Raya at Syahril's

It just wouldn't be Raya without hooking up with Syahril. They had moved since they had their baby and now living at a different part of Bangi. That also meant that we were able to wander around at his place a bit more casually as he used to stay at their parent's.

We went there on the second day of Raya since Anita wanted to have Yatt's laksa Johor. It did not disappoint. Of course there was also soda sirap bandung which was a hit. And I thought by the end I drank too much. Then came the movies and a chill out at his garden while waiting for sunset. Idlan got himself occupied chasing insects.

We spent a couple of hours there before getting back to settle at our apartment as we just moved back after Raya earlier in the afternoon. We had to do some groceries as well.

Birthday Lunch

From my MRSM days, I have a friend who was born on the same day as I am. Each year we wished each other Happy Birthday. A couple of years back, he was taken ill but has since been making good recovery. Since it was right after Raya and I was on a long break, I asked if we could out for lunch.

I also had a friend coming back for a short break from New York, and invited him to join with our parents. Unfortunately my "twin" couldn't make it, but we had a fabulous time with my other friend none the less.

The venue was one of our favourite joint, a Arab restaurant - Al-Halabi - at Pavilon. I thought I eat too much there and spent the afternoon sleeping .... Might as well as the EURO 2016 Final would be later on that night .....

Will be planning another lunch next year hopefully and this time I would make sure that he can join ....

Birthday Dinner

Every year, the birthday dinner would be to celebrate me and my father-in-law. Meaning that Puan Anita had to please the two of us at the same time!

This year we had dinner at China Treasures a couple of days early since my brother-in-law would be away later in the weekend. Cakes of course, although I ended up finishing it!

And now for another orbit around the sun! Cheers!

The Search may be Over

I have always been particular about my writing instrument since I was in primary school. I do not have the best of handwriting and I tended to write slowly. There are certain pen which made my writing faster and more legible and I would stick to those. The nib tended to be broader than the average and fine liners do my head in ....

So, what do I prefer?

I always have near me the following .... A pencil, mechanical usually either a 0.5 or 0.9 lead. The 0.5mm I would prefer to be in 4B while I could cope with 2B with the wider 0.9mm lead pencil. The big bore will guarantee smoothness as the pencil glides across the paper .... And Pentel made the best mechanical pencil in the market as far I was concerned.

My main daily driver ....My pencils. The 0.9mm with 2B lead and the 0.5mm with 4B lead.For general writing, it had to be a ball point pen, and broad nib would the absolute minimum. And the ink must be black. No blue or dark blue, but black. I was given a Mont Blanc when I attained my MRCP Membership years back and my old team gave me a Meisterstuck as a parting gift as I left Manchester. I have been using them - although the current one was given by Anita for my 2011 birthday after losing mine at a hotel during a conference meeting. I used the broad refill, black of course although Mont Blanc like to call it "Mystery Black". For dramatic effect for sure ...

And for those formal writing and general clinic work, I would use a fountain pen. Although my Pharmacist hated them because sometimes they either do not register in the carbon copy or the the ink would make the papers soggy and stain! But I still loved them. I had been using a Lamy pen for a number of years but since 2010, I noticed that the quality of the nib had deteriorated. They don't transfer the ink as readily and the nib was not as broad. Their maximum width were still too small for me, but since I liked the ergonomics I had stuck with them. I tried using a Pelikan pen from time to time but no joy. Mont Blanc? They do not make the smoothest of fountain nib, at least they were not as smooth for my liking.

How about the ink. It had to be the Pelikan. The Pelikan 4001 series, Royal Blue colour. That had been the case since 2006. It had consistent colour tone, and ran off the nib very smoothly right to the last drop, and easy to wash off your hands if you got a stain.

My ink. They had to be the Pelikan 4001, in Royal Blue.And the results .... Impressive!But I think I had found the one I was looking for the fountain. It was the Pelikan M205 Duo. And it came in the nib I have always wanted, the Double Broad!!!! It glided like butter and the combined with the 4001 ink, it was majestic! Looking forward to the call tomorrow so that I could use it!

I know. I need therapy ..... But at least if you guys were thinking of buying me a pen or pencil, you knew the specifics ....

Closing Down for the Week

I still had the clinic open a couple of days before Raya and was at the hospital doing rounds and procedure on Raya Eve. I preferred it that was and then had a long break after.

As usual, it was time to clear my clinic room with all the hampers and cards. A few trips to the car this time around as some of my patients had been really generous ....