Finding Allah in Texas

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YANBU RATTLED

Aftershocks rock Al-Ais :Muhammad Al-Sheikh & Yousuf Muhammad Arab News

YANBU: Strong aftershocks were felt in the village of Harrah Al-Shaqah and its adjoining settlements in the Al-Ais area yesterday with the Civil Defense declaring emergency in the region and ordering complete evacuation.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the strongest of the aftershocks measured 5.6 on the Richter scale at 8:10 p.m. yesterday. Earlier, a Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) statement said: “The magnitude of the earthquake has been rising notably from 3 to 4.81 on the Richter scale with a total of 46 earthquakes recorded between 2 p.m. Monday and 2 p.m. today. The strongest tremor occurred 7.7 km beneath Harrah Al-Shaqah and its adjoining villages.” Aftershocks were felt in Umlaj, Wajh and Ula.

An SGS team that is conducting an aerial survey of the quake-hit area found a large crack in the earth and opened a quake detection station at Harrah Al-Shaqah.

The USGS posted on its website that an earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale was observed in western Saudi Arabia yesterday morning. USGS pinpointed the location 195 km west northwest of Madinah (25.105 degrees N, 37.788 degrees E) with the epicenter at a depth of 10 km underground. The latest quake of magnitude 5.6 hit the same area.

The Civil Defense warned people in Al-Ais and its surrounding villages to avoid areas where smoke is coming out of the ground as such areas are more likely to see volcanic eruptions. It also said that rumblings and pungent smells are indications of possible eruptions.

Roads in Madinah are currently choked with people leaving for open areas and gardens. In Umlaj there have been reports of people fainting. The Civil Defense, which has been put on full alert, has also evacuated people to safe areas.

People in Yanbu also left for open areas and camped out on roadsides and gardens while waiting for the all clear.

Madinah Gov. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed ordered the acting undersecretary at his office, Ibrahim Al-Khattab, and other high officials to inspect safety arrangements in the area, and do all that is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

The officials have been asked to guarantee the rehabilitation of the affected people, Al-Khattab said in a statement.

The machines that arrived at the Civil Defense Center here are the latest and most accurate to detect seismic activities — both the rumblings and volcanoes. The machines have been brought on the orders of Lt. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijiri, director general of the Civil Defense.

Heavy machinery that can work under rubble and cameras with remote sensors have been brought in by the Civil Defense. Powerful generators to run them are in place and experts in seismic activities are monitoring the situation.

People reported tremors all day yesterday. Students in Yanbu were excited rather than scared by the tremors.

The Ministry of Education has sent senior officials to the region to make sure teaching in schools is not disrupted.

Civil Defense authorities have also reserved more hotel rooms and furnished apartments in view of the increasing number of people leaving villages close to the affected area.

Col. Essam Farrash, acting director of the Civil Defense in Yanbu, told Arab News that evacuees who wanted furnished apartments were provided with the same. He said up to 800 people were evacuated from Al-Qarasa, Al-Hadama and Al-Amid, and were put up in various Yanbu hotels and apartments on Monday. Officials denied reports that they had stopped providing evacuees with furnished apartments.

“As part of housing arrangements, permits have been issued to evacuees to seek shelter either in Madinah or Yanbu. Those who were issued permits for Madinah will get their accommodation there and those issued permits for Yanbu will be provided accommodation in Yanbu,” an official said. He added that only the best available apartments have been selected for them.

“Seven patients have been admitted to Yanbu General Hospital,” said Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Saeedi, director of Health Department in Yanbu, adding that an emergency hospital with 50 beds and latest instruments has been put on alert in Yanbu.

Hospitals and health centers in the city are ready to handle eventualities, he added.

Special Entry:Selamat Hari Bonda

Selamat Hari Ibu kepada bonda tersayang yang jauh di mata tetapi dekat di hati.

If I can recall all those days, really hope time could turn back. But, it is impossible.
Dulu kita budak2, anak kepada mak dan bapak, wonder, nakal ke, rajin ke @ malas ke aku ni dengan orang tua. Tak boleh ingat semua tu. Tapi yang masih ingat di kepala abah tak pernah control dan tak selalu marah2 kami adik beradik tapi kami takut dengan abah. Kalau abah marah semuanye menikus. Selalunya decision abah based pada mak. Kalau mak kata ok , maka oklah abah. Huih power kan mak..

Tapi mak lain. Selalu jugak dengar mak membebel. Especially bila time kitorang asyik main dan tak tolong dia masak atau kemas rumah. Ada satu favourite phrase mak yang aku masih ingat tapi tak applicable utk aku skrg " terbakar kaki tangan mak ni nak kasi korang makan". Pernah juga try pakai. Tapi anak2 sibuk pulak cari, "kat mana ibu? tak nampak api pun?" . Lagi satu, ha main lagi.. tak habih-habih lagi main. Nanti mak rebus batu-batu tu bagi korang makan(masa tu main batu seremban) hehehehe.. Sekarang nak rebus apa yek.. "ibu rebus play-station tu buat lauk tengah hari...boleh tak agaknye..


