Jazaak Allahu khayran...

As Salaam,

Alhamdulillah, with the grace of Allah the Almighty, we're able to get together over lunch among the few of us yesterday, to recite and offer our gratitude and thankfulness to Allah for answering and accepting our prayers, particularly after recovering from my recent illness and indeed for all His continuous favors and blessings bestowed upon us and our family throughout the years...

Surah An-Naml: Ayah 19 says:

"Rabbi aw zighni an 'ash kurani'matakallatii an'am ta'alayyaa wa'alaa wa lidayya wa'an a'mala shaaliha tardah wa'ad khilnii birahmatika fi 'ibaa dikashaalihin..."

"My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones."

With all my heart, I also thank all my dear sisters and brothers here in Tehran and all my friends and relatives at home, for all your unceasing support, prayers, well-wishes and kind words of encouragement. May Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala reward you all generously and continue to bestow His choicest blessings upon all of us always, Amin...

Jazaak Allahu khayran...

Wassalam.

Thanking Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala...
may all our prayers...

and supplication...be fulfilled and answered

thanksgiving...

thank you all for your prayers...

Our first guests from home...2011

Salaam,

Last night, at the residence, we had our first ever get-together dinner with our first ever guests from home to visit Tehran since the beginning of the new year. The three officials from three different colleges of higher and vocational institutions in Brunei were on a five-day official trip to participate in another ISESCO-organised workshop in the capital. In fact it was rather a welcome as well as a farewell reception for them who were scheduled to leave Tehran early this morning.

Another joyful and eventful evening...to get to know more fellow Bruneian visiting us here, in the midst of winter days, and more significantly adding up to our list of new acquaintances (and Face Book friends) from home.

Thank you all...to dear Pengiran Hajah Norashikin, Rozaidin and Juradyani for graciously accepting our invitation, for your great companies and most of all, for our new found friendship and in expanding our social networking. All the best wishes to you all and look forward to seeing you all again in our beloved home, Brunei Darussalam.

Wassalam.

catching-up on latest news from home...

old college friends...

happy smiles in the warmth of Brunei home...

at last Brunei home-cooking...missed n craved for the last four days...

bon appetite...

getting to know each other...even better...

our usual after-dinner 'family' pose

Brunei ladies...

a pose to remember...on the last remnant of snow!

saying goodbye on ice...bon voyage dear sisters...

Thanking you sincerely...

Salaam,

Got this marvellous surprise soon as I reached home after being discharged from the hospital last week. Somebody has gone out of her way to do something special which simply touched my heart. Indeed I was lost for words to express just how much I appreciate her kindness and thoughtfulness.

To my dearest sister Ibu Malinar, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you dear, my heart has no bottom. And as William Shakespeare once said, "I can no other answer make, but thanks, and thanks."

For your thoughtfulness and generosity, for your precious friendship and great companionship, I could never thank you enough. May Allah the Almighty shower you and your loved ones, continuously, with His choicest blessings. May you all live a happy, prosperous, and a healthy and long life always, Amin.

Wassalam.

a gift of a big carton of foodstuff...specially flown from Indonesia...
favorite all-time Indonesian noodles...

of varieties of Indonesian flavors..enough to last us for several months more...

one pack of 5 Indo Mee or Maggi noodles back home cost only around B$1.20 (US 0.90 cts)...

while just one pack of same noodle here costs around Rials 6,000 (US 0.60 - 70 cents)

always in high demand and sought after...glutinuous rice flour from Indonesia

coconut milk...originated from Indonesia...

another favorite crackers from Jakarta...

ovalette, cake softener...a rarity in Iran

my kind-hearted & thoughtful dearest sis...

with all my thanks and appreciation always...

When it snows...

Salaam,

At last the real wintry and snowy weather is all over Tehran once again. Since early last week, heavy downpour of fluffy snowfall began to blanket the city landscape into a white fairy land. Another drop in the temperatures resulted in another continuous downpour from last Saturday evening until the following Sunday. A snowy weekend...

Another snowy days for us, our sixth white and wintry season in Tehran. Nonetheless, winter can also be a time to renew our vigour, and to look forward to anticipation the new spring growth as nature once again comes to life. As the Persian proverb says...A year of snow, a year of plenty..., A snow year, a rich year...

Wassalam.

blessing from the Almighty...
snowy snowy night...

our frozen pathway...

who would think those branches would turn green again and blossom...

fluffy snowfall...with large snowflakes...

year of snow fruit will grow...(proverb)

white alley and street

Ghetariyeh park...

pretty deep...

you can't make cheesecakes out of snow...!! (proverb)

a good deed is written on snow...(proverb)

no snowflake ever falls in the wrong place...(proverb)

if you walk on snow you cannot hide your footprints...(proverb)

the sun will bring to light what lay under the snow...(proverb)