Wednesday!

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