Mak bolehla cakap macam tu, sebabnye mak full-time memasak dan suka memasak. Apa yang dia pernah makan, dia akan cuba masak sendiri , ikut sedap tekak dia dan tekak kami. Hasilnya, abah dan kami kurang berminat nak makan kat luar sebab lebih sedap makan yang mak masak. Dan the most important thing, mak masak sedap original, tak pernah letak any perasa. Kadang-kadang jek abah bawak kami makan kat luar(sebulan), itupun agaknya sebab nak entertain mak kot ataupun nak entertain kami adik beradik, dah letih masak kat umah atau tak de idea nak masak. Tapi bila makan kat luar, kalau tanya dia, " Sedap tak abah?" Dia jawab " Sedap lagi mak kamu masak". Happy agaknye mak masa tu. Abah puji mak bukan sebab nak jaga hati mak sahaja, tapi memang reality. Kalau mak tak de, sedih betul tengok abah. Ada la sekali-sekala mak pernah balik kampung tengok tok sakit. Abah tinggal ngan kami kat umah. Kami cubalah try masak macam mak. Tapi abah makan sikit sahaja. Suruh tambah lagi dia kata "Dahlah. Dah kenyang dah". Kadang-kadang abah sanggup tak makan, boleh makan biskut saja. Nama nak pergi kedai beli makanan, tak. Actually boleh bilang dengan jari sepanjang hayat mak, travel alone tanpa abah. Selalunye mesti dengan abah.

Dari dulu sampailah sekarang, mak tak pernah sanggup tinggal abah sorang2. Bila ajak mak datang sini, dia mesti kata abah kamu macam mana. Walaupun abah kata boleh pegi tapi, mak berat nak tinggal. Setia betul la mak. Aku ni boleh ke jadi macam tu? Aku harap aku boleh jadi macam mak. Sabar dan setia.

Itu abah dan mak. Mak dan anak-anak pulak. Mak jaga kami baik-baik dari kecik sampai dah kawin. Dia jaga makan-minum supaya kami tak gemuk dan tak kurus. Makanan yang kami makan cukup zat dan vitamin. Ada pernah sekali, aku main bola jaring dan bola tampar, jari kelingking terseliuh dan hasilnya terbengkok la sikit, marah betul dia(" beranak elok2, jaga sampai besar, dah besar bengkok sana bengkok sini tak tau duduk diam). Ikutkan segala macam petua mak ada. Dah lepas kawin dan lepas bersalin pun mak tolong jaga.

Tak nak membebankan dia, bila anak ke-3 dan seterusnya nekad duduk rumah sendiri. Bak kata abah " dia dah besar dah pernah beranak tau la dia jaga diri dia sendiri", sebab mak risaukan kita. Lebih-lebih lagi kat Yanbu, sayu masa sebelum bersalin hari tu dengar suara sebak dia nasihatkan kita supaya jaga makan baik-baik. Pantang elok2. Dia tahu anak dia ni suka ngelat. Dia risau. Insya-Allah mak, janganlah risau.

Sekarang ni kita pulak yang jadi mak. Segala macam perasan yang mak rasa dulu agaknya ada pada kita sekarang. Macam mana ye nak jadi macam mak?

Sempena Hari Ibu, ingin ku nyatakan betapa bersyukurnya aku kepada Allah kerana ditakdirkan beribukan bonda Habshah Mokri. Insya- Allah ya Allah, panjangkan usiaku berikan aku kekuatan, kesihatan yang berpanjangan dan kesenangan yang melimpah ruah supaya kelak akulah orang yang akan menjaga mereka.

Weekend and Cinnamon Rolls

Hemmm weekend again.. What to do? Usually, to fill up my time I like to try new recipe. But this time, I remembered my newly arrived neighbour next door are actually waiting to taste my cinnamon roll again. She keep own saying that she likes the rolls and when she went back to Pakistan, she could not stop mention it to her family members.. What does it mean? .. Please send some more..hehehe. .. just kidding. She also like my curry puffs. So today may be I could entertain her.

So early in the morning, I make the dough, while waiting the dough to rise I am blogging and finish all the report analysis required by my Head. I have tried several time my recipes with different types input ingredients(whalla ..like programming le pulak) to find the best result. So this is the best recipe I have ever try I could say...

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo wheat flour(in Yanbu - Kuwait Flour is the best)
1 tbs salted/unsalted butter + some salt
1 tbs sugar 1 tbs dry yeast(saf-levure) any yeast may be works as well
1 egg
150ml low fat milk(fresh)
1/2 cup warm water+ 1 tsp sugar(to dissolve yeast)
brown sugar
cinnamon powder

Methods:
1. Dissolve dry yeast in warm water.

2. Melt butter and then add milk with sugar. Stir until all sugar dissolved. Milk should be warm not boiled. Put off fire. Cool off. Then add egg into it. Mix.

3. Get the flour into a big mixing bowl and make a hole in it. Pour in the milk mixture, yeast and mixed them together. Roll and punch.

4. Ensure it did not stick to your finger. Then cover it with plastic food wrapper and let it rest for 1 hour.

5. In baking tray, pour some cooking oil to grease and sprinkled mixed cinnamon sugar into it. The more the merrier.

6. Again hit the dough, until all air released. Divide dough into 3.

7. Roll the dough until it make about 15cm(A) X 25 cm(B). While rolling you may use some flour to avoid it sticking to the rolling pin.

8. Smeared the rolled dough with mixed cinnamon sugar.

9. Slowly roll it from the A side the until the end. Cut into 4 pieces using knife or dental floss.

10. Place it into the baking tray. Let it rise 1/2-1 hour. Preheat oven 350 F.

11. After 1/2 -1 hour later, sprinkle more mixed cinnamon+brown sugar on it and ready to bake for 20 minutes.

I usually works with 1/2 kilo flour at a time. My hand is not strong enough to work with bigger dough.

So, try it. If it does not work tell me.

note: Pictures were taken from previous entry.