Sunday, April 4, 2010

Son, Thank You For The Help

I would like to dedicate this blog to my son Azuan. He took a week leave just to help me with my renovation work on the house.
I have been contemplating hiring a helper to do the next phase of house renovation. The next phase involved the laying of about 40 feet of 4 in diameter UPVC pipe for the outlet of the HDPE septic tank. This pipe is important in order for the new septic tank to function. it will only function properly if the outlet is able to drain off the overflow after the WC is used. Since the water collecting pond is located at the back of the house, the pipe must be laid in a trench to be dug up in an alley barely 24 inches wide. The width of the trench is only 6 inces wide and vary in depth from 14 inces at the outlet to 24 inches at the collecting pond. Only cangkul and penggali can be used for this job.
Unfortunately a helper is hard to come by in my area. Those who are available are either too lazy or too weak to work or they are drug addicts. So I have no choice but to slog on on my own.
It was a great feeling when I saw a text message from my second son Azuan inquiring whether I need him to help with my work. Of course I do, I shot back to him and immediately called him to find when he could be back.
He had read my blog about the injury to my right knee. He said he can approach his boss for a week leave based on compassionate ground to help me to complete my job. He showed his boss my blog and his leave was approved.
The wound healed well. The sutures were later removed.

He came back and helped me with the digging of the trench.
See how cramped is the work area.

While I dug with the cangkul, Azuan will move the spoils to the other side.

Some section which was concreted had to be broken down with a jack hammer. Thanks to an influx of china made power tools, such tools are affordable and can easily last the duration of a job. For RM350 ringgit, such a tool is really worth the money spent.
Azuan back filling the trench after the UPVC pipe was laid. The pipe on the wall is a drain pipe.

The job is done and Azuan asked me to pose for this picture.

Later Azuan helped me with the work on the second restroom.

All the old fixtures were removed from the restroom including the pedestal WC.
For Azuan's benefit since he didn't get to stay back till the new restroom was completed, here are some photos of the room.
New tiles were laid. we chose this pink tiles with subtle flower motif on it.

The new look of the restroom.
The red hot wash basin.
Sticker of flowers bought at Shah Alam Pasar Tani. Since they come cheap, it doesn't matter if they won't last. I can always replace them.
Azuan, thank you for the help. Without your help, it would have taken me longer to complete the job.

29 comments:

Unknown said...

Awie:

It was noble of your son to take a leave just to help you. It was a great help indeed he offered. God bless him.

Great, everything is done on your own. These days renovation is by no means cheap! Heck it really drains the money out of you. Dah lah kerja nya tak sempurna.. sometimes. sigh!

Bravo..Awie.

Pak Zawi said...

Tuan Haji Azmy,
the next time you want to do minor renovation on your house you let me know. I can do it for you at the same rate as other contractors but with better quality. At least you know your monies goes to a friend and not to an unknown contractor hahahaha.

Unknown said...

woh. got a new toilet.

Pak Zawi said...

FRoS,
My house was built in 1980 so definitely there are many deficiencies that needs to be rectified. The biggest problem is the high water table that played havoc with my sewerage system using the concrete septic tank.

Capt's Longhouse said...

Pak Zawi,

,,,massage your injured leg with minyak gamat langkawi, get the blood flowing.
,,,safety first always !..plan baru action/execute baru selamat.

waa duuu !!! well done, good job and regards to your noble son too.

Temuk said...

Salam Pak Zawi
Well done & congratulations to you & Azuan. The best part about doing things on our own is 'satisfaction guarenteed'! And we might learn new things in the process. Didn't know about your knee injury. Semoga segera sembuh.

Pak Zawi said...

Captain,
Did use the gamat oil from Langkawi. It is a must for us when it involves cut or burn and I truly believe in it's goodness.
Hopefully my son will read your comment and feel proud of himself for the good gesture.

Pak Zawi said...

Temuk,
Salam kembali.
It was really a satisfying thing to do even if the quality may not be up to the mark compared to what can be done by professionals. I believe we all should try doing some project on our own starting with some small ones.
The injury was minor and it has healed completely now. Thanks.

Unknown said...

Well your son is a real handy man. Mine can't even change a wall plug.

Pak Zawi said...

Cikgu Nazir,
I trained them since small to help out in whatever way they can. The hands on training comes in handy in their later life. Ain't too late to teach your son some skills.

jaflam said...

Slm Pak Zawi,
You are one determined man to do all those renovations yourself. I am happy to hear that your son is lending you a hand because what you are doing is a hard job meant for younger men.

I am doing some renovations at my home now, carried out by my brother and his workers. Looking at them doing the job made me realized how lucky i have been for being able to mostly use my brain in my work instead of manual force.

I know you enjoyed the work but do take care because age is catching up fast with us.

