Year End Lunch

Yus had been transferred as the Executive Officer of the sub-department, rather than merely the EO of the sector since October.
We were unsure whether or not to hold a farewell lunch for her because she's not exactly 'transferred' in one sense, since we still get to regularly see her and work with her, only that she's no longer under our sector.

Then, recently two of the officers in our sector - Azhan and Anuar, got their promotion. Azhan is retained in the sector while Anuar has been transferred to another department. So yesterday we had a pot-luck lunch in the office - a farewell lunch for Yus & Anuar as well as the sectoral Year End Lunch since many officers will start taking their Year End (long) break beginning next week, including the sector's boss.

Yesterday was a hiruk pikuk day due to me forgetting to renew my road tax in advance. I wanted to renew it on the day before by using MyEG service, but since it was the day before my road tax expired (15 December 2009), the Customer service guy who answered my phone call politely advised me to go to a JPJ office for a prompt service since the JPJ server was down, making it difficult to instantly process the renewal of road tax online. However since I already spent one whole morning in the clinic - it was inappropriate for me to spend the same afternoon to go outside the office unless I took a leave (but I already carried forward the balance of my annual leave to next year, which means I have no more leaves this year except those which were already approved by the bosses - for next week, insya Allah).

Since it was already D Day - I had to renew my license yesterday, by hook or by crook. I thought to get it done and over with quickly in the morning. So I walked to Parcel D to JPJ Putrajaya - only to be told that the service counters are undergoing renovation and are temporarily closed for the time being. I was advised to go to Bangi instead.

Walked back to Parcel C - and made it a point to call up the Post Office in Alamanda to check whether or not I could renew my road tax in their branch. You know - out of fear that the JPJ server might be down or something and I would be left with no choice but to go to a JPJ office. The guy who answered the call assured me that yes, they could process road tax renewal with a fee of RM2 and yes, the JPJ server was up and working well. No worries.

So I went to Alamanda and quickly got the matter settled. After all, I already bought the insurance policy online the day before, so alhamdulillah, getting my road tax renewal was a breeze. And unlike those days when I was in debt for my old Kancil/ Wira when I had to obtain the car's "geran" from the financier first, this time it is with me all the time because the Toyota Wish was already paid for in cash. No worries. (Except that the guy behind the counter in Alamanda Post Office made a blunder and printed an unnecessary stuff on the 'geran'. Geram sungguh, but what to do? Benda dah jadi...)

Back to the Year End/Farewell Lunch at the office.

The main theme was nasi campur, with each staff contributing a plate of dish (or two)

The menu, among others, include:

1. Ayam masak merah (Ernie)
2. Ikan Asam Pedas ('Jusa' CC Marziah)
3. Sayur goreng & Sambal goreng (Yana n Aniz)
4. Sambal tumis ikan bilis & sambal telur (Emma)

5. Daging Masak lemak cili api (me)

6. Ayam goreng crispy (Idy)
7. Ikan terubuk masin(Yan)
8. Telur dadar (Fairuz, groom-to-be in a week time)

9. Ulam

Additional menu include:

10. Spaghetti Bolognese (Nabilah)
11. Chicken pepper sausages with condiments

Desserts were:

12. Secret Recipe's Cappucino cheesecake

13. Blueberry chilled cheesecake

14. Oreo chilled cheesecake

15. Cheesecake (the 'normal' variant)

16. Pulut inti

17. Mixed fruit pudding

18. Sliced Fuji apples

All in all, it was a good lunch - the food delicious, the atmosphere friendly with lots of bantering, jokes and laughter.

Here's looking forward to a more productive (ahem ahem, 3 of the girls are hoping/praying/working towards adding another member to their respective family. No, not me lah - sheesh...) year ahead, insya Allah!

Anuar receiving his farewell git from the boss

Yus receiving her farewell (farewell ke?) gift

Part of the food galore

The cheesecakes! Yummy Yummy!

Birthday girls with the birthday cake (but it was cappucino, so I couldn't taste it...I can't take anything with coffee)

Line up, line up... Despite CC's initial worry about nasi tak cukup, there were plenty of food for everyone...

Spaghetti bolognese on banana leaf - interesting, eh?

Hairi and Faez suap-menyuap kek, ewah ewah...

Do it the traditional way - eating while sitting cross-legged

Part of the sectoral female staff

Kenyang perut, senang hati