Pak Zawi said...

Dato',
Salam.
I am doing all the work to keep myself active and healthy. Sweating it out and drinking alot of water is a way to detox your body. So in a way I am excercising. Furthermore I never exert myself beyond my limit.
Above all it gives me immense satisfaction and financial saving is just secondary. If you have the skill you better try it to find out. Above all it brings me to sleep easily at night and I spend less time on the computer which is the cause of my lack of fitness.
At 60 yrs I maynot be able to do too much but I can still lift a 50kg bag of cement hehehe.

Tepi Sungai Batu said...

Pak Zawi,
Bertuah dapat anak yang ringan tangan. Sanggup ambil cuti......

Pak Zawi said...

Pak Man,
Sedekah seorang anak kepada orang tuanya.

Harleny Abd Arif said...

Salaam ziarah...
Tersinggah di blog ini lalu menjengah himpunan koleksi karya catan. Rupanya satu aliran...Sudi-sudilah berkongsi pandangan di blog saya. Tq

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Salam, Abang Zawi! Hope you have made a full recovery now. The sutures look really scary. Macam luka parah sampai tahap entah apa.

So good of your son to take leave to help you. Good fathers deserve good children ;) Good job Abang Zawi and Azuan!

Please take care and get well soon!

Pak Zawi said...

Harleny,
Salam kembali.
Terima kasih kerana singgah dipondok hamba. InsyaAllah saya akan jengok sebagai lawatan balas.

Pak Zawi said...

Ee Lynn,
Salam kembali. Don't worry I am well. The wound would be even more scary if photographed at the time of injury but it would be too gory to display.
I am blessed with 4 great children and son and daughter inlaws. Thank God for that.

mamasita said...

Pak Zawi..I am sorry I tak tahu you had a bad cut samapi berjahit.
Rajinnya you buat sendiri your own restroom.You are a remarkable pensioner..Fathiyyah is so lucky..
Azuan..you're just so awesome. You're a wonderful son! Alhamdullillah..

Pak Zawi said...

Datin Mamasita,
Ala small cut je cuma tempat luka tu membawa masalah kepada beberapa aktiviti lain seperti sembahyang. Terpaksala sembahyang dok atas kerusi.
Yeah she is happy cos we can do so many things on our own. Next project coming soon. It will involve some welding work, something I have never done before. The last time I did some welding was while in Serdang College way back in 1971.
I am lucky to have sons who are able and willing to help. my other son Azrin would help too if he were able to take leave but being a pilot is not easy to take a long leave.

Tommy Yewfigure said...

Hi Pak Zawi,

Gee, that's a nasty looking wound u got there. Please bear in mind that at our age, wounds don't heal as fast as it would when we r younger, so be more careful next time.

I like your Ngan Yin thumb up pose for a job well done indeed and u had done well raising up your sons :))

Cheers,
Tommy

P/S - Hey boss; Where's the magazine rack & laptop table next to your new throne, when u do your 'big' job??..hahaha. I'm being serious too.

Pak Zawi said...

Tommy,
It was indeed a moment of carelessness that led to the accident. Fortunately it healed up and now I am able to use the knee fully especially for prayers. I will be more careful in the future as I can't afford to get any more such injury in the future if I can avoid it hehehe.
It was my son who decided that I did the thumb up pose :).

Pat said...

Don't know how I missed this post, Zawi! So sorry to hear about your injury, but I'm so glad that it healed well.

And you are something else! Imagine doing that all - with just the two of you!!! Your son is a good boy. And you are such an industrious man. Your wife is one lucky lady!

Pak Zawi said...

Pat,
You didn't miss the post only you came in abit later.
if my son didn't come back i will just slog alone and take a longer time to complete. Thanks to him it was easily done.
Its fun to do it on our own. can't describe the feeling of satisfaction when its done. I guess it comes with some pride.

Unknown said...

salam PZ..that's one hot washbasin you got there..:)
..as a kid, I remember renting a room in kl the size of your restroom for a hundred ringgit a month..came with a single bed..:)..cheers

Pak Zawi said...

Pakmat,
I am glad you like the basin. I was attracted to it the minute I saw it in the showroom in KB. I had to work the color scheme of the restroom based on it.
The room size is just 4.5 x 7 ft, still small by any standard. If the width is slightly wider say 6 ft, I would be able to fit in a bath cubicle that will keep the restroom dry most of the time. A dry restroom is the ultimate for me.

Dilla said...

Salam Uncle,

Good to know that you are well.

Amazing job on the renovations! I love it! Especially the red sink! So so so gorgeous!

Pak Zawi said...

Dilla,
Thank you. I fell in love for red sink the minute I saw it in the showroom. We had to re work on the color scheme of the wall tiles to match the sink and also the floor tiles. I am glad u like it too.

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